Ellena
Aegon raised his sword, bringing it down heavily and without hesitation. Most of the knights in Dragonstone wouldn't have parried such a blow, Ellena knew that much by know. At the very least, their weapons would have given in beneath the valyrian steel. But Visenya's slender blade was made from the same steel and it effortlessly blocked the strike.
A rare grin flashed over the queen's face, as she pushed Aegon's blade to the side. Parrying another of his strikes, she followed by one of her own, which Aegon had to dodge. He used the opportunity to get a step away from her, using the range of his larger blade. It was more than a sparring match and the way they looked at each other was almost intimate, as odd as the thought was. After all, King Aegon was in love with Rhaenys, wasn't he?
The younger queen was watching them carefully, resting her arms on the ledge that separated the open hallway with the courtyard below. Ellena stood by her side, as did Hemys and Cassandra. Rhaenys' expression was distanced, her ever-present smile a bit smaller than usual, as she watched her king and her sister.
Aegon spun his blade, a low strike which Visenya parried with ease. This was followed by a high attack and this time, Visenya was not able to full evade the blow. The tip of the sharp blade stopped, just an inch away from her throat and for a brief second, Visenya's eyes widened. Then, instead of yielding, she jumped back, dodging Aegon's strike, before darting forwards again. Her closed fist hit the king right in the face.
Momentarily stunned, Aegon was unable to keep a firm grip around his heavy blade and Visenya snatched it from his fingers. Holding Dark Sister in the left and Blackfyre in the right, she rested the blades on Aegon's shoulders and now, the king slowly smirked. Finally, he gave her a nod, the closest to a sign of yielding she would get. Then, they separated and she handed him his blade.
“He will spend the night with Visenya”, Rhaenys mumbled and Ellena raised an eyebrow. “You sound as if you're okay with it”, she mumbled, to which Rhaenys nodded. “In a way, I am”, she assured her. “There should be no jealousy between me and Visenya” She sighed slightly. “I knew what I would be getting when I married Aegon”, she admitted. “Sometimes I believe Visenya did not”
Ellena shook her head, staring down at the duel between the king and his older wife. Breathing heavily, Aegon took a step away from Visenya, his smile mirroring hers. There was a hunger in it, the lust for battle that she hadn't seen in him yet. Then again, perhaps that was necessary for a conqueror of his ambition. He and Visenya were the same in these regards.
Her expression soured as she saw Noelle in the distance. The priestess had been keeping a low profile and, thankfully, remained distant from her during the past weeks at Dragonstone. But Ellena had no doubt that she was planning for something. Perhaps the worst of it was that she still wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing. If Noelle could be believed, her presence was a necessary evil, but that was exactly the problem.
“Can I speak freely, my queen?”, Cassandra spoke up and after a moment fo hesitation, Rhaenys nodded. “You may”, she said in a casual tone, though her eyes darted at the handmaiden, making it clear how touchy the subject was. “I believe it is unfair, what King Aegon is doing”, she spoke and Rhaenys clenched her fists around the ledge. “You mean?”, she asked. “He loves you, doesn't he?”, the handmaiden spoke and Rhaenys slowly nodded. “He does”, she spoke with utmost confidence. “And yet he remains married to Visenya as well, despite not loving her” She gulped, noticing the cool look on the queen's face “I mean, it's unfair for both of you”
Rhaenys remained silent after this. “There was a time when I thought the same, Cass”, she admitted. “But Aegon is the head of House Targaryen. For the first twenty years of his life, our father decided on every move he would ever make, planned his entire life for him. He had no choice but to marry Visenya and yet, he still chose me. It gives me comfort, in a way”
“Fuck tradition then”, Cass mumbled. “He is the king. Shouldn't he make new ones instead of clinging to the old?” Rhaenys' expression gained a momentary sharpness and Cassandra gulped. “I mean...”, she began, but this time, the queen cut her off. “This is quite enough, Cassandra”, she said, though she followed it by a sigh. “We are a family, Aegon, Vis and me. And trust me, I am the last who has a right to complain in this” After she had said this, she stared down at the courtyard and at her husband and her sister, both locked in a fierce duel. Ellena saw blood on Aegon's face and on Visenya's neck and yet, they showed no sign of slowing down.
