M
"What… What were these… What…," Alicent stammered, staring at the corpses strewn around them. The things, unmoving now, their sailors, their captain. Were her handmaids still alive? Or their maester? Anyone below deck?
"The dead," Rhaenyra said oddly calm. She still hadn't screamed. Did she still have to scream? Or had it passed? Handing Blackfyre back to her father, she realized he was looking at her.
Ser Steffon hurried past them, walking to Cole who lay on the planks, pressing his hand against his neck rather weakly.
"The dead?" Alicent repeated, somewhere between hysterical and resigned.
"Yes. What else would you call them?" Rhaenyra wanted to snap at her so badly, how could she even ask–she had seen them, damn it!–but did not. She remembered seeing one for the first time. How she had stared at it. Alicent may be one step away from losing her mind. Laenor had taken all the insanity in stride, but he at least had been on Seasmoke. He had been safe. Alicent did not have the same benefit. Her father… she glanced at him again. He was oddly calm. Just stood there, holding his sword, and watched.
Dreamfyre circled the ship, Helaena still securely in her claw.
"Get me the maester, damn it!" Ser Steffon yelled. Ser Erryk moved, still wielding the king's dagger. Later, he would be horrified he had just taken it along.
Alicent turned at the yell. Criston. How could she just stand here and ask stupid questions? He had been bitten! All just to protect her. Kneeling beside her sworn shield, she stared at him. So much blood everywhere.
"No, no, no, no," Alicent whispered, her hands hovering over his body.
Ser Steffon was sitting beside him, pressing his own hand against Cole's neck; blood seeping through his fingers, ever more with every heartbeat. Criston still smiled at her. His Queen was safe.
"How can I help?" There had to be some way!
Ser Steffon glanced at her. He knew Cole was as good as dead but did not say. Helping their own had priority always, once things were secured, even if it was futile. They could at least not die alone. For Cole, the bite was too deep. As soon as he started to shiver, things were over. It could only be a little now. "You can move aside when the maester comes, my Queen." As if the maester could help.
Ser Harrold stepped beside her, looking down at Cole. He forced down a sigh. One gone, or as good as. Just as Ser Steffon, he knew which wounds could be treated and which could not. Glancing at the scratches on Alicent's legs… those needed to be cleaned. Just as Rhaenyra's and Laenor's bites. He would not have three members of the royal family and a knight die under his watch, to make matters worse heir and queen. He may as well lay down his cloak and retire in shame. At least the king was safe. After a few moments of watching Cole, he turned away. He couldn't help here. May as well do something useful, like counting their still alive sailors and surveying the damage to the ship. The main mast still stood, as well as the foremast. He would not bet his life on the latter. It had only been one rope, yes, but a dragon ripping on it was still a dragon ripping on it. It was a miracle it hadn't come crashing down right then and there. Might have even killed them. Of all the ways to die, getting killed by the mast was oddly surprising. Walking around it, he looked for any signs of its immediate collapse.
"Looks good," he muttered to himself, not that he had all too much experience with sailing ships beyond the basics.
"Ser Laenor." Ser Laenor limped to him, avoiding putting too much weight on his doubly bit leg. "What do you think of it?"
The princess consort stared at the mast and touched it. He would know. He was a Velaryon. They basically grew up on and around ships.
"Looks safe enough," he said after a few moments. "But I wouldn't set sails on it again. May it breaks under any additional force."
Harrold hummed and nodded, watching how Laenor's gaze trailed along the ship. Yes. Barely any sailors. He had counted 6. Most who had survived had climbed into the rigging or all the way to the outlook. Away from the ground. Away from… from the things. The rest lay strewn across the deck or were gone in the water.
Steps came closer. The maester came running, followed by Ser Erryk.
"What is the situation below deck?" Harrold asked. His knight stopped.
"All is well, Lord Commander. The servants are scared, the cook and his hands nearly stabbed me, and the maester had barricaded his room."
Ser Harrold nodded absentmindedly, and followed the maester, standing watch over Ser Criston's final moments. Viserys had joined them by now, his hand resting on Alicent's back.
"How bad is it?" Alicent demanded again and again.
Cole started to shiver. He had turned pale, his lips a hue of blue, his breathing gone shallow.
"My Queen, I…," the maester started. He could stitch the wound, but what would it help? Maybe suture it, but again, what would it help? He had lost too much blood already. He had heard of dangerous methods of drawing blood from an animal for admistering over in Essos–but all those took time; time Ser Criston did not have.
"He will die, Alicent," Viserys said very softly. The two Kingsguard somehow managed to not look relieved. The king had said it. No need to act anymore.
"What?" She swirled around to face him. "No! He saved my life! He… he…"
"Alicent?" Ser Criston whispered.
"Yes?" She knelt beside him again.
"Tell my father… tell him it was the birds."
"What?"
"Do not mind him right now, my Queen," the maester said softly. He had decided to just put pressure on the wound. Give him a few more moments. Better than panicked running around and yelling when he would die either way.
