Lucerys' Dream

“Uncle ! Hello !” Lucerys waved, jumping a little in his place. 

He was so happy to see his uncle again! It had been forever!

Aemond’s eyes darted from him to the passage behind him, his eyes wide. Lucerys shifted on his feet, still waiting by the door because his mother told him it was rude to enter someone else’s room without their permission.

“Lucerys ? What are you- how did you get here ?” Aemond got up, walking towards him and when he got closer Luke grabbed him into a quick hug, lacing his arm around – or trying to – his uncle’s shoulders and torso, just as he did with Jace, Baela and Rhaena when they left for long. He didn’t have to struggle to hug the grown ups that way because they always lifted him up.

His uncle didn’t respond like them, however. His siblings held him tight when they hugged him, but Aemond just stood there, unmoving. After a couple seconds, Lucerys let go.

“The hallway beside the vase.” He pointed to the passage behind him. Then thought better of the sentence. “The stone in the hallway !”

Aemond blinked at him, then grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside, towards the bed. “What ?”

“I pushed.” He motioned to the wall beside the bed and pretended to push the wall. “And it showed a secret passage !”

Aemond’s eyes darted to the dark hallway again, but Lucerys was already wandering around his uncle’s room. It was the same as the one he saw in his dream, the walls red and full of dragon designs.

On the table beside the bed was a book Lucerys recognized, the one Aemond read to him months ago, before he stopped visiting because his mother got sick.

“Is your mother better ? Can we play together again ?”

Lucerys remembered Aemond’s mother. She had grabbed him when he tried to find his grandsire and had given him a paper scroll to paint and was really nice and she told him she used to be his mother’s best friend.

“Mother said I can’t see you anymore.” Aemond said, looking fearfully at the door on the back of his room. 

Lucerys frowned. “Why not ?”

“She said-” His uncle started blinking rapidly and he looked sad. Rhaena did that when she wanted to cry and Lucerys didn’t want his uncle to cry, so he grabbed Aemond’s hand to comfort him.

“It’s alright.” He said, just as his mother always did when comforting his siblings or he.

Aemond stared at their hands for a while. Then, he brushed his eyes against his shoulders. His words came out garbled. “She said ‘Nyra doesn’t want us to.”

Lucerys tilted his head. “Mother doesn’t want to see you ?” Lucerys didn’t think that was true. Of course mother wanted to see them ! 

He said as much.

“No, she doesn’t !” Aemond shouted, pulling his hands away from Luke’s and stomping away angrily. Lucerys was so surprised he tripped backwards and fell on his bottom. “Mother told us so! You’re lying !”

Lucerys felt his bottom lip tremble, but he didn’t cry because right after the door on the back of the room opened and his Aunt Helaena walked in.

“Lucerys?” 

Luke ran to her, pressing his lips together. He wanted to hug her too, but he knew his Aunt did not like to be touched.

Even so, he gripped onto her dress’ sleeves, his free hand rubbing against his eyes to stop the tears from coming. 

He wouldn’t cry.

“Helaena?” Someone else called, appearing in the doorway and when Lucerys lifted his eyes, he saw the surprised face of his Uncle Aegon. 

Aegon stared at him, and then at Helaena. At last, he turned to Aemond, scowling.

“Come here, Nephew. ” His uncle called, extending a hand.

Lucerys grabbed it, letting himself be pulled into a hug and then propped onto Aegon’s hip. His uncle was much taller now than he was the last time Lucerys saw him and Luke thought it was very nice. 

“Brother, mother said-” 

“Only you care about what mother says, Aemond.” Aegon said, without looking back, and Helaena closed the doors as soon as they left Aemond’s room.

Lucerys didn’t know what was happening, or why she hadn’t followed them, but right after Uncle Daeron was there, touching his boot-covered foot and pulling on it.

Lucerys squirmed to be let go and when Aegon put him on the floor, he was hugged tight by Daeron.

