AEGON II : THE PEACE MAKER (DANCE SI/OC AU ONESHOT)

Chapter 2

DRAGONSTONE

The grey island just on the edge of Kings Landing was much less populated. Yet, the small people were astir. There was tenseness among its residents. Thousands of armed guards were drilling together. Preparing for the looming war. Their side had struck first and drawn first blood. Yet the retaliation was swift and ruthless, and now the Greens had taken their revenge. A son for a son.

Inside the castle, two people sat dressed in black. Both to highlight their allegiance in the coming conflict as well as their loss. Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen sat staring into the fire. Both of them had a frown on their faces.

“War seems inevitable now. I do not see a peaceful solution to this,” Corlys Velaryon spoke, breaking the silence prevalent in the room.

Rhaenys scoffed at that. She took a sip from the cup in her hand. Her lips thinned as she uttered in a scathing tone.

“You think. This is what we get for giving Daemon free reign. His ambition is boundless as his cruelty. What did the Queen expect the response to be? We killed Aegon’s son! A child of six! Gods have mercy on us.”

She started shaking her head at her own words. The Queen herself was cautious around her uncle, yet seemed to have given in to his machinations and now she had lost a son. And a lot of support. Lords would be very cautious supporting them now after they had seen their side stoop to such a level.

“Daemon wanted to impress her, but it seems he miscalculated as well. The Queen was not happy when she had seen Jaehaerys’s head. Maybe she will more receptive to our council. Though I don’t believe that Aegon will sue for peace any longer.”

Corlys Velaryon added. As he got up from his seat and started pacing back and forth. Perhaps thinking of ways to salvage their position. He then turned towards his wife, the person who had voiced for negotiations with Aegon the most.

“Why did you argue so much for negotiations? While I also believe that war should be avoided. But you had a firm belief that Aegon would offer terms. Why?”

He asked his wife. Rhaenys looked up at her husband. But focused on the fire once more, closing her eyes as she remembered a very specific conversation.

It was Laena’s funeral. She was sad as she stared at the body of her daughter. Her sadness turned to anger as her eyes found the person responsible for this. Daemon stood to the side, and instead of sadness and grief, his face had a smirk on it. The nerve of him, she thought. She could not stand it and left the premises making her way inside the castle.

As she sat down to calm herself, she was approached by him. Aegon came to give his condolences and the young prince sat down with her. The two began to talk. She had not had the chance to meet the young prince, yet rumors of his intellect and maturity. They had been accurate as the young boy of fourteen talked as if he had lived as long as her grandfather, King Jaehaerys.

She did not remember all of their conversations for they conversed regarding various topics. Yet his following words stuck with her.

“You know, sometimes I try and imagine how different things would be if history was written by women.” The young prince said as he sipped his cup. Rhaenys asked the reason for such a thought.

“Because when men describe the conflict, they describe it as this glorious thing. They narrate about honor, bravery, and glory.” The prince said as he stared into the sky.

“And you believe them to be wrong? I do not think I have seen a young man who does not dream of winning honor and glory. Are they wrong?” she questioned him.

“No. No. But that is only one side of the story. For they do not tell you of the grief of mother at losing her son, or the sorrows of a widowed woman nor does it mention the fate of all those orphans left in its wake.”

The words of the Prince shocked her. She considered him a pacifist much like his own father who was too weak to make a decision yet when he looked towards her, her eyes had none of Viserys’s naivety. They were firm and hard.

“I believe we must strive and sacrifice for peace. But if or when we go to war. You must be swift and ruthless. It must not be a battle to seek glory or accolades. It must be decisive. For one must never take joy in another man’s misery.”

Corlys listened to her words with a frown on his face. He then sat down in his chair shaking his head.

“We should have tied our houses. Rhaeneyra should have proposed such a match. That would have ended this conflict before it even began.”

“She planned to. But then Daemon spat poison in her ears about the Hightowers. Though I believe Queen Alicent would not have accepted such a match either. Despite Aegon’s constant efforts the strife between her and Rhaeneyra never eased. And with Otto back and Daemon locking heads, such a match would have been impossible.”

Queen Rhaenys sighed once more. She then asked about her niece.

“Where is the Queen?”

“The Queen has not left her chambers since we received word of Lucerys ‘s death. Daemon wanted to retaliate immediately, yet she forbade him from taking any action. After that, she entered her room and has not left since.”

