"You know you don't need to hide your face with a bandage or an eye patch; no one will dare to make fun of you, not while I'm alive and the reigning queen," Daenerys said as she entered the priestess's room, who was getting ready for a dinner among the members of the new Queen's Court, a dinner that took place two weeks after her return to the city. "You don't have to hide; you are one of the most beautiful women in Essos; this scar is just a detail," she said as she took the bandage out of Athena's hands, placing the contents carefully on the table next to it.
The two weeks passed as a blur for everyone in the palace, due to the huge amount of things to be done and the return of the priestess and the early arrival of Olenna, which made everyone very apprehensive. Although they had nothing against her, this meeting should only take place in Dragonstone. Athena was already suspicious of what could be happening because no early meeting in a war was a good sign; something was happening, and they would only find out at the council's dinner.
Another thing that worried Daenerys was the way the woman was feeling, especially after all the emotion of the adventure passed and she was reflecting on how lucky she had been to be able to get out alive. The priestess could not say anything, but the queen noticed the way she was avoiding being seen by people in the palace and how she avoided at all costs any object that could create a reflection of her own image. Athena's abilities were no longer working as before, and this was a factor that worried everyone since she was demonstrating a much slower recovery and the healing factors only helped to a certain extent.
The biggest consequence of all these things were the scars that would remain forever marked on Athena's skin, along with a lost eye that was impossible to recover. Daenerys not only noticed the basics; she also noticed that the woman seemed to want to cry whenever no one was watching, probably feeling embarrassed by her own physical appearance that was no longer like before. But this time Daenerys was attentive and vigilant with any evil comment that was made towards the priestess; she would not tolerate any mockery that would hurt the dignity of Athena as a woman and as a human being.
"These scars are no reason for you to be ashamed; they are the proof of your courage and determination; they are proof that you have done what no man in Essos or Westeros would have the courage to do. I see many people singing about titles that they have often not fought to have; they boast of battles they have never fought, not even as squires." Daenerys again spoke, caressing Athena's face with affection and then attaching her hair with a hand-embroidered golden bow. "Let them talk about you; I will silence them soon after; the roars of these creatures will be silenced. You are one of the most beautiful women in Essos; with or without these scars, I will do everything possible to prove it to you."
Daenerys was not a person known for lying to please someone; she was always very sincere in her words, and the priestess doubted very much that the words were being said out of pure pity for how she was feeling. The priestess smiled in the most brilliant way the queen had seen—that smile that snatched Daenerys' air, leaving her toop with the woman's happiness when she was praised, and to the queen's surprise, she gave a soft kiss on her lips.
"Thank you; I believe you." Athena replied with that firm and bright smile that the queen was used to: "I don't need this; the scar with a while will be just a detail." She spoke again while holding the bandages and the eye slap in a box. She finished at the end of adjusting the golden loop in her hair, "I think we are late."
"What do you mean?"
"There is a soldier knocking on the door and asking if we are both okay," the woman justified, pointing to the huge oak door that gave access to her room. "Let's go; we both have to go." Athena spoke hurriedly as she held Daenerys' hand and ran out of the room, leaving the queen without reaction as she ran to be able to keep up with the rhythm of the woman who was excited about dinner.
Daenerys accompanied Athena through the corridors of the palace without taking her smile off her face when she remembered that the woman had taken the first step of a union that, in her opinion, would be stronger than the union of Jaehearys and Alyssane Targaryen. She had already heard from some people about how the two seemed to be in a relationship since the priestess returned from the city of Valyria; they commented on the existence of a change in the dynamics between them but did not know how to describe in detail what was happening.
The first of all people to score the unofficial "relationship" of the two women had been nothing more, nothing less than Athena's best general and best friend, the infamous and fearless Grey Worm. The queen laughed when she saw the persecution that the priestess was suffering as soon as her best friend invaded the rooms after three days that she had returned. It was an unforgettable scene so funny that it had been for everyone who witnessed the moment.
Although he "threatened" the woman's life repeatedly, he would never touch a hair on her head, and everybody knew this fact, so no one interrupted the long-awaited meeting between brothers. The audience, in this case, the new council, also watched this reunion closely, and each one acted in a different way, not knowing if they should laugh or do something to stop the "fight" between the brothers.
"You may be the Queen's Consort, but I swear to you that if you made this shit again, you will dawn with all your library and your precise books burned!" The general screamed while chasing Athena, who, in turn, hid behind the queen.
The queen had organized this meeting so that everyone could get acquainted correctly and so that they could talk properly without the pressure of thousands of people's eyes. It took a moment like this before they actually started making machinations to win battles and strategies to win a war that was imminent. An almost informal dinner was one of the best ways for her to get to know her new allies better and analyze with greater proximity if she could count on them for anything.
