The Throne Beckons:
Only the strong stories survive the game. If you stand with this one, Power Stone it, and let it claim its rightful place.
ARC 1: Birth of the Daemon and Daenerys
Chapter 6: The Queen's Woe
Year 283 AC
The day after the Sea Serpent had departed the chaotic harbor of King's Landing, a grim and terrible silence fell upon Dragonstone. The windswept island, usually echoing with the cries of seabirds and the crash of waves against its black, volcanic shores, seemed to hold its breath, anticipating the news that would inevitably arrive from the mainland.
Queen Rhaella Targaryen, heavy with child and confined to her chambers in the ancient castle, moved with a weary slowness. The joyous anticipation that should have accompanied the nearing of her birthing time was overshadowed by a gnawing anxiety. The whispers carried by the few ships that had managed to reach Dragonstone spoke of a battle at the Trident, of Prince Rhaegar's valiant fight against the Usurper, Robert Baratheon. But no clear news of the outcome had arrived, leaving the Queen and the loyal inhabitants of Dragonstone in a state of agonizing uncertainty.
The small Targaryen court on Dragonstone consisted mainly of loyal Kingsguard knights who had escorted the Queen and young Prince Viserys to the island before the battle, trusted servants who had served the royal family for generations, and Maester Cressen, the aging but wise healer and advisor. They moved through the castle with hushed voices and worried glances, their loyalty unwavering but their fear for the future palpable.
Then, a fishing vessel, battered and bearing grim-faced survivors, finally reached the Dragonstone harbor, bringing with it the horrifying truth of the Sack of King's Landing. The news spread through the castle like a chilling draft, extinguishing the last embers of hope.
The Lannisters, those who had feigned loyalty to the very end, had betrayed the Targaryen crown. They had stormed the city, not as saviors, but as ruthless conquerors. The capital had been subjected to a brutal sacking, a maelstrom of slaughter, looting, and unspeakable violence against the common people. King Aerys II Targaryen, the Queen's husband, the father of her children, had been slain not by a rebel's hand, but by his own Kingsguard, Ser Jaime Lannister of House Lannister.
The news struck Queen Rhaella like a physical blow. Each word was a fresh wound, tearing at her already fragile heart. But the most devastating news was yet to come. Princess Elia Martell, her beloved daughter-in-law, and her grandson, little Aegon Targaryen, Rhaegar's son, were dead. The manner of their deaths, recounted in hushed and horrified whispers, was almost too cruel to bear. Little Aegon, barely a toddler, had been brutally murdered, his head smashed against a stone wall, his innocent skull crushed. Then, the monster Ser Gregor Clegane had turned his vile attentions to Elia Martell, subjecting her to unspeakable brutality before crushing her head as well, ending the life of the gentle Dornish princess.
A wave of incandescent rage washed over Queen Rhaella, a fierce and primal fury at the monstrous injustice inflicted upon her family. The proud House Lannister, who owed so much to the Targaryens, had repaid their loyalty with unimaginable treachery. But the anger was quickly followed by a deeper, more profound sorrow, a grief so immense that it threatened to drown her in its depths. Her eldest son, Rhaegar, the hope of the realm, was gone. Now, his wife and innocent child had been butchered. Her family, once perched at the very peak of power, was falling, crumbling into dust before her very eyes.
Only one fragile thread of hope remained. There was no news of Princess Rhaenys, Elia's spirited daughter. A desperate prayer formed in the Queen's heart, a fervent plea to the gods that her granddaughter, a child of royal blood, had somehow managed to escape the horrors of the Red Keep, to evade the monstrous Lannister soldiers who had shown no mercy. But with each passing moment, the fear grew, a chilling premonition that the next message would bring news of Rhaenys's death as well, her bright spirit extinguished by the same brutal hand that had claimed her mother and brother.
Tears streamed down Queen Rhaella's face, her body wracked with uncontrollable sobs. The weight of her losses, the sheer devastation of her family, was almost unbearable. Maester Cressen and the loyal Kingsguard knights who attended her could only offer what little comfort their own grief-stricken hearts could muster.
