Ashes In The Castle ||| Aemond Targaryen

thirty

Naerys was going to fulfill the teasing nickname from her childhood. Visenya.

Rhaenyra called the council back after she told Naerys about the Song of Ice and Fire. The death of her sons had filled her with anger and hatred. She was ready to use the dragons.

As Naerys had the largest dragon, with only two dragons ever able to contest her, one of them being used to defend King's Landing, she was being trusted with the task. To take on the houses who declared for the Greens.

She would force them to bend or take what they offered the Greens; soldiers.

It was made clear to them all Naerys wasn't destroying full towns. That wasn't the goal. The goal was to weaken the forces and draw the soldiers away from King's Landing.

As soon as they had word Naerys was being contested, that the soldiers were marching from King's Landing, the rest of Rhaenyra's forces would assemble. They would take King's Landing.

"The Princess Naerys will conquer those Houses that support the usurper. She will first go after the ones that pledged their allegiance to me and turned their backs. These Lords will be reminded of what it means to be a traitor and what the cost of that crime is."

The Lords who yearned for war were incredibly happy with the news that they would be finally destroying their enemies. But they still had questions.

"What prevents an outcome like last time? We cannot afford to lose our strongest dragon, Your Grace. If they send Vhagar after her..."

Naerys held her head high as her mother gave her a nod.

"The Greens have two dragons. Vhagar, ridden by The Prince Regent, and Tessarion, ridden by Prince Daeron. Aemond cannot come after me on Vhagar without leaving King's Landing undefended. Prince Daeron fights with Lord Ormund. His dragon is much smaller than Vermithor. Attempting to stop me would be unwise." Naerys looked around the table as she spoke the facts about their situation.

"They believe Prince Daemon to be the biggest threat at Harrenhal. Princess Naerys' attacks on their declared houses will force them to act. That is our goal; to force the Greens to march for Harrenhal. The moment they leave King's Landing, we take it with our remaining dragons. We'll have the city within a day."

The council members talked amongst themselves, deliberated. But eventually, they agreed. The Blacks had been playing defence for far too long, letting the Greens ravage their allies. It was time to turn the tide.

***

Naerys took time before she fulfilled her mission to mourn her brothers. She went to Jace's quarters, just to feel his presence again. It was agonizing to walk through it, to see him in everything he'd left behind.

Jace was a good man. Honourable. He always wanted to do what was right. He loved all of his siblings, cherished his oldest. And Naerys would never see him again. Hear him laugh and struggle to speak High Valyrian.

He was one of the most important people to Naerys. And he was gone forever.

She took one of his rings, one of the golden ones he used to wear. Naerys put it on a chain and wore it around her neck. He would stay with her. And Jace would remind Naerys of the good she needed to do.