ARC 1: Birth of the Daemon and Daenerys
Chapter 2: Whispers in the Red Keep
Year 283 AC
The news from the Trident struck the Red Keep like a physical blow, a silent scream echoing through its ancient stones. The vibrant tapestries depicting Targaryen dragons seemed to lose their luster, the crimson scales now a stark reminder of the blood spilled on the riverbank. The usual rhythm of the royal household, a constant hum of activity, stuttered and fell silent, replaced by a palpable tension that clung to the air like a shroud.
Princess Elia Martell, within the relative confinement of her solar with her children, felt the icy tendrils of fear wrap around her. Rhaegar, her beloved husband, the father of her precious Rhaenys and little Aegon, was gone. The words, delivered by a Kingsguard knight whose face was a mask of sorrow and duty, had been simple, brutal: "Prince Rhaegar fell at the Trident." The grief was a raw wound, but overriding it was a chilling premonition of what this loss meant for her and her children, now more vulnerable than ever within the walls of a besieged city.
She looked at Rhaenys, her daughter, a spirited child of three with her father's striking silver-gold hair already beginning to frame her mother's dark, intelligent eyes. Rhaenys, usually a whirlwind of playful energy, sat quietly at Elia's feet, her small brow furrowed, sensing the heavy atmosphere that had descended upon them. Little Aegon, barely a year old, gurgled happily in his cradle, his innocent babbling a stark contrast to the silent terror gripping his mother's heart. They were Targaryens, their blood royal, yet now they were also hostages, their fate hanging precariously in the balance.
Beyond the Red Keep's thick walls, the news of Rhaegar's death reverberated through the rebel forces. For Robert Baratheon, the victory at the Trident was undoubtedly a moment of triumph, the man he had fought so fiercely finally vanquished. Yet, the war was far from over. The Mad King Aerys still held the Iron Throne, and the capital remained a formidable stronghold. The path to King's Landing would still be paved with blood and steel.
Ned Stark, his grief for his lost brother and father a constant ache, would have greeted the news with a grim sense of justice served. Rhaegar's death was a decisive blow against the Targaryen regime. However, Ned's inherent sense of honor would likely have made him wary of further bloodshed and the potential for innocent lives to be caught in the crossfire. His focus would have been on a swift and honorable resolution to the conflict.
Jon Arryn, the experienced statesman, would have viewed Rhaegar's death with a pragmatic mix of relief and continued caution. The charismatic Prince was no longer a threat on the battlefield, but King Aerys's unpredictable nature remained a significant danger. Jon's strategic mind would have been focused on consolidating their gains and planning the final assault on King's Landing, striving to minimize casualties and secure a stable future for the Seven Kingdoms.
The reactions of the other rebel lords would have varied. Hoster Tully would have seen the victory as a significant step towards securing the new order, solidifying the alliances forged through marriage and rebellion. Tywin Lannister, ever the opportunist, would have been meticulously assessing the shifting power dynamics, his gaze already fixed on how House Lannister could best exploit the Targaryen collapse for its own gain.
News of Rhaegar's demise also reached the loyalist forces scattered across the realm. In the Reach, the situation was fraught with peril for House Tyrell. Lord Mace Tyrell, with the bulk of the Reach's forces, was still engaged in the protracted siege of Storm's End, attempting to dislodge Stannis Baratheon from the formidable castle. The news of Rhaegar's death would have been a devastating blow to their hopes of a Targaryen victory. Their allegiance, so publicly displayed, now placed them in a highly vulnerable position, exposed to the potential wrath of the victorious rebels.
Olenna Tyrell, the formidable Queen of Thorns, would have likely reacted with a cold, calculating pragmatism. While the loss of Rhaegar, a Prince many saw as a wise and capable heir, might have been lamented, her primary concern would have immediately shifted to the survival and future of House Tyrell. Trapped between their past loyalty and the looming rebel victory, Olenna's sharp mind would have been working tirelessly to find a way to navigate this treacherous new reality, seeking avenues for reconciliation or strategic realignment.