His uncle was taller, but not by much and Lucerys wondered if that was because he himself had grown too.

“Luke ! You’re here!” Daeron shouted, shaking him from side to side and Lucerys gripped tight onto his arms so as to not fall. “Come to my room! Let’s play!”

“Play what?” Lucerys asked, letting himself be pulled towards one of the doors, but between one step and another, his feet stopped touching the air and he found himself being grabbed by Aegon.

“Now, brother, you’re not the only one who wants to have a talk with Lucerys.”

Daeron turned around, and scowled. “I’m his favorite uncle and I want to play!”

Aemond was Luke’s favorite uncle, but he’d called Lucerys a liar so Daeron could be his new favorite uncle now.

“Don’t be full of yourself, I'm stronger and taller and I have a dragon.” Aegon lifted Lucerys and Luke giggled when he felt his booted foot be grabbed by Daeron once again. “I’m the favorite uncle.”

“I’m sure Lucerys does not have favorites,” Helaena commented as she approached, a sullen Aemond behind her. 

Lucerys turned his head away on Aegon’s shoulders, bottom lip jutting out. He did not want to talk to Aemond or see him anymore.

“Aemond has something to tell you, don’t you, brother?” Helaena asked. 

Uncle Aegon let out a deep sigh before putting Lucerys down on the ground. Luke tried to hold on to him, but Aegon held him by his arms and turned him around to face Aemond instead. 

His uncle was playing with his fingers and staring at them. He did not look at Luke when he spoke. “I’m sorry for calling you a liar. It was wrong of me.”

“I’m not a liar.”

Aemond finally looked up, and he let out a trembling breath. “I know. I’m sorry.” 

Lucerys smiled, happy that now they could be friends again. “I forgive you.”

“Now hug it out.” Helaena ordered just as his mother used to make them do, her lips curling. 

Uncle Aemond’s face was red and he didn’t move, but he didn’t need to because Lucerys was already on his tiptoes, curling his arms around his uncle’s shoulders. 

This time, Aemond returned the hug.

“So, how’s ‘Nyra? And cousin Laenor?” Lucerys was propped on Aunt Helaena’s lap, letting her play with his hair and put pretty braids on it.

“Fine.”

Aegon laughed. “I know that. But what have they been doing? And Jace? How’s Jace?”

“Jace has classes now.” Lucerys had been really excited when he found out. He couldn’t wait until he was five so he would start his classes as well. “Mother and father sleep together.”

Uncle Aegon spluttered, his face going red. “Lucerys-”

“And they won’t let me stay with Jace.”

“In Jace’s room?” Uncle Daeron. Lucerys nodded. “I always slept alone.”

Lucerys used to sleep alone too, sometimes. But mostly he slept with Jace because his brother would tell his adventure stories of knights that he loved to hear.

“Now I have to stay with them and I can’t read ‘cause it’ll wake them up!” Lucerys complained. He didn’t like to spend the night without anything to do.

“Why don’t you go to sleep?” Uncle Aemond asked. He was still acting weird, and Lucerys was afraid he wasn’t really happy to see him there. 

He thought Uncle Aemond would go back to how he was before his mother got sick, but he didn’t and when Luke tried to cuddle with him on the big chair he changed seats.

He thought over the question. “Bad dreams.”

“Do you have nightmares?” Uncle Aegon asked, frowning. “About what?”

Lucerys was about to answer when a door was opened somewhere and talking ensued.

“Helaena, take him away. It’s grandsire.” 

His uncles and aunt got up and Lucerys was carried away by Helaena in a rush, taken to Aemond’s room.

“What 's wrong?”

Aemond was running in front of them, opening the door to his room and going to the door Luke came from. Lucerys gripped tight onto Aunt Helaena’s dress, scared by the look on their faces.

“Nothing, it’s just late. You need to go to sleep.” She said, but uncle Aemond’s eyes were huge with fear as he stared at the door that gave way to the main room.

“You need to go. Now.”  He pushed Lucerys to the secret passage.

