LAENYS VELARYON, Lady of the Tides, princess of Dragonstone, youngest daughter of Corlys Velaryon-Lord of the Tides-and Rhaenys Targaryen-the Queen Who Never Was.
No one in all the realms believed that Rhaenys was with child when she announced it pu...
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Vermithor's powerful wings beat rhythmically as he carried Laenys Velaryon and Cregan Stark across the cold, churning sea toward the Iron Islands. The sky was an endless expanse of grey, the horizon barely distinguishable from the leaden waters below. Laenys adjusted her grip on the reins, her mind buzzing with the weight of their mission and the shifting dynamics in King's Landing.
Cregan sat close behind her, his arms wrapped securely around her waist. The wind howled around them, but the warmth of their shared body heat created a small bubble of intimacy in the otherwise harsh environment.
"Laenys," Cregan's voice cut through the roar of the wind, steady and calm, "there's something we need to discuss before we land." he seemed to have been holding in a secret of sorts.
She turned her head slightly, just enough to catch his serious expression. "Yes?"
"Aemond," he began, his tone hardening, "a raven was set to Dragonstone, he has taken power in King's Landing. He resides as Prince Regent."
Laenys's grip on the reins tightened. "I heard. The green council chose him after Aegon's injury. I suspect it was his doing, he always craved the Iron Throne however much I distracted him. It was a strategic move, but I fear it will bring more chaos than order. He is prone to outbursts worse than mine own. And the smallfolk are starving and instead of taking their own plentiful resources and dividing it amongst the people, he'd rather chain the city gates shut."
Cregan nodded, the lines of tension evident on his face. "I've never trusted him, and now he holds more power than ever. I worry about what he'll do with it."
Laenys sighed, her thoughts swirling with memories of her husband. "Aemond is driven by ambition and a need for control. But he's also unpredictable, which makes him dangerous. While we are in the Iron Islands or wherever we may travel next, we need to keep a keen eye on him."
There was a pause, filled only by the sound of Vermithor's wings cutting through the air. Cregan's grip around her waist tightened slightly, a gesture of both support and urgency. "There's something else, Laenys. Before we left for Rook's Rest, I sent a letter to Aemond... pretending to be you."
Laenys turned sharply to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of anger. "You did what?"
"I had to," Cregan explained quickly. "The man seemed too prideful for his own good, I needed to study his weaknesses. To see the man who had ruined you, Laenys."
Laenys's eyes flashed with frustration. "Cregan, he could have killed you or worse! Strung your head up for all to see! Do you realize how dangerous that was?" she yelled over the wind, and Cregan's expression softened at her concern. "I know it was a risk, but, I could not sit idly by and watch him destroy you and everything you love. He deserves to suffer."
