Rhaella Targaryen always knew that there was more behind her mother's death than what she was told. Alysanne was a healthy, strong woman, and yet she was gone in a couple of days because of a mysterious illness. Rhaella was only a child when the tra...
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KING'S LANDING
134 AC
THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED the death of Lord Vaemond Velaryon were a blur for Rhaella, her mind clouded due to the terrible scene she had witnessed. Daemon's blade had cut sharp through Vaemond's head ― somehow, the only thing that was left was his tongue, which hung loose from the lower part of his face, the one that was still attached to the body. Blood was dripping from the wound, pouring like a river in flood, leaving on the floor of the Great Hall with a stain that couldn't be washed away ― murder. Vaemond's corpse laid there, in a pool of red, thick blood, his silver hair now completely covered by the liquid that was running in his veins until a couple of moments before.
What do you know of Velaryon blood, Princess?I could cut my veins and show it to you. And you still wouldn't recognise it.
Vaemond's provocative question to Rhaenyra came back into Rhaella's mind. Velaryon blood, now spilling out of his body. Velaryon blood, the blood Vaemond had just died for. Rhaella was well aware of the fact that Vaemond's words couldn't be unpunished but she never expected this. Though, knowing Daemon, she should've.
She barely noticed Otto ordering the guard to disarm Daemon ― which, by the way, was a stupid idea, since Daemon could probably take all of them down in a fight. Her gaze was focused on the river of blood, which was expanding on the floor. Once it almost reached her feet, it was Jace the one who pulled her away. Rhaella looked up at him, surprised, her mind still unable to process what had happened.
At least, Vaemond hadn't screamed. She wasn't sure she would be able to handle to screams of another dying man, screams that would bring her back to the Faceless Man that Cannibal had burned to the bone.
Later, when Rhaella found herself in Maegor's Holdfast, in the Queen's ballroom, she realised she didn't remember how she got there. All she remembered was blood, so much blood, and Helaena's prophecy ringing in her head again and again.
Stop it, Ella. The flames. The Dragonpit. Stop it, Ella. Save us.
Rhaella didn't regret what she had done. She didn't regret standing up to Otto Hightower and his insane family. She didn't regret finding the courage to ask the King to marry Jacaerys, not even one bit. However, her mind couldn't make peace with one thing ― if Daemon hadn't killed Vaemond, she would've.
She had felt it, as soon as she had opened her hand with her palm pointed towards the second son of Driftmark. She had felt the blood running in his veins, his heart beating in his chest, the air filling his lungs ― she had felt it, and she wanted to make them stop. She wanted to shut Vaemond up, to make him pay for the sorrow he put everyone she loved through. Rhaella hadn't exaclty had the intention to kill him, but she probably would have at the end, led by an uncontrollable rage she didn't think belonged to her. The same rage and desperation that made her ask Cannibal to kill the Faceless Man.
