Chapter IV - Missing
Third day of the twelfth month of 54 AC.
"How many times must I tell you, child?! The answer is no!"
"Why do you keep me here?! I HATE IT HERE, DON'T YOU SEE THAT?!"
Such was the conversation that many of Dragonstone's servants heard from the chambers of Princess Rhaena Targaryen. She and her daughter, Princess Aerea, had been screaming at one another for most of the evening and past sunset. The servants of the ancient fortress either left to perform a less stressful task or, giving into their worst impulses, listened to the conversation that would later serve as gossip for their friends residing in the fishing village nearby.
Joining them in overhearing this conversation was Queen Alysanne herself. While she knew her elder sister had no desire to see her in the midst of grieving for her lost friends, Alysanne was able to speak with Aerea and ensure her niece was alright. In all honesty, even as the queen was closer in age to Aerea than Rhaena, Alysanne felt as if she had been forced to mature at a young age. Having two children of her own before she even reached eight-and-ten years of age made her feel as if even more people needed her guidance regardless of if they wanted to hear it.
In the time she had spoken with Aerea, the queen had heard her niece plead to return with her to King's Landing, to the castle which she loved. Whilst Alysanne pitied the poor girl, she would not part Rhaena from her daughter by force, lest she face the wroth of Dreamfyre, so she only promised to bring the matter up with the eldest of King Aenys I's children. Unfortunately, Rhaena had quickly and angrily denied the request, and now Alysanne was hearing mother & child argue over what Aerea had told the queen.
"This island is your home, Aerea, whether you like it or not!"
"All you care about are your favorites! You'll just get more and forget about me like you always do!"
"Watch your tongue, child," Rhaena said in a tone that, while not as loud, indicated her anger very clearly. "They were dear friends of mine, friends who were taken away from me by a vile little rodent of a husband, and you will not dishonor them."
"Your friends all hated me, and you think I'm a burden," Aerea stated, unafraid to say what was on her mind. "I was happy in the Red Keep. The lords and ladies there loved me when Maegor was alive, and Uncle Jae was happy to have me until you brought me to this terrible place."
"Maegor kept you there as a hostage, Aerea. Are you not old enough to see that? If I had done anything to oppose or even displease him, he would have made me watch as you and your sister were dismembered or fed to his black beast."
"But why am I not with Uncle Jae? He was always good to me," Aerea pleaded. "I was his heir until his stupid babies were born."
"That place is not for us, at least not until you reach six-and-ten years of age. Dragonstone is where you are safe, can't you see that? When you were at King's Landing, Lord Rogar tried to force you to replace your uncle as king. You had to hide amongst the horses in their stables."
"I loved being in those stables," Aerea countered. "Those boys in the stables and the horses they tended to were better to me than you ever were!"
That line seemed to be the final insult Rhaena would tolerate from her eldest child. "Go to your room, Aerea! Now! I will have no more talk of you leaving this island until you're of age!"
"I HATE YOU! I DON'T WANT TO SPEND ANOTHER DAY ON THIS PILE OF SHIT!"
The door opened, and Aerea emerged from the room before slamming it behind her. Her eyes were red from the abundance of tears, yet her face was contorted into an expression of rage. Alysanne opened her mouth in the hope of saying a kind word to her niece, but whatever works she had to say, Aerea would not hear them.
She glared at the queen, no doubt upset over Alysanne's failed attempt to liberate her from her black stone prison. After several seconds, Aerea angrily stormed off to her own room, servants moving out of the way to avoid irritating the princess even further.
Alysanne watched her go, and she thought to herself on how Aerea would have grown up happier if the girl's father Aegon had survived. Of course, he would have been king in such an event rather than Jaehaerys, but it was sorrowful to see Rhaena and her daughter be so distant from one another. Her thoughts would be interrupted by the sound of her older sister storming up to her in a rage.
"Do you see what your words have done to my child? Instead of telling her to stay where she is safe, you have managed to turn her against me and convince her that the hellish red castle you and my baby brother call home is the safest place for her."
This time, as Alysanne turned to confront her sister, the tone of calm in her voice was intertwined with a rising amount of irritation and frustration at Rhaena's behavior.
