Rhaenys was there again, in the middle of the weirwoods where she first saw Brandon Snow, the bastard brother of Torrhen Stark, Lord of Winterfell and King in the North. However, she wasn't as confused as the last time because she was fully aware that she was having the dragon dreams. The moment she touched Meraxes, she found herself falling high from the sky into the sea of red-leafed weirwoods, but she merely stood back up and started searching for her dragon and her Stark acquaintance.
As she moved deeper into the weirwoods, Rhaenys was surprised when the weirwood forest transitioned into a normal forest, but the evergreens were incredibly tall and there were still weirwoods here and there. She didn't know where exactly she was, but the eerie calm that existed amongst the weirwoods extended to the towering evergreens. She was off-putted by this change, as it felt more normal to be amongst everyday types of trees rather than the ones that had become near extinct south of the Neck.
Rhaenys finally came across a stream that ran below the evergreens and noticed wolf tracks on her bank. Following the tracks, she smiled as she saw Brandon Snow sitting on a boulder next to his direwolf Autumn and Meraxes drinking from the stream. She ignored Brandon as she walked past him and patted Meraxes' snout, who snorted her appreciation but kept drinking.
"Glad you could make it, Lady Rhaenys," Brandon Snow began.
"Good to see you, my lord," Rhaenys replied as she turned around to see him.
"Please, my lady. I'm not a lord. I'm just a bastard," Brandon stated sheepishly.
"Who can connect with people in dreams," Rhaenys responded.
"Well, admittedly, my particular abilities are of a dying sort," Brandon explained. "Greensight has not been as common as it once was ever since the Andals stormed through the south. The magic of the First Men and the children have faded to near nonexistence over thousands of years."
"Evidently, not all of it," Rhaenys pointed. "The Andals failed to cross the Neck and the magic must've survived."
"There might be a chance to bring it all back," Brandon stood up from the boulder while Autumn lifted his head off the ground.
"What do you mean?" Rhaenys asked.
"I'll be straight with you, Lady Rhaenys. The magic that flows in your blood doesn't match well with the magic that flows through mine and fire is rarely helpful for those worshipping what people see as magical trees. But sometimes, fire is needed to burn out a forest when it grows out of control and to make room for new growth. It's like using scissors to cut your hair, as you can hurt yourself using them but they're necessary to prevent your hair from growing too much and making it easier for the lice to infect you."
"You're not being straight, Lord Snow," Rhaenys chuckled. "I don't know why I'm hearing you say what I already know about keeping decent health."
"We have common cause, Lady Rhaenys. I know that the Starry Sept has declared a holy war on you and the Valyrian people in general, seeing you, your dragons, and your practices as abominations. But, the same arguments that they use against you apply to the First Men and the North. If they had their way, the Faith would have burned every weirwood they saw, and I fear that their actions against you would only spur them towards extreme measures against anything they deem as hostile to their religious practices."
"First time I read that declaration, I was… shocked to say the least," Rhaenys went back to when Jaenyx read that message aloud in their father's solar. "I never did follow the Faith, so did the rest of my family. But I liked the septon and septas on Dragonstone before my father told them to return to Oldtown, as I didn't have anything against them. Now, I don't want anything to do with the Faith anymore."
"Only been to a sept once at White Harbour, and never saw the appeal that one time. But getting back on point, you and the other Valyrians are greatly threatened. If you and your family are wiped out, what's to stop the rest of the south from marching north again and finishing what their ancestors failed to do?"
"Well," Rhaenys shrugged. "If I remember correctly, Theon Stark had many things to say about the Andals invading his home, if the spiked heads on his shores explain anything."
Brandon Snow nodded, impressed. "Very good. But, there has only been one Theon Stark in thousands of years and there's no guarantee that the North will withstand the Andals the next time they invade."
"So, what are you suggesting?" Rhaenys crossed her arms.
"Your family commands an able host, but you're spread thin and you can't fully trust the lords under you, except for a select few like the Blackwoods. The North might have driven them out of the Wolfswood thousands of years ago, but we still keep in contact with them as they still follow the Old Gods. Even with your dragons, you'll be hard pressed to fight the lords of the Rock and the Reach to the west and south and the Knights of the Vale to the east. The riverlands are divided and unprotected, while the former Storm kingdom cannot withstand the Gardeners forever despite your half-brother's victory there."
