Spoilers for the future of House of the Dragon are in this chapter in the second scene, that takes place at Gulltown as well as in the final scene with the Tyrells. Proceed at your own caution.
Speaking of the show… wow. If I say I've seen the opening episode more than 5 times I wouldn't be lying. It had some of the best things about Seasons 1-4 of Thrones with the later season's spectacle and budget. A really masterful opener and I cannot wait to see episode two.
I kept this chapter delayed for a week to see if they did any dragon egg hatching lore, but as they didn't, I can't really hold it off any further. I hope you all enjoy it!
I own nothing but the OC's, the known characters and locations are the property of George R R Martin or HBO.
As was the case whenever Luke was away, Daenerys had taken on the primary parental role for the Princess Visenya. This time around the three-year-old was old enough to have interests of her own and the young girl had taken to carrying around her brand new, crimson dragon egg around everywhere she went. Even when it was time to get ready for bed the Princess was loathe to put down the egg for more than a few seconds.
Daenerys waited until her niece was tucked in comfortably before settling down in a chair beside the Princess' bed. "Which story do you want today, Visenya?" She asked the child.
"Vhagar!" She smiled cheekily. "Visenya!"
Chuckling, Dany moved over to the bookcase and grabbed the child friendly tome on the Conquest. Settling back down, she began to read about the child's namesake as she had done dozens of times before, repeating Visenya's favourite story. She got to the part about the battle near Gulltown when Visenya sat upright, a frown on her face. "What's the matter?" Dany asked.
"Do I… do I." The toddler stammered out. "Do I marry baby Egg?"
That caught Dany off guard. "What do you mean?" She asked.
"Visenya, Aegon." The toddler explained as best as a three-year-old could, with hand gestures for each person. "Sister, brother, married."
Dany gulped, despite her years of raising her niece she wasn't prepared for such a question. "I don't know, Vis. That will be up to your father to decide."
"No!" Visenya cried out, slapping her hands on the bed and causing the egg to jump on the mattress. "I don't want to!"
Dany smiled sadly, stroking the girl's hair. "I know, sweetling. But we must do as Luke tells us. He is the King, and the leader of our House."
"No!" Visenya repeated, tears pooling in her eyes as she reddened from anger. "No! I don't want to!" She repeated again, slamming her little fists on the mattress once more.
"Visenya, stop it." Dany reprimanded, grabbing the child's flailing arms. "This isn't how a Princess behaves." Visenya stopped her loud crying, but she continued sniffling. Dany used her sleeve to wipe her eyes and nose, before a loud crack sounded, alarming the older Targaryen girl. Quickly she ducked her head underneath the bed to make sure nothing was broken, only to be extremely surprised when she rose back up to see Visenya staring intently at her dragon egg, now with a gaping hole where part of the scaly shell had come loose. "By the seven…" Dany whispered, as she watched to see a tiny little crimson head poking out of the egg, beady little black eyes blinking at the new sensations around it. More of the egg broke apart then, and the baby dragon climbed out of its casing onto the young Princess, and Dany noticed the maroon spine and black claws.
"Dragon!" Visenya exclaimed, all memory of the crying long forgotten.
Dany was also in awe, staring at the scene before her in wonder. "This is incredible…" She whispered, before calling out. "Ser Jorah!"
Her sworn sword quickly entered the room. "Is everything alright, Princess?" The disgraced Northerner asked.
"Yes." Dany quickly said to avert his fears, although her eyes never left the newly hatched dragon in her niece's bed. "Just… if you could fetch me a bedroll and some pillows. I'll be staying in here tonight."
Ser Jorah bowed before departing, and after the door closed the only noises heard were the high-pitched shrieks of the newborn symbol of their House.
In his time as a sellsword and a King, Luke had never seen a city as white as Gulltown. The entire city was walled off with a pale white marble stone, and despite being on the smaller side as cities went, it was one that the Targaryen King was grateful to have visited. The city was an important one in his family history, with the waters to the South being the location of the first defeat of sorts that Aegon and his sisters suffered in the Conquest, as well as having housed both Joffrey Velaryon and Rhaena Targaryen at points during the Dance, the siblings of Luke's ancestor Viserys II.
The Grafton's seat was close to the main port, a large keep built from the same white stone as the city walls with a central drum tower, that was smaller yet similar to the drawings of Storm's End that Luke had seen. The main hall was a wide space, large enough for Luke to spot dozens of different banners behind their Lords and Ladies as he sat in Lord Gerold Grafton's seat with his usual two banners, one with the red dragon of his house and his personal golden sigil. The King also had the unsheathed Blackfyre in his right hand, the tip of the Valyrian Steel blade resting on the stone floor.
