The Rebirth of the Dragons - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rhaella Targaryen. 285AC

As they passed beyond the black walls and into Old Volantis Rhaella studied the streets and buildings around her. It was old architecture, most of these buildings were built in the time of the freehold, black dragonstone was used for both buildings and streets making the buildings both durable and extremely difficult to destroy, the streets benefited from the dragonstone durability and smoothness, those streets were probably the most clean and easiest to navigate in the entire world, something that was made clear by how easy the hathays moved.

Even with how smooth the streets are, words don’t even begin to describe how much Rhaella hated transportation in Volantis.

She much preferred to walk or even ride to her destination, when she needed to make an entrance she would use an oxcart or a horse drawn carriage, in Volantis none of those were an option if she didn’t want to be seen as unimportant by the Old Blood.

She refused to use the slave carried palanquins, so now they moved through the city in hathays pulled by dwarf elephants. It was still driven by a slave, but it was better than move through the city being literally carried by slaves.

They came into an intersection and the two hathays moved in different directions, the one carrying Naerys and Helaena moved forward, they would prepare a meeting between Rhaella and Baelor Varezys. Naerys older brother, and current head of the Varezys family. The hathay carrying Rhaella, Rhaenys, Maekar and their two Kingsguard turned right.

The invitation she received from the Maegyr family to visit their manse came as quite a surprise for Rhaella; apparently Maekar’s mother wanted to see him.

That would probably be a difficult conversation for both of them. Maekar was a bright young boy, with a maturity above his years and an inquisitive mind filed with questions. While Elaena Maegyr was a young woman of six and ten when she gave birth to him, a young woman who was still entranced by the handsome face Aerys still had at that time, by the time she saw and felt in a… physical way the madness that was growing within her lover the girl abandoned kings landing leaving her son behind, a son that now had many questions to the young woman whom he knew gave birth to him but he never saw as a mother.

Still it was an interesting fact that the young woman was back at her family home. Rhaella knew that the Maegyr girl was exiled from the black walls, her family not accepting that she birthed a bastard, even if it was to the king of the seven kingdoms, she knew that since leaving kings landing, the young woman had been traveling the free cities, living by her own means, using the vast amount of gold she had access to. Whatever else was said about Elaena Maegyr, no one could deny that the young woman was shrewd in business dealings since the moment she had her first blood. She saved every piece of gold she ever got from her father since a young age and by the time she was five and ten she bought her first business, and now she owned four buildings in the outskirts of Volantis that were used in the manufacture of luxury clothes and was widely known in Volantis and beyond as the only person of high birth in the city that employed free men instead of using slaves in her business.

And while that fact hadn’t won her many friends in the rich circles of the free cities, it had made her loved by the common men in Volantis. And her clothes were in high demand in Westeros, Braavos and the Summer Islands.

Rhaella looked at Maekar and saw him holding hands with Rhaenys while listening to her granddaughter as she looked out of the hathay and pointed a various buildings, making up stories of what they could be used for in the time of the Freehold. But his eyes told that his mind was thinking of different things, instead of listening to Rhaenys as he usually did.

Rhaella turned back to reading her letter, the boy was already getting the best support he would need at this moment and there was no need for her to involve herself when Rhaenys could do a better job than her.

The letter was from Lyanna. Rhaella stopped and smiled, the young woman was flourishing in her self-imposed and still unofficial role as their spymaster, at first she was only in charge of consolidating the information from Varys and passing on that information to Rhaella, Grand Admiral Velaryon and Ser Gerold. But, since the start of the year, using the codename Sarra Snow, she started to develop her own spy network, and now she had a few agents of her own, a few captains of trading ships that brought her information from all over Essos, a few tavern owners in Braavos and Pentos and even The Moonshadow; a courtesan of Braavos was willing to give her some information.

Rhaella still wanted to know how Lyanna managed to do that. The courtesans of Braavos were known to be discreet and never reveal details about the men who employed their services.

The letter Rhaella was reading right now was one such who came mostly from Lyanna’s information instead of Varys, Information about the many families in Volantis. She looked again at the information on the Maegyr family. They made their gold on the woodworking industry, many of the shipyards in Volantis belonged to them and they turned a good profit on it. Their furniture business was also one who made a good amount of gold, ironwood from the North and bloodwood from the summer islands are used to make some of the most sought after luxury furniture in the know world. All of it and some other business put the Maegyr family around the middle of the wealthiest families in Volantis.

The information on the members of the family is sparse, neither Varys nor Lyanna were able to find much on them.