Corlys supplied. Only a single day had passed since Lucerys’s death. The Queen was mourning. Rhaenys hoped that this incident would show Rhaeneyra Daemon’s true nature and she would bury any notion of marrying him. It seemed as though his plan to impress Rhaeneyra had backfired. He had been in exile for quite some time. Perhaps he did not know about Rhaeneyra’s relationship with Aegon. Though it had grown tense over the last couple of years. Aegon and Rhaeneyra were friends long before that.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and a guardsman came in. His breathing was heavy as he bowed to the Lord and Lady of The Tides.

“My Lord, I bring urgent news.”

Both she and Corlys frowned at that. News at such a late hour. It was to be dawn in a couple of hours.

“A ship approaches the harbor. A ship from Kings Landing. It bears a white banner.”

Corlys frowned at that, his brain considering the various possibilities. He then addressed the guard.

“How far out is the boat?”

“Only a couple of hours, my lord. What are your orders, my lord?” the guardsman questioned nervously.

“Get the guards ready. I will come down to the docks myself.”

The guard bowed and left the room. Leaving both of them alone once more, but this time no words were exchanged only the crackling of fire and racing of thoughts.

0000

Rhaenyra Targaryen walked into the meeting room in a black gown. Her face filled with fury. Her reddened and swollen. She moved with unhurried steps towards her seat at the head of the table. The rest of the ‘Black Council’ was already there. As they got up to greet her, she spoke in a scathing voice.

“I would like to know, why did you call this urgent meeting, Lord Hand. Because I remember giving explicit instructions about not disturbing me.” Her eyes narrowed at Lord Corlys Velaryon, her hand seemed a little tense.

Daemon smirked at that. His eyes then landed on the Queen. Despite the years ‘The Realm’s Delight’ had not withered a bit. Even after three childbirths, Rhaenyra Targaryen looked as radiant as if she was in her twenties. Her skin was fair and smooth, and her amethyst eyes lit up the room. Years had been kind to her, though not to her children.

“My Queen, the situation was urgent. So I called for this meeting so we could discuss it with due haste.” Lord Corlys replied.

Outside the Sun had begun its rise. The darkness of the night was beginning to fade out. Sleep could still be seen in the eyes of many of the occupants of the room.

Rhaenyra took her seat and Daemon felt a slight pang of jealousy rise in her heart before he smothered it. Patience, he thought. There was still time.

“So, what was so urgent that you called a meeting this early in the day,” Rhaeneyra questioned. All of them had also sat down with her. Lord Corlys did not reply immediately and after seconds of silence, he spoke.

“A delegation arrived from Kings Landing last night, your grace.”

Rhaeneyra Targaryen was enraged. Her face reddened as soon as the words had come out of Lord Corlys’ mouth.

“And what message did it bring?” she questioned her hand. Repressed fury permeated into her words.

Though instead of Corlys Velaryon it was Rhaenys Targaryen that replied. The Lady of the Tides spoke evenly.

“Your grace, the delegation would like to present you with the words from your brother.”

Daemon was irritated by these words. Rhaenys Targaryen was becoming a big thorn in his path. She had counseled Rhaeneyra into avoiding marrying him and had been a firm supporter of negotiating with the Greens. Something, which would be quite troublesome for him. So, he spoke.

“What is there to say? They have declared war upon us. Aegon has crowned himself King and sits on the Queen’s birthright. We should cut off their head and send them back to Kings Landing.” Daemon Targaryen’s words enraged Rhaeneys who remarked sharply.

“We will do no such things. This is not a simple case of rebellion. There is shared blood on both sides. With each attack we damn ourselves as ‘kinslayers’ And ‘No man is so accursed as the kinslayer’”

Daemon scoffed at her words. Women. They could be so sentimental. So, Daemon Targaryen replied as he stared straight at Rhaenyra.

“It is simple to me. All of them are ‘Usurpers’. Plain and simple and I will bring them to heel like every ‘Usurper’ before them. Through fire and blood.”

Lord Corlys rose from his seat at that. Speaking in a heated voice.

“You seem to forget something Daemon. We are not the only ones with dragons. They have dragons as well. Three of them. With two of them being the largest of all the living dragons.”

But Corlys’ words were cut by Daemon who spoke once more.

“But we have more. There are many dragons roosting in the caves of this island. If we do as I say, we can have more dragons than them. Then we can burn all those who stand against the rightful Queen.”

Daemon made the proposal for ‘dragon seeds once more.’ The Lady of The Tides stood up her face marred with fury.

