Chapter Text
It had been a handful of moons since her father and husband had departed for the horizon in order to quell the Myr rebellion on the island of Tarth, the only way for Rhaenys to measure time had been the growth of her baby in her womb, more and more pronounced, at times Rhaenys wished it was time to give birth and hold her child in her arms and at others she simply wished the baby would wait until it was all over so she could have her father and husband by her side to welcome the little one.
But that morning when the roar of Vhagar and Caraxes flooded the skies, she knew what it meant, soon she would be able to look Corlys in the eyes and tell her how well her son had grown and that soon they would have him in their arms.
However, that did not happen, when her father hugged her tighter than ever and said those words, all her hopes collapsed. One arrow was enough to end her beloved's life and somehow hers as well.
“No... it cannot be” whispered Rhaenys, her voice cracking with grief.
Prince Aemon, his eyes sad but full of compassion, approached his daughter and embraced her tenderly. “Daughter, I am so sorry.”
“Tell me it is not true, father. Tell me he will come,” Rhaenys implored, clinging to the hope that it was all a nightmare.
“He fought like the great Lord he always was” Aemon replied, trying to comfort her.
“No! You took him with you and now you will only deliver his bones to me. Where is the justice in this?” exclaimed Rhaenys in despair, searching for answers that could never satisfy her shattered heart.
“There is none my dear daughter, I fear the gods give as the gods take away” Aemon said solemnly, acknowledging human impotence in the face of divine decisions.
“He will never meet our baby, he has left us alone” Rhaenys murmured, her voice breaking in a heartbreaking sob.
“You will never be alone, daughter. You will always have your family” Aemon assured, trying to offer comfort in the midst of tragedy.
“But he was my family. He was my husband, the father of the baby I carry in my womb. He was the one I've loved the most,” Rhaenys expressed, laying bare the magnitude of her loss.
“It is for this baby, Lord Corlys' baby that you have to be strong, my princess. He needs you now more than ever.”
The Maester had had to intervene so that Rhaenys could calm down, after such terrible news, the denial, the shock, the rage, and the explosion of that fire that all Targaryens carried inside, her alarmed mother asked to be given a calming potion, even if it was against her daughter's will, Jocelyn was sure that if Rhaenys had remained awake the health of the baby inside her would be in danger, and there had been no words to make her daughter come to her senses.
As the sun's rays illuminated the room, the door opened softly, revealing the motherly figure of Lady Jocelyn. She entered with careful steps, aware of her daughter's emotional fragility at that moment. Rhaenys, still mired in sadness, looked up at the sound of the door and saw her mother approaching.
“My love” began Lady Jocelyn softly “How are you feeling?” she approached leaving the tea set she had brought with her on the small table, though she received no response from her daughter.
“Corlys' body is ready to be taken to Driftmark” she confessed a moment later “His ship is ready and the captain has already made all the arrangements, ser Vaemond will receive him at Drifmark.”
Rhaenys nodded sadly, the thought of Corlys final departure filled her with an even deeper sadness.
“After that, after the funeral” Lady Jocelyn continued “your grandmother suggested that you might return to King's Landing. In Driftmark you would be alone, and here you could have the support of family.”
Rhaenys pondered her mother's words. The offer was understandable, but her thoughts were anchored on Driftmark. Finally, with determination in her voice, she replied “Mother, I appreciate the concern, but Driftmark is my home” she replied surprising her mother by her calmness, even she was surprised “But, even without Corlys, I must remain there for our baby. It is where I belong now.”
“I hope so, Because now without him I feel like I don't belong anywhere.”
Rhaenys took her mother's hand gratefully. “I won't be alone, mother” she said caressing her belly “Besides I'm not ready to let him go, I still can't, and being there at least I'll have his memories closer ”
Lady Jocelyn nodded, knowing that her daughter's determination was as strong as that of her late husband. She would support her in whatever decision she made to find comfort in those dark times “It's all right child, just remember, even though he is gone You are still here, and life goes on whether you want it to or not, you can't anchor yourself to his memory forever.”
The walls of the room echoed with Rhaenys' cries and efforts to bring her baby into the world. The Maester and midwife assisting her encouraged her, though they were of little help, her mother for her part holding her daughter's hand tightly.
“One more, princess, just a little more and you will be able to hold your baby” said the midwife.
“I can't, I can't” murmured Rhaenys, whose forehead was adorned by her dark hair soaked with the sweat of her exhaustion.
