The Bronze Queen

3

Vsaenys

After the funeral, I met princess Rhaenys for the first time, she was mesmerising. The queen who never was... The queen who should have been. It seemed that Rhaenys liked me too, because we stayed in one of the smaller halls, eating cake and talking about everything. She told me stories about Laena and I did the same, we talked about great feasts and tournaments, we talked about our dragons and even made plans to ride them together. I enjoyed her company, she was wise and I wanted to be just like her. I would have talked with my mother, but after the funeral, she was nowhere to be seen, my father excused himself right after Luke and Jace were sent to their bedrooms, so I had nowhere to go. My mother wanted me to go to bed, but I insisted to stay here because I wasn't tired and that's when Rhaenys saw me and made a conversation. She offered me to go to her resting hall, where she spent her days reading, learning new languages and playing chess with her husband. When I agreed she told the servants to bring some cake and drinks there, so we were cozily sitting in the warm room eating cake and enjoying one anothers company. She understood me, as I understood her. After the sunset lord Corlys joined us and was happily accepted to our lovely chats. The three of us were now sitting in the dimly lit room, the only light coming from the fireplace and a few candles. We were talking about old valyria and its dragons, when we heard screams and loud noises from the corridors. We immediatly ran in the direction all the noise was coming from. There we saw a crowd of people, in the middle on the chair sat a white haired boy, beside him queen Alicent and king Viserys, in front of them stood my bloodied brothers and sisters. I was shocked I started to run towards my siblings and checking their wounds. Luke, the little lamb, broke his nose and Jace had many other wounds, Baella and Rhaena were less wounded, but had many bruises. Rhaenys walked to us and pulled Baella and Rhaena into a hug, asking them what happened.

And that's when all hells broke out, soon my mother and Daemon came and an even bigger hell broke loose. Everyone started yelling that the boy sitting on the chair, with a wound on his eye, face covered in blood, had stolen Laena's dragon and that he called Luke and Jace bastards. I didn't know what happened, so I had no other choice than to stay in the shadows watching the scene in front of me. The boy, Aemond, he stayed silent. King Viserys walked to him and started yelling at everyone, everyone, from his sons, to the whole room. Then my mother turned to me and said "Where were you?" quite low, not angry, at least not with me. "I was with princess Rhaenys and lord Corlys, mother" then king Viserys spoke to me for the first time "Tell me, dear girl, what do you think happened? Perhaps you will understand the children better". I believe he even smiled at me, if that was possible in his bad state of health. "I don't know, your grace. From what I heard I can say that Aemond claimed Vhagar, but Rhaena was supposed to claim the dragon, so the kids attacked him, but he was stronger, so Luke had to use a blade as self defense, I could be wrong, but that's what I understood from the shouting" I spoke as the whole room was quiet, looking at me. I liked that, they were silent for me.

It was the respect I longed, well power too, but I knew that ruling goes beyond just power, you have to do what's best for your people. But I think every ruler likes the power and the love of people, them going silent for you, listening to you. Of course, most of them start to abuse their power, perhaps that's the reason of their fall.

"And what do you think I should do?" The king asked, it was good practice, after all rulers have to make hard choices all the time. But I didn't know what he should do, getting my poor brother's eye, won't repair Aemond's lost one, but of course the boy had a wound plastered on his face, that would scar, it will be said by everyone, that he's a monster for it. It was a difficult thing, mostly difficult for it being very personal. "I'm afraid, I can't say what to do. I have too much connection with my brothers, to go and defend a stranger, but taking Lucerys' eye, won't repair Aemond's lost one. It would be pointless, only a way to bring more cruelty to the world." I said, looking the king in the eyes. He looked shocked for my answer, in fact everyone looked shocked. They were shocked for my adult like answer. "The dragon chose him, of course, but Aemond didn't claim the dragon with honor. Poor Vhagar was mourning, she would have chosen anyone that would have been brave, or stupid enough to approach her." "Or maybe she would have burned him alive" the queen whispered desperately seeing her husband, sort of agree with me. "Perhaps, but she has a heart and she just lost her rider, her best friend" I looked to Alicent, she didn't like what I said, then finally I looked at the boy sitting in the chair.

He looked sad by my answer, though I could not really tell, half of his face was numb from the pain and the wound. His eye was the only thing that gave him off, that sad eye. I felt bad for him, truly. I didn't know him, but for god's sake, the boy lost an eye. I don't believe what he did to be wrong, but it wasn't very nice too, he claimed Vhagar on the same day as her former rider's funeral. That's sad, I honestly felt more sad for the dragon, than the prince, after all he got what he wanted most. But of course I stood strong and proud on my brothers and sistsr's side. I would only, perhaps stop defending them when I'm long ago burned by Vermithor and only my poor soul is forever left alone in a white dress.

When Alicent took the kings blade and ran towards Luke, I raised from the shadows into the light, like a phoenix. I ran to my brother standing in front of him, but my mother was faster. My brave, strong mother, who would defend all her children like a mother bear. I loved mother, dearly. I didn't really know her, but I admired her and wanted to be like her. She'll be a good queen, a better one than Alicent. She stopped Alicent from getting to Lucerys and cutting his eye out. As I stood there in front of my younger brothers, everything around me stopped, for I have only looked at the wounded prince. The one eyed boy looked back at me and I would like to believe, he too was stuck in trance like I was. We held eye contact for long, longer than we should've. I would've heard what my mother and Alicent spoke of, but I didn't, I didn't hear or see anything but him. I hated that. Only when my mother was pushed back and she fell into the arms of lord Corlys, did I stop looking at him and finally looked at my mother. I saw red blood pouring like a river out of my mother's arm. I was shocked, to cut the heir to the iron throne took a lot of bravery, or stupidity.

But at that moment I saw that, in fact, even Targaryens are just humans and that their blood is just the typical dark red color, nor blue, nor running thic of gold. I will not lie, I was disappointed.