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123 AC, King's Landing
Rhaena Targaryen thought that the world had turned mad, and she had a very big suspicion that Lord Harry and Lady Daphne were involved in some way. It was the only explanation. How else would their small trip to the Capital for a tourney, of all things, end up with monsters made of shadows attacking the Capital, Princess Rhaenyra going mad and killing Otto Hightower, trying to kill her half-sister Helaena, and the king removing her as his heir?
Her father had been different since then. Well, he was very different. A few moons ago, he started to spend more time with her and Baela. She didn't know how to explain it, only that he had lost much of the sharp danger that always lingered around him and became warmer. He had even started to spend time with them at the Potters' manse, even though both she and her sister knew that the visible displays of magic unsettled him very much.
Though that sharp danger had turned tenfold during the attack. She still remembered it fully, Father killing beasts with Dark Sister, pushing them back, while ensuring that she, Baela, little Aegon, Baby Viserys, Jace, Luke, and Joffrey were with her. Even the Sea Snake, whom Rhaena had never seen in a fight, was fighting with her.
If only Solarys had not grown so much that he had to be left on Dragonstone. She disliked being so far away from her partner, but it was for the best; she had vehemently refused that anyone chain her dragon, and the King seemed to agree with her, given that he decided that dragons shall not be chained anymore unless it were a punishment to their rider or presented a danger to the people. It was for the best as well, for their dragons had been the targets of the Shadowbinders in the first place.
Then again, she would rather fight some monsters again than deal with the boredom of their father's protectiveness. They had barely been allowed to leave their chambers since the attack, which was driving everyone around her mad. Even the tourney itself had been postponed until all the lords gathered for the Great Council, so they didn't even have that as a form of entertainment. Rhaena didn't even like tourneys, and she was craving one right about now.
Luke's constant whining definitely did not help: "Is Mother coming back?"
He said this every time the Sea Snake, Grandmother, or Father entered their chambers, and it had been fine for the first week after the attack, but it quickly turned grating afterwards.
Her father patiently knelt down and forced a small smile on his face, "I'm afraid not. Your mother is unwell, and she needs some time to herself to recover from the ordeal."
"But she will come back," he asked for what felt like the hundredth time.
"I'm sure that your mother will come back. She would not bear to stay away from you for too long. She misses you very much."
Jace scoffed at that answer and muttered in a bitter tone, "She misses her throne, you mean."
Unfortunately, Lucerys heard that remark and turned towards his brother with a betrayed expression on his face, "What happened was unjust. Even the king said that it wasn't her fault, that it was magic. He will make her his heir again, we'll return to Dragonstone, and everything should go back to normal."
"Of course, it was Mother's fault, Luke," Jace growled out, before stiffening and looking away, "Mother will not be the heir once more, and neither will I. Things will never be the same."
Luke seemed devastated by the news, especially since her father did not say anything to deny the boy's claims, which made Rhaena share an uncomfortable look with her sister.
Neither of them knew why Jace was so sure of his words, only that he was. They had heard whispers, in the few times they left their chambers, about Princess Rhaenyra going mad, or were angry about her actions, as well as often calling Jace, Luke, and Joffrey bastards in hushed tones. What was most telling was the fact that the King did not stop them. She remembered him threatening to take the tongue of whoever said this back at Driftmark. Rhaena might not be the most informed in matters of the realm, but things did not look good for Princess Rhaenyra.
However, even if Father had gotten rather irritable, Grandmother and Grandfather did not seem worried, and Rhaena decided to trust them. Still, both she and Baela could see signs of a heated exchange and carefully walked out of the chambers. The Sea Snake was probably with their grandmother, and Father would be preoccupied with Jace and Luke to stop them.
They walked out without any guards and found themselves wandering around aimlessly. Though Rhaena did want to see any signs of Lord Harry or Lady Daphne. Baela might have gone on a small trip with them in some butterfly island or something, but she didn't experience a true 'Potter Adventure', as she liked to call them. However, Rhaena did, and everything about the attack screamed that the Potters were involved in some way with her.
