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Chapter 7: Chapter 6: The Old, the True, the BraveChapter Text

"Can't be all work and no rest. Everyone needs some alone time to kick back and be yourself, without any of that fucking expectations and rules society places on you."

-Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen Who Never Was

103 AC, Blackwater Bay

I can't say I was a fan of ships.

Well, more specifically I wasn't a fan of the sea. I suffered from Thalassophobia, or in English, a phobia of the seas and ocean. Ironic, considering that I was born and raised in Singapore, a tropical island.

My phobia started in preschool, when I watched a horror movie about creatures from the deep invading the surface. Dunno which one it was, except it wasn't Jaws. There were no sharks. But poison and tentacles were involved though. And ever since then, I'd had an irrational phobia of the sea.

Oh, I could bully myself into swimming in it, so long as there was solid ground or at least a boat nearby, and could visit the beach mostly unaffected, but I generally stayed above seawater as much as possible. For example, in the last family snorkelling trip in Cambodia, I stayed aboard the boat reading while the rest of my family gazed at reefs and corals. Didn't even bother put on my swimsuit.

"Oh why the broody face, Rhae?" Laena asked, glomping me from behind. "Oh, are you seasick?"

"No. I don't get seasick." I denied. "I just don't like the sea."

That was something I inherited from my dad. An extremely high tolerance to motion sicknesses. I've never been seasick or airsick in my life. Though I could still get carsick, if the vehicle was stuffy and cramped enough. And like my continued susceptibility to tickling, this was one of those things that stuck with me even through reincarnation.

"Why not?" Laena probed. "Don't you enjoy the smell of the salt and spray? The sea breeze in your hair and the water in the air.

"It's freedom." Laena declared. "To go wherever you want, whenever you want. The horizon is the limit, when you're on the water."

"I dislike the sea and outdoors for the same reason you mislike the city. It's where I was born and what I'm used to." I pointed out. "Gods know that I'm more comfortable in cramped spaces, windowless rooms and stuffy air than you ever will be."

"That is true." Laena conceded, releasing me and leaning on the handrail beside me. The two of us spending a comfortable silence looking at the passing waves from the forecastle of the Queen Alysanne. 

The Queen Alysanne was essentially the closest thing the Royal Fleet had to a pleasure barge, but like all things royal, it wasn't as simple as that. The royal shipwrights knew that royalty was a prime target for kidnaping and assassination. Much could be gotten away with on the open seas, with few witnesses and evidence.

So the Queen Alysanne was first designed for both combat and speed, before being retrofitted into a pleasure ship later. Extra sails that extended over the sides of the vessel like wings and a second deck of oars allowed it to speed up considerably. Under the pastel paint covering the hull lay solid Ironwood planks for added protection, while the decorative prow crowned with a silvered steel figurehead of the Good Queen was subtly reinforced for ramming.

The crew were all handpicked for their loyalty and prowess at sea by House Velaryon. Everyone from the oarsman to the cook received training at arms and naval warfare, while every knight assigned to the crew were expert archers and crossbowmen. All dedicated to the task of guaranteeing the safety of the royal passengers.

While all these preparations seemed excessive and overblown, the worse part was that all of these were warranted.

For generations before the Doom of Valyria, most highborn that travelled by sea did so in warships. For good reason, as the Daughters of Valyria were ever hungry for slaves and plunder. Even now in places like Lys, Tyrosh and Pentos, children grew up with dreams of becoming pirate captains in their own right, enslaving and reaving. Most of the coastal Free Cities even had legally recognised roles for these pirates: Privateers. Whom in exchange for giving up a fixed cut of their plunder to the magisters, were given legal amnesty in the Free Cities.So anyone important in Westeros got into the habit of travelling the Narrow Sea armed with a contingent of household knights at the very least.

And even then, it wasn't enough, as the Triarchy's latest reminded showed. Lady Johanna Swann, niece of Lord Swann himself, found herself kidnapped and enslaved by Lyseni privateers while sailing from Stonehelm to Greenstone for her wedding. The audacity was shocking. Lady Johanna was but a bare three miles away from the shoreline when the slavers struck.