Malaquo Maegyr was the current head of the family. An old man at five and sixty, he was known to put his profit above everything else. Ruthless in his business dealings and constantly used his vast number of slaves to manipulate information and public opinion in the city to his advantage. He also had an appetite to women, judging by the number of children he had, two and twenty was a large number of children for anyone.

Of the many children, the only one to catch Rhaella’s eye was Larissa Maegyr, older full sister of Elaena.

She was four and twenty, and known for being just as ruthless as her father in her business dealings, never marrying and taking quite a few lovers over the years, but never siring a bastard. According to Varys she was also the only one in her family to keep contact with her sister since her exile.

Rhaella felt the hathay slowing down and looked up from her letter, realizing that they were close to their destination she gave the letter to Ser Barristan for safekeeping and tried to prepare herself for what was coming, even though she didn’t know what exactly that was.

The hathay stopped in front of a large manse made of dragonstone but lacking in decorations, none of the dragons, gargoyles and basilisks common in valyrian architecture were present here.

The Kingsguard knights disembarked first followed by Rhaella and the children, waiting for them at the entrance to the manse was a quite tall woman who Rhaella would say was around eight and twenty. Pale skin, black hair and grey eyes the woman looked like a northern, which probably meant she was from wildling stock. But judging by the coin tattoo on her cheek, which denoted her as a slave in charge of administrative tasks, she was probably born in slavery. No wildling had the education to perform such tasks.

“Welcome to the Maegyr manse Queen Rhaella, if you and your retinue would do me the honor of accompanying me, I will bring you to master Malaquo.” The woman said, after bowing to Rhaella.

“Lead the way.” Rhaella responded.

They were lead through the hallways of the manse. Rhaella noted the many tapestries and paintings depicting scenes of the Freehold, many of them similar to the ones they were able to secure from Dragonstone. Some of the works of art that her family collected through the centuries were lost in the sack of Kings landing, but those were mostly works of Westerosi origin. The vast majority of the works of valyrian origin were housed in Dragonstone and were brought with them to Braavos when they left the castle.

They entered a sitting room and Rhaella had to stop her desire to roll her eyes. The decoration of the room was all in gold and jade, it was supposed to show Malaquo’s wealth but it just looked gaudy and tasteless in her opinion.

“You stand in the presence of the magnanimous Malaquo, Triarch of Volantis, blood of old Valyria and defender of the city.” The woman who was guiding them said as they entered the room.

Rhaella took a moment to look at the people in the room. Seating in an ornate chair was the Triarch, the man was quite fat and the smile he was giving her showed that he was missing a teeth, the lecherous look on his pale blue eyes was quite disturbing to Rhaella, but she didn’t let it show.

The woman standing on his side looked a lot like what Rhaella remembered of Elaena, but she also looked a bit older than the girl should be.

She must be the older sister, Larissa. Rhaella thought.

With her pale skin, silver-gold hair and pale blue eyes, the woman was quite pretty in the traditional valyrian way. Although her eyes were a little red and moist, it looked like she had been crying recently.

“Greetings Queen Rhaella; It is good to have the blood of the forty walking once again through the streets of Volantis, even if temporally.” The Maegyr patriarch said, rising from his seat and giving a short bow to Rhaella.

“Thank you Triarch. Volantis is a beautiful city with a rich history; I am honored to visit the first daughter of Valyria.” Rhaella responded, also giving a short bow to the Triarch.

“My daughter Larissa” Malaquo said pointing at the woman standing by his side. “Will bring the boy to see his mother, I ask that you join me later, in my solar, to discuss business. I imagine that you would like to join the boy for now? I heard you are quite attached to him.” He said, raising his eyebrow towards the end of his sentence.

It took everything in Rhaella’s power to stop herself from showing a reaction to his words. The man showed that even if he did allow his daughter into his house again, he still didn’t recognize her as such, not to mention the cold tone he talked about ‘the boy.’ He clearly didn’t see Maekar as his grandson.

The small comment about her relationship with Maekar was also enough to anger Rhaella. She had stopped all comments about her role as a mother to Maekar a long time ago, when they were still at Kings Landing. He might not be from her own body, but he was still her son.

“Thank you for your consideration Triarch Malaquo. I will join you shortly.” Rhaella responded without letting any of her true feelings show.

The Triarch left the room, the slave who showed them in going with him leaving only Larissa Maegyr and Rhaella’s group in the room. The woman stepped forward holding a rather large and old looking book on her hands and gave a small bow.