“Do you even hear yourself? Giving dragons to commoners would be the height of idiocy. Dragons are the symbol of our heritage. Of the glory of ‘Old Valyria’. We can not hand them out like trinkets. They are not crossbows or swords. THEY ARE THE SYMBOL OF OUR HOUSE, OF HOUSE TARGARYEN.”

Daemon was about to retort but the Queen spoke first, putting an end to their tirade.

“ENOUGH.’’ Queen Rhaeneyra shouted. Her voice echoed in the chamber. Rhaenys Targaryen sat down, still glaring at Daemon. Rhaeneyra turned towards her Hand.

“Bring forth the delegation, I will hear them out.”

Lord Corlys nodded at that and motioned for the guards who opened the main doors. An aged man entered the room, it was the previous Master of Coin. Lord Beesbury. But the man should not be alive. There were rumors that he had been killed by the Greens when he tried to stop their treason.

“Your grace,” the old man bowed to the Queen.

“Lord Beesbury. I am delighted to see you alive. Though I must say I am surprised to see you. We had received words of your demise.” The Queen asked and the old man replied in a very slow tone.

“Thank you, your grace. But it seems the reports were wrong in that I was imprisoned by the orders of Prince Aegon. Even though many in the council wanted to take my head.”

Lord Beesbury looked at Daemon as he spoke. But, the truth was that he was not looking at Daemon. Daemon’s mind was elsewhere at the moment, Mysaria had been wrong. Or had she lied? If so then why?

“Then what words, does my brother send me? Has he accepted the folly of his ways and decided to bend the knee or is he still lusting after my rightful place?”

Rhaeneyra’s words were sharp and her voice cold as she uttered these words.

Lord Beesbury replied after some time,

“Your Grace, your brother has asked for a council.”

But, before Queen Rhaeneyra could interrupt, the retired master of coin reiterated.

“A family council. Not a great council, your grace. He wishes to meet with you face to face. He has sent a proposal regarding this.”

Lord Beesbury handed a letter to the guard who took it to the Lord Hand.

Daemon scoffed at that. Then he spoke.

“Are we really considering this? They slaughtered Prince Lucerys, and now they wish to talk peace. We should not even consider this farce and reject this proposal. Rhaeneyra Targaryen was Viserys’ acclaimed heir. All those who deny it are usurpers. Simple as that. There is nothing to talk about.”

There were several nods at that. Though many nighed as well. Lord Hand handed the letter to the Queen but then addressed the daemon.

“Things are not as simple as you make them out to be. We must not jump to a conclusion hastily. Both sides have tainted themselves, so I believe if there is a peaceful resolution we should not dismiss it offhandedly.”

His wife agreed with him.

“He is right.”

Though Lord Beesbury spoke up once more

“Your grace, I have another letter from your brother. Addressed directly to you,” and he took out another letter handing to the Lord Hand. And as Lord Corlys was about to open it. The elderly lord reminded once more.

“It is meant only for the Queen’s hands.”

Lord Corlys stopped. The Queen then questioned the old man.

“How do I know, this is not poisoned?”

Though the old man’s eyes widened at that accusation. He spoke up once more.

“Your grace, your brother wrote it in front of me. It is a simple letter. I swear on my honor.”

“Why are we still entertaining this farce? They do not plan to bend the knee. That old leech probably wants to lure you to a place of vulnerability and then slaughter you like your son. You can not believe this farce!”

Daemon shouted. Rhaenys Targaryen counseled the Queen otherwise.

“I have no love for the traitorous Hand, yet this letter is from Aegon. Not Otto Hightower. We must not dismiss it so easily.”

Daemon glared at the Queen who never was. He could see that Rhaenyra was conflicted. He had to push.

“It seems to me your allegiance is in question. You pledged your support to the rightful queen yet YOU WISH TO TALK WITH THOSE THAT DENY IT.”

And the atmosphere of the council room became inflamed. Egos and ambition clashed. Rhaenys Targaryen shouted at Daemon.

“YOU WOULD SEE HER MURDER HER BLOOD. HER OWN FAMILY FOR YOUR AMBITION. YOU PUSHED TO SUCH A STATE. YOU USED TREACHERY TO KILL A SIX-YEAR-OLD CHILD. A CHILD.”

“I DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY. I ACTED WHILE YOU ALL SAT HERE AND COUNSELLED I ACTED. AND I WOULD DO SO AGAIN ..”

