A few days had passed since Helaena had been born, and the news had spread quickly!
Festivities sprang up everywhere, sponsored by lords of various houses—trying to curry favour from Viserys and the future ruler… Aegon!
Speaking of whom, Aegon spent most of his time with his mother and sister, trying to play with her.
He did play with Rhaenyra, but only when she visited her new sister, which was every other day.
Currently, the realm's delight is sitting under a weirwood tree, reading a book.
But there was a frown on her face; her eyes darted everywhere except the book, 'I can't focus…' she mumbled inwardly with frustration.
She felt a little constricted, as if missing something, but couldn't figure out what it was. "What is this feeling?" she muttered out loud.
But just then, as the princess was in her own mind, a woman approached her from behind, "Something on your mind, Rhaenyra?" She asked.
"Huh?" Rhaenyra exclaimed, surprised by the sudden voice. She turned around, only to see a woman in her thirties.
Rhaenyra stared at the woman with narrowed eyes, pursing her lips. "Why are you here, Aunt?" she asked in reply.
It was Rhaenys, Viserys's cousin, known as "The Queen Who Never Was!"
She had long, wavy silver-gold hair, with purple eyes that were of a Targaryen, while she wore a black royal dress with red accents.
"You seem troubled," Rhaenys whispered with a small smile, approaching Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra eyed the woman; she didn't hate talking with her, but didn't look forward to it either. "What are you doing here, Rhaenys?" She repeated.
"Corlys is having a meeting with His Grace," Rhaenys explained, sitting beside the princess. Usually, the couple would meet the king together, and Rhaenys was the one who would frequent the king.
But Rhaenyra didn't want to dig deep; nodding at Rhaenys, she went back to her book, trying to read, but
"You seem close to the prince," Rgaenys commented.
"And I can't?!" Rhaenyra replied sharply, a little annoyed.
"Oh, you can. But only if you want to give up your throne to him!"
THUD
"Why are you here, Rhaenys?" the princess snapped, shutting the book with a thud, and she glared at the Velaryon.
Rhaenys looked the princess in the eyes, her purple eyes glistening with empathy as she said, "I'm here to warn you, Rhaenyra."
GRIT
"Warn me of my own brother?! A two-year-old child?!" Rhaenyra said, gritting her teeth.
But the Queen who never was only shook her head in reply, pressing her lips slightly, "he won't be a child for long, Rhaenyra." She answered softly.
But the princess didn't like it; she clenched her jaw while curling her hand into fists. She turned away from the Valeryon, anger slowly taking over.
Rhaenys observed this; she then placed her hand on Rhaenyra's and whispered, "They already think of him as heir, Rhaenyra."
"But I'm the heir!! My father, the king, named me his heir!" Rgaenyra yelled at the top of her lungs.
The emotions she buried deep within her, the emotions that she wanted to suppress, surfacing slowly, were emotions that hated Aegon.
"But the realm doesn't think that way, Rhaenyra. Word had spread that he had spotted the white stag! That only he had spotted the white stag!"
"But that's not the truth!"
"And you know it doesn't matter," Rgaenys replied, causing the princess to bite her lips in frustration. "I told you long before Rhaenyra," the woman continued, her eyes gleaming with hate and anger. "The men of this realm would rather see it burn than let it be ruled by a woman!"
SNIFF
Rhaenyra took a deep breath, her face reddening as she felt the weight of her aunt's words, "B-But Aegon—"
"You know that's not true, Rhaenyra," Rhaenys cut her off, shaking her head as her eyes gleamed with disappointment.
"I-I…."
"The lords of the Seven Realms will always support Aegon over you! And you know it! Yet you ignore it!"
The realm's delight had no answer for the woman. She bit her lip, tightly clenching her fists.
She knew it, deep in her heart. Everyone would support Aegon if it came to it.
Rhaenys, watching the princess, knew this was it, this was the time to hit the final nail and said, "Rhaenyra, the moment the child grows up and learns to wield a sword… he will point it at you!"
'W-Wha….' She couldn't think; her mind repeatedly played the scene she dreaded every day: Aegon pointing a sword at her, smirking as he said, 'Sorry, sister, but I'm taking the throne!'
Her breath turned ragged, her heart taking shallow, fast beats, and a single tear left her eye.
A small smile bloomed on Rhaenys' face; she had done her part. "I'm leaving, Rhaenyra," she said, turning away before pausing for a moment before turning to the princess, "I only want you to have what I couldn't…"
SIGH
And with a sigh, the woman stood up and began to walk away before she stopped, "Remember, Rhaenyra, remember your birthright! And remember the one who wants to steal it while calling you sister!" With that, she left.
…..
The princess curled into a fetal position, her body livid with rage and frustration.
Rhaenys ... .was right! She knew it! She knew it all along.
'I-I thought I could change it…' the princess mumbled inwardly, tears streaming down her eyes.
"H-He's just two…"
SNIFF
Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself down. Yet instead of calming herself down, it only increased her rage.
Her eyes gleamed with anger, her chest heaving with raw emotion, "This is all because of Father!" she yelled, "He had to marry my only friend! A woman who's his daughter's age!"
"Why….! Why did you marry him?!" The princess broke down; she couldn't hold the weight of her own emotions.
"This is so frustrating..."