CELTIGAR - House of The Dragon

Dragonstone

 As Aemond saw Sapphire fly above the Red Keep, he ordered the King's Guard to warn his brother of his wife's escape, urging him to come up with a plan to prevent her from siding with Rhaenyra and to gather a small group of people, loyal to his wife, people they trust, to be sent to fetch her from Dragonstone. The King refused to let anyone set foot on Dragonstone.

Rhea held tight on Sapphire as the beast flew fast through the clouds, her vision blurry as she could feel blood stream out of her reopened wounds. She would reach Rhaenyra, even if it was the last thing she would do. As the island and castle took shape in front of her, Rhea noticed Caraxes circling her and her dragon, Prince Daemon sitting on the saddle looking particularly furious, understandably. He flew dangerously close to Rhea.

"Has your one-eyed cunt of a husband sent you to kill one more of my sons?" Daemon shouted at her, fury in his words. "I'd like to see you try!"

Irritated by Rhea's lack of answers, Daemon urged his own dragon to land, followed closely by the woman's. As Sapphire's giant feet touched the ground, Rhea collapsed from his body, finally letting go of the saddle, her head hitting the ground in a concerning noise. Daemon strode fast towards her, his sword unsheathed in his hand, pointing it towards her. He shoved her with its dull side and frowned as she did not move under it. His eyes fell on her hands and he knelt by her side when he saw the blood on them. Soon, he carried her in the castle and laid her down, his men ready to kill her should he give the order.

"Rhaenyra is not to know about this," he commanded. "Leave, now."

The room was cleared and Daemon shook Rhea awake. The woman clutched her head in her hands, a pained groan escaping her lips. As soon as she awoke, Daemon drew his sword and aimed it at her. Her eyes widened and she inched away from it, her back to the wall. Pained groans and rugged breaths left her body as she stood up, her hands on her wounds.

"Daemon-"

"Have you come here to torment us? To take someone else's life before their time?" The prince spoke angrily, spitting at her as his sword stayed pointed at her.

"Would I come here bloodied and weak, if that was my intent, Daemon?" She spoke calmly, the tips of her fingers pushing the sword away lightly.

Daemon examined her from head to toe, an eyebrow raised, she had a point.

"I am unarmed, except for this dagger," she continued, throwing the dagger at Daemon's feet in a clattering sound. "Have it, I don't plan to use it. "

It was Aemond's dagger, the one he had given her such a long time ago. Rhea walked closer to Daemon and put her hand on his forearm.

"Daemon, I am sorry for the hardship you and your family have been through."

The prince moved away from her and she stumbled, her head begin to turn as everything started to fade. Daemon caught her right before she hit the ground, an arm around her waist and called the maester.

"Here, have some milk of the poppy to ease the pain," the maester said before leaving the two of them alone again.

With fresh stitches in, Rhea sat down, the cup full of milk of the poppy clutched in her hand, her fingers gripping the handle tight as she winced.

"I do not know what is stopping me from killing you right then and there," Daemon confessed, sitting next to her.

Rhea turned to look at him, smiling sadly.

"I do not know either," she stated. "I know I would have, had I been in your place."

Daemon shot her a confused, surprised look. She had changed in the amount of time they had not seen each other, she wasn't as innocent as she used to be. Life had changed her, and it saddened him a little to see that.

"Why are you here, really?" He asked as his eyes looked in hers.

She paused, then took a long, deep, sad breath, before telling him what had just happened, how she had been lied to, cheated by her husband into a marriage through murder and treachery.

"Had he told me the truth before you and Rhaenyra suggested we marry, I would have refused him in front of his father and that would have been the end of it," Rhea stated bitterly.

She told him about her decision to stay behind, ensuring her house would get to them safely and he informed her of their successful alliance, which gladdened her heart. She told him how sad she had been to learn of Rhaenyra's miscarriage, how she wished she could have been there and how sorry she was to not have told Aemond to stay with her and not leave for Storm's End,.

"An eye for an eye, a son for a son," Daemon swore threateningly, clutching his sword again.

Rhea's eyes fluttered as fear crept in the back of her mind, thinking how the people she cared for back in King's Landing were now definitely in harm's way as Daemon craved revenge more than anything.

"Since he doesn't have a son..." Daemon started. "I should kill you, send a message."

Rhea nodded.

"You should."

She paused and the whole room fell silent.

"Will you?" She then asked, looking up at her adopted sister's husband.

Daemon nodded and looked away, standing up and turning her back to her.

"Should Rhaenyra order it, yes, I would," he announced. "But you knew that, coming here, did you not?"

"I did."

"Good. In an other life, things would have been different."

Rhea smiled sadly, even though she had just been threatened, which she was beginning to feel accustomed to, she did not feel unsafe. She had known the man all her life and whether he should choose to kill her, she would let him. It would cause Aemond so much more pain than anything she could do alive, and it was a prospect she quite enjoyed at the minute. Causing him as much pain as he had caused her.

"I would have liked that," Rhea smiled sadly again.

The doors burst open and Jacaerys barged in, fury burning in his brown eyes. Rhea rose quickly, wincing in pain. He strode quickly towards her and shoved his step-father out of the way, gripping Rhea's collar, his face mere inches from hers. His dagger was at her throat, yet she did not feel scared, she knew the boy, she knew he would not harm her.

"What is she doing here? Did she not cause us enough trouble already?" He shouted at Daemon.

"Look at her," Daemon stated, his chin pointing towards her. "Why do you think she's here?"

Jace looked at her with attention, although he looked angry, Rhea could feel the sadness from him. He had just lost his brother, at such a young age. It pained her to think about it. His hand let go of her and she took a deep breath, clutching at her side in pain. She sat back down and tilted her head back, her eyes closed as sweat dripped off her forehead. Outside the window, she could see Sapphire circling the grounds when she opened her eyes.

"I have just heard of Lucerys' death, Jace. I could not stay a moment more with him. I had to find your mother."

"You are married to the man who murdered her son, Rhea. She will not welcome you with open arms," Jace stated.

"Aemond could be dead for all I care," Rhea spat, and, as she spoke, she realised it could not have been farther than the truth, she still loved him after everything he had done.

Silence fell in the room and the three of them turned towards the door when they heard a loud crashing noise, along with the sounds of armours clattering about.

"Is she in here?" Rhaenyra's voice echoed in the halls.

Pushing the doors open, surrounded by her Queen's Guard, Rhaenyra entered the room, fire and fury in her eyes. Rhea stood from her chair, her eyes filling with regretful tears as the Queen's own eyes tore through her soul with such hatred she could have collapsed right there.