"How do you know about that?"
"Having what I have makes me aware of events before they occur, but Winterfell has kept a close eye on the developments south of the Neck for some time now. It's the reason why my brother King Torrhen proceeded to assemble his personal banners the moment he heard about Harrenhal and then reading the Starry Sept's declaration. He will call the other northern lords soon."
Rhaenys was surprised. Calling the banners was never a move to be taken lightly, and hearing about the Starks putting together their banners could only mean that the rest of the North would follow. "Why would your king do that? He has no obvious stake in our conflicts with the Faith."
"I told him some things that… persuaded him to begin preparations. Unlike the rest of the south, bringing the full strength of the North to Moat Cailin takes time given the distances between the various houses, but once mustered fully, an army of northmen can triumph against an army of summer knights. Theon Stark certainly accomplished that thousands of years ago."
"But why assemble the army in the first place?" Rhaenys asked.
Brandon Snow paused. "There are those that… doubt my abilities. While Theon Stark might have stopped the Andals from getting a foothold, he didn't stop Andal blood from entering the north over many generations. While the Andal lords might have brought practical power and quality steel amongst other things to the north, the blood of the First Men that was so prominent north of the Neck slowly became diluted. The Manderlys for starters, then the Flints, and so on. But the Starks cannot forget its First Men heritage and the fact that we were descended from both the Warg King and Brandon the Builder, so we took great pains to ensure that whatever abilities our blood carried remained alive. I grew up with King Torrhen and he saw my abilities personally, so he has no reason to doubt what I had to say about the threat from the Faith in the south. That's one of the reasons why he didn't go to the Arbor when King Mern of the Reach invited him."
"What?" Rhaenys' eyes widened, not knowing what he was talking about.
"I told him that I saw King Mern Gardener, Queen Regent Sharra Arryn, Darvin Hoare, and King Loren Lannister convene at the Arbor to discuss what their High Septon prayed about. I don't know the full details, but they sought to use the Faith to further their own ends towards Westeros. Loren Lannister wants the riverlands up to the Gods Eye, Mern Gardener wants the stormlands, Queen Sharra wants the Blackwater Bay, and Darvin Hoare wants the riverlands again. I'm surprised that they would invite the ironborn in the first place, given that they attacked you at Dragonstone and started the whole mess and not following the Faith."
"Hold on a moment," Rhaenys stopped him. "You mean to say that this was prearranged? And that this isn't about the Faith at all?"
"Oh, no. Don't get me wrong," Brandon shook his head. "The Faith has a central role in this, but the other rulers of Westeros that are fighting against you simply use the Faith to further their own ambitions. Sharra Arryn has particular designs towards your home area and the Vale has been silent. But I would keep my eyes open for them."
Rhaenys took this all in. The Faith declaring a holy war on the Valyrians was not just an act of pure religious fanaticism but also a political stratagem by ambitious rulers. She felt especially irritated against the Arryns, as they had the guts to think about taking their home from them. But thinking about the whole picture, she realized that the deaths of Black Harren and the Arrogant king had opened an opportunity for the rulers going against them, as Loren Lannister wouldn't have to worry about fighting against the ironborn from both land and sea, and the Gardeners believed the stormlands to be impotent with Argilac dead. But something still bothered Rhaenys.
"Did you know this was going to happen?"
That made Brandon Snow hesitate before he became resolute. "Yes, I did."
"Then why didn't you tell us?!" Rhaenys cried.
"Would you have believed me if I did, my lady?" Brandon Snow shot back. "The Faith had never done something like this and I only got the knowledge just recently. However, it doesn't matter since it is happening and we need each other."
"How?"
"If the Faith succeed, their power would grow unprecedented and I don't know if the North could withstand waves of Faith fanatics even with Moat Cailin. As a northerner, I cannot allow this threat to grow unchecked, but I also know that the northerners cannot do this by themselves. That's where you come in."
"Me?"
"There will be an envoy coming from White Harbour to Dragonstone, specifically the heir to Lord Manderly. He will carry documents containing King Torrhen's personal seal, which allows him great leeway to act on behalf of House Stark, but his main mission is to see whether a partnership could be established between the north and the Valyrians of the Blackwater Bay."
"You haven't told me what I would do."
