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warnings: mentions of death, childbirth and miscarriage.

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DAENYS couldn't remember dismounting her Dragon at Dragonstone. For seconds her mind was muddled, Baela took her children to her personal quarters, with Odessa. Rodrik was ordered by herself or so she could remember to leave her whilst she and her Grandmother paced through the entrance of the castle.

She had killed men, two to be exact and she couldn't feel a thing. Their burning flesh clung to her nostrils and for a moment brought a wicked smile to her face.

Rhaenys and Daenys walked with the guards leaving no time to waste. Tuffs of hair were out of place on their heads during the flight. Rhaenys wore her armour with purpose and poise. Daenys didn't know what to make of the castle, which was only a short distance away from Driftmark. It was a rather grim place, though the statues in the shape of Dragons brought the place to life albeit aloofly. The heavy red doors were pushed open to the great hall – it was carved in the shape of a huge Dragon lying on its belly – Daenys saw her Father and Stepmother standing by the fireplace in a small discussion. A small sense of guilt tickled through her.

They did not know what was coming.

"The Princess Rhaenys and Lady Daenys - " Ser Leront couldn't even finish his sentence when the three of them entered the room, missing steps as they descended.

Both Rhaenyra and Daemon were stunned at the site of Daenys, yet the latter eyes twinkled with something of joy and satisfaction.

"Daenys!?" Rhaenyra spoke, gladdened to see her daughter in better health since the last time she saw her.

Despite her claim being weakened by the very Lady.

"Princess," Daenys, for the first time bowed her head at Rhaenyra, it was due time. "Father. There is something you should know."

Rhaenyra's brows creased with slight worry,  "Daenys, you're supposed to be in Kings Landing, you should not have flown so soon after the dizzy spell you experienced."

"Did you find what you needed?" Daemon realised, then caught her distress and unease. "What transpired after?"

"That is unimportant. Father." Daenys gulped and played with the ring on her finger, she couldn't bring herself to take it off. "Grandmother."

"Viserys is dead." Rhaenys quickly stated, earning a sudden look from both Daemon and Rhaenyra. "I grieve this loss with you, Rhaenyra. My cousin, your Father possessed a kind heart." Rhaenyra stilled, eyes welling up as Daemon slowly turned to his cousin in shock. Grief engulfed them all. The silence only lasted so long. "There is more." The Princess spoke gently. "Aegon has been crowned as his successor."

Rhaenyra turned her head quickly towards the Princess, pained and startled by all she could take on. She hunched over, whimpering slightly as she placed her hand over her stomach.

Daenys glanced down quickly in worry. Nearing closer, "Cousin?"

Rhaenyra swallowed a thick lump down her throat, "They crowned him?"

The heartbreak and disbelief on her face was an aching picture.

"How did Viserys die?" Daemon asked, suddenly.

The pain on his face called out to his daughter, her feet carried her to lean against the table.

Rhaenys mournfully answered, "I could not say."

"How long ago?" Rhaenyra's voice was heavily strained.

Rhaenys shook her head, coming to stand next to her granddaughter, "A day passed, perhaps two. I was made a prisoner in my quarters while the Queen made her preparations."

Daemon shook his head and pressed his hands against the table.

"Viserys has been slain." he was sure of it.

Daenys grimaced, "Father..."

"Alicent demanded you declare for Aegon." Rhaenyra glanced at Rhaenys.

She nodded. "She did. I refused her."

Daenys quietly informed, "Otto threatened the safety of anyone I hold dear, if I stood against them, if I rebelled against my matrimony."

Daemon stood straight up with his hand weighing his sword, "He did what?"

"Baela was present. And now she is with the boys, taking them to her room. Your grandsons are safe."

Rhaenyra raised her eyebrow at the princess. "And yet you are alive." she turned to Daenys, "all of you. How?"

"The High Septon crowned Aegon. I feigned another dizzy spell, tricking my husband, claiming that ointment from my bruising caused harm to the babe." Daemon's eyes studied his daughter, silently demanding to see what she referred to. "His guilt allowed me time to escape, Baela and Odessa grabbed the boys and Baelon's hatchling. Ser Rodrik and Erryk were a great help, despite Ser Rodrik's arrest." 

Gladdened, Daemon's daughters and grandchildren were all under one roof, yet he turned to his eldest with concern, "Arrest? What for?"

"Aemond claimed that he had raped me. He didn't, of course, His jealousy has no bounds." Daenys took a glimpse of her father's flaring nostrils before staring ahead. "I too was made a prisoner in my own chambers. He would have kept me under a looking glass had I not escaped — had we all not escaped," she referred to her children. "away from the elephants at play."

