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I.
Rhaenys doesn’t hate Lyanna, not really. She does not think so, at least not when she was younger.
Compared to her mother, Lyanna was nothing more than Rhaegar Targaryen’s second wife, loved by few and despised by most. The small-people loved Queen Elia, and the lords and ladies of Westeros only smiled to her face and whispered behind her back.
She pities Lyanna when there are so many whispers of her going around the Keep of her being a whore, stealing the king away, wanting to run away with her son.
But when Rhaegar stand up and proclaims his love for her on her nameday, saying it was more so than his first wife, embarrassing Elia once more, Rhaenys cannot help but hate Lyanna as she sits next to her father, beaming and smiling smugly.
It takes Aegon and Viserys to hold her back from slapping the woman who looks as though she has no remorse for the pain she has caused Elia Martell.
II.
She hates her name.
The first Rhaenys Targaryen was on her dragon’s back when it fell from the sky. She was destroyed at Hellholt, dying a slow death. The Queen Who Never Was faced her foes gallantly, but her body was charred beyond recognition that no one could tell if it was her.
She should have been named Alysanne or Rhaenyra or Mariah or Meria. She should have been named anything else besides Rhaenys Targaryen.
She hates her name.
More so because it sounds too much like her father’s.
III.
Her wedding announcement to Aegon brings Jon back from the North, though she had wished he stayed there. There is nothing wrong with Jon, but she never knows what to say to him. He’s too quite compared to Viserys, too shy compared to Aegon’s confidence. He’s nothing like Rhaegar or Lyanna or even her.
She is glad to see that he is healthy and doing good in his cousin’s household, but they soon fall into silence until Dany and Viserys finally come to join them, talking animatedly about the ceremony.
IV.
She hears Lyanna protest about her wedding to Aegon, saying that she should be marrying Jon and Aegon to Lord Stark’s eldest daughter, binding the North and the throne together. But Rhaegar dismisses the idea at once, saying that there was no point when she was of the North and that Lord Stark would never agree to the idea of one of his pups coming this far down South at such a young age.
Rhaenys knew Lyanna wanted more Northerners at court. Queen Elia’s handmaidens were Dornish, her own companions were her cousins and none of them care much for Rhaegar’s second wife.
She would never marry Jon and she knew Aegon would not do the same with Lord Stark’s eldest daughter. They will not bend to Lyanna’s wishes.
V.
She wakes up at night dreaming of blood and flying, teeth and jaws larger than herself. She dreams of scales and claws and red eyes of a dragon breathing fire. Sometimes she wakes up in a sweat and sometimes she empties the contents of her stomach. She does not know what her dreams mean, but dares not tell anyone.
VI.
When they were younger, she and Viserys used to play a game on who could make Rhaegar furious the most. They were children and they did stupid things like hiding his books, sneaking in his study chambers.
When they got older, it was a little different. Rhaenys used to steal away the stable boys, kissing them, while Viserys used to drink openly in public, befriending others Rhaegar disapproved of.
Dany and Aegon never truly understood those silly little games, but they were so young at the time when Rhaegar and Lyanna ran away. They did not understand the pain Elia went through. She was better than Lyanna, better than the women at court. This was their way of revenge against the man who hurt Elia Martell.
She thought that their games ended a long time ago. But then Viserys announced that he was planning on marrying Arianne Martell, giving up his last name and his claim to the throne to be her husband at Dorne. Viserys smirked at the shade of red Rhaegar turned and Elia smiled behind her cup of wine.
V.
Her wedding was grand, much grander than that of Dany to Willas, and Viserys to Arianne. Her mother and Ashara Dayne helped her into her gown as Arianne did her hair up with ribbons holding it in place.
She loved her brother, she loved him dearly. Whether she saw him as a husband rather than a brother did not matter now as she recited her vows in front of the lords and ladies of Westeros. She could learn to love him. Many Targaryens before her did so. He was kind and clever and he made her laugh more so than anyone else. It would not be so terrible to be married to him.
In the Great Hall, Rhaegar sat beside a sulky Lyanna as Elia spent her time with Oberyn Martell and many other Dornish lords and ladies. There were no members of House Stark present and Lyanna was making it know that she was no pleased. Jon even gave up striking her up in a conversation when he decided to spend the rest of the night talking to Loras Tyrell and Renly Baratheon.
