*The next day*
Rhaenyra and Eddard are looking up at the sun across the Narrow Sea as they mourn the loss of Princess Rhaenys "The Queen Who Never Was" Targaryen
*Sometime later in the Chamber of the Painted Table*
The marker at Rook's Rest is knocked down as a Hightower marker is put above it
"Our fastest dragon has been killed. Criston Cole marches about the Crownlands unchallenged. Duskendale and Rook's Rest are gone." Ser Alfred reminds the Black Council. "We still have no ground army because the northern army is still marching south and eventually will be stuck at the Crossing unless House Frey lets them pass, and the army we hope that Daemon will raise." he continues. "He who has left us..." he drags out. "after some familial spat." he finishes angrily.
Lord Celtigar groans quietly
"Do you take issue with us, Ser Alfred?" Rhaenyra questions him.
"My loyalty to you is proven, my queen." Ser Alfred responds. "And to your husband." he adds.
"Your loyalty, perhaps," Eddard agrees. "but your willingness to give her deference in a time of war is severely lacking." adds.
"I could never doubt your capability or your quickness of mind." Ser Alfred tells Rhaenyra, looking at her. "It's merely that the gentler sex, heretofore, has not been much privy to the strategies of battle or their execution." he explains.
"Be careful of how you speak, Ser." Eddard warns him. "Rhaenys is more of a warrior than you'll ever be." he informs him. "She willingly was ready to defend Rook's Rest and weaken Cole's army as much as possible. She gave her life for us. She died a dragonrider." he reminds him.
"Before this war, there has been peace in our lifetime." Rhaenyra tells Ser Alfred. "You've seen no more battles than I have." she informs the knight. "The only one who has seen any battles and participated in them is my husband. He fought in the Stepstones when he was but 20 years old." she reminds him.
This silences the knight while Eddard smiles proudly. Rhaenyra then sits down, followed by Eddard and then the rest of the councilors
"Send to Maidenpool and to Crackclaw Point. Let them man their garrisons and give them stores or weapons if they find them wanting." Rhaenyra orders. "If Cole pursues his campaign, our allies must be ready." she tells her council.
"We must answer Rook's Rest, and Duskendale." Ser Steffon urges.
"They are lost already." Lord Celtigar informs him. "But Vhagar is depleted after such a hard-fought battle against 2 dragons." he continues.
"If Aegon is dead--" Ser Lorent tries to say.
"We will soon know it." Ser Steffon responds.
"'Twould be a victory in name only." Lord Massey admits. "They will soon prop up another in his stead." he states.
"The time is ripe." Lord Celtigar tells him. "If we can strike King's Landing before their dragon is recovered--" he begins to explain.
Eddard can see Rhaenyra looking back and forth between the lords talking
"Then I myself must do it." Rhaenyra finishes.
"My queen, you are the crown." Lord Massey reminds her. "It is out of the question." he tells her.
"What would you have me do?" Rhaenyra questions loudly, getting frustrated with not being allowed to do anything.
This silences the lords. Eddard then sighs internally as he rubs the temples of his head
"This council is dismissed for now." Eddard announces.
He then stands up with Rhaenyra, causing the other lords and knights to do the same as they bow their heads to their 2 monarchs
The king and queen walk out of the chamber and go to the library
*During the council meeting in the library*
Baela can be seen sitting at the side of her monarchs' desk, reading something absentmindedly. Jace is striding through the castle as he enters the library. As soon as he enters, Jace notices him
"Jace?" Baela calls out to him questioningly, causing him to look at her. "Where are you going?" she asks him as he comes to a stop.
"To Harrenhal." Jace answers. "To treat with Daemon." he adds as he walks to her. "Rhaenys is fallen. He must affirm his loyalty to my mother and father and report his standing." he explains.
He then goes to walk past her, but Baela holds out her right arm to stop him
"And you think you will tame him... when the queen and king themselves could barely?" Baela questions him, standing up to look him in the eye.
"My mother and father gladly send you and Rieka away to scout, to fight," he lists off emotionally. "whilst I'm here being forced to play the coddled princeling." he finishes, frustrated. "It's humiliating, Baela." he tells her.
"They're only protecting you." Baela responds. "You are the succession." she reminds him.
