Dance of The Dragonwolf Chapter 31 (A Song for A Lady) (Patreon)

Laena

She could hear the powerful sound of waves crashing forcefully against the sturdy wooden hull of the ship, a sound that reached her ears even from the confines of her chamber. As she sat, she couldn't help but feel the gentle swaying of the room, a slight tilt that conveyed the ship's continuous movement through the churning sea. Despite this, Laena remained steady. Her bare feet made contact with the cool and smooth wooden floor. Her mother was brushing Laena's long, lustrous silver hair. Both mother and daughter sat side by side in the comforting embrace of Laena's bed. Laena's hand grasped a mirror; she looked at herself; much had changed since the last time they were together; her purple eyes looked at her own reflection; her mother had been brushing her hair and choosing the best dress for her.

Her attire was a sheer gown of delicate ivory silk, crafted with meticulous detail from Myrish. The gown was adorned with an exquisite arrangement of seed pearls, carefully hand-sewn onto the fabric.

She was wearing a richly embroidered cloak, meticulously woven with intricate threads of gold. The cloak depicted water horses and dragons, intricately stitched using threads of pure silver and encrusted with delicate golden threads.

The cloak gracefully cascaded as she moved, revealing glimpses of a pale red samite gown beneath. Complementing the sheer gown, this secondary garment featured a tightly laced bodice that accentuated her figure, leaving her shoulders and the top of her ample bosom beautifully exposed.

Usually, whenever she needed to present herself, whenever there was a feast, she paid just enough attention to her looks; she knew how she looked in front of lords, and ladies matted; she was a mirror of her parents; if she didn't appear beautiful if she acted with no manners publicly, then her parents would be the one to feel ashamed. But this time, Laena did more than usual.

It had been a year, but it felt longer. She would have visited him, but she still had no dragon, so she wanted to look as beautiful as she could in his eyes.

Her mother had told her to choose one of the many untamed dragons in Dragonstone or the Dragon Pit, but Laena didn't want just any dragon. Her mother had said Grey Ghost was a good choice; while the dragon was beautiful, it was way too harmless. He was friendly with everyone and wasn't the size she desired.

Just like Visenya, Laena thought with a growing smile. Vhaegar would be her dragon; that's the one she desired, a dragon that brought fear and showed one thing above all. Power.

Cannibal belonged to Aenar, and she would have the only dragon that was even bigger than Cannibal. A dragon that, despite her age, brought fear in the eyes of everyone around her.

"You look beautiful, Laena. All lords will have their eyes only for you. Your beauty will make all the green boys fall for you, even the King." She heard her mother praise her with a smirk of satisfaction from behind; her smirk grew when Rhaenys looked at her daughter's face.

"I don't care about what some green boy thinks or what the King thinks, Muna," Laena said sharply; she turned her face to look at her mother; her mother knew she used Valyrian only when it was something important; her mother's smile faltered; for a moment, she looked older than her years.

Her dark hair reached her middle back; her mother had taken her hair from her Baratheon mother; all Baratheons had dark hair, after all. Laena was happy to have the silver hair of House Targaryen; she knew Aenar loved her hair how it was, the way he would play with them, the way his soft lips felt against the crown of her head; she had almost slapped her mother when she had suggested that she should cut her hair a little so that it wouldn't reach her lower back.

"Laena, we talked about this." Her mother said strictly, a weary sigh escaping her lips. Laena stood up from the bed, shaking her head, her hands gripping the handle of her short sword. She needed to grip something, and the handle was the closest thing; strolling around the chamber before her eyes settled on her mother.

"Viserys is still married. Aenar is the one I desire, not a man who runs after a Hightower whore while his wife is pregnant with his child." Laena spat the words like venom when talking about the King.

It hadn't taken long for the word to spread. It had been just wild rumors, but one day, Laena herself, when spending time with Aenar, had seen them herself.

They had been in the garden together when they had both caught sight of Viserys drinking tea with Lady Alicent Hightower at first light, even before the priest had woken up. Laena had realized this was supposed to have been a private meeting; this explained why the meeting was so early.