Ellena had not noticed the man approaching them, but given that she was the only one who gasped at his sudden arrival, Rhaenys and the other handmaidens certainly had. Laevon Raelgaeron, Hemys' father, always reminded her of a vulture, with his large nose and slim build. He saluted briefly in front of his queen and when he looked at her, his expression was warmer than when he looked at his own daughter even.
“Queen Rhaenys”, he spoke, his tone firm and stern. She smiled in return. “Just Rhaenys, Laevon”, she corrected him, before she gave him a wink. “I thought I had made myself clear” Laevon managed a thin smile that looked almost out of place on his serious face. “Rhaenys”, he said. “I believe there is a matter to deal with”
The queen raised an eyebrow. “A matter, huh? Can't Aegon take care of it?”, she asked and Laevon frowned. “I believe the king is rather busy at the moment”, he said, glancing at the courtyard, where Aegon and Visenya had started the second round of their sparring match. Rhaenys apparently came to the same conclusion, as she nodded. “Alright, what is it?”, she mumbled.
“Down at the beach”, Laevon replied. “Lord Velaryon and Ser Daghan are already down there” He paused. “We are about to receive... unexpected guests. I think you should take a look at this” The frown on his face made it clear that his news were not meant to be pleasant, but this only gained Ellena's curiosity.
With a last look at the courtyard, Rhaenys took a step away from the ledge. “Lead the way”, she merely said and Laevon did just that. With Rhaenys to his right and Hemys to his left, he began to walk, while Ellena and Cassandra followed closely. They walked across the wall of Dragonstone and from up there, Ellena was not quite able to see what Laevon meant. The dark waters beyond the gloomy beach of Dragonstone were covered in thick fog and she could barely see several figures on the path down to it.
As they came closer, she first recognized Asher Velaryon. The boy looked even more gloomy than the dark weather and he merely gave her a nod. It was clear that Ser Orys' punishment had an effect on him and Ellena felt guilty about her part in it. For listening to Aegon's war council, Orys had simply left him behind, marching to war against the Stormlands without his trusted squire. She suspected this was worse for him than anything else for him.
And yet, the wink he gave her was barely humbled and it put a smile on her face. “What are you doing here?”, she asked and Asher shrugged. “With Ser Orys absent for the time being, I was ordered to stick to Ser Daghan”, he revealed. “Probably means the king intends to keep him close, I doubt they would send me anywhere interesting”
“Well, you did enough to deserve it”, Hemys hissed, before she hesitated under the stern glance of her father. “I'm... just glad you didn't drag Ellena into your shenanigans” She clenched her fists, staring past him and towards the beach, as their small group descended the steep path together.
“I'm sorry you got into trouble, Asher”, Ellena said and the boy shrugged. “He'll forgive me”, he said with confidence. “The timing could have been better though. I really wanted to go with him, leave this island and help with the war” He sighed. “He knows I'm ready. I can fight, I can follow orders” He ignored Hemys' doubtful expression, as he shook his head in frustration. “But of course he'd rather go to war without his squire”
By now, the small group had gotten closer to the beach and through the fog, Ellena could see the figures of two dozen Targaryen soldiers and half as many Velaryon men. Lord Daemon Velaryon stood there, his thin figure clad in thick fur, to protect him from the cold winds. Ellena was certainly thankful for the black cloak she had been given, though not for the first time, she had to wonder how Rhaenys braved the cold so easily, wearing a fine, but rather thin dress in black and red, the fabric itself and the low neckline more suited for the summer.
