The Passion of a Thousand Suns | Aemond Targaryen

Forty two: the storming of king's landing

DRAGONSTONE 

"Otto Hightower reached out to the Triarchy for an alliance. The Three Daughters successfully sank all the Velaryon and Lengii ships posted at the Gullet at dawn." Mysaria spoke to the Painted Table. Distain was evident on her face, on everyone's face gathered at the table. "The attack cost us the lives of over a thousand soldiers and a third of the Velaryon fleet."

Hira clenched her jaw. 

The cost of freedom was heavy. Even if Hira's own fleet departed a day earlier, the Triarchy would have still sighted them. There was nothing that could have been done for the fleet at the Gullet. It was doomed from the beginning.

"How did we miss ninety warships entering our seas?" Rhaenyra demanded.

"With the news of Rook's Rest and the death of Princess Rhaenys-" Mysaria reasoned before she was interrupted.

"Excuses!" Daemon slammed his fist on the table. "My sons would have been kidnapped or butchered for your lack of information."

"Not all is lost. The dragonseeds burnt the majority of the Triarchy's ships and the young princes safely returned. It is a win, your grace."

"Vermax is dead. Zhurong is injured." Jace snapped. "Hira's fleet is all but destroyed."

Her cherished Pilak was cut in half in front of her. And better yet, she abandoned her people in favour of Jace's safety. Abandoned her crown. Their bodies were buried in the seas, unable to return home or to the ancestor's realm.

It was far too dangerous to travel by sea to Pentos, who knew if the Triarchy had other plans and Zhurong was too wounded to fly. He needed rest and recovery.

"Mind yourself, Prince Jacaerys." Grand Maester Gerardys warned as he cleaned the wound on Jace's shoulder, forcing him to stop jostling, lest he damage himself more.

A minor injury, thank the gods.

It couldn't be said the same for Princess Rhaenys who fought alone at Rook's Rest against Tessarion and Vhagar. The two dragons overpowered the princess, falling from the skies and leaving a burnt Rhaenys and a dead Meleys.

Distraught, Lord Corlys threatened to leave Rhaenyra's cause upon learning of his wife's death until Jace suggested the idea of the lord becoming Hand of the Queen. Corlys, a smart man, bartered for more: a betrothal for Baela to the heir of the Iron Throne (once it was revealed that Hira and Jace's own betrothal was a broken), Rhaena named heir to Driftmark and the legitimation of Addam and Alyn of Hull, following a marriage for Rhaena and Addam to secure the bloodline.

The Blacks had lost two dragons in less than a week.

For the Greens, Daeron was injured after the fight, as was his mount. To what extent they didn't know. Aemond survived, because of course he did. (Hira was beyond thankful, because she wouldn't know what she would do if he died, especially if he died not knowing she was alive.) The army was returning to King's Landing following the wake of their injured princes.

As for Aegon, he was burnt beyond recognition but breathing - barely - thanks to his youngest brother's miraculous save. Unfit to rule the kingdom, it was said that Alicent and Otto were pushing for Aemond to assume the title of Protector of the Realm.

Except her foolish husband was calling for her father's blood, yelling it from the rooftops, having burnt the Riverlands to lure Daemon out. The Greens didn't know her father left Harrenhal for Dragonstone, to be beside his ladywife and queen.

Everything was falling apart.

"Well, we know what the best course of action is going forward. Aemond now controls the army." Her father pointed to Harrenhal. "We lure him to Harrenhal with the rest of the Green's host. A bait, a distraction. Send word that I will meet him head on. Once the Red Keep is abandoned, we fly our dragons and secure the capital. Kill the sons of that Hightower whore and the rest of the damned traitors. End this once and for all."