Lucerys looked back, confused, but let himself be pushed.

“Lucerys.” Aunt Helaena said. She was serious as she went on. “When the cold strikes, huddle close to the fire. The nightmares won’t catch you there.” 

And the door was closed on his face.

He stared at it, unable to see anything while his eyes didn’t adjust to the dark and turned around to return to his parent’s room.

When he got there, without seeing anyone else, he stopped just short of the bed, looking left and right to the dark of his parent’s bed and the warmth light of the fireplace. 

Lucerys walked up to the bed and struggled to bring one of the big pillows out of it, hugging it with both arms as he went close to the fire and put the pillow down. When he lied above it and closed his eyes, no blue appeared.

He was asleep in seconds, dreaming of a Lords and sisters and Dragonstone, the island Arrax was now living on.

THEN - DRIFTMARK 

There were few times in life that made Rhaenyra glad no to be a man, and as she stared at Rhaenys, the woman’s face solemn as she met her gaze head on, Rhaenyra was happy she’d been born a woman because if she weren’t she’d walking around armed with a sword and would now be drawing it out.

Despite how much Laenor and she raged, Rhaenys simply did not seem to care about their opinion.

Rhaenyra had respected her for years, had desired her approval for as long as she knew her, but now, after the woman abused her trust and took her son out to be used as a way to get political advantage, she was done.

It didn’t matter that Rhaenhra understood why Rhaenys did it. The queen who never was did with her children as she wished, but Lucerys was hers.

Rage fueling her, Rhaenyra attacked where she knew it would hurt the most.

“You will not be left alone with him. Ever again.” Rhaenys eyes widened and her mask broke for the first time since they started that conversation. She made to speak, but Rhaenyra cut her right off. “I do not care who you are, or about the blood you two share. I am his mother. You’ll not be left alone with him or Jace again.”

She didn’t stay to hear Rhaenys’ answer, and should Laenor try to change her mind she would stop him right off. 

But he didn’t. Instead, he followed right outside of the room and when the doors closed with Rhaenys inside, he turned to her. “I’ll pack my belongings. I assume we will return tonight to King’s Landing?”

Rhaenyra nodded, struggling to keep herself calm while her children stared at her. She smiled at them, noticing Jacaerys and Baela were playing fight while Rhaena and Lucerys played chess.

She forced out a smile. “I have lemon cake back at my chambers. Who wants a piece?”

The four of them lifted their hands, jumping from their place and running to the hallways. “No running!”

She followed behind, keeping an eye on the four of them as they walked. Laena and Daemon may not be there, but she wouldn’t let Rhaena and Baela alone with Rhaenys right now. And she would tell her uncle and cousin of what she’d done. 

Laena and Daemon were as protective of the children and Laenor and she were. It was time for Rhaenys to learn they made moves together, and that she was not to be played with.

The knights around followed them with their eyes, but Rhaenhyra knew their attention was on her youngest. Lucerys walked slowly after the others, already getting tired of having to run behind the three oldest to keep to their pace and, because he didn’t complain and Jace and the twins were distracted by their chatting, none of them seemed to notice Luke was left behind.

Rhaenyra sighed. He would need to learn how to ask for help soon, it wasn’t good to try to do everything by himself.

She loved seeing herself in her children, but there were traits of hers that she would have liked for them to not have. Such as this one.

As a child and young woman Rhaenyra always tried to do everything on her own, only letting Alicent help her occasionally. She’d learned the harder way that everyone needed support and she didn’t want her son to go through the same.

Clearing her throat, The Princess spoke. “Let us walk slower, shall we? My feet are getting tired.”

Lucerys turned to her, smiling, and raised his hand for her to grab.

They walked hands on hands by a couple hallways before he extended both hands at her. “Up, please.” 

He laid his head on her shoulder, his small legs curling around her hips. “Mother?” His lips touched her jaw when he spoke, mouth close to her ear.

“Yes, sweet boy?”