"I did nothing but try and give the girl a little bit of happiness, something which has been denied to her on Dragonstone. Because you are her mother and she has not reached the age of maturity, I have respected your wishes and not taken her by force. But in two years she will be a woman, sister, and then she can go where she pleases. And if she asks for my help at that time, I will not stand aside."
This made Rhaena even more furious than before. She moved even closer to Alysanne so her face was mere inches away from her sister's, yet the queen stood firm in the face of such anger.
"You and your husband will stay away from my child. Rhaella is in Oldtown right now, and I respect her wishes to stay there as a novice for the Faith, but Aerea is the last person I have."
"I am sorry that you have lost so many people," Alysanne calmly replied, "but making your child miserable will not make you happier."
"And what would she have in the Red Keep?" Rhaena scoffed. "She is no longer heir to the Iron Throne, now that you and Jae have a pair of your own children to call your heirs. And with every new prince or princess that emerges from between your legs, Aerea is moved further down the line of succession. Do the two of you wish to remind her of that for the rest of her life?"
"If you have a quarrel with me, then I will hear you out," Alysanne replied, her calm voice beginning to drip with cold anger at her sister's brusque display. "But you will not speak in such a tone of my children. Are we clear?"
Rhaena's response was just as cold. "Transparently."
The eldest of King Aenys I's children turned and began to storm back to the solitude of her chambers when she heard her younger sister speak again.
"Rhaena, if you would care to listen to one more request of mine? I assure you it does not concern Aerea."
The princess stopped at the doorway and turned to face Alysanne with a cold look. "This is the last matter, sister, and then I am finished with the concerns of anyone else for the night."
"The serving girl, Verra, she is haunted by what your late husband did to her. I was wondering if I have your permission to bring her to the Red Keep to serve me and the king. Her father is remarkably loyal to our family, and I thought it would be best for her to serve in a place that did not remind her of the death and misery which has plagued this fortress."
Rhaena was silent for a moment before responding. "Very well. One can hardly blame her for what that slithering little shit did to my dearest friends. She may leave of her own free will. Now that the matter is settled, you will leave in the morning."
Alysanne couldn't even say "good night" to her sister before hearing her door slam shut. The queen could only look around at the castle's servants, tension and uneasy being abundant as their eyes all rested on the queen. Alysanne felt the urge to shift from uncomfortable she was, yet she knew how importatnit was for her to maintain her poise in the face of such defiance, even from her sister. Especially from her sister.
"I hope you all rest well tonight. Obviously, these last few weeks have been…upsetting, to say the least, for many of you. May the Seven bless you for your good hearts and remarkable resilience during this difficult time.
…
Sixth day of the twelfth month of 54 AC
"I agree with Lord Manfred, Your Grace. A large tournament seems to be exactly what the Realm needs after this miserable year."
Jaehaerys listened as Rego Draz, the Pentoshi Master of Coin, states his support for a tournament to be held in King's Landing at the start of the New Year, an idea originally proposed by Lord Manfred Redwyne, the Master of Ships. Lord Manfred was the first man to hold the position to not belong to House Velaryon, who historically had its lords hold the title since Aegon the Conquerer was crowned king.
Lord Manfred was preceded by Daemon Velaryon, who among other things was uncle to the king & queen through their mother. He had filled the role of Hand after Jaehaerys dismissed Lord Rogar Baratheon following his unsuccessful attempt at a coup when Jaehaerys and Alysanne had fled to Dragonstone to wed. Lord Daemon was a steady Hand, one who had served ably in his four years at the post, but after his niece Lianna Velaryon, a favorite of King Aenys's firstborn Rhaena, had been fatally poisoned by Androw Farman, he felt the desire to return to Driftmark and be with his family in their grief.
While Lord Daemon had long been a rival to Lord Manfred, the two clearly hoping to become more favorable in the eyes of the young king, the Lord of the Arbor had the courtesy to withhold his fractious remarks as the Master of the Tides mourned. The two managed to speak on more amiable terms when last the king saw them, and Lord Manfred spoke no ill word of the former Hand since they last saw each other.
