The White Queen

Chapter 31

The Red Keep, King's Landing: 134 AC

Aelinor sat before the window, careful not to disturb her finery as she stared out over King's Landing. She had made sure to change the city for the better (moving the Alchemist Guild to a private island for one), both architecturally and economically, but it would always be one of her homes.

"It's time." her husband said, standing in the doorway. "It is." she agreed, closing her eyes. "I love you, papa." she whispered, standing up and heading for the door, taking her husband's offered hand.

They made way to the courtyard, riding their dragons to the Great Sept of Alysanne, which stood on Visenya's hill. Aelinor dismounted and entered the the massive Sept, feeling everyone's eyes on her.

After all, this was the coronation of the first Queen Regnant in Westerosi history. And for it, her supporters and family had come in droves, her family and greatest supporters taking the first and second rows of the Sept.

Her mother, Queen Dowager Aemma, her sisters, Rhaenyra and Daena, Princess Consort of Dorne and Lady of Winterfell respectively, with their respective husbands. Her children where present as well: Jacaerys, Valaena, Lucerys, and Alysanne where garbed in their best clothing. Aelia sat next to her husband, Jacaerys, their two year old daughter—her granddaughter—, Daenerys, in her lap. Valaena's husband, Matarys Velaryon, sat next to her, Valaena's stomach a sign of the babe to be born in six months.

Rhaena and Baela had made it with their own husbands, Thaeddus Arryn, Rhaena's husband and heir to the Eyrie, and Adrian Baratheon, Baela's husband and the son of Borros Baratheon. Both young women where pregnant; Rhaena was two months along and Baela, one month.

Her nieces and nephews from Rhaenyra had come as well, as had her Tyrell and Arryn kin. The Starks, the Martells, the Lannisters, and all the great houses had made it as well.

For her coronation, which she had spent a month planning, she wore only the best of the best.

A floor length, off the shoulder, crimson ball gown, decorated with black lace overlay and sleeves that stopped at her elbows, the sleeves also adorned with black lace overlay. She wore knee high black boots with red ribbons, and a Valyrian steel necklace with an onyx pendant in the shape of a dragon with rubies for eyes. She wore a pair of simple waterfall earrings made from rubies, and on her right wrist was a dragonglass bracelet with rubies embedded on it in the shape of flames, connected by a thin chain to a ring with a ruby on it.

Her white-gold hair had been pulled into a long single braid that traveled down her back, so her crown could sit easily upon her head. She knelt before the High Septon as he began the coronation. She tuned out most of it until the final part.

"You swear to defend Westeros from evil?"

"I swear." Aelinor promised, surety lacing her voice.

"You swear to guide with all of your heart? To build a better future for your children to inherit it?"

"I swear." she vowed, iron hard will dripping off her words.

Her crown was placed on her head. A circulate of Valyrian steel in the shape of a dragon, the head resting in-between her eyebrows with onyx's for eyes and a small ruby tongue.

"Hail Queen Aelinor, First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm!" the High Septon declared.

She got up and faced the crowd.

"Hail the Queen!" Daemon yelled, her love giving her a bright smile.

"Hail Queen Aelinor!" Cregan Stark bellowed.

"Hail the Queen!" the crowd began to chant. "Hail Queen Aelinor!"

"Hail the White Queen!" Rhaenyra yelled.

"Hail the White Queen!" her mother added.

"Hail the White Queen!" Jacaerys joined in.

"Hail the White Queen!" Corlys bellowed.

She inhaled sharply, seeing her father's ghosts. "Hail the White Queen." Viserys Targaryen added, smiling brightly before vanishing.

"The White Queen!"