King's Landing, The Red Keep – 122 AC
I watched as my daughter, Lucerys, and her aunt, Helaena, giggled together, their laughter echoing through the courtyard, after the Golden Cloaks had escorted them back to the Red Keep. A sigh escaped my lips as I realized they were up to their usual antics again. I knew I should be reprimanding Lucerys for disobeying my strict instructions. After all, I had made it crystal clear that she was not to approach Ghost on her own until she turned ten.
But as I gazed at her, all wide-eyed innocence and infectious joy, I found it impossible to stay mad. Lucerys had a way about her, a charm that could melt even the sternest of hearts. Who could resist those sparkling eyes and that radiant smile? Certainly not I.
Despite my best efforts to maintain discipline, I couldn't help but feel a pang of fondness as I watched her. She was my little pearl of Driftmark, a constant source of delight and wonder in my life. And while I knew I should be enforcing the rules, part of me couldn't help but revel in her spirited nature and boundless curiosity.
Still there was underline of worry after everything that had happened at the Stormlands. When my news had reached us that three highborn daughters had been kidnapped by Dorne, it had sent the court into dismay. With my daughter, Lucerys, just a few miles away from the chaos, fear gripped my heart like a vice. The mere thought of anything happening to my pearl sent a shiver down my spine. Rhaenyra and I were beside ourselves with concern, our minds plagued by endless what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.
For the first time, the bitter feud between the Blacks and Greens had been set aside in the face of a common threat. The realm was on the brink of conflict with Dorne, tensions escalating with each passing moment. Rhaenyra and Daemon were itching for a war, eager to defend our realm against any who dared challenge us. Luckily, they were reigned in, Westeros could not afford another war when we had just come out from one against the Triarchy.
However, it had been news of Lucerys' involvement in commanding Ghost to protect her cousins, that had left me seething with anger. In that moment, a piece of my daughter's innocence had been stripped away, replaced by the harsh reality of the consequences of her actions. When my mother recounted the events, telling me how Ghost had unleashed his fiery wrath upon a squad of Dornish soldiers, I was incredulous. Ghost? The same dragon who had allowed the children of Dragonstone to frolic and play near him without a care in the world?
It was unfathomable to me. Ghost had always been gentle and accommodating, a guardian of sorts for the children of our household. Families from Dragonstone would often gather nearby, knowing they were safe under the watchful eye of the dragon. He had even scared off a few ruffians who had dared to approach too close. The idea of him unleashing such devastation was beyond belief.
The realization that Lucerys had unwittingly sentenced men to their deaths weighed heavily on my heart. Her innocence, her purity, tainted. As a father, it pained me to see her exposed to such violence. I couldn't shake off the worry gnawing at me about Ghost's behavior. However, to my surprise, the dragon remained unchanged even after the incident with the Dornish soldiers. It was as if nothing had altered in Ghost's demeanor. My good brother, Daemon, had remarked that perhaps Lucerys' sea-blood tempered the fire within her, restraining the dragon within until circumstances demanded its release.
Whether Daemon's speculation held any truth, I couldn't say for certain. But I found solace in the fact that neither Lucerys nor Ghost appeared to be affected by the events in the Stormlands. It was a relief to see my daughter and her dragon companion remain steadfast in their nature, unaffected by the violence and turmoil that surrounded them.
I shook my head and focused on the task at hand. With a wry smile playing on my lips, I watched as Helaena and Lucerys stood before me, their guilty expressions betraying their mischievous escapade. I couldn't help but shake my head in mild amusement as I scolded them for sneaking away from the Red Keep and taking flight on their dragons without proper supervision.
"Helaena, Lucerys," I began, my tone gentle yet firm, "this is not acceptable behavior. You both know the rules."
Helaena, quick to defend her actions, protested in uncharacteristic cheek, "It was my idea, cousin! I wanted to go to the Dragon Pit, and I dragged Lucerys with me."
I raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering why she would do such a thing. "Why would you do that?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Dreamfyre was calling to me," Helaena confessed, her voice tinged with excitement. "I knew it was finally time to answer."
