Chapter Text
Rhaenyra’s steps were quick and with purpose as she made her way to the King's chambers; her loyal shield, ser Westerling, at her back. She had given the man quite the fright when she had burst out of her chambers in the middle of the night with a glare that rivaled that of a dragon. As she neared her fathers chambers she steeled herself for what she would find. Her former friend who eventually turned into the bitter, nervous and vengeful woman whose son was responsible for her death. She knew exactly how this would play out if she did not intervene and sitting by the sidelines was not an option.
Rhaenyra glared at the two Kingsguards who attempted to stop her from entering her fathers chambers. Her stare was so icy that they both faltered, the hesitation was just enough for her to slip by them and enter the King’s chambers.
The door closed behind her as she walked further into the room. She saw her father and Alicent sitting side by side in chairs as their hands were together on top of the table. Innocent enough except for the lateness of the hour and lack of chaperone but it managed to anger her all the same. The rage she felt towards her former friend defied reason and logic. She hadn’t done anything yet in this time but Rhaenyra knew that reality would not last long. With quick steps she advanced on the couple.
“Rhaenyra!” Her father exclaimed. Both he and Alicent jumped up and apart at her sudden arrival.
Rhaenyra did not even wait for them to begin their pathetic attempt at persuading her this wasn’t what it looked like. She simply walked up to her father and ripped Aegon's dagger from his belt. She turned her sharp eyes onto Alicents shaking form; no doubt she was embarrassed at having been caught but that would not save her. She moved with the grace only a Targaryen possesses and gripped Alicents neck.
Her fingernails dug into the soft skin of her throat as she pushed and pushed until Alicent finally stumbled back onto a wall. Her stare was almost lifeless except for the burning in her violet eyes as she watched the quick widening of Alicents. Fear was difficult to mask and that was a skill Alicent learned many years from now. Not one to drag out what would be a tedious affair Rhaenyra simply raised the dagger and pulled it across Alicents throat.
Blood sprayed her face but she never let her gaze waver. Horror filled eyes stared back at her as she watched life slowly drain away until nothing was left but a corpse.
She heard her fathers heavy breathing in the background as he whispered her name. She turned her head enough so she could see him out of the corner of her eyes.
“Do I need to kill you too?” She said impassively.
She removed her hand and let Alicents lifeless body drop unceremoniously to the floor. Turning to face her father fully she walks slowly over to the fire.
“All this time you’ve put so much faith in Aegon’s prophecy that you have closed your eyes to what is the truth.” She kept her tone emotionless. It was the only way to keep herself in check. The fire burning in her veins was thrumming with a recent kill and she did not need to lose herself in the bloodlust.
Rhaenyra held the dagger in her hand and lowered it into the fire. Alicents blood sizzling as it drips from the blade. The fire licks at her hand but she feels no pain. The Gods had brought her back unburnt as a sign of their blessings. Rhaenyra watches as the heat slowly reveals the prophecy laid into the dagger.
Hen ñuha ānogar māzigon Kivio Dārilaros se zȳhon kessa sagon Vāedar Suvio Perzo
“From my blood comes the Heir that was promised . . .” After reciting the prophecy in Valyrian Rhaenyra re-translated the text into Common to showcase the error.
“Do you see? Heir not prince.” Rhaenyra turned her dead eyes towards her father. She took some satisfaction in watching him pale as realization hit.
“You killed my mother for nothing. You are responsible for the tragedy and suffering she endured her whole life as she tried so desperately to provide you with your son.” Rhaenyra sneered out the word son like it was acid she spat from her mouth.
“You never even noticed that not a single dragon dream was a promise of good to come in the future. Every single time a Targaryen is given a vision of the future from the Gods it is always a warning. A warning of disaster and destruction we must avoid. That is what your vision of a son was about father. A son who would bring about the end of the Targaryens. The end of our family.”
Rhaenyra looked away as she shook her head. She didn’t even have the patience to explain this to her father. There was more to be done. Walking towards the chamber doors she poked her head out to address the waiting Kingsguards.
“Bring me Otto Hightower.” She saw the guards share a look before one of them ran off in the direction of the tower of the Hand. Satisfied she closed the door and prepared to wait.
Viserys POV
Viserys was in a state of shock. His mind scrambling to keep up with all that had happened. Rhaenyra had burst into his chambers. It was a bit embarrassing for his daughter to find him in the company of her friend but it was nothing improper. Alicent had offered him comfort after the death of his Aemma and son Baelon. Her soothing presence was a balm to his fractured soul. But before he even had the chance to explain any of this to his daughter she was striding forward, snatching Aegon's dagger and murdering Alicent before his very eyes! It was too much to comprehend!
And then she had talked about Aegon’s prophecy! How had she known? There had not been time for him to discuss with her the secret passed down from King to heir. He watched as his only child held her hand in the fire and remained unhurt. She knew with clarity what the dagger would reveal in the heat of the flames.
His mind stuttered to a halt as she recited the prophecy in Valyrian and then castigated him for misunderstanding the prophecy. Impossible! He remembered with vivid clarity the day his father had taken him aside and told him about Aegon’s dream and the duty they had to the realm. But as he stared at the words in Valyrian gleaming on the dagger he felt his heart drop to his stomach. She was right! All these years he had been yearning for a son to fulfill the prophecy only to see now that the prophecy did not distinguish between a prince or princess, simply heir.