It was Lord Gerold who was the first to walk up to the throne, stopping before Luke's Kingsguard before he bent the knee towards the King. "I, Lord Gerold of House Grafton, Lord of Gulltown, do pledge my fealty to King Lucerys of House Targaryen from this day, until the end of my days."
"Thank you, Lord Grafton." Luke gestured for the man to rise. "Your family's loyalty since first bending the knee has always been evident."
"Many a Grafton has died in service to your ancestors, Your Grace. My Father included." Lord Gerold explained, but he didn't look angry. "It is our honour to be loyal to you and your own."
Luke's host then stepped away to one side, and the line began to shift forwards, as the Vale Lords each came before the Targaryen and knelt, pledging their fealty and having a brief conversation with Luke, an idea that had come from Ser Barristan to make him seem more personable. Lords Waxley, Ruthermont and Wydman followed before Lord Corbray stepped closer and bent the knee before Luke.
"I, Lord Lyonel of House Corbray, Lord of Hearts Home, do pledge my fealty to King Lucerys of House Targaryen from this day until the end of my days." Lord Corbray repeated the pledge.
"I thank you, Lord Corbray." Luke smiled, gesturing for the man to rise. "How is your wife doing? I hear she is heavy with child."
Lyonel's smile was beaming. "She is, Your Grace. I pray daily to the Mother to grant her a safe birth. An heir of my own blood will be most welcomed." The Vale Lord's tone changed to a hint of bitterness in his last words, something which Luke noted but ultimately didn't comment on as the Corbray Lord moved on, and it was the turn of Lady Hersy, Lord Coldwater and Ser Shett. Lady Waynwood followed the Knight of Gull Tower, and the elderly woman had to lean on her eldest son to bend the knee although as she spoke it was with a firmness of nobility.
"I, Lady Anya of House Waynwood, Lady of Ironoaks, do hereby pledge the fealty of myself and my House to King Lucerys Targaryen, the First of his Name." Lady Anya stated. "From this day, until the end of days."
"Rise, Lady Anya." Luke insisted, and he waited for Ser Morton to help her up. "Thank you for that, I would not have been offended had another knelt in your place."
Anya Waynwood's jaw clenched. "I may be an old woman, Your Grace, but it is my duty as the Lady of Ironoaks to bend the knee to our King. Anybody else and tongues wag and I would be accused of all manner of things."
"Well, we can't have that." Luke smiled. "Thank you again, My Lady."
Lady Waynwood bowed her head before moving away. By this time the line was dwindling as the last few Lords bent the knee and held a quick conversation with the Valyrian monarch, until finally it was down to the last two Lords. Firstly came Lord Arryn, named for the Usurper, Luke noted to himself. The young Lord Arryn looked over to Lord Royce stood behind him, who gave a quick nod, at which Lord Robin Arryn bent the knee.
"I, Lord Robin Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie and Lord…" He looked at Yohn again, who mouthed the next words. "Lord Paramount of the Vale, do hereby pledge my fealty to King Lucerys Targaryen, from this day until the end of my days."
"Rise, My Lord." Luke gestured. "I thank you for your fealty. Our houses have been staunch friends over the years. We can both count Lord Rodrik Arryn as one of our many ancestors after all."
The young Lord Arryn nodded nervously, and Luke allowed him to walk over to the side. The final Vale Lord then stepped forwards and dropped to one knee. "I, Lord Yohn of House Royce, Lord of Runestone, do hereby swear fealty to King Lucerys Targaryen, the First of his Name. From this day, until the end of my days."
"Rise, Lord Royce." Luke stated as he shifted in the seat of House Grafton. "As a reward for your loyalty and leadership in bringing the Vale to order, I hereby name you Lord Protector of the Realm and head regent to Lord Arryn. I also bestow on you the title of Warden of the East, until such a time that Lord Arryn can take that role himself."
"You honour me, Your Grace." The Bronze Yohn stated as if he hadn't already known that these titles were coming to him. "I shall serve you faithfully and raise Lord Arryn to the best of my ability."
Luke smiled, rising to his feet as he addressed the room. "The Vale has suffered since the death of Lord Jon, and the Rebellion caused a crack in our usually staunch alliances. Times move on however, and I am a different man to my father who caused you so much anger and grief. I swear to you all, by the Old Gods and the New, that from this moment onwards I will ensure that the Crown and the Vale as one to bring about a new age of prosperity for us all!"