To my absolute disgust, Lord Swann was unconcerned and not only did he not bother to ransom her, but within the week, he had Johanna's twelve year old sister on another boat to take her place at the wedding. God Westeros was fucked up.

For that, Lord Swann was now on my shitlist, though it might take me a while before I got the power to punish him.

———

103 AC, Driftmark, Spicetown

Driftmark was both larger and less mountainous than Dragonstone, with plenty of open fields for farming. There were thrice as many fishing villages on Driftmark than Dragonstone, and two actual towns; Hull and Spicetown. Unlike Dragonstone, which was black and bleak, Driftmark was green and picturesque.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I liked Dragonstone just fine, and it was beautiful in its own way, all severe, harsh and gothic. In my past life, I enjoyed the night and darkness for more than the day. I preferred the cool to the warm, jungles of concrete to those of trees, monochromes to pastels, winter and rain to summer and sunshine. This bled over to my current life as well. I liked my island's beaches of black sand and hills of basalt and obsidian, the way Dragonstone castle just stoked my inner megalomaniacal edgelord just right.

But there was just something about Driftmark. It made me relax in a way Dragonstone just didn't.

I found that the flat ground and greenery made me relax. The yellow sand beaches and turquoise waters were pleasing to the eyes in a somewhat ineffable way. It even seemed brighter and warmer than Dragonstone, as the island's black soil tended to suck all the light and warmth out of the sky. I especially liked the way High Tide looked, all white stone and silver roofs, with teal curtains and paint breaking up the monotony of the white. It was a different type of beauty compared to Dragonstone, warmer and more welcoming. Softer and soothing. Like Rhaenys' girlish allure to Visenya's womanly charm.

It was only when I landed and breathed in the humid seaside air that I realised why I so liked Driftmark. It reminded me of home.

Driftmark's humidity, harbours and abundant greenery were all stirring up my nostalgia for my lost home. Although Singapore was a city-state, we always had an abundance of greenery, with trees and rooftop gardens being planted in our concrete jungles to give them a splash of greenery. Trees grew by the roadside of even the streets in the heart of the city. Even the beating heart of Singapore City, the Central Business District, was situated right beside Marina Bay and East Coast Park, allowing even those in the city center to see blue waters and greenery.

Even the industrialised outskirts of Singapore, like Tuas or Changi were filled with open grass fields and water. No surprise why one of the nicknames of Singapore was the Garden City.

The realisation of why I liked High Tide so much nearly moved me to tears. The condominium my family lived in since I was a preschooler had the exact same colour scheme. White and green.

A sudden bout of bone-deep homesickness and longing struck me right there and then, and I felt my eyes water. God I missed everyone.

"What's wrong, Rhae?" Laena asked from behind me, concern in her voice. Did I let my emotions show? I forced my melancholy down and adjusted back into place my mask of the perfect princess.

"Nothing." I lied. "High Tide's beauty simply brought me to tears."

"Indeed. It truly is a sight, isn't it." Laena sighed, looking longingly at the white and teal building. "The Red Keep is nice and all, but there's no place like home. I'll be sad to leave it behind when I marry."

"Then geld Laenor and have your father name you heir. Then you'll never have to leave" I joked, Laena laughing in response, her voice trilling and sweet.

"Don't tempt me." She finally said, escorting me towards the gangplank.

"Ah, speak of the boy himself." I noted, seeing Laena's younger brother waiting for us at the pier. "Cousin, how have you been?"

"I've been good, thanks." Laenor replied, bowing and kissing my hand gently, gentlemanly manners perfect. "Welcome to Driftmark, your grace. I hope that you find your stay here pleasant and entertaining."

Laena's brother shared her platinum hair, worn short and slightly tousled. His eyes were amethyst like hers, his nose aquiline and cheekbones prominent. He resembled his father Corlys greatly, unlike his sister, whose facial features harkened to their mother Rhaenys. The nine-year-old wore a vest of teal over a white shirt and grey pants, with a silver half-cape fastened by a seahorse clasp around his shoulders.

He looked every inch like a Valyrian Prince, ready to ride in and save the day and win the hearts of lovely maidens. I knew for a fact that he was arguably the most popular boy in court, the crush of dozens of girls. He'd break dozens of hearts the day he publicly came out of the closet on the fact that he was actually into men and not women.