"Then I must be seen to act for her claim and mine." Jace states firmly.
Baela nods at this in agreement and in understanding. Jace then walks off to the right
"I can sit still no longer. I must act." he explains as he paces around the room.
It is silent as Baela watches Jace
"The Freys." Jace says as he looks at Baela, remembering what his father said during the council meeting yesterday. "They control the Crossing at the Twins." he states. "My father's northern army is marching south." he tells Baela. "If his men had a direct route into the Riverlands, we would not have to wait for Daemon to act." he theorizes, walking closer to Baela. "I will treat with The Freys to secure it." he declares.
"They will not like it." Baela cautions him.
"Then don't tell them." Jace replies, shaking his head. "Not until I'm away." he adds.
Baela nods at this and with that, Jace walks away
*Sometime later in the library*
Rhaenyra and Eddard are now in the library with Mysaria
"The way they spoke at my small council today." Rhaenyra says, irritated.
"Do they hold you responsible for Rhaenys and her dragon?" Mysaria asks her.
"I would rather they had." Rhaenyra responds. "They speak around me, not to me." she informs her.
She then lets out a deep sigh
"They would make me queen, but they wish to keep me here, confined." Rhaenyra says to Mysaria, looking around the library.
"They betray their own smallness." Mysaria remarks.
"In truth, I cannot fault them." Rhaenyra admits. "I am now the sovereign. I cannot do as I please." she grumbles. "And war has ever been for men to make." she adds.
"You are your father's chosen successor." Mysaria reminds her.
"He did not prepare me to fight." Rhaenyra tells her. "If I had been a son, a sword thrust into my hand the moment I could walk. Instead, I was given my father's cup... taught the name of every lord and castle between Storm's End and the Wall, but not the difference between hilt and foible." she laments, getting more angry as she goes on. "And they know it." she continues, referring to the lords of the Black Council. "And Daemon as well--" Rhaenyra adds.
"Shall your evening meal be served here, Your Graces?" Elinda asks her 2 monarchs, causing them to look at her.
Eddard goes to say something, but Rhaenyra goes first
"Not now." Rhaenyra answers sharply, looking back forward.
Eddard gestures his head to the left for Elinda to go. Elinda curtsies before exiting the library
Several dragons can be heard grumbling from the Dragonmont
"Will you send to him?" Mysaria asks Rhaenyra calmly.
"For too long, I have looked to him for strength." Rhaenyra admits. "If we must be supplicant to our own uncle, what does that make us?" she asks rhetorically as she walks to the room that holds Meraxes' skull. "I do not know my part, Mysaria, Ned." she tells them. "The path I walk has never been trod." she explains.
"Criston Cole made a mistake." Mysaria tells her queen, causing Rhaenyra to turn to her. "Parading a dragon's head through the streets like a prize of war, but the people see an ill omen." she explains.
"Yes, as do I." Rhaenyra scoffs in agreement.
"They should never have shown that a dragon can be killed." Eddard states.
"They are afraid, bread is scarce, the king has fallen, they whisper to each other that when Viserys lived, there was peace." Mysaria informs about the situation in King's Landing and its smallfolk.
Rhaenyra sighs at this and looks away
"But will whispers tear down stone... or break shields?" she questions.
"Do not underestimate your subjects." Mysaria reassures her, causing the queen to look at her. "They are a thousand-thousand living in the shadow of the Red Keep and forgotten for too long." she remarks.
"And you think they will turn to me?" Rhaenyra asks her.
"To the discontented, rumors are feed." Mysaria informs her.
Rhaenyra then looks away and walks closer to the room that holds Meraxes' skull
"Your Grace." Mysaria calls out to her, causing Rhaenyra to turn to her. "What you cannot do, let others do for you." she advises, causing Rhaenyra to smile. "There is more than one way to fight a war." she states.
*That night*
Rhaenyra and Eddard have decided to send Elinda to King's Landing as their spy. They watch as a Kingsguard takes her to a boat
*Later that night*
Eddard is now in Vhaela's and Maya's private chambers with the Stark children
They're sitting together at a table
"Did we ever tell you of the night your grandmother claimed Meleys?" Vhaela asks her children.