“Are you upset at Grandmother because of me?” Lucerys asked slowly, dragging the letter ‘p’ out to pronounce the word as best as he could.

Rhaenyra shook her head, pressing a kiss to his cheek. It was a struggle to not turn around and shout and scream at Rhaenys for putting them into such a situation. “No, darling, no. It has nothing to do with you, you have done nothing wrong.”

Luke lifted his head and stared into her eyes for a couple seconds. She didn’t know what he was searching for, but she hoped he would find it. 

He laid his head back on her shoulder, little hand grabbing a curl of her hair that fell from her braid on her rush to find her son after she heard of what Rhaenys had done. “Alright.”

It was so low Rhaenyra almost missed it, but due to his mouth being so close to her ear, she didn’t.

The Princess adjusted her boy on her arms, pressing him against her body. “Did you enjoy it? Seeing all those people waving at you?”

Lucerys shook his head. “No.”

Rhaenyra pressed him closer to her.

"It won't happen again, I promise."

THEN - KING'S LANDING

The stares they received when they got home were different.

Rhaenyra pretended not to be aware of them, holding an asleep Jacaerys in her arms as she descended the ship and made her way to the top of the small hill.

Laena was beside her, pulling Rhaena with her. Baela was on her father’s shoulders, having made a fuss so she could try and see the people’s houses from down below.

Laenor walked in front of them with Lucerys in his arms, the boy barely keeping his eyes open, but putting on a good effort. Both Jace and him had been running around the ship for hours, or rather Jace had been running around the ship while Lucerys followed him like a lost duckling.

They were supposed to have stayed in Driftmark for an entire quarter of  moon, and Rhaenyra had thought Laena would have stayed with Daemon on the island, but she returned with them, showing her support.

Rhaenyra was still waiting for the talk that was sure to come. Laena was much calmer than her and was sure to later try to reason with her.

Laena took her hand with her free one, swinging it the same way she’d always done when they were younger and when Rhaenyra met her gaze, they both smiled.

For now, Rhaenyra would enjoy a few days of peace until then.

“Princess Rhaenyra, we thought you would be staying at Driftmark for a few more days.” Otto Hightower stood on the gates, two knights behind him.

“I’ve decided otherwise.” She met his eyes and walked past him without stopping. 

Every time she returned from a trip the man was there to receive her, as a way of trying to let her know her place wasn’t there. 

The first time it worked – the thoughts of being replaced by Aegon bothering her and keeping her awake for nights long.

Now, his presence did nothing more than annoy her. She was the heir, and the Red Keep was and would always be her home. Nothing he did would ever change that.

She heard steps behind her, but didn’t bother to look back. “Princess, the King wishes to see you.”

“Already?” What could have possibly happened for her father to wish to see her so soon? She had just arrived and was bound to be tired.

“It is an urgent matter.” 

“Then I shall meet him.” She agreed, her steps not changing even as he hurried forwards.

She saw a flash of a green dress somewhere above her and knew if she were to look up she’d see Alicent standing by one of the highest windows. 

Rhaenyra kept her eyes ahead, trying not to think of her siblings and instead focusing on Laenor, who was waiting for them in the hallway.  

“My father wishes to see me.”

Otto Hightower waited for her by the end of the hallway.

“I’ll take him.” Laena made grabby hands for Jace and Rhaenyra passed the boy to her, still confused. Jacaerys fussed slightly, but soon relaxed against Laena. 

Rhaena went to hold Jace’s foot, but Laena stopped her with a look.

Daemon came right behind, having spent the trip rather nicely since he ate the herb before getting into the ship. “What’s the matter?”

“Father wants to see me.”

“Do you wish for company?” Laenor whispered. Lucerys had his eyes half open. Rhaenyra was growing increasingly worried with his lack of sleep. 

She thought it over. It would be nice to have him by her side, but she couldn’t be seen as the heir if she brought her husband along to an important meeting, especially since she was not yet Queen.

