Great Bastards

THE GHOSTS OF RAVENTREE

GWENYS I 

184 AC

A terrified Gwenys watched as Daeron Targaryen ascended the Iron Throne. The Hand, Lord Jon Hightower, proclaimed Daeron the Second the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Protector of the Realms, and the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. With his every word, Gwenys held tighter and tighter onto Mya, ignoring her protests as she buried herself in her sister's long, flowing hair. 'Stop being a baby,' Mya snapped, trying not to draw attention away from the front of the throne room. 'Everyone can see us.'

Indeed they could. The Great Hall was swarming with courtiers who stood engrossed by the scene unfolding atop the throne before them; unable to bear the sight of Daeron wearing her father's crown any longer, Gwenys gave a series of darting looks around the hall, but found her eyes confronted by menacing dragon skulls wherever she turned. Eventually she spied her brother Brynden, trying to catch a glimpse of the coronation as Aegor blocked his view, and Daemon beside them, making a show of brandishing the sword Blackfyre at his hip. Gwenys shuddered, before turning to Daenerys; the new king's sister seemed lost on the royal dais, standing on its lower steps to the king's right with the two youngest Kingsguard knights, Ser Gwayne Corbray and Ser Roland Crakehall, at her side. On the opposite side of the throne were Daeron's sons, Baelor, Aerys, Rhaegel, and Maekar, the various lords and knights of the court assembled before them.

Already mere steps away from Daenerys, Gwenys tried to draw her attention by meeting her eyes, but the Princess retained her vacant expression. Mya glared at Gwenys menacingly. 'Gwenys, stop it. You're going to cause a scene.' The girls were now loud enough that Alys Arryn, another one of Princess Daenerys' ladies-in-waiting and their companion at court, had overheard them and gestured for them to be quiet.

Gwenys pouted. How come Daemon, strutting in court with Valyrian steel, was allowed to draw attention to himself and make a scene, but she was not allowed even a step or a word out of line? The king was going to banish her, and the other bastards, too. She knew it. Everyone in court was saying so, and the other day Lady Barba Bracken had even told Gwenys to her face.

'Don't listen to Lady Bracken,' Mya had responded when Gwenys expressed her concern. 'She was only trying to upset you and make you think that we're in danger. The Brackens would do anything to hurt us, Mya. They hate us. Just look at how they measled their way back into court as soon as we returned here after mother died. Remember how Aegor hated us so, and refused even to talk to us until Daemon convinced him to?' She laughed, but Gwenys was not so sure. 'Gwenys, Lady Barba and her lord father are just annoyed that their family fell out of favour with the king, and they're just taking it out on us. Especially since Aegor has seen the error of their ways. Remember how he defended us when we were legitimised? We're Princesses now, nobody can touch us!'

These words rang in Gwenys' ears as she sat with the rest of the crowd. The crowning was over, and King Daeron had moved on to making some boring announcements. Gwenys saw his mouth moving but there was no sound, only the memories of the rumours, the whispers, the gossip. They will always be bastards. The realm will be well rid of them. The way those Blackwood children follow the Princess around is pathetic. For so many days she had prayed for them to stop. It was too much for the girl to take.

'Daenerys,' Gwenys called out, loud enough for everyone around her to hear. The Princess regarded her with shock, as if she had just been awakened from a trance. 'Daenerys, please, make sure your brother doesn't send us back to Raventree Hall, oh please...'

As she was inclined to do, Daenerys stayed silent. It was the king who spoke. 'Enough. Thank you all for your attendance. The festivities will continue outside.' Daeron emerged from the throne, walking briskly out of the Great Hall with his wife, sons, and sister behind. Before she disappeared out of sight, Daenerys gave Gwenys an apologetic look. From the other side of the courtroom, Daemon Blackfyre was also absorbed in her helpless gaze.