CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
❪ devils tongue ! ❫

"What is our standing?"

"We have 30 knights, a hundred crossbowmen, and 300 men-at-arms." Daemon explained to now queen Rhaenyra, at the table. "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."

" — We already have declarations from Celtigar and Staunton, Massey, Darklyn, Bar Emmon." The grand Maester turned to Rhaenyra as Jace began setting small figures across the table to cover land.

Aenemera stood near Daemon with Theo standing behind her with his hand carelessly weighing over the hilt of his sword.

After their last situation that caused the both of them to split, he has refused to leave her side and defenseless.

"My lady mother was an Arryn," Rhaenyra pointed towards a spot on the table. "The Vale will not turn cloak against their own kin."

"Riverrun was always a close friend to your father, your grace." The Maester suggested. "With prince Daemons acquiescence, I've already sent ravens to Lord Grover."

Daemon nodded once.

Rhaenyra pressed her palms against her table and shifted lightly between her feet. "Lord Grover is fickle and easily swayed. He will need to be convinced of the strength of our position and that we will support him should it come to war."

"I'm going to treat with him myself." Daemon explained.

Steffon Darklyn gazed between Rhaenyra and Daemon from the side. "What if storms end and Winterfell?"

"There has never lived a stark who forgot an oath," Bartimos reminded. "And with House Stark, the north will follow."

"Lord Borros Baratheon will need to be reminded of his fathers promises." Rhaenyra agreed and she looked between the men before turning to Rhaenys. "What news from Driftmark?"

Rhaenys, who was standing off in the distance quietly, turned to the queen with her attention now. "Lord Corlys sails for Dragonstone."

"To declare for his queen." Daemon stated loudly but it seemingly almost came off as a question

"The Velaryon fleet is in my husbands yoke," Rhaenys continued. "He decides where they sail. We shall pray for both you and your husbands support."

Aenemera felt like her neck was beginning to grow sore from the amount of times she's had to turn to look at whoever was speaking.

"Just as we prayed nightly for the sea snakes return to good health," Rhaenyra agreed. "There's no port on the narrow sea would dare to make an enemy of the Velaryon fleet." She slowly turned back to the table and his eyes gazed around the table quickly. "And our enemies?"

"We have no friends among the Lannisters. Tyland has served the hand too long to turn against him. And Otto Hightower needs the Lannister fleet."

Rhaenyra lowered her head at his husbands words, frustration brewing in her chest now. "Without the Lannisters we are not like to find any allies west of the Golden Tooth."

Daemon shook his head. "No. The riverlands are essential, your grace."

Bartimos raised his head and turned to Rhaenyra. "Pray forgive my bluntness, your grace, but talk of men is moot. Your cause owns a power that has not been seen in this world since the days of Old Valyria. Dragons."

The queen's eyebrows twitched as she glanced around the table and corrected everyone's thoughts. "The greens have dragons as well."

"They have three adults, by my count." Daemon quickly inputted. "We have Syrax, Caraxes, and Meleys." Rhaenys tilted her head at Daemons bringing up her dragon but remained silent. "Your sons have Vermax, Arrax, and Tyraxes. Baela has Moondancer. And let's not forget your daughter holds the second largest dragon we've seen in years — Baeselyx, who would surely fight at her side."

Aenemera peered up at Daemon quickly at his mention of her dragon, but he didn't tear his gaze from Rhaenyra's as the Queen spoke. "Daemon, none of our dragons have been to war."

"There are also unclaimed dragons. Sea smoke still resides on Driftmark. Vermithor and Silverwing dwell on the Dragonmont — still riderless." The tension at the table started to grow incredibly thick between the queen and her husband. Aenemera so badly wanted to speak up but her father continued to ramble darkly. "Then there are the three wild dragons, all of whom nest here."

Rhaenyra tilted her head frustratedly at her husband. "And who is to ride them?"

"Dragonstone has thirteen to their four. I also have a score of eggs incubating in the Dragonmont."

Aenemera watched Ser Erryk excuse himself from the table to greet the man that silently entered the room with some news that came about.

Daemon then picked up a few pieces from a metal tin and started walking around the table. "Now — we need a place to gather, a toehold large enough to house a sizable host. Here, at Harrenhal. We cut off the west, surround Kings Landing with the dragons. And we could have every Green head mounted on spikes before the fucking moon turns."

Aenemera flinched at her fathers harsh words, her eyes shifting towards her mother as Rhaenyra stood there silently with her own gaze fixated on Daemon.

