chapter three          the celebration and
loss
episode one      the heirs of the dragon

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RHAEMON HAS ALWAYS LOVED tourneys ever since he was a little boy even though not many were thrown in the north. He remembers though one time on his tenth name day his uncle Viserys had thrown him one when he had heard of his nephews love for them. But no matter how much he loved these tourneys he could do without the loud drums and cheers, they annoy him greatly. What annoys him even more is that right now he is sitting next to the girl he adores but with her father watching him like a hawk he can't even look at her. It's infuriating to him.

His thoughts about Alicent are disrupted however when the drums die down and the King starts to address the people. Rhaemon looks around, trying to spot where Rhaenyra is, a soft chuckle leaving him when he sees her ducking down as she tries to get to her seat. "You're late." He whispers, a grin on his face as she walks by him. Rhaenyra simply shushes him. Rhaemon sits up straight once again, clapping along with everyone else as his uncle announces that the Queen has begun her labours.

When the King finishes his speech the tourney starts, the two knights beginning being a Cole and a Tarly. Rhaemon winces as the Tarly knight gets knocked of his horse, that has to hurt terribly. The Cole knight bows towards them. "A mystery knight?" Rhaenyra asks. "No, he's a Cole." Rhaemon answers, Alicent finishing his sentence for him. "Of the Stormlands." The two look each other in the eyes after, sharing a smile before Rhaemon sees Otto looking at them. Rhaemon sits straight again, focusing on the joust.

"Princess Rhaenys Targaryen!" The voice of Boremund Baratheon calls out. "I would humbly ask for the favor of "The Queen Who Never Was"." Rhaemon scoffs at the title, not to mention the disrespect of the people cheering. Rhaenys however doesn't seem to mind or, most likely, she's simply used to it. Rhaenys steps forward, giving her favor to the knight. "Good fortune to you, cousin." She says. "I would gladly take it if i thought i needed it." Rhaemon chuckles at his arrogance, it'll be fun watching him lose.

Though Rhaemon is focusing on the jousting he still listens with an open ear to the gossip Rhaenyra and Alicent are talking about, eyes widening when Alicent talks about Lady Elinor. But his attention is quickly back to the jousting, letting out a chuckle when Boremund falls from his horse. He looks back to Rhaenys who smirks back at him. "That's where arrogance leads you." He mutters as he sits straight once again.

Then it is time for Daemon to choose his opponent, he makes a spectacle of it. Not that Rhaemon expected any different. Daemon chooses Ser Gwayne, Alicent's eldest brother. Once again it is nothing Rhaemon didn't already expect.

Rhaemon's eyes wander once again to Alicent, who's picking at her fingers in worry. His hand flexes to stop himself from taking her hand in his to keep her mind off her brother's match. He silently thanks the old gods when he sees that Rhaenyra notices and takes Alicent's hand in hers.

The jousting starts and Daemon gets almost knocked off his horse, that'll anger him Rhaemon thinks. The two almost collide again when Daemon puts his lance to the ground causing both the horse and Ser Gwayne to fall to the ground. Alicent gasps and Rhaemon has to once again stop himself from comforting her. It takes a few moments but Ser Gwayne and the horse stand, Alicent lets out a sigh of relief.

Then Daemon stands before them, Rhaenyra immediately going to greet him, Alicent follows her and Rhaemon follows Alicent. "Now i'm fairly certain i can win these games, Lady Alicent." Daemon starts, his eyes glancing to his nephew for a few seconds before they're on Alicent again. "Having your favor would all but assure it." Alicent glances at Rhaemon who softly nods at her. When Alicent goes to get her favor Rhaemon stares blankly at his uncle. "Really?" Is all he says. "I have no idea what you mean nephew." The grin on Daemon's face is annoying but there is nothing that Rhaemon can do about that right now. Alicent comes back, putting the favor on Daemon's jousting lance. "Good luck, my Prince." She says, the crowd erupts in cheers again and the three go back to the seats, Rhaemon softly bumping his shoulder with Alicent to tease her.

