TWENTY-FIVE YEARS LATER
King Maegon sat on the throne as his two sons fought each other with wooden spears. Rhaegon, the older of the two, bragged as he proceeded to whack Maekor, the youngest prince, right in the side of the head.
Maekor held his head as he looked up at his father, "That's not fair! I thought we were only disarming each other!"
Maegon stood from the chair as Rhaegon went for another blow before being stopped by his father.
"This is only a practice. I do suggest putting more hours into your trainings a lot more though. And I mean a lot more," Maegon said as his youngest son pushed Rhaegon away in anger, "Maybe I would be better if Rhaegon actually taught me how to spar!"
Rhaegon who had just turned ten and five hated being pushed around, "It is not my fault that you are awful!"
Maegon put a hand on Rhaegon's chest as the two brothers leaned toward each other, "I am going to have to give you two new sparring partners if you both can't help each other."
"He has no redeeming qualities," Rhaegon says as Maegon gives him a look.
"Sure he does," Maegon turns to Maekor's embarrassed face, "He is quick and rather small. That could be used as an advantage."
Rhaegon stared at his brother, unable to see what his father saw in him.
"And you Rhaegon are taller and slightly bigger which means you can be slower," Maegon pointed out, "You may be stronger than Maekor but maybe not as quick. You both can learn from each other."
"But I don't—"
"There will be no more arguing," Maegon sternly said as Rhaegon shut his mouth, "Now you both are brothers. Learn to work together. If not, I will have you sparring with Laena for the rest of the week."
At this, Rhaegon grabbed the spear and awkwardly patted Maekor on the back, "I'd rather be with Maekor than go with Laena."
"For once I agree," Maekor says as he spins the wooden sword, "I sparred with her a couple of days ago and the cut still has not healed!"
"Exactly," Maegon smirked. Whilst the three men of the family were dealing with their training, Queen Baela was soaring the skies on Moondancer.
Princess Laena rode Myrax, her grand uncle's dragon who had been unclaimed for many years. The black and blue dragon was a marvelous sight to see alongside the pale green dragon. The people cheered as Baela flew into the clouds disappearing.
Laena looked around as she tightened her grip on the ropes of Myrax, who roared.
"Mother?!" Laena shouted as a gust of wind hit her face.
"WOOO!" Baela shrieked as Moondancer spread her wings and flew all the way down to the water, "DON'T FALL BEHIND, LAENA!"
The Queen's words drove her daughter further, determined to beat her mother at this race.
The onlookers cheered as the Princess began to pick up speed on her dragon, hot on her mother's heels.
Laena closed her eyes the designated finish line came closer and closer. The sound of Myrax's roar was so loud, Laena did not hear that she had beat her mother in the race.
The dragonkeepers as well as the crowd of small folk gifted the Princess many crowns of flowers, jewelry of their own making, and new riding gear.
The Princess was so loved around the realm and it was precisely why she was Maegon's favorite. She was kind but bold, and like Baela, loved to ride her dragon.
She was born to be Queen.
Meanwhile in Westeros, Queen Rhaenyra was sitting in a council meeting with Prince Aegon acting as her cupbearer. They had been discussing the situation at hand about what to do with the crowded Dragonpit and whether to get rid of it completely or not.
Rhaenyra needed a second opinion and she heard every single one that came her way about the dragons. But she only listened to one of them.
After the meeting, she made her way over to her chambers where Maekara sat patiently waiting for Rhaenyra.
The Targaryen Queen smiled as she approached the love of her life. Maekara had been sitting on a chair by the balcony holding newborn Daena Targaryen who was fast asleep.
Maekara hummed her Valyrian song, eyes closed as she rocked Daena in her arms. She seemed to be at peace and enjoying the silence. The past few months had been rough for Maekara who had episodes of paranoia and anxiety.
She was worried that something was coming for her, but Rhaenyra refused to accept that Maekara was going mad. And therefore did not go through with her promise anymore. Maekara couldn't see that something was wrong with her mind and Rhaenyra chose not to see it.
Rhaenyra crept closer as Mae opened her eyes, shifting her gaze to the Targaryen woman.