Mace Tyrell himself, encamped outside the seemingly impenetrable walls of Storm's End, would have received the news with shock and dismay. His year-long siege of Stannis had yielded no results, the stubborn younger brother of Robert Baratheon refusing to yield the ancestral seat of House Baratheon despite dwindling supplies and the constant pressure. The death of Rhaegar would have rendered Mace's strategic efforts in the Stormlands largely irrelevant, his large army now potentially isolated and on the wrong side of the conflict. The morale of his forces would have undoubtedly suffered, and uncertainty about their next move would have spread through the ranks.
Within Storm's End, the news of his brother Robert's victory at the Trident and the death of Rhaegar would have been met by Stannis Baratheon with a grim satisfaction, perhaps even a sense of righteous vindication. Stannis, a man of unyielding duty and a stark sense of justice, would have seen it as a deserved outcome for the Targaryen Prince. However, his immediate focus would have remained on the siege. Trapped within the castle walls with his loyal men, their supplies dwindling, Stannis was in no position to capitalize on this victory. Mace Tyrell's forces still surrounded him, and escape was impossible without a significant shift in the overall war. He would have likely continued his stubborn defense, awaiting either rescue or the bitter end.
Back in King's Landing, the fragile veneer of order began to crack under the weight of the news from the Trident. Fear was a tangible presence in the Red Keep, and beyond its walls, the city held its breath, anticipating the arrival of the victorious rebel armies.
It was in this climate of growing terror that word of Tywin Lannister's approach reached the capital. After his prolonged neutrality, Lord Tywin, the Lord of Casterly Rock, the Warden of the West, a man whose ambition was as vast as his wealth, had finally made his move. The death of Rhaegar, signaling the near-certain defeat of the Targaryens, had presented him with the perfect opportunity to intervene, not out of loyalty to either side, but to secure the paramountcy of House Lannister in the new political landscape. His past grievances with King Aerys, the slights and the King's descent into madness, provided a convenient justification for his coming actions.
To the terrified inhabitants of King's Landing, the arrival of the Lannister host was an ominous development. While some desperate loyalists clung to the hope that the renowned strength of the Lannister armies would bolster the city's defenses, many others, aware of Tywin's ruthlessness and his history of self-serving actions, felt a profound sense of foreboding.
Princess Elia, hearing of Tywin's imminent arrival, felt a fresh wave of icy dread wash over her. She knew of Lord Tywin's cold ambition and his utter lack of sentimentality. His decision to wait until the Targaryen cause was all but lost before committing his forces spoke volumes about his intentions. She instinctively understood that his arrival was not to protect the royal family, but to exploit their vulnerability and seize power for himself. Her children, with their Targaryen blood, were now in even greater danger, caught between the madness of their grandfather and the ruthless ambition of the Lannister lion.
Within the Red Keep, the whispers became frantic. Fear mingled with a growing sense of betrayal as the remaining loyalists debated Tywin's true motives. Some, blinded by desperation, saw him as a savior, a powerful lord come to their aid. Others, their eyes clearer, recognized the wolf in sheep's clothing, a predator drawn to the scent of weakness.
King Aerys, his sanity unraveling further with each grim tidings, reacted to the news of Tywin's approach with a terrifying blend of suspicion and desperate hope. In his fractured mind, Tywin was both a potential savior, the only lord powerful enough to turn the tide, and a treacherous viper, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. His commands became increasingly irrational, his paranoia reaching fever pitch, isolating him further within the Red Keep.
As the Lannister banners approached the gates of King's Landing, the atmosphere within the city was thick with a suffocating dread. Princess Elia held her children close, their small, innocent forms a stark reminder of the human cost of this brutal war. The dragon had fallen, its reign seemingly at an end. And now, the golden lion, silent and deadly, was poised to claim the ravaged kingdom as its own. The whispers in the Red Keep spoke not of hope, but of the terrible fate that awaited them all.