The Heir of the Dragon: A Rhaenyra Targaryen Quest

Well I don't think the voter is gonna change at this point so might as well close it.

---

"I'm most grateful you found the time for our lessons, Princess," Lord Lyonel Strong said kindly as the two of you sat in his office. The two of you seperated by a large stack of tomes upon his desk.

"You did say we would begin our tutoring upon my return," you noted.

"This is true," he nodded, "but you are home half a year earlier than expected and with Prince Qoren visiting, further delays would not have surprised me. Never the less, we are here now, so let's get to work."

The Master of Laws pulled out a number of letters and a few books, one of which you noticed had a Direwolf design on it's cover.

"Now, I think we should begin with a review of your rulings on your Royal Progress, if you don't mind." he said.

"Of course," you nodded.

"Now, I will no doubt be repeating your father," Lyonel began,"but your handling of Ser Arnold Arryn was rash and dangerous."

Old feelings stirred within you at the mention of that traitor.

"He had committed treason against my cousin and insulted my honor," your voiced proud and defiant of any judgement. "I had no other recourse."

"You had your sworn shield at your side. You very much had other options," Lyonel observed.

"I would have looked weak had I depended on Ser Raylon in that moment," you countered.

"Defending you and fighting on your behalf is one of Ser Raylon's main duties," he remarked. "You would look no more weaker than your father would for having Ser Westerling fight on his behalf."

"My father does not have teats," you declared bluntly. "Ser Arnold was trying to undermine my authority to act as justicar on my father's behalf purely because I am a woman and threw around vile slander he would have never dared utter in front of my father."

It grated at you, that Ser Arnold had acted so offensively, spoken so slanderously of you and Jeyne's character and yet everyone acted like you were supposed to take some sort of moral high road. That you were to just accept the mockery with a stoic facade.

"The man's behavior was abhorrent for sure," Lord Strong acknowledged, "and your actions did strengthen Lady Jeyne's position well, removing a key figure of opposition without her being marked as a kinslayer, something that would not have been possible otherwise, but you have undermined your position in the process. To the realm at large, you seem easily provoked and emotional."

You bristled at the comment in silence.

"From what Lord Stark writes, you fared much better in Winterfell," he moved on. "Many in your position would be keen to let the farmer off easily, there were mitigating circumstances after all, but your ruling kept to the law, as you should. Had you given that man leniency it would have encouraged others to take up poaching as well."

"That was one of my concerns as well," you noted.

"Poaching is a serious offense in all kingdoms, but none more so than the North. They need those forests for the Winter," Lyonel explained. "As for the other cases, the merchant ruling was fair. And while I'm not familiar with the Whitehills or Forresters, I believe your ruling was sound. Though I would advise caution in the future, from what Lord Stark has wrote me it sounds like the two houses are long time rivals and matters in those situations can become very complex."

"The Forresters didn't give me much choice on that matter," you replied.

"Yes, the word of one dead man is hardly enough cause to take action," Lyonel nodded. "Anyways, I believe your rulings, for the most part show sound judgement. This is an important quality in any Master of Laws."

You shifted awkwardly in your seat, the weight of your possible duty feeling uncomfortably heavy in that moment.

"I'm still not sure this is the role I'm best suited for on the Small Council," you noted. "None of the rulings in Winterfell came easy to me. I found myself agonizing over each decision, second guessing myself and wondering if I should make a simple ruling or push for something more complex."

To your surprise, Lyonel smile at your words.

"What I am hearing is you came to sound decisions after considering all options," he replied reassuringly. "Too much certainty and conviction can be just as dangerous, if not more so, as weak willed dithering when it comes to matters of the law."

The Lord of Harrenhal straightened his back, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"The Master of Laws duty is towards the stability of the realm. They need to display a firm hand when the times call for it," he explained, "but they also need to know when the smallfolk and nobility require a gentle hand to ease fears and tension. Sometimes the laws must be rigid in their enforcement, other times the laws themselves need to be amended to adjust to a new ruler."

"And how do you know when to be firm, and when to be kind?" you asked.