The Stark children shake their heads
"Well, she snuck into the Dragonpit. She knew that place better than any Elder. They say she could see in the dark." Vhaela tells them.
"Daemon was furious." Eddard informs them.
"Really?" Beira asks in surprise.
"Why?" Rieka asks in wonder.
"Well, Meleys was his own mother's dragon, the fastest dragon ever known, and she'd have none of him." Eddard explains.
The kids chuckle at this
"But Meleys bent her neck to Rhaenys." Vhaela adds.
"So, Daemon being Daemon, in retaliation, claimed Caraxes, the dragon of Rhaenys' father." Eddard continues.
"She was fierce..." Vhaela tells her kids. "in love and in anger." she clarifies.
"I wish we went to visit her more, so she could've told us about the things she did in her youth." Tormod admits.
"Yeah, I can understand that." Eddard responds.
Vhaela then chuckles proudly as she looks at her kids
"You are all very like her in some ways." Vhaela tells them.
This causes the Stark children to chuckle and smile
*The next day*
We get an extreme wide shot with Vermax to the left of the camera and the Twins in the distance. Vermax grumbles softly as he watches the Twins
*On the bridge between the 2 towers*
Jace's right hand can be seen fidgeting a little
"Our Lord Grover Tully has not declared for Rhaenyra." Lord Frey informs him. "It means death to bare steel against your liege," he explains. "as I'm sure my prince is aware." he tells him.
"And against your queen and king?" Jace questions him. "Hm?" he hums questioningly at them.
This causes Lord Frey to look at his lady wife before looking away and taking a swig of his wine. Jace then sighs annoyed
"Jason Lannister is marshaling to the west." he informs them. "We need to check him before he reaches Riverrun." he tells them. "That requires passage." he explains.
"And if the northern army is too slow?" Lord Frey questions him while eating some meat. "The wind's rising. Winter is nigh upon us." he tells him.
"Our hesitance does not lie in Rhaenyra as Queen or Eddard as King, nor in the ruminations of Lord Tully, the oaf." Lady Frey continues. "Our fear lies in Vhagar." she admits.
"You fear a dragon leagues away when mine own sits outside your walls?" Jace asks in disbelief.
This gets the Lord Frey and Lady Frey thinking as the wind can be heard blowing softly
"Do you offer us your protection?" Lady Frey asks him.
"I do." Jace answers. "And the protection of my great-uncle." he adds.
"And Daemon, I'm sure, has consented to this?" Lady Frey asks mockingly.
"He will do as his queen and king commands." Jace responds.
"That does lend us some comfort." Lady Frey admits. "Though it occurs to me that dragons cannot be in two places at once." she remarks.
"Or three." Lord Frey adds.
"What do you want?" Jace questions them.
Lord Frey looks at his lady wife
"Larys Strong has been relieved of his castle." Lady Frey begins. "Does the queen and king intend to raise up a new lord?" she wonders.
Lord Frey then looks at Jace. Jace glances at the lord before looking at the lady
"You want Harrenhal." Jace infers, knowing what she was hinting at.
Lord Frey then takes another swig of his wine. Jace then picks up his goblet and takes a gulp of his wine. He then stands up and holds out his goblet. Lady Frey stands up and fills his cup while Jace looks at Lord Frey as we get an overhead shot before it goes back to normal
"For that..." Jace drags out. "my mother and father will want more than your crossing." he informs them.
"What do Their Graces desire?" Lady Frey asks him.
Jace then puts his goblet down, puts his hands on the table and leans forward to them
"Bent knees." he responds.
The Lord Frey and Lady Frey look at each other before nodding at each other. They then stand up and walk around the table and to Jace, who has walked backward a bit. Lord and Lady Frey then bend the knee to Jace
"I, Lord Forrest Frey, Lord of the Crossing, pledge fealty to Rhaenyra of House Targaryen, First of Her Name. And I pledge fealty to Eddard of House Stark, First of His Name." Forrest pledges. "I swear this by the old gods and the new." he swears.
"I, Lady Serena Frey, pledge fealty to Rhaenyra of House Targaryen, First of Her Name. And I pledge fealty to Eddard of House Stark, First of His Name." Serena Frey pledges. "I swear this by the old gods and the new." she swears.