Ser Willem Darry, a knight of unwavering loyalty who had served the Targaryens for decades and had been instrumental in bringing the Queen and Viserys to Dragonstone, stood vigil outside her chambers, his face a mask of grim determination. He had heard the news of the Sack, the betrayal, and the deaths. His heart ached for the Queen and the fallen members of the royal family. The news of King Aerys's death at the hands of his own Kingsguard, Jaime Lannister, was a bitter pill to swallow, a stain upon the sacred vows they had all sworn. The other Kingsguard knights on Dragonstone – Ser Oswell Whent, a quiet and honorable man, and Ser Jonothor Darry, Willem's younger brother, equally steadfast – shared his grief and his quiet fury. They had failed their King, though they had been far away, and the honor of their order had been tarnished by the actions of one of their own.
The atmosphere on Dragonstone was heavy with sorrow and a palpable sense of dread for what the future held. The loyal garrison, though determined to defend the Queen and Prince Viserys, knew that their position was precarious. The Usurper held the mainland, and his victory seemed complete.
A few days after the grim news reached Dragonstone, a ship finally arrived at the island's harbor. Onboard was the Sea Serpent, battered by the storm but safely arrived, carrying Ser Kaelen Vance and a small, cloaked figure.
As Kaelen helped the exhausted Princess Rhaenys disembark onto the black sands of Dragonstone, the news of their arrival spread quickly through the small harbor village. Kaelen, still dressed in his commoner's clothes, immediately sought out the captain of the guard at the harbor entrance, informing him of the Princess's arrival and requesting an audience with the Queen.
The news reached Queen Rhaella swiftly. A flicker of disbelief, followed by a surge of desperate hope, coursed through her weary body. Could it be true? Had her granddaughter, against all odds, survived the horrors of King's Landing?
With Maester Cressen and the Kingsguard knights flanking her, Queen Rhaella rushed towards the harbor. Her heart pounded in her chest with a mixture of trepidation and longing. As she reached the edge of the small port, her eyes fell upon a young man in simple clothes, his face etched with exhaustion and sorrow, and beside him, a small, cloaked figure.
Princess Rhaenys, her small face pale and tear-streaked, looked up and saw the Queen. A choked sob escaped her lips, and she stumbled forward, running towards the familiar figure of her grandmother. She reached the Queen and buried her face in the folds of her gown, clinging to her legs and crying loudly, her small body wracked with the pent-up sorrow and terror of the past days.
Queen Rhaella's own carefully constructed composure shattered at the sight of her granddaughter, alive against all expectations. Tears streamed down her face as she knelt and embraced the trembling child, her heart overflowing with a mixture of relief and profound grief for all that Rhaenys had endured. The little Princess, overwhelmed by exhaustion and the release of her emotions, fainted in the Queen's arms, her small body limp with fatigue.
They carried the unconscious Rhaenys back to the castle. Once the Princess had been settled and was resting under Maester Cressen's care, Queen Rhaella turned her attention to Ser Kaelen. He recounted in detail the horrors of the Sack of King's Landing, his desperate attempts to protect Princess Elia and Prince Aegon, and his heartbreaking failure to save them from the Lannister monsters. He then described his perilous journey through the ravaged city, his encounter with his loyal merchant friend Maron Rivers, and their arduous voyage to Dragonstone.
Kaelen spoke with deep sorrow and a sense of shame at his inability to protect the royal heirs and Princess Elia. Queen Rhaella, though her own grief was immense, consoled the young knight, recognizing the bravery and unwavering loyalty that had driven him to risk his own life to save her granddaughter. "For your courage and unwavering loyalty, Ser Kaelen Vance," the Queen declared, her voice filled with emotion, "I name you now a knight of the realm, and bestow upon you the title 'Sword of Honor.' Your bravery will never be forgotten by House Targaryen."
The Queen also met with Maron Rivers, who had remained on Dragonstone after delivering Kaelen and Rhaenys. She thanked him profusely for his selfless act of friendship and rewarded him handsomely with gold and the promise of continued royal patronage, solidifying the bond of loyalty between his house and the Targaryens. He had earned not just a monetary reward, but the enduring friendship of the remaining members of the royal family.