“No, I must do this alone.”

She turned around to leave, but Laena held on to her arm. “Meet you for dinner?” Laena asked.

Rhaenyra smiled, nodding and watched them walk away for a moment before going in the other direction, to where Otto Hightower waited impatiently for her.

That could not be good, she thought as she followed him past the hallways and when they entered the council room and she saw the men’s somber expressions, she knew it wasn’t.

The Hand sat by her father’s right and she stood on her feet in front of the men, her hands holding one another behind her back. “You wished to see me, father?”

“Yes, Rhaenyra. I did.” Her father adjusted himself on his seat. “There has been word of Lucerys being presented to the Driftmark people, according to Lord Strong’s sources.”

The man in question was already looking at her when she glanced at him. “Princess Rhaenyra, word around the Kingdom is that you picked House Velaryon as the first House to begin the so wanted progression.”

She blinked, her mind running one mile per minute to understand the meanings of what he just said. When she did, her nails craved on the palm of her hand. 

Rhaenys set her up.

By presenting Lucerys to the people of Driftmark, the woman had made a statement, but Rhaenyra would not play her game. 

She plastered a false smile on her face. “I assure you, Lord Strong, that I have not chosen House Velaryon as the first house to receive the progression. It was simply a visit to my good mother and good father, both who missed their grandsons very much.”

The man nodded at her, hand working fast to write her words.

“Are we to understand the Princess has not yet decided whether or not to go into a Royal Progression?” Lord Wylde, the Maester of laws, asked.

“Yes.” The men started chattering all around the table. She raised her voice, not wanting to hear the opinion on whether or not she should use her children as a ladder to climb and sit the Iron Throne. “Was that all, father? The trip was quite tiring and I’m in deep need of rest.”

“Yes, yes, my daughter. You may leave.” She bowed her head slightly towards him and left, shoulders tight until the doors closed behind her and she walked past the guards, turning into the nearest corner.

Then, and only then, Rhaenyra let her face contort in rage at having been manipulated so easily.

She’d seen Laenor angry many times in her life, but she didn’t think angry was enough of a description for what her cousin was now.

He was livid.

By presenting Lucerys – against Rhaenyra’s and Laenor’s consent to the people of Driftmark, the last drop on the progression matter hit the cup.

Denying having made a decision to the Small Council had been only a way to ascertain them she hadn’t picked the Velaryons as the first House to receive them, but they all knew that since Lucerys had now been shown to the people, the progression needed to happen.

Only another one of the reasons for Rhaenys to have taken matters in her own hands, and although Rhaenyra admired the move and would certainly add it to her repertoire, she also loathed being manipulated and forced into things.

The maybe in their plans was now a yes. They had no choice, but to go forward with their decision.

Which House they’d visit first would be for her to decide, as the Princess and Heir, and although Rhaenyra knew any other House would be better – politically speaking – she now wanted to spite Rhaenys and had picked the Arryns.

It wasn’t only for that; she also wanted to honor her mother’s memory by giving the highest honor to her late House. A family that loved her as much as she had loved them.

Aemma Targaryen had lived her life as an Arryn, and died as one. Her mother never claimed a dragon, and she was the kindest person Rhaenyra had ever met.

Laenor backed her up quickly, but Laena and Daemon watched her with skeptical eyes. Rhaenyra ignored them both, she did not want to be judged and nor did she want to hear talks of reason now.

Daemon and Laena exchanged glances in front of her before Laena smiled and took her hands. “Whatever you decide, we'll stand behind you.”

Her uncle didn’t say anything, but there was a knowing smirk on his lips. Rhaenyra also ignored the implications of that expression of his.

“When will we be leaving?” Laenor asked.

“I’ll have to announce it to the Realm, and then we must wait a week to give them a head start to prepare.”

“A week? That’s a short amount of time to say goodbye.” Laena jested.

When she put a strand of Rhaenyra’s hair behind her ear, Laena’s fingers brushed past her neck and Rhaenyra opened up her legs to pull her closer. 