Just then, Laena barrelled into her younger brother, the tall girl twisting him into a headlock and messing up his hair.

"Drop the formalities, brother!" She laughed as Laenor protested. "If I wanted to be bored, I'd get a Septon."

"Sister! Geroff me!" He shouted, trying to wrestle Laena off him, but sadly he hadn't hit puberty yet, unlike his sister, whom was both bigger and taller than him right now. Laena rumpled Laenor up a bit before releasing him, letting him drop the the ground in a heap.

"Much better." My best friend cheerfully said, as her dishevelled brother got to his feet, glaring balefully at her.

"Lord Laenor, I think we should kindly take the Princess to her quarters." A Velaryon cousin spoke up, before the siblings could descend into their usual squabbling. Laena was wild and free like the wind, while Laenor was dutiful and formal. Needless to say they quarrelled (playfully) like cats and dogs.

"Very well then." He grumpily said, leading us over to the horses. I was amused to see that they had a small pony available for me, as I was still too small and young to ride a proper horse. "Do you want the scenic route or the direct one."

"If it is fine, may I ride on the scenic route? I'd love to see this beautiful island up close." I requested.

"As you wish." Laenor agreed. "I'll show you our island."

"I'll pass." Laena declined. "I just want to go back to my room and jump in my bed."

"Feel free. I'll just spend time with your brother and gossip about all of your bad habits together." I teased, enjoying the way Laena cutely pouted at that.

"I know all your bad habits as well." Laena shot back. "Like your habit of drooling in your sleep."

"At least I don't snore." I shrugged, giggling at the way Laena's ears turned pink.

"Lies and slander!" The Velaryon scion declared. "I do not snore."

"No, you really do, sister." Laenor deadpanned. "You sound like a dying whale."

"Traitor!" Laena accused.

"See, even he agrees with me." I laughed, clapping my male cousin on the back. Laena cursed under her breath, before stomping off to a horse and mounting up, before riding hard for High Tide.

Laenor and I followed suit, mounting our horses and riding for the countryside.

We rode for some time, passing fields of golden wheat, barley, turnips and oats. Pastures of sheep, goats, cows and more. I smiled, drinking in the sunshine, enjoying the singing of the birds. One quirk of my Valyrian ancestry was that I never got tanned, no matter how much time I spent in the sun, my skin would remain as flawlessly alabaster as ever. And although I had no tan, the sunlight never burned my skin. Unlike my last life, where the loss of my tan led to the loss of my ability to tolerate the sun.

The UK had no sun, compared to the eternal summer of Singapore. I'd lost all my tan during boarding school, and suddenly found myself unable to bear my homeland's sunlight, hissing away from it like a vampire, my skin burning when in contact with the scorching Singaporean sun. And while you'd think serving in the army would toughen me up, but my boot camp happened in the monsoon season. Rain and overcast skies were a near-daily occurrence. And then, once it ended, I got shunted off to a cushy desk job in Intelligence.

The sound of flapping wings and the panicked bleating of sheep caught my attention. I turned my pony around, to see a slender brown dragon descending from the sky. No wonder why some people called Sheepstealer a baseborn dragon. Skinny and mud-brown, with unremarkable black eyes. It was a far cry from the likes of Silverwing or Meleys, both splendidly coloured dragons with scales like gemstones. Sheepstealer was dull and boring in comparison.

The wild dragon swooped down, snatching up a pair of sheep in its claws before taking to the sky again, the sheep bleating in utter terror as they were dragged off to the dark island of Dragonstone.

I couldn't help but notice that the smallfolk shepherd looked more annoyed and bored than furious or terrified at the dragon. He just let out a sigh and began rounding up the rest of his flock, which had scattered in raw terror.

"Let's lend him a hand." I decided, spurring my pony into action. Between Laenor, myself and our guardsmen, we were able to round up the sheep quickly.

"Thank you, m'lords." The shepherd thanked, bowing to us.

"Does this happen frequently? You seem rather used to the dragon." I asked.

