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𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 grandfather was born there was a Cruel King that reigned over Westeros━━ Maegor Targaryen. He was the only son of the Conquerors Visenya and Aegon and he ruled with an iron fist.
He stabilized the realm and bought Westeros and the Targaryen Dynasty enough time to have their saviour be born. Someone to bring end to the religious zealots of the seven and who would lead the Dynasty to glory and carry the bloodline that would bring forth The Prince That was Promised.
Maegor himself had a dream of a Targaryen woman on the Iron Throne and the realm bowing at her feet.
At first, the Cruel King thought the Queen was his own daughter Aerea and died believing so━━ however, he was wrong.
The Queen that Was Promised to sit upon the Iron Throne was Celaena Targaryen.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 within the Red Keep's walls was quiet to a fault, save from the High Septon's useless prayers to his false gods as Celaena slipped behind a tapestry, quiet as a wraith.
Click. Click. Click.
The heels of her boots hit the floors in a steady rhythm as she cycled the man like prey. Something angry, ancient, within her rumbled with satisfaction at seeing the old man freeze in fear of her.
The meeting was a waste of time, so Celaena would take matters into her own hands.
"𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐕𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐄 since you walked into this room is try and make yourselves the victims when it was my blood, my family, dying left and right because of you pathetic life forms!" Daemon's rage made the room feel hot and stifling as he glared down at the five individuals that had joined them.
Cowards the lot of them. Hiding behind their religion to commit atrocities and then call themselves the voice of Gods.
"Prince Daemon all that we've done has been for the good of the Realm━━" Celaena's voice, or more so, hiss cut them off.
"So you deny nothing?!" She demands, all talks of remaining calm thrown out of the highest window. There they sat, the traitors behind her mother's poisoning, her grandmother's and grandfather's death and fourteen flames knew what else pleading innocence. "This will not stand with the crown." She added with finality that made the men's eyes snap to the King, who sat idly by with his head low.
Rhaenys leaned forward, lips pulled into what only looked like a smile. Celaena knew the art of making a smile as sharp as Valyrian steel very well. "Her Grace, is correct. I believe a trial would be in order." The Princess mused cruelly and Daemon snickered despite his anger.
"And it best be soon. We have far more important things to deal with." Rhaenyra sneered at the men, hands woven together on the table and her back pinned straight. She grew daily into her future role of Lady Paramount, it seemed. Her confidence had only risen since she began her tutelage under their aunt.
Celaena studied her with pride. Their mother would be proud, so proud . She then stood up from her chair and pinned her deadly stare upon the pale, trembling, pathetic traitors.
"Say your prayers to your false gods, enjoy a last meal━━ you are being put on trial tommorow."
And Celaena lacked the patience to wait for the trial━━ she'd sated the beast within for long enough. Had waited and scheemed and been reasonable beyond what she thought was possible.
She did not have Otto Hightower or his fool brother but Celaena had lured the Archmaester right into the Dragon's Nest.
And now, Celaena Targaryen wanted retribution.
The Archmaester had been called in as an advisor for both her grandmother and mother's fatal pregnancies. Had been called in to advise on the case of her grandfather━━ she had people on the inside, she'd read their diaries and case notes.
Celaena knew all and all knew nothing.
"I was not raised by Septas or Maesters." Celaena sighed, a hand rubbing her aching pregnant belly as the other gripped Aegon's dagger.
Her little one had been kicking up a storm all morning, most likely as rageful as their parents somehow. A small smile almost tugged at her lips as she thought about all the chaos their little one would bring.
"My aunts raised me in the Eyrie to honour my heritage and have me develop a mind of my own." She mused and continued her steady steps, circling and circling her victim. "As did my mother, Queen Aemma." The candles around them dimmed at the sound of her late mother's name, as if the Gods themselves grieved for her loss.
"Remember her? You orchestrated her death after all━━ you and those traitorous rats." Celaena spat and watched as the man fliched away from her scathing words.
The Archmaester shook his head, "Princess━━"
"You will refer to me as Your Grace when speaking to me or any member of House Targaryen." She cut him off, eyes widening dangerously as she noticed the slight snarl that made his lips tremble.
He struggled to speak at first, "Y-Your Grace... we had no involvement in what happened to your mother..."
Celaena's echoing steps came to a halt behind the man, her Valyrian steel hovering dangerously over his jagular.
The man whimpered and trembled and Celaena smiled.
"Lies? In the house of your Gods?" She looked around the dusty sept, her nose scrunching in disgust. "How shameful..." Celaena dug into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a letter, sealed shut and signed, dropping it at his feet.
"What is this?"
"Your handwritten and signed confession. The one you wrote before you took your life within your place of worship to beg for forgiveness for your many sins." Celaena's voice trailed off as the man started spewing his bullshit once more. "I cannot kill you just like that, you see. Some fools might make you a martyr━━ or Gods forbid, a saint." She said and shuddered. "Day by day Maegor's cruelty towards makes sense━━" Celaena chuckled "━━ let's hope your prayers for forgiveness were heard by at least your gods."
The man tried to move, but there was little he could risk with the threat of Valyrian Steel kissing his jagular. "I need not my Gods' forgiveness. All I've done, all my life's work has been in his name." He spat at her and Celaena digs her dagger hard enough to draw blood as she leaned closer to the vermin's ear.
"Your life's work makes them puke." She taunted and slashed.
Celaena had come to discover that she thrived under spilt blood, the beast within her calmed when she bathed in it.
She left the way she came. Quiet and unnoticeable.
There was a dagger held tightly within the dead man's palm by the time a maid found him later.
A letter of confession laying beside him is found and by the next hour, the entirety of King's Landing knows just how wicked their old saviours were.
By the next day, ravens had been sent all around the kingdom.