Daemon gripped Dark Sister. His brother was dead, the fault of the Greens, he was sure of it. As was he certain Aemond hurt his daughter in more ways than one. Any joy he felt from his daughter's arrival was stained by the death of his brother and his wife's usurpation.

"They crowned him before the masses — " Rhaenyra questioned, wincing again with both hands hovering over her stomach.

Rhaenys quickly nodded. "So that the masses would see him as their rightful King."

"And the Lord's and houses who kept their oaths to you were strung up. Hanging from the Holdfast as example," Daenys regretfully added, palming her own stomach. "We narrowly escaped on dragonback."

A small growl came from Daemon's throat. "That whore of a Queen murdered my brother and stole his throne. And you could have burned them all for it."

"A war is like to be fought over this treachery, to be sure. But that war is not mine to begin. Nor is it my grandchildren's" Rhaenys stated, stepping closer and warned. "I rushed this to you out of loyalty to my husband and to my house. The Greens are coming for you, Rhaenyra. And for your children. You should leave Dragonstone at once."

"I am to take the boys to Driftmark. If we are not found or ambushed first. There will be a bounty on my head, committing treason and all," Daenys added.

Rhaenyra's face flooded with tears, first her father and then her crown. It was only so much should could take before she hunched over, groaning in pain, lifting her skirts and revealing her blood-coated fingers.

"The babe is coming."

Daenys' fear-stricken face told all when she found her children sitting in silence in Baela's chambers. Rhaena approached her, gently embracing her with a small smile.

"They do not wish to speak to us, or to be coddled," she whispered, pulling away.

Baelon's restlessness came from his agitated dragon being taken from him and placed in a caged box, although he could still see Bright Bear it was not the same. Rhaegon's lip quivered, still confused and uncomfortable in this unfamiliar place. He craved home and his Father. They once had a routine, suppers together, just the four of them, soon to be five, walks in the garden, playing in the nursery and listening to funny stories.

It was all so confusing.

Now who would check under their beds for monsters? Who would take them to mount the largest Dragon in the world? How could they hold up a sword if their Father's wide palms couldn't be there to assist?

Daenys gave her a timid nod, "Rhaenyra is in her labours. The news from, Viserys, The greens... her term is far from complete." she exhaled deeply, looking away from her shocked expressions. "You must tell Jace and Luke. tell them to keep their spirits. How this sixth birth will not be any different. Anything for comfort." they ushered out of the room. Odessa came over, disheartened from the twin's quietness and queasy from the dragon ride. "Do check on Ser Rodrik. His wounds won't heal if he isn't treated."

"My Lady?"

Daenys mustered up a grateful smile, Odessa risked her life to escape.

"The Blacks will have another Dragon. Another hatchling," she stated and nothing else.

Daemon sent word to rally up his wife's supporters in her absence, whilst her screams echoed through the Castle.

Daenys flinched, grimacing at the feelings flooding her body. She fluctuated between apathy and empathy.

A great turmoil like a flip of a coin.

"Your brother was not the picture of pure health," she found her Father alone in the Great hall, impatiently waiting for his wife's supporters coursing through Dragonstone.

A glimpse of sadness flashed over his face, before he deeply exhaled, eyes flickering with wrath.

"Should you see your sisters in the hands of your enemies and I pray to the Gods you never do, that I never witness another one my blood fall into the hands of vipers, and should they fall, I would not tell you it was at the hands of their health." He stared at her, studied her closely, breathing in the smell of Dragon, to cool him like a soothing balm. "This is the work of your mother-in-law. The tricks of her and her Hightower cunt of a father."

Daenys did not argue. He was grieving and she could not dispute with a grieving man. She instead came closer, even in his rage. He had hurt her but with his words or more so than actions. She placed a hand on his trembling face for some sort of comfort.

The bandages peaking through the gown hems on her wrist caught his attention.

Daenys had little energy to fight him on this. He had revealed the bruise that would need more of the Firemilk she briefly referred to.

"I once swore to Aemond, should he dare to betray me. I would take out his other eye. I am in no position to do that."

A look of understanding passed between them, a silent plea Daemon had been praying to be asked for eight years.

Very few of Rhaenyra's supports entered the room as she passed through.

"My Lady," Rodrik called out to her, face cleaner, yet the deep cuts would take some time to heal. "You must see a Maester."