He waited for the murmurings of agreement to settle down, but was surprised when the voices changed to the slamming of standards on the stone floor, beating together in unison. Lord Grafton was the first to chant, but soon most of the room were following the Gulltown Lord's lead, chanting out. "The Dragon King! The Dragon King!"
The High Septon's pleas during a Small Council meeting had been on Margaery's mind all throughout the gathering, and so when the rest of the Council had left the chambers, she held back waiting for Jon Connington. It wasn't subtle, as shown by the Hand of the King staying seated in his chair despite every other council member's departure, and the Lord of the Stormlands jolted her into action by saying. "Do you have need of me, Your Grace?"
Margaery nodded. "This issue with the High Septon… it must be dealt with quickly."
Jon frowned. "The man was perversely getting whores to dress up as the Gods he holds so sacred. If I were a religious man, I would consider him blasphemous. Why should we aid a man that takes advantage of his position like that?"
"Because if these… sparrows, get enough of a following then it's not just a randy old Septon that they'll come after." Margaery stated bluntly. "My maternal family, House Hightower, have had plenty of dealings with the Faith over the centuries. They whip up the smallfolk into a frenzy by bleating their stories and before you know it, we have a mob baying for blood."
"What is it you are worried about, Your Grace?" Jon asked.
"The King." She stated plainly, knowing that Luke was the only person that Jon Connington really cared about. "I know that you see the closeness he has with his sister. We won't be the only ones to see it. If this… High Sparrow gets preaching about incest…"
Jon ran his hand through his hair. "We will have a problem." He then sighed. "So far he has done nothing personally to warrant charges being brought against him."
"Has that stopped Kings before?" Margaery asked.
Jon shook his head. "Luke's reign isn't like any other Targaryen's in history. We can't take liberties that other Kings were able to now that the realm knows that Targaryen's can be overthrown. We have to do things by the book, Your Grace. Until this High Sparrow breaks the law, we will not act against him."
Margaery looked at the Hand of the King with a glare. "My Lord Hand, we cannot afford another incest scandal after Cersei Lannister. This is a different world to before the rebellion when Targaryen could marry their siblings and get away with it. The realm has seen them overthrown as you have said, the Faith will not return to their wilful ignorance that we saw two decades ago."
Jon returned Margaery's glare with a pondering look. "What is it that you know?" He asked. "You seem too worried about this for there to have only been the passing stare or comment between the King and Princess… has Luke strayed…"
"No." Margaery said quickly. "Not since we've been married, but the Princess admitted that something happened beforehand."
Jon clenched his teeth. "Ever since they met in Pentos, they've been close, but I never would have thought…" He slammed his fist on the table. "Damn you, Lucerys." He whispered, before the Hand of the King began to compose himself. "If it happened that long ago then no child was conceived, that's a good thing."
"But now with the death of Prince Trystane she is free to do as she pleases, and she knows that I know." Margaery explained. "This becomes a problem if it leaves the castle."
"It does." Jon agreed. He rose to his feet and made his way up to the portraits that lined the walls, stopping in front of Aegon the Unlikely. "The King will have to agree to any match we make for the Princess, and he is likely to be picky. Trystane was ideal because he brought us 30,000 spears to our cause before we invaded Westeros but now, they are firmly on our side with a Small Council role. I do not think Luke would accept another Martell match…" He sighed. "When the King returns, he will be busy enough, we must bring it up wisely when he is back."
Margaery didn't think that it could wait until Luke returned to King's Landing personally, but Jon was stacking up his papers and preparing to leave, so she nodded her head and excused herself from the Small Council chambers. She had almost returned to her chambers when Talisa Maegyr, the Volantene who had effectively become Visenya's nanny, ran up to her. "Your Grace! Forgive me, but the Princess is asking to see you."
Margaery hid her scowl behind a fake smile. "Please tell Princess Daenerys that I will be available after supper." She responded.
"Not Princess Daenerys, Your Grace." Talisa explained. "Princess Visenya. She… she's hatched a dragon and wishes to show you…"
Margaery gulped. "Lead the way." She said to the Volantene woman, as she pondered the importance of dragons hatching on Westeros, and she hoped that little Aegon would soon have a bright purple dragon to call his own.
Ser Daemon Sand had a good life despite his parentage. Though bastards weren't looked down on in Dorne, to have one as the Commander of the City Watch was still unheard of. Daemon's predecessors included Lords, Knights wielding Valyrian Steel and even a Prince 200 years earlier. Now it was his role, and every morning when he placed the gold cloak over his shoulder the Dornishman felt proud that his mentor had picked him for the role.
