ALL NOVEL Chapter 128: 128
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118 AC
Kingslanding
Lewyn Nymeros Martell
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I wonder if sights like this were common before The Doom or if the Dragon Lords of old kept their dragons apart when not ridden.
Looking around the Dragon Pit that hardly ever actually holds any dragons these days, the sight before me fills me with wonder and curiosity. Nearly every known living claimed dragon is here, not inside of the building but I know the larger ones like Gaelithox and Tyraxes are just outside. The Royal family stands before the gathered masses with dragons lazily posted around the dragon pit with large clearings around them despite how many people have packed inside of the pit. Seems even the brave people who showed up today to see their Queen get crowned are not brave enough to get closer to the 'beasts'.
Syrax stands behind Rhaenyra as the High Septon my Brother flew off to Old Town to fetch coronates my Good-Sister as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms... the first true ruler of all of the Seven Kingdoms as Dorne only now officially joins under the crown with it resting upon her head.
Balerion is not far from Syrax, he has a vigilant yet condescending look about him as he looks around at the gathered masses.
Meraxes and Ny Sar are right behind him, despite not being that much younger both are dwarfed by the larger black and red dragon that they both seem eager to annoy.
Albion the albino dragon of Visenya who only just arrived recently is not far from the trio of troublemakers, its blood-red eyes wearily watching the crowd as a snow-white tail whips about anxiously.
Seasmoke and Shrykos who have become an odd pair of friends are off to the side with a large clearing around them as they watch the crowd curiously but remain in place as they were told.
Sunfyre the golden and pink winged dragon of my niece Valaena is sleeping, so peacefully in fact I don't even think he knows there is a crowd gathered around pointing at him and whispering as the rays of light from the open door bounce off his golden scales.
Those are all that I can see but I know there are more around, some too big to fit inside or too shy to show themselves.
I snap from my thoughts as the crowd starts clapping and I turn to see Rhaenyra now standing with her crown on her head, the High Septon now standing off to the side with an obvious sheen of sweat on his forehead as he looks toward my Brother nervously.
I think the old man nearly fell out dead when my Brother went to 'retrieve' him personally from the Starry Sept. Personally I think he planned to miss the event, forcing a Septon of less importance to coronate my Brothers Wife. Likely an attempt to snub the Queen before she can even begin to rule, my Brother was having none of it though and flew off on his dragon not even an hour after the raven arrived delivering the 'bad news'.
"Next is war..." Myriah mutters beside me and I smile a bit as I turn my head slightly to gain her attention.
"You scared?" I taunt and she scoffs.
"No." I smile and nod before turning my head back forward. "This time I won't be left out." She lifts her chin while sniffing a bit haughtily.
I can't help but laugh a bit knowing Daeron already plans to use our Sister as little more than a scout and will not allow her to actually fight in any of the coming battles.
Not from lack of faith, but it's hard to trust the shy dragon she flies even after he has grown more accustomed to people and other dragons, a point made obvious by his presence today.
Who is to say if the dragon won't just fly off after getting spooked by some arrows or a bolt from a scorpion?
I trust Syrax more if I am honest, at least the she-dragon knows how to bit someone if they piss her off.
I have seen it happen with my own eyes, the puppy-tame she-dragon can be ferocious when she wants to be.
"Well it will still be a little while, troops need to move around and whatnot." I smile toward my nephews when two of them turn toward me curiously as they likely can hear me talking as they are pretty close to me.
The children will be dropped off on Mother and Father in Sunspear, no one trustworthy will be in Kingslanding once we fly off to deal with Volantis. I know the two troublemakers before me, Aegon and Aerys, will give all seven hells to their caretakers once they realize their parents are both off-handlining business.
"I know, I am just glad it was made clear I am going this time around." I hum in acknowledgment as my eyes shift over to my own children.
Trystane is being held by his Grandmother Rhaenys while the twins are being held by Laena, neither of the women seem present and instead are staring off absent-mindedly. I worry for them but they both have made it clear there is not much I can do for them, unlike Laenor neither of them care to speak to me about their worries and concerns.
I do get the feeling from them however that they are looking forward to the war.
Meleys and Vhagar are likely to burn a fair share of the enemies we will be facing soon enough.
Poor fuckers, I almost feel bad for them.
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118 AC
Kingslanding
Daeron Nymeros Martell
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"You know if you want your old room..." I stop as Aemma tosses me a piercing look.
"I am fine in here." I snort hearing the tiredness in my Good-Mothers voice as she looks back toward the checkers board I created and have taken to playing with guests in the keep that I like.
"Well, Rhaenyra and I have moved into the King's chambers.... Queen's chambers." Aemma nods and moves a piece on the board with narrowed eyes.
"My turn!" Visenya perks up and I smile as the six-name day old girl moves one of her own pieces excitedly. "Give it over." she holds out an empty hand palm side up and has an expectant look on her face as her Mother is forced to hand over one of her pieces.
Aemma pouts but hands over the piece to the vicious little girl who stacks it up with the rest she has taken. Visenya then turns her head slightly and meets eyes with me before raising a brow as if she is waiting for something. I snort and ruffle her surprisingly short hair, she keeps it just below her shoulders according to Aemma, it 'feels better' that way.
"Good job, keep it up and we might go make some ice cream." She bounces in happiness before putting back on her 'game face' and narrows her eyes at the board.
Aemma sighs seeing the determination and realizes the game is already lost.
"You tried." I gently counsel my Good-Mother earning myself another piercing look.
