The Vengeful Ghost

73. Final Wishes

Dragonstone

Rhaenyra had sailed home with her soldiers, or those who remained. Syrax was dead and she hadn't heard from Daemon. She sat on the Dragonstone throne for hours, watching as the sun set on an unsuccessful day. Her people, the people she intended to rule, hated her.

'For Princess Laenora!'

They had yelled it clear as day. She had tried to paint her daughter as the cruel one for taking her throne, but they saw her as the cruel one. Visenya had done things the way Rhaenyra was supposed to. Visenya went to court, she took an interest in her duties, and she worked on a relationship with the smallfolk. Rhaenyra could see now that her running off to Dragonstone only hurt her role. Still, she was entitled to her throne.

As was Visenya.

An act that she thought was going to help Visenya. She knew the pain of being belittled for being a female heir, and when Aegon was born, she knew all the lords wanted to replace her. She was trying to save her own daughter from that pain and in turn, she hurt their relationship.

Then, she lost Lucerys by his own choice. He willingly chose his sister over her, his own mother. She should have known all along that no one liked her as much as she wanted them to.

The worst part of it all was that no matter everything they'd been through, she was still extremely proud of her daughter. Visenya secretly plotted for years and no one knew to what extent. Alicent and Otto thought they had a complacent girl in place, but she was plotting their death and had a Hand lined up. She played the long game, and she got everything she wanted. She played everyone for a fool.

Not to mention, she killed the true enemies. Alicent and Otto were gone. Still, she knew that Visenya would always view Daemon as the real enemy. Her accusations against him were always grave, but Daemon was just acting in retaliation for her sending Daeron to kill Jace. Visenya started this war.

The sun had already set and was going late into the evening. She was growing worried, wondering if she needed to consider an unimaginable reality. Daemon was the best she had, if she lost him, then she would lose her largest force. Cregan was leading the Winter Wolves throughout many Red supporting lands, he led her strongest army, but Rhaenyra didn't want to do this without Daemon.

She started to hear a commotion coming from the halls, and Maester Gerardys rushed into the throne room. "Your Grace, it's Prince Jacaerys, he has awoken!"

Rhaenyra rushed down the halls, tears threatening her eyes.

"Where is Visenya? Is she here?"

"My Prince, you are on Dragonstone, the false queen is not here," the Maester spoke, trying to calm him.

Jace finally looked at his mother. "She's not here?" Rhaenyra noticed he wasn't moving much, and she was worried his injury might paralyze him.

Rhaenyra was hasty in sitting next to him, placing her hands on his cheeks. "You are safe here my boy, they won't hurt you. Your sister and her pack of mongrels can't hurt you here."

Jacaerys pulled away from her with a look of confusion. "Hurt me? They never did such a thing!" He suddenly noticed the changes in his mother, her skin looked aged and she looked painfully tired. "Mother, it was Daemon. Daeron didn't hurt me, he wanted to make peace. I was returning with generous terms that he and Vis offered. Daemond stabbed me, Mother. Where is he? How long has it been?"

Rhaenyra stood up, shaking her head. No, he was speaking madness. That option wasn't even one to be considered. "Jace, you must be confused. Daemon was the one that caught you off Vermax."