After that day, Laena had slowly lost all respect she might have had for the King. Before she considered him a good enough King, a little too soft and too forgiving, but still a good man, but after seeing him with Lady Hightower drinking tea, all that respect had turned into ash.

The man wanted an heir. Three failed pregnancies, three piles with dead babies, burned to ash, and Rhaenyra crying for another lost brother or sister. If that wasn't enough, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that the Queen was not as strong as she used to be. The lack of an heir had caused the realm to start speaking about the new King, who would be heir after Viserys's death.

Once that discussion had started, her parents were quick to discuss it and find alternatives. Laena was still young, but it hadn't taken long to realize what their parents wanted from her. After all, she was a beautiful lady; her father often boasted that she was even more beautiful than the Princess, or as the realm had started calling her. 'The Realm's Delight.' Laena knew her father and mother would take any chance to boast, trying to make themselves seem as better and more powerful people than the Royal Family.

Last year, when they had been in King's Landing, her mother had somehow managed to orchestrate a meeting between her and the King for them to drink tea in the garden. Laena still remembered how bored she had been during that meeting; even the King felt awkward in her presence. Eventually, the King started asking questions about his daughter and Aenar during the meeting. Laena had done her duty to her family; she had tried to talk, but she didn't want him, and The King had no desire to continue their conversation.

Laena had told him a few things about his daughter and Aenar, but thankfully, the meeting hadn't lasted long. After the meeting, Laena had wanted to spend time with Aenar. Instead, her mother had called for her in her chambers and had demanded to know why she hadn't been able to impress the King, why the King didn't want a second meeting. Laena had made it plain and simple: she always spoke her mind, and she wasn't one to play stupid games like some people loved to do.

'Aenar is the one I desire, Muna. Him, not some King who is old enough to be my father. You married for love. I will do the same.'

But her mother hadn't agreed with her; both she and her father wanted a piece of the Throne; her mother loved to say that she didn't desire the Throne anymore, that she had forgotten about it, but Laena knew she was lying, she still saw herself as the Rightful Queen. If she couldn't have it, then she would have it through her children, through Laena if she married the King, or through Laenor if he married Rhaenyra.

"The Hightower whore is nothing to a dragon, Laena. You know Aemma is not in condition, if she survives, I don't need to be a Maester to know she can't get pregnant again. Viserys will need an heir; he will want to marry again and have someone else as his wife." Her mother explained that Laena had heard the same words before, how she would be a Queen, how her children would one day rule Westeros.

"Don't you want to become Queen?" Her mother questioned, her purple eyes looking back at Laena, whose eyes turned towards the mirror attached to the Wall; her silver hair reached her waist.

"I will be Queen," Laena said, her eyes glittered, before looking at her mother. "Rhaenyra, Aenar, and I will become king and queens." She said firmly, with an air of authority, as if what she just said would happen and that nothing could stop it from happening.

"The Faith of the Seven would never approve of your marriage; it took a long time for my grandfather to convince the Faith to allow marriages between brothers and sisters. But having many wives will not sit well with them." Her mother said Laena's smile twitched downwards at the mention of the rats.

"Since when do Dragons care about what rats want? We are dragons; we conquered Westeros, not them. If they don't agree with our way, then I'm sure our dragons will change their mind." Laena said with a cold voice, as cold as the Wall; her mother looked at her with a deep frown as she slowly approached her.

"Maegor thought the same, Laena. In the end, he was alone, and the Throne killed him. You should understand the Seven has been practiced by Westeros except the North for thousands of years. If you fight the Faith, the entire Westeros will be against you. The Commoners would never stand, the Faith of The Seven is practiced every day, if you fight the Faith, then they will be against you. The Faith is important, people will protect what they believe in." Rhaenys said with a scolding voice, now standing beside Rhaenys.

Rhaenys knew all of that; she knew the Faith was important, and many wars had been fought over the Faith before Aegon arrived in Westeros. Three years ago, a stupid rat of the Faith of the seven had tried to build a Sept in the North. The building was burned before it was finished, and the man broke his neck the next day when he slipped on the stairs. Lord Stark had been furious when he was informed that someone tried to build a Sept in the North.