"Your grace," Ser Erryk returned at her side. "A ship has been sighted offshore, a long galleon, flying a banner of a three-headed green dragon."

Aenemera immediately raised her head at this information. Her wide stare meeting her mothers now as Daemon disappeared from her side to retrieve his sword that was resting against the table. "Alert the watchtowers. Sight the skies."

His gaze met his daughters for a brief second — a silent warning for her to remain in the room, but with her being as stubborn as her father — she quickly excused herself once her mother exited the room.

"Princess," Theo warned as he quickly matched her pace out of the room. "If it wasn't made clear, im sure your mother —- "

Aenemera spun around to face him. "I'm doing exactly what my mother would do —- making a targaryen statement."

Theo bowed his head and kept his mouth shut from this moment forward, knowing it wasn't going to be possible to keep her tied down to one spot.

It was almost like Baeselyx could sense when Aenemera was on the move. Because once she got outside to accompany her parents to their visitors; Baeselyx was soaring above the clouds before making himself comfortable, by landing down on the rocks next to the winding bridge.

Guards — and her parents — turned to acknowledge her arrival, making room through the wave of men so she could stand between her parents.

"Just the person I wanted to see," Otto grimaced but forced a smile upon his face. "Princess Aenemera."

She blinked at the older man in silence as a response.

He cleared his throat. "I would like to speak on behalf of your family by marriage — your place is at my youngest grandsons side. You hold a child in your womb, his first heir — if you return to Kings Landing with me, we won't consider this act of betrayal as treason."

Daemon's grasp on the hilt of his sword tightened but Aenemera raised her hand by her fathers chest. "Your words are poison. Allow me to worry about the well-being of my own child — I'll reunite with my husband soon enough when the time comes."

Baeselyx climbed down some of the rocks as the rubbles made waste into the water below; sounding like there had been an earthquake happening.

Otto and his men glanced at the large beast with a glint of fear hiding between their eyes, but Aenemera was unmoving as she heard her dragon growl from behind her.

"Let it be clear that any act of violence that happens towards me, you won't be met with the sword of prince Daemon or Theophilus Brax, but by my dragon Baeselyx — and he doesn't play well when I'm under threat."

Daemon curtly smirked at the hand of the king, his grip on his sword slightly loosening by his daughters words.

Her facial expression remained laxed and unbothered, but her throat burned with fire and she was ready to fight.

Rhaenyra's eyes blazed as she stormed towards the older man and made quick work of the pin he wore proudly on his coat before tossing it in the water. "You are no more Hand than Aegon is king. Fucking traitor."

Aenemera lowered her brows in warning as she studied the guards standing protectively behind Otto. She wanted a single heartbeat for him to make a move on her mother, but instead he called for the grand maester.

"What the fuck is this?" Daemon sneered beside his daughter

Otto now handed Rhaenyra a folded piece of parchment, her eyes peering down at the paper that had been ripped from an old book.

Aenemera watched curiously in silent as Otto spoke. "Queen Alicent has not forgotten the love you once had for each other. No blood need be spilled, so the realm can carry on in peace." The Hand's gaze fixated between Daemon and Aenemera now. "Queen Alicent eagerly awaits your answer."

"She can have her answer now, stuffed in her fathers mouth along with his withered cock. Lets end this mummers farce."

Suddenly Daemon shoved Aenemera backwards and pulled out his sword.

The rest of the guards followed as Theo quickly placed the prince behind him for protection, just as Baeselyx tilted his head upwards and let out an ear screeching sound that had everyone flinching.

"Ser Erryk bring me lord hightowers head so I may take the pleasure myself!"

Syrax was the next to let out a deep rumbled roar from her chest as she still held her place behind Otto and his own men.

Aenemera placed her hand over her waist where she carried her small blade, her fingers curling around the hilt a she remained behind Theo but glared at the others from his shoulder.

"No." Rhaenyra finally spoke through the chaos.

Daemon bit down on his tongue with an inch to kill crawling up his spine, but he obeyed her command and tucked his sword away; in which the others followed.

"Kings landing will have my answer on the morrow." Rhaenyra stated sharply before turning away from Otto Hightower and walking up the pathway to the castle.

Syrax followed and one by one did the guards. Aenemera stood still as she locked eyes with Otto, both of them sending each other hateful glares; but she didn't want to cause a scene more than she probably already has.

Soon enough they would meet again under certain circumstances and Aenemera will have to carry more than a pocket knife to keep herself protected.