Dragonstone

[Oznerol]

"He entered the court through a hole, Alicent's"

She joked, bitterly.

"That dirty..."

Rhaenyra grunts, expressively.

"I don't know what to do with my siblings..."

[chesser2538]

A veil of darkness hung over the air, thrashing winds and rain hammered down with unbridled intensity. It was as though the fury of the gods had been unleashed. No one should be out in weather like this, but one person was. Somewhere in this storm a young boy clung tightly to the back of his mount; a large winged beast that was cutting a path through the chaos toward his goal. The rider was Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon and the creature his bondmate the dragon Vermax.
Attempting to gaze out at the ground below him, all Jace could see was blackness, the storm washing out all detail. But somewhere in that blackness was home, Jace only hoped that Vermax could find it. Tightening his grip on the harness, he pulled himself tighter against the dragons back, letting the warmth from its body help keep away the biting cold around him. The storm seemed to be growing worse with every passing minute. Cursing himself for not heading home sooner, Jace winced as a flash of lightning lit up the sky not 100 feet from him. For a moment the sky was lit with an eerie glow, and up ahead he could just make out the jagged black towers of Dragonstone.

Making a swift descent toward the tallest of the towers, Stone Drum, Vermax set down. Jace quickly dismounted and then made his way toward the stairwell. The last thing he saw before descending was Vermax flying off toward the Dragonmont.

[Oznerol]

A veil of darkness hung over the air, thrashing winds and rain hammered down with unbridled intensity. It was as though the fury of the gods had been unleashed. No one should be out in weather like this, but one person was. Somewhere in this storm a young boy clung tightly to the back of his mount; a large winged beast that was cutting a path through the chaos toward his goal. The rider was Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon and the creature his bondmate the dragon Vermax.
Attempting to gaze out at the ground below him, all Jace could see was blackness, the storm washing out all detail. But somewhere in that blackness was home, Jace only hoped that Vermax could find it. Tightening his grip on the harness, he pulled himself tighter against the dragons back, letting the warmth from its body help keep away the biting cold around him. The storm seemed to be growing worse with every passing minute. Cursing himself for not heading home sooner, Jace winced as a flash of lightning lit up the sky not 100 feet from him. For a moment the sky was lit with an eerie glow, and up ahead he could just make out the jagged black towers of Dragonstone.

Making a swift descent toward the tallest of the towers, Stone Drum, Vermax set down. Jace quickly dismounted and then made his way toward the stairwell. The last thing he saw before descending was Vermax flying off toward the Dragonmont.

"We're forbidden to fly with this weather!"

Said a juvenile voice, with a mix of reproach and admiration.

"Mother is gonna trash you if she hears about this, or worse, Daemon will"

Luke was half-hidden behind a sculpted basilisk.

[chesser2538]

As he rounded the corner a high voice rose up to greet him

"We're forbidden to fly with this weather!"

Said a juvenile voice, with a mix of reproach and admiration.

"Mother is gonna trash you if she hears about this, or worse, Daemon will"

Luke was half-hidden behind a sculpted basilisk.

Still weary from his flight Jace gave his brother a bemused look.

“Like you wouldn’t do the same brother."

Though there was a hint of concern in his voice, Daemons anger was legendary.

"Besides, who's gonna tell her."

Jace doubted Luke would go for that, no he was to tactful.

[Oznerol]

"Not me! Not me! I swear!"

Said Luke, nodding several times and waving his hands.

"I won't say anything to ma', neither to uncle Daemon"

He blinked.

"But you should dry yourself fast, those puddles of water you're leaving... someone will notice. And ma' isn't in a good mood, ya' know that"

[chesser2538]

"Not me! Not me! I swear!"

Said Luke, nodding several times and waving his hands.

"I won't say anything to ma', neither to uncle Daemon"

He blinked.

"But you should dry yourself fast, those puddles of water you're leaving... someone will notice. And ma' isn't in a good mood, ya' know that"

Looking down at the puddle of water pooling at his feet Jace frowned.