“It is an honor to meet you Queen Rhaella.” Larissa said.

“I would say the same to you Lady Maegyr. There are few women as successful as you in this world.” Rhaella responded.

And it was true. Larissa Maegyr was one of the best negotiators in the world, and a thorn in the side of the Iron Bank for a few years now. Ever since she started working for the Tagaros Bank she was responsible for the Iron Bank losing a few major clients in Qohor, Norvos and Lys to their volantene competitors.

“Thank you for your kind words.” the younger woman responded. She then moved to the side and went on one knee in front of Maekar.

“Hello Maekar. I am your aunt Larissa. I hope we can get to know one another and develop the bonds of family that we don’t have at the moment.” She said to the boy, looking him in the eyes.

“It is good to meet you, Lady Maegyr. As for we developing bonds of family, i always was willing to do it.” Maekar responded.

Rhaella watched as the younger woman winced at the cold tone and the double meaning of Maekar’s words. It was one thing to hear about him from others, it was another completely different to be faced with an unusually intelligent and eloquent six year old who could play word games as well as any adult.

“I heard you like books, so i bought this for you. I have to make up for the gifts you didn’t receive all those years, don’t i?” Larissa said with a chuckle as she gave the book she was holding to Maekar.

Rhaella saw Maekar’s eyes light up in wonder and his mouth unconsciously open as he received the book.

“I… Thank you aunt Larissa.” Maekar said after a few moments where he just stood there speechless.

“Give him a book and all is forgiven. Isn’t that right Maekar?” Rhaella asked with a teasing tone to her voice and a chuckle at the end.

“This isn’t just any book. It is an original copy of the last version of Annals of the Freehold.” Maekar responded with wonder still in his voice.

Rhaella felt her mouth open involuntarily, that was an unbelievable gift. The book was first released in Valyria a few years after the first turtle war, the first of the rhoynish wars. After that a new version was released only once every century, adding to the previous work with important events in the Freehold and comments directly from important figures during that time. It had comments directly from people like her ancestor Aurion Targaryen. Archon of Volantis during the Second Spice War, Jaenara Belaerys, regarding her exploration of Sothoryos, It even had a page dedicated to Daenys ‘The Dreamer’.

A new version was being released at the time the Doom happened, leaving only the ten copies outside of the valyrian peninsula at the time remaining. It was public acknowledge as the rarest book in existence tough Rhaella knew that was not the true, since her family had the only complete copy of Signs and Portents. One of the many books they found in that hidden alcove in Dragonstone.

It was still an amazing gift. An original copy like that one was worth as much as two or three valyrian steel swords.

“Maekar, what is that thing you said adults do all the time… Bribe, is that book a bribe?” Rhaenys asked.

All the adults in the room laughed at that. While Rhaenys wasn’t as uncommonly mature as Maekar, she still had an uncanny knowledge of just when and how to lighten a mood.

“Yes Rhae, it is a bribe and a pretty good one at that.” Maekar responded. He then turned back to his aunt and said:

“Thank you again for this amazing gift aunt Larissa.”

“Think nothing of it nephew, you deserve it.” Larissa responded. “Now let’s go see your mother.” She continued.

They left the room by a side door and as they moved through the manse once again Larissa said low enough that only Rhaella could hear.

“I hope he can keep that smile in his face. This will be a difficult conversation, for more than just the reasons we all expect.”

Rhaella wanted to ask what she meant with that statement, but the younger woman moved out of her reach and she didn’t want to talk about it out loud. The reason for that statement became immediately apparent to Rhaella as they entered another room in which Elaena was laying on a bed being tended by three old women. Rhaella had lost enough children to know a woman suffering from childbed fever when she saw one.

“Maekar, please come closer, let me see you one last time.” Elaena said with a weak voice, barely above a whisper once she saw them enter the room.

Rhaella watched as Rhaenys crashed into Maekar’s side, hugging him with a force that almost made them fall. The children moved forward, Rhaenys with her arms still wrapped around her best friend. Rhaella could see by the look in his eyes that all the things Maekar wanted to say to Elaena had left his mind once he saw how frail the woman looked.

“My son, you look just as beautiful as the day i first held you.” Elaena said once Maekar was in front of her bed.

“There are many things i wanted to say to you, but what i will say is, i’m sorry. It is not enough; a mother should never abandon her child like i did with you. I’m not going to give you excuses like, i was a young girl and wasn’t ready to be a mother because, again, it is not enough.” Elaena said while a single tear fell from her eye as she looked at her son.

