𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐀. | Aemond Targaryen

【DRAFT #003】

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DRAFT #003: The Request of a Mother

- I honestly didn't know where I wanted to go after the death of Levana's children or what direction to take. I remember in my earlier concepts of this fanfic, Levana was really meant to take the side of the Greens. The Golds were not meant to exist until I had an epiphany and was like "yeah, no, King Visersys wouldn't have wanted that. So, we got the version that made it to the fanfic itself.

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It was dusk when Queen Rhaenyra had awakened to a raven sitting on the ledge of her balcony. Most ravens would have to go through her council but she knew that this one could only have come from one person.

She hurried to the raven to take the letter from it, her heart beating with anticipation. It had been a while since Levana had written to her mother and more than anything, Rhaenyra missed her oldest child - even in the midst of the war that they were in.

The excitement in her heart, however, quickly diminished as her eyes glossed through the letter. Her heart started beating faster as she read through it.

My children, Baelor and Visenya Targaryen, have been murdered. I have no one else to point fingers to except Daemon, Queen Rhaenyra. I never imagined that he would be able to go this far so as to order the death of his own grandchildren.

Baelor's head had been taken. I cannot imagine what my stepfather would want to do with Baelor's head but you would do me a great favor of returning it to me so that I may bury my son properly. Just as I requested for the Targaryen burial of my grandfather, I, too, want to put my son to the pyre with his sister.

I do not doubt you, mother, because in all the years that I have been away from home, you have never doubted my loyalty to you. Ever since grandfather's death, we have tried to pick-up the pieces as best we could - even in this war. I appreciate your kindness and love towards me and my children despite your hatred for their father.

However, things have now changed and with the murder of my children, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that you have lost a daughter as well.

As we are both mothers, Queen Rhaenyra, you would understand why it has come to this.

A son for a son.

A daughter for a daughter.

Princess Levana Targaryen

Rhaenyra's heart sank.

The first letter she had received from her daughter in months and it had to be one that would inform her that she no longer had her daughter's support. Rhaenyra read the letter again to see if she had read everything correctly.

It wasn't long before Daemon had noticed his wife's distress and rose from the bed.

"A raven?" Daemon raised an eyebrow, "this late?"

"It's Levana."

Daemon looked at Rhaenyra before taking the letter from her hands, "where is my grandson's head, Daemon?"

Daemon ignored the question as he finished reading the letter.

"Do not make me ask again, husband," Rhaenyra stated as Daemon stood from the bed and walked to the fireplace.

"Well, one thing is for sure, they got the right son," Daemon stated as he threw the paper into the fire. Needless to say, the rogue prince was amazed that he didn't need to give specific instructions to get the head of the son of the man who murdered his Queen's own.

"We've lost Levana," Rhaenyra stated, "I've lost the only memory that I have left of Ser Laenor," she took a deep breath.

Daemon rolled his eyes, "more importantly, Your Grace, we've lost Vermithor."

"Daemon, not now," Rhaenyra stated as her husband sighed and sat beside her, "I promised you that I would avenge Lucerys' death," Daemon reiterated, "this was the fulfillment of that promise."

"At the cost of our grandchildren?!" Rhaenyra asked as the male chuckled a response, "at the cost of my only daughter?!"

"Your Grace," Daemon mocked, "I may have agreed to consider Levana as my own but remember that she is not of my blood," he stated.

"She is Ser Laenor's only legitimate child," Daemon took a cup from one of the tables and filled it with wine, "while I do think of Levana as my own, she's already made her choice and it's high time that you make yours."

Rhaenyra looked up at her husband with a puzzled expression, "how simple it is for you to say such things, my prince."

Daemon glared as he drank the contents of his cup in one gulp, "she chose the Greens, Rhaenyra," he stated, "that's why both of her children had to be taken."

"Because you advised me to abandon her in Driftmark in the first place!"

Daemon looked at Rhaenyra with subtle disappointment.

"Just before Baelor and Visenya were born," Rhaenyra began, "Levana wrote to me and asked my permission to give her children those names," she added.

"She knew that I loved the name Visenya," Rhaenyra continued, "even when she was married to Aemond, my Levana never forgot who she was."

"That doesn't seem to show anymore," Daemon interjected, "she's no longer your daughter, Rhaenyra."

Rhaenyra smiled sadly, "it seems that I have lost two of my children in a span of a few days."

"I will tell Jace and Joffrey," Daemon stated, "our children are too young to remember her anyway and it won't matter."

"I will be the one to tell Jace and Joffrey about their sister," Rhaenyra stated, "I'll do it in the morrow," she continued as she looked at the burning flames of her fireplace.

Daemon chortled, "better than I tell them now," he stated but Rhaenyra held his arm.

"By the command of the Queen, you will not approach the children about the matter concerning their eldest sister," Rhaenyra stated, "am I clear, my prince?"

Daemon smiled amusingly and leaned to place a kiss on Rhaenyra's forehead before taking his place back on their shared bed, "better get back to bed then, my Queen, Joffrey wakes early in the morning."

Rhaenyra looked at the flames again before looking into the sky out of their balcony, shifting slightly to memories of a young Levana running through the corridors of the Red Keep. She held those moments close to heart as those were also the last that she had of Ser Laenor.

With a heavy heart, Rhaenyra took a deep breath and took her place beside her husband - she would deal with the rest of her children in the morning; for now, she would be mourning the loss of two of her children.