But for replacing Lord Daemon as Hand, Jaehaerys and the Small Council faced a more complicated decision. They had pondered and dismissed the men of the Council as well as the lords of the Seven Great Houses, for one reason or the other. It was ultimately decided that Myles Smallwood, the Lord of Acorn Hall renowned for his battle scars and for being one of the greatest supporters of the king's late older brother Aegon, would be a worthy Hand. After all, it was beneficial to have such a warrior serve the Realm on a council consisting of bookish men.
Back to the matter at hand, it was suggested by the Small Council that, with the fifty-fifth year after Aegon's Conquest approaching, hosting a tourney would allow the nobility and smallfolk to forget about the painful losses of the prior year to instead rejoice in the prosperity soon to come. There was indeed much to celebrate: the crown had a steady flow of income, and King Jaehaerys's heir Aegon would soon celebrate his third nameday, among other things. The king himself had little if anything at all to question the idea, and he quickly chose to focus on planning the specific details of the tourney.
"I must say this sounds like a wonderful idea. Let us now organize this quickly and efficiently, to give the Seven Kingdoms something to cheer and to help us forget our woes."
"This should not be rushed, my king," Alysanne advised her husband. "If this truly is to be the great tourney that we all hope it will be, a significant amount of preparation is needed to make this such a splendid event."
"You're right, my dear," Jaehaerys replied. "How about we start with-"
Any preparations for the upcoming tourney were interrupted by the sound of an earthshaking roar from the sky. It felt as if it shook the entirety of the Red Keep, and it was soon followed by two more roars of a similar volume. Jaehaerys and Alysanne recognized the first roar as belonging to the dragon Dreamfyre, ridden by their sister Rhaena, and the other two were from the king's Vermithor and the queen's Silverwing.
Most of the small council reacted in fear of the arrival of Rhaena's fearsome beast: Lord Smallwood grabbed his sword while most of the others lowered themselves as if they expected to be bathed in dragonfire. In contrast, Jaehaerys and Alysanne merely closed their eyes and sighed in annoyance and exasperation. It was never pleasant to deal with their oft-angered elder sister, especially when she could fly to the Red Keep from Dragonstone in mere hours.
"That would be my elder sister, Rhaena," Jaehaerys dryly stated. "Alysanne and I will meet with her. Lord Myles, Barth, and Benifer, I would ask the three of you to accompany us."
He then turned to face Ser Gyles Morrigen, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. "Have Ser Victor and Ser Lorence look after the children. You and the others will come with us to face my sister."
Ser Gyles bowed deeply towards his king. "At once, Your Grace."
As the Lord Commander left the room, Alysanne gently pulled on her husband's arm to have him look at her. "Let me just tell my ladies to be with Aegon and Daenerys before I come with you to meet our sister."
"That is a wise idea," Jaehaerys said with a nod. "Do so as fast as possible, my queen. I fear your presence will be needed even more so than mine to calm Rhaena down."
Alysanne hurriedly left the room, and as soon as the door closed, Lord Myles Smallwood turned to face his king.
"Your Grace, I understand the advice for sage counsel is always paramount. But would it be wise to bring Septon Barth with us to face your sister?"
Barth raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me, Lord Myles, but may I ask why you do not wish to have me brought along? If it is for my own safety, then I appreciate your concern, but I do not fear today will devolve into violence."
"Rhaena is a strong-willed woman, Your Grace, one who is not so easily calmed through words. In this case, an approach of strength would perhaps prove more effective. The Small Council chose me as Hand of the King because they sought to have a seasoned warrior as the king's voice. In this case, a sharp tongue may serve us well rather than a gentle voice, even a good-intentioned one."
Jaehaerys listened intently and nodded. "I understand your concern, Lord Hand. But if threats of violence perturbed my sister so, then she would not have even bothered to come and speak to me or my sister. Your years of experience mean little to a dragonrider like Rhaena, but perhaps you could utilize your past friendship with her late husband, my brother Aegon."
Lord Myles took in a deep breath before releasing it. "Of course, Your Grace. I'm certain you know her better than I."