“ENOUGH. ENOUGH. THIS IS ENOUGH. LEAVE ME. ALL OF YOU.”

The Queen shouted putting an end to the ensuing argument. Both Daemon and Rhaenys kept glaring at each other. Daemon got up and left the room. The rest of the council followed suit and doors were closed once more. Leaving the mourning queen alone in a room with a single letter.

She stared at it for a long time. She then opened it and began reading it with a heavy heart. She was conflicted. Things had escalated quickly and now bloodshed seemed inevitable. Though they considered her naïve, she could see them all eyeing her. All of their hungry gazes eyed her like a prize. Their mouth-watering as they eyed the opportunities to fulfill their desires and satiate their ambition.

She read the letter with a heavy heart and as her eyes moved from one line to the next. Her eyes reddened once more. The Queen Rhaeneyra Targaryen wept and the tears wettened the handheld parchment. The letter fell to the table, and she began to sob.

Time passed and the Sun rose to its full height. The door to the council room opened once more and the Queen, who never was, entered the room. She sat at Rhaenyra’s side. Silence still reigned in the council as the two sat. Then Rhaenyra handed her the letter she had received. A letter from a brother.

Rahenys Targayen read the letter. And placed it on the table. Her eyes reddened as well. Silence permeated as the two sat, processing the words written in the letter. The silence was broken when Queen Rhaeneyra spoke in a soft voice.

“Do you think he is being sincere? Can I believe him?” she asked her good mother.

The Lady of the Tides looked towards her good daughter. She felt seeing her like this, and after some time spoke.

“Yes. I think he is being sincere.”

Queen Rhaeneyra nodded and got up from her chair and walked towards the balcony. The winds blew her hair back and she looked over the island from where all this had begun. The dragon from which her ancestors had launched the conquest of Westeros.

“Do you remember your words from all those years ago? About the order of things. About how a son would be born to my father’s second wife and he would replace me?”

Then she questioned the elder dragon rider once more.

“Why? Why is it that this must be the order of things? I wanted to break this order of things. I wanted to prove you wrong. I wanted to be The Queen. I did not want to become another Queen that never was.”

Then her voice quivered a bit.

“But all those thoughts vanished when I heard the news of Lucerys’s death. I realized how meaningless this all was, but I could not give up. Not now, after my son had bled for my cause. I was prepared to fight to the last breath, but now I do not know what to do. I do not want Lucerys’ death to mean nothing, but I also don’t want to lose Jacerys and Joffery. I just cannot.”

Queen Rhaenys nodded at that. And she got up to embrace the troubled Queen.

“You must think about what you really want and what you are willing to sacrifice for it. It is not an easy choice but I would recommend you agree to the council. This family is divided enough. If this continues further the lords will lose nothing. The only people to suffer would be you and Aegon as you have. You both have lost sons and hence share the same pain.”

Rhaenys held her head in her hands and continued gently.

“And you can either let this pain divide you or you can both let it be the last devastation you doll onto each other and hence your son’s blood would not be the first blood of war, but the last.”

Rhaeneyra sniffed and nodded at that. Then she spoke,

“But the lords . .”

Rhaenys cut her off. Shaking her head as she spoke.

“The Lords are inconsequential. We are the blood of the dragon. We transformed these lands into what they are today. We brought peace to these lands ending their idiotic squabbles. Any lord who defies will be reminded of our house words as we shall decorate their halls with ‘Fire and Blood”

The Queen nodded at that. And went back to her chair and after some time a Maester Gerardys entered the room. Queen Rhaeneyra handed the Maester a letter and he soon left the chambers with his instructions.

After some time, the Black council gathered once more. Queen Rhaeneyra sat at the Head of the Table. She was dressed in all Black but what was different about her was the crown. She was wearing the crown of King Viserys Targaryen, her father.

“Lucerys’ final rights will be performed as soon as his body arrives at Dragonstone.”

There were mutterings in the chamber. They were not expecting this. Not after what had been done to the body of the usurpers’ son.

Though the Queen’s next words would give them a bigger surprise.

“I have decided to accept my brother’s offer. The council will take place within a month’s time. And as per the agreed terms, I would uncrown myself just like Aegon.”

At this, she took off her father’s crown. The whole room was silent. This was disrespectful to the Lords that had supported her. But then her words registered, ‘Like Aegon’

This meant that King Aegon would do so as well. The Queen placed the crown on the table once more. And commotion broke out.