"Your father has faith in your abilities, and so does the rest of your family. You need to make them aware of what we just discussed so that the discussions will run faster and smoother. Time is not on our side, Lady Rhaenys, and we need to know each other's terms before the full might of the Faith can overcome you."
"We have dragons, Lord Snow."
"So did the Valyrians against the Ghiscari and the Rhoynish," Brandon commented. "Granted, the people of Westeros are not them, but don't expect the dragons to easily overcome your enemies. The Rhoynish found ways to fight the dragons, so what's to stop those of the Faith from finding their own ways to combat yours?"
Rhaenys nodded, slowly understanding. "When should we expect this envoy to arrive?"
"Not long," Brandon replied as he scratched Autumn's head. "As for both of us, we will meet in person soon. The details will come from Lord Manderly when he arrives."
"I look forward to meeting you in person, Lord Snow, and your direwolf," Rhaenys smiled.
"And I you, your husband, your sister and good-brother, and the rest of your family. But just a word of warning for what's to come: you're not going to win every fight."
"What do you mean?" Rhaenys was confused.
"The only way that anyone can adapt and improve is through being set back, and that will happen very soon," Brandon said cryptically.
"Can't you tell me more about that?"
Brandon shook his head. "I don't know how it will happen, but it will. Just be prepared when it does."
Rhaenys sighed, but accepted his answer as she saw everything around her turn into white light. "All right. I hope we meet soon, Lord Snow."
"We will," Brandon simply answered before the dream ended with bright whiteness.
Rhaenys stood on the docks of Dragonstone alongside her mother and Aegon as they waited for the Manderly vessel to arrive. It was easy to convince her mother of her abilities, but telling her everything that Brandon Snow said was overwhelming for her, but they had to concentrate on dealing with their northern envoy.
After awakening at their citadel on the Blackwater Rush, Rhaenys told Aegon and their father and mother of her recent conversation with Brandon Snow. Their father had to remain behind to oversee the citadel and the progress in both the riverlands and stormlands, but gave their mother, Aegon, and herself leave to act on his behalf when the Manderly vessel arrived at Dragonstone. He had previously sent envoys to House Cerwyn of Cerwyn and to White Harbour, the houses of the North that had the most contact with the Starks of Winterfell, to assess the situation in the Northern kingdom but withheld Rhaenys having the dragon dreams since that would have led the northmen not taking his envoys seriously. But it might change if Brandon Snow with his greensight was able to convince his king brother to send an envoy to their home.
Rhaenys and Aegon flew back to Dragonstone on Meraxes and Balerion, where they spent the next whole day preparing the castle for their new arrivals. They didn't expect their envoy to spend the whole day there and Darvin Hoare wasn't coming, so their lady mother was determined to continue being the hostess that she was known for.
Aegon stood straight in his armor and Blackfyre on his left side and Flame Screecher on his back, which Rhaenys didn't object to even though they were not expecting a fight. Her husband looked powerful and befitting of a dragonlord and appearances still mattered, as the sight of Balerion and Meraxes would deter Lord Manderly's son from overreaching himself during the negotiations. As for Rhaenys, she was dressed in her regular red and black gown while their mother wore an aquamarine dress that paid homage to her Velaryon ancestry, but the jeweled and Valyrian steel crown that she wore on her head made clear to all who her true allegiances were, as only those of House Targaryen could wear those crowns and she would choose her family over her nephew Daemon all the time. Hopefully, it won't have to come to that.
"This will be something to remember," their mother remarked. "A northerner has come to the south and only because of people with magical dreams."
"Come now, muna," Aegon replied. "The Manderlys are quite good at navigating through the intricacies of the south. Then again, doesn't exactly say much as they were expelled by the Gardeners thousands of years ago."
"But I worry, Egg," their mother admitted. "They converted to the Faith after the Andals came and northmen might be a loyal bunch, but who knows what kind of effect the High Septon's declaration had on the Manderlys?"
"As you said, muna, they are a loyal bunch," Aegon pointed out. "House Stark gave them shelter when the Gardeners kicked them out of the Reach, so they should have no thoughts of treachery against Winterfell. If they did anything that went against Torrhen Stark's orders, they would be in great danger from the other houses of the North that would vie for control over White Harbour."
