Chapter 8 - The Two Queens (I)

"If it weren't for these two women, I might not be the man I am today." Aenar Targaryen, a year before the conquest, watching Rhaenys and Visenya Targaryen.

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At the Nexus of Space and Time, Jon discovered that he could shape the place to his liking. So he transformed the entire Nexus into the most important place in the Targaryen dynasty: the island that each heir to the Iron Throne would receive as a fief upon his coronation. Dragonstone.

"Home sweet home." Visenya commented as she looked at the huge black stone castle that stood on a hill on the stony island. The entire architecture of the castle had dragon-like aspects, as if it were a giant dragon in the shape of a castle. There were fierce statues of dragons and other creatures on the walls of Dragonstone.

This made the whole castle not only terrifying, but especially majestic, making everyone feel awe and respect before such a monstrosity of stone, dragon fire, and ancient magic.

The queen's lilac eyes turned to the boy walking beside her. Six months had passed since she had taken over Jon's guardianship, and in that time she had seen a boy who had been quiet and strong, but without any princely aura, transform into someone worthy of the title of prince.

A development that Visenya watched with satisfaction. In these six months, she had grown fond of this future offspring: he was everything Aegon needed in a son, not only noble in character, but also talented in politics and a great warrior. Frankly, he was the son any king would want to succeed him.

Instead of the two extremes of Aegon's sons, her son and Rhaenys' son. One was too strong, the other too weak, both kings lacking what the other lacked most. But as a mother, she would support her son, right or wrong.

"I didn't ask, but to which noble house does Dragonstone currently belong?" Visenya asked as she climbed the steps leading to the castle. His eyes scanned every part of the island with a strong yet nostalgic gaze.

"Stannis of House Baratheon, younger brother of King Robert Baratheon." Jon replied as he studied the massive castle with a curious gaze.

It was the ancestral home of the Targaryen dynasty, but when Rhaella Targaryen abandoned it, she announced the end of the dynasty in Westeros.

"It all started and ended here. I must say, it's a rather cruel irony of fate." Visenya muttered to herself, lost in thought. "Tell me about this Stannis."

Jon nodded and answered: "Stannis is a complicated man. In addition to being a brilliant strategist, he's someone with a strong sense of duty and justice, so tenacious that you wonder how he can stay so focused."

"During the rebellion, he defended Storm's End for a year against Lord Mace Tyrell's forces, without men or food, eating whatever he could find. The only reason he didn't eat the dead was because the North had arrived and started fighting Reach's forces." Jon did not hide the admiration in his words for the man. Stannis was indeed a difficult enemy to fight. Fortunately, with a dragon and the ability to see into the future, Jon could ambush Stannis Baratheon at any time.

"It doesn't matter. In the face of the mightiest power in the world, even the most arrogant of kings must bow before us, or you in the future, Jon." Visenya commented with a piercing look, ruffling Jon's hair, which showed a helpless expression.

"Don't mess up my hair." Jon complained loudly, but Visenya continued to mess up his hair.

Without realizing it, they were both standing in front of the huge gates, which were open as if inviting Visenya and Jon to enter.

But whether it was Jon or Visenya, they both stopped and looked at the figure of a woman with silver and gold hair, waiting for them with a graceful, elegant smile on her lips.

"You are old, Visenya." She spoke with her hands behind her back as she flashed a mischievous smile.

"And you look very young, sister." Visenya replied with a strong, indifferent look. Eventually, seeing the gentle smile of the beautiful woman in front of her, Visenya's hard gaze softened slightly as she spoke in a softer tone. "It is good to see you again, Rhaenys."

Yes, the woman before Jon and Visenya was Rhaenys Targaryen, second wife of Aegon the Conqueror.

Rhaenys gestured for them to enter, and she walked beside her sister and the boy. "I assume my sister knows why I'm here?" Rhaenys asked with a naturally cheerful smile.

