The Rogue Princess

Chapter 21

It had been over a month since her return to Dragonstone and yet hardly anyone ever saw her. Aerea spent most of her time either in the skies or hiding along the shores. Mostly along the shores as Vermithor seemed harder to find most days. Luke was the only one she really ever spoke to. Occasionally she'd see her husband in their chambers, but he spent most of his nights away from the castle.

Aerea was up in the skies for once when she noticed her grandmother, Princess Rhaenys, land on dragonback. She commanded Vermithor to land in the sands nearby and made her way back up to the castle. Then she heard cries coming from down the hall. She turned and ran towards the room where she found her mother clutching at her stomach, being carried off by a maester.

"What's happened to mother?" Aerea tried to rush after Rhaenyra, but Rhaenys stepped in front of her and grabbed her arms.

"Princess, listen to me. Your grandsire, the king, is dead." Rhaenys whispered as tears streamed down Aerea's face. "Aegon has usurped your mother's throne. He was crowned before the masses."

Aerea looked past her grandmother and saw the plotting eyes of her father. The two hardly spoke a word to each other since their last day in King's Landing, but they had the same mindset at the moment.  She nodded at her grandmother. "If you'll excuse me, grandmother. I must inform my brothers straight away."

Rhaenyra's cries sung throughout the halls as Aerea stormed the castle in search of Jace and Luke. She grabbed them and brought them to their mother, informing her she knew the truth. Rhaenyra ordered them not to do anything that isn't her command and begrudgingly they all agreed.

"I'll alert father." Aerea nodded as her brothers left with her following.

"Aerea!" Rhaenyra called out, hunched over in agonizing pain. "Whatever claim remains to me, you are now its heir. Naught is to be done but by my command."

Aerea nodded and wandered off to find Ser Leo while her brothers informed Daemon of their mother's decision. She found Leo lying drunk on the floor of their chambers.

"Oh, hello, my love! Come to consummate our marriage?" Leo joked but she just sat him up and smacked him upside the head.

"Viserys is dead and the greens stole my mother's fucking crown. Can you please pull it together for one moment?" Aerea scoffed and Leo went stiff with shock at her news. "I don't know what my mother plans to do, but for right now I need you sober and attentive. We may be facing war soon and I need to know if I can count on you."

"Of course...I...I'm sorry, Arry." Leo sighed just as they heard another scream from Rhaenyra ring through the halls. "What was that?"

Aerea sighed. "My mother has gone into early labor."

The two just stared at each other when the screaming finally ended. What they both feared for Rhaenyra had come true and the whole castle felt the loss throughout the walls.

Later that evening, Aerea found her mother wrapping the stillborn child, barely holding it together. She took to her mother's side, helping her wrap the body before she took her mother's hand into hers. The two were alone in the room and Rhaenyra finally felt like she could grieve for her child at last.

"I'm so sorry, mother." Aerea teared up as she took Rhaenyra into her arms. Her mother sobbed violently into her chest as she clung to the younger girl.

"My Visenya...my sweet, poor Visenya." Rhaenyra choked out between cries. She wept and wept until it was physically painful for her body to even consider more tears. "I pray you never experience the same as me or especially your grandmother, my dear."

Aerea shut her eyes, trying to hold herself together for her mother but found it difficult to stay strong. She just stayed silent as she held her close.

Rhaenyra sniffled once more before removing herself from Aerea's arms. "I do not wish to throw the realm into war over who is the rightful heir."

"But mother-." Aerea protested but Rhaenyra shook her head.

"It is our duty to maintain peace. This is what I meant when I said our duty is beyond our desires and wants of the world." She explained.

"I will not bend the knee to that monster. He can pretend to be a king all he likes, but as far as I am concerned you are the rightful heir, Your Grace."

"Then I suppose it's my word they'll want and not yours." The two laughed together softly as Rhaenyra took her daughter's hand. "We will discuss this more in the morning after your sister's funeral. For now, I just...wish to rest."

"Of course, Your Grace." Aerea gave her mother one last smile before she snuck through the halls and down to where Vermithor was nesting in the dragonmount. She calmed him just before ordering him to take to the skies. She knew her mother wouldn't be safe as long as Aegon remained on the iron throne, so she would go to the one person who promised her an army when the day comes.