Chapter Text
Rhaenyra opened her eyes, expecting to see the afterlife. Or was it the Seventh Hell? Or the Fourteenth Flames? The vicious monster of Alicent, her half brother Aegon had killed her, using his wounded dragon.
A sharp pain shot in her. Her scream sounded in her ears, produced by instinct.
"My Princess, the baby is crowning!" Someone said and this someone... Rhaenyra turned her head and met the eyes of her lady in waiting Lady Elinda Massey. A much younger Elinda, as she remembered her when she had come in King's Landing to serve her, when...
She looked around. Her rooms in the Red Keep as she remembered them. Before she fled to Dragonstone, before Alicent turned them into a green hell, decorated with Seven Pointed Stars.
'What is going on?' She thought, flabbergasted.
Another sharp contraction seized her belly and she wailed, pushing like she remembered doing with all of her children.
The familiar feeling of a baby's head passing through her birth canal and she heard, "A healthy boy, Your Grace!" The midwife exclaimed with a smile on her sweaty face.
Rhaenyra could only pant, too out of breath. "One more push for the afterbirth, Princess."
She pushed again and then she was exhausted. The strong cry of the baby sounded next to her and she could only watch as the midwife expertly bathed the baby in a silver basin and then wrapped him. The maids quickly surrounded her, wiping her with warm rose water and cleaning her body. The sheets were changed and they dressed her in a fresh silk wrapped at the front home dress. Her hair was combed and a warm cloth wiped her face.
A baby, wrapped in a clean diaper, made of the best linen the Riverlands could produce was put in her hands. She could only stare in the eyes she had thought she had lost forever in the Narrow sea.
Joffrey stared back at her with his dark eyes and a tuff with dark hair.
Finally, Rhaenyra understood where and when she had woken up. The day Joffrey was born!
She cradled her son, kissing him and crying with tears of joy. The Gods have returned her back. Which meant Jace and Luce were also alive and healthy!
And she knew what was going to happen now.
Her beloved Harwin was going to come in, then Laenor and then a maid, sent by that green cunt Alicent! She will not walk with blood dropping on the floor again. If Alicent wanted humiliation, Rhaenyra was going to give it her!
A knock sounded on the door and Ser Harwin came, a mixture of worry and pride in his warm brown eyes, so alike like her children.
"Princess!" He came to her and cautiously looked first at her and then at Joffrey. "How are you?"
As there were maids, midwife and her lady in waiting they couldn't kiss openly, but she knew very soon they were going to share the bed again.
"I am feeling a little tired but happy with my son." She gave him the baby and he practically melted with joy, gently rocking their son.
A new knock sounded and this time it was Laenor. Fresh from his dalliances with Ser Qarl, who was gawking from the opened door. He was still in his flying leathers, smelling of dragon.
"How is my new child?" Laenor asked with a smile, "I heard I have a son?"
The words were different from what she once heard and experienced, but Rhaenyra ignored the difference.
Laenor gently rocked the bundle, cooing "What a good boy you are!"
"I decided to name him Joffrey." Rhaenyra said and Laenor stilled. His violet eyes swam in something wet, his arms hugging the baby, "Rhaenyra..."
"Ser Joffrey was a great man, who died before his time. Joffrey is a good name for our son."
He and she shared a long look of sympathy, understanding and above all camaraderie.
In the first life, Laenor had insisted on the name and Rhaenyra had reluctantly agreed. Now she was the one to offer and Laenor appreciated it.
He sat next to her, gently touching her lips, "Thank you, my Beloved!"
She smiled and Ser Harwin also smiled. The preferences of her Lord Husband were known even beyond the Wall, Ser Harwin had nothing to be jealous of.
A new knock sounded again and Rhaenyra turned anxious, looking at the door.
Ser Erryk opened it and stood up.
"King Viserys, First of His Name!" He announced.
Rhaenyra blinked. Her Father? But in the first life...
Her Father, alive and much healthier than she remembered it, entered and smiled at her.
"Rhaenyra! How are you feeling, my daughter?"
He didn't look completely healthy, his hair was thinning, he had lost almost half of his fingers of his right hand but in comparison to the ruin he was when he died, he was beaming with life.
"I am good, Father. Joffrey is also good and will soon eat his first milk." She smiled back and Joffrey cooed from Laenor's embrace.
Her Father nodded and then to her surprise, he cautiously looked at Ser Laenor and then Ser Harwin.
"May I have a word with my daughter, just for a moment?" He asked and Laenor immediately nodded, carefully stepping with Joffrey in the far end of the room, next to the window and the door to her solar. Ser Harwin followed him, giving them privacy to speak. The maids, the midwife and Elinda left the room.
"Father, I had a Dream, I think..." Rhaenyra began not sure how to say it and Viserys stared surprised.
"Rhaenyra, I had a Dream too..." He said and she gaped. "Of a terrible future. Laenor died, you married Daemon and then when I died, a horrible civil war will begin, because..."