"This sweet girl has been asleep for a while," Mae softly chuckled as Rhaenyra dragged a chair, sitting beside them, "Tell Aegon that I will give her back soon...I just can't let her go." Mae grinned widely at the babe before her.
Rhaenyra smiled as she watched them.
"The Dragonpit is to be demolished," Rhaenyra told Mae who turned with slight surprise.
"House Targaryen is to follow the protocols that House Maltheon follows regarding their dragons," Rhaenyra said with a smirk.
"Ahh," Mae sighed as Daena began to open her eyes, "Oh my, the sweet little Princess is awake." Rhaenyra raised her brows as Mae rocked Daena, "Would you rather be with your grandmother?"
Daena began to cry loudly as Mae smiled at Rhaenyra, "I think your granddaughter wants nothing to do with me."
Rhaenyra laughed softly as she grabbed Daena, holding her head and positioning her comfortably. Mae winced in pain as Rhaenyra's brows furrowed together, "Everything alright with you?"
"Yes..my left arm has just been hurting a little," Mae said as she kissed Daena's little head. Rhaenyra nodded as she looked back at Daena.
"You know, you calling me her grandmother makes me feel rather old," Rhaenyra admitted as Mae laughed and stood from her seat.
"We are old," Mae affirmed as she leaned forward, her lips almost touching Rhaenyra's. Rhaenyra looked down at Mae's lips and back up at her eyes. Her stomach twisted with excitement and lust as the Maltheon woman teased her lips. She spoke through her teeth, frustrated, "Don't even start, my love. We have a child present."
"I know," Mae said, "It just brings me pleasure to see you frustrated."
"You are evil," Rhaenyra says to Maekara as she plants a kiss on Daena's head, stroking her silver-gold hair.
Rhaenyea looks down at Daena, "I think I will put this beautiful girl back in her crib. She has seen enough of our faces today."
"Believe it or not, I agree," Mae jested as she sat back down on the chair, "I'd be pretty tired too if I had to stare at my gorgeous face all day."
"I have been staring at that gorgeous face for years and I have yet to grow tired of it. In fact, I think I fall more in love with it every day," Rhaenyra winked at Mae who blushed and looked back at the Bay.
"I will be right back," Rhaenyra said as she opened the door.
"And I will be right here waiting for you," Mae promised as she watched Rhaenyra leave with a wide smile on her face.
As soon as Rhaenyra left the room with Daena, Mae clutched her chest. The former Queen had been hiding her pain the entire day, hence why she grabbed baby Daena for comfort. She sat up in her chair, holding her heart. Maekara took a deep breath as she closed her eyes once again.
She heard the roar of Maxis in the distance. She never flew too close to the castle and was most likely back on Dragonstone to hunt for food. That is how loud her roar truly was.
Mae suddenly began to huff out shallow breaths, her chest felt as if someone had dropped Maxis on top of her.
She felt as if the walls were caving in on her.
She felt terrible.
"Not like this," Maekara muttered to herself as she tried to get up from her chair.
The pain was too much.
•
Prince Rhaemont Maltheon was now thirty and three and he had become close with Queen Rhaenyra's youngest child whose birth was rather famous in Westeros, Princess Vysenya Targaryen.
The Princess was now twenty and five years old and Queen Rhaenyra still spoiled her with every chance she got.
The Princess had been traveling with Rhaemont the Humble for several months throughout Pentos. Prince Joffrey had also been traveling with the duo and they had so many stories to tell by the time they would arrive back home.
And that is exactly why he had come to the Queen's chambers. He was ready to tell his mother of the people he had met in Pentos as well as the things he had seen. He was sure to find his mother in Rhaenyra's chambers and approached the guards, holding Vysenya's hand.
"Is my mother or Queen Rhaenyra inside?" Rhaemont asked as the guards nodded.
"Yes, your mother is inside, my Prince. Her Grace, Queen Rhaenyra stepped out less than 10 minutes ago," The guard informed them as Vysenya thanked him.
"I am going to step inside for a few minutes just to let my mother know I am here," Rhaemont reassured them.
The guards bowed their heads as they stepped away, "My Prince. Princess."
Rhaemont stepped inside, the door creaking loudly. He peeked inside, a smile curling on his lips at the sight of his mother who sat on the chair.
He crept inside, Vysenya following behind him.
