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iamfina5 · 1 year

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The Kinslayer Couple

Summary: The ground falls out from beneath Valaena Velaryon’s feet within the span of a week. The week begins with the death of her grandsire, making her mother queen and her Princess of Dragonstone. It ends with the death of her brother Lucerys at the hands of her husband, Aemond Targaryen. From there, Valaena embarks on a perilous journey to win a war against her own kin, forced to discern who are friends and who are foes on both sides of the conflict.

Chapter Ten: The Sowing of the Seeds

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134 A.C.

Valaena gazes down at the silver-encrusted stone resting in her palm, the chain to which it is attached dangling from her hand. The dress she wears this day has a low collar, leaving her neck feeling naked. Some compulsion had pushed her to walk over to the chest in the corner of her bedchamber and pull out the necklace she has not worn in near four months. She knows she will not wear it this day either, but something keeps her in place, staring at it with sorrow in her soul.

A noise by the door spooks her, and she hastens to stash the necklace back in its drawer. When she looks up, she sees Aster standing at the front of the room and giving her a kind, knowing smile. Turning away from the chest, Valaena raises her brow in question.

“Lord Corlys wishes to escort you to the small council meeting, Princess,” Aster answers.

Thanking her handmaid, Valaena makes her way to the hall outside. She finds Corlys waiting by her door. “Grandsire, good morning,” she greets him.

With a warm smile, Corlys offers Valaena his arm, which she takes. He gives her a kiss on the cheek, and they start down the corridor. “I wished for a brief word with you before today’s meeting,” he begins, pragmatic as ever. She nods her consent. “I want you to know that no matter what lies ahead, I will always support your claim to the throne.”

“I never doubted as much,” she is quick to respond. Briefly, she wonders why he feels the need to reiterate his support, though the reason soon comes to her. “Oh, I see. You intend to support Jace.”

The queen announced at the last small council meeting that today she would decide whether to send away her three younger sons, as Jacaerys wishes, or to keep them on Dragonstone, which is Valaena’s position. Rhaenyra had acceded to keeping Aenar on the isle after Valaena’s return from Rook’s Rest, deferring to Valaena as the boy’s mother.

For her own sons, however, Rhaenyra is far charier. Her wish is to spare them from any and all harm. Especially after what happened to Lucerys, she does not wish to take any chances. For this reason, Valaena is nearly certain that Rhaenyra is going to side with Jacaerys, along with the fact that her risky excursion to Rook’s Rest called into question her judgment. Nevertheless, she holds out hope that she may be able to convince her mother of her stance, though the lack of the Sea Snake’s support does not prove a good sign.

Corlys peers down at her, his surprise clear on his face. “I—Well, yes—”

“I cannot fault you for that, Grandsire. You must act your conscience,” she affirms. “I know that your foremost interest is the well-being of our family and house.”

“It is indeed,” he confirms. As they reach the doors leading into the Chamber of the Painted Table, he brings them to a halt. Turning toward her, he caresses her cheek. “I thank you for your understanding, my dear.”

Smiling, she pats his hand before stepping back from him and entering the room. She and Corlys are among the last to arrive, the queen being the only other person absent. Walking to the far end of the room, Valaena takes her place to Jacaerys’s right while Corlys positions himself opposite to her.

When Rhaenyra arrives, all bow their heads in respect. Once she is stood at the head of the table, with Valaena on her left and Corlys on her right, Rhaena, as the queen’s cupbearer, starts pouring wine.

“What business have we today,” Rhaenyra inquires, commencing the meeting. Lord Bartimos Celtigar answers her by reporting that Dalton Greyjoy has pledged his men and ships to their cause, and the discussion moves along from there.

Eventually, the moment of truth arrives. Jacaerys, who has been staunchly avoiding Valaena’s gaze despite the many glares she has sent in his direction over the course of the meeting, restates his position. He proclaims that Joffrey would be safest in the Vale, as would be Aegon and Viserys in Pentos, the prince of which having agreed to foster them until the war is ended.

Valaena replies by pointing out that there is no safer place than Dragonstone so long as the Greens have ample reason to leave it be, and it has been established that they do. She mentions also that their brothers wish to remain on Dragonstone. Aegon and Viserys, the latter of whom is still a babe, are loath to be separated from their mother. Joffrey has been adamant about contributing to the war effort and does not favor being sent away.

“Joff will be contributing by taking Tyraxes to the Vale as he would be fulfilling the promise by which I secured the Vale’s support,” Jacaerys argues.

“The support of the Vale was never in question,” she dismissively counters.