"Aye. That be Sheepstealer. Steals one or three sheep every day. Sometimes comes here, other times from other places. M' son said he heard some mainland folk say the dragon flies down there as well for sheep." The man explained. "Tho it be a softie at heart. Burnt a coupla sheep dogs before, but he never hurt no man. Nothing to fear."

"I see. Do you require compensation for your stolen sheep?" I offered, but was waved away.

"No need. Lord Velaryon set up a community pot for this. Our taxes go into it, and anyone whose sheep got stolen can claim coin from it." The shepherd said.

"Very well then, I shall not trouble you any further." I waved goodbye before continuing to ride away.

"You're lucky." Laenor said, as we rode. "Not many get to see Sheepstealer."

"I've always been lucky." I said in a matter-of-fact tone. This was true. The first lucky draw I took part in, I had four tickets, and won both the first and third prize. I'd had similar luck in gachas, cards and other games. It was to the point where my childhood nickname was 'Lucky' because I'd had the best luck my entire family had ever seen. But then I grew older, and my nickname of 'Lucky' turned into 'The Bane of Leftovers' for the exact same reason why Sheepstealer was called Sheepstealer. "But I'm more interested in what your father has done regarding that community compensation system."

"It's called insurance." Laenor explained. "It's a Braavosi idea. Everyone chips into a community pot, which anyone can draw from when they suffer injury or loss."

"Well that seems liable to be exploited." I remarked. I would know. One of my aunts worked in insurance, and she complained non-stop about how nearly every client she dealt with was trying to scam money out of the company. According to her, people tended to treat insurance agencies as a source of free money. She once even told a horror story where someone mutilated himself solely to claim the health insurance money.

"We get the odd fraudster every so often, but the shepherds graze sheep near each other. Sheepstealer's approach can be easily seen, and there's a communal tally of who has how many sheep, to prevent people from claiming more than their due." The Velaryon heir replied. "Also, father has a few of our spare cousins overseeing the endeavour. To keep everyone honest."

"Huh, I could learn from that." I muttered. "That sounds like a wonderful system for the future."

I probably wouldn't set up an insurance company, but maybe I could talk my opposition into agreeing to get involved. That way, they'd be the guys dealing with the scammers and liars, while I'd just be another one of the customers trying to bully money out of them.

We continued riding, making small talk about unimportant topics. Laenor was eager to discuss my thoughts about the Queen Alysanne, as it was personally designed and made by Velaryon shipyards. While I appreciated the speed of the ship, I couldn't help but find it lacking. What was a sailship, compared to a speedboat? I was ruined in that sense.

———

103 AC, High Tide

High Tide was built on reclaimed land outside of the island proper. The causeway connecting the two was wide enough for two carts to ride abrest, paved in good stone and with elegantly carved railings. The drawbridge to the castle was solid ironwood, banded with steel, as was the larger double gate behind it. The portcullis between the two gates was polished steel, and the walls and ceiling of the gatehouse was studded with murderholes and seahorse shaped-spigots for boiling oil.

The courtyard was spacious and airy, with good stone floors and plenty of room. The walls surrounding the place rose sheer from the water, denying any invader a foothold beneath the pale stone walls crowned with crenellations. The crenels were all shaped like seahorses. An entire school of them, swimming around the walls of High Tide. The walls themselves were also detailed, all scrimshawed and engraved and painted with scenes of Velaryon history. Their first arrival to Driftmark, Aegon's Conquest, Corlys' voyages. All in all, about half the walls were so decorated, with the rest left bare for more. For future generations of Lords of the Tides to add to.

Slender towers crowned with silver roofs rose from the walls, surrounding the island with overlapping lines of fire from both archers and siege engines. Atop them flew Velaryon pennants, the silver seahorse on teal, fluttering in the sea wind. The main keep was taller than them all. A great bastion ten stories high, with impressively thick walls, windows of teal coloured glass from Myr and crowned by a roof of green tiles.

But what was more impressive was the other side of the island. A man-made lagoon, small enough to fit within the walls of the castle, complete with docks for sailboats and rowboats to dock at. The inlet was defended by the walls stretching completely around it, with a single portcullis of steel being the only way to enter or exit from the seaside entrance.

I was told that the inlet had once been deepwater, but Lord Corlys had ordered it and the surrounding area made shallower with shipments of dirt and sand, preventing the approach of warships.