"Mother? It's Vysenya and I," Rhaemont called out as he stepped closer to his mother who was not moving.
"Mother?" Rhaemont approached her, "Are you alright?"
He got closer and realized that something was wrong. Vysenya touched Rhaemont's shoulder, "Maybe she has fallen asleep?"
"No, she hasn't," Rhaemont declared as he dashed forward. He took one look at his mother's face and immediately panicked.
"Mother?" He tapped her face softly as he grabbed her, trying to shake her awake, "Mother?"
He grew increasingly anxious as he put her arm around his shoulder, "Help me get her to the bed!"
Vysenya came around, also grabbing an arm, "What's wrong?"
"She's all right," Rhaemont breathed out, obvious panic present in his tone, "She is just jesting. Right, Mother?"
No answer as they laid her on the bed, and Rhaemont shook her a few more times.
"No, no, no," Rhaemont muttered to himself as he put his ear to her mouth, listening for breathing, "Oh gods—"
Vysenya also shook Maekara several times to no avail. Rhaemont began to tremble as he pointed to the door and back at Vysenya, "You need to..need to call for someone."
"Who could I call for this?" Vysenya asked as Rhaemont looked up sharply at her.
"ANYONE!" Rhaemont shouted and saw that Vysenya did not move, staring at Maekara in shock.
"NOW!" Rhaemont ordered louder and Vysenya finally got moving.
"What is going on?" The Prince's lips trembled as he stroked his mother's silver hair, "What are you doing, mother?"
•
"Was she awake when you found her?" Markus asked softly as he held his sister's hand, staring at her body.
"What?" Rhaemont asked as Markus did not look away.
"I am not going to repeat myself again. Was she awake when you found her or not?" Markus asked sternly as Rhaemont shook his head.
"A verbal answer!" Markus replied.
"NO!" Rhaemont shouted as Vysenya rubbed his arm, Markus looked up at him, "Sorry...Um..She was already unconscious by the time I walked in there."
He sighed in relief at his nephew's answer.
"Where is Rhaenyra?" Markus looked around the room, as Rhaemont shrugged his shoulders.
"She is just unconscious, right?" Rhaemont innocently asked, "She just needs to wake up..is that not right, Uncle?"
Markus sighed as he let go of Maekara's hand, "No, my boy. She is...gone."
The room began to spin for the Prince as he suddenly felt sick. He had to leave the room as he threw up the contents of his stomach in the hallway.
"Do I inform my mother?" Vysenya asked solemnly also feeling sick as Markus stood and grabbed her hands.
"You will do no such thing," Markus told her, "I will be the one to tell her."
"Are you sure, Uncle?" Vysenya asked as Markus nodded, and gripped her hand tightly.
"Yes. I am sure," Markus affirmed as he made his way out of the room, "You don't have to be in here. You can wait outside if it is too much."
"No, I want to," Vysenya said softly, and Markus tries to argue, "She is my mother, too. And she took care of me....Let me take care of her now."
Markus stops, a sad smile curling on his lips, "Okay..."
And so now it was time to look for Queen Rhaenyra, who was completely unaware that the love of her life was dead.
•
Markus scoured the castle, looking for Rhaenyra. He finally found her playing with 6 year old Daeron Targaryen, the eldest son of Aegon. She looked up at the Maltheon Prince and got to her feet, "I'm sorry. I just got a little caught up with my handsome boy here." Daeron giggled as he hugged his grandmother's leg, holding a wooden dragon toy. Prince Aegon, now twenty and seven, was playing with his second son, Baelor. His head turned swiftly to the sound of Markus coming inside.
"Hello, Uncle," Aegon greeted as Rhaenyra went over and stroked Aegon's hair, planting a kiss on his head. His mother's boy, the realm called Prince Aegon.
Markus gave Aegon and the children tight smiles as he turned back to Rhaenyra, "Your Grace...You need to come with me."
Whenever Prince Markus referred to her by her titles, Rhaenyra knew it was something serious.
"What's going on?" Rhaenyra asked as she looked at Markus's face that was threatening to break out into tears, "Markus, what's wrong?"
"Rhaenyra..it's Maekara," Markus whispered out as Rhaenyra's face twisted into that of realization, "Rhaemont found her..." The Targaryen Queen needed no more words as she pushed him out of the way, running as fast as she could and tripping over her long dress.