---
Laenor and Rhaenyra watched from afar.
"Dare I say I am happy about it?" Laenor whispered. Cole had murdered Joffery. On his wedding day of all days. He should have been executed, right then and there. But no. By the grace of the Queen he had walked away, and walked freely. Just continued on. As if nothing had happened. As if he hadn't murdered… Watching him bleed to death was perfect, albeit maybe too little pain. Part of him would have loved to do the deed himself, but of course, he could not. Watching was all he got, and he would savour every last second of it.
Rhaenyra smiled. "Of course," but did not dare say more. She was worried about which words may come out.
"Go order Seasmoke around. At least pretend to not stare," she said after a long moment. Laenor smiled weakly and looked at her. Blood was still trickling down her shoulder, her dress in tatters, her hair all loose. She had saved him. The way she had walked towards him with Blackfyre in her hand, how she had killed the wight with one strike. All calm and determined. If she wasn't a woman, he would find her alluring right now. Forcing down a chuckle, he turned away towards Seasmoke, grimacing with every step. What nearly dying and a strong-willed wife could do to a man.
"Seasmoke, dive!" He said once he got to the railing. His dragon happily obliged, dragging more dead out of the water and burning them. Leaning over the railing, he glanced at the anchor chain, for now dead free. They had to move and soon, one way or another. Turning again, he watched Cole. If only he could get closer.
---
Rhaenyra carefully rearranged her facial expressions, took a deep breath, closed her eyes. No smiling. No snarky words. Opening her eyes again… she did not go. She rather looked at Dreamfyre and Helaena, who still circled the ship.
"Are you well?" She yelled.
"I am!" Her baby sister yelled back. "I got some scratches, though," she added. Rhaenyra smiled weakly. Her sister always added the more important information after the fact, did she not?
"Stay where you are right now. Keep an eye on them." She was safest with her dragon. Not necessarily the best spot in her claw, but still safe. Getting to her saddle was out of the question right now. It would need getting off. Everything would need to get off.
Checking her face for any runaway smile once more, she finally started moving and joined the group around Cole. Alicent's sworn shield was dying. Whether or not she loathed him was not important. If she wanted to make amends, she should at least try be there, help Alicent however she could. Cole's breathing had gotten ever more shallow. His face shifted when he saw her.
"You…" he whispered. Rhaenyra's heart nearly stopped. Would he… would he just blurt out their transgressions in front of everyone? He literally had nothing to lose. But more words never came. Alicent looked up, and her face turned to fury. She jumped up, poking her with a finger. Rhaenyra stepped back startled, Alicent followed.
"You!" Alicent spat. "Everything was fine before you got here! You brought those things, didn't you? You lured them in! Did you try to murder us all?!"
"Alicent," Viserys said. His wife utterly ignored him.
"You knew they were coming! And you did not say a word!"
"What should I have said? 'The dead may come. We have to abandon ship!' Who would have believed me?"
Alicent stared at her, still furious, but a little exasperated as well.
"You should have tried!"
"Alicent, stop," Viserys said again. Ser Harrold reached for her and pulled her away a few steps. "They were here before she came."
"What?"
"I saw one earlier. Didn't know what it was."
"You saw one?" Rhaenyra asked.
"Yes, down in the water. It did not care for us then."
Gods. It had really been their fault. "I think… I think we did lure them in by accident, father. They followed the dragons."
Viserys only nodded and turned back to look at Cole. Rhaenyra followed his gaze.
"You did bring them! All those who died are on your hands!"
Cole was looking at her and smiled.
Alicent stared at her, wanting nothing more than to hit her. Even now, even after she admitted it, Viserys did not scold her. How could he?!
"I know," Rhaenyra said, looking at her again. "I will have to live with it. But I did not bring them on purpose." She had never wanted any of this. "Alicent. I think Ser Criston is going."
Alicent's face fell and she turned on her heels, kneeling beside Ser Criston again. He was so cold, his breath barely there. He still smiled, looking at her.
"Make sure she pays," he whispered at her.
A moment longer. Another. His hand which had been balled to a fist relaxed. His face fell a little more to the side. Another moment and Ser Harrold stepped away.
"He is gone, my Queen," the maester said.
---
"Tell me," Viserys said. They were in his chamber. He sat on his chair, just like Alicent sat on hers. She looked like she wanted to murder her, Helaena looked oddly scared, standing behind her mother. Laenor stayed outside to have an eye on the dragons. Ser Harrold guarded the door, listening while looking outside. The maester was cleaning Rhaenyra's shoulder. Again, she felt oddly uncomfortable.
"There was a storm. They came with it," she said again. "They nearly overran Dragonstone. They were… they seemed endless." She trailed off for a moment, trying to ignore the dread bubbling up in her stomach. How mad the day had been, and it wasn't even over yet. How often and how close to dying she had been. "I ordered Vermithor brought outside, he obviously thought roasting dead was worth his time. The other dragons joined in and killed them. I ordered Laenor to fly for Driftmark and check on the Blackwater. I flew north and did the same. Flew back along the coast, spotted the ship -"
"When Helaena was in the water. Did you know there were dead beneath her?" Alicent cut her short, staring daggers at her.
