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I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions on them, so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.
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123 AC, King's Landing
The King had finally realised what had happened and how he had acted before the realm. He turned to them all and spoke up, "You are all dismissed. There are private matters that I need to attend to."
Rhaenyra Targaryen walked with as much dignity as she could muster until she made her way to her quarters, her husband, children, and the Sea Snake following faithfully behind her. The moment she entered, she glared at the servants inside, as well as the Kingsguard, and she yelled out, "GET OUT!"
The servants paled, especially when her faithful Syrax released a distant roar. She would have normally smiled at the display, but she was too enraged to care. She yelled as she toppled a table with the likely very expensive porcelain on it, while also shattering a red glass vase.
She heaved, more because of her rage than any form of exertion. She had thought that her father's Grand Tourney would have been a great time to reconnect with her father, bring Jacaerys with her, and use that to reaffirm her position as the next Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The fact that nobles would come from across the realm gave her an opportunity to make more allies, especially with Otto Hightower's absence from the Capital.
Alas, Rhaenyra had forgotten just how vicious Alicent could be, and how blind her father often was. She had been mortified by hearing the whispers from her future lords and not kind ones, at all. However, the sorcerer and his horrid wife had interrupted her father before he could defend her, the king seemingly more preoccupied with the man's statement that the Song of Ice and Fire had ended.
Her father had sent her away, not only once, but twice. He had humiliated her before her future subjects and that smirking Alicent, and most worryingly, he had essentially told her to her face that he did not wish for her to be there when he spoke to the Potters. The truth of Aegon's dream was the true proof of heirship of House Targaryen, at least to her father, and the fact that he had told her and not Alicent's son was proof that he would keep her as his heir.
And yet, he had sent her away.
If that wasn't a worrying thought, she did not know what could possibly be.
And now her father was alone with the company of Potter and that witch. What if the woman had shown him her device? What if she announced its existence before the realm and forced her children to be tested with Rhaenys or Corlys' blood?
The thought made her pale in horror. Her poor children would be branded as bastards before every noble, lord and lady in the realm, and even beyond. The mere thought was troubling, to say the least, and not something that she could risk.
She needed to act quickly, before it was too late and her children's rights were lost.
Rhaenyra needed to stop Alicent and the Potter Witch, for the sake of House Targaryen. It was her duty as the future queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The realm could not stomach the
Now, as to how to do it. She needed to find allies and quickly, ones who understood magic and how to combat it.
A small hand pried her from her planning, "Mother, are you well?"
Rhaenyra let out a forced but gentle smile at her eldest son, who was brave enough to comfort her, "I am perfectly fine, Jacaerys. Do not worry about me."
"Are you sure? You look… unwell, mother. Do you wish to sleep? I always wake up feeling better after a good night's sleep."
"Perhaps later, Jacaerys."
However, her son would relent, "If you are ill, we could go meet Lord Harry and Lady Daphne. Hadn't they healed Grandfather? They could heal you, too."
"Enough, Jace!" She spoke, likely harsher than she meant it to be.
Her eldest almost seemed to flinch at her words, his eyes filled with betrayal. She took a deep breath and looked at her children, who seemed shocked at her reaction. She did regret it immediately and stood up, "I'm sorry, Jace. I suppose that you are right and I am not well. I need some air."
That was the last thing she said before walking away from her chambers. She did not walk for long until she found herself being grabbed by her shoulders. She looked up and saw Daemon's glaring face looking at her, "What are you doing, Daemon?"
He did not answer, simply pushing some random stone, which gave way, resulting in a small passageway that he entered, his face telling her to follow. He closed the door behind them, and he took out a torch, which had been lying on the ground, lighting up the strange maze of tunnels that she found herself in.
She gaped at her surroundings, "What is this?"
"The rumours of Maegor's secret passages held some truth. Viserys and I discovered this one in our youth and swore that we would explore all of the Red Keep's secrets. Alas, after our father's death… Follow me. It is quite easy to lose yourself in these passages, many of which have no exit."