Given the people involved, there were two important ones: Helaena Targaryen and Cregan Stark. She was already familiar with both of them and their connection with the Potters. She still remembered her time in Winterfell, though it felt like almost a lifetime ago. As for Helaena, she hadn't interacted with the older girl much, or at all, since the princess left Dragonstone, but what little time they spent together was cordial enough. However, she didn't know if that would remain the case after Princess Rhaenyra all but hunted her down across the Red Keep, trying to kill her.
Since they were both involved heavily in the attack, with Cregan killing the Shadowbinders with his ancestor's magic sword, though it seemed to be much more magical than just Valyrian Steel, which apparently made him faster than lightning, stronger than a giant, and able to fly. She was sure that the rumours were exaggerated, but she knew that Ice was certainly something very special when she first saw it in the crypts of Winterfell. Though she wondered how he had found a Direwolf since she had last left the North.
She wondered if he would wish to speak with her. Cregan was doing well as the Lord of Winterfell, though. He was hailed as a hero to the realm, and his people seemed to respect him immensely. So far, many lords of the North arrived every few days in the realm by ship, most from White Harbour, and they all seemed utterly reverent to the young lord. Their little display back in Winterfell could have been responsible for all of this, could it?
Yes, Rhaena would speak to him first. Despite not spending much time together, she knew Cregan. She knew that he would be uncomfortable with the nobles of the Red Keep and would likely seek out something familiar, and she knew exactly what that would be: the Godswood.
She grabbed Baela's hand and guided her to their destination. She was proven correct when she saw Cregan's figure sitting near one of the trees, while he sharpened his sword using a whetstone, the glow on his sword shifting with every movement like ripples on water, something that she did not expect. If Ice was as durable as Valyrian Steel, then this action would have achieved very little.
However, he was not alone, for Helaena Targaryen was there as well. She was sitting comfortably on the ground, her back pressed against the Direwolf with fur as white as snow. To an outsider's observer, the scene seemed almost intimate in its nature, especially given that they were completely alone, though Rhaena knew Cregan and Helaena enough to know that nothing untoward was occurring.
Speaking of which, both of them were obviously engrossed in a conversation with one another, a fairly intense one at that, given the Stark Lord's tone, "Are you sure about this, Princess?"
The princess simply shrugged at him, "It is necessary."
"Even if you can do it, and I have my doubts about this, this will not be something that you can take back."
"Measures have been taken to… ensure such an outcome," Helaena answered, "It is the only path forward that I find acceptable. The realm must persevere."
"Fuck the realm," Cregan said harshly, "I respect what you are trying to achieve, truly, I do. But this… It is not something that anyone in their right mind would ever consider."
"Lucky for us, no one has ever claimed that I was in my right mind."
The Stark Lord stiffened, "I meant no offence, Princess."
"I know. But it is my decision, and I ask that you respect it."
A moment of silence spread across the Godswood, and Cregan slumped, "Is this what you truly want?"
"It is," the young princess answered.
"Very well. I will do as you wish."
Helaena immediately brightened up and clapped her hands excitedly, "That is good to hear, especially since we are not alone here. Why don't you come join us, girls?"
Rhaena saw her sister blush, and she suppressed the urge to do the same. They walked towards them with hesitant steps, before Helaena stood up and embraced them both, "It is so good to see you both. Oh, you've certainly grown. Baela, especially. I can almost feel your muscles beneath your dress. Your father's training must be doing wonders."
Baela immediately brightened, and yet it was Cregan who spoke up next, with an interested look on his face, "Your father is teaching you to fight."
Rhaena's sister nodded enthusiastically, "He does. We train every day, daggers and bows, though I am much better in the former. Father says that I'm better than most squires with a dagger now."
"Then perhaps you should meet my sister, Sara. I have seldom seen a better marksman."
"I will," Baela agreed.
Finally, Cregan turned to Rhaena, "Ah, Princess Rhaena. It is good to see you once more."
Baela perked up, "You have met before."
"Aye, in Winterfell. I suppose your sister did not tell you of how she came to my home with two sorcerers, snuck into my family's crypts, stole a family heirloom of mine, and almost destroyed all of Winterfell."
Rhaena turned away in embarrassment. She had not told Baela about this particular adventure for this very reason. It had felt wrong to tell her about House Stark's secrets. She had done it mostly out of respect for Cregan and out of guilt for what she had done there.