Velaryon had one of his hands in his beard, gently stroking it as he gave the queen a nod. The huge, bald figure of Daghan next to him sported a wide smile that was so unlike his thuggish features, as he briefly approached them. He greeted Rhaenys with a cordial hand on her shoulder and the queen rested hers on his for a second, before the knight moved past her to hug his daughter.
And there, Ellena could see what this was all about. There was a long shape visible in the fog, out on the water, a figure, perhaps as long as Meraxes, but more slender. The head... that was clearly a dragon, wasn't it? A dragon ship, a wooden beast, its sail a single, huge wing. Rhaenys narrowed her eyes. “What is this about, uncle?”, she asked and Velaryon pointed out at the shape in the fog. “A ship, my queen”, he spoke. “But not just any. This is an Ironborn longship. There's not many Ironborn captains who would sail these waters and I like none of them”
“We are not expecting Ironborn”, Laevon added calmly. “But those are no raiders. They must be here for something else” Rhaenys raised an eyebrow. “And shouldn't there be our fleet to prevent such a thing?”, she asked. “I think I remember you telling the king about the proud Velaryon fleet, how nothing would slip past them”
Daemon Velaryon cleared his throat in discomfort. “I... of course only a token force remains at Dragonstone, while we gather our fleet for the attack against the Vale”, he stuttered. “The fog. They somehow must have slipped past us” He straightened his back. “Be assured, we would have noticed more than one ship. An attack against Dragonstone by sea is completely unthinkable”
“This morning I would have thought Ironborn guests would be unthin...”, Rhaenys began a somewhat snappy response, but she cut herself off as the wind carried noise towards them. Ellena saw the smaller rowboat that was approaching them from the larger longship. From there, voices reached the shore, locked into a loud, joyful and barely harmonic sailor's song.
Ellena frowned, as she glanced over her shoulder, only to spot Noelle a few feet behind her. “What are you doing here?”, she asked and the priestess raised an eyebrow. “You know why I am here”, she replied. “And I saw this in the fire. The iron scythe, kneeling to the silver queen” Ellena rolled her eyes. “Certainly didn't expect such a clear reply from you” Noelle shrugged. “The flames are rarely clear these days”, she admitted. “But I believe the captain of this ship has a role to play. For the better or the worse, I can not yet tell”
This gained Ellena's curiosity. “You think your enemy is on that ship?”, she asked. To this, Noelle shook her head. “I don't know”, she admitted. “It is as I said, he has a role to play. Now it is up to me to find out if he's a threat or not” Ellena narrowed her eyes. “Why don't you try to burn him?”, she spat. “Heard that's always an option for your kind”
If Noelle was hurt, or even just bothered by her comment, she did not show it at all. Instead, she merely let out a slight sigh. “I hope one day you will see that my intentions are good”, she mumbled and Ellena frowned. “It is not your intentions I doubt”, she replied. “Merely your judgement” With this, she turned to the shore, where the boat was now clearly visible. A little over a dozen men were rowing it and she was certain that there were more back on the boat.
One of them jumped into the knee-deep water as the boat reached the shore. He was lean and ruggedly handsome, with a short beard and even shorter hair, all in black. There was a notable scar in his face, a gash running from the bridge of his nose to his upper right cheek, yet it worked well with the roguish look he pulled off so effortlessly. His chest was bare, covered merely by an open, sleeveless leather coat, exposing further scars and wiry muscles and also revealing the blue handkerchief he had wrapped around his left arm, like a trophy of sorts. Ellena also noticed the fine longsword on his belt and she narrowed her eyes as she spotted a dagger behind his back. Seemingly as unbothered by the cold as Rhaenys, he strode forwards with a grin, while two members of his crew followed behind him.