"It will be a long explanation." Visenya commented in a tone of amusement that surprised Jon and even more Visenya herself. It was indeed rare for the older sister to show amusement in normal times.

"If there's good wine and music, I don't mind the delay." Rhaenys replied with a confident tone: if there was wine and good music, she could entertain herself for days without caring!

Visenya looked at Jon for an answer. Rhaenys followed her sister's gaze and focused on Jon, whose purple eyes flickered with a curious light as he watched the boy intently.

"Impossible. I've never tried wine, so I can't just make it appear. At most, water or juice." Jon replied, feeling a touch of helplessness as he saw the two women's eyes focused on him. He couldn't recreate something he had never experienced, even if the two women wanted him to.

"Never mind, a drink is always good." Rhaenys, though disappointed not to have wine, nodded and replied with a smile on her lips.

Her eyes were still fixed on the beautiful child walking beside her older sister. The boy screamed his Valyrian ancestry from head to toe and possessed a princely aura, though he walked and acted like a commoner.

Ignoring the gaze of the Second Queen of Westeros, Jon followed the two women as they gazed curiously down the corridors of Dragonstone.

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"By Balerion, how could our family be so foolish as to lose our greatest weapons! It's a miracle the dynasty has lasted nearly two hundred years without dragons." Rhaenys let out a groan of frustration as she held her head in denial.

The news of her death wasn't as devastating as she had expected. In fact, she took it in stride; after all, it was perfectly normal to be dead after being crushed by Meraxes, her dragon. But the news that the Targaryen dynasty had fallen shook her to the core.

Whether it was her or Visenya, they had both come to this continent to save the world according to Aegon, but knowing that they had failed despite all the effort, sweat, and blood they had shed really brought a huge sense of despondency to the naturally cheerful woman.

"Besides, Visenya, you taught the heir of our noble house to act like a bloody barbarian warrior who only knows how to command armies!" Rhaenys looked at her older sister with a discontented expression. The very thought of a fool who only knew how to swing a sword being in charge of the fate of the world gave her a headache.

Visenya didn't like being scolded by her younger sister at all.

"Jon doesn't need me to teach him other things, the boy is smarter than forty-year-old Aegon." She said, obviously prouder of Jon than he was of himself.

Rhaenys snorted coldly and looked at Jon with disdain. "He behaves like a commoner, his posture is not upright enough, he holds a cup as if it were a glass of cheap ale, he does not express confidence in his movements, he does not project strength when he walks, his hair is not perfectly combed, he dresses like a filthy savage..."

Jon was extremely embarrassed to hear such a long list of faults. He had never imagined there were so many; he had always thought it was normal to act like this, but he soon realized that these were things he had carried over from his past life into the present.

But when you think about it, it was normal for him to have so many flaws in Rhaenys' eyes because Jon was never someone powerful in his past life. He was just a sickly eighteen-year-old boy with extraordinary resilience and willpower who spent most of his life in bed. So, despite his current status, it was quite normal for him to have so many flaws.

Visenya frowned when she heard that, but when she looked at Jon, she did see the flaws Rhaenys mentioned, although the hair thing was her fault. Thinking back, she also realized that she had only taught Jon how to hold a sword, how to use blood magic, how to ride a dragon and how to command armies. No more and no less.

"Maybe that's why his mind wanted Rhaenys as much as he needed someone to teach him. Will Aegon be next?" - Visenya thought, raising the goblet of juice to her lips.

"Don't worry, my good son, I will make you a worthy monarch and teach you about politics and conspiracies. If I let Visenya teach you, you'll be a fool who thinks only of solving everything with dragons and steel." Rhaenys looked at Jon and spoke in a soft but amused tone. The idea of teaching Jon really made her happy.

Even though it was true, Visenya couldn't help but frown when she heard Rhaenys' subtle sarcasm. Coldly snorting, she looked at her sister with dissatisfaction but remained silent. With Rhaenys' help, Jon could get a better education, at least in the subjects his younger sister mentioned.

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