"Grand Maester Gerardys is serving the Princess. Her labours are early. Too early. Her grief manufactured by her enemies did this," she ranted, turning away from the Griffen carved into the wall. "Had I not been so relentless in my determination. Mayhaps my new sibling would not be desperate to escape its mother's womb. I knew the consequences of my actions and yet I acted. I am not an innocent. I am not the snake that bore its fangs, or the bear that slashes its claws. But the Dragon that flamed one of their own."

He stalked forward, "You are not at fault."

"I am. I know that I am. Should I have listened to the cautions? To the voices," she uttered.

He seemed worried, her voice was cold but words contrasted, "The voices?"

"The warnings," she corrected herself. "Aemond claiming Vhagar was not an opportunity, nor a blessing for me. A message I misread. For many years. It cost Rhaena many years of weeping to sleep, feeling insufficient. Inept. It cost my children their father, me a husband and you..." She had not realised he stood so close. "Your reputation."

"A price worth paying."

She exacerbated, "It isn't."

"My Lady, you were ruthless. You acted how many would, you took and claimed and did what was right by your heart. Your children. I will continue to defend you, even when the blood stops flowing from my body and the breath leaves my lungs. I live and breathe for you. You and your children."

"You are sworn to do so," she whispered.

"Aye, I am," unspoken words hung between them, "You know the truth."

"I am a loyal wife." An unfortunate truth, gleamed in his face as were the bruises he garnered. He desired Aemond's head, for more reasons than one.

"Aye, you are. I will always remain loyal to you, to your cause."

A vow she trusted.

"Daenys." They turned to see Jace stood standing tall and plastered with a blank expression. "Ser Rodrik."

Rodrik inclined his head, "My Prince."

"Jace," she greeted.

"It's Daemon," the Rogue Prince's eldest children were summoned, "He wants to show us the true meaning of..." he emphasized, squinting his eyes at her, "loyalty."

Now stood outside, at quite a distance, Daemon leaning on Dark Sister as he stood on top of a large rock, analysing the Knights in front of him. Ser Steffon Darklyn and Ser Lorent Marbrand, both were members of Viserys I's Kingsguard. Jace extended an arm to Daenys who carefully stood next to him, in much discomfort.

Jace did not take kindly to his stepfather trying to undermine his mother's commands whilst she was delivering his new sibling, painfully and in agony. Daemon wanted to take control of the helm of the ship they were only beginning to steer, Daenys prayed he wouldn't lead them to a storm before it was too late.

"You swore an oath as knights of the King's guard," Daemon stated, loudly as the winds breezed past.

Ser Steffon Darklyn expressed, "As do all who wear the white cloak, my Prince."

"To whom?"

"I swore first to King Jaehaerys, my Prince. And then to His Grace, King Viserys, when he succeeded him."

Daemon asked, "Do you acknowledge the true line of succession?"

Ser Lorent answered, "Yes."

"Yes, my Prince." Ser Steffon agreed.

It would not be this easy, Daenys thought as Daemon turned to her and Jace.

The Rogue Prince pondered, then licked his lips, to ask, "Do you recall... who King Viserys named as his heir before his death?"

Ser Lorent responded, "Princess Rhaenyra."

"Hmm, I'm grateful for your long service to the crown. So I'm presenting you with a choice." Caraxes screech drew the Knights attention, as the Blood Wyrm crawled forward, making his presence known. The Dragon's snort created winds that had the Knights stumbling back slightly. Daenys and Jace looked up, "Swear anew your oath to Rhaenyra as your queen... to Prince Jacaerys as the heir to the Iron Throne. Or... if you support the usurper, speak it now... and you will have a clean and honourable death. But if you choose treachery, if you swear fealty now only to later turn your cloaks... know that you will die... screaming."

Daenys leaned over, to say quietly to Jace, "They will not be so eager to die. Or so stupid to consider the latter. But time will tell."

"But we do not have time."

Daenys agreed, they didn't. And she couldn't fault her Father for trying to act quickly. But they would have a Queen. The First of her Name and all would have to accept and submit to a new age or die clinging to fallacy.

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a/n:

not much to say about this chapter, to be honest. daenys hasn't forgiven daemon. her being team black is because of her belief that rhaenyra is the rightful heir, just like she is. her going against that because aemond said too would be hypocritical. of course, she is going against her marriage by doing that. but if you remember, aemond said to never betray her... again. he made a vow that he broke and now she's here.

she's aware of her mistakes. she loves her husband but his deceit, his physical actions and his willingness to help usurp queen rhae's crown all played a part in her decision to leave and take the children. some might look at it as an excuse to just leave him, others will see it as an explanation, especially with her small change with her dad. perceive however you want guys!

also, i have a brand new cobra kai story "too sweet" check it out whenever you can.