The figure was wearing a dark cloak and standing a few feet away from them. Visenya couldn't tell who the figure was...but based upon the tone of their voice, she could tell that the woman was female.
"What do you want?" Visenya asked in confusion, still unsure not to trust the woman.
"I need to speak with you alone." The woman explained.
Jaime immediately stepped in front of Visenya, his grip on the hilt of his sword tightening.
"Over my dead body." He challenged.
"I will do no harm to her, Kingslayer." The woman achknowledged.
He shook his head. "Where she goes, I go."
Visenya placed her hand on his shoulder. "Head back to The Keep, I'll be alright."
He whipped his head around. "Are you certain?"
She nodded reassuringly, making him sigh. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before heading back to The Red Keep. Visenya let out a sigh as she watched him walk away, before she turned around to face the mysterious woman.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Visenya challenged.
The woman took the hood off her head, and let out a sigh. From where Visenya was standing, she could see that the woman had dark hair, and it wasn't until she stepped into the light, was when she noticed the woman's eye color.
Violet.
"I'm sorry for intruding, I didn't mean to break up your evening with the Kingslayer, though I know it wasn't a romantic one at that since you released his brother." The woman explained.
Visenya narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"
The woman smiled. "I was a lady-in-waiting, to your sister-by-law, Elia Martell. My brother, Arthur, died during Robert's Rebellion, protecting what was inside the Tower of Joy, within the Red Mountains of Dorne, by Eddard Stark, the man who rescued you from King's Landing. History remembers my brother Arthur, as The Sword of Morning, though I tend to remember him as a kind goodhearted man, who served your house to the bitter end."
Visenya's eyes widened. "You're...Ashara Dayne? But that's impossible, you jumped from one of the towers in Starfell, and drowned into the sea."
"My body was never found Princess...and once Lord Stark returned our house sword, Dawn back to Starfell, he was met by me." She explained with a small smile. "It's best I stay dead to the rest of Westeros, but to you, I reveal myself."
"Why?"
"You are not safe here." She explained. "While you may have protection, admiration, and love from the Kingslayer, it will not be for long. My spies within the Red Keep reported that The Hand of the King and the Queen are planning to remove you. You must flee King's Landing at once."
She shook her head. "Cersei has wanted to kill me ever since I became betrothed to her brother., the first time. She hates me more so now that I have dragons, and that her brother has love for me and none for her."
Ashara sighed. "No. She want's you dead. She sees you as a threat to her children, and to the throne."
"But I don't want the throne." Visenya sighed.
"She doesn't understand that." Ashara explained. "She's jealous of the relationship you have with her brother, and the support you have from the people of King's Landing. There was evidence of that during Lord Tyrion's trial. Cersei doesn't like the fact there is a younger, more beautiful queen, coming to overthrow her, and take everything she loves."
"I am not a queen." Visenya shook her head.
"You have a better claim to the Iron Throne more so than Cersei or any of the other Baratheon's or Lannister's. You are a direct descendant to House Targaryen." She continued. "The small folk are already calling you The Queen of Dragons, as is the rest of Westeros. They see you as a beacon...they see you as a conqueror."
"I am no conqueror." Visenya challenged. "I was not supposed to be heir to the Iron Throne, and now I am here by an unwanted choice."
"You are not the sole heir." Ashara began. "Your nephew has a better claim than you do."
Visenya narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about? My nephew is dead, I watched him die right in front of me."
Ashara shook her head. "He is alive and well."
Visenya tilted her head to the side in confusion, and that's when Ashara's eyes widened in shock.
"Eddard Stark never told you...did he?" She asked cautiously. "What he found, in The Tower of Joy?"
"Lyanna Stark's dying body." Visenya shrugged. "What about it?"
She smiled. "He never told you what my brother was protecting...and why Lyanna was dying?"
Visenya shook her head and Ashara let out a smile.
"After he entered the tower, after murdering the last of the Targaryen guards sworn to Rhaegar...he found Lyanna...dying in childbirth. It was during her last few moments, that she gave birth to a son...a son named Aegon." She explained. "She made her brother swear to keep him a secret, as Robert would've killed him, and Ned knew that, especially when he brought you back to Winterfell."
"She gave birth to a Targaryen bastard?" Visenya asked in disbelief.
Ashara shook her head. "No, it was a legitimate child. Rhaegar annulled his marriage to Elia in Dorne, allowing for him to marry Lyanna...seeing as he truly loved her...and she loved him."
"What did Lord Stark do with Aegon?" Visenya questioned. "I don't ever remember him bringing a babe back to Winterfell named Aegon."
"After Lyanna died...Ned took Aegon back to Winterfell...though he didn't call him Aegon...for the babe's protection, he decided to address him by a different name. I believe you know him as Jon Snow."
Visenya's eyes immediately widened in disbelief. Time in that moment stopped for her. Not only did she feel like the world was spinning, but it felt like her heart stopped. All this time, Jon, and all of Winterfell, all of Westeros, all of the Starks thought that he was a bastard...but he wasn't. He was a Stark, and a Targaryen.
He was her nephew.
He was...the true heir to the Iron Throne.
He had a legitimate claim...more so than hers or Daenerys's.
"If that is true...then he is the true heir to the Iron Throne." Visenya sighed.
She nodded before reaching into her cloak, pulling out a sheathed sword.
"This was my brother Arthur's." She began. "I have been carrying it with me since the day Ned Stark brought it to me. Some say, it was forged out of a fallen star, though others say we lie when we speak of it's creation. Wielders of this sword, were knights deemed worthy by that of the Lord of my family, though all that is left of my family is me. It has been in my family for ten thousand years...and now I give it to you."
