RED QUEEN | DAEMON TARGARYEN

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

House Harroway became the next to possess the castle after King Aenys I granted it to Lucas Harroway. Two years later, Lord Harroway watched his daughter, Lady Alys, wed Maegor Targaryen in a Valyrian ceremony at Dragonstone and later he was named Hand of the King by his son-in-law. All seemed to prosper for the Harroways for as long as they remained in Maegor the Cruel's good graces. Then Queen Alys gave birth to a stillborn, monstrously-deformed babe and Maegor wiped their family out of existence.

House Towers of Harrenhal won the lordship after Maegor decreed that the strongest of his knights would win possession of it. Twenty-three knights fought in the blood-soaked streets of Harroway's Town and the winner of the melee was Ser Walton Towers that passed away a fortnight later due to his wounds, leaving it for his son to inherit. For three generations they ruled Harrenhal and supported Maegor as the majority of the realm for Jaehaerys. When the Conciliator finally became King, the current lord surrendered but their family became impoverished.

Rhaena Targaryen, the sister of Jaehaerys Targaryen, who had been forcefully married to Maegor I and was known as the Queen in the West and the Queen in the East, settled for being a guest of House Towers. There she befriended the sickly and young Maegor Towers, the last of his line, and when he passed away she took his small household into her own care. As the princess grew older, the smallfolk in the riverlands feared that she was a witch despite her hospitality.

House Strong was later given Harrenhal by Jaehaerys I. Lord Lyonel and Ser Harwin lost their lives because of the affair between Breakbones and Princess Rhaenyra and soon, Lord Larys would likely lose his life at the hands of Valyria. Perhaps she'd give the castle to a lord she disliked and pray the curse wiped out another line. In the meantime, Lord Blackwood and a few other riverlords now gathered at the ancient castle, using it as a rallying point.

Daemon's return from the Assault on Harrenhal came as somewhat of a surprise to Valyria. In the middle of a council meeting, the doors opened to reveal Prince Daemon, sauntering confidently, clad in his armour. Everyone grew silent, watching as he approached the Queen, his gaze never leaving hers.

Kneeling in front of Valyria, he laid down what Valyria assumed to be Ser Simon's sword wrapped in a red, blue, green and white banner, "Harrenhal is yours, Your Grace."

"Rise," Valyria told her husband, keeping a courteous smile on her lips. Normally, her husband would be far less proper when greeting her after even a few days apart. With all the adrenaline from battle, she'd expected a more – improper – greeting but she felt her heart warm at how he respected her position. In private they were still husband and wife, but in public she was the Queen.

"Well done, my Prince," Valyria praised him, placing her hand in his. Daemon brought it up to his mouth and pressed a kiss against her knuckles, lingering just a little – he was still the Rogue Prince. Turning to face the lords again, she said the words that she knew they'd all been looking forward to hearing, "Now that Prince Daemon has returned and our rallying point on the mainland has been established, it is time we plan our siege on King's Landing."

They certainly had the manpower, artillery and dragons to succeed in taking the city. What had prevented Valyria from attacking this far was the knowledge that innocent lives would be caught in the crossfire between the Greens and Reds. Every man, woman and child's life would be in danger if the dragons came to burn the city down.

"We have an opportunity to attack them from all ends," Daemon said with a cocky smirk, even more confident now when he'd won their first victory with ease – just like he promised his wife he would do. "The Velaryon fleet will arrive from the east of Blackwater Bay, the riverlords and our army will attack from the northwest through the Dragon Gate and Old Gate and we will attack from the skies."