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Rhaenys knew she was going to die. Meleys knew she was going to die.
Going into this battle, Rhaenys knew there was a possibility she wouldn’t make it out alive. Now, it was a certainty. She had injured Aegon and his dragon, but Aemond had burned him. If it was to death, she wasn’t certain. Nor did she care. But the way Aemond had looked at both her and Aegon, she knew he wouldn’t stop at just injuring his brother. He had to kill her.
Meleys stared at her and bellowed lowly. Her old girl knew her better than anyone else, and she knew what had to be done.
“Angōs, Meleys!”
The Red Queen turns, flying them into their final moments. At least they will die a dragon rider’s death, and in the name of the true queen. That was all Rhaenys needed to think of before her resolve strengthened and she clutched her saddle tighter, looking around for signs of Aemond and Vhagar.
They get ambushed. Vhagar strikes at them from below, and the only thing Rhaenys could think of is how scared Lucerys must have felt in his final moments. She feels scared, yes, but she is five and fifty, she has seen many horrors. Her grandson was merely a boy of four and ten and was sheltered.
As Vhagar bites down on Meleys’ neck, Rhaenys hears something. The vocalization of other dragon’s. She knows it cannot be Sunfyre, she saw the state Vhagar left him, and the state he was in when Meleys was his only attacker. For a second, she fears that Helaena and Daeron had finally been convinced to join the war but that fear is washed away once she catches sight of the dragons.
There’s three. A golden beast, one green and red and a grayish green one. Rhaenys knows these dragons like the back of her own hands. These are Syrax, Vermax and Moondancer. Rhaenyra, Jacaerys and Baela were here.
Before it could truly settle in that the Queen and her heirs were in battle, they started attacking. Syrax, the ever spoiled dragon that she was prone to be, was the fiercest of them all. Perhaps she was feeding off of Rhaenyra’s emotions, but the golden beast had taken a hold of Vhagar’s neck herself and was not letting go, nails racking along her back. Vermax was terrorizing Vhagar’s stomach, living up to his moniker of the Ill-tempered. And Moondancer was ripping away at Vhagar’s wings. This caused Vhagar to let go of Meleys and her old girl was able to get away safely onto the ground below.
Rhaenys looks up once she unmounts and sees Vhagar go crashing down onto the trees below. As large as she was, she was no match for an ambush of three dragons at the same time.
She sees Rhaenyra follow Vhagar’s descent into the trees and shudders to think of the things she will do to Aemond. Vermax and Moondancer land near her and Meleys, the young dragon’s calling out softly to her old girl. Meleys just bellows softly and closes her eyes. Rhaenys knows in her heart that her dragon will be alright, she just needs rest.
“Grandmother!” Baela exclaims, running up to her. Rhaenys opens her arms into a hug and holds Baela close. To think that she would never see her again.
“Princess Rhaenys,” Jacaerys says quietly. Rhaenys has no time for that. She opens her arms once more to bring Jacaerys into the hug as well. She holds both of them tightly. Her grandchildren, the future of House Targaryen.
After a while, she lets them go. Not fully though, she places one arm on each of their shoulders.
“Aegon is down, he and his dragon have been severely wounded. Have your mother secure him, do not let Criston Cole nor Gwayne Hightower reach him. You have your dragons, use them. As small and young as they may be, they are still dragons. People fear them. Have the remaining soldiers surrender.”
“And Aemond?” Baela asks.
Rhaenys looks towards where Vhagar had landed and where Syrax was flying from. “I believe that has been taken care of.”
They all wait for Syrax to land near them and for Rhaenyra to unmount. She sees her niece run towards her and a wave of new emotions rushes through her. She gathers Rhaenyra into a hug as well and she can feel the relief the Queen exudes.
“Thank you, Rhaenyra,” Rhaenys says quietly into her ear.
Rhaenyra is the one who separates them. She has tears flowing down her face, but her expression is fierce. “You have been my biggest supporter, Rhaenys. You are my family, I could not have let anything happen to you. Not now, not ever. No one else should die at the hands of Aemond again.”
Her declaration is bittersweet. Lucerys would be Aemond’s first and only victim of this war. Rhaenyra could not avoid that, but she would do anything in her power to avoid more death at the hands of Vhagar and her rider.
—
They secure Rook’s Rest. Many of the soldiers had surrendered as soon as they saw Aemond's burnt body being thrown at their feet along with Vhagar’s massive unmoving form. The others ultimately surrendered when they were notified of Aegon’s injuries and his status as a prisoner.
The only person that had not surrendered was Criston Cole. He spat at Rhaenyra’s feet as she ordered him to be captured. He was to be given death even if he had surrendered. Rhaenys had the pleasure of removing his head from his body.
“I shall reach Grandsire in Dragonstone and ask him to bring a vessel big enough to safely transport Meleys onto Dragonstone. The dragon keepers shall attend to her there.”