Their mother nodded. "Let's hope their sense of loyalty runs stronger than that of the Brackens'. I heard that Jaenyx and Vis tore down the walls of Stone Hedge and burned what the standing structures with Vhagar and Cloudwynd before their troops troops carried off the food and gold from there. Is that right?"
"Kessa, muna," Aegon confirmed.
"Good," their mother said with approval. "Let's hope the Pipers get theirs and that the rest of the riverlords understand the price of disloyalty, the Brackens' conflicts with the Blackwoods be damned."
Rhaenys nodded her agreement. She had to admit that Jaenyx's orders to have the Brackens muster all of their available troops to fight against the King of the Rock was smart, as that left their lands undefended and easy to take should they prove treacherous. Now, House Bracken no longer had a home and their lands were now forfeit. She hoped that the next lord who took over their lands would be far more loyal than their last owners.
In the distance, the three saw a ship's silhouette emerge. As it got closer, the sails were decorated with the unmistakable merman sigil of House Manderly. Their mother gestured for their bannermen and Quenton Qoherys to ready themselves, as while they did not expect an attack, they had to be alert.
Finally, the Manderly ship docked and a plank was lowered as a contingent of Manderly bannermen disembarked from the vessel and Dragonstone men were tying their ship down. The Manderly bannermen were dressed in a mixture of mail and plate armor and were all well-armed with swords, axes, and pikes along with their shields painted with the Manderly sigil. Seven of them escorted a man who wore a thick fur cloak, leather gambeson, sword on his left, and the merman hanging his neck. He stopped just a few feet from Rhaenys, Aegon, and their mother.
"I presume you are of House Targaryen?" the man addressed them in his northern brogue.
"Yes," their mother answered. "I am Valaena Targaryen, Lady of Dragonstone. And these are my children. Lord Aegon, heir to Dragonstone, and his wife, Rhaenys. Who might you be, my lord?"
"Lady Valaena," the Manderly man bowed slightly in respect. "I am Warrick Manderly, heir to Lord Manderly of White Harbour. I have come to Dragonstone on behalf of His Grace Torrhen Stark, First of his Name, Lord of Winterfell and King in the North."
"Well met, Lord Warrick," Aegon shook his hand. "I am glad you have made the journey here to our home. However, before you venture further on Dragonstone, I must insist that you leave your weapons at your boat. You have nothing to fear from us, my lord."
Suddenly, Balerion and Meraxes flew over the Manderly boat, roaring loudly and causing Warrick Manderly and his entourage to fall on the deck in fear. Aegon and Rhaenys smirked, thankful for their dragons for showing their northern guests a glimpse of what they were capable of.
After a moment, Warrick and his men stood back up. "So, the rumors are true," Warrick Manderly said as he dusted himself. "You do have dragons."
"Yes," Rhaenys confirmed. "But you have nothing to fear from them, as long as you don't try to harm us."
"With respect, my lady," Warrick Manderly straightened his cloak. "Before I walk further into your home, I humbly request bread and salt to be given."
"Of course, my lord," their mother gestured one of their servants who carried a bowl of salt and a loaf of bread. Rhaenys knew better than to spit on the tradition of guest rights, but it was getting quite annoying for her, as if the lords believe eating bread would save them from trouble. However, such thoughts were put aside as Warrick Manderly ate the bread and salt and was now at ease. Then, he gave his sword belt to a ship's crewmen, prompting his escorts to also leave their weapons at the boat.
"If you would follow us, my lord," Aegon turned around before their mother and Rhaenys followed suit.
As the Targaryen at Dragonstone, their mother took their father's seat while Aegon sat on her right and Rhaenys on her left. Due to their father allowing her to run Dragonstone's affairs alongside him, she was very attuned in how lords would behave and converse with one another and was more than capable of taking over whenever their father was absent. Rhaenys expected Warrick Manderly to shift uncomfortably at talking to a woman on an equal level, but she was surprised to see him indifferent. Then, she remembered that the First Men allowed women to have their voices heard on matters of importance and could have equal influence in key decisions. The North had a history of women who acted as ladies in their own right, such as the crannogmen of the Neck and even Bear Island to very north.
"Thank you for coming all this way, my lord," Rhaenys started. "I trust that your journey to Dragonstone has been uneventful?"
"Quite," Warrick Manderly nodded. "The waters around the Vale have been awfully devoid of activity and the Arryns know better than to provoke one of the key bannermen of the North."
