The Dragon-Tamer

07

Rhaenyra and Feyre watch as King Viserys took a walk around the gardens with Laena Velaryon. Feyre couldn't help but feel bad for Laena. Here she was, two-and-ten years ago, and already being sold off so that her family could have a place on the throne.

"Do you think he will choose her to marry?" Rhaenyra asked Feyre.

"I do not know, Nyra," Feyre sighs, "The kingdom wants Viserys to marry sooner or later. He could choose Laena or any lady from any house that might prove to be a good ally."

Rhaenyra groans, "I do not want Lady Laena to be my step-mother."
Feyre smiled, "I think she's thinking the same thing, love."

Rhaenyra blushed at the endearment. She had noticed that Feyre had taken to calling her "love" lately. It filled her heart with any hope that the Stark might return her feelings.

The girls move places to get a better look and they notice Princess Rhaenys sitting on a bench.

"It bothers you, does it not?" Rhaenys asked Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra looks back at the garden before turning to her father's cousin, "My father is a king. It is his duty to take a new wife and strengthen his line."

"I did not ask for a lesson in politics," Rhaenys scoffed, "I asked whether this bothers you."

"Laena is your daughter, Princess. Does it bother you?" Rhaenyra sniped.

Feyre took a hold of her friend's shoulder and leaned toward her ear, "Perhaps we should go inside now."

"It's quite alright, Lady Feyre," Rhaenys told the girl before looking at Rhaenyra, "Of it bothers me, but I understand the order of things. I'm not sure you do, Princess."

Feyre could sense irritation rising in Rhaenyra, "If you mean to elicit some anger from me, you should know that you're failing, Princess."

Rhaenys smirked, "Quite the opposite. Whether it's to my daughter or to someone else's, your father will remarry sooner than late."

Rhaenyra sighed and glanced at Feyre, who had said the same thing earlier. Feyre looked at Rhaenyra and shrugged in an "I told you" manner.

Rhaenys glanced between the two before continuing, "His new wife will produce new heirs, and chances are better than not that one of those will be male. And when that boy comes of age and your father has passed, the men of the realm will expect him to be heir, not you. Because that is the order of things."

"When I am Queen, I will create a new order," Rhaenyra said, as if it was that simple.

Feyre sighed as Rhaenys chuckled, "How I wish that could be, Rhaenyra, but the men of the realm already had their opportunity to appoint a ruling queen at the Great Council, and they denied it."

"They denied you, Princess Rhaenys," Rhaenyra said, "The Queen Who Never Was. But they bent the knee to me and called me heir to the throne."

"Do you remind your father's men of that as you carry their cups?" Rhaenys said with a small smile.

Rhaenys stood from her chair, making Feyre unintentionally move closer to Rhaenyra. Whatever the Princess did, Feyre was going to stand by Rhaenyra. Always.

But Rhaenys did not even look at Rhaenyra, and went to stand by the balcony, "Here is the hard truth, which no one else, not even your dear friend here, has the heart to tell you."

Feyre cast her eyes down as Rhaenys acknowledged her.

"Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne. And your father is no fool."