Usually, the Dornishman would be dealing with petty crimes, but the messenger from the Hand of the King had instructed Daemon to keep a close watch on this new High Sparrow, and so Daemon had put two of his best in plain clothes and had them infiltrating the growing movement. He was content to leave it at that, until one afternoon one of those men returned to him.
"Commander, Ser…" The man was breathless having been running through the city. "He's making a speech."
Daemon was halfway through his dinner and grumpy at having been interrupted. "Men are allowed to give sermons in the streets, Baldric, that is not a crime."
"He's slandering the King…" Baldric argued, and Daemon sighed. He took a final bite of his stew and set his spoon down, grabbing his sword on his way out of the Barracks. After gathering half a hundred Gold Cloaks they marched through the city towards Visenya's Hill where the Sept of Baelor stood. Beneath the hill was a large square, and Daemon immediately saw the old man standing high above the rest, preaching.
"… stripped away at the Faith for centuries, until those that claim to represent us now resemble little more than the Targaryen's puppets! Do you think the Poor Fellows of old would have followed a High Septon that profanes his faith in such a blasphemous manner as to charge brothels to entertain him in the image of the Seven?" The elderly man was saying. "They mock us all from high above, Aegon's High Hill has no care for us, the subjects. We are but numbers to His Grace, who goes where he pleases on a whim, sending us all to die in his wars of Conquest. He fancies himself Aegon come again, but answer me this, my people, can such a man born of generational incest truly compare himself to the Conqueror?"
"No!" a few people cried out.
"They disarmed us, mocked our faith, made us accept their heathen nature!" The elderly man cried out. "This, Doctrine, as they call it. It was a justification that was based upon their ability to ride dragons! But the dragons died, and still we accepted their incest based on an agreement struck with a weak and tired High Septon!"
"The dragons are back!" An audience member cried out.
The High Sparrow nodded, welcoming the heckle. "You are correct, but still the King was born over one hundred years after the last dragon died, and resorted to blood magic to hatch these, new abominations. Are we to swear our loyalty and love to a sorcerer? To a spawn of incest?"
"Yes." Daemon had had enough at that point, and spoke loudly for all around to hear. "You are. By order of the King, you are to cease your treasonous talk and disperse." His men behind him shifted in unison, their gauntleted hands reaching for their swords or other weapons. Most of the crowd began to walk away, but there were a handful that stayed, getting in between the High Sparrow and the Gold Cloaks.
The preacher simply smiled. "And here we have the lickspittles of the King coming to snuff out any dissent."
"The King shall deal with you, friend." Daemon stated bluntly. "Come quietly and nobody must die."
"You would kill us for standing in a square, good Ser?" The High Sparrow raised an eyebrow. "Is this the orders of our just ruler?"
"To speak as you have is treason, Sparrow." Daemon stated. "Any who stand with you in the face of the City Watch are abetting treason, a crime punishment by death. The law is not on your side here."
"And yet, all you seek to do is to tell the world that House Targaryen fear what I am saying." The High Sparrow smiled. "Cut me out, and you prove my words warning against such a sinful leader."
Daemon took a step forwards, but it was only when he unsheathed his sword that the crowd made way. "By my authority as Commander of the City Watch, you are under arrest, Sparrow." Unnervingly, the High Sparrow simply shrugged and held his hands out, allowing Baldric to go up to the platform and tie his hands up with rope. "Take him to Garin, have him placed in the Black Cells."
"At once, Ser Daemon." Baldric nodded, and a trio of Gold Cloaks marched the High Sparrow away.
Sighing, Daemon looked around the square to see that movement had stopped, and the citizens of King's Landing were staring at him and his men. "Move along, we are done here." He called out, though he then immediately turned to one of his lieutenants. "Have the patrols around the Sept doubled tonight. I will stay in this square personally."
"At once, Ser Daemon." The man bowed his head before moving away to bark out orders, and Ser Daemon moved over to lean against a wall in a good position to see the entire square, keeping a note of all the dirty glances he got and the faces that had made them.
As the arrest was taking place lower down in the city, atop Aegon's High Hill the Queen of the Seven Kingdom's was pacing around in the gardens, worry seeping out of her.
"Do sit down, dear." Olenna Tyrell complained. "You're giving me a headache just looking at you."
Margaery paused before she sighed dramatically and sat down in a seat. "It's just… she's hatched a dragon!"
"Targaryen's have been known to do so." Olenna stated bluntly. "Have you not been open about your wish for little Aegon to do so?"
Nodding, Margaery continued. "I didn't even know that Visenya had picked the red one… the symbol of House Targaryen is a red dragon, Grandmother. This is a sign, I know it."
