Familiarity ||| Jacaerys Velaryon

thirty-six

Everyone expected a massive battle when they arrived at King's Landing. They were ready for it, had geared up and prepared their dragons.

Rhaenyra and Baela met the marching army when it arrived near the city. On the backs of their dragons, they convened with the family they hadn't seen in months.

Baela and Rhaenyra embraced everybody that had been fighting for them. The dragonriders who'd put work in to make it happen. Who'd killed and she'd blood for the war.

Daemon presented Daeron to Rhaenyra. Her youngest brother. And again, he was smarter than the others.

He actually apologized when he faced Rhaenyra. And he admitted what Aegon would not. "Mother impressed upon us we would die if you ascended the throne. But Aegon ascended and you have us in chains. It matters not."

Those were the lies soun. That Rhaenyra was as paranoid as Alicent. That she would've had her siblings killed to maintain her position.

Fools. All of them were fools.

Daeron was kept with the soldiers; Aegon would be arriving by ship to be used as leverage as well.

"This will be our last battle. First, we kill Aemond and Vhagar, and then we take the city," Rhaenyra said, looking upon all those who had rallied to her defence. "You have fought well. And for that, I am extremely gracious. One more and then the city is ours. All of you will be honoured when I finally sit my Throne."

Cheers for the Dragon Queen. From everyone. They'd come all that way to die for her. No matter what it took.

And like all of the battles before, Alyssa took her time saying farewell. She embraced her sister, making her promise to be careful on Moondancer, hugged Rhaenyra and her father, and spoke to Jace behind Cannibal.

"A mutual promise to be careful?" Alyssa proposed, raising a brow. They'd both been injured on dragonback. She raised her hand, childishly offering her pinky to Jace.

He laughed and hooked his pinky with hers, silently promising to be careful. "Of course."

Then he pulled her closer and kissed her. Hidden behind her dragon, no one could spot them and their sinful extramarital contact. Soon, however, it would not be sinful.

Jace sighed when they pulled away. "We will win this battle. And after, we will finally be wed. As it was meant to be."

Alyssa smiled at him and nodded. "I look forward to it."

They said farewell. The dragonriders mounted their beasts, the army began the last stretch of the march, and they prepared to fight Aemond above King's Landing.

***

The Dance of the Dragon would end the way it started. Not with an outright act of violence.

Deceit.

Rhaenyra's forces arrived and expected a great battle. Pumped on previous victories, they were ready for a fight. A fight they would win.

Instead, they were met with strange developments and disappointment for some. Vhagar wasn't circling the skies of the city, there wasn't a ragtag army awaiting them.