Lucerys, always eager to add her own input, chimed in, "And Ghost was doing the same with me."
I couldn't help but flick Lucerys gently on the forehead, a playful reprimand for her disobedience. "Liar!" I teased, knowing full well that impatience had likely been the true culprit behind their rash decision. "We both know that you and Ghost simply couldn't wait any longer and seized the opportunity to disobey me."
Lucerys, her bottom lip jutting out in an adorable pout, rubbed her forehead where I had flicked her, before offering a sheepish apology. "Sorry, kepa," she mumbled, being too cute that it borderline with being illegal.
Queen Alicent Hightower then came rushing in, her expression frazzled and her tone sharp with admonishment, I watched as she practically dragged Helaena away, scolding her all the while. Despite the chaos of the moment, I appreciated the brief pause she took to ensure Lucerys was unharmed before continuing her tirade against her daughter.
With a resigned sigh, I turned to Lucerys, who stood before me with a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. She knew full well the trouble she had caused, yet there was a spark of excitement in her eyes that I couldn't help but admire. Gently taking her by the hand, I led Lucerys back to our apartments in the Family Wing of the Red Keep. As expected, Rhaenyra greeted us with unbridled joy, her excitement palpable as she learned of Lucerys's daring escapade.
"Lucerys, my sweet girl!" Rhaenyra exclaimed, enfolding her daughter in a tight embrace. "I'm so proud of you for riding Ghost! You've made your mother very happy."
The joyous celebration was punctuated by the arrival of the kitchen staff, bearing trays laden with Lucerys' favorite dishes. I withheld a sigh as Rhaenyra spoiled our daughter. We should be scolding her and grounding her for misbehaving. But it was not like Lucerys could ever do anything wrong in my wife's eyes. Rhaenyra had been happy when Jace had been born, she had the male heir her mother had never managed to birth, she could rest for a while. But it was when Lucerys was born that my wife celebrated in joy, she had always wanted a daughter and she got one. So, of course, Rhaenyra spoiled her.
Seeing that Lucerys was Rhaenyra's favorite, the King also did his best to spoil his granddaughter. And do not get me started with my parents, and lately with my sister and good brother. Ever since Lucerys had somehow found Morning's egg, she had become the favorite cousin of the twins and their parents. I was so lucky that Lucerys was simply the kindest soul I've ever met, otherwise we would have a Viserra-reborn in our hands. As she received like five gifts from each one of her relatives at a time, she would keep one of them, her favorite, and sell the other ones for coin to the various unattended charitable works from the deceased Queen Aemma.
That had only made her more adored by Rhaenyra and Viserys. Rhaenyra was in tears when she discovered what our daughter had been doing. We had been floored and amazed by Lucerys' grand heart. No wonder, so many small folk have started calling her Alysanne-reborn. Soon afterwards, my wife had taken over the various unattended charitable works from the deceased Queen Aemma, and with it earned the love of the small folk in King's Landing.
I had worried that maybe the other children would feel jealous about her being so favored. However, Jacaerys took his responsibilities of older brother seriously, and was very protective about his only sister. Joffrey was dotted upon by Lucerys and Daeron, and that was quite a surprise, as much as the older members of the family spoiled Lucerys. Aemond and Helaena were Lucerys best friends, and Baela and Rhaena worshipped the ground Lucerys walked on after giving Rhaena her dragon egg. As for Aegon… well, worryingly I have no idea what he does or feels half the time.
Maybe because I've never seen him sober since he hit puberty.
As the night settled in and the children finally drifted off to sleep, Rhaenyra and I found ourselves deep in conversation about the upcoming royal progress across the realm. I couldn't help but acknowledge the importance of this journey, recognizing it as a crucial opportunity to solidify our alliances and garner support for our cause. With each region we visited, we would have the chance to strengthen our ties with loyal allies and perhaps even sway those who remained undecided.
The Riverlands, in particular, weighed heavily on our minds. Unlike the staunch supporters the Greens found in the Westerlands and the Reach, the loyalty of the Riverlords remained uncertain. The region had long been plagued by division and internal strife, with House Tully struggling to assert its authority over its bannermen. It was a region we could flip over to our side.