“HAVE YOU GONE MAD? DO EVEN HEAR YOURSELF? ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO BELIEVE THE WORDS OF A USURPER?”

Daemon Targaryen shouted.

“THE LORDS OF THE REALM WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS INSULT.”

Voices were raised. And then they stopped.

“ROAAAAAR.”

And they looked to the side and Syrax was circling the tower. All the lords were cowed at that. Yet Daemon Targaryen was still glaring at his niece. Queen Rhaeneyra stared him straight in the eyes and continued.

“The council will be between Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenyra, both claimants will have a retinue of only a hundred soldiers and a single dragon rider. I shall ride with Syrax for the council.”

“YOU ALL CAN NOT STAND FOR THIS. THIS WHY A WOMAN…”

But before Daemon could continue Rhaenyra cut him.

“LORD DAEMON, YOU FORGET YOURSELF.”

And Daemon Targaryen glared at his niece before standing up and leaving the room. There was murmuring in the room. Then the Queen turned towards her Hand.

“Lord Corlys, you shall make all the necessary arrangements.”

“Yes, Princess.” He replied.

And The Queen left the room.

0000

“Dracarys,” Jacerys heard his mother speak.

And Syrax opened its maw, and golden flames ignited his brother’s body. Anger, Grief, and Sorrow rose in his heart as he watched his brother’s body burn and turn to ash. Her mother tightened her grip on his hand and then she turned and entered the castle once more.

Joffery was still weeping by his side. The Lords were quiet as they had been since that day. Her mother was no longer The Queen. She was Princess Rhaenyra once more. News from Kings Landing had arrived, and Aegon had uncrowned himself as well.

And his emotions were very conflicted at the thought of his uncle and friend. Aegon had always behaved as his elder brother. All of them had laughed and cried together. Aegon had helped them get revenge on Lords who would call them bastards.

Aemond had always been a little mean, yet it was hard to imagine that he would kill his brother. But we struck first, one part of his mind supplied. And his eyes searched the crowd for Daemon Targaryen. He had never liked the man. The man’s ambition was boundless as his cruelty.

He had laughed while presenting Jahaerys’s head. Both he and Lucerys were nauseated by the sight. Their mother had had a similar reaction. But blood had been spilled on both sides, A son for a son.

He turned and gave a perfunctory to the insincere sympathies of the many Lords. He entered the castle and entered the council room. Her mother was sitting there. She saw him enter and beckoned him toward her.

He hugged her tightly.

“Do you think I was wrong in agreeing to the council?” She asked as she kissed his head.

Jacerys shook his head at that.

“No. I don’t think so. I would give up that throne a thousand times over if I could just have Lucerys back.” He said. His voice quivered as he spoke his brother’s name.

“I would as well, I would as well. Yet I can already feel the vultures circling. I can see it in their eyes. The Lords are dissatisfied, it is funny that it is I who took off the crown yet they are the ones who feel slighted. It was I who lost a son yet they seem to be in pain. Aegon was right when he said that the Lords wish for us to fight. They would have the dragons devour each other so they could feed on the carcass.” Rhaeneyra whispered to her son.

Jacerys and Rhaeneyra separated, and each took their respective seats.

“Have you thought about the council? Have you considered terms?”

Rhaenyra nodded at that. Though she seemed conflicted for a second before she looked her son straight in the eye. Her question shocked Jacerys. And Jacerys would leave the room many hours later with a complicated expression on his face.

On the other side of the island, Daemon sat with two beauties entangled with him. All three of them were naked as the day they had been born. The door to the room opened and a silver-haired beauty entered the room.

And Daemon stopped the two girls and motioned for them to leave and both of them left the room. Now only he and Lady Misery were present in the room.

“So are the preparations complete?” he asked getting up from the bed and embracing her from behind.

She nodded with a smirk.

“They have been completed. This will finish everything in a single strike.”

Daemon smiled wickedly and after kissing her got dressed and left the room. Mysaria’s hand went to her exposed belly.

“Everything will be finished. Everything.”

She said and then she moved to another corner of the room. And after taking out a rolled-up scroll, she unfurled it on a table. The scroll was a simple map, with markings on various caves and coves of Dragonstone. Over the caves, there were several names. Names that were renowned throughout the whole island.

Her hand went over a certain portion of the map.

‘Cannibal.’

She then closed her eyes and murmured something.

“Death be on Valyria.”