BLOOD WARS | XVII.
RHAENYS TARGARYEN
SELENA BARATHEON
King's Landing | 300 a.c
Storm's End | 300 a.c
KING'S LANDING WAS IN DISARRAY after the disappearance of Viserys, Daenerys, and Selena. All it took was a simple paper to tear apart Rhaenys's family. A family that was already barely holding itself together
Aegon came barreling into the study where Rhaenys and Jon sat quietly. Meraxes sat curled up her lap and had been startled by the door swinging open. Jon looked up from the book he was reading and was met to a fist to the face.
"Aegon!" Rhaenys exclaimed as she looked at her brother. Aegon shook his fist out and stood over Jon glaring at him with narrowed eyes.
"You bastard!" Aegon yells, standing over his younger brother. Rhaenys stands quickly, Meraxes scurrying away from her as she rushes over to push Aegon away from Jon. He looks at her, anger in lilac eyes.
"Father disowned us," Aegon says, his eyes drifting to Jon, "He disowned us for him."
Rhaenys swallows nervously as she looks at Jon who was holding his cheek. She looks back at Aegon, unable to hide the guilty expression on her face.
"You knew," he says softly.
"Selena showed me the annulment papers," Rhaenys confesses, "I told her that I didn't want to tell you, but she did it anyway."
"Because she knew that you'd never tell me," Aegon scoffs as he looks at his sister, "I thought we were close."
"We are!" Rhaenys exclaims, "I didn't tell you because I know how you are! You just attacked Jon who has no idea what's going on."
Aegon looks at Jon who is still sitting on the floor, staring up at his siblings in confusion. Aegon sighs as he realizes that Jon was as clueless as he was.
"What is going on?" Jon asks as he gets to his feet.
Aegon chuckles softly, "You're the heir to the Iron Throne! King Jon, First of His Name, Protector of the Realm!"
"Aegon," Rhaenys says firmly, looking at her younger brother.
Jon shakes his head at Aegon's words, "I'm a bastard."
"No, you're father's heir. He disinherited us for you," Aegon says, "He married your mother during the war."
Jon looks to Rhaenys to confirm what Aegon just told him. She smiles sadly and Jon shakes his head, "No, that isn't what I want."
"Frankly it isn't what I want either," Aegon tells him, "The Tyrells married Margaery to me thinking that they were getting the crown prince."
"Father has certainly made a mess of things," Rhaenys says, bending over to pick up Meraxes who was hiding under the table.
"Apparently he's the one who stabbed Viserys," Aegon mentions casually. Jon and Rhaenys's head snap in his direction. She had figured that her father had been involved with the attack on Viserys, but she never thought that he would be directly involved.
"What?" Jon asks.
Aegon nods, "Selena said so in her letter. That's why they left. Apparently, father is going mad."
Jon looks between Rhaenys and Aegon, "What do we do?"
"I go to war," Aegon says, "That is my only option."
"With what army?" Rhaenys asks, "You can't just declare war on the King of the Seven Kingdoms. That is foolish."
"Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark, and Jon Arryn. They started a war and they almost won it."
"They had the power of the Vale, North, Stormlands, and the Riverlands," Rhaenys says shrugging her shoulders, "What do you have?"
"I have Dorne, The Reach," Aegon looks over at Jon, "And I have the North."
Jon raises an eyebrow, "You think that I can get the North to support you? I've never even met my uncle!"
"Doesn't matter. He's your blood," Aegon says before looking back at Rhaenys, "And if I can get Selena on our side, then that secures the Stormlands. And Steffon-"
"I'm not bringing him into this," Rhaenys tells her brother, "War isn't a simple favor you ask for. These lords are going to want something. What are you going to give Tywin Lannister?"
Aegon falls silent and Rhaenys laughs as her brother proves her point.
"I'll go North," Jon says suddenly.
"You can't," Rhaenys says, "Father is watching us. All of us."
"Then I'll confront him," Aegon says as though it is the simplest thing in the world. Rhaenys was starting to wonder if her impulsive brother would make a good king.
"Father stabbed his own brother, what's to stop him from stabbing you?" Jon asks.