One of them was a young man, skinny and short, shorter than Ellena even. If there was anything outstanding about his looks, it was his complete lack of outstanding features and if not for him walking behind the rather notable presence of the man that had to be his captain, she would have likely overlooked him. His long brown hair was tied back behind a thick, brown stripe of cloth that was tied around his head and he wore a simple clothing. Despite the dark bags beneath his eyes, he seemed eager to be here.
The other one was a woman, probably in the same age. She was a beauty, with a pretty face, grey eyes and fair skin. A beauty mark was visible above her full lips. Her hair was as brown as that of the skinny man and a bit longer, reaching past her shoulders. Her shapely figure was covered by a white blouse and a black corset, with purple embroidery. A scarf of the same colour was tied around her waist and it jingled slightly as she moved, with dozens of colourful coins dangling from it. Her tight pants were coloured similarly in black and purple and tucked into her black boots. Unlike the two men, she was not smiling and both of her hands were resting on the twin stilettos, thin, myrish blades, as long as a short sword and twice as deadly.
“That's close enough, Ironborn”, Daemon Velaryon growled, as he moved forward. “State your name and intentions at once, or we will cut you down” He was flanked by four of his men and them moving their hands to their swords was actually enough to give the Ironborn some pause. He stopped, raising his eyebrows, as he mustered the tall, gaunt Lord Velaryon from head to toe.
“Easy there, Dickon”, he spoke. “You know, that'd all be way more scary if you and your hounds here weren't clad in Velaryon colours” He smirked and Ellena saw Daemon clenching his fists. “What did you just...”, he hissed, before he interrupted himself. “I'll have you know, you stand before Daemon Velaryon, uncle of the king and Master of Ships”
The Ironborn raised an eyebrow, while the skinny man behind him chuckled wildly. Even the woman smirked, as the captain replied. “Well, in that case, I am...”, he said, before his smile grew slightly smaller for a single, brief moment. Ellena wouldn't have noticed it, if not for the time she spent with Terroma and then with Noelle. Both had shown her to notice these brief moments where a man's true intentions would shine through. In case of the Ironborn, it was as he looked past Daemon Velaryon for the first time, directly at Rhaenys, surrounded by her handmaidens and guards.
“Not here for you”, he finished the sentence, without averting his gaze from Rhaenys. He moved past Lord Velaryon, who failed to seize the opportunity to draw his weapon. By the time he did, the Ironborn and his two companions were already past him and halfway between his men and Rhaenys'. While the skinny man was still chuckling, the woman had the common sense to look concerned. The sound of steel behind him was enough for the Ironborn to stop, now only half a dozen feet away from Rhaenys, who mustered him in a neutral, if slightly curious way.
“My name is Gregor Harlaw”, the captain finally introduced himself. “The most well-travelled and experienced Ironborn captain you will ever meet. Am I correct in assuming that you must be Queen Rhaenys Targaryen?” He said this just as Rhaenys raised a hand, silently ordering Velaryon and his men to stop advancing on the trio. “You are correct”, she confirmed. “Though perhaps now would be a good time to tell me why you are here. House Harlaw is sworn to House Hoare, if I'm not mistaken”
Gregor shook his head. “You're not, my queen”, he spoke. “But this Harlaw here just happens to serve no king yet. Me and old Harren, we had a bit of a disagreement, so I left. Sailing through every sea this world has to offer, I found no king I'd serve but myself. That was until I heard of a king who plans to conquer all Westeros. They say he has a dragon by his side, as well as the most beautiful woman in the world as his queen”
