CELTIGAR - House of The Dragon

Dragons in the North

 "Send a messenger, tell them we will not set fire to their home if they hand us prince Daemon. Tell them they will all walk away unscathed if the prince surrenders willingly," King Aemond ordered to his soldiers.

The Green men had settled their campsites around the surrounding fields neighbouring the castle of Winterfell. They overlooked it and waited for their King to give the order, ready for battle. Steadying themselves, Aemond and Rhea held the other's hand tight as their messenger entered the northern keep, nodding to each other in support.

"This is it, then," Rhea finally said softly. She had a strong posture, her breath was slow and she looked more than ready.

"Now we wait," Aemond answered. He didn't let go of her hand until, mere minutes after, they saw movement outside the gates of Winterfell.

It was Daemon himself.

Everyone leaned forward with baited breath, if he surrendered, the war would be over and the Greens would offer Rhaenyra a deal, much like the one she and Rhea would have struck had Daemon not butchered Aegon's children, Marian and Helaena.

Daemon swaggered about and stopped when he reached the middle of the field. He dropped the messenger's head on the ground and snickered.

"If you think for one second I'm going to let you have it this easy," he spoke loudly so Aemond and Rhea could hear him. "You're dead wrong."

Rhea, without a thought, sped forward and charged him, ready to end it then and there. Daemon seemed surprised for a second but wielded his own sword fiercely and looked her in the eyes.

"Rhea," Aemond shouted. "Do not."

The woman turned towards her King and grunted in frustration. She had only been able to take a few steps, Daemon was still far from her and she wished she could have gotten to him faster. He would be dead already.

"Ha," Daemon laughed. "You've taught your bitch well, I see." He taunted them and laughed again when he looked at Rhea's furious expression. "My apologies, nephew, I don't seem to be able to see your brother, where is he?"

Aemond's arm slid around his wife's waist, holding her tight as he knew she would try and run towards his uncle again. Swallowing his hatred, the King simply smiled threateningly.

"Aegon died in battle, an honour you will not be granted," he stated calmly. "I am King of the Seven Kingdoms now, and Rhea is-"

Daemon sneered.

"Rhea is nothing but the wife of a usurper and she will be treated as such," he cut off his nephew.

"She is your Queen. You might remember that next time you chose to insult her, Uncle," Aemond spoke plainly, concealing his own anger and closing his hand on his wife's forearm, preventing her from moving carelessly again. He shook his head lightly, just so she could see and whispered in her ear to keep her composure, he was only taunting them to piss them off and make them forget their battle plan.

"My Queen is inside, nephew. All I see next to you is some cunt who thinks themselves so righteous-"

"A cunt you once loved as your own, Daemon," Rhaenyra's voice sounded loud behind him and there was a bustle among the Greens.

It seemed things had not been so perfect between the two of them for the past two years, understandably, given Daemon's actions had led to all of this. The Black Queen walked in an almost serene fashion, her gaze fixed on the greens.

"What you see, Daemon, is the cunt that's going to free your head from your shoulders and feed it to your dragon," Rhea threatened, her head high and her gaze deadly. "Rhaenyra, while I understand your motives, I'm afraid I cannot forgive the clemency you showed him."