"RHAENYRA! WAIT!" Markus shouted after her as Aegon was left with two crying children who were confused as to why their grandmother was running away.
"Go, my Prince," A servant nearby said as Aegon rushed out of the room.
She found her family circled around a bed in her chambers. They separated to form a path for her and she was not ready for the sight that she was met with.
Maekara was laying on the bed motionless with Rhaemont seated next to her, muttering prayers while holding her hand.
Prince Viserys stood with his little sister, consoling her as they stared at the body of the legendary
Queen herself. Rhaemont and Joffrey looked at each other, not knowing what to say at the loss of their mother.
"I am going to write a letter to Prince Jacaerys as well as my nephew in Ashbourne," Markus whispered, his voice cracking, "The Queen Mother is dead."
Rhaenyra stared at Maekara, her stomach twisting with nausea, "Everyone out...." Her family stared at her, not sure what to do.
"I'm not going to say it again...EVERYONE OUT!" She shouted louder as everyone silently scrambled out of the room. Rhaemont lingered for a moment before leaving his mothers alone. Markus was the only left and was about to leave when he watched as Rhaenyra got down on her knees beside the bed, holding Maekara's still warm hand.
"I was only gone for a few minutes," Rhaenyra muttered, as Markus rubbed her back, "I should have never left the room. I promised I would be there...."
Markus put a hand on Rhaenyra's shoulder and stared at his sister. The Prince was rather old and had seen his family come and go. But the death of his youngest sister hurt him deeply.
"She was alone...." Rhaenyra held Maekara's hand, reaching over to caress the former Queen's aging but still sharp features, "I promised her..."
"This was not your fault," Markus reassured her, as Rhaenyra stroked Mae's pale hair.
"She must be so mad at me," Rhaenyra said softly, "I never wanted for her to go like this. And she died alone...."
"That's not true," Markus says as he kneels down beside her as best as he could, "This castle is full of people that love her and were here. She is far from being alone."
"I was supposed to go with her," Rhaenyra revealed to herself as Markus rubbed her shoulders, "I knew something was wrong for months but I didn't say anything. Because if I did....It meant she had to go."
They sat in silence together as Rhaenyra caressed Maekara's features and stroked her hair. When the Silent Sisters came to dress Maekara's body and prepare for her to be transported to Ashbourne, Rhaenyra refused to let go of Maekara's body.
She refused to let her go.....
In Dragonstone, the dragonkeepers were struggling to chain the large she-dragon Maxis, who kept roaring and breathing fire at anyone who came close to her.
The poor dragon was also grieving.
Rhaenyra had found comfort with her family and they all did their best to make the Targaryen Queen happy. But Rhaenyra's own heart couldn't take the loss.
•
Three days later, Maegon was sitting on the throne, reading the letter from Princess Maia who was down in Dorne with her sons.
Prince Rhaegon entered the cold chamber, introducing a Targaryen messenger.
"My King," Rhaegon sighed, hating the fact that he had to call his own father by his respective title, "A messenger from Westeros has come to deliver you a message."
A messenger dressed in black and red and wearing heavy armor approached King Maegon. He bowed his head before reaching into his satchel and pulling out a scroll for Maegon to read.
"What is this?" Maegon asked, as he waved his hand at the messenger as if he was fed up. The Targaryen messenger quickly handed the Maltheon King the scroll.
"Why does everyone resort to writing letters?" Maegon muttered to himself as he gave the scroll a once over.
"I don't understand what I am looking at," Maegon said. The King was not having a good day and it wasn't going to get worse with vague writing, "The writing is awful."
"It is from your Uncle. Prince Markus, the former Hand of Queen Rhaenyra?" The messenger said as if that would help.
"I know who it is from," Maegon said, "It says so on the top. But my Uncle is rather old and I am afraid I am unable to read his writing. So why don't YOU tell me the message that you came with."
The messenger nodded as he grabbed the scroll from the King and was trying to read it, but Maegon slapped it out of his hands, "I don't want you to read the scroll. You will never be able to read it so simply tell me what the message you came with is."