"Let us dispense with the pleasantries, Lord Warrick," their mother cut in. "You were sent here by your king, who himself was convinced of sending an envoy by his brother Brandon Snow, correct?"
Rather than be surprised at their mother getting straight to business, Warrick Manderly looked relieved. "Yes, my lady. It's about time I met one of a southern house who doesn't care for useless banter."
Aegon smiled in good nature. "As much as I appreciate you agreeing with my mother, I must caution against you speaking with too much familiarity with us. Just as things are different in the North, things are different in the south. Etiquette must be followed, my lord."
Warrick Manderly nodded in understanding. "Of course, Lord Aegon. That aside, I have been granted much authority by my king to discuss terms of a possible partnership between our people against the threat of the Starry Sept. My king has closely followed your family's progress against the ironborn and King Argilac and even with dragons, your success against two of Westeros' formidable rulers is just remarkable."
"Thank you, my lord," Aegon replied.
"That being said, your family is in a serious situation. You have the Lannisters from the west, the Gardeners from the south, and the Arryns from the east who have strangely not made any moves yet, but the Knights of the Vale can't be trifled with during battle. You might have marcher lords on your side along with a decent host from House Blackwood and the riverlords who are still loyal to your house, but it'll be difficult to fight all three threats simultaneously. The Lannisters are the main underwriters of the Faith's Holy War while the Gardeners contribute the most troops. Plus, I have received intelligences that indicate that Loren Lannister has been in contact with the Iron Bank of Braavos."
That shocked Rhaenys, as it did Aegon and their mother. Quenton Qoherys, who was standing near the door, was stunned. The Iron Bank had a fearsome reputation of loaning to rulers all over the known world and eliminating their debtors whenever they failed to pay their loans back. If Loren Lannister got the Iron Bank involved in the Holy War, that showed how serious their enemies were in wiping them out and were willing to get more resources from one of the wealthiest institutions in the world if it meant their aims would be achieved.
"By contact, do you mean that the Lannisters got a loan from the Iron Bank?" Aegon asked.
"The Iron Bank wouldn't have sent a representative to his court if they didn't show serious interest in helping Loren Lannister in his cause. I assume that the gold underneath Casterly Rock is not enough for the Faith to accomplish their objectives."
"How do you know all of this?" their mother asked.
"My father has a few friends in Braavos. Plus, any Braavosi ship has to dock either at White Harbour or Gulltown before moving further south in the narrow sea, so the Iron Bank has no reason to hide their plans from us, yet."
"Yet?" Aegon raised an eyebrow.
"The North recognizes the threat from the Starry Sept and my king has no interest in seeing the Faith become more powerful than it already is. Should they succeed, who knows what else they'll do, especially in regards to its ambitious followers?"
"What about you? Don't you follow the Faith?" Rhaenys pointed out.
Warrick Manderly was stumped. Rhaenys couldn't tell if he was pious or not, but the fact remained that at least some in White Harbour would be tempted to answer the call from the Starry Sept.
"Why are you hesitating, my lord?" their mother asked. "My daughter asked you a question."
Warrick Manderly ran a hand through his hair, unsure of what he would say next. "I will… admit. There have been some in my family who felt compelled to march south and fight alongside our brothers and sisters of the Faith against you Valyrians." Be careful, Rhaenys warned in her mind. "Myself included."
Quenton Qoherys looked ready to draw his sword, recognizing the potential threat from their guest. "Then why didn't you?" Aegon asked.
"My house might be followers of the Faith," Warrick Manderly admitted. "But we are of the North despite our origins from the Reach. And the thing about northmen is that we have long memories. It took all of my house a moment before we remembered that the Gardeners expelled us from the south. The only house that took us in was the Starks of Winterfell, who gave us land and titles in exchange for us being their loyal subjects. If we marched with the Faith in the south, we would be breaking our oaths with the North and they would never forget that. In addition, the Faith as a whole did nothing while our homes and lands were seized, so us having a sept in White Harbour is merely for sentimental purposes. Still, there are those are still stubbornly committed to the Faith, so my views might not held by other members of my house."
"Then why should we trust you as an envoy for the King in the North?" their mother questioned. "If what you say is true, then your house and one of the North's most powerful bannermen is close to dividing."
