Chapter 56: The Princess and the General

The wind carried a scent of sea and smoke as Syrax descended upon the battered towers of Pyke. The great dragon along with seasmoke circled once above the ruins of the Ironborn fleet, the wreckage of war littering the harbor. Rhaenyra Targaryen sat tall in her saddle, the light of the early morning glinting off her silver-gold hair. Laenor Velaryon, riding seasmoke landed just beside her, his gaze fixed on the scorched remnants of the infamous Greyjoy stronghold.

Rodrik Arryn stood at the gates of Dunluce Castle, the seat of House Greyjoy, now under his temporary command. Behind him stood his war council, Jaymee, Lord Howland Torrent, and others who had led their men through the brutal conquest. As Syrax landed, Rodrik felt a strange sense of nostalgia.

He remembered Rhaenyra as a girl—spirited, curious, unburdened by politics. But as she descended, flanked by guards and cloaked in regal intent, Rodrik saw a different woman. A mother of two, heir to the Iron Throne, and a player in the deadly game of succession. Her eyes had hardened, her jaw set with steel. She was no longer the innocent he once walked the gardens of the Red Keep with.

Their greetings were formal.

"Princess Rhaenyra," Rodrik bowed.

"Lord Arryn," she replied, curtsying with practiced grace.

Rodrik led them through the shattered halls of the keep. As they walked, Rhaenyra watched the people around them. Soldiers, thralls, freed folk, even the smallfolk—all eyes turned to Rodrik not with fear or mere respect, but something deeper. Reverence. She saw the kind of loyalty that books did not capture. It wasn't the loyalty given to lords because of birthright or blood. This was the kind of bond forged through fire, battle, and sacrifice.

A group of injured men bowed deeply to Rodrik, and Rhaenyra noticed one of them press a bloodied hand to his heart. Another, a young woman who had clearly once been a saltwife, looked at him with tears in her eyes and whispered a blessing.

It unnerved her more than she expected. If Rodrik commanded these people to march into fire, she suspected they would.

Laenor spoke clearly, "By order of His Grace, Viserys Targaryen, the following terms are to be enacted: the Iron Islands shall not be annexed to the Vale, nor any singular house therein. The region shall remain under the Crown's authority. Prince Aegon Targaryen is to be appointed Lord Protector of the Iron Islands."

Rodrik narrowed his eyes.

"Aegon?" he muttered, though everyone in the room knew he wasn't truly surprised.

Rhaenyra watched him closely. "You expected many of these terms, I'm sure. But not this."

Rodrik nodded slowly. "No, I did not. But I suppose it's clever. Aegon gains a foothold. The Crown appeases the Ironborn—those that remain. And I am expected to smile and give up what my men died for."

"You're not being asked to give it all up," Rhaenyra replied. "There are compensations to be negotiated."

Rodrik smiled faintly. "Then let us negotiate."

Initially he wanted to ask for lands for people loyal to him like for Jaymee he was going to ask for lands & titles of House Harlaw but when he heard about Aegon being the new Lord Paramount of Iron Islands he doesn't want to do that as It could lead to a possible future in which they might be standing in opposite sides. But still he didn't want to suffer a loss in this so he placed lots of conditions like tax benefits & deals that will help Vale vastly. These conditions was acceptable to Rhaenerya as she expected this much. But Rodrik added one part that there is one condition of his that he will only tell the king only then he will agree to all the conditions brought by Rhaenerya.

Rhaenerya insisted that he can tell her as Heir to the throne she has the authority to allow it but Rodrik remained adamant that he will only tell the king.

After all the official talks has ended Rhaenerya & Laenor went to rest. Rodrik also got to work to wrap up all things. His new sword Red Falcon strapped by his side. Like a child he just wanted all this to be over with so that he can do all kinds of tests on this metal.

In the evening Rhaenerya was sitting in Rodrik's temperary office where he was just sipping some wiskey.

" So Lord Arryn you have done many things in few years, defeating the mountain clans, helping daemon defeat the crab feeder & now this. They think you are some kind of man blessed by the gods" Rhaenerya said to Rodrik.

" I am not blessed by God, I just have some common sense which most of these people don't suppose to have" Rodrik said nonchalantly.

" But are you not angry that you fought & won this war but Aegon is becoming the lord of this land not you" Rhaenerya said to Rodrik.

Rodrik knew that she was trying to get a rise out of him. But he truly wasn't bothered about that.

" It's not to much of a bother for me as I had no intentions to hold these lands. So it doesn't matter to me who becomes it's Lord. My only concern was to not let it go back to its old ways" Rodrik said while looking at Rhaenerya.

Rodrik tried to change the topic & asked " So are you happy in your Marriage with Laenor?"

Rhaenerya was taken back " Yes I am very happy, Laenor is a good man".

" I am happy for you" Rodril replied.

Rhaenerya looked at Rodrik for a long time & asked " Why did you not tried asking my hand from father. I thought you fancied me".

" I did & I thought that the task of Kings Landing His Grace gave me was to confirm if I am worthy of you so I put my whole in that but later he bethrothed you to Laenor & I found out that I was being tested but not for your hand but to confirm that whether I am subservient to the throne or not" Rodrik replied.

