| The Daughter of a Targaryen | HOTD

7 | Chaos Unfolds

From those who onlook a mother's grief of losing a child, they do not know the full extent of it until they are in that position. "A mother who loses a child will forever seek revenge, and her rage will fuelled by it."

The lonely shadows that I am in company of, flicker around my rooms and bounce of the walls of my chamber. While the lonesome lit candlelight cast distorted shapes that seemed to whisper and mock me in my grief. My eyes will remain closed, yet the sounds of my baby's cries haunt my mind. I lay in my bed, within the room where I failed to do anything, where I still fail to do anything. I lay motionless, unable to the muster any strength to get up or even move an inch.

Outside my rooms, I can hear the chaos within in the castle, the wailing and screams of people being abused. The distant sounds of shouting and clashing of metal swords and armor filtered throughout the thick stone walls that I am still a slave to. I flinched at the sound of shouting outside my doors. Aegon's voice rose above the din, raw with fury. "I'll kill them, I'll kill them all!". He roared like a dragon seeking revenge. "I declare war!!", his rage was palpable, a force that shook all of King's Landing.

Every voice in the castle joined the cacophony, a chorus of anger and fear. But here, in the confines of my own rooms, all was still. I could hear the whispers of my maids, the rustling of their skirts as they moved about the room, as they clear away the mess of blood. The stench lingers. The maids are unsure of how to comfort a queen who had lost a piece of her soul. The pain was a living thing inside me, a beast that gnawed at my soul, leaving me hollow and numb.

I heard the loud creak of the door to my rooms as it opened, I stirred from the sound waiting for my punishment. Finally, Aegon came to his senses to kill me, it was my fault after all. I did not fight for his heir. I lost another one. I heard the heavy footsteps of Ser Arryk, one of my guards. His voice was gentle but insistent. I sigh, wondering if Aegon's sent him to kill me, rather than face me himself.

"My queen, you are needed in the small council." I did not respond.

Here it is, my final day. I must be trialled to hang or be beheaded, I hope they allow me a quick painless death.

"My queen, please." His tone grew more urgent, but I remained still.

There was a pause, and then I felt his strong arms around me, lifting me from the bed. I thrashed weakly, a token resistance against the inevitable. "Let me be," I whispered, my voice barely more than a breath. But he did not heed my plea. Ser Arryk carried me through the corridors, my body limp in his arms. The castle was a blur around me, the torches and tapestries merging into a haze of colours and shapes. I could still hear the shouts, Aegon's voice rising and falling in a litany of threats and curses.

We arrived at the small council chamber, and Ser Arryk set me down gently. I swayed on my feet, clutching the edge of the table for support. The room was filled with grim-faced men, their eyes flicking to me with a mixture of pity and fear. Fear. They will fear me.

Aegon stood at the head of the table, his face a mask of fury. Otto was the first to speak, I waited for him to blame me, but he didn't. "Did you know the men responsible Naerys?"

Of course, he thought my family had a hand in this. Did they? I felt bile rise in my throat, again threatening to vomit in front of them all. I swallowed. My face paled. I gripped the table in front of me hard enough for my nails to break from the wood. I was angry. But I didn't say a word I couldn't. I shook my head. Otto looked to his King. The conversation swirled around me, the words meaningless. They spoke of vengeance, of war, of blood and fire.

Alicent was pale and drawn, her face showed all signs of guilt, more than I felt. Her eyes watched me, trying to understand my pain. She reached for my hand, but I pulled away sharply. Her touch felt like ice on my skin. I stared at her as if I wanted to rip her head off. She had no right trying to comfort me when this was her fault, her family, the lot of them. My ears pricked up at the conversation, from the mention of displaying my son to the small folk, to declare that Rhaenyra did this. What? I almost choke.