She placed the sheathed sword in Visenya's hands, and very carefully, Visenya unsheathed the sword. The blade was beautiful. Almost as pale as milk glass, but the light that reflected off of it even at night amazed her.
"It's called Dawn." Ashara explained.
Visenya lifted her head to look into the woman's eyes. "Why me? I'm no knight."
Ashara shook her head. "You may be no knight, but you are worthy of carrying the sword. You are worthy for standing up for an innocent man and turning the small folk onto the right side of the equation. You are worthy for your kindness and loyalty to your house. There is no other person in Westeros, in my mind, that is more worthy of my house's sword."
Visenya shook her head in disbelief, sheathing the sword once more.
"I will carry and use it with honor." Visenya confirmed with a nod.
Ashara nodded. "You must flee, at once Princess. The queen will come for your head. Go to Dragonstone. The Baratheon's are gone...it is the safest place for you and your dragons."
Visenya nodded. "Thank you, for everything."
Ashara shook her head. "No, thank you."
Visenya gave her a small smile before practically running back to The Red Keep, with dawn, hidden within her scarlet cloak. Once at The Red Keep, she raced inside and practically ran up the stairs. She busted into her chambers to see Mira looking at her with worried wide eyes and Jaime, no-longer wearing his Kingsgaurd armor, with a bag over his shoulder.
"Where were you?" He asked with concern. "Who was that woman?"
"Ashara Dayne." Visenya replied nonchalantly, pulling out Dawn. "She gave me Dawn, saying I was worthy of wielding it."
"Ashara Dayne is dead." Mira began. "That's impossible.
"That's what I thought but..." Visenya trailed off noticing both of their concerned expressions. "What's wrong?"
"Pack quickly, we need to get out of here as quickly as possible." Jaime explained. "We leave within the hour."
"You haven't answered my question." She demanded.
"My father is dead." Jaime explained. "Tyrion killed him, and the whore...with whom my father was having relations with."
"How do you know Tywin is dead?" Visenya asked.
"Because I saw the two crossbow bolts imbedded into his body." He explained. "And it won't be before long where Cersei will have you arrested for it...and me for allowing my brother to escape."
"But where would we go?" Mira asked with uncertainty.
"Dragonstone." Visenya confirmed. "Stannis Baratheon is no longer there, making it the perfect place."
"Grab whatever you can, and meet downstairs." He ordered and both women nodded.
After Visenya and Mira packed essentials, they quickly treaded down the stairs to see Jaime standing with Pycelle. Visenya immediately frowned.
"What is he doing here?" She asked in annoyance.
"He's coming with us." Jaime explained.
"I served your father, Princess." Pycelle explained. "I would be honored to be a Maester for you."
"He's been stripped of his titles and replaced by Qyburn." Jaime confirmed.
"Makes sense, considering Ser Gregor needs all the help he can get, and with Qyburn's experiments...I shouldn't be suprised." Visenya nodded, before all of them headed out of The Red Keep, and proceeded toward the docks. While no one was around inside The Keep or outside of it, Ellaria, who couldn't sleep that evening, noticed the party leave The Red Keep. She smiled, as out of all the people in King's Landing, she had become the most fond of Visenya...she could understand why Oberyn and Elia liked her so much. When the road split into two, they stopped.
"I will fly ahead on Sunspear, and ensure that the Baratheon's are gone." Visenya explained. "Take Mira, and head by boat...you should be there by the morrow."
Jaime frowed. "Come with us. It's safer."
She shook her head. "I can't leave my dragons."
He sighed before pulling her into a hug.
"I'll see you on the morrow." She murmured. "Don't do anything stupid."
"I won't." He confirmed as they pulled out of the hug, before gesturing to Pycelle and Mira to follow him to the docks.
Visenya let out a small sigh, before turning toward the dragon pit. She burst into a sprint, trying to get there before anyone saw her, and thankfully, she made it there without any followers. As soon as she was there, Aegonar and Sunspear stirred at the sight of her. Quickly, she mounted Sunspear, and instead of commanding both dragons to fly, she commanded both, and within a matter of seconds, both dragons were flying in the direction of Dragonstone. She quickly glanced over her shoulder to look back at King's Landing...now fully in the past for her, before looking straight ahead towards Dragonstone.
Once she flew over Driftmark, she knew she was close, and within a matter of moments, she saw the large stone structure that she remembered from when she was a child. A smile appeared on her face, and sure enough a few minutes later, she landed on the island, on the bridge that led to the large stone palace.
She was finally home.
After climbing off Sunspear, she carefully walked across the bridge, and up the many, many, many stairs that led to the palace, eventually coming to a halt, at the large door that was guarded by a dragon head on each side. Very carefully she pushed open the door, and walked into the palace. After a few turns, she came into a great room, that housed a large table. That's when she realized where she was.
The Chamber of the Painted Table.
The table built by Aegon the Conqueror.
Just as she was about to inspect the table, she noticed a figure standing at the foot of the table. Visenya frowned in disbelief and confusion, gripping the hilt of dawn tightly incase she'd need to use it...though she was rather poor with the sword.
"Who are you?" Visenya taunted, eager to fight and end this person's life.
"Visenya Targaryen...it is an honor to finally meet you."
A/N:
Shoutout to Ian09121995 for your idea on including Ashara Dayne and Dawn into the story.
As always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns, and fill free to comment. And as always, fill free to send me ideas if you have them, as they may be featured in the story!