The tourney goes on but it isn't long before the knights begin to fight each other, one man gets his head axed in half, another beaten to death with a shield and yet another one's throat cut with a sword. What a celebration in the name of our future king Rhaemon thinks. His eyes are once again drawn to Alicent, seeing her pick at her fingers again. He glances at her father who seems to be busy with something so he takes his chance, laying his hand on Alicent's own. She turns her head, a shocked expression on her face. "Relax, you'll start to bleed if you continue." Rhaemon whispers, thumb softly rubbing over Alicent's hand. She nods and much to Rhaemon's dismay he must take his hand off hers. "It's going to be fine." He tells her, she wishes she could believe him.

As a dead knight gets dragged off the jousting field it is announced that Daemon will fight Criston Cole. "That'll be an interesting match." Rhaemon says, catching the attention of both Leanor and Rhaenyra. "How so?" They both ask. "Ser Criston has lost only one match so far, and we all know how competitive Daemon is." Rhaemon shrugs.

And he is quickly proven right when Ser Criston knocks Daemon off his horse the second time they collide. Rhaemon watches closely as the two knights continue their match in a contest of arms. He knows Daemon will use Dark Sister so his eyes wander to Ser Criston who wields a morning star. Interesting choice of weapon Rhaemon thinks. Ser Criston swings first and after a few seconds he had broken Daemon's shield but Daemon quickly turns that around when he brings Criston to his knees. The fight goes on for minutes ending when Daemon decides to boast about his not yet won victory and Criston strikes him down with a blow from his morning star, stepping on Daemon's arm when he tries to use a dagger. Daemon yields and Criston wins their match.

Alicent takes a look at Rhaemon, asking him with her eyes if he'll come to greet Ser Criston with her and Rhaenyra. Rhaemon shakes his head but mentions for her to go and she does taking Rhaenyra's hand in her own. Instead of coming with the two he takes Rhaenyra's favor in his hands, holding it out to her when Criston asked for it. Rhaenyra gives him a thankful smile.

When Rhaenyra goes to throw her favor to Criston, Alicent takes a look back at Rhaemon. The two share a smile and all feels well in the world. Strange truly how something so happy can turn around in a couple seconds when Otto Hightower returns, whispering in the ears of the King's small counsel who knows what. But from the look Rhaenys gives Rhaenyra, Rhaemon knows it can't be anything good.

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NOW RHAEMON STANDS THERE on the hills of kingslanding's beaches, Queen Aemma and little Baelon's corpses in front of them all on their funeral pyre. Right now all Rhaemon wishes is that his family was here with him, he'd never been to a funeral without them it's strange, he doesn't know where he should stand, where is he allowed to stand. He's anxious, eyes darting around to look anywhere but the dead bodies. He calms down just slightly when he feels Alicent take his hand in hers. He looks over to Otto but the hand pretends he doesn't see anything.

Rhaemon softly squeezes Alicent's hand as a thank you for soothing him, she responds with tracing shapes over his hand with her thumb. A gesture that Rhaemon would gift a kiss in return if they weren't mourning the loss of their Queen, his good aunt and his little nephew. Also if her father wasn't looking at him as if he wants to gut him. Rhaemon can't begin to think what Viserys and Rhaenyra are feeling now, sure he has known death for a long time even some close to him have died. But to lose a wife, a mother or a son, a brother. He hopes he will not have to know that pain for a while.

Rhaemon overhears Daemon and Rhaenyra's conversation, choosing not to intervene with it. Though he wishes he had spoken when Rhaenyra had talked about that she would never be a son because she is something greater than that. She must know that. But Rhaemon guesses that right now Rhaenyra doesn't want to think of that at this moment.

It isn't long after that Rhaenyra steps forward, choking back tears as she first tries to call out to Syrax. Rhaenyra looks at her father, the King who lets his tears flow freely. She looks back shouting out a "Dracarys." to Syrax and within minutes all that is left of Aemma and Baelon is ash in the wind. Softly squeezing Alicent's hand one more time before letting go of it, Rhaemon steps towards his cousin, wrapping her up in his arms as she weeps into his chest. He runs his hand over her hair like he had seen his father do to Saenna when she was crying, trying to comfort Rhaenyra as best as he possibly can.

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authors note.
rip to my queen aemma you deserved so much better 🙏 also rip little baelon ig