Part One - Paramountcy of Stepstone Islands
Rhaenyra looked worried as she read through the papers Lord Strong had given her and listened to the Master of Law and Master of Coin go through the contract they wrote for her. “But would father sign this agreement? And how can we be so sure that Ser Otto and Queen Alicent won’t stop us? Or steal Stepstones from me?”
“We had considered those questions when writing this contract. For one, Prince Daemon made it clear that in wording of the land ownership contract that Stepstones Islands and the Narrow Seas belong only to you, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and her heirs by blood for perpetuity.” Lyman pulled a thick sheaf of papers and showed it to her. “The only way for the Crown to take the islands from you is that you, and only you surrendered it to another person.”
“Secondly, we made sure that Otto cannot dispute the contract, all that you asked for in that contract belongs to you and the late Queen Aemma.” Lyman showed her the books he had brought with him for the meeting.
“Won’t he consider it as usury?” Rhaenyra asked in worry.
“Not if you present it properly, Princess.” Lyonel assured the princess. “We had referred to the laws established by your late grandsire, King Jaehaerys I and we believed this contract to be solid. Hopefully by the time you leave for the Stepstones, we will have enough people and small folks to go with you.”
“I will send for my third eldest and my youngest daughters, Morna and Layla to be your companions. Morna is thirteen years old while Layla is the same age as you, Princess.” Lyonel offered.
“My granddaughter, Rosamund, is fifteen years old. I will send her to you as your lady in waiting as well along with my youngest son, Martyn. He is currently the under-steward for my heir at Honeyholt, surely his expertise would help you at Stepstone.” Lyman chimed in.
“My lords-” The young princess felt overwhelmed by their kind support for her. “I thank you.”
"It is our duty and our great honor to help secure your right, Your Highness." Lord Lyman smiled before pointed at yet another clause he and Lyonel had painstakingly written for her.
“What is this Rhaenyra?” Viserys was horrified to see the sheaf of parchments his daughter had presented to him during a private breakfast in his solar. Queen Alicent didn’t join them, citing morning sickness, making it easier to present the contract to him.
“Kepus Daemon had named me the new Lady of Stepstones and I thought with the hard work that kepus and Lord Corlys Velaryon did annexing the islands from the islands from the pirates, I should at least take care of it.” Rhaenyra said softly, her clenched hands were the only tell betraying her nervousness.
“Are you sure this is what you want, my dear? Surely the Queen would need you here to help her, don’t you want to grow up to be a good sister for your little brother?” Viserys wheedled at her.
If anything, those words strengthened her resolve and banished the last of her misgiving as Rhaenyra straightened in her chair. She will not be her stepmother’s maidservant, playing caretakers to her half-siblings. “Stepstones are integral to Westeros, father. As its new liege lady, it is my sworn duty to uphold my responsibility, the same way you told me when you installed me as your heir.'' She subtly reminds him of his decision of installing her as his heir and then callously taking it away and giving it to that half-blood prince. “Please, father.” She pleaded to him, looking so sad and forlorn to tug her father into granting her wish.
“Oh my child.” He cupped her face, rubbing his thumb against her cheek. “Your mother would be so proud of you.”
He signed the agreement without reading it at all.
It took them a fortnight but preparation was finally complete.
Otto was furious when he heard of the agreement and written demands Rhaenyra had given to Viserys and had tried to invalidate it, claiming that Stepstone Isles would make a better inheritance for Viserys and Alicent’s future sons.
Alas Lord Lyonel had written such an ironclad contract that even the best of maesters well versed in law could not countermand it.
(Otto was even more furious when he realized that in one of the clauses had stated that only Rhaenyra and Rhaenyra alone can decide her own match, taking away his plan to betrothed her to one of his relatives to further tie the Valyrian house to his family.)
And if they did, Viserys, for once, had put his foot down and steadfastly refused to take away the islands from Rhaenyra, even going as far as naming her Princess Paramount of Stepstones Isle and the Narrow Seas, further cementing her ownership over the islands.
When Otto pointed out that the islands were desolate and the princess would need time to populate it (thus giving him time to formulate a plan to take it away from her) the young princess herself sent out calls and recruiters everywhere, offering land and sanctuary under her authority.
Within days, her recruiters found themselves inundated by people from all walks of life, including young bastards looking to create a life of their own and desperate parents wanting a better life for their children.
The princess would end up needing to chartered two galleys to carry her new people. And joining the group where the remaining 500 officers and men that served under Prince Daemon City’s Watch, led by Ser Luthor Largent (the other half had left when her uncle had left King’s Landing following her father’s decision to remove him from the line of succession), thus helped eliminate the problem of security.
Boarding the carrack ‘The Realm Delight’ (a gift from Viserys himself), Rhaenyra watched as people of King’s Landing; Lords and Ladies, peasants and beggars, crowded the docks to send the princess off. Whispers abounded when the populace saw that King Viserys nor Queen Alicent were there to send the former crown princess off, only Lord Lyonel Strong and Lord Beesbury were there as the Crown representatives.
(Alicent cleverly feigned illness, imploring Viserys to stay with her in fear something would happen to their precious future prince.)
The two lords, after exchanging farewells with their family members that would accompany the princess as part of her new household, turned to the young princess, who gazed rather mournfully at Red Keep.
Wiping her tears, Rhaenyra turned to them with a wet smile. “Thank you, My Lords, I hope that one day I could repay you for all your loyalty and kindness you had shown me.”
“All we want, Princess, is for you to live a long and prosperous life. That is enough reward for the both of us.” As one, the Master of Law and the Master of Coin bowed to the former Crown Princess, sealing their allegiances to the young girl.
The crowd exploded into cheers as the Realm Delight casted off, waving furiously at the princess.
“HAIL TO THE PRINCESS RHAENYRA!!” “HAIL THE REALM DELIGHT!!”
From afar, watching the excitement as the ships left docks, Ser Otto Hightower, Hand to King Viserys and grandfather to the new Crown Prince of Westeros, gritted his teeth in frustration. He vow then and there that the Princess’s name would be forgotten and the only name the crowd would cheer from thereon would be King Aegon the Second, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm.