Chapter 33: Mistress of Driftmark

113 AC

Blackwater Bay

Gaelithox skimmed through the waters of the Blackwater as we flew straight to Driftmark, the feeling of the water splashing on me made me think of simpler times, back when my father, Daemon, and I used to fly over the Bay without a care in the world, Baelon the Brave was the Heir to the throne, no one could dispute that and all political scheming between the nobles dared not to touch us and then it all died.

Thanks to Massey's Hook most of the Blackwater is relatively calm from the storms that ravage the Narrow Sea, only Dragonstone suffers from the occasional storm and once in a Blue Moon, a hurricane might occur that devastates the land but the people always recover.

A telltale sign that Spicetown was close was the increase in ships that I encountered, galleys, carracks, cogs, whalers, fishing boats, and many more ships from all over, after I nearly collided with a Braavosi carrack, I cracked my whip to signal Gaelithox to fly higher and soon enough the pale white towers of High Tide and it's glimmering silver roofs came into view and immediately following that, the town of Spicetown and its crowded wharves, seagulls flying over the masts of ships from all over Westeros and the Free Cities, some entering the harbor and others unloading their cargo, and a few departing.

I turn towards the left to a part of the beach where I know that Corlys cordoned off to make a place for the dragons of his wife and children and for those who might visit and as Gaelithox glides over the dunes in search of a landing spot, I see the massive form of Vhagar sleeping peacefully though I imagine that us passing by may have woken her up, hopefully, she is not in a mood to kill me.

I wonder what happens when the Old Hag farts, will it destroy the ecosystem of Driftmark if I didn't know better I along with any other sensible man would have presumed that it was only a matter of time before she croaks in the middle of a flight and falls into the water with her rider like how Viserys feared with Balerion but it seems that the Saggy bitch will live for at least two decades more.

I find a good spot to land and Gaelithox lands as quietly as he can, but it seems that it wasn't quite enough if the peeking and curious head of Seasmoke from the dunes is anything to go by, and soon enough his master Laenor and his master's friend, a redhaired man who I believe is Joffrey Lonmouth come into view and as I remove my chains and dismount, the Dragonkeepers in Driftmark arrive.

I walk toward Laenor and say, "Is your mother here, Laenor I wish to speak with her and with your father."

Laenor icily replies, "You weren't expected, Prince Aegon, we received no word of your arrival."

"That is because I came without telling anyone, I merely wish to speak with them, so are they present here in High Tide," I answered in a placating manner.

"Mother is, Father is in the Hull, he has been staying in Castle Driftmark for the past few months," Laenor reveals after a few seconds of hesitation.

The Hull, the place where one would find a certain Mouse, she may or may not be pregnant at this point, after the Rogare debacle, there was a huge fight between Corlys and Rhaenys which resulted in Corlys leaving High Tide, and going to Driftmark, if nothing else but to save his skin from his dragon rider wife.

"No matter, I wished to speak with your mother anyways," I declared as a few guards arrived with horses.

Hall of Nine, High Tide

"Cousin, you look stunning on this fine day," I began with a smarmy grin which ticked off the one person who I shouldn't be ticking off.

"Cut the crap, Aegon why are you here?" She cut me off in a no-nonsense tone that I expected. She sat upon the Driftwood throne with a regal air that Viserys couldn't match, there was nobody else in the Hall other than a few guards, and she dismissed all the courtiers upon my arrival which is something I hoped for.

"You seem to be in a bad mood," I replied dryly as I walked about looking at the statutes with nonchalance.

"Just answer the damn question, Aegon, don't try my patience, these past few months have been a trying time it all began when you showed up for my daughter's wedding uninvited along with a few others who were also not invited," She replies with gritted teeth, her purple eyes burning with anger with dark circles under them. Ever since the assassinations, she has been paranoid that a Faceless man still resides in Driftmark. I can't blame her for her fears, Faceless men are no joke, and the fear they inspire with their name alone is enough to give a person a heart attack.

I raised my hands in an attempt to placate her, not that it did, "First of all, I was invited by the Rogares, second I had nothing to do with the assassins who killed the Rogares, and third I have come to enquire about the health of your daughter, it must have been a harrowing experience."

