𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 - 𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐃

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝘿𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚.

Daemon is not surprised to see her.

"Where have you been?"

He does not notice the dragon she'd arrived on, too grief-stricken. "Helping her back onto her throne. Tyraxes will arrive soon, I've brought Seasmoke." He doesn't rejoice and praise her skill and thought like she expects him to. "Papa?"

"Your loyalties?"

"What about them?"

"Where do they fucking lie?"

Visenya isn't intimidated when he moves close to her so suddenly. "My loyalties lie with no one but myself and the Queen."

He lets out a sardonic chuckle, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Not that husband of yours? Married for five days and you've come running back." Her head is cast down in slight embarrassment. "You're not welcome here if you have knelt to that cunt."

"I kneel to no one but the Queen."

"I will know if you lie, and I will kill you."

She was sarcastic in her response. "Thank you. Is she well?"

"The babe is dead."

Her mouth falls open at the statement, the smirk from her previous comment had disappeared. "I'm so sorry, papa." He nods, accepting her embrace, clinging to her tight.

⚔

The ache in Rhaenyra's heart threatens to overcome her.

Standing at one daughter's funeral, unsure of the state of her elder.

As she stares into the flames that engulfed her baby, she wonders if this was punishment for all the bad she'd done, every rule broken, no matter how trivial. "I mean no harm, brothers."

All watch Erryk as he kneels before her, the younger princess lurking as a shadow in the background. "I swear to ward the Queen with all my strength and give my blood for hers. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall guard her secrets, obey her command, ride at her side and defend her name and honor."

Visenya couldn't resist approaching him, softly taking the crown into her hands, turning to her sorrowful monarch who only cocks her head at the sudden appearance.

"My Queen." She addresses, placing the gold firmly on her head, a snug fit, before dropping onto one knee, not worrying to dirty her gown. 

"You're here."

She smiles a little. "I arrived not too long ago."

⚔

"Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, First of Her Name. Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar, and the First Men. Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm." 

Visenya announces her mother's title to the room with a tiny, satisfied smile. "Your Grace."

"Wine, my Queen."

"Thank you, Rhaena. Come."

They gather around the newly lit table map, looking at their new Queen with expectance. "What is our standing?"

Daemon is fast. "We have thirty knights, a hundred crossbowmen and three hundred men at arms. Dragonstone is relatively easy to defend, but as an instrument of conquest, our army leaves a lot to be desired. We have sent word to my loyal men in the City Watch, I'll have some support there but I cannot speak to the numbers."