CHAPTER TWENTY—FOUR

DEATH was peaceful. Death was a sense of comfort, you had lived your life long enough to make a difference in at least one persons life so God decided to pluck you from the cruel world you once endured.

Death was quiet, so much that you could hear a pin drop. It was cold like ice but not enough to freeze you because well . . . you were already dead.

Alys knew in her heart that something was wrong. The boat hit the dock of Dragonstone as Criston lugged his sword from the box and pulled her alongside her, up the narrow steps of the Dragons home.

A sick feeling had settled in her stomach when herself and the Knight found themselves trapped in the formers chambers — having spent the night together like they had many others.

Alys knew, she always did. Daemerys and her were alike in that way, dreamers but not from Targaryen blood. Greenseer is they were often called over the years but not many lived — held captive by others so they could tell them their future, killed when they weren't complicit.

In a sense, she knew that the Cole Knight knew. She couldn't help but notice the silent tears forming in his eyes when he noticed her face change — sympathy. Sympathy for death. Fucker.

It wasn't until they reached the castle did they notice the dreary silence that surrounded the building, not a single dragon to be heard. Nothing. Alys pushed open the door, Knights immediately held up their swords, "We are friends of the Princess".

"Criston Cole", the Dornish man spoke and the men put away their swords. Small patters of feet made their way down the steps making the two turn around to see the young Jacaerys — eyes swollen red, yet he remained stoic.

"Come", he spoke and went back up the cobblestone steps to a open lit room, the seems of material blowing in the wind from the beach bellow, the sky had darkened though it wasn't night yet.

Alys gasped when she saw the figure lying in bed, Daemerys. Her eyes were closed, skin ghostly pale and blood coated her white dress. Daemon clutched his daughters hands as he prayed to whoever would listen to bring his daughter back. Her eyes drifted to the babe that laid on the table, wrapped up for the ceremony of death.

Eyes were filled with tears, Criston looking away to cover his mouth from releasing a sob. He swore he would protect her, to die before her and even so, die for her and here she was, gone from his life. It was selfish, to want to die before a person so you don't have to experience life without them, to not want to know what it feels like to lose that person — he hoped he would never feel it but when were the Gods truly on one's side?

Rhaenyra had her eyes closed, facing the beach from the open window. Blood coated her black dress, hands too yet it chipped at her skin from the dryness of it.

Alys wiped her tears when she noticed Lucerys looking at her, his eyes were red the most but he wasn't standing or sitting around Daemerys — no, he was laying next to her, hugging her body with a blank stare aimed right at the witch. "Daemerys read about these witches once", his voice croaked, "She told me that if she were to die, a woman would come and save her. She said that she was no ordinary woman, that her dreams came true", Lucerys stopped before looking at Alys intently, "Are you that woman?".

Rhaenyra turned at her sons words and Daemon stopped praying. Suddenly, all eyes were on her and she began to feel immense pressure in her chest. She knew now what she needed to do. "I am. I can save her, if you let me", she spoke toward the mother of the dead.

The Princess looked to her husband who held a pleading face, his own ego would not be tarnished from begging, even if he wanted to he couldn't get the words out.

Daemon never thought he would see the day where he held his dying child in his arms, the regret of not being there for her when she called for him. And the grief that came with it was too hard to swallow.

"P-please, Alys. Whatever you need or want, it's yours but please save her", Rhaenyra held the woman's hands and pleaded yet her eyes were fiery instead of grief swollen, she was a Targaryen and she'd get her daughter back one way or another.

Alys nodded and looked to Criston, the man wiped his tears and walked over to the bed taking baby Daemon and holding him in his arms to give Alys space. Lucerys stood and went into his mothers arms, the woman kissed his head before motioning for Jace to take him away until it was done.

"Only death can pay for life", she spoke, Rhaenyra and Daemon looked to her with determination and nodded, understanding what she meant. Alys turned to face the guard who had his back to her, she grabbed her knife and sunk it into his neck giving him a quick death.

Rhaenyra looked away and covered her mouth to stifle her sobs as the man covered the already bloodied floor with more blood. Alys had grabbed a cup and filled it with his blood before venturing toward Daemerys and began her spell.

Daemerys felt as though she were lost, she walked through the darkness that consumed her surroundings as a tear left her cheek, "Father!", she yelled through the dark but her words only echoed.

Her breath quickened as she began to feel like she was being pulled but to what she didn't know. Suddenly a blinding light hit her, her eyes squinting to she could see through it but it was too bright. Her legs began walking toward the light, she felt peace for a moment, body feeling warmer but a voice stopped her. "Daemerys!".

She turned to face the darkness again, the light from behind hit her back keeping it warm, "Alys?", she whispered and the woman smiled.

"Come this way, we need you, your family needs you", her arm was held out for Daemerys to grab but she didn't take it.

"I'm in so much pain, Alys", she cried, "I just want to find peace". She watched as her friends face fell before she began shaking it, "No, Daemerys. We need to fight, we need you to wake the dragon".

Daemerys looked down, "My baby?", she asked and looked back up to see Alys' eyes cave with tears with a silent look. Daemerys bowed her head and cried silently but then it dawned on her. "Aegon did this. Alicent did this".

Alys nodded and watched as Daemerys wiped her face and kissed her teeth, "And they will pay with fire and blood, I promise you. But we can only do it if you come back to us. Come back to us, friend".

The woman waited before turning her head to the light, letting it sink her in for a moment but it didn't last long because Daemerys turned back to the darkness, leaving the light behind her and grabbed Alys' hand, the witch pulling her further into the dark. "Wake up Daemerys, there's people to kill".

