The Rouge's Delight

Alicent

113 AC- Red Keep, King's Landing

Rhaenyra couldn't face Alicent. She didn't want to. She highly doubted she could face her and act normally. Whenever she saw Alicent, she remembered her sisters face.

It was really hard during the first few weeks. She had nightmares. She saw Arrax's remains at the shores of dragonstone. Dragons fighting dragons. Helaena's lifeless body. Aegon's half burned face and sunfyre burning her. She sometimes woke up screaming, causing the guards to burst into her room. She assured them she had a nightmare of her mothers death, and they believed it. Eventually, it got easier. The dreams lessened until there were no more. It sometimes came back, but they were less intense.

One thing was that she didn't have to avoid Alicent. Alicent was avoiding her. She sometimes saw Alicent with her father. Rhaenyra didn't know how to feel about that. On one hand, she was happy that she didn't have to talk to her. On the other hand, she knew what was  happening with Alicent and her father.
Her father was going to announce their marriage soon, and once again, there will be this black and greens nonsense.

After giving it a lot of thought, Rhaenyra decided that she shouldn't do anything and let the events happen as they were for now. Even if she somehow stopped their marriage, her father would marry some other lady, and she  would most likely give him a son too. But if her father marries Alicent and if  she chooses to stand against her, then Rhaenyra will know who her allies will be, what they will do, and when they will do that. So she didn't pay it any mind.

Instead, she chose to rectify some of her mistakes she made last time.
Last time, whenever she tried to learn something or said her ideas in the council somehow, otto always stopped it, saying she was too young or her ideas were not good. Now, whenever this happened, she went to Lord Lyonel Strong.

He taught her the different laws and the problems between different houses. She knew most of them, but there were some crucial points she was unaware of. She also assisted him with some of his work. Another person she seeked out help was  from  Princess Rhaenys. Her father, Prince Aemon, had prepared her well to be queen. Her cousin was surprised when she asked her help but was more than happy to help her out.

Another person she went to was Laena. This time, it was not for lessons in politics. She was in need of a friend, and Laena was the best you could ask for.

As they were walking together at the beaches of driftmark, she remembered something.
"Laena, sweetheart.
Do you want to bond with vhagar ."
"You know the answer to that without me answering."
With the decision made, Rhaenyra dragged her cousin with her and summoned syrax through their bond.
                                                 

They flew to one of the islands in stepstones where vhagar currently lived . When they arrived , the she-dragon was feasting on her prey. They landed a little away from vhagar. Laena got down and slowly approached vhagar. When Rhaenyra went to follow, Laena refused, saying to stay on top of syrax.
Vhagar observed the valyrian as she approached her looking for any sign of danger.
Rhaenyra watched as Laena raised her hand and petted vhagar while murmuring something in high valyrian.
Vhagar closed her eyes and spread out her wings for Laena to climb on her.
A huge grin broke out on both the girls' faces when vhagar took to the sky with her new rider and syrax shortly following them.