Yet Jaehaerys could sense another reason for his Hand's distrust of Septon Barth, even if Lord Myles never had the will to put it into words. More than a decade past, the Lord of Acorn Hall had fought for Jaehaerys father Aenys I against the Faith Militant, who violently opposed the marriage of Aenys's two eldest children to one another. In one instance, Lord Myles fought Wat the Hewer, a man considered by many to be a giant in terms of size, in single combat and lived. Wat the Hewer would then be brought to King's Landing to face Maegor the Cruel, who gave him a death so brutal that even Jaehaerys thought it necessary to apologize on behalf of the crown to the man's family.
Bearing that in mind, the king knew Lord Myles had a distaste for septons whom he felt were too ambitious. The man prayed to the Warrior every time he left to fight a battle, and he prayed to the Mother anytime his wife of House Vance of Atranta was carrying his child, but it was evident the knight viewed Barth, a lowborn septon who was now a close friend of the most powerful man in Westeros, as a possible threat.
Alysanne had warned Jaehaerys on multiple occasions that, whilst she liked Barth as much as her husband, they would have to protect him from those who looked down on him or viewed him as a threat to their influence. The king had always agreed, for he enjoyed Barth's advice as well as his company.
Jaehaerys traversed down the steps with Barth, Lord Myles, and Grand Maester Benifer in tow. They soon were joined by Ser Gyles Morrigen and four other Kingsguard before they headed to face Rhaena in what they hoped would be the Great Hall, where Jaehaerys could keep his sister away from the children. He would not be so fortunate.
The doors to Maegor's Holdfast burst open as one angered Targaryen woman - called a princess by some and a queen by others - ignored the guards and servants telling her to wait for the king.
"Where are my baby siblings?! Where in the seven hells are they? I demand to see them now!"
Rhaena loudly marched up to Jaehaerys, who heard his Kingsguard reach for their swords and begin to take their blades from their sheaths. He knew this would not intimidate Rhaena nor make a peaceful solution more likely, so Jaehaerys waved his hand and told them to sheath their steel.
"What is it this time, Rhaena?"
"It's Aerea! That willful child, she escaped on dragonback in the middle of the night!"
Before Rhaena could continue with her tale, the pair of Targaryens heard the sound of Alysanne running down the hall to meet them. By the time she reached her sister, the queen - having had to life her dress whilst arriving to join Jaehaerys - was catching her breath as she tried to speak.
"What…what is happening? Forgive my lateness, I was," Alysanne took another large breath, "making sure the children were being taken care of."
Rhaena scoffed. "Your children? That's what you're so worried about? The two of you at least have the pleasure of keeping them safe. Mine is missing!"
Alysanne's face shifted to an expression of horror. "What? How? By ship or dragonback?"
"Balerion!" exclaimed the eldest Targaryen in the room. "She took Balerion, the mad child. No hatchling would satisfy her, no, she had to have the Black Dread, the beast of Maegor which slew her father above the God's Eye. Why him if not to spite me? What sort of beast did I give birth to all those years ago? Tell me, the two of you, tell me!"
"She's just a frustrated child," Alysanne sought to reassure her, though Jaehaerys noticed she was keeping her distance out of concern at their sister's retaliation. "Aerea will feel lonely after some time, and once she returns to Dragonstone, the two of you can reconcile and come to an understanding."
Yet Alysanne's words fell on deaf ears as Rhaena continued to rage. "If she had wished to be discovered, Aerea would have come here. She loved this accursed castle, the girl never stopped talking about it. But she isn't here, and now I don't know where to look."
It was now the king's turn to attempt to reassure the frightened mother. "Balerion is an enormous beast, sister. I have no doubt that, wherever he is spotted, word of his location will quickly reach our ears."
"I'll send ravens to every lord in the realm, Your Grace," Grand Maester Benifer addressed the king. "Should any of them so much as glimpse the Black Dread or its rider, they are immediately inform you."
With a nod from Jaehaerys, the Grand Maester, a man of three-and-fifty years, walked in a manner more appropriate for a man with younger legs. Evidently, Benifer did not wish to be in the vicinity of Rhaena when she was enraged, an occurrence that the Red Keep's court noticed was becoming increasingly common.
