125 AC
KING'S LANDING
Rhaenyra was practically alone at the Red Keep.
Alicent had Jessica tied up by a leash after saving her from a possible execution, and the redhead gave Rhaenyra the silent treatment as a result. Thankfully, she wasn't actively feeding the young princes and princess with false truths to villainize her, but her actions were more telling than words.
And although she had Laenor, who backed the legitimacy of Jacaerys and Lucerys, and Criston, who did that and vowed to protect them, she was powerless at court. But Jessica was nowhere near the spot she was when she joined the Kingsguard. If it weren't for Alicent whispering into Viserys' ear, she would have either been sent back to Westyra without a head, or sent to the Wall to die.
Now, she was Alicent's sworn sword. It was a position she took up with convincing from Brianne, who was not on Alicent's leash, but was still in love with the Queen. But the Princess married a man, a Celtigar. And she never failed to make her presence known.
Near the Godswood, Brianne kneels before Heleana as the girl plays with her small snake.
"Do you like it?" The girl nods and smiles before looking at the older woman. "I saw something in my dreams last night." Brianne's eyes widen, and she smiles. "Did you, sweet girl? Maybe it was a sign that I was coming." She says, but the young girl shakes her head.
"It was a dragon." The older woman's eyebrow raises, and she falls on her knees to be leveled with Helaena. "It was golden and green and fighting an angel with black wings. They fell on the stones."
"The Stepstones?" She asks even though she knows Helaena has never been. The girl shakes her head. Brianne wants to press but stands up when she sees Aemond approach. "Brianne!" He yells, running over to the woman and holding her legs. She chuckles and ruffles his hair. "Hello, my Prince. Where are your mother and Aegon?"
"She is with Daeron, and Aegon is with the Septa. Is Reyanna with you?" Brianne nods, and the boy can't help himself as a smile finds his features. "She is with Ser Jessica, but is very excited to see you."
She can hear footsteps approaching but stop before her, causing her to wobble as she stands.
"Ah! Princess. It's nice to see you again." She beams, and Aemond looks away, knowing Rhaenyra won't acknowledge him. "Hello, Rhaenyra." Helaena mumbles. "Hello, Helaena," Rhaenyra says back kindly, her eyes not leaving Brianne's.
"May I ask why you're here?"
"To see the Queen and young Daeron."
"You come here quite often, Princess." Rhaenyra retorts and Brianne chuckles. "I do. As does Ser Harwin, I'm sure." She says snidely. "He is Commander of the City Watch. He is in court often." Brianne scoffs and nods. "I'm sure he occupies other places often, as your belly tells. And my cousin, of course. The fool."
"We do not speak much anymore." Brianne hums. "That's too bad. I must get going, Your Grace. Aemond takes us to your mother." Aemond grabs her hand and pulls her and Helaena away. Rhaenyra sighs and ducks her head as she finds herself alone once again.
She turns and walks down the hallway, trying to hold her breath as she thinks about Jessica. She always thinks about her. When she turns down a corridor, she sees her guarding a door as a young girl sits beside her, reading a book.
Reyanna Celtigar looked more Dornish than Valyrian. Her skin was tan, and she had long black hair that neither of her parents had. She could recall hearing words uttered about Brianne as they were uttered about her and the births of Jacerys and Lucerys, but her family was deep in Dornish blood.
The girl was beautiful, and although she and the princess didn't have a relationship, Rhaenyra had known of the girl since she was a baby.
Silently, she approaches, rubbing her stomach. Jessica looks ahead as though Rhaenyra isn't there, and Reyanna looks up. In a rush, the girl stands and bows before the princess. "Princess." She greets, making Rhaenyra chuckle. "You have good manners, Reyanna." The girl looks up in shock.
"You know my name?" The blonde nods. "Of course I do. I've known you since you were a babe." Reyanna lights up and taps Jessica on the forearm, making her look down at the girl. "Jessie, did you hear that? The princess knows who I am!" Jessica nods and straightens up.
"I did." Looking forward, she freezes at Rhaenyra's eyes boring into hers. "How are you, Ser Jessica?" She asks. "I am well, princess." She says curtly, making Rhaenyra sigh. "Do you mind if I borrow Reyanna?" Jessica can't help the frown that finds her face, assuming Rhaenyra must have ignored the girl because of Brianne's allegiance to the Greens.
"Oh, Jessie, can I?"
"I-I don't know. Your mother trusted me to watch you while she visited the Queen." She becomes visibly nervous, and Rhaenyra almost reaches for her hand but stops. "I will take her to the Princess and Queen myself." She says and looks at Jessica.
Jessica swallows and nods nervously. "If that is what you wish, Princess." Rhaenyra smiles and holds out a hand for Reyanna. "Come." The girl looks at her cousin for permission, and the older woman nods. The blonde tries to hold her smirk, knowing that Jessica was glaring a hole into her head.
