The Queen would be laid to rest per Targaryen custom as all those before her had: Dragon Fire.
It was the highest honor for our family. But still a soul crushing experience for those they left behind.
I remembered my own mother's send off as if it were yesterday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The drums beat all throughout King's Landing announcing our arrival.
Only this time they announced a funeral procession and not the arrival of the city's beloved Princess.
Murdered at the hand of the Crown's enemies.
I forced myself to keep my head held high as we passed the Lords and Ladies who gathered to say their farewell. I couldn't bear to meet their sympathetic gazes so instead I trained my eyes on my older brother's just ahead.
Their heads hung low and their shoulders slumped holding none of their usual strength.
My Father was simply wracked with grief, unable to make rational decisions. He was a shell of the man he was before. My Mother's murder took its toll on all.
So it fell upon me to hold them all together.
As we entered the castle my Uncle, the King, greeted us.
"Lord Desmond. The Crown offers its deepest condolences," He addressed my father voice thick with grief before pulling him into a hug, "we grieve with you. You did the right thing by bringing her home."
My Father bowed, "Your Grace. My daughter simply wouldn't have it any other way and I know it's what she would've wanted."
I frowned, hardly listening to their formalities. I didn't have the heart for the court's theatrics at the time.
"How are you, Cousin?" Rhaenyra asked, placing a hand on my arm and successfully pulling me from my thoughts.
"As well as can be expected," I lied.
In outward appearance I was the only one keeping it together however, on the inside it felt like I was dying. Almost as if they should've been placing me on the funeral pyre along with my mother.
But no one knew. And they never would if I could help it.
We all moved to the throne room after the silent sisters came and collected my mother's body.
"We will have my sister's wake on the morrow. However, there's still the matter to be discussed about her murderers," the King spoke to those gathered.
A few of the Lord's discussed how to put down the rebellion. But it was just noise to me. Nothing was getting done by discussing it.
"What would you do about it?" came a smooth voice from behind me cutting through all the chaos.
I looked up to my mother's younger brother considering his words. If it were anyone else I'd have to keep up appearances. But not with him. Never with him.
"I'd burn them to the ground and scatter their ashes to the wind," I told him, the high Valyrian rolling off my tongue easily.
"They took your mother. My sister. Show them all what it means to provoke a dragon," He whispered in my ear.
I stepped forward through the arguing Lord's and their gossiping Ladies until I stood before my Uncle.
