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
GOODBYES WERE ALWAYS THE WORST PART, and Rhaella was very well aware of it. She had said goodbye too many to too many people ― some of which she had never seen again after that.
Rhaella didn't actually remember the first time she had told goodbye, but she was pretty sure it had been to her father at the time. Since she was no older than three years of age when her parents had the stupid ― but brave ― idea to go their separate ways to protect her and try to learn something more about her powers, she couldn't recall the last time she had seen Haarys. However, she could imagine the tears running down both of their cheeks, and on her mother's cheeks, the confusion of a young child who couldn't understand why she was being separated from her loving father. Then, it was Alysanne's turn, and Rhaella remembered that goodbye alltoo well. Her skinny body, her dull eyes, her pale skin, the windows shattering as Rhaella screamed in horror ― every imagine of the final moments of her mother was still alive in Rhaella's mind, coming back to haunt her in her dreams. At least, she now knew the truth behind her death, but she was not sure that made her feel any better.
But goodbyes weren't quite finished with Rhaella ― less than four years after losing her mother, she lost Jace, Rhaenyra and their whole family as well. They sailed for Dragostone, leaving her behind because the Queen wouldn't allow her to be raised by Rhaenyra, in the vain hope of bringing Rhaella to her side and convincing her to marry Aemond. There were times in which Rhaella thought that, maybe, if Alicent hadn't been so harsh with her, if she hadn't spoke so bad about Rhaenyra, if she had tried a different kind of approach, maybe Rhaella wouldn't despise them as much as she did now. If she didn't knew that Otto had been the cause behind her mother's death.
She remembered well the moment in which Rhaenyra left, bringing all of her family with her. Jace and Rhaella had hugged for long before they managed to be separated, speaking about the time in which she would come to Dragonstone. And then, the Accident happened. Aemond lost one eye and the fracture between Rhaenyra and the Hightowers grew deeper ― and as for now, Rhaella doubted such a grievance could be adjusted, even if Lucerys was only trying to defend himself and his brother. The recent events had been a proof of that.
As she was standing on deck, her arms wrapped around Helaena's thin figure, Rhaella recalled the first time they had to say goodbye. Helaena had told her she would do glorious things, but after two years, she still had no idea of what she had meant with those words.
“I'm so sorry, Hel” she whispered in her cousin's ear, so none else would hear. Surprisingly, Aegon and Aemond had came to greet them too, as well as the Queen, followed by her own personal puppy ― Ser Criston. “I'm failing you again, I'm not able to bring you away from here”
