"You look beautiful." Alicent said as she rested her chin on Elia's shoulder, standing behind her as she looked at the soon to be Queen in the mirror.
Elia smiled as she gazed over the most glorious black and blue dress Alicent had specially designed for her. The entire of the dress was sapphire blue, with wide neck that revealed her pale shoulders. She wore a velvet black corset around her waist and an assortment of jewels weaved and pinned through her long silver plaited hair.
"Do you think I'll be a good ruler your grace? Truly?" Elia asked as she kept her eyes gazed in the mirror at her reflection.
Alicent's smile softened as she moved her chin off of Elia's shoulder and stepped around to face her properly. "Of course you will, and you'll have all of us here if you ever get stuck." She said assuringly.
Elia frowned, "You've always been kind to me your grace, despite the past feuds between my family and yours. For the longest time I've been trying to comprehend why you show me such kindness and generosity, and even after swirling over it for quite a while, I haven't yet figured it out." She said, fiddling her fingers together as she found herself becoming unsure of whether or not she should have mentioned anything.
Alicent's soft brown eyes poured into Elia's as she gazed toward the silver haired girl in front of her. The Queen moved her hands on each of Elia's shoulders, giving them a soft squeeze before parting her lips to speak. "When I look at you, Im reminded of someone I use to care for very deeply in my younger years. Not just the physical similarities the two of you share, but an almost identical personality." Alicent explained, pausing a moment to assess how the Princess was reacting before she would continue.
"The person.. it's my mother isn't it?" Elia asked.
Alicent pulled her eyes away from Elia and cast them downwards. "I love you like you're my own daughter, Princess." She said, ignoring Elia's question to speak on her affection toward the girl.
Elia's cheeks turned a soft red at the Queens words, "I'm glad someone does.." she said, trailing off as she thought back to the way her mother had practically abandoned her.
Alicent swiftly pulled Elia into her arms, embracing the girl as she held a hand on the back of Elia's head, tears begging to surge at her eyes. "Your mother loves you Elia, I know it seems like she doesn't, but she does." Alicent said, her voice becoming shaky as she fought not to cry. The Queen couldn't help but feel like it was her fault that Rhaenyra had turned her back on Elia.
Elia couldn't find any words and instead just stood quietly as the Queen soothed her, assuring her that everything was alright and that what they were doing was the right thing.
....
"People of King's Landing! Today is the saddest of days, for we part with our beloved King, Viserys the peaceful. But it also the most joyous of days, for as his spirit left us, he whispered his final wish, that his first born Granddaughter, Elia should succeed him!" Otto announced to the crowd that filled the Dragonpit. Of course this was no surprise to them as they had already been informed of such on the day of Elia's wedding.
The crowd brought their hands together in applaud as the marching sounds of soldiers made their way into the Dragonpit in perfect lines, leaving a path to be walked through by the Princess.
"Halt! Turn!" The captain of the guards ordered, as so the soldiers followed.
The trumpets began playing and the command of the captain spoke again. "Present! Arms!"
With that command, the soldiers reached their hands to their scabbard in perfect unison and drew their sword fourth, pointing its tip upwards to create a sort of archway. Not a moment later did the long silver hair of Princess Elia step into sight and began her stride down the archway of swords.
"It is your great, good fortune and privilege, to be here to witness this! A new day for our city, a new day for our realm, a new Queen to lead us!" Otto announced as Elia made her way slowly up the stairs of the cobble platform.
Alicent smiled at the girl with soft eyes as she stepped towards her, taking the Princesses hands in her own and giving them a reassuring squeeze. Elia had been second guessing herself for a while on the judgement of whether being Queen was right, but after seeing the pool of faces smiling up at her, the admiration that people had for her and the reassuring presence of the Greens, she knew this decision was the right one.
Alicent turned with Elia's hand in her own and guided her to stand in front of Otto, where the kings hand gave her a nod as queue. Elia bent her knee and lowered herself to the ground, tilting her head to the ground as she did so.
The Priest stepped towards her with the crown in hand. "May the warrior give her courage! May the smith lend strength to her sword and shield." He started as he drew his finger over Elia's forehead. "May the father defend her in her needs, may the crone lift her shining lamp and light her way to wisdom." The Priest finalised his speech before turning and handing the crown over to Ser Criston Cole.