"That will always be a struggle," Lyonel admitted without hesitation, "though one that with training and experience, will be much easier for you in time."

Lord Strong began to explain what would be involved in his mentorship. For starters, he had tomes upon tomes of laws and the history around them that he wanted you to not only study, but also return to him in time and give detailed notes on your thoughts. While he also wanted you to keep up your duties as cup bearer at the Small Council, something that frustrated you more than a little, he wanted you to keep a sharper ear on the conversations. In time, he wanted you to discuss with him your thoughts on various matters after Small Council meetings, but for now he simply wanted you to keep listening as best you could.

The most important thing he wanted you to do right now was that he wanted you to sit in at court. See how your Father, and Otto when your father was too busy with other matters, ruled on various matters both large and small. Seeing how they ruled would help you better understand the flexibility you would need for a council position. Once he felt you progressed enough, then the two of you would talk more about the expectations of a Master of Laws and what your duties would be in that role.

You didn't got to court much. At first because your repeated fights with the stable hands became a source of frequent complaints at court and later because it just seemed a waste of time. Why watch others work when you could be busy doing other, more productive things by yourself?

The rebellious part of you resented being told around and just observe, but the academic in you could understood his reasoning.

As the two of you talked, you found yourself wondering about things. Mainly why Lyonel Strong seemed so uninterested in marrying his son to you? As you talked it was clear he didn't hold any real dislike for you and supported your status as heir, if only because it was your father's will admittedly. So why wouldn't he jump at a chance to have his family marry yours? You weren't insulted by any means, but it did seem odd.

Part of you was tempted to ask why. Figure out if he had some important reason for his disinterest or if he just saw a possible marriage as too much of a hassle for his family.

Then again, you weren't in any hurry to marry. You had to consider it with Qoren because he was in the city, but there was nothing forcing you to consider Harwin right now. Breakbones was appealing sure, though you had little interest in marriage at the moment. You could always speak to Lyonel another time if need be.

Relationship with Lyonel Strong Improved

You have Begun Your Mentorship Under Lord Strong. You Are Expected to Attend Court, Study Law or Speak with Lord Lyonel Strong At Least Once Every Three Turns

New Action Unlocked

Do You Approach the Topic With Lord Strong?

[] [Strong] Ask why he's not interesting in marrying his son to you.

[] [Strong] Avoid the Topic For Now

---

While your father's advice had comforted you a fair deal, you still had no intention of just ignoring your dream. You wanted answers. You needed to understand if anything Aelora had said was really true and what that meant.

Thankfully, Qoren's arrival meant your father was much too busy during the day to work on his model of Valyria, giving you free reign to explore his Valyrian texts. You had haunted the libraries enough in recent years to know what you were looking for would not be easy. You were effectively looking for a prophecy from a woman who had not even been born yet. You expected little and yet you still found yourself surprised by how frustrating your search was.

Day after day, you searched for through tome after tome for something about dragons dancing and fates being weaved since the Doom, and found little and less. You thought you had something promising after you discovered the fragement writings of a Vale merchant who had traveled to Valyria some decades before the Doom when he mentioned dragon riders dancing. A few days of searching for further records would end in bitter frustration when you discovered that it was referring to an actual dance, apparently a scion of the Belaerys family of dragonlords had danced with someone visiting from Volantis, someone far below her station, which had caused quite the stir.

Prophecy was not often wrote about in the texts. Apparently such things were usually inscribed into Valyrian steel directly, judging by your father's words, and the few mentions you did find were vague and deeply confusing. In a remote corner of the library, buried near some tomes about Valyria so ancient they threatened to crumble just at your touch, you found one that made vague reference to dragons returning under a bleeding star.

Dragons returning? To where? Valyria? The whole text confused you, but it seemed important enough to preserve so you moved it into your father's collection to ensure it was properly cared for.

A thought occurred to you. The woman claimed that this dance she spoke of was written about since the Doom. Most of the texts you were exploring were from before that. So, you switched focus, looking through more modern sources like Septon Barth. His more public writings contained a great deal about dragons but nothing about them dancing. You had hoped to find the former hand's personal records as well, but so far you efforts had turned up nothing. You had a thought that you might find something useful in the Targaryen records made between the Doom and Aegon's reign, but most of those remained on Dragonstone.