"That would probably be prudent."

Looking down the long halls, they seem deserted, though that could change quickly.

"Guess I'll go change. I'll see you at supper."

Giving his brother a nod Jace descended into the castle proper and made his way to his chambers where he stripped off his wet garments, piling them by the fire to dry. He then proceeded to find a clean doublet and breeches. With that taken care of he made his way to the great hall. After his ordeal he was in need of a hot meal and a strong wine.

[Gandalfus]

"He entered the court through a hole, Alicent's"

She joked, bitterly.

"That dirty..."

Rhaenyra grunts, expressively.

"I don't know what to do with my siblings..."

For a time, the Prince remained silent, staring idly off into the distance as he swilled the wine around the walls of his goblet.

"We will find a way."

Daemon knew in his heart of hearts that the other children of Viserys were too much of a threat to remain active with their dragons. But the subject had grown wearisome to ponder over.

"Let us think of them no more." He softly crooned, "They are but gnats to us."

A servant gingerly entered, apparently willing to risk the wroth of the two.

'M'lady, m'lord. Prince Jacaerys has returned.'

The Rogue Prince tutted, amused by the boy's courage. Flying in a storm with a less than sizeable dragon wasn't the wisest of things to hide from your mother.

[Oznerol]

"Returned from... what?!"

Rhaenyra turned her face inmediately to look at the servant.

"Has he dared to ride with this weather?! Fetch that boy!"

[chesser2538]

"Returned from... what?!"

Rhaenyra turned her face inmediately to look at the servant.

"Has he dared to ride with this weather?! Fetch that boy!"

Tired and hungry Jace made his way into the great hall where a few people had already gathered, including his mother and Daemon.

Smiling he approached the long table where they sat and took a seat. A servant quickly filled his glass then retreated.

"Hello mother" he gives a warm smile, nodding to his uncle "Uncle Daemon"

[Oznerol]

Tired and hungry Jace made his way into the great hall where a few people had already gathered, including his mother and Daemon.

Smiling he approached the long table where they sat and took a seat. A servant quickly filled his glass then retreated.

"Hello mother" he gives a warm smile, nodding to his uncle "Uncle Daemon"

ooc: I'll assume you were fetched to my chambers in the Stone Drum, cause that's where we both were XD.

"Oh boy, how many times do I have to remind you not to ride under this weather? Syrax could withstand a storm, but Vermax?"

She seemed angry. Rhaenyra waves a hand for him to approach.

"Come, come, you little rascal"

---

She had entered labour in a black fury. No sooner had she heard about the coronation of Aegon that she broke waters, even if the child was not to be expected for almost a month. The midwives were ordered to cut the gown immediately, and she was laid in her bed, sweaty, cursing and screaming. The Stone Drum did no longer play to the beating of weather, but to Rhaenyra's wrath. At it was a fearsome thing to watch... and listen.

"I'M BEDRIDDEN FOR YOU, LITTLE MONSTER"

More than a maester and midwife was caught in the maelstrom of her rage, slapped and kicked. A midwife lost a teeth. Rhaenyra's handmaidens looked terrified and sorrowful; afraid and grieving.

"I CURSE MY BROTHERS, TO THE THIRTEENTH GENERATION, THEY SHALL BURN IN THE SEVEN HELLS, YOU SONS OF..."