'As long as I draw breath. I won't allow any Sept to be built in the North. I will tear it down with my own hands.'

Laena knew her mother had the right to be concerned, but she and Aenar had made a plan on how to eventually get rid of the Seven; slowly; it would take time, but by the End, the Seven Stars will be nothing but something used for people to piss on it.

"I know Muna. Maegor was a monster, but what he did to the Faith was justifiable." Laena said with a hint of anger in her voice before walking past her mother.

"During the Feast. Our seat is near the King. I want you to have a dance with him." Her mother ordered. Laena's slender fingers gripped the handle to calm herself; how much she wished Aenar was with her right now. He always had a way of calming her and making her feel better, especially his calming, beautiful voice.

"As you wish, Muna. Where's Laenor?"

"With your father." Of course he is, Laena thought bitterly as she walked through the doorway.

Her father always took Laenor to teach him how to use a ship, how to organize it, how to sail, and how to fight; her father always took Laenor. But never me, she thought bitterly as she made her way to the ship's main deck. The sailors bowed their heads when they saw her before they continued doing their job around the ship.

As Laena stood on the main deck, she could feel the cool breeze of the salty sea air gently brushing against her skin. Taking in her surroundings, she observed her father and brother engrossed in a whispered conversation as they manned the ship's wheel. Paying no attention to their conversation, Laena's gaze drifted toward the distant silhouette of King's Landing. Overhead, seagulls soared in the cerulean sky, their wings elegantly gliding through the air. The rhythmic motion of the ship caused minuscule droplets of seawater to occasionally sprinkle upon her face. The sun casted a golden hue upon the vast expanse of the sea. The water shimmered like countless diamonds scattered upon its surface.

Roar!

The entire ship violently shook, and panic instantly consumed every sailor onboard. Laena, with eyes widening in both amazement and fear, instinctively tilted her gaze skyward. A shadow loomed above the vessel, casting an all-encompassing darkness upon it as it gradually descended toward the water's restless surface. It was Cannibal. Laena's gaze remained fixed on the wildest dragon as it artfully spread its gargantuan wings, its immense body hovering just above the water's edge. Water droplets were forcefully propelled into the air with each mighty beat of its wings.

Laena, her eyes wide with astonishment, watched as Cannibal lowered its head, its coal-black scales glistening with the water's touch. The dragon plunged its head beneath the surface, disappearing momentarily from Laena's view.

Cannibal resurfaced, a small whale trapped between his teeth, letting out sounds of pain. His jaws clamped down with a thunderous crack, blood waves erupting in a grotesque imitation of a waterfall. The dragon's unhinged jaw allowed the gargantuan creature to swallow the whole whale in one mighty gulp.

Cannibal started flying upwards. A trail of blood droplets followed the dragon's ascent, painting a macabre pathway against the blue canvas of the sky.

Laena was breathless, Cannibal was massive, and the only tame Dragon that wasn't in the Dragon Pit. It was something that was concerning for a lot of people.

Soon, the ship reached the docks; due to their importance, someone was already waiting at the docks for their arrival to lead them to the Red Keep. Laena's eyes widened at the sight of him waiting at the King Gate, with guards surrounding him, including Ser Ryam and Ser Elric Stark.

As soon as the wooden bridge was dropped, Laena didn't care about manners; she ran across it and ran towards Aenar.

"Laena!" Both hugged each other close, their arms wrapped tightly around one another. Her face nestled against the crook of his neck, where she could feel his steady heartbeat. The intoxicating scent of fresh flowers enveloped him, intertwining with his natural masculine fragrance that ignited a desire within her to stay locked in his embrace. As her hands traced over his back, she could feel the firmness of his well-defined muscles. Her body pressed against his; she knew how much he liked it. When they finally released their hold, she felt his gentle touch on her silver hair, his fingers delicately stroking each strand with affectionate tenderness. His bright, beautiful purple eyes, filled with a mix of adoration and adoring, gazed back at her; she felt like she was drowning in them, drowning in his warmth.

"Prince Aenar," they both pulled away. Laena turned around to see her mother looking at her disapprovingly; she had told her to act like a proper lady when in public spaces; her father seemed neutral, but she knew he wasn't pleased with her.

