Chapter Text
Gerold Royce is a simple man. He lives to fight, drink, and for his family. Nothing more and nothing less. He is not like his Grandmother Elena who weaves her political games like a spiders weaves its web. He is not like William, who has been called Old Man William by most in Runestone since he was young enough to talk. William who has been raised to be Rhea’s right hand. Or Nathan who has always questioned his place. His younger sister Alyssa is fierce and wants nothing more than to make her mark. No, Gerold has always been confident in his place and purpose. Give him a sword, point him towards the enemy, and give him mead at the end of the battle. He is to be the sword wielded by his family to protect their lands and people. He will marry and raise his children to be loyal to the Old Gods and House Royce.
Gerold had though once either he or William would marry Rhea. But instead Rhea had married a dragon. Gerold had been awaken in the middle of the night by a frantic Alyssa and dragged to the Lord’s Chambers where his family were harshly arguing in the Old Tongue over the actions taken this night. Nathan’s kill and the marriages between Rhea and Daemon; William and Aemma. Gerold is twenty name days and he knows that his time has come. His time to stand strong for his family and the time for his to live by the Words of their House. We Remember. Gerold will never forget who he is and and where his place is. The dragons will not accept this slight laying down. Never mind that the vile serpants began this long ago when the Queen had betrayed his grandmother.
Elena Florent of House Royce never speaks of her past with the Dragon Queen. All he knows is that the Queen had tried to trick his grandmother into marrying a man of House Celtigar. He knows the rumours of how close the pair had been. How they had been lovers. He had dared to ask Grandmother only once if the whispers were true. And Grandmother had only said that her greatest love was reserved for her family. And that Alysanne Targaryen was nothing but a oatbreaker who would be punished by the Old Gods upon her death.