"My daughter has recovered from her experience, she had no love for that banker and a few rides with Vhagar cleared all troubles with her mind," Rhaenys replied, I had no idea that mental health problems in Westeros could be so easily solved, then I wonder why didn't Maegor feel better a few rides on Balerion.

She continued, "Aren't you due to marry Rhaenyra by the end of this year, are you here to gloat over that, I suggest that you go to Driftmark castle and do that to my husband, he deserves it," She stops to take her breath before continuing, "I have to say of all the people to marry Rhaenyra, you were the last I expected yet the most obvious."

I answered with a nod "Yes, about that wedding, I am here for that very reason, to invite you and your family, I know that House Velaryon has a troubled relationship with House Targaryen but I think that it is time to put such troubles behind us, and let bygones be bygones, the realm, and our family is not served by having a dispute between dragons."

"Let bygones be bygones," She asks mockingly, "Do you have any idea what bygones you are talking about, or has your mind become addled with Rhaenyra's teats that you have forgotten what happened five years ago, and yes, the talk that you have been bedding Rhaenyra reached the Wall."

I narrow my eyes, "Careful now Rhaenys, I am trying to resolve problems, I would prefer it if you didn't go out of your way to create more." If I told her about the Mouse, I can foresee that the Hull and Castle Driftmark would become burnt-out ruins similar to Harrenhal. Rhaenys already holds Corlys responsible for endangering Laena's life with the risky match, and while she might claim otherwise, I know full well that she is tired of the pursuit of the throne. It has done nothing but causes misery and humiliation for her.

She smirked, "I am not creating any problems merely stating them, the mere fact that you are here in High Tide is because you need my help, your hands are full dealing with the Hightowers, and you can't afford another enemy."

She continues with a shrewd look, "Of course, you could prevail over the Hightowers all by yourself but you need a reputation of a conciliator and not a bloodthirsty tyrant if you want to keep the realm together under Rhaenyra."

"Great, you figured out my reason, so what is your price and what is your husband's price?" I asked after rolling my eyes.

"You think that I can be brought over like another noble who begs for your favor," She asked with a raised eyebrow and a sense of incredulity.

"Maybe not you but your husband certainly," I replied with a smirk that brought a frown to her face.

"Careful now, Aegon, I am not one to be cowed by your threats nor one to fall for your promises, there is plenty of unfinished business between us or have you forgotten what happened in the Stepstones," Rhaenys reminded me with a glare.

"For the hundredth time, I had nothing to do with it, Boremund's death is not my fault," I exclaimed exasperatedly, this fixation on Boremund is starting to grate my nerves.

"Yes, that is true isn't it, you had nothing to do with Boremund's death and I believe that you are not so perfidious to do something of the sort but you have protected the person responsible for it despite everything he has done," She says with a snarl toward the end.

There was nothing I could say in Daemon's defense so for a few moments we stayed quiet before I said, "Nothing I do will bring your uncle back from the dead, and even if I were to expose Daemon's role in Bloodstone it would do nothing but bring more harm to the realm, he holds the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea if I were to denounce him, the Lords of the Realm will demand punishment from Viserys which will provoke Daemon into declaring independence which will bring us back to what it was back when the Triarchy ruled the Stepstones with Craghas Drahar."

Rhaenys replied thoughtfully after listening to me "If Daemon were to declare independence, he will be surrounded by enemies, the Braavosi-controlled Myr and Tyrosh are no friends of his and with the Rogares gone, Lys is not in the position to help, the Dornish will prove to be a greater and a more deadly nuisance than before and of course, yourself, it is your presence here that keeps Daemon from doing anything rash."

Yes, I was the only one keeping Daemon from doing anything rash, things have been suspiciously quiet as of late from the Stepstones, the only newsworthy item I heard was the Daemon whipped the messenger who brought him the news of my marriage to death, but that was expected, no declarations of independence, no increase in tolls for ships or anything, he is planning something, everyone from Otto to Viserys knows it.

"Aside from Daemon, anything else I can do to make the sting of betrayal hurt less," I asked her as a few servants came with the wine, about time.

I poured for the two of us as she said, "A pact was made in Oldtown, wherein Viserys' heir would marry one of my children, and with Rhaenyra being made the Princess of Dragonstone, we figured that it would be Laenor who would marry Rhaenyra."

