A Raven in The Dragon's Nest

Chapter 9

It was another tiring day for the Prince of Dorne, but not one he did not enjoy. The alliance with the Triarchy was yielding him good results. The Stepstones he was more than happy to let the Free Cities settle on. He was building a relationship with them, one that he expected would go on to make Dorne even stronger. And it would push the Targaryen power further back like it had during the first War for the Stepstones. He had remained neutral then, well his father had. But he would not be making the same mistake. It was time for Dorne to return to its former glory of independence.

His guards opened the doors to his chambers and he froze before he could even enter. On his bed was a boy, no older than ten, maybe eleven and a girl no older than seven. His throat was sliced open and the blood covered his bed sheets, while the girl held a knife wet with blood. "What is the meaning of this?" the Prince asked. In reply, he received a sharp blow to the back of his head and his world collapsed into darkness.

The commotion was what he heard when he began to rouse, followed by the sound of steel clashing. His vision followed his hearing and he saw his guards dead on the floor, their guts sliced open. Above them stood two men he had seen at court, Lysene men that came with the Rogare envoy Drazenko, the younger brother of the current head of House Rogare. They were a powerful house, one he had been helping in taking the Stepstones.

"What happened?" the Prince asked, trying to stand up. But the Rogare men at arms pinned him back down with the butt of their spear, slamming into his back.

"You shall receive justice" one of the men grunted. The Prince looked at the man with fury first and then confusion. Justice? For what? His eyes wandered from the men to his dead guards and then his surroundings. He was in his chambers, on the floor by his bed. There was blood dripping down from the side, making his brow furrow further. His guards were on the ground, it could not be their blood that was dripping down to the ground.

He went to stand again, only to be struck down once more. "Justice for what?!" he croaked out. He felt a hand on the back of his neck and then he was yanked to his feet.

"For what you say?!" the Rogare man roared, spittle spraying all over his face. He made the Prince turn towards his bed, the fast movements making his world spin violently. He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed slowly to regain his senses. The smell of blood pierced his senses but he was not fazed by it. He had smelt and seen blood enough to not be affected by it. Slowly he opened his eyes and when he saw what he was being shown, he blanched. His daughter was being held by two more guards, tears streaming down her face. Before her was a dead boy. Drazenko Rogare lay there with his throat sliced open.

----

"He's going to name Rhaenyra heir again."

"He won't if Alicent gives him another son."

"And will she do it?"

"She will, I can assure you."

The Lord of Old Town and his brother toasted gravely to this. All their plans relied on Alicent doing her duty to her family. The Targaryens and the Hightowers had been friends since Aegon the Conqueror's time before he was known as the Conqueror even. They knew full well what could happen should a king as Maegor sits on the Throne, it would mean their power ending. Maegor had threatened Faith and only stopped because he was dead before he could get it done with. They had stopped Daemon from ascending, and Rhaenyra was cut from the same cloth to a certain extent. And not to forget that she was a woman, and women did not rule. The Seven created women to birth children and raise the future Lords of the Kingdom. Someone like that was not fit to rule in any way possible, their religion did not teach them that.