Her mother gifted her with lavish gowns from the Free Cities, as well as some old books on the history of Westeros, Free Cities and lands beyond. She had kissed both their cheeks, wishes them a good marriage as Rhaenys closed her eyes for a moment, trying not to cry when Elia whispered to her that she was proud of them both. Her father bought them a ship, grander than most of the other loyal fleet’s. Aegon had thanked him graciously while Rhaenys kissed her father’s cheek.
The last gift came from a magister. He was a guest of Rhaegar’s. He stood in front of them, tall and plump with a yellow beard, fat cheeks, rings on each of his fingers and he wore a loose garment of fine coloured silk. He murmured a few words and snapped his fingers as four men came forward, presenting them a great chest.
She gasped when she opened it, Aegon took in a sharp breath as Elia, Rhaegar and Lyanna tried to look at the gift.
“Dragon’s eggs, from the Shadow Lands beyond Asshai,” said the magister. “I thought it would be fitting as a gift to the dragons of House Targaryen.
She held one up in her hands ever so delicately as Aegon ran his fingers over the surface. She could feel the heat of the eggs as the court erupted in whispers, some curious, others terrified.
She sees the hunger in her father’s eyes, the jealously and the hatred as Aegon covers the chest, thanking the magister. She hides the eggs from him until she and Aegon are finally at Dragonstone.
VI.
Making love to Aegon is strange, but she learns to fall in love with it every time they do so. He is sweet and attentive and he tells her he loves her every chance he gets and she can hardly believe that they are related sometimes. He is pure and good and nothing like Rhaegar and so much like Elia. He will be a good king someday, she will make sure of it.
VII.
Her mother dies of a sickness two years later and she does not leave her bed for days on end, crying as her heart feels as though it was bleeding. Aegon screamed and shouted and trashed the library when the news came and cursed the existence of Rhaegar, Lyanna, and even Aerys.
“This is all their fault,” whispered Aegon late one night. “They did this to her. They made her weak. They made her feel small and worthless. She is the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and they made a mockery out of her. They will pay for what they have done to her. I will make them pay.”
Whispers arise when they learn that Rhaegar was planning on putting aside Aegon for Jon, putting his trueborn son for a bastard. Rhaenys seethes in fury as she can see Lyanna whispering in Rhaegar’s ears with the other fools of the council helping her. Oh how they would have whispered about Aegon’s Dornish blood and his temper and how close he was to the Red Viper and how the realm would not survive with a queen like her.
They hatch a plan and board Lady Rhaella and sail towards Pentos with a few clothes, coins and the chest.
VIII.
They find what they were looking for in the form of a red priestess who Mopatis introduces to them. Rhaenys feels as though the priestess can see though her soul and she does not like her one bit. Aegon feels the same uneasiness from the woman and tells Mopatis to send her away discretely.
But the woman stays, sleeping elsewhere if she even does and whispers about the Lord of Light under her breath in front of Mopatis’s gardens.
Rhaenys prepares to yell at the priestess, to order her out of Pentos and to leave her and Aegon be, but the woman then says, “The Lord of Light will one day bless you, Queen Rhaenys Targaryen.”
“You jest, priestess,” sneered Rhaenys. “Now, leave here at once. If I ever see you again, I will run your heart through with a sword.”
Melisandre smiles at her and Rhaenys is uneasy.
“You are destined for greatness, Rhaenys Targaryen. I see you in the flames, leading the fight against the darkness that will one day engross your Seven Kingdoms. You are the key to your own answers, Rhaenys Targaryen. You shall be born amongst smoke and salt. Embrace R’hllor and hatch your eggs, Queen Rhaenys.”
Rhaenys was speechless as the priestess turned and disappeared with a swirl of her skirts. The scent of ash was all that remained of the woman.
That night she dreamed of fire and the sea. Though she could see the doubt in Aegon’s face, they set back to Dragonstone. She promised him that it was for the best, that she could see their answers waiting for them there.
IX.
She discovers she is pregnant with child once they reach Dragonstone. Aegon is beyond ecstatic while Rhaegar sends them a letter of how proud and happy he was of them, and that their trip to the Free Cities did them some good. Even Lyanna sends them a small gift of fine fur, good wine and a small note.
But Rhaenys is not happy. Perhaps the only one. Aegon had completely forgotten about their plans, instead focusing on their babe while whispers continue to arise about Rhaegar setting them aside for Jon and his new Northern bride.