Rhaenyra nodded and followed Daemon in silence until they arrived on a balcony that she had never seen before. She looked down towards King's Landing, and did not have a door, bar the one through the passageway. It was a true secret room, one that existed for over a century, yet remained likely undiscovered. She had no doubts that they were completely alone.
The moment she realised this, she turned towards Daemon's enraged face, "Why have you brought me here?"
"You have just yelled at Jacaerys," her husband argued, "That is very much unlike you, wife. I thought it better to have you release your frustrations here, where no one could see or hear you, instead of the Red Keep and the countless spies within it."
Rhaenyra sometimes forgot why she loved Daemon, but it was in moments like these that she remembered them with a vengeance. The last few moons, ever since the Potters came to Dragonstone, had been trying on their marriage. Daemon had been distant, to say the least. And they had fought much recently, especially when it came to the blindness of how great a threat the Potters truly were, and the need to do something about it.
It was strange, having him be the rational, calm one in their relationship, and yet, it was why she had chosen him. Politics aside, they balanced one another. And so, her husband allowed her to speak her mind, "I have just been humiliated before my future subjects, my children shamed, and my father is more preoccupied with his precious prophecy than with his heir's humiliation. He sent me away, Daemon. It truly is a mockery, isn't it? He called me his heir before the realm so many times, and yet, when it came to my right, my responsibility, he chose to speak with a fucking sorcerer and his whore wife alone, instead of having me with it."
She was breathing heavily after her rant, her voice becoming louder with every word she spoke. Daemon gave her a queer look and asked her, "What prophecy?"
Normally, Rhaenyra wouldn't have done this. She would have realised her misstep and denied Daemon his answer. She would have done it, not because she believed it, for she did not think that after over a century, that some strange darkness would come from the north and destroy the world, but out of respect for her father's will, as proof that she deserved to be his heir.
However, hadn't he just betrayed her as well? Hadn't he shown her how little he thought of her when he sent her away despite being his heir? Indignation rose inside her, but that alone would not have pushed her to say anything.
The truth was that she needed someone to confide in, someone other than her father, who was likely being fooled at this very moment using that very prophecy. She took a deep breath and answered, "The Conqueror's prophecy."
Her husband blinked at that, and she continued, "It is a secret passed down from king to heir, a proof of my father's trust in me and my future as Queen. It is the reason why House Targaryen set its eyes on the Seven Kingdoms, for the Conqueror was said to have a dream, one where he foresaw a great darkness appear in the North and make its way down, threatening the world of the living, and only a united realm with a Targaryen as King or Queen could hope to stop it. Aegon called his dream a Song of Ice and Fire."
Daemon stood silent at that, far too calm than what she expected, "He never told me."
Rhaenyra gave him a questioning look, and he continued, still looking at the sky, "Viserys never told me. I was his heir for years before he named you, before Aemma died. And yet, he never breathed a word to me. All this time, I thought that he trusted me, that it was Otto that pushed me away from his heart, but he never even considered naming me his heir, did he?"
"This is not the time for wallowing in my father's failings, Daemon," she retorted, "the sorcerer knows of the prophecy. I know not how, but he does. It was what pushed me to go to King's Landing in the first place, what motivated my father to come to Dragonstone after his recovery. And now, he is manipulating the King of the Seven Kingdoms on an old tale that is over a century old."
Daemon scoffed at that, "I understand your anger, but I do not think that Potter cares much for manipulating Viserys. The dissenters to your and Jacaerys' rule can do nothing before the might of our dragons, for whispers are just that, whispers. You can speak with Viserys later. I know that he would love that."
It truly was a wonder how blind her husband could be at times when it came to the sorcerer. She had not known where it had come from, especially given how much he distrusted them at the start. No wonder that her father never trusted him to be his heir, if he were to be so easily fooled by a few parlour tricks.
