The Great Khalessi (GoT Fanfic)

07 - The Unburnt

The baby's laughter echoed throughout the room, giving a false sense of peace. Rhaenys played with her new little brother, tickling his tiny feet. His innocent joy could not erase the worry she was feeling.

When the king's court received word that Tywin Lannister had marched with his own army to help defend the city, all grew very worried. Most people were skeptical of Tywin's sudden display of loyalty. He had claimed that Prince Rhaegar had lost, and Robert Baratheon's army was heading straight for King's Landing.

But then her Aunt Ellaria came with troops from Dorne, negating their claim and accused Tywin of attempting to take advantage of the situation and try to sack the city for his own. No one would be surprised, as King Aerys and Lord Tywin might have been once good friends, but time had turned their relationship sour.

For a while, Tywin Lannister became the most trusted King's Hand. However, people quickly began to praise him for his wise rulership. Aerys soon became wary of Tywin's growing power in his court. The tipping point that changed their relationship was when Tywin proposed a marriage for his daughter to his son, Rhaegar. King Aerys had already given House Lannister enough by assigning him as the King's Hand. For Tywin to wish to make his daughter Queen showed that he had ambition and greed.

Rhaenys could understand why her grandfather constantly made things difficult for Tywin. His longtime friend who had allegiance and loyalty to him had exposed his true self and showed that what he was truly loyal to was power. However, she could never understand why he still kept him by his side, perhaps it was because her grandfather still valued their past friendship or more likely because the paranoid old man wanted to closely monitor his rival in the making.

One thing was for certain. They could not trust Tywin Lannister.

Things would have been much more simple if her grandfather was not so suspicious of everyone, including their family. He did not trust even her Aunt Ellaria's words, fearing that Dorne would also take this chance to claim the throne for themselves. Hence, why he had ordered more guards around her mother's residence in the castle, claiming it was protection, but everyone knew it was nothing more than disguised imprisonment.

Her mother had asked her to stay with her brother as she quickly organized things in their residence. She was currently trying to placate the commoners they had taken in, as they soon realized that the king had also limited their movement as well and did not allow them to take a step foot away from the castle.

The King's Court was in chaos. They had not received word from their own soldiers on how the Battle at Trident concluded. So they could not decide whose word to trust. King Aerys did not allow Tywin or Ellaria to enter the city, as the two opposing troops engaged in a tense standstill.

"I order you to bring me to the King. I wish to have a word with him!"

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside. Rhaenys peeked through the window and watched as her mother hurriedly went up to the King's guard, demanding an audience with the king. All the commoners behind Princess Elia began to protest, so that they would listen to the Princess' request. Rhaenys frowned and asked their Septa to pick up her little brother and follow her. The three of them went down to the courtyard, and Rhaenys quickly grabbed one of the common women she had taken in, who was notorious for gossiping.

"Why is everyone panicking?" Rhaenys asked and noted that most of the women's faces were pale, while some of them were in tears as they were praying to the gods.

The woman quickly bawled her eyes out, "Your Highness! Someone has spotted the King's servants placing a jar of wildfire beneath the Great Sept and the Dragon's pit. Word is being spread throughout the city. The king has gone truly mad this time! He has sentenced his hand, Lord Quarlton, to death by fire."