Stung, he says, “And yet I was sent there to treat with the Lady Jeyne Arryn.”

“A courtesy,” she replies, riling him further.

Jacaerys does not take her gall lying down. He contends, “Our brothers will be safer absent whence your husband believes them to be.”

Valaena smarts at the reminder of Aemond’s treachery. Following the broken truce of Rook’s Rest, Aemond has taken on the mantle of ruler for the Greens, calling himself the prince regent. While it is merely one more insult to everyone else, it is another stinging blow to Valaena. It is her husband against whom they now contend, and she the cause for the change given the near-fatal blow Aegon had incurred during their bout.

Vexed by her brother’s taunt, she turns to face him. “They would be safer here at Dragonstone. Aemond will send neither army nor navy against this hold for he knows his son resides within its walls, and he would not dare venture here himself. He knows it would mean the end of his miserable life.”

Turning towards her, too, he argues, “You sent Princess Helaena and her children to safety. Why do you not wish for the same security for our brothers?”

Exasperated, Valaena sighs. She cannot very well say that she would have brought Helaena and her children to Dragonstone if not for the fact that they would have been less safe here given Daemon’s plans for Jaehaerys, of which Jacaerys and the other council members do not know. Thus, she does not argue the point with him, choosing instead to silently convey it to their mother, who she had herself made aware of Daemon’s plot. She says, “The decision lies with you, Your Grace.”

Rhaenyra frowns in quiet contemplation. After a moment, she turns to her right. “Lord Corlys, which idea has your support?”

As of now, Rhaenyra’s small council is made up of solely advisors, no formal positions having been assigned. At Jacaerys’s suggestion, she has been trying out Corlys as her Hand, though she has not yet made her decision to appoint him for the role.

“I favor the prince’s plan, Your Grace, and I would have my own men see your sons Aegon and Viserys safely across the Narrow Sea,” answers the Sea Snake.

Rhaenyra hums. “And Rhaena, do you still wish to travel to the Vale with Joffrey?”

In hearing the question, Valaena deflates. The queen has made her decision.

“Yes,” Rhaena answers.

“Very well then.” Rhaenyra decrees, “Prince Joffrey and Lady Rhaena will go to the Vale, and Prince Aegon and Prince Viserys will go to Pentos.”

As Jacaerys straightens beside her, like to be preening at his victory, Valaena swallows her disappointment. She had done her utmost to see that her brothers and son remained on Dragonstone—pleading with her mother, arguing with her brother for weeks on end, and risking her life in the crownlands—and she has only succeeded by half. That must need be enough, she supposes.

Jacaerys promises to make the final arrangements for their siblings’ journeys. Nodding, Rhaenyra asks if there remain any other matters for discussion.

Clearing his throat, Corlys announces that there is one matter. He says it concerns yet another of Jacaerys’s ideas, the challenge to master the unclaimed dragons on the Dragonmont.

Following the inadvertent confrontation between Valaena and the elder two Green princes, in which she was woefully outnumbered, Jacaerys had reiterated the need to bolster Rhaenyra’s claim by adding to the number of dragons possessed by the Blacks. As of now, the count is eight Black dragons and two Green—Sunfyre having been grievously injured when he struck the ground near Rook’s Rest—but Jacaerys hopes to bring the former number up by five. Thus, he had extended an invitation to dragonseeds, bastards of Valyrian descent, to claim any of the riderless dragons found on the isle.

“I wish to put forth two candidates for the challenge,” Corlys professes.

“All are free to partake,” replies Jacaerys.

Dipping his head in acknowledgment, Corlys adds, “I ask that they have special license to try for Seasmoke.”

Rhaenyra furrows her brow. “Wherefore?”

Briefly, he glances at his wife, stood beside him. Rhaenys appears just as curious as does Rhaenyra. Turning back to the queen, he takes a deep breath and gives his answer. “Seasmoke was my son’s mount, and I would prefer that he remain a Velaryon dragon.”

“You wish for one of your nephews to ride Seasmoke,” Rhaenyra speculates.

“Not one of my nephews. One of my grandsons,” he clarifies.

Confused, Jacaerys tells him, “Grandsire, we already have dragons.”

Shaking his head, Corlys departs from the Painted Table. Perplexed, everyone in attendance watches as he strides to the door and steps outside. After a moment, he returns with two adolescent boys in tow. Growing wary, Valaena begins to think that she should have let her grandsire finish his thought when they spoke before the council meeting.

Stopping at the other end of the table, Corlys places a hand on either boy’s shoulder. He makes their introductions. “This is Addam and Alyn of Hull. They are Laenor’s sons.”

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