You switched focus once again, focusing on Harrenhal. You figured if you better understood the cursed castle it might explain the dream better. Most of what you found on the keep referred to things you already knew or talked about, mainly the less than great luck it's rulers have in the past century. But one thing did catch your attention, and it turned out not to be from a book on the castle at all. An account of the reign of Storm King Arlan III Durrandon mentioned that during his conquest he stayed for the night near God's Eye during his campaign in the Riverlands. Several of his lords had encouraged him to build a castle along the lake to provide a central point for bannermen in the Riverlands to rally against any invaders. But the Storm King had rejected it on account of the thick grove of Weirwood trees on the location. The last wild grove of weirwood trees south of the wall outside of the Isle of Faces. Despite being faithful to the Seven, something about the ancient grove unsettled the Storm King.

So, Alys was telling the truth about much of the castle being made using lumber from weirwood trees. Which raised the question, how did Alys know about that? Most records from the Riverlands pre-Ironborn conquest were lost either during the invasion or when Harrenhal itself burned, as were most accounts of Harrenhal's construction. So how did Alys know so much about it?

You weren't entire sure who Alys Rivers was. She wasn't important enough for Lord Strong to introduce you during your visit to Harrenhal, yet she seemed too well versed on history to be just a commonborn bastard. You didn't think she was lying to you back then, but the whole encounter with her had been rather unusual now that you really think about it and you suspected she knew more about your dream than she let on.

You could just ask Lord Strong about it, but you didn't have high hopes for him having answers. Your best chance was to go to Alys herself. If nothing else, she might know more about the castle and how it affected or even created your dream. But that would take a bit of time. You'd need to find an excuse to go on an extended flight with Syrax.

You felt frustrated. So much searching and you were left with more questions than when you began.

+2 Stress

Learning Improved

New Action Unlocked

---

You watched from a distance as your father and Qoren spoke, the latter painting a picture of the gardens as they did. Even from a distance they seemed to be getting along well enough. You could see the prince having to put down his brush for a moment as he laughed heavily, your father grinning from ear to ear.

Your father could be quite charming when he wanted, easily making fast friends with most people. Lord Strong, Beesbury and the Grand Maester all seemed to love him. Even Daemon in his own way seemed to care a great deal more about your father than he did perhaps anyone else alive. His charm didn't work on everyone though, as Lord Corlys showed. But your father had an easier way with people than you by a considerable margin.

The sound of footsteps across the stone filled your ears and you turned to see Rhaenys Targaryen approaching. Her hair all done up, hands held in front of her, a calm expression on her aged face.

"Does it disturb you, knowing your father could be discussing your future at this very moment?" She asked as her eyes turned to the distant figures of Qoren and your father.

"What makes you so sure they are discussing me?" you questioned.

"The prince is unmarried and you two are close in age. Your father has too much sense to not bring up the idea at least," Rhaenys replied.

Of course, in reality, the prospect of a marriage was the main reason the Prince was even here at all, but you weren't going to openly admit that.

"If I find the match not to my liking, my father has assured me I have every right to refuse," you replied.

"Until he realizes the marriage offers him too much," Rhaenys countered pointedly. "If the Prince is willing to consider joining the realm, there is not a king that has ever existed that would consider his daughter's hand too high a price."

Her words were not bitter, but there was an undeniable edge to them.

You turned to face your older cousin.

"Are you warning me, or are you here to offer me an alternative?" you questioned.

"You think I mean to offer my son Laenor's hand in marriage?" Rhaenys starred at you owlishly.

"You would hardly be the first person to think they could persuade me into a marriage by going to me directly instead of my father," you recalled your conversation with both Gwayne and the Manderlys. "It would not be the first time you and your husband pushed one of your children at our side of the family."

A bit blunt perhaps, but the way Rhaenys spoke to you was setting you on edge.

"Pushing that marriage was not my idea," Rhaenys countered sharply. "Laena was much too young, but I understand the order of things."