"You worry for nothing." Olenna waved off. "The King himself picked out Aegon's egg for his eyes. Let the girl have her fun with… what has she named the beast?"
"Bloodwing." Margaery spat distastefully. "After their words."
Olenna smirked. "Fire and Blood, Winter is Coming, Hear us Roar. Whoever chose Growing Strong to be House Tyrell's words needed a good smack when he suggested it."
"Winter's give way to spring, Grandmother. Dragons, and Lions die out." Margaery shrugged. "Yet the rose blooms again, year after year."
Olenna grinned. "Spoken like a true Tyrell, trying to see the best in a pitiful sigil." She sighed, taking a sip of wine. "I wouldn't worry my dear. I know you fear for your son's succession but it isn't in question. Even before he was born, Visenya wasn't the heir. The realm will burn before a Targaryen woman sits on the Iron Throne; history has seen to that."
"Men will place whomever they think they can control the easiest on the Iron Throne." Margaery shook her head. "If they think that is Visenya? What then?"
Olenna sighed, thinking on the question. "Daenerys has to go, that is obvious. She holds too much influence over the Princess. If she decides that the King's first born should rule after him, then there could be a problem… but would she go over the King's head like that?"
"She will do anything that she deems necessary." Margaery insisted. "Which is why she must be married off. If Luke is right about what is coming then the matter of succession could be important quicker than we hoped."
Olenna nodded. "Alicent Hightower got her way because she was here, in the Red Keep, when her husband died, whilst the Half Year Queen was miles away on Dragonstone. Whatever we do, we must ensure that Daenerys' stay in the city is a short one."
"It's not the Dance that worries me, Grandmother, it's the Blackfyre's." Margaery explained. "If Luke comes back and they resume their relationship… if she has a son?"
"He might have a cock between his legs, my dear, but our King certainly isn't stupid." Olenna told her. "He knows he cannot act now that he is wed to the Tyrell's." She leant forwards and placed her wrinkled hands atop Margaery's. "And it is your job to keep him in your own bed, not anybody else's."
Gulping, Margaery nodded. "That, I can do." She said, with a steel that was opposite to the worrying foreboding feeling that plagued her stomach whenever she thought about her son's future.
So to kick things off and in a coincidental timing that coincided with the start of House of the Dragon… we have a newborn dragon! Please welcome Bloodwing to Westeros, an easy name for a toddler to say based on the Targaryen words. I poured over all the known dragons hatched by children and other than Valyrian God names, Silverwing was the one to stick out to me.
I realise I've left the Vale largely to their own devices for the most part so I wanted to bring the interesting characters to the forefront a little bit in this scene. We see Lyonel Corbray's distaste for his brother, Lady Waynwood's pride and decorum, as well as Robin Arryn's lack of confidence.
Then we have the aftermath of a show scene. I didn't see the plea from the High Septon going much differently to the show so I wanted to show off a different aspect that I hinted at last chapter with regards to Margaery's familial relationship with the Faith. That also gave me a chance to have a moment between Margaery and Jon Connington.
Ser Daemon Sand was appointed as the Commander of the City Watch almost half the story ago, and he seems like he'd be a capable leader so instead of having Daenerys or Margaery go and talk to the High Sparrow I wanted this new Targaryen regime to flex their competency a little bit and used him for the arrest.
Then finally, a bit of an open discussion with Margaery and her grandmother. Margaery really is worried, but how will that play out…?
Thank you everyone for reading. I hope you all enjoyed it!
Next Time: Luke is back in King's Landing, while in Winterfell, Robb receives a raven from Walder Frey…
Reviews:
suppes1: That's just the beginning for them two…
SpartanWolfj6: That depends on what they do to him.
BornSinner01: The fact that they're dragon riders again likely helps as well!
RHatch89: At the moment they don't have much choice as the only two living Martell's are Doran and Oberyn. As for the Sparrows… they may not get as much power, but that doesn't mean they won't be a problem.
Zhorvak: That would be interesting…
C.E.W: Yeah by all the laws Oberyn is the heir to Dorne. Nymeria has already been legitimised by Luke, though she is also the Lady of Rosby so wouldn't inherit. The Sparrows might not have legitimacy, but they have an incredible pulling power with the smallfolk.
Xman123 (Chapter 1): Spoilers…
Lb: I have an ongoing plan of an OC son of Daemon and Rhea Royce, though it's still very early stages and as I've already got completed plans of my Arryn OC sequel with 3 chapters written, and a completed plan of my Harry Potter story with 20 chapters already written, I may wait until after House of the Dragon to start that, who knows, I certainly don't! I may do a poll when this story is coming to a close in about 30 chapters or so.