~Judas did this for him, but his soul still howls / his mouth still aches~
Daenys Velaryon no longer knew the difference between sacrifice and self-slaughter, nor where the violence against oneself ended. A Kinslayer, a rabid dog; such creatures had...
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"And her ghosts said: Let us move on Before them, her body is piling itself upon itself Secret by secret Rot is also a heart Rot is also a childhood Rot is also what love once was."
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Over the next few weeks, the realm slowly began to knit itself back together, though much work was still needed. As the news of Aegon's fall spread like wildfire across the Seven Kingdoms, it carried with it the whispers of a new dawn, yet also the shadows of the horrors that had transpired.
Subsequent to the usurper's passing, Lord Tyland Lannister was forced to reveal the truth of the royal treasury's fracture. It had been split into three parts: a third squandered by Aegon to fund the war, a third sent to the Iron Bank of Braavos for safekeeping, and the final third secreted away to the stronghold of Casterly Rock. Tyland's knowledge cost him dearly though, and when he was finally released from his torment, he was found to have been blinded, mutilated, and gelded—a grim testament to the price of loyalty and the brutal measures taken to protect secrets.
Under the true queen's authority, the funds held by the Iron Bank were summoned back to King's Landing. There was a desperate need to repay the loans taken from the great houses of Baratheon and Arryn, debts that still hung over them from when they had been incurred to keep the people fed. Nevertheless, as the gold slowly began to flow back into the capital, it brought a glimmer of stability and the hope of restoration, though the scars of betrayal and war were far from healed.
In the Westerlands, the Red Kraken had grown bolder and more defiant. Dalton Greyjoy, once an ally to Queen Rhaenyra, had turned rogue, his loyalty as fleeting as the tides. His refusal to heed her commands and cease his plundering brought havoc to the shores, his Ironborn raiders sowing fear and chaos. Missive after missive was sent, each one more foreboding than the last, yet all fell on deaf ears.
Eventually, Rhaenyra decided it was time to wield her greatest weapon and Daemon Targaryen was dispatched to deal with the insurrection. The tales of his swift and ruthless campaign spread quickly, and it was said that his mere presence on his dragon was enough to send the Red Kraken's men fleeing—although whether or not this was an exaggerated declaration by the storytellers, it cannot be said. What was known for certain was only that the skies burned red with dragonfire, and the seas churned with the blood of the defeated.
Even Lady Johanna Lannister, the widow of Lord Jason Lannister, had taken up arms to defend her lands. Acting as regent for her young son, she donned a man's mail and led her forces with a ferocity that rivalled any warrior. Her courage and determination were instrumental in driving the Red Kraken from her shores, and later she did much more to reclaim Lannister glory and win favour with the crown, lending gold for the restoration of King's Landing.