"Mother, I took that swim. Rhaenyra had nothing to do with it."
"You didn't warn her?"
"I knew of the dead and did it anyways," Helaena said sullenly. "They murdered some smallfolk up coast."
Alicent stared at her daughter.
"Laenor says… Laenor says they are heading for Kings Landing", Rhaenyra carried on. This was more important. They had to get moving. "I want to fly there and kill them before they make landfall. We have to protect the city. I will need any dragon I can get."
"You will not have my –"
"Alicent, silence!"
This time, she listened to her husband.
"Leave us alone. I have to talk to my daughter. Ser Harrold, guard the door."
Rhaenyra felt ever more uncomfortable while the others walked out. He would scold her, wouldn't he? Maybe even scream. Of course, he would. She should have told them, no matter how insane it sounded. Alicent was right on that one. The dead were on her. Yet, she doubted it would have gone any other way. While they argued, the wights might have still climbed the anchor chain and attacked them. Same outcome.
Once the door was closed, Viserys sighed.
"You know what this is, don't you? Aegon's dream. I thought we still had time, I thought… How did they get so far south? Did we miss any ravens, perchance? To think the answer was simply a second Long Night…"
"This is not it, father."
Her father looked mildly surprised.
"This is…" she hesitated, looking for the right way to tell, already thinking of what more she had to tell him. The truth about Daenerys? Or half and half? She had already told more half-truths today than she could count. "… it's like… a sign of what is to come, I believe. A try of their strength, maybe? Aegon's dream spoke of a winter. There is none. The storm was there, yes. The dead coming with it was, but..." she paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "I think their main force will come in winter."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because… this was not an army to end the world of men. We handled them easily. More or less. If this was it, why worry?"
Her father hummed. "But why now?"
The obvious question. "They were hunting a green dragon. He is on Dragonstone right now. The dead did not attack the ship until dragons were here. They attacked Syrax and me the second we landed during the fight on Dragonstone. They went for the Dragonmount. I fully believe they were after our dragons. Kill them, raise them."
Horror glimmered in Viserys eyes. "Take our strength."
Rhaenyra nodded. Saying it out loud made a horrible lot of sense. Whether or not it was true, it felt true.
Both were quiet for a long moment.
"The black dragon… it's rider…" Viserys started.
Of course. The next obvious question. She better answer before he could ask whatever he wanted to ask, get ahead of it. Rhaenyra hesitated again. What to say? What to tell him? The truth or a lie?
Daenerys Targaryen.
The princess who was promised.
"She is a dreamer. She knows how its ends."
Notes:
The first blood transfusion was administered in the 1600s. And afterwards promptly banned, good times. Thought I'll roll with it.
I gave Cole some more time for dramatics. The average bleeding to death time is about 3 to 5 minutes. Considering he was bitten quite a bit ago, he ought to be dead already. I'm nearly sad he left us. My original plan for him was to get executed by dragon fire after Rhaenyra ascends. Oh well, oh well.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! See you next week.
Actions
↑ Top ← Previous Chapter Next Chapter → Edit Bookmark Comments (71)
Kudos
alliemour, chewylotus, Vr2720202, MusicalNightOwl, pineeel, Kirarau_u, Not_Krispy, MidnightsShadow1208, Little_mushroom99, CatoWrites, erin87078, Mixple723, Tsukiyo_Akito, th_sa, danthv, IdonotknowwhoIam, Olimavivi, Abdr, Bradley52869, MoriAellaevae, Senku_Keisuke, 9Lives_9Tails_mystery, itsmomou, HRioo, Missingyumi, Escapes, Draconic_Nebula, Loe_any, Merilove21, cmdShort, Techleyor, Jay_bluefood, snowyowlwriter, Guten_Bag_Boi, creativecats, MentallyNotOkayRoseBush, indiscryptency, stvr_lightts, Caving_Chemist, Evora, Mae_2266, FluffyTeaCloudy, Tuk_2231, SuccinctEarth07, bookwormz, RandomElseontour, Benantifan1, Asiahan, Hell_08, Echo0112358, and 4381 more users as well as 4813 guests left kudos on this work!
Comments
Post Comment
Comment as TheBrimmedHat
Plain text with limited HTML ?
Comment
10000 characters left
Footer
Customize
Default
Low Vision Default
Reversi
Snow Blue
About the Archive
Site Map
Diversity Statement
Terms of Service
Content Policy
Privacy Policy
DMCA & TIDA Policies
Site Status
Contact Us
Policy Questions & Abuse Reports
Technical Support & Feedback
Development
otwarchive v1.2.0.0
Known Issues
GPL-2.0-or-later by the OTW