"Lord Corlys, Princess Rhaenys, Lord Laenor, and Lady Laena. It's a pleasure to have you in King's Landing." Aenar said with courtesy, looking mainly at her father.

"Is it?" Rhaenys asked sharply, earning a look of disapproval look from Lord Corlys. "I don't see the King, was he too busy drinking tea to come and greet us?" Rhaenys questioned with a hint of mockery; Laena knew her mother was being unfair. The King never greeted guests in the docks unless it was the Queen herself who was arriving; not even the King's children would make the King walk out of the Red Keep to greet them.

Ser Ryam and Ser Elric stepped forward, looking at Princess Rhaenys warily.

"Enough." Corlys said through clenched teeth.

"The King is busy, Princess Rhaenys. I'm sure you have heard of Queen Aemma's pregnancy. You can forgive a man for being concerned for their wife's wellbeing, and the Grand Maester said Herbal Tea is good for the health and the beauty of the skin. I think you should try it too, Princess Rhaenys." Aenar said Rhaenys's face went red, the way she glared at Aenar.

Meleys, who was nearby roared, as if feeling Rhaenys's anger, but her roar was drowned by Cannibal's roar that was louder and wilder, his green wild eyes looking right at Meleys; Laena knew Cannibal was just waiting for Aenar's order to tear Meleys apart.

"There's no need for any of this," Corlys suddenly said, placing his hand on Rhaenys's shoulder, along with a commanding look, before he turned to look at Aenar.

"You're right, Lord Corlys. We are family, after all. If we can't rely on family, then who can we rely on during harsh times? Please, follow me. Father and the King will be happy for your arrival." Aenar said courteously, gesturing for them to follow him; Laena was the first to follow him, quickly followed by Lord Corlys and the rest.

"Where's Rhaenyra?" When she had seen Aenar, she had expected to see Rhaenyra too.

"With her mother, she said she wanted to spend time with her." Laena frowned; she knew Nyra was concerned, and rightfully so; she just hoped that it would go well. Laena still remembered when Lyanna had passed away.

"Aenar, what have you been doing for the past year?" It was Laenor as he eagerly joined them; Laena felt a bitter taste in her mouth at the sight of him anywhere near Aenar; their father already paid all his attention to him; did he want Aenar's attention too?

"For the last year. I have been working on to make King's Landing a better place for the Commoners to live in, Lord Laenor." Aenar explained with passion, his bright purple eyes; Laena's face brightened up just like his; she loved the way he smiled.

"Just call me Laenor. Prince Aenar." Laenor corrected with a smile.

"Make King's Landing a better place?" Lord Corlys asked, sounding intrigued; soon, they reached the carriage, the guard opened the door, and they all stepped inside; the carriage was one of the bigger ones, big enough to put three horses inside and still have spare space. Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys sat next to one another, while Laena sat in the middle, earning a look from her brother that she ignored as Aenar sat beside her, and Laenor sat on the other side of her.

"King's Landing is already considered the perfect place to live, Prince Aenar. What is there to fix?" Her mother asked.

"King's Landing is a good town, your grace, but there is no such thing as perfection, including this city. And it can be even better with the right ideas and people." Aenar explained before pointing at the fountain as they rode around it in the street of steel.

"This is one of the first ones, the Common Fountains," Aenar said passionately. The magnificent fountain, with its circular shape, stretched wider than an average house. An exquisite sculpture depicting a mother tenderly cradling her precious baby in her arms was positioned right at the heart of the fountain. Water elegantly cascaded down from the top of the fountain, flowing through three distinct basins before finally descending into the expansive bottom basin. Not too far away, a crowd had gathered, anxiously waiting their turn to collect water. To ensure a safe and peaceful environment, diligent guards stood watch, ready to intercept any potential disturbances or misfortune. She observed the onlookers eagerly filling their buckets with the water from the shimmering fountain. Aenar looked at the sight through the window; one of the commoners noticed Aenar inside the carriage, the man holding a toddler in his arm; he quickly pointed at the moving carriage.

