Chapter Text
Rhaenyra Targaryen's husband was a monster, of that Otto Hightower was certain. Sixteen years had passed since the former crown princess married the man Otto then thought was the second son of a traveling merchant from Lys. And fifteen years had passed since it was revealed that he was a nobleman from Asshai, the land of shadows. Otto swore on his honor and his house that that man had cursed the Red Keep and Alicent, his daughter and second wife of King Viserys
It had also been seventeen years since Aegon, his grandson, had been named heir to the Iron Throne and Prince of Dragonstone. Otto had to admit (with shame) that he had lost all hope of Aegon being named heir, But it seemed that at the last moment Viserys came to his senses and named his son before the small and great houses of the Kingdom, making them swear loyalty to said son.
Otto could recall the ceremony verbatim as if it had only happened days before. Rhaenyra had not been present; losing, throwing a tantrum, most likely due to the loss of her title. While neither the Velaryon nor Daemon bothered to make an appearance, the former because they hadn't been able to have Laena as queen and the latter because (according to Otto) he had lost his chance at the Iron throne.
It had been the same year that Aegon had been named heir, the same year that Otto had sent emissaries all over Essos to find a husband for the former heiress to keep her away from the throne (the further the better).
One had returned a few weeks later with a letter in his hands; the sigil on the letter had been a blood-red eye, and the paper on which it had been written was obsidian black.
Otto hadn't paid attention to it, believing it was just some family trying to show off, but now he realized that perhaps he had made a mistake in suggesting that marriage.
He could only wish that Rhaenyra's family and Rhaenyra herself would not become obstacles in his plan to make Aegon king.
Alicent had been at her room's window when she saw ships approaching in the distance. Near them came dragons of various sizes, but the one that stood out the most was none other than Syrax, Rhaenyra's Golden she-dragon.
"They're coming!" she said to herself excitedly as she left the balcony.
"Peony!" She called to one of her ladies, "Come quickly and call the others," she exclaimed as she took off the dress she had been wearing.
Several maids then entered the room, some to attend to her and others to prepare her bath. One of them approached her; she was a middle-aged woman who had served the Hightower house since Alicent could remember and for that reason she took her with her to the capital of the kingdom.
"My queen," Peony said, bowing slightly. "How can we help you?" she asked.
"The ships bringing Rhaenyra and her family are approaching. I must be immaculate and presentable for their arrival, as my rank demands," she said.
"It shall be done, my lady," she said, but Alicent paid no attention, being more preoccupied with Rhaenyra's arrival and their meeting. After all, they hadn't seen each other since the birth of her friend's firstborn son.
Rhaenyra looked at her children in front of her and spoke to them.
"I know I've told you this multiple times since we left home," she said, "but I want you to remember to behave and make a good impression."
"We will, Mother," said Jacaerys, who was sitting next to her with Lucerys on his other side.
"I know, dear," she said, "but it's not you I'm referring to," she said, looking at her other children.
Noticing their gaze upon them, Valekar, their third son after Lucerys, raised his hands and said, "But we haven't done anything yet!"
"Yet," Rhaenyra replied to her son.
"What an injustice," he said, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat.
"You must heed your mother's words," said a deeper voice; it was Mairon, Rhaenyra's husband and the father of her children.
All the children conceived by Rhaenyra with her lord husband resembled the aforementioned, with the exception of Lucerys and Alyssa, both of whom had mismatched eyes; but while Lucerys had one blue eye and a Gold one Alyssa's eyes were identical to those of her great-grandmother, as was her dirty blond hair, her big eard, loopsided smile and crooked nose.
"My lady," said a man suddenly appearing in one of the wheelhouse windows. It was Urzog, a man in the service of Mairon and his family and leader of the Black Cloaks (a company of mercenaries breeded by house Annatar to serve them).
"Good," said Rhaenyra as the wheelhouse moved towards the entrance of the Red Keep.
The rest of the trip was silent with only the occasional word from Alyssa or the constant babbling of the babies who were in a stage where they wouldn't stop 'talking' and were stubborn.
"We have arrived," said Mairon, looking out the carriage window.
"Yes" was all Rhaenyra replied. After all, she hadn't been in Westeros for fifteen years and had returned for the birthday of her father, King Viserys.
"Let's do this," Valekar said.
From a distance, Aegon could see his sister's wheelhouse (or her husband's, who knew) was gigantic and of great size, with perhaps 30 or more horses pulling it. It was made of black wood, perhaps from some country in Essos, for Aegon had never seen wood of such a dark tone; it had details made of obsidian and blood-colored gems, there were many banners on the wheelhouse, the sigil being a red, feline-like with a black slit pupil, set against a black field.
Seeing the banners on his sister's husband's house sent chills down his spine, but no matter how hard he tried to figure it out why exactly, he couldn't.
"Look at that," Aemond said beside him as they looked at the entourage that had accompanied his sister, men in obsidian-colored black armor, many of them riding horses of the same black color.
Moving forward at the dame pace that his sister's wheelhouse, not a single one out of step.
It took a long few minutes until the wheelhouse reached the steps where Segon and his family were (parents, siblings, uncles and cousins, as well as the Velaryons).
Two of the armed behemoths that had been riding in the back (probably as sentries to guard the wheelhouse) got down from their places and unfurled some steps in front of the doors so that those inside could get down.
The first one whom Aegon could assume was Mairon Anataar, the husband of his older sister; he was a tall man of slender but wiry and muscular build. He had long white hair and completely black eyes (which caused his mother and other ladies present to gasp in terror, as this was not natural), A face crisscrossed with scars, with a pale but cynical appearance; he wasn't conventionally handsome but attractive.
The man wore black tunics with silver details and jewelry made (probably) of obsidian with gems that resembled fire in the sunlight.
The following were those whom Aegon could assume were his nephews and nieces, the younger ones being carried by who he assumed were Rhaenyra's ladies-in-waiting who had come in other carriages, all of them with white hair and And a wide variety of eye colors, from purple to green (since one of the girls had one green eye and one purple eye and another boy had a lighter purple and blue one).
The last (and most important) to descend was Rhaenyra, of whom Aegon had no memory, as he had been very young when his sister left Westeros and moved with her lord husband.
The air left Laena's lungs when she saw for the first time (after 15 years) her old friend and cousin Rhaenyra. She had changed a lot since the last time they had been face to face (That last time being Rhaenyra's wedding to her husband).
Rhaenyra was dressed elegantly, more than elegantly, she was beautiful. She wore a deep crimson red dress of heavy satin with a rich and elegant finish; the cut was fitted at the top accentuating her waist, The skirt was long with a light train and had long, structured sleeves with firm shoulders. The dress's collar was high and stiff, slightly raised, which gave her an authoritative presence.
It had very elaborate embroidery in symmetrical patterns that ran along the front, the sleeves, and most likely the back as well; on the front it had a vertical embroidered stripe that stylized her figure.
Her hair was styled in the manner of Queen Visenya in multiple braids, adorned with gold jewels encrusted with rubies that matched her necklace and earrings, and in her hands she wore gloves of the same red as the dress she was wearing.
Rhaenyra ascended the steps directly towards King Viserys, who was also advancing towards his daughter, but Rhaenyra stopped and bowed slightly.
"Father," she said, "I have returned home."
"There was is no doubt," Laena thought to herself. Rhaenyra has finally returned after so long.
She couldn't wait to catch up with her old friend after so long.