The cursing was oft than not interrupted by moaning, grunting and mere screaming, for the labour was difficult. The maesters and midwives whispered she wasn't dilated or that the child was heading the wrong way; a maester even said she could be strangling herself with the cord. Whatever the cause, Rhaenyra grew restless and impatient. She started cursing her own luck, her husband for being as foolish as to use his manhood to get her pregnant, the curse womanhood and her own child. The would-be queen started clawing her own stomach, trying to push the baby out, to the maesters' and midwives' alarm, who tried to contain the princess, but royalty couldn't be held down like a mere villager., so they had to be cautious, least they be beacon for Rhaenyra's fury. It only got worse with time, and she ended in a pool of her own sweat, struggling amidst humid sheets, knuckles white from gripping tightly the bed's posts, the whole bed shaken. A porcelain jar laid shattered on a corner, where the princess had thrown it, albeit she aimed for a maester's head. When the babe at least came forth, it was a monster, making the midwives faint and the maesters murmur, for it resembled the dark offspring of Maegor, cursed and rotten, a girl, twisted and malformed, with a hole in her chest and a stubby, scaled tail. It was promptly wrapped, hidden and declared death. The news spread through the keep quickly. Rhaenyra refused to hold the corpse and sent Mushroom with it to be burned in the courtyard, with no delay, in a pyre, for Targaryens did not trust their dead to the earthly soil, but to the fire that had birthed them.

Some time later, when milk of the poppy had killed the pain's edge, that of the mind and that of the flesh, the princess again spoke, albeit, at first, she was struggling to verbalize her thoughts, so lost was her in a blind rage.

"They..."

Her forehead was covered in sweat, the hair in disarray, the face ashen and the eyes bloodshot from the strenous effort.

"They did... they... did this"

The princess said, trying to recover her breath.

"My only daughter. Visenya. And they killed her"

Tears were running down her swollen face.

"They... stole my crown, murdered my daughter... My only daughter"

The princess looked determined.

"And they shall pay for it"

Servants and midwives changed the bed sheets and brought many pillows for Rhaenyra to lean down. But she was in a frenzy of rage and refused to lay down in bed until ravens had been sent. She had not only recovered her breath, but also part of her former strenght, yelling again, with this time authoritative, determined.

"Summon... my bannermen! Send word to my father in Driftmark! Lord Celtigar! Lord Bar Emmon!"

They said women were of the weaker sex, but those who said as much had never delivered a son, least so seven of them, neither had the courage.

"I am the rightful queen, that was my father's will. A council shall be held. Spread word"

She dismissed the complains of maesters.

"Prepare my litter, I shall be carried to the Painted Table!"

[Gandalfus]

"You are no use to us dead, Rhaenyra."

Daemon appeared from the courtyard, eyes stinging with grief and smoke. Viserys had taken a son, Aegon a daughter.

"Do not move her from here!"

He commanded, imperiously. Slowly, he ventured to the Queen's side, more collected and calm in this moment than perhaps she had ever witnessed him.

"I will make this right, my love." A gentle touch wiped the tears from her cheek as he soothed her. "Sleep, and when you wake I will make you a gift of your vile brother's head as payment for our daughter."

Then, he rose from her side, waiting for her surrender. War was the province of men, and the road to King's Landing was paved with blood.

[Oznerol]

"I'm far from dead. That's what that scoundrel, that fop and his strumpet of a mother would have prayed for"

Rhaenyra yet again yielded to her husband. She was too tired, rage was fading, adrenaline with it, and such she was crumbling among the pillows, wearied down by grief, anger and labour.

"I will not move, but hear me, when the council is arranged, I shall join"

She looked exhausted.

"It will take a some time for my bannermen to arrive, but they will. Once they do, I shall fulfill a queen's duty. I have to. It's my birthright"

[Gandalfus]

"I'm far from dead. That's what that scoundrel, that fop and his strumpet of a mother would have prayed for"

Rhaenyra yet again yielded to her husband. She was too tired, rage was fading, adrenaline with it, and such she was crumbling among the pillows, wearied down by grief, anger and labour.

"I will not move, but hear me, when the council is arranged, I shall join"

She looked exhausted.

"It will take a some time for my bannermen to arrive, but they will. Once they do, I shall fulfill a queen's duty. I have to. It's my birthright"

"Sleep, my dear. I will take the council until you return to strength. Then we will bring them fire and blood."