The king then looked back at his elder sister. "If you intend to remain here and wait for your daughter, Rhaena, then at least allow me to ensure you have comfortable quarters for the duration of your stay."
"I can find my own bloody quarter, baby brother," Rhaena snarled. "Maegor kept me in this Seven-forsaken castle long enough for me to remember the layout of it."
She pushed past her siblings and the Kingsguard to find a room of her choosing. Jaehaerys waved a hand for some servants to follow her and tend to her needs, though he pitied them for having to deal with her. Seven hells, he and Alysanne pitied themselves for having to try and console Rhaena in her worry & grief.
"How dare she," Lord Myles growled, "to speak to her king and queen so disrespectfully. Tis especially terrible when she has the nerve to plead for your aid. Disgraceful, to say the very least."
"We can handle her without your aid, Lord Myles," Alysanne sternly told the Hand. "We understand your words are well-intentioned, but do remember she is a Targaryen princess who should be addressed as such."
"In turn, all I ask is that she treats you as befits the royal couple."
"Your concern is reasonable, Lord Myles," Septic Barth interjected, "but in a situation as delicate as this, further aggravating her will serve no purpose except preventing us from discovering the truth about the king's niece and the Black Dread. At this time, consoling the widowed princess, one who has one daughter in far away Oldtown and the other riding the fiercest beast alive, would be far more suitable than simply demanding her respect, regardless of how much said respect is warranted."
The Lord of Acorn Hall scoffed. "Console her? The princess has made it clear that she has no desire for consolation if it doesn't return her daughter to her. To let her run wild in the Red Keep would reflect poorly on the crown. I fought for her husband at the God's Eye, so if need be, I may try and speak with her and remind her of the necessity of order in House Targaryen."
"I don't think reminding Rhaena of that date would do us much good," Jaehaerys dryly remarked. "All we can do is watch over her and ensure she does not cause too much of a stir while she is here."
"I agree, Your Grace," Barth stated. "I will go to the library to perhaps study where Balerion may have flown. If my service is required, you may find me there."
…
The next week would consist of Jaehaerys, Alysanne, and the Small Council attempting - and failing - to calm Rhaena down. She was permitted to sit with the council during their meetings, and it was evident that discussing any subject that was not Aerea's whereabouts would drive her already-miniscule patience to its limit.
Beyond that, Rhaena spent much of her time pacing around the Red Keep, snapping at any servant, lord, or lady who attempted to speak with her or even brush against her. Even around Aegon & Daenerys, her nephew and niece, her behavior remained as erratic as ever. At meals, Rhaena often made rude comments about her siblings' inability to find Aerea. Whenever the king or queen attempted to defend themselves, her words devolved into screaming that made baby Daenerys start to cry. In turn, Alysanne had to have servants take the girl away - it seemed the sight of another little Targaryen aggravated Rhaena rather than bringing her fond memories of either Aerea or Rhaella, her little girl training to be a septa.
On the sixth night Rhaena was residing at the Red Keep, Alysanne realized something in the midst of their evening meals. Whilst her sister continued to vigorously question both her and Jaehaerys over Aerea, regardless of whether or not anything had changed, the little prince Aegon - a boy who would turn three years old in mere weeks - did not share his little sister's fear of his aunt.
Rhaena had just finished her through interrogation of her brother when she saw Aegon staring at her. The boy giggled as he waved his little fork in the air.
"Aunt! Aunt Rhana!"
The two-year-old spoke his small words with a sense of joy, as if he was proud of himself of knowing what they meant. Jaehaerys smiled at his son's enthusiasm, something he was lacking over the last week. The Small Council had chosen to postpone the planned tourney until later in the following year, when the Dragonpit would be completed. Whilst the official reason was because they wished to give more time for the lords and ladies of Westeros to arrive, it was, in actuality, a decision made to appease Rhaena, who claimed the council was more focused on balls and tourneys than the well-being of her daughter.
After spending several seconds watching her nephew Aegon giggle and then turn to his food, Rhaena did the same and ate some of the assorted vegetables on her plate. "So," she asked, "did you name your son for our deceased brother or for our grandsire, the Conquerer?"
Alysanne and Jaehaerys sighed in relief - for once the subject of dinner with their sister would be somewhat pleasant.