"It's Prince Aenar, The Blessed." The words reached everyone, spoken with passion as if the High Septon himself was present; Laena's mouth was left open in shock as all the commoners present, including the soldiers, bowed towards the moving carriage until it was out of sight, all of them chanting the same name.

"Aenar, The Blessed."

"Aenar, The Warrior."

Laena could see that even her parents were left shocked by what just happened. She had known that Aenar was loved after building the first Common Fountain, but she didn't, though they treated him like a King. Laena watched her father's eyes; he looked the most impressed out of all of them.

"How many?"

"Only five in the city, Lord Corlys, but I hope that within the next three years, there will be 20 scattered around King's Landing," Aenar replied, passion in every word; her father's lips twitched upwards.

"How does the crown cover this expense?" Her mother questioned as the carriage drove away; the look of triumph had disappeared, and now she looked as if she just swallowed a lemon.

"We have a made a small tunnel underground that goes from the sea to the fountains, and we use hot stones to clean the water-" Aenar explained how most of the process worked, but Laena knew he wasn't telling her parents everything there was to know on how to turn salt water into drinkable water.

As the carriage approached the Red Keep, the castle loomed before them. The large metallic doors, emblazoned with the sigil of House Targaryen, slowly creaked open, revealing a glimpse of the soldiers who stood guard on the other side. The sound of the doors echoed through the courtyard, bouncing off the high walls and filling the air with a deafening metallic clang.

With a steady hand, the driver guided the horses inside, their hooves clattering on the stone floor as they pulled the carriage through the entrance and into the heart of the castle. All around them, the busy hum of court life filled the air as lords and ladies bustled about their business, and the servants scurried to and fro, attending to their duties.

The sound of the carriage wheels grinding to a halt echoed through the courtyard as the elegant carriage came to a stop. Without a moment's pause, a servant sprung into action with a flourish, opening the carriage door with a practiced hand. Prince Aenar stepped outside, his leather boots touching the ground with a solid thump, and he stood tall with his head held high, exuding confidence and poise. Lord Corlys, Princess Rhaenys, Lord Laenor, and Laena followed behind Aenar.

Two Kingsguards in their polished armor approached him as if on cue, their swords glinting in the sunlight.

Laena and her family walked inside the Red Keep. Laenor looked mesmerized by the beauty of the Red Keep, despite not being the first time he had been here, but she wasn't that interested that they were meeting the King.

"Aenar," Laena said teasingly with a somewhat hushed voice, "mayhaps later we can take a bath together like we used to do when we were little." Her words conveyed a playful sense of longing and teasing. Observing Aenar's reaction, Laena couldn't help but find amusement in the way he anxiously glanced around, ensuring their intimate conversation remained private. As a mischievous giggle escaped her lips, she noticed his face becoming flushed with embarrassment, a sight that always brought her delight.

"We haven't done that since we were young. I don't think your mother will be happy to see you in a bath with me." Aenar said with a hushed voice, the flush on his cheeks not going away.

"I don't think my mother would have anything against it-" she stopped mid-sentence, her hot breath caressing his ear; she almost wanted to bite his earlobe. "After all. We are just cousins having a good time." Laena teased with an innocent look on her face, earning a growl from Aenar; his face flushed once again; he looked like a cute potato. Laena giggled in amusement before leaning away, giving him space to breathe.

Soon, they were brought to the Throne Room to meet with the King. Viserys welcomed them with open arms, Laena remembering what her mother told her, stepped forward, but again, the King's eyes paid little to no attention to her body much to Laena's relief.

After the meeting with the King, Laena and Aenar reached the Queen's Chamber; upon entering, they both saw Rhaenyra and Queen Aemma talking with one another.

"Your grace, it's good to meet you." Laena and Aenar greeted her respectfully; their voices made Nyra lift her face up at the sight of Laena, and her purple eyes widened slightly.