She smirked. Through Laena’s shoulders, Rhaenyra saw Daemon watching them intently.

“Then let’s make the most of it.”

Laenor snorted from somewhere behind her.

NOW 

One must rule not with their heart, Rhaenyra.

She woke up with a start, heart beat against her chest fast to the point of hurting.

Rhaenyra stared unseeing at the black curtains in front of her, unmoving as tears slowly filled in her eyes, sliding past her nose and dripping onto the pillow.

She’d dreamt of her mother.

It wasn’t the first time, and Rhaenyra was certain it wouldn’t be the last, but this time it wasn’t a nightmare and they were both sitting together as they watched the sun disappear beneath the ocean. This time, she saw Aemma’s face – so alike to hers, but at the same time so different. Rhaenyra had forgotten what she looked like, she was so young the last time she saw her.

She wished she knew how to paint, if she did she would be now leaving everything behind so she could paint that memory, make it immortal for everyone to see.

A wet laugh escaped her mouth. It had been so long.

She’d forgotten, but this time she was able to see everything. The wrinkles on her mother’s eyes when she smiled, the loving smile she always gave when Rhaenyra was being particularly difficult. How kind her gaze always was.

She now knew; Jace had her mother’s eyes, – and even eyebrows – and Lucerys looked almost exactly like her, with the exception of his eye color.

Rhaenyra rolled to her other side, wanting to watch her son’s face, but instead of finding Lucerys sleeping on the bed, the spot between Laenor and she was empty.

She touched it, fear rising into her, and felt the cold sheets.

Rhaenyra sat on the bed, her heart pounding and almost started crying again, this time in relief, when she saw Lucerys lying above a pillow near the fire.

She got up, praying he wouldn’t be touching the fire while she went closer, and he wasn’t. He was sleeping at last, so close to the fireplace she didn’t understand how he could not be already drenched in sweat. 

She pulled the pillow – and her son – slightly away from the fireplace and knelt down, pushing the boy’s hair away from his face, studying him.

He seemed at peace, right now. Calm for once. 

Lucerys usually moved a lot while he slept, but now he wasn’t.

She smiled, relieved. Sleeping had been difficult for him the last couple of days.

There was a movement on the bed, and then Laenor lifted his upper body, his hair going in different directions. “Where’s Luc- oh.” 

She snorted at the pure relief that took over his face before Laenor was dropping his head on the bed again, letting out a small groan.

Rhaenyra wished she could bring the bedsheets and a pillow and lay down beside her youngest, but she had duties. Still, the boy couldn’t sleep too close to the fireplace alone.

She stared at her cousin’s back. He didn’t seem to have plans to get up any time soon, but most mornings Laenor spent at least thirty minutes by the sea, fishing, and she had to make sure he wouldn’t go.

“Will you fish today?” 

“No, I’m exhausted.” His voice came out muffled, his face stuffed into his pillow.

“Then come lay down near Luke. I have a feeling he will wake up if I take him back to bed.”

Laenor got up with a low string of complaints, his eyes only half opened, and she helped him – amused at his fretfulness – set his bed on the floor. When Laenor laid down, he put an arm around Lucerys and the pillow, and started snoring right away.

Rhaenyra watched them for a couple minutes before she left for Jacaerys' room.

It didn’t take long for her to wake Jacaerys up so she could take him to his classes, get ready and leave their chambers.

“You wish to start the progression by the Baratheons.” Laena realized.

After a morning spent dealing with her duties as heir, the decision had been made.

The dream had shaken her.

It was just a saying, and she woke up before her mother could finish it, but she heard it so many times coming from her soft voice she knew the rest by heart.

One must rule not with their heart, but with their mind. A King’s decisions must leave no space for subjective matters.

Her mother always said that when Rhaenyra raged at the fact that she was being forced to bear children again, only to lose them in a matter of moons.

