Dragon's roar (House of the Dragon)

025

Chapter 25: "Bring the fire, bring the smoke, bring the rain" Battle cry, Skillet.

The council's chamber was once again filled with lords and ladies as Alannys entered alongside Baela and Jace. The young prince and princesses understood that in a war, the time of grief must come after the time of victory. The Velaryon lady held her head high as she was greeted with impressed stares. She was the one who killed Aegon, she was the kingslayer of an usurper. However, Alannys could not consider herself a hero. She killed Aegon to repair a failure, to avenge Luke ; not exactly to be acclaimed. Moreover, she could not forget the pure rage and violence that inhabited her at this exact moment. As she got in her place, she tried to focus.

"We are all reunited because we know this war is not over" began Rhaenyra. "Even if the usurper is dead, the snakes that advised him are still roaming around the realm, trying to gather allies to their treachery."

"But, their false king is dead, your Grace. The war must cease, for the good of everyone" tried the Velaryon lady.

"Yet, all the heads of the snake haven't been cut. Criston Cole is still holding Kingslanding with the help of the Dowager queen and Otto Hightower is hiding at Oldtown. All the traitors must answer for their crimes on a trial" answered Corlys Velaryon.

Alannys realised what his last sentence meant. 'All the traitors'. Aemond was considered a traitor so they would obviously bring him to court for a trial. He could be sentenced to death and she had let him down. At that moment, she understood something. The lady did not only want the prince ; she needed him more than in a physical way. She felt something for the prince. What she felt for him was new and different and she feared to understand what it really was.

"You want to attack Kingslanding ?" wondered Jacaerys.

"I believe that taking the capital is primordial. We must send someone to Oldtown to get the former Hand and prince Daeron. We must also warm Lord Cregan Stark so he can bring prince Aemond for a trial" suggested the Hand of the Queen.

The Velaryon lady wanted to protest but she could not as she was interrupted.

"You are right, Lord Corlys. We must prepare to take back Kingslanding. Our troops shall be ready as soon as possible'' ordered Rhaenyra. "Maester, I would like you to send a message to Lord Stark at Casterly Rock. Tell him to join the capitol immediately. As for Oldtown, I think that prince Jacaerys should go there."

"What ? But you need me at Kingslanding, to fight'' interjected the heir.

"I know, but we must be careful. If we fail at Kingslanding, you are still my heir and will be safe."

"And what about me ? I..." tried Alannys.

"You will stay here. After what you did, you are in no state of going anywhere else now. Neither physically or mentally" ordered the Queen.

"But, I cannot stay here ! I was the one who killed the usurper, I shall at least go back to Casterly Rock. You have no right to force me to stay here !"

"I am your Queen ! I have every right to order you to stay here."

Alannys held the glare of Rhaenyra before storming out of the council chamber. She could not believe that her mother was punishing her like a little girl, after everything she did for her cause. She fighted in the war, took back Casterly Rock and most of all she killed the usurper. The Velaryon lady was basically the armed wing of the Queen in all of this war, most of the time to the expense of many people she loved but it was still not enough. She had been punished like a little child. As she joined her own chambers, she realised all that her involvements in the war implied.

Her thoughts were clouded by many different ideas she could not get rid off. For a brief moment, she thought about going back to Casterly Rock, taking Aemond with her and fleeing. However, even if her feelings were confirming themselves, she was not even sure Aemond loved her. After all, it was only physical between them. He said he 'wanted' her, not that he was in love. And after everything she was not sure he could love her. Who was she to pretend to have a hold on his heart ? Did she really deserve to be loved after all that she did ? The spikes of guilt in her chest did not help her reasoning. Suddenly, she heard a click on the lock of her door. As she approached it to open said door, she realised it had been locked ; she had been locked inside her own room. Alannys began to bang on the door.

"Open the door ! Let me out or I swear I will kill everyone in this bloody castle!"

The Velaryon princess understood that the Queen had her locked-up so she would not be able to leave the castle. It all made her even more angry. The fact that Rhaenyra did this felt like the worst betrayal of all. Maybe at that moment she could feel what everyone else felt when she let them down ; Luke, Helaena, Aemond.

Many hours passed when Alannys heard a new click on the lock of her door. Baela entered the room wearing her riding clothes she had not changed since the battle and looking out of breath as if she had been running.

"What are you doing here ?" wondered her older cousin.

"They all left. They decided I should be in charge of Dragonstone but when I heard they locked you up, I came as soon as they left to get you out of here"

"Why would you do that ? Locking me up was an order from the Queen. She thinks I am crazy since I killed Aegon."

"Sometimes even the Queen can be wrong. Don't you agree ?"

Alannys hesitated before speaking next. She felt bad and so angry, both at herself and Rhaenyra. She had been blinded by what she thought was expected from her. She thought that she needed to think only of her survival and that of the Blacks. She thought she had to be emotionless, to prevent herself from being hurt in the conflict. Even if all this meant hurting other people in the process. Truth was it was impossible. She fell for a prince, and she fell hard and she had let him down. The spikes of guilt came back in her chest.

"I feel terrible, Baela. I feel dirty."

"Because you killed Aegon ?" asked the younger lady in a sweet voice.

"No. It is because of all the people I have failed. I was supposed to protect Luke but he got killed and I could not do anything about it. When Helaena's son was killed I should have comforted her, done something but I ran away because I feared for my own life, selfishly. And finally, I asked Aemond to make an impossible choice because I thought it was my duty but I realised I just abandoned him like everyone else. All this time I thought that the Queen was waiting for me to act like this but I was just a fucking stupid child !" confessed Alannys.

She knew it sounded childish to complain that way but she did not know how to express it differently. Everybody always told her she was too wise for her age so she believed them. She acted just like the adults she knew ; she was calculating, selfish and cunning because she saw others do it as well. However, Alannys was aware she was the one to blame. Rhaenyra might have given the orders but she was the one who followed them blindly. The only problem was she was not sure she was able to go into revolt. She was not sure she was brave enough to face the woman she considered her mother.

"Then fight for those you still have. Wake up, Alannys ! When they take back the capitol, defend and support Helaena and her children. You love Aemond ? Prevent him from being sentenced at court. Even if all of this means you have to be opposed to your mother. I know this is hard for you but you will eventually have to disobey Rhaenyra if you wish to keep Aemond safe. But the Alannys I know is brave. She claimed the Bronze fury, faced her own father in front of the Iron throne, defied a false king and took back her ancestral seat. You are a conqueror, Alannys Velaryon. Be that Alannys" advised Baela.

"You are right, Baela."

"I am always right" answered the girl before hugging her. "Now what do we do ?"

"Now, we go to Kingslanding."