King's Landing 300 AC.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
He needed it, more than anything in the world he needed to be back in King's Landing and with his wife and daughter. Even were it not for the certainty that he would not be with them for as long as he wished and that when next he left it was to an uncertain fate, he needed it for other reasons too. As hard as the reality of the journey north had forced him to confront, it was the emotional toll the return had taken on him that he was feeling as they now flew over the Kingswood.
After he'd left the Wall and spoken to all those he'd needed to in the North, he'd intended to fly back to Margaery and Elia with no divergences. He would have spent some time with them before then flying to Storm's End and handing Shireen the letter from her father and Harrenhal was not in his mind. It was in Rhaenix's though and he felt her own need and desire and so it changed his destination completely. Jae was glad that it had even if the events at Harrenhal had taken their toll on him. Lady Shella deserved some comfort in her final moments and showing her some of what would be done to Harrenhal and then offering her the peace of a song, was the least he could do given all her family had done for his own.
It had truly brought it home to him that while there had been Houses, Lords, Ladies, and Knights who'd sought to bring his family to their knees, there had been others who'd raised them up. It was something that Arthur had felt just as keenly as he had when they'd said their final goodbyes to Lady Shella and saw her buried beside Oswell in the shade of the great Weirwood. After they'd done so he'd felt the need to do something that at least would bring a smile to his face and a lightness to his heart. So it had been Storm's End and Shireen and he'd been more than pleased to be proved right. Yet as comforting as it was, it was not enough and as he saw the Red Keep come into view he bid Rhaenix land there rather than at the Dragonpit.
"Go, spend time with Rhaegal, Sandorix, and Ellagon, show them what it is they need to see." he said leaning against her head after he'd climbed down from her back.
"We must teach them, Jae, not just show them, we must teach them too." she said and he told her that they would and then turned to see Ser Richard and Ser Brienne before he was soon enveloped in a warm embrace.
It was one he needed and he welcomed it and the nodding of her head when he spoke to her. Joy only too keen to spend time with him and though it wouldn't be today, there would be far more of it in the next moon than it had in the previous one. He told Arthur to go and get some rest and carrying the sack which contained a crown that he may not have understood the true importance of but he knew it was far more important than just its symbolism, he hurried to his chambers. That he barely spoke or acknowledged Loras and Barristan wasn't meant or seen as a slight and hearing Margaery speaking to Elia as he entered the room was all that he needed.
"See, I told you that your papa was back, little dragon." Margaery said as she walked over to him with their daughter in her arms.
"Gods I missed you both so much." he said kissing each of them, Elia, on the forehead and Margaery softly on the lips.
It was only after he did so that he noticed that Ellaria and Olenna were in the room. Jae greeting them both and kissing Ellaria's cheek when she raised her eyebrow at him questioningly. That they then quickly left the room he felt both guilty for and yet very much not. For now, he just welcomed that he was now alone with his wife and daughter. Margaery handed him Elia and they moved to their bed chamber and lay down on their bed. The two of them leaning upon their elbows to look at each other and at their daughter as he began to play with her.
He was grateful that Margaery didn't ask him about his trip even though it was clear she wished to. As he knew once he spoke of it that in some ways the peace he now felt would be shattered. Instead, she laughed as Elia played with his fingers, as she bit and gripped them tightly and as she laughed when he tickled her ever so gently. Margaery chided him when he began to drift off and made him take off his armor before he even thought about doing so. Though as soon as he did and lay back down on the bed he was doing so again and this time she let him fall to sleep.