With that, the Rogue Prince took his leave. Jacaerys was summoned to the top of the Stone Drum, where Aegon's painted table lay. The maesters scurried off to send ravens to Dragonstone's vassals; Corlys Velaryon chief amongst them, for he would bring with him the might of the Velaryon fleet. Aegon had stolen a march on them, likely taken the time to drum up support before he dared to assert that Viserys had named him the next King. It was a scheme of Hightower's making, for certes - none of the sons of Viserys had the guile to deceive the realm so. Worse still, he had not expected it; they would have been back in the capital before the year was out, but the old fool could not hold on for just a few more weeks...

[Oznerol]

Corlys appeared in the boldly-named, three-decked Queen Rhaenys. As soon as it decked a roar could be heard, thunderous, wrathful almost, a roar answered, in turn, by the royal family's dragons. Certainly, the Sea Snake would not come without Rhaenys herself, mounted atop Meleys, the fearsome Blood Queen. The elderly lord -soon thereafter- made an appearance in the keep itself, wearing leathern robes and tall boots, an outfit more suitable for sailing than his usual courtly clothing; despite High Tide was famous for its sartorial splendor. He asked for his daughter-in-law, formerly, and her husband, also his one-time son-in-law, Daemon.

[Barry Goldwater]

Rhaenys Targaryen had indeed come, dismounting from Meleys at the same time that her husband disembarked. The Queen That Was had come to visit the Queen That Is in her dragon-riding leathers, deep brown-red and black all over, for she had found out long ago that courtly dresses were not the best choice of clothing when riding even a disciplined dragon like the Red Queen. Besides, considering the circumstances of the visit, it's not likely she'd be wearing anything but militaristic outfits anywhere from here...

[Lucius Malfoy]

Among the sworn swords of Dragonstone, Corwyn Corbray was possibly the most upset at what had transpired. A loud crash had been heard in his room the day the proclamation went out to the Seven Kingdoms that Aegon had claimed the Iron Throne. It took his young wife, Perra Royce, to claim his justified rage. The next day, the table that had been slashed by Lady Forlorn was replaced by a spare one within the castle. Corwyn wondered how his father, another ardent supporter of Lady Rhaenyra, would react to this news. One could hope that it rouse the Vale to arms and march for the true Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. For now, though, word was silent, save those bannermen who came to Dragonstone... sometime after the miscarriage of Lady Rhaenyra.

Corwyn is in the courtyard, utilizing Lady Forlorn, as he hones his swordsmanship. His eyes gazing up to see another dragon fly overhead and land within the castle. At least there were true supporters of Rhaenyra still around.

[Gandalfus]

Corlys appeared in the boldly-named, three-decked Queen Rhaenys. As soon as it decked a roar could be heard, thunderous, wrathful almost, a roar answered, in turn, by the royal family's dragons. Certainly, the Sea Snake would not come without Rhaenys herself, mounted atop Meleys, the fearsome Blood Queen. The elderly lord -soon thereafter- made an appearance in the keep itself, wearing leathern robes and tall boots, an outfit more suitable for sailing than his usual courtly clothing; despite High Tide was famous for its sartorial splendor. He asked for his daughter-in-law, formerly, and her husband, also his one-time son-in-law, Daemon.

Rhaenys Targaryen had indeed come, dismounting from Meleys at the same time that her husband disembarked. The Queen That Was had come to visit the Queen That Is in her dragon-riding leathers, deep brown-red and black all over, for she had found out long ago that courtly dresses were not the best choice of clothing when riding even a disciplined dragon like the Red Queen. Besides, considering the circumstances of the visit, it's not likely she'd be wearing anything but militaristic outfits anywhere from here...

"I wish we met under better circumstances, my lord and lady Velaryon."

Daemon himself appeared to greet them, surrounded by what vassals of the Queen had already come. The Rogue Prince was dressed already in blackened leather and polished chainmail, long hair tied back into a knot behind his skull. Draped over his shoulders was the pelt of a panther or shadowcat, likely brought at an extravagant price from one of the Free Cities. Stepping forward, he offered each in turn an embrace.

"The Queen has had... A difficult birth. She rests in her chambers, so for now I must take action in her stead."