“Come on 'Nys, you can do it sweetheart,” Lady Jocelyn's voice said warmly but firmly, and in a last effort, Rhaenys' cries disappeared only to be replaced by those of the newborn, who was soon placed in her tired mother's arms. A rush of love and relief coursed through the princess's body as she looked for the first time at her baby's still swollen face, the physical proof of the love she and Corlys had professed for each other.
Beside her, her mother smiled and said “But she is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen, Rhaenys. She is perfect.”
Rhaenys, despite her tiredness, could not help but smile at the beauty of her newborn.
“What are you going to name her?” asked her mother as she dried her daughter's face with a cloth without taking her eyes off the tiny newborn.
“Laena,” Rhaenys answered in a soft voice “Laena Velaryon.” Though joy filled her heart, a shadow of worry crossed her mind. She knew that Laena being a girl complicated things for her little girl's future, but at that moment, she could only focus on the gift in her arms.
Just a couple of moons after giving birth to little Laena, Rhaenys traveled to King's Landing to formally present her daughter to the court in accordance with tradition. Rhaenys of course knew that although the main reason for the small ceremony was to present her daughter, her grandfather the King was going to use the meeting for political matters, since he had also called to attend Vaemond, Corlys' brother. Until that moment the command of the house had fallen mostly on him since with the pregnancy and then attending to his little girl had been her priorities, although out of courtesy all the decisions Vaemond had taken had been informed before to Rhaenys, since he knew that officially it was Rhaenys who was the mistress of Driftmark not him.
At least Rhaenys hoped that with the backing of her grandparents and parents this matter could be cleared up. She had told her mother and sent a couple of letters to her father about the matter. She was willing to assume her role as lady of Driftmark and regent to Laena until she was old enough to inherit the Driftwood throne that had once belonged to Corlys. If Laena had turned out to be a male, then the problem would not have existed, since instead of being Corlys' heir, he would be hers, as next to the Iron Throne, and as stipulated by the decree they had signed before marriage, but being a woman and the only legitimate heir of Corlys, that was her right.
Having left Meleys in the dragon pit, she took a carriage that took her to the Red Keep, Laena had not made any sound of discomfort up to that moment, on the contrary, it seemed that having flown had put her in a state of total relaxation that no one had achieved so far.
As quickly as he stepped down from the carriage her father was already waiting for her, his work at court had not allowed him to travel to Driftmark to meet his granddaughter at the time of her birth so he was anxious to see the little girl he had so far only known from wife's descriptions.
"Daughter, you don't know how glad I am to see you" he said approaching her to give her a hug careful not to disturb the little girl who was in his daughter's arms.
"Father, may I present Laena" Rhaenys pushed aside the cloths that wrapped his daughter to reveal her sweet little face to her father.
"She is indeed beautiful daughter, just as your mother described her, I see her and I can still remember when you were the same age, she definitely inherited your charm" he said totally in love with his granddaughter.
"My mother said something similar when she was born" she said feeling somewhat nostalgic.
"I know Corlys would be proud" they both looked at each other and continued their way to Rhaenys' chambers where her mother was already waiting for them.
"Welcome back sweetheart, you must be tired" said Jocelyn hugging her daughter, little Laena already in the Prince's arms.
"The trip is not a long one mother, though it's not the same traveling alone as with the babe" she confessed as she took the cup of water from the small table.
"Rhaenys, about what we spoke" Rhaenys' heart stopped for a moment before her father continued "Tomorrow when you present Laena before the court your grandfather will name you regent at her behest" Rhaenys finally let out the air she had been holding back.
"Don't be so relieved Rhaenys" the prince shot a reprimanding look at his wife but she continued "It was hard work your father and grandmother had to do, he still thinks it's better that you are here and Vaemond gets to keep Driftmark."
"Don't say that Jocelyn" the prince spat.
"Don't try to defend your father Aemon, we both know that's how he thinks."
"If he thinks that way, then how does he expect me to ever rule the seven kingdoms one day" the room fell silent, and that had answered everything.
"Don't worry about that now Rhaenys, the important thing is that you will be regent for your daughter who will one day be the lady of Drifmark, just as you will one day be Queen" smiled her father.
"It is important Rhaenys that you do a good job" said her mother worried "It is a great precedent for you to have your daughter named the heir to the Driftwood throne."
"I know mother, but now that you draw the few expectations my own family has of me..." she took a big breath and fixed her gaze on the city lying at her feet.