She slept with the eggs most nights, whispering to them, promising that she will never forget them, and they will one day arise and conqueror their enemies.
X.
She grows attached to the babe growing inside of her. The disappointment of hatching her eggs wore off as she thought of a child that was all her and Aegon. She thought it was a son, a strong, handsome lad with Aegon’s features while Aegon wanted a girl that looked like their mother.
Aegon would kiss her stomach, which was starting to plump a little, whisper sweet things to the babe and promise to love the child. He would then kiss her sweetly and let her ride on top of him until she was tired.
XI.
She lost her babe a few moons later. Her sheets were covered with blood and the maester did not know what had caused such a thing to happen.
Her screams and cries could be heard all over the castle. The gods had taken away her Jaehaerys, her Elia. They had taken away her child for their own selfish needs.
Aegon had come to her a few days later with other news. King Rhaegar has gone mad as he listens to the whispers of his wife to make her son the heir to the throne.
“It appears as though he will listen to her,” Aegon said, defeated. “Jon is his favourite son, the one who looks like that Northerner, while we are Elia’s children, the ones who will always remind him of his mistakes. I am his trueborn son and he will set me aside as though I am some sort of lowborn bastard.”
XII.
They say he is almost as mad as his father. He does not talk to anyone besides a few members of the council and only listens to the words of his wife, who gets everything from the likes of Littlerfinger, Varys and those other craven fools.
He sets aside Aegon within a year, claiming that it was Aegon who did not want to be king and that he was not responsible enough to be king if he wishes to go off to the Free Cities to have adventure rather than deal with responsibilities at the Keep. He crowned his other son that very day and Rhaenys burned the letter from their father.
She did not blame Jon, not truly. He was just another pathetic pawn in their parent’s games. And she was tired of playing. It was time to end this once and for all.
XIII.
Her mother was the first sacrifice. The one she did not know of. The second was of her babe. The one she will never get to know.
XIV.
The surface of the eggs were covered in tiny scales. One a deep green, another a pale cream and the last was as black as the midnight sea with scarlet ripples.
It was the black egg she cradled as the flames engrossed all around her. Aegon held the green one and they promised to give the other egg to their firstborn child. He had kissed her before ordering Viserys and Oberyn to do as he said, to listen to their rightful King and Queen. He had whispered how much he loved her when the warmth of the fire surrounded them.
There was a crack and she could hear the others shouting and crying and the waves crashing against Dragonstone.
“Can you hear them?” she whispered towards Aegon. “They fear for us, my love. They fear for us, but we are the blood of the dragon and the sun. The blood of Aegon the First flows through our veins with that of Queen Nymeria.”
“We were made to rule,” whispered Aegon.
“We were made to conqueror,” said Rhaenys as there came a second crack that could have broken the world.
They were naked when the flames died out. Aegon’s beautiful hair was burnt and his body covered in ash. The green and bronze dragon was draped around his shoulders, its neck resting at the crook of his neck. Rhaenys skin darkened for a moment before she brushed the ashes away. She held her black and scarlet dragon close to her as its eyes took in its surroundings.
Oberyn hissed the sight of the creatures as Viserys laughed and cried. Aegon helped her to her feet as her dragon perched itself upon her shoulders.
“What have you done?” Oberyn asked, his voice faint.
“Oh, can’t you see, Oberyn?” asked Viserys, crying at the sight of dragons. “They have awoken the dragons.”
The black beast upon her shoulders opened its mouth and screamed into the night.
XV.
The third and fourth sacrifice comes from Sansa Targaryen and the babe that tore apart her flesh a moons turn later. They said the babe had a face of a monster.
Rhaenys pities the girl. But there are just so many people in the world to pity.
XVI.
Rhaegar orders them to court many times, but they burn each of their letters soon after. Let the king and his good queen sit upon that ugly throne, pretending as though they did no wrong during their reign, as though they did not step over Elia Martell and so many good men and women to get there.
Let them pretend and believe in the false good. Rhaenys was done with all of it. She was done with Rhaegar setting her and Aegon aside, pretending as though they did not exist and only calling upon them when it was best convenient for the good king.
XVII.
Vhagar began to breathe fire before Balerion, but it was her dragon who began to take flight.