"Laena!" Rhaenyra shouted, her voice filled with a mixture of surprise, joy, and longing. As they locked eyes, their hearts were dancing with affection. Their embrace was tightly woven. Sensing the vulnerability in Rhaenyra's gaze, Laena leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, a gesture brimming with tenderness and love. But it was not just the sweet touch of their lips that sent shivers down Rhaenyra's spine; it was the intense, predatory, yet alluring look that Laena wore afterward. With just a single glance, Laena conveyed both a hunger and a passion that made Rhaenyra's knees weak. Laena softly caressed Rhaenyra's cheek. Laena loved playing little games and teasing Rhaenyra and Aenar was one of her favorite games.

"Your grace, I'm sure you don't mind stealing your daughter away?" Laena asked with a cheerful voice; the Queen giggled in amusement before telling them to have fun.

Soon, they found themselves in God's Wood; despite not seeing each other for a whole year, talking with one another was easy as if they had never been apart from one another for a whole year, discussing what they had been doing for the last year, which wasn't much for Laena, besides training with her short sword. Her mother teaching her about dragon riding. They talked for hours, Aenar bringing up his work in the city, Rhaenyra talked about her small council meeting, and Queen Alysanne decided to have Nyra in the meetings, often as a servant. At first, Nyra thought it would be humiliating to act like a servant, but the Queen had convinced her.

' "I'm a Princess, not a servant." Rhaenyra spat with disgust upon hearing that the Queen wanted her to serve in the small council.

"Rhaenyra." The Queen called out. Silence fell over the chamber, and Nyra dared not to open her mouth.

"I'm aware of your title well enough, but remember that being a Princess is not just looking good, dancing with lords, having parties, having fun, and flying with your dragon." The Queen spoke sharply before turning to look at Rhaenyra, who looked away; the Queen's eyes always frightened her when she was serious and demanding.

"Being a Princess means you should learn; you should learn how the Small Council works, and you might even learn something from the people in the same council. They were chosen to do their job, and you can learn from them. One day, you can rule your own household with your husband." The Queen said as she approached Rhaenyra, placing her hand on Rhaenyra's shoulder, making her look up at the Queen.

"If you ever want to rule, to lead, then first you need to learn how to obey orders; if you can't do that, then you are not fit to give orders to anyone." '

After that day, Rhaenyra had been in every Small Council Meeting and tried to learn whatever she could. She talked about Lord Lannister's complaints about the recent pirate attacks. Apparently, three ships with the Banner of House Lannister had been attacked, men, women, and children had been turned into slaves, and the men who fought were killed and fed to the sea; Laena's heart went out for them; those were just people working for their families, and now they are either dead or slaves, Laena wasn't sure which fate was worse.

Despite how much they talked, it didn't take long for Laena to understand that Rhaenyra wasn't in the playful mood she always was, and Laena knew she couldn't be; she knew her friend didn't bring it up in front of Aenar, but what happened to Lyanna was still fresh on her head. Rhaenyra was very concerned for her mother's health, especially since she was obviously weaker now.

"Come here." Laena gestured; Rhaenyra did so, and she enveloped her in a warm hug; Nyra quickly hugged her back, both sitting at the foot of the Weirwood Tree, Nyra's face resting on Laena's shoulder blade.

"Thank you, Laena," Nyra said sincerely; she knew Nyra felt vulnerable and weak, but Laena wanted to make sure she knew she didn't need to act strong in front of them; in front of them, she could always be her true self.

"Aenar, can you sing a song for us?" Nyra asked, turning to look at Aenar, who nodded with a smile, kissing both of them on the forehead.

"Like the scarlet night veiling the dark

You can hide your fear

Can lie, my dear

Keep dreaming

Spread your blood-stained wings

Like a Fallen Angel

Falling and driven by the winds of time

Into the starry night

Like a Goddess, embrace me for eternity

Fly into heaven

What's the lie

What's the truth

What to believe

In my life

See the flowers breathing in the rain

Try growing to the edge of light

It's so far away to reach out to the sky

I'll seize, I'll seize the roses with my wings

We'll fly

Like a Fallen Angel

Falling and driven by the winds of time

Into the starry night

Like a Goddess, embrace me for eternity

We'll fly away

We'll find a way

You can hide your fear

Can lie, my dear

We'll see the end

We'll be the end

Embrace me for eternity

Fly into heaven."