Meanwhile, a few days after Ned Stark's grim arrival in King's Landing, Robert Baratheon finally rode into the captured city. He had been recovering from the wounds he had sustained at the Battle of the Trident. The city was already firmly under Lannister control, the Targaryens were either dead or had fled, and the Mad King Aerys II was slain.
Robert arrived to find the capital sacked, the Red Keep looted, and the streets littered with the bodies of both commoners and nobles. He was greeted by Tywin Lannister, who, with a chilling display of calculated loyalty, presented the bodies of Rhaegar's wife, Elia Martell, and his children, Aegon and Rhaenys, wrapped in crimson Lannister cloaks, as a "gift" to the new king.
Unbeknownst to Robert, Tywin's soldiers had indeed found the body of a young girl alongside the brutally murdered maid who had tried to protect Princess Rhaenys. Because of Kaelen's desperate attempt to disfigure the girl's face, and the pervasive chaos, they had mistakenly identified her as the Princess. Tywin, upon receiving this news, had been overjoyed. He had planned to present these bodies to Robert as proof of his decisive action against the Targaryen bloodline.
Tywin Lannister understood Robert Baratheon's deep hatred for Rhaegar Targaryen and all his descendants. By delivering what he believed to be the bodies of Rhaegar's children, Tywin aimed to achieve several strategic goals:
(*) Remove any future Targaryen claimants: By presenting proof of their deaths, he eliminated potential rallying points for any future Targaryen loyalists.
(*) Show himself as a decisive ally: Despite his late entry into the rebellion, this brutal act would showcase his commitment to Robert's new regime.
(*) Frame it as an act of loyalty: He would present it as a necessary step to secure Robert's reign, despite the morally abhorrent nature of the act.
(*) Secure benefits for House Lannister: By making himself indispensable to the new king, he could leverage his position to gain power and influence.
Tywin had also sacked King's Landing at the very end of the war to:
(*) Avoid the consequences of choosing the wrong side: By remaining neutral until the victor was clear, he avoided the repercussions of backing the losing faction.
(*) Seize glory without risk: He could present himself as the one who secured the capital, albeit through brutal means.
(*) Signal his loyalty to Robert: The brutal murders served as a clear, albeit horrific, demonstration of his commitment to the new king.
Elia's children, through their father Rhaegar, were legitimate heirs to the Iron Throne. Tywin likely calculated that leaving them alive could lead to future civil war and Targaryen restoration movements. Killing them was a strategic move to eliminate potential rivals to Robert's rule. By "cleansing" the royal bloodline and backing Robert, Tywin aimed to make himself indispensable. He then intended to offer his daughter, Cersei Lannister, in marriage to Robert, a move that would elevate House Lannister to the position of the queen's house and solidify their dominance in the new political landscape.
Robert's reaction upon seeing the wrapped bodies of Elia and what he believed to be his nemesis's children was chillingly cold. "No more dragonspawn," he declared, his voice devoid of grief or outrage, despite the children being young and innocent. He saw their deaths as a necessary evil, a way to secure his claim to the Iron Throne. He completely ignored the brutality involved in the murder of a baby and a child, and the horrific rape and murder of their mother, Elia Martell.
In a further display of his moral blindness, Robert, at Tywin's suggestion, later knighted Ser Gregor Clegane, one of the primary perpetrators of these atrocities, likely as a reward for his brutal service during the sack. While Robert did not personally bestow the knighthood, he never revoked it or punished Gregor, effectively legitimizing the monstrous act. Robert's only concern was the security of his newly won throne, and he was willing to overlook any atrocity committed in its name.
Meanwhile, on the windswept shores of Dragonstone, a fragile hope had been kindled. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, though traumatized and grieving, was alive. Queen Rhaella held her granddaughter close, finding a small measure of solace in the midst of her overwhelming sorrow. The future remained uncertain, the threat of Robert Baratheon's wrath still loomed large, but for now, on the ancient island fortress, the last embers of the dragon's fire flickered, waiting for a chance to be rekindled.