“They are growing so fast,” commented Aegon in the pits.
Their dragons fought against their chains and those chains are so fragile and utterly useless against their fierce dragons.
XVIII.
It was Rhaegar who came to them after months and months of letters begging them to visits. Balerion’s wings have now stretched over ten feet long while Vhagar can now breathe on command.
They did not take Rhaegar nor his litter to the pits and they argued for days on end, screaming at each other before Rhaegar finally said, “Listen to reason! I cannot undo the past, Rhaenys! Your mother is dead and there is nothing I can do about it! She’s gone!”
Rhaenys laughed heartlessly at her father’s face. “This has nothing to do with mother, you fool! This is about us making sure you do not do something stupid and kill yourself! You will not go near my dragons until they are properly trained!”
Rhaegar’s face hardened. “You will not talk to be like that. I am your father!”
“You are no more of a father to me then that woman is of a mother to Aegon!” she shrilled. “This is me making sure you do not do something stupid once again. You have a history of doing such things, father.”
Rhaegar’s face fell as the weight of her words hit him. “I cannot undo the past. I cannot fix what I have broken, what the gods have broken. I am sorry, Rhaenys.”
Rhaenys scoffed at the mention of the gods. “The fucking gods. They made me a woman and nothing in the world can change that. You love Lyanna and that crown more than us. Nothing will ever change that as well. You leave us on this rock and you only think of me as a useless daughter and Aegon as your other son.”
“I do not,” Rhaegar said at once. “I love you both fiercely.”
Rhaenys eyes started to prickle as she began to laugh. “Liar.”
“Rhae –“
“But no matter. I do not need your love, nor do I want it.” She straightened her spine. Arianne once said her spine was that of a spear. “I will leave you be now, my king. I suggest you return to your wife before she gets lost looking for you, after all, you are the only thing she truly has left.”
She leave the room before Rhaegar can say anything else.
That night, Aegon makes love to her slowly and carefully, almost as though he did not want to break her. She hated the feeling, but she can never truly hate him. They were the same person. They shared the same flesh and blood and she loves him more than anything and he loves her more than the realm and their dragons.
XIX.
When their son is born, Rhaenys places the pale cream egg in his cradle. Their son has her hair but he is all Aegon down to the shape of his small lips. She sometimes stays up all night staring at his beautiful face and laughs when the maids cannot calm him down at night. Daeron is a strong boy and he will grow up to be the best of House Targaryen.
He will be King of the Seven Kingdoms, it is his birthright.
XX.
The fifth sacrifice comes in the form of Prince Jon Targaryen’s second wife, Arya Targaryen. The girl was out riding with a blacksmith with she hits her head upon a rock and dies in the arms of her supposed lover.
The smith’s head was called for immediately and Jon is once against widowed.
XXI.
They arrive at court after so many years. Everyone is in mourning once again as Jon has no wife. He is a handsome man, but no father will allow their daughter to marry a cursed man.
Aegon dresses in the finest red and black of the Targaryens, his shoulders broad, his hair cut close to his scalp. His eyes glowed bright in the sun with excitement and all the ladies of court stared at him as he walked by, but it was not him they were truly looking at.
Rhaenys wore a dress that was only holding together with thin chains of gold with the crest of House Martell. It hugged her warm skin quite nicely. Her hair hung long, curled and with small jewels weaved into them. They were the image of a King and a Queen.
Behind them was a litter of member of House Martell and their own companions. Her young boy of two was in the arms of Prince Oberyn as he took in the sight of court with wide eyes. She will give him is birth right.
Rhaenys and Aegon stop in front of the Iron Throne, bowing lowly.
“Father, Jon, I am sorry to see what has become of House Targaryen,” said Aegon. There are murmurs at his words.
“But know that you only brought this upon yourselves,” said Rhaenys.
Lyanna begins to fume at once. “What is the meaning of this?” she snapped. “You come into my palace with your lot and insult me, your father and your brother?”
“Your palace?” snorted Rhaenys. “Oh, sweet Lyanna, sweet and stupid Lyanna, this is not your palace and it will never be your palace. You have no home. You are only here because my father is an idiotic buffoon and your own brother cannot bear to look you in the eyes after what you did to your brother and father.”
“The Mad King –!”
“You ran away with a married man. If you had not done so, they would not have come to King’s Landing.”