"We chose to name him for both," Alysanne answered. "I will not deny the impact of our grandfather on the Seven Kingdoms, but we also know our elder brother would have been a wonderful king in his own right. We can only try to ensure our son will become a great ruler through guiding his judgment."
Rhaena only slightly nodded before she continued. "Any more offspring on the way? Our parents had six children, even if only half of them are alive today. No doubt you two wish to surpass that number to ensure the succession and build marriage alliances. I understand you wish to uphold our family's traditions, but you won't be able to wed all your children to one another."
The royal couple both blushed at her words, not being enthusiastic about discussing their future attempts at procreation. Still, they knew that if they continued this conversation further, Rhaena would be distracted, if momentarily, from demanding information regarding Aerea's whereabouts that did not exist.
"When our daughter Daenerys turns sixteen," Jaehaerys responded, "she will wed Aegon in the tradition of our house. We would enjoy the presence of more children, of course, but as of right now, Alysanne is not expecting. But we will love and cherish any child added to our family, be it a son or a daughter."
The king reached for his queen's hand and gently squeezed it, and Alysanne smiled at her husband's affection. Rhaena's face did not change. She instead placed her fork down and stood up from her chair.
"Pardon me, but I think I'll be heading back to bed. I'm leaving this castle tomorrow on Dreamfyre, so the two of you will be free of me."
Jaehaerys and Alysanne stood up as well. "But where will you go," asked the queen. "I understand your anxiety, sister, but no one would have better knowledge of your child's safety than our spies."
"I don't doubt your attempts to find Aerea, but I cannot just sit here and wait for a miracle to happen. I am the blood of the dragon, same as the both of you, and I can find my child wherever she may be if no one else can. Even if I do not find her, it's better than being held at the mercy of those who claim to know better than I."
Jaehaerys could only nod slightly. "I will not stop you. I only wish you safe travels, Rhaena. May the Mother bestow her mercy upon you and Aerea."
"Thank you, brother, but Dreamfyre is all the protection I require. Be well then, and make sure your boy grows up and doesn't suffer the same fate as the uncle for which he is named."
Rhaena bowed slightly before turning and leaving the room. As the doors slammed behind her, Jaehaerys collapsed into his chair and closed his eyes before taking a deep sigh. Alysanne placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder whilst Aegon stopped eating a piece of potato as he looked worriedly at his father.
"Fa-tha! You…sad!"
Jaehaerys couldn't help but smile at Aegon's attempt at speech. He had feared that the boy's troubled circumstances at birth would harm his growth, as the Grand Maester warned, but the egg which had hatched into Elivar had helped Aegon develop until he had matched any other boy of his age.
Yet Alysanne was thinking of something else. Rhaena was right about one thing - the queen did want another child. Not to ensure her husband's succession, but to grow their family. She loved reading to Aegon & Daenerys in both Valyrian and the Common Tongue, helping them learn to speak, playing with them, and more. She and her husband had successfully ruled over Westeros for what was almost five years, why could they not rule over one or two more little ones in the Red Keep?
Perhaps her wish would come true sooner rather than later. Alysanne had not bled when she was supposed to this past month. While she did not tell Jaehaerys in the event nothing would come of this oddity, the queen had declined to drink wine at meals since she had realized her body was possibly sending her a message.
But what would she name her future child? Alysanne would of course discuss the matter with Jaehaerys in private once they could confirm she was pregnant, but she had a couple of ideas. If it was a prince, he could be called Aemon. Were it a girl, the princess could be called Alyssa.
It would be lovely to give Daenerys a little sister, Alysanne cheerfully thought. No doubt Jae will want to have an army of sons to mold into perfect little princes, and I would love to have both boys and girls in the Red Keep, but to have another little princess would be just wonderful.
...
...
I'm back! Enjoy this new chapter, because next one will timeskip a couple years!
Also - quick note. I call Jaehaery's sister Rhaena a princess in this story instead of a queen, as she is referred to in Fire & Blood because a) she was only a Queen Consort under Maegor, an illegitimate ruler, and b) it makes it less confusing to refer to Alysanne as the queen.