She felt shame overwhelm her as she stammered, while taking out the wolf medallion that she wore, "I know that what I did was wrong, Lord Stark…"
Before she could finish, Cregan burst into loud laughter, "It is of no consequence. I will admit to having been rather angry with you when you left, but what I have seen in the True North showed me that it was better not to dwell on such things. Consider yourself forgiven, if that is what you are fearing." he gently walked forward and pushed the medallion back to her, "Keep the medallion, Princess Rhaena. It was a gift, and it would bring me great offence to see it returned."
"Very well, Lord Stark," Rhaena answered gratefully. It seemed that Cregan had at least forgiven her for her actions in Winterfell's crypts, though she was sure that it was not forgotten.
Baela gave her a look, as if urging her to explain, to which Rhaena shook her head subtly. Instead, Rhaena turned towards the Direwolf, "I do not remember a Direwolf during my time in Winterfell."
Cregan smiled, "Ah, this is Ghost. He's a new companion of mine. He's not quite fit for the southern heat, but he refused to stay in Winterfell. Though I do not regret bringing him, he was certainly effective during the attack."
The wolf stirred, and Rhaena instinctively moved forward to pet the large wolf. His fur was softer than she expected, though it was quite thick. Ghost, himself, released a few pleased sounds. When she turned back towards Cregan, she noticed that her sister had all but pestering him with questions about the attack and the North, something that she couldn't help but smile fondly at.
This was also when she realised that Helaena was staring at her with an intense look in her eyes. She swore that she heard her mutter, "Curious," under her breath, though that must have been her imagination.
Rhaena forced a smile on her face to hide her discomfort, "The tables have turned. It seems that it is our turn to stay in your home, as opposed to our time in Dragonstone."
Helaena blinked before smiling, "The world certainly enjoys its symmetries. Let us go on a walk. I always found that walking around the Godswood brought me a measure of peace, even during hard times, and I believe that Cregan can entertain your sister in the meantime."
She found the request strange, though, looking at Baela, she noticed that she was smiling widely, while Cregan was also visibly quite comfortable with her presence. She looked at Helaena and simply nodded, and joined her to walk amongst the trees.
And yet, Helaena did not say a word, seemingly lost in her own thoughts, which Rhaena could hardly discern. Having had enough of the silence, she spoke up first, "It seems that you are to be Queen, Helaena."
The older girl hummed, "Perhaps… Or perhaps I will die tomorrow tripping over the stairs and would never wear a crown. If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that the future is never set in stone. Speaking of being Queen, I was surprised that your sister was not angry at me."
Ah, yes. Baela had technically lost her crown, hadn't she?
She was to marry Jace, though the betrothal was never truly formalised and barely moved from an unspoken agreement between her father and Princess Rhaenyra. In another life, Baela would have been Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, but inwardly, she didn't think that she would have been happy dealing with simpering girls, while her husband likely fought off one rebellion after another because of the scandal of his parentage.
Baela hadn't said anything, now that Rhaena thought of the matter. Seven hells, even her father had not spoken of the matter at all, which was strange in itself, as she knew that for all that she loved him, he would have wanted one of his daughters to be Queen.
Back to the conversation, Rhaena quickly formulated a response, "I do not think that she cared much, or that she noticed in the first place. I… I do not think that she would have been happy as Jace's Queen."
"She would not," Helaena answered with a surprising certainty in her voice, "Jacaerys's ascension onto the throne will always be met with rebellion. The blood may be black or green, but it always spills, and the realm is fractured forevermore."
Rhaena simply nodded, masking the confusion she felt, hoping that Helaena would continue. Finally, after some time, the older girl spoke up, "You are looking for the Potters."
She froze at the answer, but nodded, "I am. Have you seen them? Do you know where they are?"
"I do not," Helaena answered.
Rhaena wanted to growl at the older girl, "I know them. This attack, they were involved in this so-called Darkest Day. I know it."
"They were," the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms confirmed, "Alas, I have not seen them since the attack started. Even Cregan was contacted with a letter, nothing more."
Worry started to fill her chest, tightening until she could barely draw breath. She had not realised how deeply it gnawed at her until the words spilt out, "They could be hurt."
To her surprise, Helaena burst into hysterical giggles, enough that they overwhelmed whatever she wished to say. After a minute of irritation, she explained, "Do you think that a few Shadowbinders and Red Priestesses could hurt them? Believe me, if there was a threat that could overpower them, then there likely wouldn't have been a Capital remaining after the battle."