Jace nods at them, turns around, walks away from them and goes to his dragon
*That evening*
Rhaenyra and Eddard are in the Chamber of the Painted Table and are waiting for Ser Alfred, having summoned him. Midnight is lying on the ground nearby, watching the doors for his owner's safety and his owner's wife. The queen and king turn around when they hear Midnight growling softly. They watch as Ser Alfred approaches them. When he gets close enough, he bows his head to them
"Your Graces." he greets them.
"You were correct..." Rhaenyra begins. "in saying our best hope of an army is with Daemon until the northern army passes through the Twins." she clarifies.
"And we have, perhaps, erred in waiting for him to prove himself." Eddard continues as he and Rhaenyra walk closer to the knight.
"We wish you to go to Harrenhal." Rhaenyra informs him.
"Are you removing me from your council?" Ser Alfred asks him.
"Ser Alfred..." Rhaenyra begins. "I-I-I will not deny you have tried our patience of late or that I would prefer a council more inclined to champion their queen, but..." she continues and inhales slightly. "you and your house served my father well, and I know you will never accept the Hightower claim." she adds.
"Not while I live, Your Grace." Ser Alfred vows and bows his head.
Eddard looks closely at the knight, unsure of his loyalty to his queen
"We cannot challenge King's Landing without the Riverlands, but I will not send a message by raven for Daemon to disregard." Rhaenyra admits.
"We ask you to... reason with him." Eddard explains to the knight. "Find out his state of mind and his intentions." he tells him.
"Intentions?" Ser Alfred asks his 2 monarchs confusedly.
"Whether he means to raise a host for me and my husband or for himself." Rhaenyra answers.
"He would not dare." Ser Alfred responds.
Eddard scoffs at this
"Have you known Daemon to lack in daring?" he asks the knight rhetorically.
"Go now with haste." Rhaenyra orders. "We'll send good men to see to your safety." she assures.
Ser Alfred begins to walk away, but then turns back to his 2 monarchs
"Have you any message for him?" he asks them.
"Tell him we would much like to finish our last conversation." Eddard says to him.
Ser Alfred bows his head to his 2 monarchs
"Your Graces." he says.
With that, he turns around and walks out of the Chamber
*That night*
Rhaenyra and Eddard are now in their private chambers, wearing their nightwear and watching the fire burning in their fireplace. Rhaenyra then sits down on a chair as a handmaiden unbraids her hair. The handmaiden then combs her hair
*Sometime later*
Rhaenyra and Eddard are now in the library. Rhaenyra was again going through the book about Aegon's Conquest and the First Dornish War. She's looking at the dragon of Visenya. They hear 2 people walking closer and closer to the library
"Prince Jacaerys, Your Graces." Ser Douglas announces.
The 2 monarchs look at the loyal knight and their firstborn son. Ser Douglas bows his head at them and then walks away. Jace then enters the library and walks to his parents, who are looking at the book again. Jace then sets something down, causing his parents to look at him
Distant dragon grumbles can barely be heard from the Dragonmont as Rhaenyra and Eddard look at the book again
"Visenya." Jace says, deciding to be the first one to speak.
"Vhagar's first rider, and the first wielder of Dark Sister." Rhaenyra states.
"I hope you do not mean to use her as an example." Jace says hopefully.
"Why shouldn't I?" Rhaenyra questions him, looking up at him.
"W--" Jace begins, startled by that. "It was a long time ago." he tells her.
Rhaenyra doesn't reply as a long and tense silence falls over the room, and Jace decides to turn around and walk away
"What is the mood at the Twins?" Eddard asks his son, looking at him, causing Jace to come to a halt. "Did his lordship quibble?" he questions him.
Jace turns around to look at his parents
"He wishes for the Freys to be granted Harrenhal." he informs his parents as he walks to them. "At war's end. Assuming." he adds.
"We're proud of you, Jace." Eddard tells his son.
"You have done our cause a great service." Rhaenyra says to her son.
"Then, why do you look angry?" Jace asks his mother confusedly, walking closer to her.