Being careful with new allies was nothing very serious; she just needed to know in more detail who they were and how things could proceed in the future. The queen was enjoying this new council much more, being made up of people who were interested in winning this war and ensuring the development of the new world they intended to build. They entered quietly through the gates of the huge dining room, greeting everyone who was present before sitting down.
"Olenna, I'm glad you can join us at this meeting." Daenerys greeted the woman with a mixed look of trust and a slight glow of confusion. "Welcome to my palace in Essos; my house is your home."
Daenerys would not lie if she said that she was also not worried about this early meeting between both parties because the priestess had warned her that things were not going as well as expected if this meeting was so anticipated. They talked a lot during the afternoon. On the day when the letter that communicated the coming of Olenna Tyrell arrived at the palace, it was a simple letter, a letter that had her name, the family seal, and three lines warning that she could arrive at any time on the continent of Essos.
"I appreciate your hospitality, Daenerys. I return your words in the same tone; my house is your home." The woman returned the words warmly to the queen, which made everyone release the air that none of them knew they were holding, calm because the first meeting between them started well.
At the table were Daenerys Targaryen, Athena Kouris, Missandei, Grey Worm, Asha Greyjoy, and Olenna Tyrell, missing only Ellaria Sand, who was firmly securing the settlement of Dorne for the crown, preventing with all her strength the advance of Cersei Lannister in the lands of the South. The six people began to share their meals and talk about matters that would be considered trivial. It was good to have a little peace before the hurricane reached them and they were forced to fight.
"Daenerys, you know I didn't come here for anything, don't you?" Olenna asked casually while eating some roasted potatoes that were on her plate, "I'm here because I trust that you will be the next reigning queen of Westeros, and I trust that you will do the best for everyone. That young woman behind you convinced me using all possible arguments," she said, pointing to Athena, who stopped eating to pay attention to Mrs. Tyrell's words, "What will be said here cannot be said to anyone else outside your inner circle; do I have your word, Your Highness?"
"A single word about this meeting did not come out of anyone's mouths for those who are not authorized and who cannot and should not meddle in government affairs." The Queen responded seriously by looking at all the people who waved in agreement.
"It is public knowledge that I am the last Tyrell alive, and I make public the desire not to see my name being extinguished. I refuse to give this taste to the Lannister and Baratheon," she said, looking directly into the eyes of the queen, who saw a pinch of pain when mentioning the extinction of her own family at the hands of enemies. "You do not seem to me a queen who breaks her promises, so I tell you that I want to pass all my titles and my last name to a new person to succeed me."
"Are you sure about that, Olenna? It is a very serious decision; we are talking about your family, about all your legacy. Such a decision cannot be undone so easily in the future if you regret it," Daenerys asked without being able to hide the shock with Lady Tyrell's firm and consistent statement.
"I won't live long enough to regret this decision. Eighty years is a long time in our world; few in our history have reached that age," Olenna said after tasting a full glass of wine. "I don't intend to run away from the fight against Cersei Lannister; I have some accounts to settle with her. She will still march towards Highgarden in search of Tyrell gold; since the Lannister gold mines are completely exhausted, wearing out her resources and the soldiers in this attack, this will give you an advantage."
"Olenna, I can't accept something like that. We are able to protect you; what kind of person would I be if I let you go to slaughter?" Daenerys asked, leaving the despair evident in her own voice with the woman's plan.
"It's not a matter of accepting; I have bills to settle with Cersei Lannister and Jaime Lannister for what they did to my grandchildren. She doesn't know that all the gold was taken from Reach; it's our greatest opportunity to exhaust her troops." Olenna replied to Daenerys with the firmness of the matriarch of House Tyrell. "I brought with me some scrolls written with various important information for you, in addition to books that preserve the history of my family."
Daenerys swallowed dry, knowing what everything the older woman was talking about could imply for everyone: the queen was about to lose one of her greatest allies and the woman who was quoted as the future hand of the queen. She thought of an impressive speed, redesigning in her mind everything that had been planned so far, shuddering a little with the possible scenarios. Before she could ask a question that intrigued her, the commander of the royal navy, Asha Greyjoy, spoke.
"You just said that all your offspring are dead, which makes me ask you, Are you going to name a person who does not have your blood to continue with your name but is founding a new dynasty?" Asha asked, leaving everyone curious to listen to Olenna's answer.
"You are right, but I thought very carefully about the name that I would choose; after all, it will be an absurd responsibility to assume all my titles and responsibilities. I want the queen's approval for the appointment of my heiress," Olenna replied, asking a kind of question at the end of the sentence.