Rhaenys smiled sweetly at this. “So you came all this way to compliment me? Or do you wish to pledge your allegiance to my house?”, she asked and Gregor nodded without any hesitation. “I know a winning side when I see it”, he spoke. “I got friends, allies, well, former allies who mocked me for my decision, but I won't bet against the king with the three dragons. Saw what those can do over in Essos” The queen nodded. “Smart”, she agreed. “And it is true that we accept oaths of fealty for all those who would bend the knee. Before I consider it though, what can you offer beyond a massive ego”
“Well, with Gregor it's not just the ego”, the skinny man behind him said, seemingly without even thinking what he just spat out. Gregor raised an eyebrow, but Rhaenys chuckled. “Well, first there would be my companions. Queen Rhaenys, meet Wimp. He may not look like much, but he is the toughest whoreson I've ever met and he'd face the whole world for me”
Wimp nodded. “It's true, my mother is literally a whore”, he said, smirking widely, as Gregor moved on to the woman. “This beauty here is my dear friend Serysha Nahatis”, he said and the woman playfully rolled her eyes, tough they did not light up as she smiled thinly. Instead, she threw a brief glare towards Rhaenys. “Steeled in the fighting pits of Meereen, she is more than a match for any of your finest knights” With this, he pointed at the dozen men behind him. “And there you got part of my crew, the Wild Fellows”
This caused loud cheering from the men, who were pulling the rowboat to the shore. “There's fifty more back on my ship”, Gregor said, his voice effortlessly drowning out the cheering. “The Nagga is the finest you'll ever see, my queen. Better than any ship in your fleet and I'm willing to back that claim up”
“Now I remember that name”, Daemon Velaryon hissed. “My queen, this is a Stepstone pirate, in service to Aeron Blacksails” Rhaenys raised an eyebrow. “I thought you served no king”, she said and Gregor shrugged. “I wouldn't call it serving, my queen”, he replied. “Me and Aeron had an agreement, not more. That is over now, because he refuses to see reason” He smiled, equal parts charming and apologetic. “I would have preferred to arrive with a whole fleet, but I suppose I have to convince you with what you see”
Velaryon narrowed his eyes. “Convince me not to kill you on the spot, Ironborn”, he growled, but Rhaenys raised a hand to interrupt him. “Easy, uncle”, she said. “I for one believe we could always need more of those who are willing to bend the knee” She gave Gregor a deep look and the Ironborn apparently got the hint, as he slowly dropped onto one knee. After his sharp glare, Wimp and Serysha followed.
“This man is a pirate”, Velaryon argued. “One of those who attacked our ships before. He cannot be trusted” Gregor placed a hand on his chest. “Wasn't me”, he said. “Though I admit, I know a captain or two who have boasted with having taken on your prized Velaryon fleet before, mylord” He shrugged. “The truly skilled captains usually aim for richer vessels”
“And what do you mean to say with that?”, Daemon Velaryon snapped. Gregor smirked. “What I'm saying is that your fleet is a joke. The Nagga was able to sneak right past it and my beauty is not exactly small. True, it's foggy, but that is inexcusable”, he said, looking from the flustered Daemon to Rhaenys, whose smile was gone, replaced by an expression of genuine curiosity. “Your choice of words leaves much to desire”, she reprimanded him. “But you bring up a point. We have ships out there who should have seen you and yet it was my guards here on Dragonstone who saw you first”
“That is my offer”, Gregor told her. “If you accept my service, you gain me and the Wild Fellows, each of them an experienced fighter, sailor and raider. You gain my ship and be assured, it is better than anything you can bring to the table” He briefly glanced at Velaryon. “And you gain my unwavering loyalty and my experience as the best captain this side of Volantis”
Velaryon clenched his fists, though Ellena had to smirk at the jab. Still, something about the man made her nervous. The last Ironborn she had met had been just like him, cocky, confident and outwardly friendly and yet, Marak was responsible for the death of the only person she truly cared for ever since she arrived in this strange land. That was what made her hesitate.