The Arryns would always be her family, and she would always hold them close in her heart, but the dream was a warning. It was not the time to make decisions with her heart or out of spite.

When Jahaerys disinherited Rhaenys, the House of the Stag was one of the most upset.

The Crown – or rather, Rhaenyra – had now made amends with the Velaryons, but the Baratheons were still waiting for their time. Being the first House to receive the royal progression was a huge honor and it would ease the blow the Baratheons received decades ago.

 It wasn’t a difficult decision; she knew it was the right move to make, politically speaking. 

Her mother’s dream had shaken her towards rationality. 

But she also missed her family in the Vale.

“I don’t know what to do.” 

She hated it. Being indecisive was not one of her flaws, battling between her feelings and rationality was. And now she was trapped.

“The Baratheons would be the smarter move.” Daemon made his mind known. 

“I know.”

She stared at the map in front of her. The paths had already been decided and if she decided to go further with that choice, all that work would be for nothing.

Blue fabric blocked her vision of the map and her eyes rose to find Laena’s.

Her cousin supported her hips on the round table, looking down on her.

“You want to know what I think ? I think you already made your decision and are now wallowing on it.”

Laenor snorted, shaking his head and walking towards the table, standing right beside Daemon. They both started to pull on the pins, the threads following the movements of their hands as they changed the routes without even asking her about it. 

They all knew her too well. 

Rhaenyra took a deep breath to steady herself. No point in wondering what it could have been. Her mother was dead and no honoring would bring her back. 

She’d honor her by getting one of the biggest Houses’ favor and later sitting on the Iron Throne as the first Queen to ever reign over the Seven Kingdoms.

“Make it so the Arryns are the last House we visit.” She stood up. If she couldn’t have them be the first one, they’d get the grand finale. “Then we return to King’s Landing. And after we restock, we shall travel North and visit the Houses there.”

Then she left the room with a swirl of her dress.

The guards bowed when she passed by, and maids stopped to do the same. Rhaenyra acknowledged the curtsies with a nod and kept walking until she was at the entrance to the Throne room.

She fixed the lines of her dress, and put her hands behind her back before signaling at the Knight to open the door.

“Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne.”

Her father was sitting on the Iron Throne with his hand by his side, on the far back of the throne room and he sat up straighter when he saw her.

Today they had a particularly large number of Lords, since the preparations for the winter were about to start and some of them always enjoyed bothering her father with plantation issues. They bowed their heads as she passed through and she returned the gesture. As soon as she passed them, they started to talk to each other in hushed tones.

Rhaenyra crossed the room until she was standing in front of her father, the lord he had been talking to moving out of her way and staring at her with wide eyes.

Otto Hightower pretended not to see her, and Rhaenyra knew she was interrupting a reunion the Lords in the room traveled from far away to have, but that was precisely why she’d done it.

In the many years following her uncle around, Rhaenyra soon learned all of his tactics and making a grand announcement look like a simple conversation had been one of his bests.

Besides, the Hightower cunt seemed disgruntled, although he tried hard to hide it, and just like Daemon she loved to annoy him.

“Rhaenyra.” Her father smiled, amused. They were set to have a meeting later that day so he could spend some time with his grandchildren, and they both knew she could’ve talked to him later. “To what do we have the honor?”

She smirked, lifting her chin and rolling off her shoulders. “I’ve made a decision regarding the progression.” 

All around her, the chatters stopped and the Lords’ attention were set solely upon her. They were all aware that they would now be receiving first hand information about the awaited royal progression.

“Oh?”

“Yes, we will start by the Houses of the South, then return to King’s Landing until the winter passes so the children don’t have to face the North at its harshest.”

Otto Hightower’s eyes were large as he stared at her – he probably didn’t think she’d follow through with the progression.

Her father shook his head at her antics. “And which House will receive you first?”

It was as if she could hear them all hold their breaths. The entire room was silent, but even so Rhaenyra made sure her voice was loud enough to be heard clearly by the ones on the far back. “House Baratheon.”