"Because we have more experience in dealing with the south in comparison to the other northern lords," Warrick Manderly answered. "And at the end of the day, the northmen will always stand by other northmen."
"So, what are the terms of the North?" Aegon refocused the discussion.
"The North is prepared to contribute men, ships, and supplies to fight alongside your armies against the Faith. We won't officially join your war yet, but the King in the North recognizes that the First Men and the Valyrians have common cause against the Starry Sept."
"In exchange for what?" Rhaenys clasped her hands on the table.
"For now, I am only authorized to ask that the North gain new territories and that your family recognize our claims in perpetuity."
"What territories did you have in mind?" their mother was taken aback.
"Specifically, the Twins and the Three Sisters."
Aegon shook his head. "I don't know if we can agree to those terms. We might not have the highest opinion of the Freys, but they control the Twins and they haven't acted against us. And the Three Sisters are not ours to give, as those islands are under the Vale and therefore, we don't control them."
"You are right in not looking at them favorably, but I wouldn't be so sure of House Frey if I were you, Lord Aegon," Warrick Manderly replied. "Also, as the Vale is at war with your family, it wouldn't be long before your troops move on the Arryn king. The north merely asks that you do not interfere while we stake our claim on the Three Sisters."
"Why those two territories, my lord?" Rhaenys leaned back in her chair.
"The strategic position of the Twins would be of great benefit to the North, as well as the castles' incomes. Besides Moat Cailin, control of the Twins would ensure that no hostile army from the south could ever hope to cross the Neck. In regards to the Three Sisters, we cannot have potentially hostile islands so close to the only viable port in the North. Theon Stark was right to conquer them, but his successors failed to hold them."
"We won't stop you from taking the Three Sisters, but giving the Twins to the north might cause problems for our family," Aegon stated. "We might control two kingdoms, but we cannot give land to outsiders without causing discontent amongst the lords sworn to us."
As if expecting his answer, Warrick Manderly pulled out a note from his pocket and opened it. "Lord Brandon Snow expected you to say that, Lord Aegon. So, he gave me a note as a response."
"Brandon Snow?" their mother's eyes widened in surprise. She only heard of him through Rhaenys' dreams, but now she was being introduced to him in the real world.
Warrick Manderly held up the note as he squinted his eyes at the evidently small handwriting and read from it. "''I personally have no care for territories, but the northern lords would expect concessions if they were to be involved in the affairs of the south. What Lord Warrick Manderly offered in the terms is relatively inconsequential to what you will hold a few years from now. You might give away lands you think is important, but consider it an investment in the future, a future where your family will not just hold two kingdoms, but all seven kingdoms of Westeros and more. Two bloodlines will emerge from Dragonstone, one that will continue House Targaryen and another from the one that travelled from Sothoryos, but both will be elevated to greatness. For this to occur, an alliance between the First Men and the Valyrians must be made, similar to the Pact between the First Men and the Children of the Forest. A pact of ice and fire, to be used against those who seek the ruin of the old and to end the unnatural order that is threatening to overcome and weaken the world. On behalf of House Stark, I strongly suggest both Houses Targaryen and Belaerys to consider the terms offered today. Your family will experience a setback and once that happens, I invite your family to convene with the northern lords at Widow's Watch to follow up on our terms. Only together can we survive. Signed, Brandon Snow, Castellan of Winterfell.'"
Aegon and their mother sat there, more confused than ever. Rhaenys knew what they were thinking. Greatness? All Seven Kingdoms of Westeros? Pact? Ice and fire? What's going on here? But for some reason, she was not as puzzled as they were, as Brandon Snow already warned that they would experience a setback. She might have been baffled at Brandon Snow's words on their family controlling all of Westeros' seven kingdoms, but at the same time, she had abilities that were comparable to Brandon Snow's, so it should not be too much of a stretch.
"Why didn't you start with reading that note?" Rhaenys finally asked. "It could have saved us time."
"Lord Snow asked me to not read it until after I gave the terms, because if I began by reading it, it would have lacked context and therefore adding more confusion."
"Let me get this right," Aegon leaned forward on the right. "Brandon Snow sees us ruling all of the kingdoms of Westeros? Our family and Jaenyx becoming rulers in our own right?"
Warrick Manderly put up his hands to show his confusion. "Lord Aegon, I am just a messenger, so I'm not the best person to ask on what he has to say on the matter."