Rhaenerya knew that his father was considering Rodrik for her suitor but due to her night out with Daemon fearing the loss of reputation for her he bethrothed her to Laenor even going to HighTide himself to seal the deal.

" Tell me one thing every Lord in the seven kingdoms except the Northeners wants to be near to Iron throne & Targeryen family to be near the center of power but you always have tried to avoid getting involved with us & you could even have a seat at small council but you refuse these things. Northerners I can understand they have no ambitions & just wanted to spend their life in their snow castle but you are full of ambition. I dare say you have it more than anybody. So why?" Rhaenerya asked Rodrik.

Rodrik took some time he could give her a political answer & get on with his life but no matter how much he tries his heart still goes out to her even after all this time so he decided to give her a clue about the future. What she is going to do with that is her choice.

Rodrik answered after making his mind " Because I think Targeryens are doomed to be in the center of chaos & tragedy. I think gods are too invested in your family & I don't want to capture their attention".

Rhaenerya froze with that comment & then laughed" Haha...are you kidding Rodrik".

Rodrik kept on his theory "I am not kidding. Tell me this Do you believe in magic?"

Rhaenerya had to say yes as she & her family is the living proof of magic. Humans able to ride & tame dragons there is no other explanation then that.

Rodrik continues the observation" so if Magic exist God's also exist. Now tell me have you heard about the kingdom of dawn where immortals ruled there. Such magic existed which we can't even imagine now but the times changed & thay kingdom fell & with it magic became uncommon in this world. Then the eradication of Children of forests who broke the arm of dorn with thier magic. Then came the Valerion freehold thousand dragons, blood wizards became the shining beacon of magic in this world. They eradicated the Rhoynar people & with that eradicated the Water magic from this world. Then came the doom which eradicated the Valerion freehold. How is that possible that all thirteen volcanos erupted at the same time & every other dragon riders got eradicated except the Targeryens. I mean there were forty dragon riding families but only Targeryen survived though the dreams Denin the dreamer had like God only wanted your family to survive. Now why do you think princess that God's wanted your family to survive when they so clearly are on a path to eradicate magic from this world?".

Rhaenerya gotten frozen by Rodrik's discriptions of events as she never thought about these events like that. After some thinking she had a realisation " Because we are required to do something which only we could do"

" Correct, as per the pattern no survivors were left of a magical race in this world when gods decided to remove them but you Targeryens were spared because your family must have a part to play in his plan" Rodrik replied.

Rhaenerya felt a chill like never before because it colluded with the prophecy made by Aegon Targeryen about the Prince that was promised coming from there blood who will defeat the death & save the world. So as per Rodrik's deduction the only reason they were spared was because Gods wanted them to play there part in eradicating the evil. She tried to mask her suprise & said " What task do you think Gods have planned for us then in your theory?"

Rodrik knew that Rhaenerya was catching on & continued " I can't guess the exact reason & task but it must be very important as Gods have postponed their plan of eradicating Magic from the world. But do you know I have one more theory".

" What?" Rhaenerya asked sounding desperate.

" I think they don't want your family to became too powerfull. They don't want another freehold to be created so they limit your families power time to time" Rodrik said knowing he was going into dangerous territory but still continuing as he has made his mind.

" What do you mean by that?" Rhaenerya asked.

" I mean think about it Aegon the conqueror had two sons & who gave him six grandchildrens but only 2 survived their maturity those 2 had given birth to thirteen children's all of which died other then Vaemond & Saera before reaching a good age & just look at the reason like fallen from a horse or burst belly or ran away with a singer. Do you really think all this can happen on itself. It's like they are punishing you for extending your power beyond the boundaries they have set for you. In the time of your father there was also war which would have happened if King Jaehaerys didnt took votes & now again it's happening you have children's, Queen Alicent have children's all of them have dragons. Which I think will again move the gods against your family" Rodrik concluded the story as briefly as he could.

Rhaenerya didn't believed those words show couldn't so she took her leave.

The hour was late, and Laenor had long since retired, exhausted from the day's negotiations. Rhaenyra stood by the narrow window, arms folded across her chest, gazing out toward the moonlit sea.

She couldn't sleep.

Rodrik's words haunted her—not because they were true, but because of how precisely they echoed the whispers she had buried in her own heart.

"We are the fire made flesh." Her father had said that once. But fire burns... it consumes.

Her mind ran wild, remembering the names and fates Rodrik spoke of—Daenys, Aegon's sons, the fallen children of Jaehaerys. Even her uncle Daemon, with his restlessness and disdain for stability. Even herself, walking a line so fragile that her father had to beg the realm to accept her.

Was it all random? Or was Rodrik right? Was it the will of something older and more cruel?

She shook her head furiously, gripping the windowsill.

> Rhaenyra (softly): "We were spared for a reason."

But then came the chilling thought.

"But what about after the reason is fullfilled?"

She clenched her jaw, walking back to the desk where Rodrik had laid his old maps and letters. A candle flickered beside the blackened parchment, casting shadows like claws across her face.

She thought of his face—how he didn't speak those words with hate or envy, but with grief. Like a man who saw something terrible coming and knew no one would believe him.

She sat in silence for hours, unable to let go of the weight of his theory. By the time dawn crept over the sea, her eyes were still open, bloodshot but awake.