"We should do what everyone else did," Rhaenys says looking at her brothers, "We need to run."
Aegon scoffs at the idea, "I won't run away like a coward."
"Don't view this as cowardice," Jon says, placing a hand on Aegon's shoulder, "We're simply waiting for the right moment."
There's a knock at the door. They don't get the chance to open it as Ser Arthur Dayne entered the study. The Commander of the Kingsguard looks at them as though analyzing the scene before speaking.
"The King wishes to see you all immediately."
"Did he finally calm down after losing his favorite hostage?" Aegon asks and Rhaenys sighs at the fact that her brother is actively antagonizing one of the best knights in the Seven Kingdoms.
"He's your father. Show some respect," Arthur commands.
Aegon takes a step toward Arthur, invading his personal space, "You're one of the best fighters I've seen in my lifetime. You must hate being the King's lapdog. I mean look at you! You're fetching his children. We both know you're better than this."
"As I said," Arthur says, looking down at Aegon, "Your father has requested your presence."
"Thank you," Rhaenys says, "We'll make our way to him now."
Rhaenys places Meraxes down on the ground and grabs her brothers' wrists as they made their way out of the study.
"Are we going to walk out of this alive?" Jon asks as he looks at his older siblings.
"You are," Aegon mutters, "You're the king's heir."
Rhaenys rolls her eyes, "Hush, both of you. Father isn't going to kill us. It would cause far too many problems and he has enough of those."
They make their way to where their father was recovering in his chambers. Apparently, the escape had turned physical and her father had ended up with a couple of arrows in him. Rhaenys figured that it was Selena who had done this.
"You sent for us?" Rhaenys says as she stands by the door, Aegon and Jon standing behind her.
Rhaegar looks at them, indigo eyes cold, "Yes, come here."
Rhaenys looks back at her brothers before joining her father at his bedside. Aegon stood beside her and Jon stood next to him. Rhaegar eyed them each carefully, "Selena has run off with my brother and sister. They have betrayed the Targaryen name."
"Have they?" Aegon asks, "Perhaps they were kidnapped, I mean Viserys was stabbed."
"Is there something that you are implying Aegon?" Rhaegar asks, eyes narrowing at his son. Rhaenys glanced at the door to see Ser Arthur standing there and knew that it was better to just cooperate with whatever their father wanted.
She nudges Aegon and he sighs before answering, "No father."
"Good," Rhaegar says, "Because I want you to go to Storm's End and I want you to kill Selena."
~*~
"There it is!" Selena heard Allara shout from the front of the boat, "Storm's End!"
Selena looked over the side of the boat to see the faint outline of the home that she'd been taken from all those years ago. It was unfamiliar to her, but she was eager to walk the halls that her mother and father had. The halls that Robert, Stannis, and Renly had once walked.
She suddenly began to feel anxious. What if her people had thought that she'd betrayed them? She was bringing two Targaryens home with her. Ashara had told her how everyone felt about Rhaegar, what would stop them from feeling the same about Viserys and Daenerys?
"You don't look very excited for someone that's literally moments away from entering her home," Larrisa says as she stands beside Selena, "What's on your mind?"
"I'm excited," Selena says with a small smile, "I've waited for this moment all my life."
"But?" Larissa asks.
"I know nothing about my home. Their customs, traditions. What if they're disappointed?" Selena asks and Larrisa laughs, making Selena feel very insecure after confiding in her.
"The great Selena Baratheon is worried about her people not accepting her," Larrisa teases.
Selena laughs at how stupid it sounds, "It's stupid, you're right."
"It is stupid," Larrisa answers honestly, "Besides, don't worry about everyone else. This is your home."
"We can't stay long," Selena mutters as she stares at the castle in the distance, "Rhaegar will be after us and the castle will hold under a siege, but we can't risk that. Besides, I know you all want to return home."
"I can't wait to show you the Eyrie," Larissa says with a grin, "Now that is a castle that can't be besieged."
Selena rolls her eyes, "Yes yes, brag about your little castle on the mountain."
Larissa blinks as though getting an idea, "That's where we should set up camp after this. My father would be happy to host you. Rhaegar and his men wouldn't make it past the Bloody Gate."