"Rhae," Aegon turned to her. "Is this the first time you're hearing of this?"
"Yes," Rhaenys admitted. "But, at the same time, I'm not ready to disbelieve it. I have the dragon dreams and Lord Snow has the greensight. The only question is, how will that happen?"
Aegon looked like he wanted to say more, but decided otherwise. "What about your father, Lord Warrick? Has House Manderly assembled their banners?" he turned to Manderly.
"House Manderly and House Reed have answered King Torrhen's call to arms and will assemble at Moat Cailin. The other northern lords will arrive there over time."
"How many troops can your king assemble?"
"Forty-five thousand, but he can't send them all, so I could only hope that he can bring together forty thousand troops if he gives the northern mountain clans and other distant houses more time."
"Lord Warrick," their mother stood up. "I invite you and your men to stay the night at Dragonstone. It's a long journey back to White Harbour and it'll be rude of me and my house to have you simply go back on your ship after just arriving on our shores today. You will have the full hospitality of my household at your disposal."
"I thank you, my lady," Lord Warrick replied courteously. "But I must be returning home."
"It's only one night, my lord," their mother smiled, although both Rhaenys and Aegon knew that there was no refusing her. "Enjoy the warm southern climate for at least a day. And your men could enjoy good food and wine in the meantime. Also, you've seen our dragons, but really observe them and look upon the creatures that burned Harrenhal and helped us triumph in many battles."
Warrick Manderly froze, afraid when their mother mentioned the dragons. Recognizing that further refusal would not get him anywhere, he acquiesced. "Thank you, Lady Targaryen."
"Wonderful. I'll have the servants prepare the guest quarters and you shall dine in the halls tonight."
Rhaenys stood with Aegon as they leaned on the walls of Dragonstone overlooking the Blackwater Bay. While their mother was busy accommodating their northern guests, both reflected on what Brandon Snow said in his message. They never had any aspirations to rule more than what they started with, with Aegon content with becoming the next Lord of Dragonstone and Rhaenys being his Lady. But the last six moons have seen their family control two kingdoms, more than what a lord could reasonably have. And they were already seeing the limitations of their current status, as they were near overstretched struggling to hold on to their lands even with dragons. Orys was a lord paramount and Jaenyx oversaw the riverlands, but they were still Lord of Dragonstone. Such was unprecedented and already bothered some of the lords under them, and yet they lived in unprecedented times as well, as the world saw dragons in action once again.
"What do you think, Rhae?" Aegon asked as he still stared at the sea and watched as Balerion and Meraxes flew around each other. Rhaenys noticed that this was one of the few times that her husband brooded, and he looked all the better for it.
"What?" Rhaenys responded while taking in her husband's new brooding.
"About your friend's words, about us ruling all of Westeros?"
"As I said, I'm not ready to disbelieve it, but I'm not quite sure how we'll achieve that. We have dragons, but even they have their limits."
Aegon sighed. "I never thought our family being rulers of more than the Blackwater Bay, and yet here we are. We don't have a crown, but we're responsible for many lives. We're fighting against two kings, a queen, and an ironborn shit, but we're barely holding on. I wonder if other kings in Westeros dreamt about controlling the entire continent, only for them to fail. Before we fought, all of the kingdoms fought each other and it will continue long after we're done fighting. What's the point in ruling such a shit place?"
Rhaenys looked at him in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"What if Jae is right? Westeros is our home, but I've done some thinking recently and I only began to realize just how messed up our home really is. These people will never accept us no matter how hard we try and now, they want to kill us. And it won't stop with us just going to Dragonstone, because the people here want to wipe us out."
"Egg," Rhaenys put her hand on his shoulder. "This is not you. I might like you brooding, but you never let such thoughts darken your mind or make you passive. You act, and right now, we need action."
"How should I act, Rhae?" Egg turned to her.
"You're right. This is a shit place to live in, and Westeros may never accept us. But do we just sit back and let them hate us? You say that the fighting will never end long after we are done fighting, and I agree with that. But does that mean we have to just accept it as it is? We're dragons, and we come from a great civilization. Our ancestors didn't build Valyria because they accepted the way things were. They took action and look what happened. Only the Doom ended their work, but now, we can pick up where they left off."
