Chapter 61-The End!

Chapter 61

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Weeks had passed since the news of Prince Daemon's demise had rocked the whole continent. A battle between brothers, a duel not just between men but between dragons reminiscent of the times of Maegor the Cruel, yet this battle had not been part of a grander war.

No, the war was yet to come, and this battle had ended it before it could even begin. The battle had left great scars, Lady Rhaenys Targaryen had been injured as well, and it had taken her two flights to bring back the Velaryon siblings and then two more flights over the course of the next couple of days to bring food to the injured Grey Ghost.

The battle had left the white and blue dragon injured and unable to fly. Healers had been dispatched to the islands to do what they could, along with a massive ship that carried enough food to fill its belly for days.

The court had been shaken by the news as well, with all the lords who had denied Daemon's request to attend the wedding breathing a sigh of relief and rejoicing as those Houses whose members were present at the wedding were scampering, faring possible retribution.

A retribution that had yet to come for the news had taken its toll on her father, The King, who had refused to see anyone for weeks and was bedridden, according to the Maesters, and that was until today.

And now the King had called to see two people his daughter herself and his other brother, the famous Healer, the Slayer of Dragons, or Kinslayer. The battle had taken much from him, yet thankfully these had been nothing as severe as his injuries from the assassination attempt at his wedding in Braavos yet still she was aware that many in court prayed that the illness had taken him, for the whole realm now feared him.

And now the same person stood opposite her as they stood outside her father's room, and silence enveloped the castle.

She could say that she had talked with him quite a lot over the days, consoled him yet that would be a lie. The days had been hectic enough that they had had little time to sit down and talk yet.

The battle had also taken much from Aenys. His eyes had dulled a bit, and he had a somber air to him now, even as he stood opposite her weeks after the whole ordeal.

"I am sorry," she began as she saw his eyes narrow. They had dark circles around them now. His hair had been cut short as well, for much of it had been burnt during his duel with Daemon.

"What for?" he questioned, his voice tense as Rhaenyra found her eyes glued to the floor.

"For putting you through this, for letting you carry a burden that should have been mine," she began and saw his eyes widen for a second.

Aenys Targaryen had a reputation as a person of unquestionable morals. He was the epitome of honour and duty, an example for everyone all over the land. Yet it had taken a hit, few truly understood the extent of damage a full-blown war over succession between herself and Daemon would have caused, and those ignorant idiots had the gall to besmirch his honour.

"You need not apologize. This was unavoidable," he said, his gaze dulled as he coughed, and her lips thinned.

"Sometimes I wish it was not," she added and she truly did. Daemon had caused her a lot of trouble, insulted her, and tried to kill her husband as well. Yet it had not always been like this.

There were times, good times in their past as well. Times spent hearing him regale her stories about his various adventures, times of flying through the air with him. They existed as well, now only as memories of a man who was no more.

"Me too, Rhaenyra. I wish so as well," he said as he cupped her face.

"Yet it is over now, and he made his choice. And now we must all live with the consequences of that choice," he replied, and she nodded.

"What of his son?" she questioned, for after the battle, one of her flights had been to retrieve the bastard son of Daemon, and timely she had been for attempts were made by Mysaria to escape the island with Baelon, yet thankfully due to quick thinking of Aenys they were able to stop her and retrieve Daemon's child. Mysaria herself had vanished now in the chaos afterward.

The mysterious woman had vanished into thin air in the ensuing chaos.

"I am still thinking about it. You go and talk to Viserys. We can discuss all this later," he said, and she gave a small nod before she turned away from him and straightened her back as she put one foot infront of another.

And entered her father's room.

0000

VISERYS TARGARYEN

Viserys watched as Aenys stepped into the room after Rhaenyra departed. And complicated emotions filled him as he saw his youngest brother. He had not seen him since that fateful day when word of Daemon's death had come.

The words had hit him hard. He had feared such an outcome yet had been powerless to do anything to prevent it. Yet the suddenness of everything had taken him by surprise, and the weakness that he had kept at bay through his willpower had overpowered him since. He had found himself confined to his bed, the healers and the maesters hopeless around him as he felt his time draw near.

He had not looked in the mirror yet. His frailty must have shown, as he saw Aenys's eyes widen as they landed on her. His brother walked up to him and stood to his right besides the window, leaning back against the wall.

Aenys seemed different as well; his face had sunken in, and he could see some bandages around his chest. He stood there against the wall, looking him over before finally cutting through the silence.

"You do know I could...." and Viserys raised his hand, stopping him, as he coughed out, already knowing what he was about to say.

"I know, but I am afraid my time has come. And I have come to terms with that," he said, refusing his offer. For an accomplished healer, Aenys must have realized that as well.

"You know, I had always wished to live up to our grandfather's name," he began as his eyes looked up and down his brother.

"I had always wished to live upto his legacy, and so when I found out that the grandfather had wished for you to be King after him. It cut me," he said, yet unlike the past, he was not angry about that.

"Initially, I had reasoned it out to be because of your abilities as a dreamer, yet now, as I look at you, I realize that it was not wholly because of that," he said and saw Aenys's eyes narrow at his words as Viserys looked up at the ceiling.

"You may have been the youngest, but you were the best of us. You had the best of Daemon and me while having none of the flaws," he began, and now, as he looked at his life, he found himself realizing just how many mistakes he had made.

"I know it is wrong of a brother to have favourites, but perhaps it was because of this that I found myself more attached to Daemon. For both of us were not like you. We had many faults, deficiencies, and qualities that complimented each other. So, I felt it that I needed him, and he me," he spoke as Aenys frowned.

"Even with how it all turned out, I still love him and find myself caring for him, even on my death bed," he said as his vision blurred and Aenys lips thinned as he looked away into the window as he replied.