And so, Rhaenyra frowned and looked away from him, while muttering, "I do not expect you to understand, Daemon. They were not meant to come here."
"Yet, the Potters are in the Red Keep. That changes very little. They do not care much when it comes to the politics in the Seven Kingdoms. So long as you did nothing to earn their animosity, you have very little to fear from a simple conversation with Viserys."
She repressed a small flinch at that. She remembered a conversation with Daphne Potter, one that still haunted her to this day. She remembered the threat she made to the Witch, one where she would release the identities of the Potters and rescind the protections that she offered them, should they not support her bid for the throne. She remembered the cursed device that the Witch had shown her in return for her threat. She had tested it many times, and was correct each time, each one cementing the fact that Daphne Potter posed a greater threat to her children than even Alicent and her brood.
In a way, Rhaenyra had thought that they were in an impasse, that the Potters would not show their device to the world, while Rhaenyra would keep their identities secret in Dragonstone. They were not meant to leave Dragonstone and so readily show their faces to the world. They were not meant to show her that her threat had so little weight, and that they could, at any moment, reveal their device to the world, and she would lose everything.
Her silence must have been telling, given Daemon's tightened expression, "What have you done, Rhaenyra?"
"I have done nothing egregious," she lied, "But the sorcerer's wife threatened me. She has… a device, one which proves the parentage of anyone. She is a danger to my children, Daemon. My children! Do you think my reaction is foolish now?"
That should have been enough motivation to push Daemon to help her, but to her surprise, he let out a laugh, though she could see in his eyes just how angry he truly was, "A fool is what you are, Rhaenyra, if you thought I would believe your lies. If the Potters had wanted every member of our house dead, we would be. I know not what you have done to earn their enmity, but by doing so, you have endangered everyone, including our children."
"Daemon…"
"No more. We will go speak with the Potters and sort out your missteps. We will deal with the Hightower whore's schemes later."
Her husband grabbed her hand tightly, almost pulling her back to the secret passageway, "Let go of me, Daemon!"
To her surprise, his grip slackened, and she turned to face him, only to realise that his face was blank, as if he was dreaming.
A voice spoke up behind her, "Forgive him, princess, for he is blind to the truth around him. Do not worry, for he is simply lost in his dreams. He will wake shortly after we speak."
Rhaenyra turned suddenly and stared at the intruder in this room, which was supposed to be a secret. It was a woman wearing a crimson dress with a Volantese design. Her hair was dark, though it almost looked red as well. She must have looked beautiful one day; however, now, her gaze stared at her eyes, which were covered with a piece of red cloth. It was also likely not a style of fashion, given the burns that she could see near the woman's cheeks, which had likely blinded her.
The woman had a presence that was very hard to ignore, a small spark that made Rhaenyra wish to listen to her, but still she asked, "Who are you?"
"The Lord of Light graced me with the name Kinvara, one that I treasured to this day."
"You are blind," she blurted out, "How did you come here?"
"The Lord's light guided me to you, Azor Ahai, and I do not need my sight to follow his will, for his grace allows me to see more than I ever thought possible."
"Azor Ahai?" Rhaenyra questioned.
"The prince who was promised, Azor Ahai born again, she who the Lord has shown me in flame and shadow. You, princess."
Rhaenyra blinked, stunned into stillness. For a moment, she wondered if she had misheard, but the woman's posture, her certainty, made her think otherwise, especially as she continued, "The realm blinds itself with petty quarrels and false queens. You stand at the edge of destiny, with the Great Other's most powerful agent yet walking around, spreading lies and distrust in you, knowing what you are, what you will become, so that his master readies to swallow the world unopposed."
"You speak of Harry Potter," Rhaenyra realised. She knew what Kinvara was, of course, a Red Priestess of R'hllor. She had kept herself apprised of the affairs of the Free Cities, and the religion did seem remarkably active recently, starting with its rise in prominence in Qarth, which had worried the Sea Snake.