"Laenor," Rhaenyra began, her voice tinged with a mixture of determination and concern. "The Riverlands will be a challenge, but we need to bring it to our side. And we need to do it without any marriage alliance. I will not sell my daughter to a greedy second son of a weak house like the Tullys."
I nodded in agreement, my pearl deserved to be worshiped not coveted because of the titles and lands in her name. "We will need to tread carefully," I replied, echoing her sentiments. "But I have faith that we can sway the Riverlords to our cause."
However, my wife did not smile in return. Rhaenyra's frustration was palpable as she drained her goblet of wine, her brows furrowed in deep contemplation. I could sense her inner turmoil, she must have been thinking about my mother's warning. My mother had been adamant in her warnings, urging Rhaenyra to leave Harwin behind in King's Landing. His responsibilities as the Lord Commander of the City Watch were paramount, and his absence would leave a void that could not easily be filled. Though I believe my mother's warning had been fueled by the fears of past rumors and scandals. Yet, Rhaenyra's heart rebelled against the notion of being parted from her beloved. I could understand her predicament, as such I will also be leaving my paramour in Dragonstone to show Rhaenyra my support.
I reached out my hand to touch her arm, offering what comfort I could. "Mother is right, Rhaenyra," I said gently. "Harwin's duty to the city must come first. If rumors of affair and bastardy resurface, it could jeopardize everything we've worked for."
Rhaenyra nodded grimly, her expression grave. "I know," she admitted, her voice heavy with resignation. "But I cannot simply abandon Harwin. He is my anchor, my confidant."
"Together, we can overcome any obstacle that stands in our path." I reassured her, my voice filled with determination.
With a weary smile, Rhaenyra squeezed my hand in return, gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you, Laenor," she said softly. "I don't know what I would do without you."
As much as I would like to leave this conversation at this, we still had one topic to discuss. Sensing Rhaenyra's unease, I carefully broached the topic, my voice tentative as I echoed the words of my father.
"Rhaenyra, love," I began, "my father proposed an idea... He suggested leaving Jace at Winterfell for a time, to foster with the Starks. Lord Rickon Stark will be coming to King's Landing to celebrate the end of the Crown Princess' first Royal Progress, he would be taking Jace with him back to the North."
Rhaenyra's brows furrowed in concern, her eyes meeting mine with a mixture of surprise and apprehension. "Winterfell?" she repeated, her voice soft with disbelief. "But... Jace..."
I nodded solemnly, my heart heavy with the weight of the decision we faced. "I know, Rhaenyra," I replied, squeezing her hand in comfort. "It's a lot to consider, but perhaps it's for the best."
"You might be right, maybe it is for the best," Rhaenyra murmured, her voice tinged with reluctance. "We both know that Jace has not been fully accepted at court. Even when the rumors of bastardy began to turn into Jace taking more of after his Arryn heritage…" we both chuckled at that. "Perhaps a change of environment will do him good."
Her grip tightened around mine, her expression troubled as she processed the implications of such a proposal. "I just don't want him to feel abandoned," she confessed, her voice wavering with emotion.
"He won't," I assured her, my own voice steady with conviction. "He'll understand that this is for his own good, and we'll visit him whenever we can. We do have dragons."
"You're right, will visit him as often as we can," Rhaenyra agreed, her gaze steady and determined. "And we will ensure that he knows he is loved, no matter where he may be."
Her words brought a measure of comfort, but the ache of separation still lingered. Jacaerys was our son, even if he did not share my blood, he was mine. Not like Criston ever did anything for him. It was better for Jace to believe Harwin to be his sire, not that our loyal minded. Rhaenyra had been kind to share her lover with me, it was during one of those nights that she had joined the bed, and we were able to conceive our miracle, our pearl.
Oh, Jaehaerys Targaryen must be rolling in his urn. He had exiled his daughter Saera for her promiscuity and disinherited my mother because of her gender. Now my wife was the heir to the crown, was married to a man of the same house the Councilor hated so much and has borne three children to three different men. One of them a Kingsguard!
No wonder my mother was having so much fun lately!