I gave her a cup as I said, "The pact also included grandchildren, besides Viserys was considering Laenor as a match for Rhaenyra, and with Mellos championing the match, it could have come to fruition, if only you didn't try to force Viserys' hand on the matter, it was after the Rogare match that Viserys approached me in desperation."

She had a look of regret as she said, "I opposed the match from the start, my daughter was worth far more than what a banker could give her but Corlys feared that Viserys was about to marry Rhaenyra to you, the rumors after the White stag hunt certainly didn't help, Corlys felt he needed to remind Viserys, and that turned out much worse than I could have possibly imagined."

"Didn't imagine the Faceless men taking out the Rogare brothers, I saw that coming a mile away, no one in Essos could stomach such a marriage, I won't be surprised if nearly every Magister and Bank in Essos contributed to the amount the Faceless men might have charged," I said with a shrug as I chugged down the Arbor gold before going to refill.

She nodded into her cup, "Yes, I knew it was a matter of time before the Rogares paid for their unceasing ambition but I never imagined that the Faceless men would strike during the wedding, that they would be in High Tide, and even now knowing that they were here in High Tide, so close to us where they could have easily slipped in poison for everyone else makes me more than a little worried."

I responded with a shrug, "If it makes you feel any better, I doubt anyone in Essos can afford to pay for a dragon rider's life, else Daemon and I would be long dead."

She deadpans, "No, Aegon, it does not make me feel any better to know that people are there to pay for our deaths but can't because they are too poor, though you have enough and more enemies in Westeros who might try something like that."

I waved off her concerns, "Please, even if that fool Jason Lannister mined every vein of gold inside the Rock and extracted every single gold nugget he could find to hire, all he would do is drop the value of gold to the point that everything he has is worthless."

She counters, "They need not hire an assassin, they can do it on their own, and with the danger that you possess to the Hightower's ambitions, there is a good chance that you might be poisoned."

I couldn't dismiss her concerns as they were legitimate fears that I had, "I am aware and I am prepared for such an eventuality but I can only go forward if the House of the Dragon is united to face such a threat."

Her face hardens upon hearing that, "Since when did House Velaryon become a part of the House of the Dragon, our grandfather told me that clearly when he passed me over as heir."

I responded evenly "I am not our grandfather and have you forgotten, both your children are dragon riders, three dragon riders in House Velaryon, a similar number to House Targaryen but much more united."

She scoffs "Yes if that is one thing House Targaryen can be counted on is to be divided at some point or the other."

I let out a sigh, "Please Rhaenys, dark clouds are approaching and we must stand together else we fall alone, you want your blood on the throne, then fine, once Laenor or Laena have children we betroth them, and have their children betrothed to Alicent's grandchildren, to tie the family up."

She looked impressed, "You have planned well into the future, haven't you, though I must say this, these marriages to hold the family together are quite fragile, they will break upon the slightest touch, and don't tell me that you have forgotten your sons and Daemon's daughter."

She continues, "There are simply too many Targaryens, and unlike Lannisters or Hightowers, we simply can't stand the thought of being a minor cousin of the mainline, and with dragons in the mix, it is only a matter of time before things blow up."

I tiredly shake my head, "You think that I don't know that but in the end, I have tried what I can, so let's cross each bridge when we come to it, so will it be Laenor or Laena's children."

Rhaenys leans back into her chair "Laena has sworn off marriage and I don't blame her for it, she has told her father that should any man seek to marry her, he first has to get Vhagar's approval." Rhaenys finishes with a laugh. I pity the fool who will dare to go face to face with that hag, I used to have daily flights on her and even now I am scared of that bitch.

She continues this time cautiously, "As for Laenor... we are still searching for an appropriate match." The lingering pause on Laenor and the reason for it was something anybody could catch on to.

I poured us more wine as I said "So be it, I shall wait until you find a match for Laenor or Laena but you and your family will have to come to the wedding, I will not budge on that."

She took the cup with a light laugh "Yes, Aegon, we shall come to the wedding, you have my word on that, if nothing else but to see both Otto and Corlys have their dreams dashed."