Rhaenyra slams the book shut as she walks past him. She then comes to a stop and sighs deeply
"You chafed at being prevented from action." she tells her son before turning to him. "Imagine my lot." she says to him. "I'm a dragonrider as well, with a war being fought over my ascension. And yet, I must wait here... always prudent... sending others to fight and be felled in my name." she points out as she puts the book down on the desk. "Even you have managed to do your part." she adds, gesturing to him before walking away.
"You are the queen..." Jace begins walking to his mother. "the tie that binds us. No harm can come to you." he explains.
"And you are our son, and we did not give you leave to go." Eddard reminds him as he walks past him toward Rhaenyra, who has picked up another book.
Rhaenyra then walks to the desk with Eddard
"You do not give me leave to go to anything." Jace counters. "But who else is there?" he questions his parents. "Rhaenys is dead, and Baela cannot bear the burden alone." he explains.
"And when Aemond comes hunting for you?" Rhaenyra asks him.
"Your dragon is young." Eddard reminds his son. "Will you fly before Vhagar as Luke did?" he questions him.
This silences Jace, who remembers all too well what happened to his younger brother. Rhaenyra and Eddard sit down on their respective chairs at the desk. Rhaenyra leafs through a book.
"Perhaps Daemon could--" Jace tries to say.
Rhaenyra and Eddard look at him sternly, not wanting to hear that name at the moment
"Daemon is not here." Rhaenyra reminds her son.
"And Aemond now rules in King's Landing." Eddard informs his son.
"Is Aegon dead?" Jace asks his parents.
"Dead or alive, the only answer we have for Vhagar is Frostfyre." Eddard responds. "Aemond will not wait long to press his advantage now that we are down a dragon." he adds. "And then what?" he questions his son.
"I have done all I can from here, sent my messages, invoked my alliances." Rhaenyra informs her son. "But if all else fails, it is I who must fight, alongside your father." she tells him. "Vhagar is big, but Syrax is smaller and quicker." she explains.
"So was Meleys." Jace counters.
"But this time, Frostfyre will be the main attacker." Eddard says to him.
"And they fought two dragons, in which one of them is most likely slain and the other is greatly wounded." Rhaenyra adds. "Shall I fight for my birthright? Or shall I wait here until we are all destroyed?" she questions her son angrily and rhetorically.
Another silence falls over the room
"I need dragons." Rhaenyra states.
"Well technically, we have no dearth of dragons." Jace says calmly, walking closer to the desk. "We have 3 large enough to stand against Vhagar." he tells his mother. "They are called Vermithor, Silverwing and Tanwena," he lists off with his fingers. "and they sleep just beneath our feet." he reminds her.
"Yes, and if only they had riders, none could stand against me." Rhaenyra says sarcastically. "I would go forth in strength and not from necessity." she adds.
"There is Rhaena." Jace suggests, but Eddard scoffs at this.
"Who nearly lost her life in her last attempt." Eddard reminds him. "We would not risk it again." he tells him.
"There are those of our line who never ruled." Jace begins. "Those who married into other noble houses, their children born with other names." he explains.
"A generation ago, or more." Rhaenyra adds. "Their blood would be thin." she informs him.
"And yet..." Jace drags out.
"A dragon will only accept a dragonlord to ride it." Rhaenyra explains with a sigh. "Or so say the histories." she adds.
Jace chuckles at this
"Valyrian histories." he tells his mother. "Written to gild us in glory." he says to her.
"He's right." Eddard agrees with his son. "Me and Laenor are proof that you don't need the Targaryen name to claim a dragon." he states.
Rhaenyra chuckles at this
"Are you 2 suggesting we put a Mallister on a dragon? A Tarly?" she asks them jokingly.
"It's better than death and defeat." Jace responds jokingly, raising his hands in "surrender".
"What we mean to say is that those who have Valyrian ancestry should be able to claim a dragon." Eddard explains.
This gets Rhaenyra thinking
"There are records here, surely, of our line and of those who fell out of it." she theorizes, looking to the left at the numerous books and scrolls before looking back at her son.
"There could be scores of them." Jace guesses.
"Probably." Eddard states.
Rhaenyra exhales softly at what is happening
"It's a mad thought." Rhaenyra says.
"Perhaps that is exactly what we need." Eddard reasons.
Well that's it for this episode/chapter.
Hope you all liked it.
Have a good day/afternoon/evening/night.