Rhaena, who had seen the Potters stand up to gods and perform wonders, agreed with Helaena, and yet, she found that she disliked the idea of the Potters voluntarily staying away from them… from her, "Then why…"
She did not finish her question, though it seemed like the other girl understood it nonetheless, "I think… I believe that they realised the consequences of their presence here, of the dangers that they would bring to our shores and simply wished to avoid."
"They are not a danger," Rhaena protested, "They mean no harm…"
"And yet, that does not change the devastation that follows them. What do you think would have happened should the Potters have appeared from thin air, killed the Shadowbinders and the Red Priestesses, and stopped Rhaenyra's foolishness, before the realm? The battle would have hardly been a subtle one, believe me. What do you think the many lords of the realm would do should they see what the Potters are capable of? At least, they would whisper, and the Potters would serve as a challenge for every greedy sorcerer in the Known World, and death would follow. This… This was much more tidy, much more restrained on their part, and the Seven Kingdoms are better for it. And isn't such a victory more earned when we have done it ourselves?"
Before she could argue any of these points, Helaena continued, "But that is not why you are so angry, is it, Rhaena?"
"I am not angry," Rhaena growled back.
The older girl giggled at the tone, and Rhaena blushed in embarrassment. Thankfully, Helaena continued, "There is no shame in being angry, Rhaena, nor is there in feeling left out. Sometimes stifling the fire within you could cause more harm than good. Sometimes, logic is not enough. Sometimes, we only need to release our rage and anger, to let it all out."
Despite her better judgment, Rhaena found herself following the older girl's advice. It was true that she felt angry at the Potters. They were so warm, so welcoming. She had spent so long at their manse, relishing in the warmth inside, learning things that no one in the world knew, seeing wonders that would last her a lifetime. And yet, she felt abandoned, in a way. The Potters had been here, during the attack, during the Darkest Day, and yet, they had not even deigned to come see her, see if she was alright, or anything of the like.
It made her feel small.
It made her feel angry.
And she wished to let it all out, and her instinct was to scream and raise her hands. To her surprise, a jet of flames left her palm and flew away from her. She did not think much of the matter; she just wished to push more of her rage until she stumbled, feeling drained.
She was heaving when she looked around and saw the charred bark of the trees around them. She looked at her hands, which did not have a single burn on them, with awe, "What was that?"
"Magic," Helaena's voice behind her answered, "That was magic."
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The Ebb and Flow of the Higher Mysteries in the Seven Kingdoms
By Archmaester Marwyn of King's Landing
For centuries, one of the Citadel's greatest truths was that magic had died alongside the Doom of Valyria. Despite dragons flying over the Seven Kingdoms, they were considered barely more than the dying breaths of a once great force of nature. Much as I dislike the Citadel before its great reformation in 167 AC, this theory was not without merit; magic users declined in both numbers and might in the centuries that followed the First Doom of Valyria.
The remnants of Old Valyria itself were rumoured to be filled with cursed creatures, raddled with Greyscale, and any who entered would die a horrible death indeed. This was, of course, also proven by the horrors that befell Aerea Targaryen, daughter of Rhaena Targaryen, and niece of Jaehaerys the Conciliator, for she was the only survivor who had escaped Valyria, and whose fate is so terrible that I shall not tarnish this book with its descriptions.
Of course, the resurgence of magic, which quickly began to be noticeable in the Seven Kingdoms, proved that it was not, in fact, dead. Ironically, it was one of the many rules of magic that had been discovered that it cannot revive what is dead. Any accounts and rituals that try to claim otherwise often end in nought but a painful death to the caster at best. Perhaps it was why the Long Night was such a feared legend, for the living dead could have been just as impossible during the Age of Heroes, but alas, not much is known of the histories that predate the coming of the Andals, and the tales were surely distorted over time as they were passed down over thousands of years.
Most consider the timing of magic's return to have coincided with the so-called Second Doom of Valyria, which consists of a second eruption, which would bring the true return of magic to be in 123 AC. This corresponds well to certain events during that infamous year, such as the Darkest Night, the One-Day Winter, the destruction of Pyke, and the return of seasons. Perhaps it would explain much of the events, for magic's return could have had many consequences before it became a stable force, though that is but a theory with no practical way to realise it. After all, that year is particularly difficult to divine with magical means.