“Ask him to bring one for Sunfyre as well,” Rhaenyra tells Baela before she could walk away towards Moondancer. “He is in much more critical condition, he will not be a threat any time soon. Still, it would be heartless to leave a dragon to suffer.”
Baela looks at her before turning to Rhaenyra and bowing slightly, turning to run towards Moondancer.
“Do you think he will live?” Rhaenys asks Rhaenyra. The Queen doesn’t answer her immediately, instead looking towards where soldiers carry Aegon’s burnt body into the castle. Rhaenys sees the many emotions running through her eyes at that.
“I do not know,” Rhaenyra finally answers, “I do not think it matters anymore.”
Rhaenys knows it’s true. They have defeated the Green’s army. Their greatest weapon was dead, their false King crippled and their soldiers had surrendered. It was only a matter of time for word to spread throughout the Kingdom and the houses that had declared for Aegon to declare for Rhaenyra.
“We have a Hightower here,” Rhaenys says instead, looking at Rhaenyra with a pointed brow. “Though I do not think Otto Hightower cares much for his children, surely having Alicent’s brother held hostage can sway her to surrender and in turn, Aegon’s council to surrender.”
“They do not have a choice,” Rhaenyra simply says. And no truer words have been spoken. The Greens had no more dragon’s anymore, not really. Helaena was never going to ride into battle, and without her they could not use Dreamfyre to their advantage. And Daeron was in Old Town, all alone with his young dragon. Him and Tessarion would be no match for their dragon’s.
—
“What of Daemon?” Rhaenys asks, finally being able to relax, even if it is on the council table. Corlys was quick with his ships, and in no time were they back on Dragonstone. Meleys and Sunfyre were placed in a ship each, Rhaenys sailing with Meleys. Rhaenyra, Jacaerys and Baela all flew back, guarding their fleet for any potential attacks. They had precious cargo other than the injured dragon’s. The people of Rook’s Rest would take care of the surrendering soldiers, but Dragonstone would be a prison for Aegon and Gwayne Hightower.
“Last I heard he is rebuilding Harrenhall,” Rhaenyra responds, sitting down as well. It was just their family in the council room, having dismissed the other members after a swift explanation. Corlys was at her side, holding her hand tightly.
“Are we not to send word to him of what has transpired?”
Rhaenyra huffs out a laugh at that. “Let him do as he wants, much like my father built his model of Old Valyria, rebuilding Harrenhall shall be a good project for him.”
They all chuckle at that. Daemon will be Daemon.
A silence envelopes the room before it is broken by Jacaerys.
“You almost died,” He says plainly, looking at Rhaenys with tears in his eyes, but not letting them fall. “If we hadn’t been there, Vhagar would have killed both you and Meleys.”
Rhaenys closes her eyes at that. She knew this, and she had made peace with it. But now that it hadn’t happened, she truly thinks of what could have been if Vhagar had gotten her way. How her family would react. It would have been nice to see Laena and Laenor once more, but the cost was too great. She could wait longer.
“But I did not, thanks to you,” she responds to Jacaerys, looking at him, Baela and Rhaenyra. “You saved me, and I am forever grateful for this.”
“It is what family does,” Baela says, reaching over Corlys to grab at her shoulders. Rhaenys covers her hand, squeezing it tightly.
“We have Jacaerys to thank for this,” Rhaenyra says, standing up and going to her son. “If he hadn’t insisted we follow when we did, we would have been too late.”
“Is this true?” It is Corlys who speaks now, looking at Jace in a new light.
Jace shrugs at that. “I had a dream, someone was telling me I had to go after Princess Rhaenys. I listened.”
Rhaenys stands at this, walking towards her grandson. She kneels before him, her hands framing his face. She sees Aemma in him, and she sees Laenor in his eyes. Some would say it would be too late to create a relationship with him, but Rhaenys would try. “Thank you, child.”
Jacaerys nods and Rhaenys lets go of him, not before placing a brief kiss to his forehead. She stands, giving Rhaenyra a slight nod before walking out of the council room. She needs a bath and some rest. Her strength will need to be restored.
—
“Shall we recall Rhaena, Joffrey, Aegon and Viserys from the Vale?”
They were breaking their fasts together. They had a council meeting soon, but Rhaenyra thought it would be best to meet up before then and Rhaenys agreed.
It is Baela who asks this.
Rhaenyra sighs a bit at this and places her cutlery down. “I believe it is too soon to do so. We are now in a time of uncertainty, and their safety is of utmost importance still. We will recall them once everything settles in King's Landing. We shall personally bring them home. In the meantime, we have much work to do.”
Corlys nods. “That is our best action yet. We cannot risk any more dragon’s nor men. Times will be even more uncertain now.”