Not that the inlet was the only wonder of architecture in the castle. On the bastion's largest balcony stood the Godswood of the castle. Covered with earth and soil from the mainland, filled with flowers and topiaries surrounding a weirwood heart tree imported from the North. And all around the castle were drains and channels, grooves carved into the walls and silver pipes. All to capture rainwater and funnel it down into the underground cistern the castle drew its water from.

Much like Singapore, it rained nearly every other day here on Driftmark, even in summer, which was what allowed High Tide, a castle surrounded by the sea, to be sufficiently provisioned with drinking water. Though on particularly dry spells, the castle had to rely on water barrels sent from the wells of Spicetown.

"Beautiful." I sighed. "Uncle Corlys, High Tide may well be the most beautiful castle I have ever seen. I envy Laena, for getting to live here."

"I am glad you enjoy it, Princess." Lord Corlys smiled. "You could live here if you'd like. My son has yet to be betrothed."

"That is the single most tempting bribe I've ever been offered." I confessed. "But Father wants to keep my options open for marriage. Still, I shall keep your offer in mind."

I turned my attention back to the window, which boasted a great view of the island of Driftmark. If I squinted, I could almost imagine that I was back in my home on Singapore. Homesickness bit at my heart in that instant, longing and nostalgia tormenting my soul. It was sinking in. I'd never ever go home ever again. Never see my family or friends. Never see my daughter grow up. A tear trickled down my cheek, unbidden.

"Rhae, are you alright?" Laena asked concernedly from beside me. "Why are you crying?"

"I… I wonder why." I softly sobbed, unable to wear my mask of the perfect princess anymore. "I'm sorry Uncle, Aunt, but I appear to have lost my appetite. I am tired and would like to retire for the evening."

The rest of the evening passed by in a blur. I didn't remember bathing and putting on a sleeping shift, curling up in the provided guest bed and weeping my heart out onto the pillows. The sound of the door opening caught my attention and I forced myself to sit up, glaring balefully at whomever decided to interrupt my misery.

Laena wordlessly pushed me back into bed, holding me close as she curled up beside me.

"There there. Let it all out." She whispered, petting my head delicately. "I'll be here for as long as you need. I'll always be here for you."

———

103 AC, Dragonstone

"Is this fine, Princess?" Rhaenys concernedly asked.

"Perfect." I declared, taking in the isolated cliffside we were at. Nothing save a few scarred trees and the sea below.

"Good. It's where I used to go when my parents were being too annoying or I grew tired of being polite with people." Rhaenys told me, slapping the hilt of a shortsword into my hands. "Scream and shout all you want. Trash a few trees. Get it all out of your system. Nobody can hear or see you."

"Thank you." I sincerely said, Rhaenys nodding in response.

"I'll go circle the island once." The Lady of the Tides replied. "Give you some privacy to get all the poison out."

At that, she turned and mounted Meleys, before taking off, leaving me behind. Alone. Truly alone. For the first time since I was born. There was no Kingsguard outside my door. No servants but a bell away. No family in the adjoining rooms. No secret passages. No expectations. No witnesses.

I took a deep breath, before drawing the sword in a single move and slashing the nearest tree. I screamed and shouted, an incoherent torrent of every swear word I knew in a dozen languages. Curses, directed to everyone from God to the driver of the truck that killed me. I screamed and raged about all my frustrations and longing.

I wailed and sobbed.

I raged and cursed.

I grieved and despaired.

I let all my emotions out, like a boil that had been lanced. A cup that was being emptied. Until there was nothing left inside me. I fell to the ground, exhausted, curling up in the black earth.

I don't know how long I laid there. It might have been an hour. It might have been a millisecond, but the flapping of wings drew my attention. I sat back up, pulling myself together. My mask went up, I painted a serene smile on my face and dusted my clothes off. Finding a rock to lounge languidly on.

"I am Rhaenyra Targaryen." I ordered myself. "I am here and now."

By the time Meleys landed, I was myself once again.

"This has been a most pleasant diversion, Auntie." I smiled. "But I would like to be taken back to Driftmark now. I've wasted enough time moping around."