Ashes In The Castle ||| Aemond Targaryen

thirty-four

It wasn't a surprise to Naerys that Corlys was arrested. They caught him at the Dragonpit, as Addam flew off on Seasmoke. He was brought back to the castle with his hands forced behind his back.

Naerys pleaded with her mother for his release. She gave her every reason why he did what he did. If they put him in the black cells, they would lose valuable allies.

Rhaenyra refused to hear it. Corlys was stripped of his title and placed in the cells for his treason. It was only a matter of time until the Velaryon fleet and soldiers learned of it.

Things felt like they were deteriorating at a frightening speed. Naerys felt like she had no power, even as an heir.

She loved her mother very deeply no matter the differences they'd had in the past. And under normal circumstances, she would have been a good Queen. But the war had changed her in irreversible ways.

Deceit ran thick. Rhaenyra wouldn't be deceived, not by her closest allies. She would let it stand.

It's why she sent the letter to Maidenpool, demanding the head of Nettles and ordering Daemon to return to King's Landing at once. She needed him back by her side. As her ally at a time when she was finding those difficult to come by.

When the Velaryons did learn that Corlys had been locked in the black cells, half of them fully abandoned Rhaenyra. They were the large majority of her army. The other half who remained couldn't be trusted.

Naerys was watching it all crumble from the inside. Everything they'd tried to accomplish, to take back the throne. It was falling before their very eyes.

Rhaenyra was constantly on edge after Corlys. Suspicions of betrayal were at the forefront of her mind. She just needed Daemon back in King's Landing. To form a plan.

She received no confirmation of her letter arriving in Maidenpool, no head of Nettles. Daemon was nowhere to be seen in the skies above King's Landing.

At that point, Rhaenyra had only had the throne for six months. She had been betrayed by many people and she let it taint her view of others. Aemond was still attacking the Riverlands, Daeron still had somewhat of an army with the Hightowers and betrayers.

Things didn't look good. They looked desperately tricky for the Blacks.

It became worse when Rhaenyra did hear news. By word of mouth and letters, she found that Daemon, having lost the trust of his wife, was at Harrenhal. He wanted to challenge Aemond to single combat. To kill him.

No one told Naerys by instruction of the Queen. She knew the moment Naerys had been told, she would lose her mind. The girl trusted Daemon, loved Aemond. She would fly from King's Landing for Harrenhal immediately.

Rhaenyra needed her daughter to remain by her side. Her heir, one of the only people she could trust. She couldn't let Naerys leave for Harrenhal. So she tried to reason with Daemon, send a letter to him by raven.

It would be too late then. The maesters and councillors knew it.

When a week went by and Rhaenyra still would not tell Naerys, a Maester stepped in. One with incredibly strong morals and empathy who was also fond of Aemond. The boy with one eye. He couldn't see Alicent's son potentially murdered by Daemon even after an order from the Queen to spare him.