"Yes, the son of Alicent usurped my Throne, Father. I dreamt it too. We have to prevent it! You have to.." Rhaenyra blurted, feeling so happy that she didn't need to convince her Father of her words, when Viserys interrupted her.
"I know, that's why I am here, Rhaenyra!" He patted her hand, with something guilty shining in his faded eyes. "The Gods have sent me a warning. I realized that my choice has been a terrible one. The Realm will never accept a woman on the Throne, the Great Council proved it.."
"It was not the Realm, Father! It was your wife! She and her traitor of a Father and her vile children usurped my inheritance while your body was still warm!" Rhaenyra sharply said.
"Rhaenyra.." Viserys shook his head, "Half of the Kingdom supported Aegon. I can't do that to the Realm, I have to prevent it and protect you!"
"Then remove Aegon and all of Alicent whelps! Help me be the Queen, you promised me to be!" Rhaenyra pleaded, feeling tears beginning to emerge.
"I am sorry, Rhaenyra!" Viserys again looked with pity at her, "I can't kill four of my children to safe one. Aegon will be my heir, I have decided it and will announce it today. He will keep the Realm whole and when Aemond claims Vhagar, he will be his sword to guarantee the unity."
Rhaenyra couldn't believe it. Her Father had made her a promise, she had sacrificed so much for duty, for the Realm...
"What is going on? Why is Rhaenyra crying?" Laenor stood up next to her and her Father, Joffrey still in his arms and Ser Harwin looking anxiously behind him.
"Laenor, my boy..." Viserys tried to smile, "I told Rhaenyra that I had decided to choose my son Aegon for the Heir. I will announce it today."
Silence followed his words, Laenor's face froze. Ser Harwin inhaled deeply.
As always her Father was oblivious to the hurt, he was causing, Rhaenyra thought with blurry from tears eyes. She couldn't say anything, a pain deeper than the birth was in her soul.
He patted again her hand and turned to Laenor, "Now can I see my grandson.."
Laenor switch his look at her, then at Viserys and something cold and hard emerged in his eyes.
"What will happen with Rhaenyra, now that you have disinherited her? How are you going to compensate her?" He asked with a cold tone, not even bulging an inch to give him Joffrey. He hugged closer the baby.
Viserys recoiled his arm, "I ..I don't know. I have to discuss it with.."
"Rhaenyra has to receive Dragonstone and all of the original vasal houses. She has to be compensated with gold for all of her years, she had been burdened with the falsehood that she will inherit the Iron Throne!" Laenor listed his terms.
"That...that seems justified." Viserys reluctantly agreed, not expecting it.
"Rhaenyra must receive sixty thousand golden dragons for each year she has been deceived plus all of the jewellery, allowances and the dowry of her Mother, Queen Aemma. And she must keep a place in the inheritance, in case your sons die without heirs." Laenor again demonstrated cool mind in the midst of a crisis that left her speechless and crying.
Viserys was taken aback by this untypical behaviour from his son in law. He nodded, twitching on his seat.
"House Velaryon also has to be compensated!" Laenor continued. "You promised to the head of my House, my Lord Father Corlys Velaryon that you will not name your son a heir and you married your daughter to me, his heir, not giving us dowry as we were promised that my firstborn will inherit the Iron Throne after Rhaenyra.
We must be compensated with a dowry of at least two hundred thousand gold dragons, as Rhaenyra is your firstborn daughter. We also demand a compensation for the missed income, she will experience as no longer a Crown Princess. All taxes that Dragonstone and its vassal Houses pay to the Iron Throne have to be forfeit forever. Including the taxes of House Velaryon. We can agree to your terms in peace if you also lower in half all fees paid by House Velaryon merchant ships in the ports of Westeros." Laenor finished, still with a cold blood.
Rhaenyra could only gape, similarly to the complete shock on Viserys face. Laenor was after all a son of the Sea Snake and the trade was in his blood. He had immediately listed terms that will not only leave her well compensated but will hinder significantly the finances of the Iron Throne.
Viserys looked at her, like he wanted her to object and dismiss what Laenor said as a jest. But Rhaenyra was not the daughter that once she had been. She had endured all the humiliation of that cunt and her spawn, she had begged for money for even buying a dress, she had fought wars and lost children. And for what? Because her Father had chosen to undermine her from the moment he had butchered her Mother, as always weak, stupid and bending backwards before the Hightowers.
Rhaenyra had enough!
"I agree with my Lord Husband!" She declared, removing her hand from Viserys grasp and crossing her arms before her.
Viserys stared begginly at her but she refused to make it easy. "I think you have to leave Father. Better go to your heir and wife."
Viserys stood reluctantly on his feet, throwing a glance at the sleeping baby. With the cold stare from Laenor, he didn't dare to ask again to see Joffrey.
He cleared his throat, "I will go now to tell Alicent. I will announce it this evening."
"Good, I will prepare the document and bring it to you to sign it before the announcement." Laenor nodded.
After another glance at Rhaenyra, Viserys shoveled himself out of the room, Ser Erryk closing the door after him.