A Dragon Fate

Chapter 11: My crown at your feet

We walked along the corridor of the Red Keep, and i could already hear a crowd ahead. It seems that many came to watch the rogue prince return again. And this time with an unknown cousin. How much they want to see someone fall.

Is this always the case here? If so then i hate life at court. Although it's not like i doubted it too much before.

I felt Daemon poke me with his elbow and looked at him. "What?" i asked.

Daemon shrugged, looking around at me. He looked like he wanted to do something, but couldn't. And he had to choose his words.

"We won't be executed" he finally said.

I arched my eyebrow. Of course he knows his brother much better than i do. But even this can't give him full confidence in his words. Yes, i didn't betray the crown and in fact won the war. But i wasn't on the side of the crown or even the realm. I'm here for an insignificant part of my life and only dragons receive my devotion.

I can easily imagine the development of events in which i will be sent to execution. It is already unlikely that i will get there. That's not the point.

I stop abruptly. Something is pressing unpleasantly on my chest. And i don't like the way things are going. And so i turn to the guards and approach the one holding the daemon’s bag.

Our crowns of Narrow Sea are different and if this one hasn’t fallen off my head yet, it means that Daemon took two. Or rather he brazenly stole mine, but who am i to blame him for his ingenuity?

I take out his “crown”, which fortunately looks worse than mine. Daemon frowns when i hand it to him. He doesn't move and I roll my eyes. I slowly walk up and put the crown on him. It's good that we don't look like we're in a romantic relationship. This is just brotherly concern, nothing else can be thought of. Although the guards literally surrounding us and watching my every move are a little embarrassing.

Daemon arches his eyebrow. "That will make you a consort. You know that, don't you?"

He says this quite quietly, as if anyone here except us could understand High Valyrian. It's kind of cute that he's so concerned about my self-esteem. But my mother is literally a whore and i don't even know my father's name. My reputation is not so inviolable.

"But we both know who is the real consort, don't we?" i grinned and lowered my hands.

We turn around and walk the last meters to the hall. Daemon hands me the Crabfeeder's axe. We enter the hall and a wave of whispers passes through the crowd. I can almost see Daemon grinning and i have a hard time stopping myself from rolling my eyes. Out of my peripheral vision i notice white hair in the crowd. From what i can tell, Rhaenyra has gotten prettier over the years.

When we began to approach the throne, the knights guarding the king put their swords forward. Most of them were directed at Daemon and i mentally laughed at him. I think that in a battle it would be almost as difficult to defeat me as a Daemon. However, that's what stereotypes and a pretty face do. It's not like Daemon doesn't have a pretty face...

My self-confident cousin walked close to the sword, resting his armored chest against it. Of course... How can we do this without drama?

I raised my hand with an ax, causing a wave of excitement among the knights. "Add it to the chair"

I slowly unclenched my fingers, dropping the weapon. The sound of iron hitting the floor sounded too loud in the silence of the hall. The king's face trembled as if in anticipation of crazy actions from me.

"You wear a crown. Do you also call yourself 'King'?" the king said to Daemon and turned his gaze to me. "Or 'Queen'?"

Daemon pushed the sword away from his chest, attracting attention.

"Once we smashed the Triarchy, they named me and lady Alysanne 'King and Queen of the Narrow Sea'" he said. "But we know that there is only one true king, Your Grace"

Daemon looked at me as if telling me to play along. He slowly knelt down and removed the crown from his head. I repeated his actions without hesitation. I wonder if he was sincere in his actions? I felt like i knew Daemon inside and out, but his relationship with his family is still... a mystery to me.

"My crown and the Stepstones... are yours"

I looked at the doubts in the king’s face. He looked around the hall behind us and raised his eyebrows. "Well, where is lord Corlys?"

"He sailed home to Driftmark" Daemon answered.

"Who holds the Stepstones?" the king continued.

And how long will this continue? My fatigue was making itself felt. My legs seemed to have turned to stone and i don’t know how much longer i can stand like this. I guess i'll never get used to the pain of long flights. It's worth getting this over with as soon as possible.

"The tides, the crabs and two thousands dead Triarchy corsairs, staked to the send to warn those who might follow" i said. Viserys looked at me as if he had noticed it for the first time.

The king exchanged glances with someone to his left and began to slowly descend. He waved his hand to the knights to let him through. The knights seemed to reluctantly parted ways. I looked at Daemon, who continued to calmly stand in front of his brother. The king came even closer than i expected.

"Rise" he commanded.

I stood up, trying not to wrinkle my face from the pain in my muscles.  Daemon nodded almost imperceptibly at me and i responded in kind.

The king looked from me to Daemon. "The realm owes you a great debt" he said extending his hand to brother. "Come"

Daemon took a step forward, leaning into the embrace. I looked at his relaxed neck. He looked trusting and comfortable around his brother. I think i have the answer to the question of his sincerity.

They pulled away and the king approached me.

"I'm glad you came home, cousin" he said.

He extended his hand to me and i hesitantly hugged Viserys. Trying not to look too uncomfortable, i relaxed my shoulders and patted him on the back. We slowly pulled away and i noticed a grin on Daemon's face. Yeah, he's enjoying my awkwardness.

"You are probably tired after a long flight. Let's move to a more secluded place" he suggested and i nodded quickly.

The king gave the sword to one of the knights and put his hands on our backs, leading us to the exit from the throne room. The way out was shining in my eyes. But i felt that this was just an illusion of the upcoming rest.

What a pity.