Of course, one could not know for certain, but most theorise that the first Doom was akin to a devastating disease, which needed centuries to be cleansed in the second one. It is but a theory, but it is a prevalent one amongst magic users, but quite disliked by historians.
Alas, that mattered very little for magic is a fact of this world, one that no one could debate, and magical blood became a much sought-after trait in the Seven Kingdoms, enough for nobles to marry well beneath their station to introduce magical blood to their lines. The Tyrells are infamous for it, having married the daughter of a farmer to their heir in 205 AC, which bound the trait of spreading their infamous 'Verdant Dominion' to their line, cementing their position as the Lords Paramount of the Reach.
House Targaryen was much blessed with this resurgence with their Fire Magics, of which Rhaena Targaryen, daughter of the Rogue Prince, was infamously known as its first wielder, and her teachings remain treasured by the royal family whenever the talent emerges amongst them. To this day, the nature of claiming dragons is debated as an expression of magic or not. The royal house had remained silent on the matter, especially given that the skill did persist even when magic was at its weakest.
The North had been quite bountiful in this regard, with the largest magical population in the Seven Kingdoms, though most are Skinchangers. Of course, most houses in the North, and many that were South of the Neck, brought the gift to their lines through marriage, even if many houses of pure Andal descent disliked it. Of course, that was before the studies in magic were formalised, with the Ice Magic that appeared in House Stark, and the Earth Magic discovered by Brandon Stark in recent years.
Of course, the return of magic came with its own legends and whispers, starting, of course, with the infamous Sorcerer of Dragonstone. Most consider it to be nought but a fabrication of Rhaenyra Targaryen, hoping for a form of legitimacy for her slipping claim to the throne, but all who had tried to divine it could say that Dragonstone remained quite invisible to one's mind's eye during that time period, enough to know that magic was involved in some way. King Viserys's magical recovery was also known to many. Similarly, the Witch Queen of Harrenhall, who had tried to usurp the gods, only to be smote by the Seven for her Blasphemy, is a well-known song in the Riverlands, all to justify the remains of the infamous fortress.
The royal house was not spared from such rumours, of course, with the existence of tales of young girls, all of whom are Dreamers, who were trained from childhood to use their gifts for the betterment of House Targaryen, though a few sinister tales claimed that they ruled the Seven Kingdoms from the shadows, a Sisterhood of the Flames. Of course, this was only brought up because of the strangely prosperous reign of the royal family starting from the Conciliator, which was why people often considered Alysanne Targaryen to be the founder of such an order, though some claimed that it had been Helaena Targaryen who had done so.
Little proof had been shown about such an order, starting with the accounts of Dreamers existing amongst House Targaryen, not since the famous Daenys that saved their house before the First Doom. As for the sisterhood itself, the only account of their existence came from a so-called Greenseer born of House Reed. Of course, that particular form of magic is also to legends, given its supposed rarity, so one might take their words with a grain of salt.
Finally, it must be said that the ebb and flow of the Higher Mysteries has never followed the neat progressions so beloved by maesters and kings alike. Magic is not a tool to be mastered once and set aside, but a tide that advances and retreats according to laws still poorly understood.
Thus, while we may catalogue its resurgence, debate its origins, and trace its manifestations among noble houses and smallfolk alike, we must accept the limits of our certainty. The Higher Mysteries endure not because men command them, but because the world itself permits them. Whether this age shall see magic refined into discipline, or shattered once more by hubris and fear, remains unknown. I record only this: that to deny magic now would be willful blindness, and to claim mastery over it would be the gravest folly of all.
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AN: That chapter really got away from me. It was meant to be a bit of a simple one, since I haven't written anything about Rhaena or Baela in a long time (they were in the Capital during the attack), and I thought that I should probably address that before I get started with the Great Council fully. The idea was to make Rhaena suppress her anger and disappointment at the fact that the Potters hadn't really interacted with her since she left Dragonstone, while he obviously had something to do with Cregan and Helaena, and so she frames it as feeling left out. Also, we should get back to Harry and Daphne soon (I got carried away a bit, sorry). As usual, please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions.
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I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions on them, so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.
Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.