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Poison is a woman’s weapon
The now former Queen Regent Elia Martell smiled as she saw the high septon place the crown on her son Aegon’s head, proclaiming him King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. Though Aegon had technically been king since Rhaegar and Robert killed each other on the Trident, the last fourteen years had been a long regency, the longest in the history of House Targaryen, but now Aegon ruled as king, and not as a puppet.
The years since she had killed Aerys and ensured that Robert would not survive the Battle of the Trident had been hard but rewarding.
They called Oberyn the Red Viper, but what many people did not know was that she was the one who had first taught her little brother the art of poisons, taught him how to milk snakes, and how to coat weapons and objects. If Oberyn was the snake, and Doran the grass that hid it, then she was the sun that blinded the enemies walking through the grass, unaware of the poisonous snake at their feat.
Poison was Dorne’s weapon, and her speciality.
Poisoning Aerys had not been easy. Poisoning his food was impossible, the man had dozens of food tasters, and ate so little that it was doubtful even if he ate poisoned food he’d eat enough to affect him. So that meant poisoning something he touched, not any easier due to Aerys’ paranoia. But there was one object, the Iron Throne. Poisoning one of the blades that Aerys most routinely cut himself on, the Mad King did not think anything of the cut, as the poison caused it to fester and as far as history knew Aerys died from an infected cut from the Iron Throne having judged him unworthy like Maegor the Cruel.
Not long after Aerys succumbed to the poison, Rhaegar returned but the fool did not realise the damage he had caused, even as he was hailed king by those still loyal to the Targaryens. Meeting her husband after nearly a year had only confirmed her worst fears, that Rhaegar was as dangerously mad as his father. Convinced of the righteousness of his actions Rhaegar had declared to her that he would take Lyanna Stark as a second wife once she gave birth to the Visenya that Elia herself was unable to give birth to, after crushing the rebels, destroying them all root and stem, not realising or caring that said families had very legitimate reasons to rebel against the Iron Throne.
Ignoring the legal issues of how no Targaryen had been permitted a second wife since the time of the Conqueror, and ignoring the persistent rumours of her supposed barrenness that the old cunt Pycelle had spread to tarnish her name in the hopes of Rhaegar setting her aside for that brat Cersei Lannister. The fact that Rhaegar truly believed in his own actions, turning a blind eye to the crimes committed by his father and proclaiming he would wipe out the all the rebel families, including the family of the woman he proclaimed would be his second wife, Elia knew he would not win.
She had tried to warn her husband, told him to make peace but he would not listen. Not willing to accept that he could possibly be in the wrong and believing that the best for house Targaryen would be a decisive blow to crush the Targaryens.
Rhaegar was deluded in his own abilities, not realising that unlike Robert he had never fought in a life and death situation before and that his only combat experience was in tourneys where his opponents went easy on him for fear of hurting the crown prince and occurring Aerys’ wrath. The fight between Robert and Rhaegar had gone like she had expected, Robert delivering a crushing blow with his war hammer, but luckily her contingencies had worked.
Elia had secretly poisoned Rhaegar’s sword and while Robert had killed Rhaegar, he had managed to cut Robert, causing the Storm Lord to succumb moments after killing Rhaegar. But Elia knew that Robert’s death would not mean the end of war, Rhaegar was not wrong about needing a decisive victory and while Rhaegar believed in prophecies, Elia believed in action, contingencies and back up plans.
The Tyrells would be of no help, they were content to stay at Storm’s End and wait for the Victor, and the Lannisters would not make a move either. But although Tywin’s hold over his bannermen was absolute, the same could not be said for Mace Tyrell and many lords of the Reach disagreed with Mace’s decision. Another host of Reach lords, led by Rhandyl Tarly and her future husband Baelor Hightower abandoned the siege and marched to the Trident, ensuring a swift victory for house Targaryen despite Rhaegar’s death.
With the death of Robert, and defeat at the Battle of the Trident, negotiations could finally happen. Reparations for the murders of Brandon Stark, Rickard Stark, Elbert Arryn, Jeffroy Mallister and Kyle Royce whose deaths had started this war, releasing Ethan Glover and other hostages captured in previous battles had been accepted. At the same time the rebel houses would pay increased taxes for a period of ten years. Stannis Baratheon was confirmed as the new lord of the Stormlands, and Edmure Tully, whose father Hoster was killed in the battle, would be confirmed as the new lord of the Trident.
