The Bronze Dragon-A House of the Dragon fanfic

Chapter 8

I can't be sure what the situation on Dragonstone was around this time. To hear my aunts tell it, it was tense. The possibility of confrontation with Queen Alicent and Ser Otto loomed over them all, though I have been told it took the heaviest toll on Rhaenyra. The Princess remembered all too well her father's stories of when the dragonlords fought over Valyria.

Other historical records of this time have largely been lost; likely burned when Aegon took Dragonstone during the war. My aunts however suggest that Daemon began to concoct a plan to sway my father to their side . . .

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Once upon a time, Dragonstone had been a minor outpost at the far reaches of the Valyrian Freehold, now it was arguably the second-most powerful stronghold in Westeros. The heir to the Iron Throne held court here, ruling as the Prince of Dragonstone until they were crowned, and were expected to carry out their duties as any other Lord would.

Except the current heir to the Iron Throne was not a Prince, but a Princess.

Rhaenyra was looking northward, towards the Vale and beyond that, to White Harbor. Part of her yearned to take Syrax for a flight around Westeros as the Conciliator and Good Queen Alysanne had done, but she knew the impracticality of that. Besides, her father would see to it that the lords would have no objections to her.

"The entire world in the palm of my hands..." She mumbled. True, there would be those who objected, but there would also be those who supported her. Those would be the ones who would be rewarded when the time came. She would remove the Hightowers from court and replace them with men loyal to her and no one else.

"Mother?" She heard someone say, before turning around to see her eldest son.

"Jace." She smiled. "It is good to see you. What brings you out here?"

Her son was growing. He had put on a bit of muscle since the confrontation on Driftmark; possibly out of a desire to protect his brothers from Alicent's children, monsters that they were.

"I wanted to talk about Daevar, Mother." He said. Rhaenyra resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Is there nothing else, Jace?" She half-jokingly asked. "I hear enough of him from my husband. Always carrying on about how much of a disappointment he is."

"Disappointment? But he is a good warrior for his age. And he is apparently well-liked at Runestone." Jace replied. How his... stepfather could describe Daevar as a disappointment was beyond him, especially when Daevar seemed to be shaping into an ideal lord.

"I believe he fears for his reputation; he does not take kindly to it being threatened." Rhaenyra said before chuckling slightly. "Sometimes I wish the two of them would make peace. It would make the matter of my accession far easier."

"How?"

"Daevar would be one of my advisors. He holds a powerful title, and will likely command respect from the rest of the Vale in time. I need people like that on my side." And so it seems does Alicent... It had been of some suspect to her that Alicent had so quickly agreed to the marriage due to it now making him a brother-by-marriage to Aegon. We shall have to see who can get to him first... Rhaenyra thought. "That is where you come in."

"Me?" Jace asked.

"I would like you to honour Laena Velaryon's wishes and take Baela and Rhaena to Runestone." She said simply. "Daevar will continue to be an advisor to you one day, Jace; it only makes sense for you to get to know him. After all, he is your brother by marriage now." And it might help soften his attitude towards me. It wasn't exactly a secret that the relationship between herself and Daevar hadn't been the best after the confrontation on Driftmark, and if there was a chance to heal the rift, she would take it. The lad was her stepson now, after all.