DRAGONS REBORN: The Era After SI (GOT story)

Part 4

"My Prince," both of them bowed to him as he descended from his horse.

"You have our condolences for your loss," they said.

"Thank you for your concern. But where is my mother," he said as he began to walk briskly through the castle. The two of them followed him. The sheer hush and the black clothing of the people highlighting pronounced the spread of the news.

"The Queen went to her chambers sometime ago, my prince," Stannis replied.

And Rhaegar began to walk towards the Queen's chambers. The various servants hushed and bowed to him as he hurriedly moved past them.

He reached the Queen's chambers and saw someone quite familiar coming out of the room. It was Elia's lady-in-waiting and the sister of his friend Arthur.

Ashara Dayne, well, not anymore, he corrected himself. She had been married to the heir to Horn Hill and was now called Ashara Tarly nee Dayne. She was wearing black as well, her eyes having similar coloring to his own but with a much lighter shade of purple.

She bowed to him immediately.

"My prince, you have my condolences for your loss." She said, and Rhaegar just nodded. He would have to get used to such words.

"Where is Elia?" he asked her.

Ashara had arrived in court a couple of moons ago when the master had confirmed that Elia was pregnant with their third child. It had been a surprise for them, for they had said that after the birth of Aegon, it would be difficult for her to become pregnant once more.

"My Prince, she just went to her own room to put Aegon to bed. Rhaneys actually fell asleep inside and is with the Queen."

Rhaegar nodded at that. Arthur and Ser Barristan would be taking over the command of the situation. He needed to talk with his mother.

"Has Arthur returned with you as well, my prince?" she asked him. And Rhaegar nodded.

"Yes, he did. Him and Ser Barristan are with the Lord Tarly and Stannis at the moment."

Rhaegar knocked on the doors to his mother's chambers. Entering them, he saw his mother sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing black, much like everyone he had seen. Her hands casually passed through the hair of the child asleep on her bed. Rhaeneys had fallen asleep on the Queen's bed and was clutching Queen Rhaella's arm as she slept.

She looked up to see him, and Rhaegar saw the hollow look and the dried tears on her face. He silently walked to her side and lowered himself as she enthusiastically embraced him.

No words were spoken, and none were needed. Queen Rhaella Targaryen had married her brother Prince Aerys on his grandfather's insistence. The beginning of their marriage had been marred by the second greatest Tragedy their family had faced since the Dance itself.

Summer Hall burnt and devastated, taking away so many of their family. The sickly price Jaehaerys would take the throne, and then the Blackfyres would rebel, aided in their greed by the Gang of the Nine.

King Aerys and Queen Rhaella had faced all those tribulations with no one but one another for support. And while Rhaegar knew that there had never been much love between them, they had built a healthy relationship based on respect.

He separated from her, taking a seat on the edge of the bed itself, giving his sleeping daughter a kiss on her forehead. The girl just turned slightly in her sleep, unaware of his presence.

"What happened?" he asked his mother. The Queen spoke up after a while.

"It was assassins," and his hands would stop as he heard those words. He had suspected as much with the deployment of the army and closure of the gates.