That was good to hear at least. Though the biting remark at the end did little to ease your growing frustration. You ignored it for the moment.

"And I can't help but notice that much like the Prince," you observed, "Laenor and I are close in age, much closer than Laena and my father."

Rhaenys stared at you with a skeptical expression for a long moment.

"If you wish to marry Laenor, you should write to my husband. I'm sure he would be quite interested in the offer," Rhaenys declared. "And I will not stop it, but I also will not encourage such a match. I do not think you would find marriage to my son to your liking."

"Does he intend to remain unmarried for the rest of his life, like Lady Jeyne?" You asked, a hint of a smirk on your face.

You'd been around Laenor Velayron long enough growing up to hear the rumors about him. He was an adventurous lad, good with a sword, but he was overly fond of hanging out with other boys, squires, stable hands and such.

Rhaenys stare turned harsh and withering.

"I do not judge," you put up your hands defensively. "If it is a matter of preference, Laenor would find no one more sympathetic and understanding than I."

The tension in Rhaenys faded for a moment and you could swear her expression turned almost sympathetic.

"That is not my concern," she said simply.

"Really?" You were surprised. "Now I'm curious. I'm far from eager to get married, but most lords and ladies of the realm are quite eager to throw their sons at me. Why not you?"

"Because I can see you do not understand the order of things," Rhaenys replied curtly.

"And what is that suppose to mean?" You asked with increased frustration.

"Sooner or later, Lady Johanna will bear your father a son, and when that happens and your father one day passes, the lords of the realm will expect him to be heir, not you," Rhaenys explained. "And even if that doesn't happen, the lords will use a marriage to the Prince of Dorne or some other excuse to push you aside in favor of Daemon, because that is the order of things."

Fury began to bubble inside of you.

"My father made them all swear an oath," you replied curtly. "That I was heir before Daemon and any sons that might come."

"And they will hold to your oath only so long as your father is alive," Rhaenys declared. "Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne."

"That is an absurdity," you scoffed. "Plenty of women have ruled in their own name through history, and even now Lady Jeyne is the rightful lady of the Vale."

"The Iron Throne is different," Rhaenys shook her head. "The Great Council showed the men of the realm do not see us as worthy of sitting upon it."

"No Great Council made me heir," your voice dropped to a low growl. "My father did. I am heir by right and by will. No lord can take that away from me."

"And I am informing you that will not matter to the Lords," Rhaenys tone reminded you of one of your tutors. "They will not allow it."

"Do I look like someone who simply accepts what the lords of the realm say?" You gestured sharply towards yourself. "I did not become a knight by meekly obeying the men around me."

"As far as the lords of the realm are concerned, that title means nothing," Rhaenys scoffed. "Merely the act of all too lenient father trying to appease his willful daughter. "

You were quite grateful Qoren and your father were not closer, else they might have heard your argument.

"I earned my knighthood!" you declared sharply. "Ask your Baratheon cousins about the tourney. There is not a single man I faced on that field who remained ahorse by the time I was done!"

How dare she! How dare she! What right did she have to come here to dismiss everything you earned, everything that was yours by right?

"Oh believe me, Boremund has written me extensively about the tourney and what befell Borros. I am not disputing your skill," Rhaenys words did little to soothe you at this point. "Were you a man, no lord in the realm would doubt your knighthood, but you are not a man, no matter how much you act otherwise. But since you are a woman, they do not accept your status as a knight, just as they won't accept you as queen. Because it goes against what they are used to."

"And why are you acting like I am supposed to be appeasing these people and accepting their wants?" you questioned harshly. "You speak of treason and act as though it is something we should accept. We are not Braavos, and my father is no Sealord. What the lords say does not matter here."

Rhaenys expression grew serious.

"That would mean war," she said with complete sincerity.

Her tone shift was enough to bring the flames burning inside you to a more manageable level.

"If that happens, it will be a war they start," you declare. "Not me."

You were so sick and tired of people expecting you to tolerate men having such easily bruised egos. Men would not be outraged over your victory if you were a man. They would be praising you instead. And no one would question you status as heir. You were heir and a proven skilled warrior. If men had problem with that it was their mistake to correct, not yours.

