As a child, you would wait and watch from far away
But you always knew that you'd be the one
That work while they all play
In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme
Of all the things that you would change
But it was just a dream
Here we are, don...
Raina's sharp eyes scanned the night, locking onto Alden and Roderick before shifting to the imposing Red Keep in the not-so-distant distance. Her knights had been engaging with the men who had crossed the Sunset Sea for the past few days, but as Raina gathered her strength, a plan began to form in her mind.
Gathering her knights and a select few hand-picked soldiers, she resolved to infiltrate the Red Keep and seize control. Once inside, she would send word to the maid, informing her of the safe location for her and her children. The only caveat was that this operation remained a secret, known only to those present.
Having traveled on dragonback to reach their destination, they now traversed the streets of King's Landing, making their way towards the secret passageways that would lead them into the heart of the keep.
"We will make this quick," Raina declared, casting a determined gaze over her assembled group. "You eliminate any guard or knight you encounter, but ensure my uncles and their mother, along with Ser Cole and the Hand, are brought to me. Understood?" she asked, glancing back at the men behind her, who nodded in acknowledgment.
Exhaling deeply, Raina pressed forward, leading the way down the dark tunnel. As they ventured deeper, they eventually arrived at a stone door. Raina signaled to her guards, who pushed it open, allowing her to pass through first.
Her sharp eyes swept the dimly lit hall as she cautiously stepped into it. Upon finding it deserted, she nodded before proceeding quietly down the corridor. Her men dispersed in different directions, while she confidently navigated her way, stopping next to a wall to push a concealed stone, revealing a hidden passage. Retracing her steps into the dark tunnels, she veered right and, with utmost care, pushed open the next stone door. Peering through the narrow crack, she surveyed the room beyond.
Well, it's not as though he would have heard her anyway; he was too preoccupied doing the light-haired, dark-skinned woman in his bed. Raina nudged the door further ajar, slipped through, and withdrew her dagger, advancing toward the bed with slow, deliberate steps.
When the woman locked eyes with Raina, she let out a piercing scream, but before the man could react, Raina had her blade at his throat, her gaze icy and unwavering.
"Raina," he mumbled, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief as he recognized her.
"Aegon," she acknowledged before diverting her attention back to the shrieking woman. "Shut your mouth," Raina hissed, hoisting Aegon to his feet, but the woman's loud protests risked alerting the guards. With no other option, Raina swiftly silenced her with a decisive stroke of the dagger against the woman's neck.
Returning her focus to Aegon, who still stood in a state of undress, he slurred, "Maybe you'd like to finish me off?" It was evident to Raina that he was drunk.
"Get dressed, Aegon," Raina hissed, her voice sharp with authority, "or I can take you out there for all to see, before the gods." Aegon, clearly disconcerted by the idea, hastily donned his pants.
Without wasting a moment, Raina seized a handful of his hair and forcefully guided him toward the door. Upon pushing it open, she swiftly dispatched the knight standing outside before striding down the hall, dragging Aegon along.
"Raina!" he hissed in protest, but she pressed on, leading him to the throne room where her knights took charge of Aegon and knelt him next to the rest of his family.
"Well, well," Raina's cold voice resonated through the room as she advanced toward them, coming to a halt next to Alicent, whose eyes immediately locked onto hers.
"By the gods," Alicent mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper, "we're dead." Raina couldn't help but smile as she walked to stand in front of all of them.
Their eyes all turned to hers—Aemond, Aegon, Otto, Alicent, Ser Cole, her sweet aunt, along with a few lords who had sided with the Greens. With a sly smile, Raina's gaze snapped to the brown-haired man.
"My lord," Raina said, taking a step closer, "tell me, how is Storm's End?" she inquired, circling around him like a predator, observing him closely as he shook his head.
"I didn't know, Princess," he stammered. "The young prince left. I didn't know that was going to happen!" he explained as Raina nodded, coming to a stop in front of him.
"I bet right now you're wishing you had shown more kindness to my brother," Raina stated, closing the distance between them. "Whether or not you killed him, you still denied him and sent him back out into the storm. And for what? The one-eyed man?" she hissed, causing him to shake his head as Raina moved away from him.
"Tell me, Ser Cole, what has your honor been telling you all these years?" she inquired, halting in front of him. "What was it? Ah, yes, she's a whore, right? my mother isn't she? and what about her sons, they are what?" she asked, turning to Aemond.
"Do you remember that answer, Uncle?" Raina asked, striding toward him. "What is it you call them?" she questioned, meeting Aemond's furious gaze.
Aemond couldn't believe that in the dead of night, Raina had managed to sneak around the keep and apprehend every one of them. He attempted to resist, but he stood no chance against the four men who overpowered him. He couldn't fathom that this was happening, that she had taken the keep in a matter of hours.
"bastard," Raina hissed, snapping him back to attention. "Tell me, do you enjoy being called kinslayer?" she asked. Aemond couldn't restrain himself.
"You're a kinslayer too," he hissed. Raina smiled, knowing he was referring to his brother.
"Oh, yes, him. What was his name?" Raina said, tilting her head to the side. "Oh well, who cares," she dismissed, walking around all of them for a moment.
"The time has come for me to decide whether I will spare your lives or take them away," Raina declared, but a small voice murmured
"For it holds the sword, the flame, and the blood. It sees fire in the shadows, hears the whispers of the past, and is the harbinger of war. In its hands, the keys to life and death," Raina heard, but she ignored her aunt's words, "even its own." Raina's eyes snapped to hers before moving on.
"Raina, I implore you, please spare my children," Alicent pleaded, causing Raina to turn her head to her. "They were only following orders, please," she added, and Raina clenched her jaw.
Rains turned away from them to look at the throne. It was hers. There it was, right in front of her after years of effort.
She had done it.
~~~ ↓
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