Celaena truly loved watching her life's work unfold.
𝐋𝐀𝐄𝐍𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 in the gardenswith her purple eyes marvelling at the gentle waves bellow. The symphonies of the waves crushing upon the castle's crimson stone foundations had been steadily lulling her to a gentle sleep when Rickon found her.
He stood by her side quietly at first, stormy grey eyes admiring the view before them. Laena kept her eyes on the endless blue for a moment longer before turned to look at him at last.
An easy smile rested upon his face but Laena had grown to know him well enough through late night talks and long flights. Despite the boyish picture his smile painted, he was nervous.
"Is everything alright?" She asked softly and waited patiently for his answer. Laena knew he'd tell her, eventually, if not then. Rickon was not one for keeping secrets from those he cared about. She was lucky enough to be one of those.
Rickon turned to face her, leaning against the railing as he did so, and his easy smile widened into a grin. "Perfect, surprisingly so━━ considering we're about to head to war." His eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiled and, damn him, Laena found it to be perhaps the most endearing thing she'd ever witnessed.
"You look troubled." She pointed out regardless of his brushing off.
Rickon shook his head lightly leaning down ever so slightly making her heart race. "I have a question to ask you, my Lady. The wait has made me anxious." He mumbled and his gaze dropped to her parted lips.
Laena cursed him and his good looks and pretty eyes that made her feel━━ feel utterly very strange, damnit! She huffed and then smiled, "I'm all ears, My Lord. I have grown quite curious now, you shouldn't be keeping a Lady waiting." Laena mused and Rickon chuckled, causing her facade to crack.
A grin spread across her face, one that only widened once Rickon took her hands within his own. "Lady Laena Velaryon━━"
"That's fancy. Shall I use your full name to address you, from now on, as well?" Laena teased and watched, satisfied, as a red hue covered Rickon's face
He gave her a look full of mirth. "Laena." He said her name so gently, so sweetly, every fear within her turned to nothing, gone with the wind. "From the very moment I met you━━ laid eyes on you, in fact━━ your wilderness and spirit have me bewitched." Her hands squeezed his fingers so hard Laena didn't even doubt she'd cut off his blood circulation. "You are magnificent, Laena, and when I think of what the future may hold for me I cannot help myself but think of you by side. Hope, you will be there with me." His voice was thick with emotion and his eyes shine with adoration and━━ Gods have mercy on her soul, he looked at her like he's in love.
And Laena knows she's in love too. She just does. As the waves crash bellow and the smell of flowers fills her nose, Laena knows.
She loves him.
"Rickon━━" her voice cracked and her eyes watered.
No feeling came close to being told that someone loves you, thinks of you as some Goddess come to earth, despite the things you've been taught to think and see as fatal flaws
Because Laena, for all her bravado, and confidence, and good looks was not a woman many look at for love. She was untamable and wild, and she was unbreakable. Laena was not what most men looked at for a wife and that was fine.
It was fine but deep down, it hurt━━ if only a little because that's who Laena was and she would not change. Thus, she would not be loved.
Then, the Young Wolf of the North had waltzed into her life and proved her wrong. Her faults may be faults but, they were lovable and so was she.
The man before her released an unsteady breath. "We are marching into a war and nothing is certain no matter how cunning our Queen is, or how much the odds are in our favour." His hands reached up to her face, wiping a stray tear away. Laena had not realised when it had fallen. "So with your permission, Laena, I would like to ask for your hand. For you to have my love, and my heart━━ officially. For, the Gods themselves know they have both been yours since the day I first lay my eyes on you." Rickon smiled and his eyes shined like liquid silver in the sun and he looked beautiful and he was so oblivious it was funny.
Laena giggled. "Foolish Rickon." She sniffled and stood on her tip toes to place a kiss at the corner of his lips. "My hand has been yours since I gave it to you that day at camp." When he'd asked her to dance, it almost felt like a lifetime ago. "I shall have your heart and your love, as long as you accept to have mine." She lifted her nimble fingers and brushed a stray lock of hair away from his face as he watched her in quiet fascination.
Rickon's hands fell to her waist and tug her closer as Laena noticed a certain spark lit within his eyes. Almost on instinct, wild thoughts entered her frazzled mind and Laena bit down on her lip softly as she cast them out.
She cursed at Celaena and her book recommendations, that was her fault.
The Young Wolf, however, missed nothing.
His grin was that of a wolf as he spoke. "And how glad I am to be bestowed such an honour, my Lady Laena." He uttered softly, thumbs drawing circles at her hips, as his eyes fell. "Although, I fear I may need some convincing." He mumbled, leaning closer and Laena's hands shook from the anticipation. They ran up his arms, around his neck and at last she tangled them up within his dark hair.
It was a dangerous game she was playing, Laena knew.
She knew eyes would no doubt be on them but Laena didn't care. She cared about nothing but that moment. It was passing her by so fast she was already breathless and she'd be damned if she cared for anything else then.
With a head tilt, Laena grinned like the dragon she was. "Then convince you, I shall. Rickon." With a tug at his hair, Laena had him down to her level. Within the next second, she had her shaking lips on his, holding back a grin as the world melted into nothing around her.
There was only her, Rickon and the sea.
And that was all that bloody mattered.
Author's Note
( In case you are wondering, yes this was edited and yes things changed. I honestly never realised how bad the previous version was....yikes. anyhow this just motivated me to get on with finishing this book just so I can properly edit it. See ya soon! )
Hello y'all... it's been AWHILE! but now I'm back and done with the writer's block AND my finals so also expect an update tommorow!
Laena is literally the loml and she's so pretty so I HAD to do her justice here y'all, I had to.
Also, Celaena is girlbossing, manslaughtering, scheeming again but now the drama approaches once more...👀 And some sad bits. Because authors can be evil.