𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 - 𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐃

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝘿𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚.

Daemon was not surprised to see her.

"Where have you been?"

He did not notice the dragon she'd arrived on, too grief-stricken. "Helping her back onto her throne. Tyraxes will arrive soon, I've brought Seasmoke." He didn't rejoice like she expected him to. "Daemon?"

"Your loyalties?"

"What about them?"

"Where do they fucking lie?"

Visenya wasn't so intimidated when he was so close to her so suddenly. "My loyalties lie with no one but myself and the Queen."

He let out a sardonic chuckle, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Not that husband of yours? Married for five days and you've come running back." Her head was cast down in slight embarrassment. "You're not welcome here if you have knelt to that cunt."

"I kneel to no one but the Queen."

"I will know if you lie, and I'll kill you."

She was sarcastic in her response. "Thank you, father. Is she well?"

"The babe is dead."

Gasping at the statement, the smirk from her previous comment had disappeared. "I'm so sorry, Daemon." He nodded, accepting her embrace.

⚔

The ache in Rhaenyra's heart threatened to overcome her.

Standing at one daughter's funeral, unsure of the state of her elder.

As she stared into the flames that engulfed her baby, she wondered if this was punishment for all the bad she'd done, every rule broken, no matter how trivial. "I mean no harm, brothers."

All watched Erryk as he kneeled before her, the younger princess lurking as a shadow in the background. "I swear to ward the Queen with all my strength and give my blood for hers. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall guard her secrets, obey her command, ride at her side and defend her name and honor."

Visenya couldn't resist approaching him, softly taking the crown into her hands, turning to her sorrowful monarch who only cocked her head at the sudden appearance.

"My Queen." She addressed, placing the gold firmly on her head, a snug fit, before dropping onto one knee, not worrying to dirty her gown. 

"You're here."

She smiled a little. "I arrived not too long ago."

⚔

"Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, First of Her Name. Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar, and the First Men. Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm." 

Visenya announced her mother's title to the room with a tiny, satisfied smile. "Your Grace."

"Wine, my Queen."

"Thank you, Rhaena. Come."

They gathered around the newly lit table map, looking at their new Queen with expectance. "What is our standing?"

Daemon was fast. "We have thirty knights, a hundred crossbowmen and three hundred men at arms. Dragonstone is relatively easy to defend, but as an instrument of conquest, our army leaves a lot to be desired. We have sent word to my loyal men in the City Watch, I'll have some support there but I cannot speak to the numbers."

"We already have declarations from Celtigar and Staunton, Massey, Darklyn, Bar Emmon."

"My Lady Mother was an Arryn, the Vale will not turn cloak against their own kin."