"Yes, of course, Your Grace," The messenger fiddled with his satchel as he stared up at the King. A few moments pass and the messenger still did not say anything.
"Surely my Uncle told you what the message is in case the scroll does not make it into my hands, right?" Maegon asked as the messenger finally spoke up.
"I am sorry. It is just that Prince Markus and King Jacaerys told me to be cautious when giving you this message," The messenger said and Maegon laughed. But not before stopping himself and looking up at the messenger.
"Say that again," Maegon requested as the man looked around.
"They told me to be cautious when delivering the message?" He said again as Maegon stood from the throne.
"No, the part about KING JACAERYS telling you to be careful. Why did you call him that?" Maegon asked as the messenger began to back away.
"Because he is the King, Your Grace. He ascended to the throne two days ago," He informed him as Maegon crept closer.
"How could he have done that?" Maegon asked as the messenger gave him a look. It is here that the hostile King took a step back. King Jacaerys would only have ascended if his mother was....
Gone...
"That is unfortunate to hear," Maegon muttered, "She was like a second mother to me....Is my mother taking it well? Is she alright?"
The messenger goes quiet and Maegon tilts his head in question.
"Ser...Is my mother alright?" Maegon asked again and the messenger cleared his throat and stared back at the King.
"Less than a few days ago, your mother was found dead midday by her youngest son, Prince Rhaemont—"
"No..."
"It was not long before Queen Rhaenyra was also found dead in her chambers after the body of Queen Maekara was taken away."
"Oh gods—"
"The maesters could not find the source or an official cause of death. The people say she died of a broken heart..."
Maegon sat back on the throne, taking off his crown and hiding his face in his hands.
"Not my mother, too," Maegon cried into his hands as he took deep breaths trying to calm himself.
"First it was my brother, and then my father....and now my mother," Maegon wiped his tears as the messenger looked down at the floor.
The King exhaled a large breath, "Is my mother's body to be delivered to Ashbourne already? I would like to see her before we put her to rest."
"That is what the scroll goes on about," The messenger said as he picked it up, "It talks about how King Jacaerys wishes to discuss the issue at hand: What to do with both of the bodies?"
"Why has that been called into question?" Maegon asked, "They are to be buried in their own House's tradition.."
"But King Jacaerys said that Rhaenyra and Maekara wished to be together even in death. That is why he has called a meeting for you all to discuss the arrangements—"
"I am not having a meeting about where to bury my mother," Maegon laughed, incredulously, "She is to be buried here like all the other Maltheons. There...end of meeting." He gets up from the throne and tries to walk away.
The messenger called back out to him, "I cannot go back with that kind of answer, Your Grace."
Maegon stops and turns around, grabbing the messenger by the throat, "Then you go back and tell King Jacaerys that the matter regarding my mother's body is not to be discussed further. She died there but she WILL REST HERE."
"Why this hostility to King Jacaerys, Your Grace?" The messenger asks as he claws at his throat, "You two are like..brothers!"
"Right now..King Jacaerys is not my brother. He is an ally. AND HE IS AN ALLY THAT IS HOLDING MY MOTHER'S BODY HOSTAGE," Maegon shouted as he threw the messenger to the floor, "My mother is not some gold prize that needs to be discussed about where to put her. I get that she and Rhaenyra loved each other, but at the end of the day, SHE IS MY MOTHER! I want her resting HERE! AND THAT IS FINAL!"
"I can't..."
"My mother will be delivered here and if she is not, then I will get her myself. And I will burn the entire country if I have to," Maegon threatened, "Is that good enough of an answer for King Jacaerys, hmm?"
Maegon breathed heavily as he walked away and a servant comes into the room. Maegon whispers to the servant, "See to it that the messenger is fed and well rested before he makes his way back to Westeros. I am going to bed..."
"Yes, my King..."
The old servant helped the messenger up, "I am sorry for his behavior. He was having quite the rough day today."
The messenger coughed a few times, massaging his throat, "You don't say."
"Why don't you come with me and we can give you a proper meal. Does that sound good?" The servant asked as the messenger nodded.
•
They both sat down in a quiet chamber that was specifically made for diplomatic visitors so they had a place to rest and eat before going back to their countries.
The servant poured the messenger a cup of wine, but the man gestured that he did not want any.