“Confident words”, Rhaenys spoke. “And the Velaryon fleet's failure to spot you gives you a point” She beckoned him to stand up again and Gregor followed the order at once. “And yet, this decision is not mine alone to make”, she added. “My husband would like to get involved there and he is the one you will serve eventually. Come, Harlaw. We'll see if you can convince him”
Hearing this, both Gregor and Daemon had a brief, confident smile on their faces, before noticing each others expression. Afterwards, Daemon frowned, while Gregor at least managed to keep a slight smirk. “Lead the way, my queen”, he said and Rhaenys nodded. “Your two companions can come with us. The rest of your men will stay hear at the shore”
“I shall guard them, my queen”, Daemon spoke, but Rhaenys shook her head. “No, Uncle Daemon, you will come with us”, she ordered him instead. “I believe Aegon will be interested in your version of the story. Ser Daghan and his men will remain here instead” Daghan immediately saluted, while Daemon seemed to be satisfied with her reasoning.
“That means I will get to see a dragon?”, Gregor asked and Rhaenys nodded. “If any of them are here right now, yes”, she confirmed. “Meraxes should be home from hunting soon” She gave him a wink. “Though you should be careful what you wish for, Captain Harlaw. Not many share my love for dragons. In fact, most consider them unsettling”
“I heard tales of the dragons' beauty”, Gregor replied. “If you don't mind me saying, if they are only half as radiant as you are, then I don't think they could ever scare me” Rhaenys chuckled lightly. “I do mind”, she said, though her tone was calm and charming. “They can be beautiful and terrifying and in fact, this is what they should be” She turned around, pointed up the path. “Come now, captain. Talk to my husband”
Led by Rhaenys, the group began to walk the steep path back up to Dragonstone. Gregor, Serysha and Wimp kept close to the queen, close enough for Ellena to grow nervous. However, her uncle watched her like a hawk and that gave her some relief, even as she herself fell back a bit, behind most of the Velaryon men even.
Ellena frowned, as she noticed that Noelle was walking close to her. The priestess seemed to have slowed down and she could only guess that this was because she wanted to have a talk. “What do you want?” she growled and Noelle narrowed her eyes, as she looked past the Velaryon men and towards the trio of pirates. “He was lying”, she said.
“You know?”, Ellena asked and Noelle nodded. “I can see when people are lying. It's a blessing from the Lord of Light”, she replied. “And this Ironborn, he was not entirely honest with her” She clenched her fists and Ellena saw that she was being serious there. “Then what does he want?”, she asked and Noelle shrugged. “I never claimed to be that precise”, she said. “But he is hiding something”
“As always, I am amazed by your powers”, Ellena growled. “But you still did not reply. What do you want?” Noelle was quiet for a moment and as she continued, Ellena noticed an odd shift in her tone. There was hesitation, something she had rarely seen in the priestess. “I know he has a role to play in this”, she said. “And he is lying to the queen. At worst, he could be working for the enemy” She sighed. “I must know”
And then, Ellena realized what was troubling the priestess. “You don't trust your own judgement?”, she asked and Noelle reluctantly shook her head. “Not anymore”, she said. “I don't trust myself with finding out the truth. This is why I ask you for help. I need someone whom I trust to find out about that man's secret”
Ellena raised an eyebrow. “Even if I accept, how should I do that?”, she asked and Noelle gulped, as she carefully stared at the trio of pirates. “I might not trust my judgement, or my ability to succeed here”, she said, as she pointed at Serysha Nahatis. “But I know what I have seen in that woman's eyes. There is anger in her and jealousy. Perhaps enough for her to reveal the truth about Gregor Harlaw. Either her or that strange man by his side. He seems to be a lackwit, someone who rarely thinks before he speaks”
“So I should help you”, Ellena said, even if she had to admit, Gregor's companions could indeed be a way to succeed with Noelle's request. All that was left for her to decide was if she should help at all. There was something about Noelle's mission that was important and she actually believed the priestess when she claimed to have seen Gregor in the flames. But still, she hesitated and Noelle noticed it. “I will beg if you want me to”, she assured her. “This is more important than my pride. Please, Ellena. I know I have no right to ask this of you, but if you help me, I assure you, you will help your queen in the long run”
[Agree to find out Gregor's secret] [Refuse to help]