𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐒

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧

Soon after Kingslanding heard the news of Queen Rhaenyra's death, Aelora and her family sent ravens all around the seven Kingdoms, she also invited them for a council meeting about allies, the new Queen also wrote in the letter how she will be coronated when she sets sail back to Kingslanding.

All seven of the different Kingdoms were mourning the loss of their beloved Queen, all of whom swore to their Queen and her rightful successor. However, some of the houses like house Lannister and House Baratheon declined Queen Aelora's succession, as they felt it was wrong for yet again another woman to sit the Iron Throne. House Lannister and House Baratheon supported Aemonds claim, and soon more and more started to decline Aelora's succession, there was only possibly House Stark and House Velaryion currently supporting Aelora.

This made Aelora feel uneasy and stressed as she didn't have many allies and houses to back her claim, even though they all swore to follow her at Aelora's name day of being made heir to the Iron Throne.

By the late evening, a raven finally reached Winterfell, which was the home of the Starks, Winterfell was nothing like Dragonstone nor Kingslanding, it was a winter wonderland, everything was white and crystallised, the icicles glistened with the wind blowing against them.

In the Winterfell castle, Lord Cregan Stark was the leader of Winterfell, he had brown locks with one side of his head shaved, he had tattoos from his succession in battles with his beloved late Queen Rhaenyra, he was fair skinned with a stubble of beard, he often wore black cloaks with fur from an animal, Cregan was loyal to the crown and always had been, he was happy that the Princess Aelora was heir to the Iron Throne, he was also delighted that Rhaenyra got her crown in the end of the long wait from her father King Viserys Targaryen.

Along side Cregan, his younger sister Freya Stark also ruled beside him, she often advised her brother when it came to politics of the Targaryen Dynasty. Freya Stark wasn't sceptical about Rhaenyra being Queen, and Rhaenyra being a long older she was far more experienced in ruling seven different Kingdoms. However, Freya was also loyal to the crown but to a certain extent, she knew of the Targaryen History and their past rulers, she never really trusted any of them deep down.

Despite Freya being the way she was about the Targaryens, she was smart, she knew that Aemond and Aelora would come to blows over who succeeded after Rhaenyra's time is done on the throne. However, both Cregan and Freya supported Rhaenyra as their Queen and they both knew she was expecting a new baby and was awaiting a raven for the news of the new Prince or Princess being born.

Cregan and his sister were sitting in the cold breezy hallway of their beloved ancient home, both wearing their Stark cloaks, awaiting a raven for the news of the new baby being born. Finally, after what seemed like hours had gone by, Freya received a raven from Dragonstone, this was unusual as the Queens home was Kingslanding, she didn't open the letter as it was meant for Cregan to read.

Freya walked with pride to her brother, her walk intimidated the men around her, she wasn't one for putting up with the insults of a woman not being able to rule or lead men. She slapped the letter in her brothers hands, he held it with passion, and slowly opened the scroll, to Cregans surprise he saw different handwriting that wasn't the Queens, it was the Princess' handwriting.

Cregans lip quivered whilst reading this dreaded letter, he scruples up the paper in distraught. Freya frowned at her brother, she was curious what the letter spoke inside it.

"Brother? what does it say?" she questioned.

Cregan didn't reply, he clutched his fists together whilst putting them against his forehead.

"Cregan! I won't ask again!" Freya demanded.

Cregan looked around the room in sorrow, he then looked at his sister his the eyes.

"Queen Rhaenyra is dead."

Freya was stunned by that statement, she was bewildered Rhaenyra's reign lasted half a year. Other men from Winterfell were also in shock, they couldn't believe she's dead within half a year of being Queen as well.

"Princess Aelora is next in line to the Iron Throne."

Freya wasn't much older than Aelora, the Princess was only 19 years of age, Freya was 21, still, Freya's instincts told her that Aelora was still far too young to be ruling over 7 kingdoms, unfortunately, Freya knew the cold truth of womanhood, she knew that the Princess wouldn't be accepted as the rightful Queen, instead her betrothed Aemond Targaryen would most likely be accepted as the rightful King of Westeros.

"A woman? Again?! we cannot succeed her my lord" one of the winterfell men questioned.

"She was named heir by the Queen, so therefore we will bend the knee to Aelora Targaryen." Cregan replied.

Cregan was very loyal to Queen Rhaenyra and her successor, he wasn't one for usurping the throne. Freya slowly became agitated with her brother, he was blinded of what the Targaryen history was like back before Viserys the Peaceful.

"Brother, i admire you want to support the Princess, but do you think Aemond will allow a woman to overshadow him? she will always be a threat to him, what's the saying? everytime a Targaryen is born the coin flips and the world holds its breath." she bluntly spoke.

Freya spoke sense and many of the men agree with Lady Starks statement, and to make peace they should support Aemonds claim, as Aelora's will only cause war for the realm.

"Sister, Aelora was named heir? House Stark does not usurp its rightful ruler, and so, if our rightful ruler is a Queen, so be it."

"NO BROTHER! we are not to get Winterfell involved! war will havoc if she ascends the throne? don't you see that? we will all die in flames if we aren't careful."

Cregan glared at his sister, the room was in silence, no one dared spoke another word whilst the two siblings were yelling at one another.

"You're right, with Aemond on the throne we will die in flames, so that is why we're supporting Aelora's claim to the throne.....I hope i've made myself clear."

Cregan rose from the table and walked out still holding the crumpled piece of paper in his grasp. Freya was still frustrated, she knew either way a war would be fought, however, she couldn't predict the future. Freya told herself to just do as she's told and hold her tongue, her brother couldn't break his oath to Queen Rhaenyra about backing up Aelora's claim. 

Therefore, on that chilly night the Starks settled on who they would support, Freya made it crystal clear she didn't want Winterfell to get involved, Cregan knew this, but he couldn't break the Oath to his past Queen. Cregan closed his chamber door and sat at an old wooden desk with ink and a dim lit candle next to it. The Lord wrote a raven back to Queen Aelora, and asked her to visit Winterfell for a council meeting, he thought it would be best if he did this so that Freya can see for herself that the Targaryens aren't that bad, he also wanted to see how Aelora had grown, he hadn't seen her since he became Lord of Winterfell, he often wondered what she'd look like as a woman.

Her silver curly locks, her fair snowy skin, her pink lips, and her most admiring emerald green eyes.