"It's my duty, my God-given birthright and my crown."
- Mary, Queen of Scots
In which Valyria Targaryen returns to the Red Keep and becomes a key player in the game for the Iron Throne.
....or....
In which there isn't a person in the Se...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧
132 AC, Dragonstone
"Queen Valyria Targaryen," Daemon announced loudly as she entered the Chamber of the Painted Table where the Red Council stood gathered already, awaiting their new ruler. "First of her Name, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men. Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm."
Everyone else in the room simultaneously bowed their head for their Queen who stopped in front of Dorne's side of the map. Across from her, by the northern border, Daemon stood with his hand resting on Dark Sister. He finished by saying, "Your Grace."
The difference between the Chamber of the Painted Table now compared to earlier that same day was palpable. The torches hanging on the walls had been lit while all the dusty pawns representing armies and different houses had been located and unpacked. All the candles beneath the table created an orange hue that lit up the borders, waters roads and castles that had been carved into the stone.
Valyria imagined this is what it must have been like when Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters planned the invasion of Westeros. And now over a century later, the dynasty they fought to create might get torn down from the inside. How could they expect a united Seven Kingdoms when House Targaryen lacked unity?
As she stepped closer to the table, Valyria nodded her head for Rhaena, Baela, Aegon and Cyrenna to come closer. Her two step-daughters both stood by their grandmother but didn't hesitate to follow her command; Rhaenys offered Valyria a small encouraging smile but remained in the background. Meanwhile, Cyrenna's arm remained locked with Aegon's as the two approached the table.
The attention of every single person in the room remained on her so to start the meeting she asked, "What is our standing?"
"With the dornish guards included we have forty knights, a hundred and fifty crossbowmen and four hundred men-at-arms," Daemon explained, far more prepared for this than she could ever be. She also supposed he had some time to rally their defences when she was in the birthing chamber. "Dragonstone is relatively easy to defend, but as an instrument of conquest, our army leaves a lot to be desired. We have sent word to my loyal men in the City Watch. I'll have some support there, but I cannot speak to the numbers."
Years had passed since Daemon was Lord Commander of the City Watch yet he still held strong allies within the small army tasked to guard the capital. His brutal yet effective ways to clean up the city made him popular amongst his men there. Not to mention how he during those years often drank and paid visits to brothels alongside those men.
"We already have declarations from Celtigar and Staunton, Massey, Darklyn, Bar Emmon," Maester Gerardys, who had served as Dragonstone's maester for many years, told her which prompted Rhaena and Baela to place out a few of the pawns on the map to represent their allies.