“But enough about the dead,” said Aegon.
“Let them stay where they are,” said Rhaenys.
“We have come back to King’s Landing to take back our throne.”
“This throne does not belong to you,” said Rhaegar, pointing his finger at the ugly chair he was sitting on. “It belongs to your brother, Jon.”
Aegon sighed as Rhaenys smiled sweetly at the pair.
“I am willing to offer peace, father,” continued Aegon. “Relinquish your rights to the throne and I will grant you Summerhall and I will give Jon Dragonstone, if he so wishes.”
“My son deserves better than that rock,” snapped Lyanna.
“And what about my son?” retorted Rhaenys. “He is the rightful heir of Westeros, and deserves better than living out his days thinking his parents did nothing to get this throne back.”
Just as Lyanna was about to say something, Rhaegar held up his hand and yelled, “Enough!” The hall fell silent and Rhaenys thought he might have been a good king, if the madness had not gotten to him.
“Are you prepared to wage war against me, Rhae?” asked Rhaegar. “Aegon? Are you going to go against your own father? I have the North on my side, the Riverlands, the Vale, the Reach, the Stormlands – Robert will never go against Ned. Who do you have? House Martell and those of House Lannister too busy not cursing me to death right now? Have you thought this through, children? Are you prepared to go against me?”
Rhaenys laughed quietly as Rhaegar said, “And what is so funny?
“Your foolishness, father, is what amuses me,” said Rhaenys. “No matter. We offered you peace and time to live out the rest of your life at Summerhall, but you refuse. No matter. We shall be back tomorrow with a better offer and hopefully you will listen to us more carefully.”
XXII.
Their dragons arrived at the door of the Keep. Their wings were now over twenty feet long and the flap of them sounded like thunder. Balerion was the reincarnation of the Black Dread and he only let Rhaenys come near him or ride him. Vhagar’s breath was hot enough to melt anyone’s armour in seconds and she could tell that that the beast was getting restless as they waited patiently for Rhaegar to appear.
She had waited years for this moment, and few seconds would not hurt her.
XXIII.
“Dracarys!”
XXIV.
They had stripped Lyanna away of all her title and sent her back to the North as her brother welcomed her back. Jon did not raise a single complaint, accepted Summerhall and promised to never marry again. Once he died of old age, Summerhall will go back to Aegon and his children.
Aegon had compensated Lord Stark with some gold and men for the Wall due to the death of Sansa and Arya Stark. Lord Stark accepted but said that he wanted nothing to do with the crown for now as his family was still mourning the death of their daughters.
XXV.
They call them Aegon the Conqueror and Queen Nymeria come again behind their backs and sometimes to their face. Her Aegon is much like that of the conqueror as he wears the same crown while she is of House Martell with her looks and her personality that of a viper. They have conquered and took what was theirs and now they only wish for peace for the realm and their children.
After all, she does not mind their names. There are worse things to be called.
XXVI.
She sits upon the Iron Throne after giving birth to their second child.
The things is still ugly but once she sat upon the jagged edges and twisted metal, she understand why so many Targaryens before her went to war. A king should never sit upon it easy. It was an uncomfortable chair, but she could feel the power radiating off it. She felt just as powerful as she did upon Balerion.
The doors to the hall opened and Daeron yelled, “Mama!” He came running at her as fast as his legs could with his black curls bouncing. She picked him up with ease.
“Fancy yourself the next king?” quipped Viserys, carrying her daughter in his arms.
“Hardly,” said Rhaenys. “But someone has to rule until Aegon gets back from dealing with the Tullys and the Freys. I figure I might as well get used to that chair in the meantime as well.”
She then sets Daeron down and he goes running towards his father’s seat while Rhaenys picks up her daughter.
“I better make sure he does not hurt himself before he becomes king,” commented Viserys dryly.
Rhaenys smiled at him for a moment before looking down at her daughter. Elia was the very image of her and her mother. The only thing she could have possibly gotten from Aegon was her lips. But the babe was Dornish to the bone with fire in her veins, Rhaenys was sure of it.
There are talks of rebellion and the North unhappy with the treatment of Lyanna Stark, but Rhaneys does not care much for talk anymore. Let the North brew, let Lyanna spit fires of revenge, let them talk of rebellion. It was only talk. She has her son, her daughter and Aegon. They are all she needs. The rest can truly go to hell.