The white cloak stepped towards Elia and spoke. "The crown of the conquerer, passed down through generations!" He announced as he lowered the black crown onto Elia's silver hair. "Let the seven bear witness! Elia Targaryen is the true heir to the Iron Throne!"
Elia slowly lifted herself off her knees and stood herself back up straight, resting her hands in front of her as she did so. Her heart was racing in this moment, with the crown atop her head it was all becoming so real.
Aemond had a slight smirk on his face as he bowed his head toward his wife. Helaena did the same, as she picked up the sides of her dress and curtsied.
Otto glanced over the crowd with a smile before looking at Elia. "All hail her grace! Elia, First of her name, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men! Lady of the seven kingdoms and protector of the realm!" He spoke, his voice loud for everyone to hear him.
The bells rung and Elia turned slowly to face the crowd before her.
"Elia the Queen!" Ser Criston called.
And in that instant, the Dragonpit was filled with the applaud of the crowd. But as the clapping deafened the ears of all, three powerful roars sounded and then the white Tide Breaker and Red Phoenix bounded in the Dragonpit doors and landed on the ground on each side of Elia. Cannibal landed at the Dragonpit door and peered his head inside as he was too big to fit in the building.
Elia smiled proudly as her dragons roared in unison for her ascent to power. The crowd continued to rumble in applaud, their morale boosted by the dragons presence. Phoenix lifted her wings in the air and roared out again, making the crowd cheer even louder in excitement.
"Hail the Queen!" Cries echoed through the Dragonpit as hands bound together in applaud and thrust upward in cheer.
Elia smiled as she looked upon her new subjects and she parted her lips to speak when in a sudden, the floor broke away and a huge cloud of smoke engulfed the entirety of the Dragonpit. A monstrous roar followed from amongst the smoke and then the silhouette of a dragon came into sight. Cannibal roared out as he feared for the life of his rider and tried shoving his way through the doors, but to no avail, he couldn't fit and even if he forced his way inside, he would only make the building collapse. Phoenix and Tide Breaker however, were at Elia's side and both moved their heads on front of her as they hissed lowly at the dragon in front of them that was causing calamity throughout the building.
Once the smoke cleared, Meleys The Red Queen was revealed, with her rider Rhaenys Targaryen atop her saddle, looking down upon Elia and the Greens.
Alicent rushed to Elia's side and stood in front of her, using her body as a shield for the silver haired Queen. Though this was hardly necessary as Phoenix and Tide Breakers large heads were shielding the lot of them from a possible attack of flame from Meleys.
Cannibal continued to screech at Meleys, warning her to get away from his rider.
"Lykirī Cannibal." Elia called to her dragon before glancing back up at Rhaenys.
Aemond and Aegon both hurried to Elia's side and Aemond pulled his Queen into his chest, protecting her from any harm that might come. Aegon was trembling in fear of what the Red Queen might do to them, and yet he kept himself in his place right beside Elia, showing that he was there for her.
Phoenix and Meleys stared at each other with intense snarls, as if calling the other a traitor. After all, they were sisters and had fought alongside each other decades prior.
Meleys pulled back her neck, making it look as if she was going to spit flame.
Alicent kept herself placed in front of Elia, the former Queens head ducking down as she readied herself for the fire that could potentially reach her.
Tide Breaker and Phoenix stood their ground, hissing at the Red Queen, daring for her to try something.
But when Meleys neck stretched forward again and her jaws opened, only a piercing roar left.
Alicent's head slowly raised as she realised she hadn't been burnt to a crisp, and a relieved sigh escaped her lips. Aemond and Aegon also sighed in relief, but they didn't yet dare leaving her side. Aemond kept her safely wrapped in his arms, and she had never felt more safe than how she did with him protecting her.
Meleys let out one final snarl before turning around and bounding out of the Dragonpit doors, past Cannibal who hissed at her before the Red Dragon and The Queen That Never Was, flew off.
Elia's eyes watched as her grandmother and Meleys disappeared and she wondered if Rhaenys was heading for Dragonstone. How would her mother react now that she had actually taken the crown?
Authors Note: All hail Queen Elia am I right?