The North had been the most difficult region to negotiate with, some of the northern lords even suggesting seceding from the Iron Throne and creating an independent kingdom, but Elia providing the letters between Rhaegar and Lyanna, removing all doubt that she had gone willingly and wasn’t kidnapped went a long way to taking the wind out of their sails, and Eddard Stark sick of war accepted the offer of peace.
Perhaps it had been petty of her, but Elia had made sure that everyone was aware of the truth between Rhaegar and Lyanna. Lyanna Stark had not been remembered as a martyr to unite the enemies of house Targaryen, simply the latest in a long line of Targaryen mistresses.
After the end of the war it was time to clean house as it were, starting with the Small Council. Pycelle and Varys were both executed, Pycelle for treachery and disloyalty, Varys, or as his true name had been revealed Vaelor Blackfyre, had been working to destabilise the realm, to put his nephew Aegon Blackfyre on the Iron Throne. The rest of the Small Council, though not executed were still dismissed from their duties, their replacements an assortment of lords who were both loyalists and rebels as a way of building peace.
The Kingsguard was similarly gutted and replaced. Of the seven members only Ser Barristan would keep his white cloak, her uncle Lewyn and Jonothor Darry both dying at the Trident, and Ser Jaime released from his vows to appease Tywin Lannister. Gerold Hightower, Oswell Whent and Arthur Dayne were stripped of their white cloaks and given black ones. The role of the Kingsguard was to protect the Royal Family, not guard mistresses in an isolated tower in Dorne. The fact they had the gall to defend Rhaegar’s stupidity did nothing to appease Elia and deciding she didn’t want her children or Rhaella’s surrounded by such fanatics she got rid of them.
Rhaella herself would pass away giving birth to her daughter Daenerys, while Lyanna Stark gave birth to a son, Jon Waters, and Elia would ensure Daenerys, Jon and Viserys were taken care of, living a comfortable life alongside her children. Despite objections that she should send Jon away, either to the Wall or the Faith, Elia kept him in King’s Landing alongside his siblings and family. He was no more guilty of Rhaegar’s crimes then Aegon or Rhaenys were. She would raise the five of them to understand duty and consequences, and to not become like Aerys and Rhaegar.
One of the first steps had been to build peace between the lords of the realm, and appoint a Small Council. Kevan Lannister would be Hand of the King, the neutrality of the Lannisters prevented them from having any major enmity with rebels or loyalists, and with his brother as Hand, and Jaime back as heir Tywin was appeased and less likely to become an enemy. Wyman Manderly became Master of Coin, Jason Mallister as Master of Ships, Mathis Rowan of Laws and her brother Oberyn becoming the new Master of Whisperers.
After the war came peace and conciliation as well as rewards, mainly royal matches. The first had been the marriage of herself to Baelor Hightower, having three children Edric, Mors and Alys, putting to rest the rumours of her being barren. She would also betroth Rhaenys to Rhandyl Tarly’s son Samwell.
Both matches were a private warning to the Tyrells to make sure they knew their place and to not be so slow in providing assistance for their kings in the future. Viserys would marry Alysanne Lefford, their children carrying the Lefford name due to Alysanne being the heir of the Golden Tooth. Daenerys would be betrothed to Robb Stark, fulfilling the Pact of Ice and Fire from nearly two centuries previous, while Jon, as a bastard would be free to choose his own bride, but Elia had noticed the boy becoming very close to her niece Sarella Sand.
Oberyn was remarkably supportive of the idea of Sarella and Jon being together, having already taken Jon as his squire a couple years previously. Though many courtiers and ‘loyal’ nobles had objected to it, neither Elia nor Oberyn paid any head. Jon had no interest in the iron throne, was fiercely loyal to his siblings and more likely to cut off his own head then become Aegon’s enemy.
But the biggest surprise was when Aegon declared he would marry Shireen Baratheon, only daughter and firstborn child of Stannis Baratheon and Jayne Swann. Aegon’s match was one they had not decided, choosing to wait to find the most ideal match and giving him a luxury of a bit more freedom. Choosing the future queen of Westeros was not something to be done on a whim.
Shireen was a pretty girl, not quite as beautiful as the likes of Margaery Tyrell or Myrcella Lannister, but she was incredibly smart and observant and her and Aegon were both very fond of each other.
The years had been tense and difficult, but despite Aerys and Rhaegar’s actions peace had come to Westeros and watching her son sit the Iron Throne, more worthy then his father or grandfather had ever been, Elia was proud and content.