* Knock * * Knock * * Knock *
I smile knowing I have been saved and turn to see my Wife enter the room with a smile on her face.
"Mother." She smiles at Aemma. "Visenya." Her smile widens. "Husband." Her smile disappears as if it never existed as her eyes land on me.
Wait... huh?
"What happened?" I ask curiously as my Wife approaches with her gaze shifting back to the youngest in the room.
"Rhaenyra!" Visenya hops up from the chair and sprints toward her older Sister with arms spread wide. "Daeron promised me ice cream!" Rhaenyra rolls her eyes as she slightly crouches and skillfully 'catches' her younger sister and hoists her up onto her hip and embraces her.
A year or two more and Rhaenyra won't be able to do that anymore, Visenya is getting big and it already looks like my Wife is struggling to keep the growing girl up. Not that Visenya cares or likely even notices as she wraps her arms and legs around her Sister and squeals excitedly.
"Nothing happened, I just felt annoyed at you for some reason." I breathe a sigh of relief realizing she has not caught on to any of the plans I have been making in the background to assure she will be busy most days we are in Bloodstone.
I find the thought of my Wife flying her dragon into battle hot... at least against people, I know she can burn to death easily.
Flying toward a fleet that will most definitely have anti-air weapons like scorpions and ballistas?
Not as hot.
My Wife won't be the next Rhaenys falling from the sky.
I won't let it happen.
"Rhaenyra, come sit with me and help me win." Aemma speaks up after subtly moving some pieces around the board while Visenya is distracted with her face pressed against her sister's neck.
I narrow my eyes at the woman but she only raises an eyebrow challengingly.
I can almost hear it.
'I dare you to say something.' her fiery blue-purple eyes challenge me to speak up to Visenya about the deception.
I turn my gaze to the young girl who just got cheated but keep my mouth shut.
For now.
I will signal her under the table once she sits back down.
Justice will prevail and I won't have my Good-Mother attempt to nag me.
"Sure." Rhaenyra sets down her Sister in her chair before approaching the empty seat beside her Mother.
"Wait." Visenya frowns immediately without me even sending a signal to her, a smile breaks out across my face as Aemma crosses her arms and leans back nonchalantly. "You did something!" The young girl points her finger accusingly... at me?!
"Huh?" My jaw drops and the small girl narrows her eyes, in the corner of my vision I notice Aemma smile wide. "No, I didn't." I lift my brows upwards and meet eyes with my accuser who pouts and looks toward the two women watching.
"Rhaenyra, Daeron is cheating so he won't have to make me any ice cream." Rhaenyra looks at me in confusion before I nod toward her Mother, her look turns scandalized and she gasps.
"He did!" Visenya nearly comes out of her seat as she bounces in place and turns back to me with her face going slightly red.
"Daeron!" Her mouth shuts tightly with her lips wobbling. "You could have just said you didn't want to..." She looks down toward her lap and I turn a baleful glare toward Aemma while reaching out to comfort the saddened young girl.
'You did this' my eyes threaten as I look toward my Good-Mother who only looks on amusedly as Rhaenyra shakes her head in exasperation.
"Let's go get some ice cream." I scoop up Visenya and turn without another word leaving the shameless lying pair of Mother and Daughter behind. "I got some fresh mint in and we can try it out with the ice cream." Visenya presses her face against my shoulder and nods her head smearing whatever is running down her nose on my tunic.
I might as well stop and get some of my children as well, they will get jealous if I don't and they hear I made ice cream. I want them to bond more with Visenya anyway, they will be living with her without my supervision for an unknown amount of time soon enough.
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118 AC
Kingslanding
Rhaenyra Targaryen
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Watching Daeron leave I can't help but laugh a bit as Visenya stops crying and gives our Mother a bright smile.
"She has been looking forward to pestering him." My Mother snorts as the door shuts and I am left alone with her.
"I can tell." I turn my gaze from the door and settle it upon my Mother.
"He is one of the few men in her life and the only one that she cares to talk to on her own." A heavy weight seems to leave my Mother as she sighs and starts stacking up the pieces on the board.
"She didn't respond to many of our Fathers ravens." I feel a pain in my heart remembering my Father and how he confessed his regrets about Aemma and Visenya on his deathbed.
Too late now, he should have sought them out instead of waiting around for a miracle.
"She knows what happened..." My eyes widen and I feel my throat tighten remembering that day. "She saw my scar and kept asking about it... eventually, she asked someone else, a servant." My Mother shakes her head before laying her hands in her lap. "I never confessed, I didn't want her to... I didn't want her to know." She looks up at me. "For Viserys sake, I wanted them to have a chance to have a close relationship." Her gaze drops and I reach out and take her hand.
"So she figured it out on her own?" Pursing her lips my Mother nods.
"She kept pestering and despite how young she is she is bright and figured out enough to know... plus the rumors that kept popping up among guests that came to visit. She doesn't know exactly what happened, but she knows the scar is why I left Kingslanding and it has something to do with her and her Father." I nod feeling a knot in my throat remembering the sight I saw that day and how sure I was that I had lost my Mother. "The only thing I told her myself was that Daeron had healed me and saved my life, on top of that and the fact he has always been kind to her... I think she views him as her Father figure." I snort remembering how happy my Sister looked as my Husband carried her off.
It's only one more, Daeron can handle looking out for Visenya, he already looks out for more than a handful of the little troublemakers.
That thought brings a smile to my face as I tighten my grip on my mother's hand.