Chapter 16: Coffins of Flesh, Coffins of Name. 120 AC

[Runestone]

I sat beside my mother's bed again, she was reading a book about the history of House Royce, while I just watched her, and answered her occasional questions. It was a rainy day today, a small storm was happening outside, thunder roared loudly as the sound of heavy raindrops continued to fill my ears.

"Mother, I want to ask you about something." I said suddenly.

"Have you decided?" she asked weakly.

"Sort of." I murmured. "What do you think about changing the name of House Royce?"

Mother frowned deeply at the question. "Meaning?"

"You know our problem, mother." I sighed. "A non-Valyrian house Having two dragons… we're not even a great house of Westeros. It's going to be a problem in the future…"

Mother sighed deeply. "My dear, listen, I am dying, and you will probably not see me again alive in a couple of days. I can't feel my legs, nor my stomach, so I'm close. Therefore, I'm going to be very honest with you."

What?

"Andar… You… are a coward." she said. "You've always been one."

What the hell is happening right now…

"You have two dragons." she said. "Yet you are afraid of some petty envy of weak lords?"

"I'm trying to maintain peace, mother."

"Don't lie to yourself." said mother weakly. "You are Targaryen by blood. Your father named you Maegor Targaryen, a namesake for Maegor the cruel, but you are so far from him."

"So you want me to be like him?"

"No. No I want you to be the better version of him." said mother, she suddenly coughed up blood. "Maegor ruled with fear to maintain his power, and it is a great mistake. Instead, use fear to maintain peace, a deterrent of conflict, that is what I want from you. You want freedom? Be lazy all day? Then do that first."

I sat there for a while as my mother drank some water to clear her throat.

"Is that what you think of me?" I asked her.

"All I ask is that you choose." she said. "Will you be Aenys? The weak yet kind king… Will you be Maegor? The cruel and dangerous tyrant…. Or will you be Jaehaerys? The steadfast and confident conciliator."

"Can't I take the middle ground between the three?"

"You tell me." she said, wiping the blood off her mouth. "You are the Targaryen, not me."

Wow… Can't believe I was scolded by my dying mother…

"Thank you… mother…" I murmured. "I needed that."

"You are destined for great things, Andar." she said. "Don't let this small castle in the fingers hold you back. Promise me, once I'm dead, you will do as you wish, not be ruled by fear, nor be commanded by incompetent lords."

I just nodded at her words, not saying a thing. The rain kept falling outside, and the coldness of it seeped through my heart, slowly.

—

[1 week later]

In the deepest depth of the Runestone crypt, I stood in front of a coffin that had been carved with runes, decorating the exterior of the thing. Around me were the family, some I don't even know, but we still kept going.

The priest spoke some rites in front of all of us, but I wasn't listening. Instead, I kept staring at the crypt, where the body of my mother lay in rest.

When the priest finished speaking, I pushed the coffin, towards the section that will be the final resting place of my mother. Everyone was staring at me, seemingly expecting some words from me, but they didn't have the pleasure.

Instead, I waited till we arrived upstairs, where they served some wine and food for the guests.

As I stood in front of everyone, the attention turned towards me, seemingly waiting for me to say a word.

"Everyone here is a Royce?" I asked. Nobody objected, so I continued. "Good. today, as the lord Runestone, I will proclaim my first act."

Gerold wasn't too happy when he heard this. So of course, I continued. "First. I will appoint Ser Willam Royce to rule in my stead till I come of age."

The whispers turned loud in the room, the men and women seemingly talking to themself.

"Me?" said ser Willam. "My lord, I'm just a mere knight."

"Exactly." I hummed, making everyone confused. "Next is that I will not change my name to that of house Royce. My name will be Maegor Targaryen, and it will be until the day that I die."

The crowd was even more loud this time. Of course, it's natural. If I'm to be the lord of Runestone, I must have the name of house Royce.

But I don't give a fuck anymore. I'm tired of politics already.

"You are the lord of Runestone! You are supposed to bear our name!" screamed one of the Royce.

"My first two sons will bear the name Royce." I said. "In the next generation, House Royce will continue, so stop screaming at me like children. I'm supposed to be the child here, not you."

While the whispers have lowered down a bit, it's still a bit loud. In the corner of my eye, I then saw my father Daemon enter the room. He did that quietly, he didn't make an entrance, or announce his arrival, but he just leaned against the wall, watching the men in front of me bicker.

"Now, if there isn't anything else." I said to the others. With hesitation, all of them slightly bowed towards me, seemingly respecting my decision. But I know some of them didn't like it at all, but that's for another time.

Right now, I walked towards Daemon, who was staring at me with amusement as I approached him.

I stood in front of him, not moving a muscle. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my wife's funeral. Am I not allowed to attend?" he said.

"I doubt you actually care." I said.

Daemon just looked at me from top to bottom. "I'm here to offer my condolences to you. While I didn't get along with her, she is still your mother."

"Well thank you for the condolences." I hummed. "But you already got what you want. What will you do from here?"

"Pardon?"

"You always want to divorce mother." I said. "What do you want to do from now on?"

Daemon frowned. "Nothing. Do you mind if I marry someone else?"

"I don't care." I answered truthfully. "You can marry whoever you want. You can kill Leanor Velaryon and marry my cousin, or you can go marry that whore from Lys, I don't care."

Daemon crosses his arms in front of his chest. "And what will you do?"

I turned towards the crowd behind me. "I need to swear my allegiance first. To the Eyrie, then to the king."

"Let's go to the king now." Daemon said, standing back up.

"No, I need to go to the Eyrie first." I said, walking towards the exit. "You're not welcome here Daemon, you should go before those men make any more trouble, I'm not into kinslaying on the first day as a lord."

Daemon raised his brow at me, looking at me weirdly, but he exited the place nonetheless with me, leaving Runestone as fast as he could.