“Corlys is right. We have killed Aemond and Vhagar as well as Criston Cole. These three spearheaded every offense the Green’s had. But that does not mean the Green Council will back down just yet, men with great power in their hands will refuse to give it up. We need to be smart about this.”
Rhaenyra nods at Rhaenys’ words. “I have had Maester Gerardys send a raven to King’s Landing as well as every other house that declared for Aegon. I have just notified them of Aegon’s condition and the events that transpired. It is their call now.”
“And if they refuse to stand down?” Jacaerys asks, but the gleam in his eye says he knows the answer already.
“Then they shall be met with Fire and Blood,” Rhaenys answers simply.
—
“The dragon keeper’s say she is doing well, and the wound shall heal soon,” Rhaenyra says, walking slowly towards where Rhaenys was with Meleys.
It had been weeks since the Battle of Rook’s Rest. Things were still uncertain, houses not believing in Aegon's condition and imprisonment, yet uncertain of what to do in the absence of their leader. It gave them time to rest and plan.
“Meleys is a strong one, she will get through this. She yearns for the skies once more, I feel that much. In no time we will be flying out there, won’t we?” The last bit is directed towards Meleys, who chitters lightly at that. She turns to Rhaenyra. “And Sunfyre?”
Rhaenyra sighs slowly at this. “He is not doing well. The dragon keepers have attended to his wounds as much as they could, but it is uncertain whether he will make it or not. They say even if he does survive his wounds, they are not certain if he would ever fly again.”
Rhaenys understands the implications this has. Even if the young dragon survives, not being able to take the skies would be worse than death to him. Rhaenys doesn’t know how to feel about this. She does not regret attacking Aegon, but she knows the dragons weren’t at fault in this war.
“We shall cross that bridge when we get there. What of King’s Landing, have we heard anything?”
“Alicent has agreed to meet us, though she does not want to meet here at Dragonstone. She wishes us to go to her in King's Landing.”
Rhaenys chuckles at that, shaking her head slightly. “What did the trick?” They had been trying to get the dowager Queen to agree to surrender, but they never got an answer.
“I sent her Criston’s decomposing head along with his armor.”
Rhaenys raised an eyebrow at that, impressed. Rhaenyra was not beating around the bush anymore. She was acting every bit the Queen she was, hardened in war.
“And are we to go to King’s Landing?”
Rhaenys hopes Rhaenyra was hearing the hesitation in that question. Though they had defeated their foes, King’s Landing was still controlled by the Green council. Anything could go wrong in the viper’s nest.
Rhaenyra nods at her. “We will, in time. We shall go as a united front, on our dragon’s. Meleys is almost done healing, but there is one more person who needs to get used to a dragon.”
Rhaenys has no clue who Rhaenyra is talking about and Rhaenyra must see that in her face because she answers the question before Rhaenys could ask it.
“Seasmoke has been claimed, by one of Corlys’ men. Addam of Hull, they call him.”
She was not as shocked as she should have been at this news. Rhaenys knew of Corlys’ bastards, Addam and Alyn. It is a bittersweet feeling knowing that another one of Corlys’ son’s had claimed Seasmoke.
“And you plan on having him come to King’s Landing?” Is what she chooses to say.
“We need as many dragons as we can get without having to recall the hatchlings from the Vale. We need to make a statement.”
“If it is dragon’s you want, Your Grace, then dragon’s you shall have.”
—
“Are we truly recalling Daemon from Harrenhall?” Jace asks, waiting until the last council member exits the room. It is just him, Baela, Rhaenys and Rhaenyra in the room now. They had just finished a discussion on how the different houses had reacted to the news of Aegon’s condition. It looked promising, day by day they were receiving raven’s of pledges of support. They all knew it wasn’t enough, but it would do for now.
“We shall head to King’s Landing in two weeks time to meet with Alicent and what is left of Aegon’s council. We need all the dragon’s we can get.”
“And what if he refuses?” Baela asks. “We all know how my father is.”
“I have personally drafted up the raven sent to Daemon, he will have no choice but to obey his summons,” Rhaenys answers with a smirk. Rhaenyra giggles a bit at that, having known the contents of the raven before Rhaenys sent it off. Daemon would be back to Dragonstone in two days time, Rhaenys had made sure of it.
“Given everything, I do believe we shall not be met with much resistance within the city walls. I have had Mysaria sneak in food for the small folk, and having her spread that it comes from us. This, at least, shall grant us the favor of the small folk. Having that, claiming the Keep would be easy. We will still need to be cautious, anything can happen.”
They are interrupted by Maester Geradys walking into the room without knocking, which is so unlike the old man. Even with the death of his father, Gerardys was still as cordial and level headed as ever. Something must be happening for the maester to come in with such urgency.
“Your Grace,” he starts, looking at Rhaenyra with wide eyes. “There is a young man that has wandered onto the castle, he came from the sea. His description fits the young Prince Lucerys Velaryon.”