A part of her wished to send away the woman, but a possible ally against the sorcerer and his wife was a boon, in her opinion, especially one rumoured to also practice sorcery.
Kinvara nodded, "The Anathema performed the ultimate sin and released Death onto the world. With it, the bright Light who sustained our being, our Lord's blessing, was shaken, forced to combat this terrible power. Many of our numbers perished before their time, for the Lord of Light had wished that they live for centuries more. What else could he be but an agent of the Great Other who had revealed his truth to the world and committed this terrible act against the living? With this, he has declared war against the Lord of Light and all of those who believe in him. For R'hllor treasures life against all else and opposes all those who wish to plunge the world into darkness and death."
Excitement rose within Rhaenyra at having an additional faction backing her. After all, she cared very little for the Faith, who most likely would support the Hightowers anyway, "Then you would rid the world of the Potters?"
For the first time, Kinvara looked uncomfortable at the question, "The Red Temple… is not as united as it once was. There had always been factions of some sort, but Death's scourge had unsettled things. The High Priests commanded us all to stay our hand and weather the storm, but a few of us were… unsatisfied by this inaction and set out on our own. The Lord of Light guided me to you, and from the very moment I felt your presence, I knew why he had done so."
And just like that, the enthusiasm that Rhaenyra had been feeling deflated, and she muttered, "Seven Shadowbinders, working together, could not defeat Harry Potter. You are but a single priestess, a blind one at that…"
"These were fools practising magics that they do not understand," Kinvara answered harshly, "I am guided by my Lord, blessed with his Light. Besides, I will not be the one who defeats the Anathema, for it is your destiny as Azor Ahai reborn, to slay the Great Other's agent."
Rhaenyra scoffed. She did not know what she expected, but that seemed beyond foolish. This priestess was all but asking her to become this religious figure while offering very little in return.
The woman suddenly raised her hand, and a small fire appeared before her, floating in the air, "You are not a normal princess. You are R'hllor's chosen, his greatest champion against the darkness. One day, the Red Temple will see you for what you truly are, and they will faithfully follow your commands, but for now, you will need to defeat the foe that scared them so. Fear not, you will not be alone, for the Lord of Light will grant you his power."
Rhaenyra, while impressed by the magic, shook her head, "I will not be led by fires and prophecies simply because you wish it. My father has been swayed by a sorcerer, and I will make the same mistake."
To her surprise, Kinvara did not bristle. Instead, her eyes were confident as she answered, "You need not believe me, princess. Only your own eyes. Look into the flames, and you will understand."
Rhaenyra did not know why she followed the priestess' instructions, but she had. She stared at the flames for a few seconds and felt like a complete fool. Suddenly, she felt a searing warmth spread inside her, starting from her heart to her very extremities. She felt a strange strength envelop her, much like she had when she rode Syrax, but a thousand times more intense. Then the flames shifted, and for a terrible yet beautiful moment, she swore that she felt something in the flames stare back.
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AN: Phew. That chapter took more out of me than I expected. Just as a warning, things are not exactly as they appear, and I'm trying something a bit different here. I'm really trying not to spoil things here, but what's happening with Otto and Rhaenyra, while it seems similar, is quite different, though I kinda found the similarities between both situations, being used by different Red Priestesses, to be fun, especially since they're supposed to be mortal enemies. It was amusing writing Daemon as the awkwardly reasonable one for once.
As for the Red Faith, Harry releasing Death sort of fucked over a lot of Red Priests, since Death's authority made it so extending their lives unnaturally isn't normal. It will also have an impact in Asshai, too, but that's something I'll get into in another chapter. There is also a lot that's left unsaid, and you should take Kinvara's words with a grain of salt. I'm pretty much done setting things up with this chapter, so things should get pretty exciting soon. As usual, please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions.
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If you want to support me, check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr
I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions on them, so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.
Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.