(For whoever wants to see Rhaena as black or white)
Summary: Rhaena the Septa was known as Rhaena The Chaste, Aegon III the Broken King's legacy lived through her, as House Targaryen recovered its influence under Rhaena's care as she strengthened alliances and made new pacts.
The heat of Dorne was not that bad, but in order to protect her golden hair, Rhaena was wearing a shawl.
Since her first cousin-once removed Daeron had become king five years ago, Rhaena was trying to find common ground with the population of Dorne. Ever since Rhaena had gotten out of the Maidenvault, she had dedicated herself to help the dynasty of her family, as well as recover the trust of Westeros.
Rhaena would be lying if she said it had been easy; it had been extremely difficult, but at least they were now progressing, and with Dorne now being an official part of the Seven Kingdoms there was a new flicker of hope.
And here she was, sharing food with a family of orphans of the greenblood.
"D'you want more sauce Septa Rhaena?" Asked the head of the family, a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and light brown eyes called Laurel.
"Yes, a little bit more would be fine"
Dornish food was delicious, and Rhaena was already wondering how she would eat anything else that wasn't made in Dorne.
"And how is your cousin, the king?" Rhaena halted her movements for a while but quickly regained her composure.
"The king is fine, his wife and him are doing everything they can for the realm and are also taking care of their family."
"I must be honest with you Septa" Said the matriarch.
"At first, we didn't think he would make the alliance work, but it seems we were wrong."
"What do you mean my lady?" Rhaena kept her tone neutral.
"The Dornish are known for their independent spirit, they have always remained so, and we were surprised to see they relented." The matriarch stated.
"Indeed they are, that is why they now stand as equals to the Iron Throne."
"Though not entirely, Dorne still has the inheritance system going for the firstborn child, not son, like the rest of Westeros." Said the matriarch's husband.
"Yes, that will not change."
"It's a shame those snobby lords think only men are efficient rulers, though." He mumbled. "The king must have a lot of trust in you if you are here."
"Indeed my Lord, he is one of the best kings the realm has had." Rhaena admitted.
Her cousin Daeron had worked hard for the sake of the Seven Kingdoms, her own father Aegon the Broken King, and her uncle Viserys were surely among the best too. Her brothers were a mix between the two. Her brother Daeron had been older than Rhaena for four years, and Rhaena was not as sly back then as now so she could help him, and his stubbornness killed him in the end when Dorne rebelled. And Baelor had died because of his own faith in the Seven, his zealous faith that made him starve himself to death, according to what she heard, Baelor was good with the smallfolk, however he was plunging the realm into chaos due to his zealotry. Her cousin Aegon, however, was one of the worst kings Westeros had ever had.
"I have heard you have the exact eyes of the first queen of Aegon Dragonbane." One of the girls whispered to her.
"Yes, my eyes are similar to the ones of Queen Jaehaera."
"Of what I heard about her, she seemed good, that thanks to her the Dance of the Dragons ended and that the truces worked because of her."
"Well, she was a queen for whom many things happened, and I must tell you that I am proud my father had her in his life." Rhaena smiled and the girl nodded.
"Your own father was called the Broken King, right?" Asked a boy who was one of the youngest boys, taking Rhaena by surprise.
'Aegon the Broken King'
It had been a long time since someone recalled her father with that moniker.
"Yes, some people called him that" Rhaena answered politely.
"Why?" Asked the boy again with the curious possessed by children.
"Because they said he was broken inside after every loss he had been through."
His grandfather, parents, older brothers, his first wife, and a childhood friend who had been with him who had barely survived the dance of the dragons.
"Oh"
"I'm sorry Septa, you know how children are." Apologized his mother.
"Don't worry, I understand."
After the meal of the midday ended, Rhaena retired, she had to go back to the motherhouse of Sunspear.
As she was reading a book about the Children of the Forest her carriage rode towards the motherhouse, and her mind suddenly drifted to her father.
'Aegon the Broken King'
Few knew him for who he actually was, and it while it was true he was a broken man, he did many things that were good for Westeros, his brokenness had not been a weakness, it had been what helped him set things right.
Aegon the Broken King had told her many things that helped Rhaena see she had to make justice, not wait for it, and that was what she was doing, or at least trying.
The Broken King also told her that even though he couldn't stand the image of a dragon, he knew they needed them if they were to face an enemy.
The fact they didn't have them any longer unsettled her and yet at the same time calmed her somehow, as she doubted her brother Daeron would have been able to fully conquer Dorne with them as the Conquerors had also had dragons and yet they failed in their invasion of Dorne.
Now she was thinking about her brother, maybe Daeron had thought that if they conquered Dorne, they would be able to leave the memory of the dance behind them, but it didn't happen that way.
"We're close, my princess"
"Thank you Ser"
It was still weird that some people still called her "my princess", but she guessed that was out of loyalty to her House. Rhaena didn't mind it, as she knew she was one because that was the only way she could help the realm since they had passed over her rights to become queen.
When they arrived Rhaena noticed there was a small crowd in the motherhouse.
She quickly got down and as soon as she was out of the carriage, heads turned to look at her.
"PRINCESS!" They were now heading towards her and the knight that was accompanying her stood between them and her.
"What is happening?!" Rhaena shouted so they could listen to her.
"We wished to meet you" Answered one woman, almost as tall as Rhaena.
"We wanted to see if it was true one of the cousins of the king was staying here"
"Well, I am" She answered trying to stand her ground.
"If you wish to speak, so be it, but calmly"
"Of course"
In a few moments the small crowd left and now Rhaena was in front of the ringleader called Clarice inside of the motherhouse.
"May I know why you really wanted to see me?"
She was curious.
"You know the history of Westeros, specially the history of your family."
"I do"
"If that's the case, then you know there have always been a tense relationship between Dorne and King's Landing, and there have been many kings who tried to conquer Dorne, one once came in here barefoot and after that he sent many rules about what had to change after the annex of Dorne, many of them about how we had to dress and our customs, I must tell you" That one was surely Baelor. "And two years ago, our prince married your princess."
"If you wish to meet them, I can arrange it, but let me tell you I do not understand why you tell me this now when that marriage happened two years ago."
Clarice crossed her arms.
"Because as I told you, we wanted to meet you." Clarice said, a fire in her eyes that reminded Rhaena of Daena.
"Here in Dorne, we have listened to tales about the pious cousin of the new king and how she has kept the realm from collapsing and has strengthened many ties in these eighteen years." Clarice kept staring into Rhaena's eyes.
"And it's interesting, because they say you are as pious as your deceased overly religious brother, and yet, you have shared roof with northerns, ironborns and orphans of the greenblood, people who don't worship the Seven."
Rhaena sighed and with a flicker of courage she replied.
"I may be pious, that is true, but that doesn't mean I plan on converting people who already have their beliefs." She would not tremble in her voice, she needed to seem sure of what she was saying as she was. "My brothers and my poor excuse of a cousin made mistakes, and I am sorry your people had to suffer that, but his children Daeron and Daenerys are not like them." Now she had to explain her own reasons. "And I respect the people of the realm, and because of that I am here, to be with them, to show them the House of the Dragon is still strong, I came to Dorne to know about you, about the strength od Dorne, that is why I became a septa."
Clarice was now grinning.
"The Septa Daughter of the Broken King, you truly are a dignified daughter of your father." Now Rhaena grinned.
"They say you have the very same eyes of his first wife, a girl who brokered peace and a new beginning, that must have been a good omen."
"You believe in omens?"
"A little."
"And is there an omen that has indicated both my cousins' reigns are going to be good?"
"Indeed" Clarice's arms hung by her sides. "You are here after all."