"Oh come on," The servant giggled, "You just traveled all this way and dealt with the King's hostility. You deserve a drink."
The messenger could not help but smile as the servant poured the drink.
"I have heard great things about King Maegon," The messenger began to say, "I heard he had a temper when it came to bad news but.... I didn't expect this kind of temper."
"All Maltheons have a temper," The servant said, "You learn that the more you work for them. But they are good people, when they are not threatening your life of course."
The messenger nervously chuckled as he looked up at the servant who served him a bowl of soup.
"What is your name?" The servant asked.
"Everyone calls me Cedric," He said as the servant smiled.
"Ah, good to meet you, Ser Cedric."
"And your name?" Cedric asked as she sat down in front of him.
"My name is Thea," The kind woman said as she poured her own cup, "I am from Westeros, too."
"Really?"
"Yes I am," She admitted as she took a sip of her drink.
"Then how did you end up here?" Cedric asked as Thea tied her dark black hair up and sat up straight, ready to tell her story.
"I lived in the Westerlands by Casterly Rock," Thea said as Cedric leaned in closer, "Until I began to serve the Lannisters in the stronghold. And I also used to be the lady-in waiting for Johanna Lannister."
"Incredible," Cedric whispered as she continued.
"When the war between Rhaenyra and her brother broke out, Casterly Rock became the central target for Queen Maekara, King Maegon's mother."
"Oh yes, she passed away," Cedric revealed as Thea raised her brows.
"Really? That is quite awful. No wonder Maegon was in a mood after your message," Thea replied as she rubbed her eyes, "I always thought Maekara was going to live forever."
"Truthfully, so did I," Cedric said as he rested his elbows on the table, leaning in much closer, "The few times that I met her...I never would have thought that she was this war criminal that people made her out to be."
"That is because you were quite young when the war happened," Thea said, "You only read about it, I presume?"
"Yes, I did," Cedric responded as Thea exhaled a large breath.
"You are lucky you did not see what I saw that day that she came on dragonback to Casterly Rock," Thea whispered, as Cedric's interest is peaked.
"That was probably the most frightened I had ever been," She admitted and Cedric grabs her hand.
"What happened?"
"Well King Maegon, then Prince, had arrived first. I still remember when I saw the shadows of their dragons flying over the castle," Thea told him, "He must have known the entirety of the castle was watching because he turned to Lannisport, right where we could all see, and burned nearly the entire thing."
"That sounds like something he would do based on how he was earlier today," Cedric says as Thea laughs.
"But it was not him that Lady Johanna was worried about," Thea adds as Cedric gets goosebumps, "It was his mother..."
"The War Dragon, they called her. The last few times I had been in Lannisport they called her Death's Mistress. But even nicknames like those were not enough to portray the madwoman she truly was during that war. At least the madwoman I thought she was."
"Why do you say that?" Cedric asked as Thea looked out the window, reminiscing.
"Johanna Lannister was confident that Maegon and his army that included the Ironborn, would do nothing to hurt them. It is only the land and the supplies they wanted. But that would prove to be untrue when Maekara arrived on that green dragon of hers."
"The roar was so loud it shook the castle walls," Thea said as she continued to remember that day.
"That is when Johanna told me that she needed me to hide her son. Oh he was so small back then. Unaware that a dragon was hunting him and his family."
"Not even ten minutes had passed and the sound of a dragon breathing fire and burning the gates filled the air," Thea told him as Cedric sat quietly waiting.
"She managed to get into the castle?" The man inquired as Thea tilted her head.
"Does your history book not mention that part?" Thea asked him as he shook his head.
"It only mentions that Maekara had managed to find Johanna Lannister and brought her to Ashbourne to serve the Maltheon family," Cedric recited.
"While that is true, there is more to it than that," Thea said, "Maekara had managed to burn the gates and made her way all the way to the top of the stronghold."
A few moments pass before she continues.
"I was still staring out the window of the castle when I heard Maekara coming. She was dragging her Valyrian sword across the walls, ripping the banners of House Lannister. And her blade was so sharp, it left marks on the floor where she had dragged it...The door was opened and I was hiding the Lannister boy while Johanna and some of her guards confronted the Queen. I did not manage to hear what was said because I was scared that sword was going to behead me at any moment."