Larissa had a point. The castle was considered to be impregnable. It was best they went there to wait out any attack.
"That's a wonderful idea," Selena says and Larrisa smiles.
"Glad to be of help."
Selena notices Daenerys had made her way to the top deck. She had been sleeping when Selena had left to join Allara and everyone else above deck. She was accompanied by Missandei who seemed to never leave her side.
"What are we going to do with her?" Larrisa asks softly, taking Selena's attention away from the two women.
"Missandei?"
"No, Daenerys," Larrisa says, "We cannot have Targaryens amongst us. They've fallen out of favor and that makes us look bad through association."
"We can't send them back to Rhaegar," Selena says, though Larrisa had a point. The people of the Stormlands would not greet them kindly and perhaps they won't greet her kindly for allowing them into their lands.
"They cannot remain with us," Larissa tells her, as she glances at Daenerys, "She will be our undoing."
"I know," Selena agrees, "Give me time to make alternate arrangements for them."
Larissa nods before leaving her alone. Selena stares at the castle above the cliffs, watching as it grows larger. They dock in the harbor and the workers on the dock stare at them wearily. Selena knew that they stood out due to what they were wearing.
She stepped on the dock, hearing the board creak below her. She looks down at the board, just to hear another one squeak before her. She quickly looks up to see a man with white hair approaching her, a kind smile on his face.
"We've been awaiting your return," he tells her.
Selena tries to hide the surprise on her face, but she is unable to, "You know who I am?"
He nods his head and reaches up to run his fingers over her cheek. She wants to shy away from the touch but doesn't. Instead, she steels herself and looks the man in the eye waiting for him to address how he knows her.
He pulls his hand away and laughs to himself as he looks at her, "You look exactly like your mother. The Baratheon genes are strong, but I see nothing but Cassana when I look at you."
Selena swallowed at the mention of her mother, "Who are you?"
He bows before her and then straightens, a smile on his face as he looks at her, "My name is Eldon Estermont."
"Estermont," Selena says quickly, "That would make you-"
"Your grandfather," Eldon says.
A series of emotions swirl through Selena. She'd thought she was alone, that her family was gone and yet she had never thought of her mother's side of her family. That House Estermont was still alive and well. For the first time in her life, Selena was hit with the fact that she wasn't alone.
She doesn't think as she steps forward and embraces the man. He chuckles in her ear as he squeezes her tight. Selena was tall, but her grandfather was taller and much stronger, despite his age. She inhaled his scent, he smelled of pine and saltwater. It was a scent that Selena now tied to home.
She steps away from him and looks up at Eldon, "How'd you know that I'd be arriving today?"
"I didn't," he tells her, glancing over her shoulder at the ship, "But I'd come to these docks every once in a while, hoping one day you'd be on one of the ships in the harbor."
Selena can't help as her eyes begin to sting with tears, "Really?"
"I lost everything connected to my Cassana. Except for you," Eldon told her, "When you got off that ship, I recognized you immediately."
Selena laughs, though it comes out more like a sob, "Guess you picked the right day to come to the docks."
Eldon nods his head, a single tear slipping out of his eye, "I guess I did."
Eldon throws an arm around Selena's shoulder as he turns to the men working the docks, "Lady Selena Baratheon has returned!"
Everyone stops what they're doing, though most of them had already been staring at Selena and her entourage. They look at her as though they're trying to see if she is actually who he says she is. Does she look like her father? Does she look like her brothers? Do they even remember what Robert and Stannis look like?
Then the cheers erupt. There are quite a few men working the docks and their cheers are loud as they celebrate Selena's return. It surprises her at first, then she looks up at Eldon who is chuckling heartily. She turns back to look at her ladies. Each of them is looking at her with wide smiles.
She meets Daenerys's gaze and the Targaryen princess gives her a wide smile and offers her a wink which earns a laugh out of Selena as she turns back to face the men of the docks. Her arrival had not been met with glares but rather cheers.
Eldon leans down and places a kiss to the crown of Selena's head, "Welcome home, sweetheart."