Viserys stumbled backwards and fell into his chair. He was vaguely aware of his daughter giving some orders to the Kingsguards outside his chambers but his mind was too fractured to focus on that. All the years he had dreamt of putting his son on the throne. Was his daughter right? Was it a warning instead of the blessed premonition he took it for? The more he thought about Rhaenyra’s words the more he felt ice fill his veins. She was correct again. Every dragon dream that had ever been recorded was one to warn against a coming disaster. Daenys about the Doom and Aegon about the enemy from the north. Not once had a dragon dream ever been a heralding of good fortune.
Unfortunately he had no more time to contemplate these startling revelations before the doors opened once more to admit Otto Hightower. Otto who was now seeing his daughter dead on his chamber floor.
Rhaenyra POV
Rhaenyra watched with a sort of detached fascination as her father processed all that she had said. He was clearly in shock over her killing Alicent but also about her knowledge of Aegon’s prophecy. After she had made it clear that the prophecy had been mistranslated from Valyrian to Common he had staggered back to collapse in his chair. Frustration filled her as she thought about how many times her ancestors had read the prophecy only to recite it in Common and miss that the original text never specified male or female.
She stood waiting for Otto to arrive, flipping the dagger over in her hand. It was a handy trick Daemon had taught her years ago. Rhaenyra frowned. Years from now? It was very confusing when one came back in time. Despite the difficulties they might face she was excited to see her husband once more. One thing she knew for certain was that no one would stand in their way of being together this time! If her father still refused to grant her uncle his annulment she could always fly to the Vale and have Syrax burn Lady Rhea. Shaking away that thought to be reviewed later she turned her mind back to the matter at hand. A tremor went through her at the thought of what was to come.
A moment later the chamber doors opened and Otto Hightower was ushered into the room. Rhaenyra can only imagine what this looked like to him; her covered in blood, still holding the dagger, his daughter dead on the floor with a slit throat and the King white as a sheet.
Otto gave a short cry between confusion and horror as he caught sight of his lifeless daughter. Rhaenyra quickly walked over and grabbed him by the shoulder. She pushes him into a chair where he could easily see Alicents body.
“It seems your plan to have your whore of a daughter seduce the King has backfired, Otto . But since you’re here why don’t you tell the King your whole plan. Why don’t you explain to the King how you sent your daughter here, scheming to put her on the throne. Once she started having children you would have half Hightower heirs in line for the throne. Or better yet, why don’t you tell him all of it. How the maesters poisoned my mother slowly over time so she would lose each child until a birth would finally kill her, leaving the door open for your daughter to become Queen. Tell him how you’ve been conspiring with the Citadel since Aegon’s conquest to slowly kill off the Targaryens by poisoning us until you could claw back the power that was taken from you.” Rhaenyra’s voice held a nonchalance to it as she listed off his crimes.
Otto’s shock was so great he forgot himself for one moment, but that was all Rhaenyra needed.
“How?” He whispered, remembering a second too late that they were in the presence of the King. Terror took over his features as he glanced at the King’s shocked face before mastering himself once more.
“I mean, of what do you speak Princess? I know of no such plot.”
“You deny trying to poison us and bring us down? You deny the plot to cripple the Targaryens by dividing us and thinning our numbers?” Came Rhaenyra’s sarcastic reply.
“Princess, the Targaryens are the mightiest house in all of Westeros. You are the true rulers of the seven Kingdoms and no one would ever presume to try and weaken you. There has been much loss and tragedy within your family it is true, but that is the case for any house. And the dragons your family has are fierce creatures. One would have to be mad to try and take them out.” Otto finished.
Rhaenyra’s smile sharpened so she appeared more beast than human. The blood streaking across her face and her deadly grin made her appear almost monstrous.
“Ah but I never mentioned your plot to poison the dragons, dear Otto. ” Rhaenyra sneered.
Otto’s eyes widened, panic plain across his face. “Well you mentioned there was a plot meant to poison you. The dragons are a part of your house and . . and so . . I only assumed you meant them as well.” Otto stuttered.
Caught in her trap with nowhere to go Otto’s eyes frantically looked around the room for an escape. Rhaenyra pounced. Before he even had the chance to open his mouth again Rhaenyra was in his face with the dagger up against his throat. Wide eyes looked back at her as she watched with fascination as a bead of sweat rolled down his temple. Her eyes zeroed in on his throat as he tried to swallow without pressing further into the blade that would surely take his life.
“I want you to know that in another life you would have succeeded. Alicent would have been Queen and she would have given the King three sons. However, you never counted on the fact that my father would keep me as his heir even after your daughter bore him healthy sons.”
Rhaenyra leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Through deceit and manipulation you did manage to crown your grandson King, albeit for a short time. He would last less than three years before his own men poisoned him. In the end it was my son who went on to sire the next generation of Kings and your family would be forgotten over time.”
Moving back slightly to look at him once more. “I will erase you from the history books but not before I will burn your precious Hightower to the ground and tell the world of the traitor you truly are. Say hello to your grandson in hell.” With that Rhaenyra sliced at his neck until she was once more covered in Hightower blood. It felt cleansing in a way, to be bathed in the blood of traitors, to know that you had destroyed your enemies before they had the chance to destroy you.
She turned away, Otto Hightower was not even worth the energy it took to watch him die. Looking at her father, the King, she wondered what he was thinking. Was he perhaps coming to terms with how close they had all come to ruin, or was he horrified at the acts of brutality she had just committed.
Rhaenyra gave a little shrug. It mattered not. What was done was done. She walked over to the chair she had first spotted Alicent sitting in and sat down. She wiped the blade on her bloody clothes and sat back to wait for her father to recover from the shock he had just endured. She needed him focused, they had a lot of work to do.