Cedric listened and observed Thea's conflicted expression.
"But I did hear one thing: "Why does a family like yours deserve to have a son while my son is dead?""
"If Maekara wanted revenge for her son, why did she target Lannisters?" Cedric questioned as Thea looked at him in disbelief.
"The Lannisters were responsible for Maekara's brother, Maecerys's murder. That is where my loyalties began to change for me," Thea confessed, "They also supported Aegon, who supported Aemond One-Eye, who killed Maekara's son."
"Right..." Cedric muttered.
"They had also been giving the Maltheons a hard time all because they felt under appreciated by them," Thea says as she drinks from her cup, "What else could the Lannisters want from the Maltheons when they were already a rich and famous house before they met?"
"More power," Cedric pointed out and Thea nodded, "And so what happened after Maekara said that?"
"Well I managed to see that the Queen slaughtered the entire room. So quick that I didn't hear it," Thea said, "She grabbed Lorean out of my hands and pointed the blade at him. He didn't understand what was going on and only found her eyes and hair fascinating."
"She was going to kill the boy?"
"I thought she was going to...but she didn't," Thea uttered, "But I saw the madness in her eyes. She looked like the exact embodiment of what you think insanity would look like...Her eyes were dark and her armor was stained with blood. She was also injured."
"Apparently she had been attacked by her brother around that time," Cedric informed her, "When she asked for Lord Dalton to join her, she was attacked by Prince Maegor. She never attacked him back because she swore an oath of no violence to Rhaenyra. But she broke it when she began her killing spree in the war."
"So you know that but not about the Lannisters plotting against Maekara?"
"I didn't say I read all of the history," Cedric mumbled.
"Anyways, I did hear her say once that she would have killed her own brother at the time that he was a prisoner," Thea admitted and Cedric shook his head.
"Gods," Cedric shivered as the conversation began to shift to a much more darker side.
"She had almost killed some of her siblings on multiple occasions," Thea slipped out, "But she never knew that because a person who has gone mad almost never realizes that what they are doing is not normal."
"Or maybe she truly just didn't know?" Cedric mentioned and Thea shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know...But I remember Johanna trying to tell Maekara that killing Lorean would do nothing," Thea said, "But Maekara didn't care. She was about to kill him when a Lannister guard came out of nowhere and tried to stab her. But she was quicker and beat him to death."
Cedric's eyes widened at this revelation.
"Johanna was huddled in the corner of the room with Lorean. Maekara had been screaming at the guard as she beat him," Thea tried to reenact that moment, "Screaming things like "How dare you try and kill me?" and "The Stranger sent me!"
"The Stranger?"
"She meant Death."
"Oh...Death sent her?"
Thea nodded, "And something happened and she seemed to snap out of it. It looked like she had just woken up from a trance."
"That is interesting," Cedric whispered, "So she might not have known she was doing any of this."
"Rage can make you go blind," Thea answered, "In this case, it made her go mad."
"And the next thing I know Johanna Lannister is being dragged out in chains and was punished," Thea ended her story, "That was probably the fastest I had seen someone's behavior change in a matter of seconds—That is what made it so terrifying. She was so close to murdering the entire room until she was the only one left standing but she didn't."
"And so you came to serve the family that terrified you," Cedric came to the conclusion.
"I am drawn to the unknown," Thea told him, "This family is full of mystery. Maekara being one of them."
"Are you done talking about my mother?" Maegon broke the conversation and Thea stood, bowing her head.
"Forgive me, Your Grace," Thea replied as she turned to Cedric who also stood, "I was only keeping Ser Cedric company."
"He's had enough company," Maegon decided, "Get him out of here."
"Will do, Your Grace," Thea confirmed and Maegon walked away, his Kingsguard following behind him.
•
It was later discovered that King Maegon was drunk when he had heard the news and his hostility was unwarranted.
The two Kings, Jacaerys and Maegon, made peace with each other and properly discussed the arrangements of their mother's resting places.
The Maltheons and Targaryens had come to a compromise that both of Maekara and Rhaenyra's ashes were to be scattered in Ashbourne and King's Landing.
So that whenever the two lovers wanted to visit the living world, they could visit both of their homes together.