"Who is the woman you chose as heiress for your legacy, Lady Olenna?" The queen asked without even suspecting the name that would come out of the woman's lips.
"I, Olenna Tyrell, head of House Tyrell, appoint as my legitimate heiress the priestess Athena of Kouris, transferring to her after my death everything that belongs to me, with the condition that from that moment on she is known as Athena Tyrell," she said in a loud tone so that each person at the table would hear clearly what would be one of her last wishes. "I know this is a lot, but my house will not totally perish because of the lions and deer. For you, I only ask one thing: clean up all the mess that was made by bad decisions in the past and be fair; be more fair than anyone who has ever worn the surname Tyrell." The final sentence was given in the direction of Athena, who dropped the cutlery, paralyzed by her decision.
"I, Daenerys Targaryen, ruler of Essos and soon ruler of Westeros, approve your choice, and from that moment on, Athena of Kouris becomes called Athena Tyrell," the queen declared, giving her approval for the appointment.
"Olenna, why?" Athena asked, ignoring all the people around her, "has at least thirty better names than mine to inherit your legacy."
"I don't usually make wrong choices, my young woman; you will understand this in the very near future. On my list, there is only one name for the succession: either it's you or it's nobody. The title is yours for your honesty in the letter in which you wrote me and for your ability as a person to bear this heavy burden," Olenna countered without giving space for more discussions. "Sending my gold here was a way of saying that I believed in Athena, and to show my faith in you, I have something very important to deliver to you. It was a lot of work to get these things, but the whole search gave a very satisfactory result." The older woman changed the subject by turning in the direction of Daenerys, who stared at her without knowing what the next surprises were that night.
Two employees came to Olenna's side when they heard her claps, holding a green box with golden details. She gave them permission to open the box, but many did not understand anything. The contents of the box pulled all the air out of Athena's lungs, and she choked when she saw two very familiar crowns along with a sword she had seen many times when watching the House of the Dragon. The jewels and the sword were unmistakable for those who knew who these jewels belonged to one day.
"This is the crown that belonged to her mother; this crown was of Queen Rhaella Targaryen, and this other crown with the symbol of all the important houses of Westeros is the crown of Queen Rhaenyra," Athena exclaimed as she approached the box to analyze more carefully the jewels that had been missing for many years, without believing that none of them had been dissolved after so long. "And this is the sword of Queen Visenya! The one that was wielded by many of her ancestors over the years!"
Daenerys got up from her chair and walked slowly to Athena's side, having difficulty believing what the woman had confirmed at that moment. The queen's eyes landed first on the old crown of Queen Rhaenyra and then on the infamous sword: Dark Sister. Soon after, Daenerys' eyes watered at the look at a glamorous but simple crown, with very few details, but still a crown worthy of a queen. Her hands trembled when she took the crown in her hands. With memories of the past returning to the present, it was the first time she had contact with something that belonged to her mother. In her hands, she had one of the most valuable objects in the world.
"I don't think there is gold in the world that pays you the appropriate amount for the gifts you gave me today. You have my word that your house will not fall into oblivion; you have my word that House Tyrell will be remembered with glory and honor at the end of this war," she said as she put the crown back in the box for fear of breaking the jewel that was her mother's only memory.
With Rhaenyra Targaryen's crown in her hands, the newly appointed Athena Tyrell decided to repair a mistake made many years ago, and with affection, she put the crown on Daenerys Targaryen's head, making one of the most important speeches during this war. More than two hundred years passed until this crown returned to the possession of House Targaryen, and when listening to Athena's words, the queen swore that it would be different, so that the past did not repeat itself; it would be the balance that was lacking in the family itself; she would not be cruel like Maegor Targaryen, but she would not make the mistake of being so permissive like Aenys Targaryen.
"May you continue the journey that has been interrupted, and may your reign be as long as the life of a dragon."
〘 ——✯——〙
Hello!
What did you think of today's chapter? Your opinion about the events of this chapter is very important.
I'm a little insecure about this chapter but I did the best I could.
I found it interesting to bring some objects that have been lost over time in history, in a way it is a way to bring some parallels from the past.
I have a question for you: who do you think was the person who helped Athena get out of Valyria alive?
Remember that Athena fell to the ground before reaching the tower and she could no longer get up.
What are your theories for the next chapters?
I'm also thinking of writing a story focused on a triple couple. A story between Alyssane Targaryen x Oc x Jaeherys.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Please, if you can, don't forget to leave comments and vote.
Your comments on this chapter are important!
Thank you for reading my story, your support is very important to me.
An observation: I'm not the fastest person in the world but I'm working to correct all possible spelling mistakes! Thank you for your patience and understanding.
SEE YOU SOON