Soon, the two find themselves walking toward the Godswood, and Rhaenyra notices Ser Criston rushing up to them. "Princess!" He exclaims, attempting to hide his panting. "Yes, Ser Criston." She says, turning toward the knight. Beside her, Reyanna looks up at him with curiosity as he calmed his breathing.
"I've been looking for you everywhere, and-"
"Hello." The young girl greets and Criston looks at her in confusion, before looking at Rhaenyra. "Ser Criston Cole, Reyanna. And this is Reyanna Celtigar, Brianne's daughter." The girl waves and the man gives her a tight smile.
"Hello to you as well. I will leave you both now that I have found you." He bows to them and walks away. "He was nice." Rhaenyra chuckles at the girl's comment as they continue their walk. "Is it true you ride a dragon, like my mother?"
"I do. Her name is Syrax."
"Oh! That's cool. My mother's dragon is named Ixarios, which means shadow in our language, and my uncle's dragon is Green Giant or Greju."
"Oh, that's nice. Do you have a dragon?" Reyanna nods. "Don't tell anyone, but mine is deformed. It has three heads." Rhaenyra's eyes widen in shock. "Wow. I've never seen a deformed dragon before."
"Yeah. I call it Kerberos. But it's very young." A smile finds Rhaenyra's lips as she wonders to herself how Brianne could've made and raised such a sweet young girl. "Maybe I can see it one day." Reyanna nods happily. "I would love for you to see it, but sadly she is at home eating all of father's crabs." She says, making the Princess chuckle.
They soon make it to the Godswood, and Reyanna gasps at the beautiful tree. "It's beautiful." She runs off to the tree, softly placing her hands on it. "There are not many trees near the sea." She says before looking back at the Princess, who looks at her with a fondness she didn't expect from a first meeting.
She explains to the girl that her and Jessica, excluding Alicent completely, used to sit here when they were young. When things were simpler.
But she didn't wish to worry Brianne or mull over old times, so she began their journey to the Holdfast. In the Queen's chambers, Aemond watches his older sister play with her new snake, and Alicent's eyes widen as she looks at the door. "Rhaenyra." She mutters, and Brianne turns around, freezing when she sees Reyanna and the princess holding hands.
"Mother!" She runs to Brianne, who doesn't take her eyes off Rhaenyra until her daughter grabs her hand. "Princess Rhaenyra knows who I am! And I told her about my dragon!" Reyanna yells excitedly, making Brianne put on a fake smile and chuckle. "Wow, that's nice, darling." She mutters.
Reyanna looks behind her mother, and her eyes light up at the sight of Aemond. "Hello, Aemond." She greets him, and the boy waves at her shyly. Brianne pats her back. "Go sit over by Aemond and Haelena, darling." Reyanna runs past her mother and sits by Haelena, who is playing with Brianne's gift.
She looks at Rhaenyra, who fidgets with her fingers nervously. "Let me guess, Jessica let you take her." Rhaenyra nods, making Brianne scoffs. She bites and licks her lips while nodding. "Of course she did." Alicent grabs her forearm, and she softens.
"Thank you for keeping her company. I should be spending more time with her, but Andros loves keeping me pregnant." She jokes, making Rhaenyra chuckle. "It was my pleasure." She says, before leaving the room without another word.
Brianne stares after her with a sigh, not noticing the gears turning in her lover's head.
Later in the night, when all the kids had gone to bed, Alicent and Brianne sat in the latter's chambers as she held a sleeping Daeron on her hips. "Would you want Reyanna to stay here?" Alicent asks, making Brianne look up from Daeron with a frown.
"Why?"
"As Rhaenyra's lady. It is an idea that did not strike me until I saw it." Brianne shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "No."
"Brianne-" The blonde softly places Daeron on her bed.
"My daughter will not be a pawn for your schemes!" Brianne exclaims, and her jaw clenches as Alicent approaches, grabbing her hand. "Brianne-" Brianne snatches her hand away, making Alicent sigh.
"No!" Alicent hugs herself and backs away, making Brianne sigh. "She will not be a pawn. Rhaenyra likes her, and-"
"They just met! I will not let you use her as a sponge for information, Alicent!" Alicent doesn't react and looks away. "Forget her being Rhaenyra's lady. What if we betrothed her to Aemond?" Brianne looks at her with furrowed brows. Alicent looks back with a calm expression. "He fancies her, and I think she does too."
She moves to Brianne, placing her hand on the woman's pregnant belly. "You can focus on Elissa." She says, referring to the fetus, making Brianne chuckle. "And what will we do when she becomes Elian?" Alicent smirks and kisses the side of Brianne's mouth.
"We'll have to wait and see."
"Well, she cannot be a lady until she is of age." Alicent nods and kisses Brianne again. "She will be no pawn. I promise."
The Queen was honest when she told the Princess that Reyanna would not be a pawn, but the thought of it never left her mind as she grew to despise the Crown Princess more.
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#doubleupdate💁🏽♀️
i really just wanted to introduce a character who will be important to my story so voila! ps. reyanna is aemonds age so a bit older than rhaenyras boys.
also sorry for the little jess and rhae but they're will be plenty more next chapter.