Daemon held his daughters hand as hours went by since Alys began her spell. A figure stood by the door but nobody had noticed, his hair was covered by a hood and his eyes glistened with tears. A gasp filled the silent air, Rhaenyra turned from the view of the beach to the bed, Alys opened her eyes and fell back into Criston.

Daemerys opened her eyes and gasped loudly, cold air filled her lungs as she began to breathe again. Her body was ice cold but she felt her heart beating. Pupils were wide as she gripped onto life long enough to see the figure in the doorway watching with wide eyes, "Aemond?".

Everyone in the room snapped their heads to face the Prince but it wasn't long before they looked back to Daemerys who fell against the pillow from fainting.

__________

Aemond had been locked up, Daemon had not given him time to explain nor grieve the loss of his child long enough before calling for guards to take him away. His thoughts were on his wife, she had died giving birth to their babe and their babe did die. He was swallowed by grief and self-loathing that he had chosen his family thinking Daemerys would too.

Daemerys opened her eyes, adjusting to the sunlight. Daemon had joined Rhaenyra's side, wrapping an arm around her waist. The moment she saw her daughters eyes open she let out a sob, clinging to him as he also let out a tear. The woman on the bed felt another piece of her heart shatter as she looked at her parents.

Her breathing grew heavy and her skin flushed with heat as something inside her pulled her to anger, her sorrow giving way to a consuming rage. It was the Hightower's fault, Aegon hadn't desired the throne, no and Aemond had been blinded by family to support their plans and Helaena, sweet Helaena had no choice but to silently follow as Otto and Alicent placed Aegon on the throne and took part in killing her babe.

Heat rushed through her as she groggily got out of bed in spite of her discomfort and retreated to the room's corner while resisting the temptation to destroy everything in her path. She wished she could have screamed her rage through the stronghold and slammed her hands against the stone walls until they were covered in blood and some of the anguish subsided. She tightened her teeth and said nothing in its place.

Rhaenyra drifted over as Daemerys looked to her babe on the stone table wrapped up and warm, a sob left her throat as her hand reached out to grab her babe but Rhaenyra stopped her and pulled her to her chest as she let her daughter cry. "My baby, please not my baby".

Daemon looked away as his daughter wailed, "Where's Aemond, I want Aemond", his eyes closed and squeezed in fury at his daughters words. He wasn't angry at her, he never could be, he was angry at her husband for doing this to her — not being there for her.

Soon after, funeral preparations had been made while Daemerys had also been dead, though only one of them were seeing the Gods that day.

When Baela and Rhaena came to help her dress, they gave her sympathetic looks as she cried, eyes never leaving her child. With trembling fingers Daemerys was dressed in black and red, the entire time she had only three faces in her mind and horrible thoughts for their future consumed her, their very short future when she was done with them.

As the wind howled all around them, Rhaenyra assisted Daemerys in carrying her child up the narrow hill to the pyre. Daemerys hugged the small body tightly to her chest since he was so light that the wind was almost able to pick him up and blow him away from her. With every step, her legs shook and she worried they might give out beneath her.

It wasn't right that the Hightowers, who were now seated in the Red Keep and were celebrating their ascent, had also stolen her mother's birthright and her son. It was cruel.

She put Daemon down as gently as she could, holding back a sob, and leaned down to kiss her baby's head that was wrapped in a piece of cloth. She was still and immersed in her rage and anguish as she gazed down at the child. Syrax sought some space as she sniffed, so Jace decided to move in and gently pull Daemerys away — holding her to his side.

"Dracarys," Rhaenyra finally choked out, and the pyre was covered in flames, Daemerys watched as it burned away her child's ever existence. She wanted to fling herself forward, to pull the babe from the fire, cling to him, and never let him go — it was only Jace's embrace that kept her from moving.

"I've got you, Daem." he assured her softly, "I've got you. Even as her legs gave out and they sank to the ground, Jacaerys continued to hold her, whispering reassuringly to her and running a hand over her damp curls. Lucerys soon joined her side and pressed his head onto her chest, hugging her waist.

The Queensguard pulled their weapons out of their sheaths, diverting the group's focus away from the flames. Ser Erryk had been at the docks for hours when Daemerys and Rhaenys left him at the Keep and she questioned whether he had been imprisoned during her labours. He then appeared out of nowhere, bowing in front of them and removing the Jahaerys crown from his satchel.

Even after he had rescued them, she was unaware that he was in possession of the crown. Knowing how much it would mean to her mother to wear it, Daemerys almost smiled through her tears. Her breath stuck in her throat.

"I swear to ward the Queen, with all my strength and give my blood for hers. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall guard her secrets, obey her commands, ride at her side, and defend her name and honor." Tears sprang in her eyes and her hands tightened around her brothers as Ser Erryk became a knight of Rhaenyra's Queensguard.

Daemon took the crown from the knight's hands and stepped toward his wife. Daemerys watched and could have sworn her father's hands trembled as he placed the gold crown upon Rhaenyra's head and knelt at her feet. Criston followed Ser Erryk and got on his knee before Rhaenyra.

"Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, 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."

As they were already on the ground, the three didn't have to move as much to get on their knee as the rest of the funeral attendees knelt in deference to their new queen, their rightful queen. When the pyre crumbled and only ash was left, Daemon helped Daemerys from the ground, lifting her chin until her eyes met his. "My sweet girl, I am sorry", she shook her head.

"It is not your fault. It is mine, I put my trust in the wrong people", she spat, wiping her tears. "I'm going to claim a dragon and I am going to kill them all", there was a look of pride yet fear that filled Daemon's eyes.

"Are you sure—"

"Aemond didn't claim a dragon for years, I can do it even if I am not a Targaryen by blood, I saw it", Daemon nodded and pulled her to him, "They are going to wish they never met me".