"What are you suggesting?"
"They hate us for being Valyrian, so let's make them see that we're not abominations. The Faith want our lands and us to be gone, so let's stop them. Westeros will continue fighting each other, so let's end it. Jae might not have the best opinion of Westeros, but let's rise above such low thoughts and show we're better. And Brandon Snow said our family will rule the seven kingdoms. So let's do it."
Aegon turned fully to her. "You want our family to be rulers of Westeros?"
Rhaenys shrugged. "Why not? We control two kingdoms and three kingdoms march against us, with one being a potential partner. We have all the reasons we need to take them down and burn them to ash. Besides, we can't just go back to the way things were. Things are different and like Jae said, we have to think big."
Rhaenys saw Aegon absorbing all of her words, which took a while as the implications of her words started to weigh on him. "So, you would have us be kings?"
"Just think about it. Our father, Aerion Targaryen, King of Westeros, and our mother the Queen. You'll be Prince Aegon."
Aegon chuckled. "And you'd be Princess Rhaenys of House Targaryen. What about Jae and Vis?"
"They're our family, so why not also not make them royalty? Prince Jaenyx and Princess Visenya of House Belaerys."
"That does have a good ring to it," Aegon admitted.
"But it won't reflect reality, my children," they both heard their mother walk up to them.
"Muna," Rhaenys was startled. "Did you hear everything we said?"
"I did," their mother bobbed her head. "And everything you said makes sense. We can't just remain in the Blackwater Bay, because our enemies will not stop until we're dead. And I am still skeptical as to the words of your friend Brandon Snow about our family ruling all of Westeros, but as I reflected more on them, I guess as Valyrians, we're the only ones who could accomplish such a feat. Valyria might not have been built in a day, but it was built to last and our ancestors achieved wonders, so who's to say that we can't do the same thing with Westeros." Rhaenys nodded her agreement. "But I don't think your father will want to be king."
Aegon blinked. "Why not?"
"Come, Egg. He lived forty-seven name-days and he might be skilled politically, but he's hardly the most inspiring man in the world. Whatever energy he possessed when he took over Dragonstone is now gone, replaced with the cold wisdom of age. That's why he left you to command our forces alongside your sisters, Orys, and Jae, because you're still young and full of energy. You are a great warrior and men will follow you, but you also understand that winning battles is not the same as ruling over others, which is why you allow capable people to assume responsibilities you can't assume yourself. You're off to a great start, Egg, which is why when the time comes, you should be king."
Aegon's mouth was agape. "Muna, I- I- I- I," he stammered.
"But what about Jae and Orys?" Rhaenys asked. "If Egg becomes king, what about them?"
"Well, your friend Brandon Snow said that House Belaerys will also be rulers. And while your good-brother is standing alongside us for now, I think you and Egg can come up with an appropriate title for him and Vis. As for Orys, he already has his own keep and lands. But we're thinking too far ahead. Right now, our priority should be to maintain what we already have and defeat our enemies."
"Agreed," Aegon recovered from his stuttering, which surprised both Rhaenys and their mother, as he always strived to be confident in his speech.
All three were walking back to the castle when one of their servants ran up to them. "Miladies, milord," she bowed.
"What is it?" their mother asked.
"Message, from the Red Fork," the servant held out a rolled parchment.
Aegon snatched it from her hand and Rhaenys saw his eyes widen as he reread it. "Oh, gods. We need to go back to the riverlands as soon as possible, Rhae."
"What is it?"
"We're about to have a battle on our hands. Jae and Vis have linked up with Orys and his stormlanders and they're marching towards Riverrun. But Jae discovered that Broden Tully, Lord Edmyn's nephew and who you met, was double-dealing with the Poor Fellows and was found supplying them with food and weapons. As a result, Jae and Vis had him arrested and they're camped outside Riverrun along with Orys, but with the Lannisters closing in, they'll need all the dragons now."
"Of course," Rhaenys nodded before she kissed her mother's cheek. "I'm sorry we have to leave so soon, muna."
"Go, my children," their mother understood. "Go be with the family. I'll hold the fort here."
Rhaenys and Aegon spent the next half day flying on Meraxes and Balerion from Dragonstone to the outskirts of Riverrun. But unlike six moons ago, she was ready to fight and to spill blood. Fire and blood will come to the Lannisters.