"It's not that sweetling, we believe in you Rhaenys" her mother said behind her placing her hands on her daughter's arms "but this world, it has a long way to go, it has fallen to you to begin to open that path and that is the hardest part."
"We trust you daughter, don't doubt that we will be there to support you" reaffirmed her father approaching both of them.
"But you won't be here, will you father?"
"Now rest daughter" suggested her mother leaving a kiss on her cheek "I will send the maids for you to take a bath and get rid of that dragon smell and a nursemaid to take care of Laena" she said approaching the crib where Laena slept peacefully to deposit a kiss on her forehead action that imitated her husband and then both left the room.
As they entered the great hall it was Harold Westerling, the commander of the king's guard who announced both her and Laena whom she held in her arms.
"Princess Rhaenys Targaryen and her daughter, Lady Laena Velaryon" Rhaenys walked upright before the gaze of the curious who wished to meet the little girl and about herself, she had already heard a couple of rumors that said she had gone mad with grief when her father gave her the news of Corlys death and they were partly true, because for a moment she had gone mad but it was all proper to her loss and grief.
"Come forward my dear granddaughter" her grandmother said sweetly.
"My King, my Queen, I come today to present before you my and Lord Corlys' daughter, Laena Velaryon" the Queen wasted no time and rose from her chair to approach her great granddaughter whom she caressed on the cheek.
"I know my dear child that Lord Corlys would be proud of the beautiful heiress you have given him" the Queen said.
"I King Jahaerys declare the Lady Laena Velaryon as the heir to Lord Corlys, until she is old enough to take what is rightfully hers, her mother, Princess Rhaenys will rule on her behalf as her regent the islands under the control of the Velaryons" the King announced in a heavy voice to the court.
"It will be an honor and a great responsibility that I gladly accept your grace" Rhaenys replied then took her place at one side of the room with her parents behind her.
"Ser Vaemond, please come forward" asked the King's hand, Septon Barth.
"My king, my queen" said Vaemond bowing.
"I leave under your expert command the Velaryon fleet" said the King at last.
"My granddaughter will rule and it is to her that you will be accountable" said sternly the queen, who gave an apologetic look to her granddaughter.
After the stressful day she had had to go through there was no better way to end it than by going to kiss her little daughter goodnight, after the presentation her nanny had taken her and not seen her for the rest of the day. All she longed for was to caress her soft face and sweet curls.
The soft light of the torches illuminated the path, finally in front of her longed-for destination she stopped the moment she heard a familiar voice.
"From this egg will come a beautiful dragon" she dared to listen more closely looking through the slot between one wing of the door and the other "If it is not so do not worry" her daughter made a sound as if she was conversing with that man "You are a Targaryen and you can claim some dragon just like me" he said putting the egg back in its place near the fireplace "Just like your mother" he returned to the cradle taking the hand of the little one.
She decided not to go inside, she didn't want to interrupt him, it wasn't very often that her cousin showed a tender side, in fact, he almost never did, she knew it existed because a couple of times he had shown it to her, only to go back to his spoiled pose with which he handled himself. Instead, she opted to wait for him around the corner of the hallway she knew he was going to walk down as soon as he finished chatting with his daughter. When she finally heard the door and his footsteps approaching she mounted her act by bumping into him.
"Princess Rhaenys" Daemon said raising an eyebrow.
"Prince Daemon" replied with a playful smile Rhaenys "It is an honor to see you knowing you are such a busy man" the princess said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be at Laena's presentation" he replied knowing Rhaenys' words were a complaint for his absence.
"I don't think Laena minded" she replied lowering her gaze, remembering what a fiasco it had been not the presentation but that her own grandfather had pushed her aside making the decisions.
"Still I wanted to meet the little one, we should thank the gods she inherited your beauty, she is a Targaryen" he said proudly.
"She is a Velaryon" Rhaenys replied quickly somewhat irritated. Tired of reminding everyone that Laena was a Velaryon, the only heir to Corlys.
"Don't be like that Rhaenys, it's not my fault your husband died leaving nothing but trouble for you" he replied without thinking.
"Laena is no problem" she retorted furiously, this was typical Daemon.
"You know that's not what I meant..." but before continuing he was interrupted.
"And I forbid you to approach her without my permission" she concluded leaving him standing in the middle of the hallway.
"Rhaenys..." he called out to her but she didn't turn her gaze or her steps "Really? Damn" he said to himself gripping the hilt of his sword tightly and walked out of the hallway.