"I didn't hate Daemon. I regret what he became and did what was necessary. There was no other choice," he said, and he didn't miss how his fists balled up.

"I know. I also heard that you had a burial arranged for him and his dragon," and Aenys nodded.

"He was a Targaryen Prince. His actions aside, he was family. He was given the proper respect according to his station," Aenys informed him. Viserys would have liked to attend, but his health did not let him.

"What of his son?" Viserys questioned, recalling the little child Daemon had presented to the court after his return from Stepstones.

"He is with me, Mysaria. The child's mother ran away, but I was able to get the child from her before she could smuggle him away," Aenys informed him, and that was little comfort.

"What will you do with him?" he questioned.

"As Daemon's last living heir, he inherits Stepstones. Castles will need to be built, and settlements will need to be established on the islands if we are to hold them. I plan to pour some resources into the islands over the years so that by the time he is a grown boy, the seat is prestigious and functional enough," Aenys told him, and he doubted his brother's words.

"Until then," he questioned.

"Alicent will raise the boy," he answered, and that was a suitable option.

"Will you tell the boy about Daemon?"

"I will when he is ready. What he decides to do afterward will be up to him," Aenys declared, and Viserys nodded as he sighed.

"You are a more honorable man than I could ever be," he declared as silence hung in the air.

"Viserys, I need to talk to you about Rhaenys and the Vela..." and he shook his head as he stopped him once again. He had given the realm enough.

"I leave that all to you and Rhaenyra," he said as he looked toward him.

"My reign has come to an end. I have talked to Lyonel Strong. I know Rhaenyra would wish to have you as her hand. The man shall vacate his office for you. I leave all the matters of the court to you. Deal with them as you wish," he said and saw his eyes widen as Aenys gave him a nod.

Viserys took in a deep breath, and pain rippled through his chest as he winced and breathed out slowly.

"This whole ordeal with Daemon and succession was of my making," he began as he felt his weariness overtake him.

"I know it is little, but I apologize for having you deal with it all. If only I were a better man, a better King, all this would never have come to this," he said forlornly. Aenys walked forward and stood beside him.

"Maybe," he said, brutally honest as always.

"But do not blame yourself too much over it. You were a better man and King than many," he said as he held his shoulder and gave them a small squeeze.

"Not you," he said, and Aenys shook his head.

"There is no need to compare. We were each different men with different roles," he said humbly. He gave him a small nod as he began to walk away, and Viserys felt his weariness overpower him. As Aenys opened the door, he called out from behind.

"Take care of Rhaenyra for me. Consider it my last request as a brother," he said, and Aenys turned to look at him and gave him a nod.

"I will."

"I know what you did was necessary..." he called back.

"...but I do not think I could thank you for that."

"You don't have to."

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

Alicent Hightower found herself in the nursery, sitting in a chair as the two little boys infront of her played with each other. One of them was her own son, who had begun to babble, and the other was Baelon. And that was what Aenys had wished for the child to be called.

Not Baelon Rivers, but simply Baelon.

She was so lost in watching the two little boys play that she missed when Aenys entered the room and plopped down in a chair beside her.

"Is everything alright, Alicent?" His question broke her out of her trance, and she looked to the side and found her husband sitting there. He had changed quite a bit over the last few weeks.

Aenys had always been rather serious,

Aenys had always been rather serious. His joys expressed little smiles rather than boisterous laughter, but heaviness had taken over him since that fateful day. His rare smiles had become rarer still, and only she was aware of his troubles with sleep.

"Yes, everything is fine," she replied with a small smile, wishing with all her heart that she could take away his burdens.

"Why did the King call for you and Rhaenyra?" she questioned, recalling just where he had been. She saw his eyes dampen at her words as her dread pooled in her heart.

"Viserys is dying," he said with a sigh, and she felt her heart break from those words.

"Is there anything you could..." and he shook his head as he leaned back.

"Very little, but he has declined my help. He feels his time has come," he said as he leaned back, and she saw what none did, saw the burden he carried on his shoulders.

She stood up from her seat and walked up to him, gently sitting down on his lap as she cupped his face.

"I am sorry," she said, despite knowing her words could do little for him. Yet he did not know that she was there for him.

"I know he cared little for me and preferred Daemon to me. I have known this all my life," he said.

"Yet they were still my brothers. And I feel as if I am responsible for killing them both," he said, and her heart broke hearing those words from him.

"You did not," she rebuked him as he looked him in the eye.

"You gave Daemon many chances, some would say too many chances. Daemon refused to mend his ways, and even in the last battle you fought against him, you stood against him not for ambition or revenge but to save Princess Rhaenys and her children," she corrected him, having already thought much over what had occurred on that fateful day.

"If you had not done what you did, Princess Rhaenys and her children would have died that day, and thousands would have followed suit if Daemon had declared war on Rhaenyra. You said yourself such a war would have torn the whole realm apart," she told him resolutely.

"Bu..."

"No!" she didn't even let him begin as his lips slightly turned up at her forceful nature.

"I have traveled across two continents and lived at court all my life. I have never seen a man more honorable than you," she said before looking to the side at the child sitting beside her little Aerion.

"That child and the titles you bestowed upon him are one little proof of that honor and goodness," she declared as she pushed forward her head and put her forehead against his.

"I can wholeheartedly say that the world is a better place because of you, Aenys. I am a better person because of you. So, don't doubt yourself. You are a good man, better than any man I have seen in my life," she said to him.

"Thanks for this," he said as his arms wrapped around her. She put her head down on his shoulder and lay there atop him, content with all she had in her life.

0000

THE END~

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And so, the grand journey comes to an end. Thank you all for your love and support over the course of this fic.

Have a fantastic day!