They were lead into the Stone Drum, where Aegon's painted table lay. Celtigar, Sunglass and Bar Emmon would soon join them, along with the most prominent of sworn swords and landed knights in Rhaenyra's service.

"We have been deceived, my lords and ladies. The Hightower whore has stolen a march on us, and thus we begin upon the back foot, with few friends and the sea between us and the Iron Throne."

It was not a pretty picture. Seven only knew what allies Aegon had already gathered to his side. He continued, voice full of bitter defiance.

"But they must wait for us to move first, or else their lie will be exposed as bare-faced usurpation. We must use what time we have to approach the Great Lords of the Realm before we strike."

They would expect an attack upon King's Landing, for certain. Perhaps it would be wiser to follow a different path.

"Dragons must be sent. If Baratheon and Tyrell join us, we can hit the capitol from three fronts."

If Arryn sent aid, that is. But if she did not, then their cause was lost regardless. The Prince finally gave pause, turning specifically for counsel towards the Sea Snake and his bride.

[Barry Goldwater]

"This must not stand!" Rhaenys answered passionately when Daemon had concluded his explanation, slamming a fist into her other palm for emphasis. She had been passed over, twice, on account of her sex; now the same was being done to Rhaenyra, but by a wholly illegitimate cabal of ill-born plotters and not the realm?! The notion that women were eternally barred from the Iron Throne rankled her, the notion that they be barred not by a proper Great Council but some overambitious house of lords who should've been burned in their high tower by her great-granduncle or great-great-grandfather even more so, and she was growing more determined by the second to ensure that wouldn't be the case so long as she still drew breath.

"I am willing to go wherever Rhaenyra, long may she reign, needs me." The older woman crossed her arms, anger and indignation alight in her lined features, and shot a quick look to her husband. "Be it Storm's End, where my cousin holds court, or Winterfell or Highgarden or Riverrun." If neither legalese nor blood ties could sway the great lords of the realm to their true queen's side, perhaps the sight of the Red Queen would.

[Oznerol]

On account of his age, Lord Corlys was taking a seat. Even if he didn't quite look to need seating, at all, but the old lord like to play with everyone's notion of senectude and he liked the deference.

"They are but mongrels and thieves"

Said the lord with scorn.

"My daughter has nothing to fear, she has my ships. If they want to name that scoundrel king, so be it, they will starve"

Velaryon examined his nails.

"I will cut all trade in the Gullet. Mayhaps hunger and Velaryon sails will make them think twice who they hail"

He allowed himself a thin smile.

"We should not only consult and approach Tyrell and Baratheon, even if they lie closer. Stark once swore to serve Rhaenyra, and Tully did as much. But Highgarden does need a feminine touch: my beloved should fly over the Tyrell's court, remind Lady Tyrell her case is not that different from Rhaenyra's"

Corlys raised a finger.

"A cousin could remind the Reach of his existence, or maybe the Florents could be as daring as exhibit their dusty claims"

He chuckled, with scorn.

"And, my second suggestion is to impress Lord Baratheon: let's send my grandson, Jace. He could very well deal with that lord, they're his grandmother's close kin, noneless. And he's the Prince of Dragonstone, doesn't it?"

[Gandalfus]

"Sound suggestions. So be it. Lady Rhaenys will fly to Highgarden and Prince Jace to Storm's End."

Daemon commanded, with a wave of the hand. 'Twas as good as any of his own suggestions.

"I will remain here, with Caraxes, to watch for their attack. We are ill matched with dragons, I fear, for even my own beast will struggle to contend with Visenya's wyrm."

A better rider would have come to burn them out of Dragonstone already. Pity that Laena's mount should choose such an unworthy rider.

"Vermithor dwells still within the Dragonmont, riderless. Perhaps a man of fitting blood to be found to tame him."

With the Bronze Beast upon their side, he felt confident they could more than match up against whatever the Greens could muster. His crafty eyes glanced sideways around the chamber; surely there would be men brave or stupid enough to try and claim a dragon of their own.