Hand of the Queen

18

"Faster!" Aegon shouts, picking up his speed. He aims for my womb, attempting every maneuver to cut through my skin. The daggers in my hands have become glints of light, barely able to be seen in my quick movements. I deflect every blow he aims at me, finishing off with a thrown dagger that only barely misses his head. Instead, the blade clatters against Rhaegal's scales and tumbles to the ground. I walk to the dragon and place my hand on his snout, he closes his eyes and pushes into my touch.

"I'm sorry, my boy." I say, rubbing his face once more before walking away.

"Why don't you apologize to me when you hit me with the daggers?" Aegon asks, I roll my eyes and press my lips against his. He places both hands on my hips and leans into me, deepening the kiss between us.

"We need to return back, we'll leave for King's Landing any moment." I say with a laugh, wrapping my arms around Aegon's neck as he kisses down my throat.

"Suddenly I don't want to go to King's Landing any longer." He mumbles into my skin.

"You, my prince, may have the options at your leisure to not attend, but I am the Queen's Hand." He groans against me and squeezes me one final time before sweeping me off my feet, swiftly carrying me inside.

...

Missandei finishes my hair as I stand to take one final look in the mirror. Black sleeves pull tight around my arms, stretching to the high collar of my dress. It's black fabric hugs tight around my torso, cinching at the waist before it spills down my legs and stops just above my ankle. Black boots covers the rest of my skin, along with black gloves that shield my hands. Two heads of the dragon act as clasps to hold my collar together, the matching pin of a silver dragon sits tucked into my half braided hair. Missandei places the badge the Hand on my chest and smiles at me.

"Come, Daenerys is waiting for us." She says, I turn to the direwolf waiting behind us.

"I'll see you when I return, Melania." I say, scratching her once more before following Missandei out of the bed chambers.

...

Jon holds his hand out to me as I step off the boat, the Red Keep looming high above us. In one swift movement, my brother tucks my hand into his arm and begins to escort me at the front of our entourage.

"I did not believe I would be returning here so soon." I say, looking up to the massive palace.

"I hoped you would never have to again." Jon tells me, suddenly looking to me with a smile. "Daenerys told me the news this morning." He reaches across and squeezes my hand tight in his own. "I'm happy for you, my sister, I truly am. I'm grateful you could find such light amidst all this madness."

"Thank you Jon, you don't know how much that means to me." I look up to the two dragons soaring high above us, their Targaryen riders sat atop them. It seems so empty among them without the other part of their family. Viserion, what a cold death she was forced to face.

"That prince still has much to prove before he gets my full approval, though." Jon quickly adds, I laugh and shove him. "A baby with the blood of a direwolf and a dragon, he's going to be a fierce fighter."

"Who said it's a boy, Jon Snow?" I grin at him.

"Only hoping." The view of the dragon pits grows ever closer as Jon and I speak amongst one another, attempting to ease the stress of the situation we must face.

"She will likely try to kill me, she knows what I have done." I say as we approach the entrance.

"I will not let that happen, Aegon will not let that happen." Jon assures me. "Why did you not ride beside him on dragon back?"

"Aegon worries of a trap, he did not want me beside him in the event they attack the dragons. I hold two of the most important things to him, he said. He will not lose both at once." Jon nods in agreement as the ruins of the dragon pits come into view. Before us, sat beneath red canopies is Cersei Lannister and her own council. Her eyes find mine immediately, I can feel the hatred burning within them. My face is unwavering as Jon leads me to the space beside Daenerys's own seat. I gently settle in as Tyrion takes the space on her other side.

"Where is she?" Cersei finally asks.

"She'll be here soon." Tyrion tells her before I can answer.

"She didn't travel with you." Cersei pushes further, her eyes unmoving from me.

"No, she did not." I say, venom spread thick in my voice. Silence passes over us once more, I watch as Jaime and Cersei meet eyes. Before either of them can speak, the faint roar of Drogon comes from overhead. Jaime jumps to his feet in fear, the other Kingsguard following suit. Next stands Jon, I do not bother to stifle the grin as they all move to look in awe.

I watch as the massive beasts soar overhead, roaring to each other as they go. Their shadows come into view first before Drogon lands upon the crumbling walls of the pits. Rhaegal does not take heed to land so far away, he lands meer feet from where we sit and roars at those among us. I stand as Daenerys and Aegon climb down from their dragons. those in our court quickly follow and bow their heads as they approach.

"Your grace," I say with a smile as Daenerys takes the seat beside me.

"Lady Hand." She says, grinning at me before turning her gaze to Cersei. Aegon lowers into the seat beside me, his eyes burning in Jaime's as the prince takes my hand into his own. The dragons take to the sky once more, circling us as they go.