The two of you stared at each other, both upset to varying extends.

"I did not come here to start an argument," Rhaenys said, deciding she would be the first to take an out.

You stared at her skeptically. She seemed to start jabbing at you from the moment you started speaking. It reeked of jealousy to you. You were the rightful heir after the old king had done everything he could to prevent her from becoming queen, even though by most Andal laws she was the lawful heir to her grandfather.

"I do not wish you ill, princess. I simply meant to inform,"Rhaenys went on. "And as I said, if it is a marriage with Laenor you want, I will not stand against you. I simply do not wish to see my family hurt."

She left before you could think of a reply.

You stood there, beyond frustrated at her words, and some of the truths behind them. No matter what you did there would always be men who stood in your way. Men like Unwin Peake.

Thankfully, you had one thing they would never have. A dragon.

+4 Stress

New Relationship Established: Rhaenys Targaryen
Status: Skeptical.

---

The first few days of the Martell's visit were largely filled with various feasts, exchanges of gifts and private meetings between your father and Prince Qoren. But soon it would be your duty to entertain the prince. As a princess and heir, this was an important diplomatic duty. Regardless of anything else that occurred during the visit, how the two of you got along could effect diplomatic relations just as much as anything your father did. Not to mention Qoren was much closer to your age than your father. Odds were good you would be dealing with him when you became queen. A good impression now could affect diplomacy decades from now regardless of how you decided on the matter of marriage.

And that was the most important topic right now. You needed to get a better measure of this man before you agreed to even begin negotiations, and you suspected he needed the same from you as well. He may have been the first to express his interest in such a match, but that did not mean he was so desperate for it he would go through with it if you acted poorly. You needed to make a good impression and both of you needed to figure each other out.

The question of course was how to do that? What could the two of you do together that would help you better get to know the Prince of Dorne?

The first thought you had was an offer to take him for a ride on Syrax. You recalled Rhea Royce's reaction to flying, her terror at first that soon largely gave way to joy and wonder at being so high in the air. You could show him the Valyrian part of you, the freedom you and Syrax shared. Show the power of dragons to Dorne without fire and blood.

Part of you was tempted to challenge him to a duel. Ser Tarly often said duels were a good way to get the measure of a man. Qoren didn't seem much of a fighter, but as ruling Prince he surely must have some sort of training with a sword or spear. It would be a good way to demonstrate to him that you had no intention of giving up your knightly pursuits, no matter what may come.

Watching Qoren had revealed one thing rather clearly so far, the man was a patron of the arts and music with a deep love of painting. You may have just been a novice when it came to the harp, but you had already come to greatly enjoy your lessons. Perhaps the two of you could bond over your shared love of your respective arts.

Then there was the old standby, long walks through the gardens. There would be a guard while you were there, which afforded you the privacy you needed to have an earnest, meaningful conversation with Qoren without fear of prying eyes save for Raylon. You might even be able to bring Alicent along and see what she thinks of the Martell.

You could also do a tour of the city on horseback or palanquin. See how the people react to the Prince of Dorne and get a sense of how he interacts with the smallfolk. It would involve an armed escort of course, but you'd be fine.

Finally, organizing a proper hunt would take too much time and the Kingswood sadly lacked in Shadowcats but you could go hawking with him.

How Shall You Spend Time With Qoren? (Pick Two)

[] [Martell] Take him for a Dragon Ride

[] [Martell] Challenge Him to a Duel

[] [Martell] Spend Time Playing the Harp

[] [Martell] Take a Stroll Through the Gardens
-[] Invite Alicent Along
-[] Don'te Invite Alicent

[] [Martell] Have a Tour of the City

[] [Martell] Go Hawking

[] [Martell] Write-In (Subject to QM Approval)

---

QM: I should note that in the show, Rhaenys spent most of Season 1 deeply skeptical of Rhaenyra for a variety of reasons. And in the early episodes she was probably the first one to throw cold water in Rhaenyra's face about succession. And that was not something a Defiant Rhaenyra was going to react well too. To be clear you can still marry Laenor, even if Rhaenys personally is not thrilled by the idea.