“It would also be a lie. The truth is i was afraid, your father would never hurt you, but he would hurt me, he did hurt me. I was young and afraid so i did something no mother should do. I thought of myself before you, i put my safety before your happiness. Again, it is not enough, but i’m sorry.” Elaena said, her voice weak and failing towards the end.

“Coming here, i thought of many things i wanted to say to you, but i’m not going to say them. A person should never hold anger or resentment towards another when the end comes. I forgive you… Mother.” Maekar said, while holding her hand in his.

Rhaella watched as tears started flowing from Elaena’s eyes.

“I really am proud of you Maekar, more proud than i can put into words. You are a smart boy and i know you will grow into an amazing man.” Elaena said, taking the hand that was holding hers to her lips and kissing it. She then turned to Rhaenys and asked:

“Maekar will need someone to look after him. Someone to give him a hug whenever he needs it, can i trust you to do it princess?”

“Yes, i will always hug him.” Rhaenys responded.

Rhaella then moved forward, bending down slightly and putting one hand in each of the children’s shoulders. At that moment she came face to face with the younger woman, her lilac eyes locked into Rhaella’s own amethyst colored ones.

“Your Grace.” Elaena said.

“Elaena.” Rhaella responded.

“Thank you for giving him a mother when he needed one; when i wasn’t there to be that mother. And for what it’s worth, i’m sorry if my involvement with your husband caused you any pain.” The younger woman said; her voice once again failing towards the end of her sentence.

“I have always been proud to call him my son. As for my husband, i should be the one to be thanking you, if you weren’t there to take his attention every once in a while, i think my situation would’ve been a lot worse. My body might have survived, but i don’t think my mind would.” Rhaella responded. She would follow Maekar’s words and wouldn’t hold any anger towards the younger woman in her last moments.

The younger woman gave Rhaella a short, weak nod, she then turned her head towards a corner of the room were a woman who looked around Rhaella’s age held a baby in her hands.

“Bring her here, i want to hold her.” Elaena said to the woman.

Rhaella watched with wide eyes as a baby with a familiar olive skin and a few strands of silvery hair was handed to Elaena.

“I’m sure you recognize the family resemblance, your grace. I named her Elia, in honor of her aunt, a woman who was always kind to me.” Elaena said as she positioned the baby closer to her breasts.

“When did this happen?” Rhaella asked.

“The last time Oberyn visited his daughter Nymeria. I ran into him in one of the taverns near the west side of the long bridge, we got close, a lot closer than we did that one time we met in the Red Keep, little Elia is the result of that.” Elaena responded.

“Well, i’m sure Oberyn will love to know he has another daughter.” Rhaella said shaking her head. At the rate he was going, Oberyn might well have a small town worth of children in another ten years.

“He knew i was pregnant, but i asked him to not tell anyone about it. Ellaria of course knows i was pregnant as well; she was there at the same time after all.” Elaena said with a smirk, although it looked more painful than amused, in the woman’s weakened state.

Rhaella had to stop herself from slapping her hand against her face. Of course Ellaria was there, why was every dornish a sexual deviant she would never know.

“A little cousin, and she has my mom’s name, she looks so cute!” Rhaenys suddenly exclaimed. It seems she had finally realized what they were talking about.

“Yes she is your cousin, as well as Maekar’s sister, Princess.” Elaena said to the young girl. She then said to her son:

“I know i have no right to ask you anything son. But i ask that you not hold my mistakes with you against your sister, she is going to need her big brother.”

It filled Rhaella with pride when Maekar responded.

“I once read in the journal of the ‘Conciliator’ that the sins of the father should not be held against the son. The sins of the mother should not be held against the daughter either. I will take care of my sister.”

Maekar suddenly looked towards Rhaenys with wide eyes, he was about to say something when Elaena interrupted him.

“I know what you are thinking son, please don’t try it. Unlike your other mother, i’m not strong enough to survive it. I don’t have enough of the dragon blood in me.”

Rhaella raised an eyebrow at that, only a few people knew that information, and as far as she knew, no one who did know had ever shared it. It was explained the next moment when Elaena looked at her and said:

“It was one of the maids who help the maester. A few of them were always happy to pass me any information about Maekar. I didn’t even had to pay, only argue that as his mother i just wanted to know about him.”

Rhaella nodded in response. As good intentioned as it was, it appeared that she would have to talk to a few of her servants once she returned to Braavos.

Larissa cleared her throat.

“Queen Rhaella. It would be better to join my father now rather than later. He still wants to talk to you, and he would take it as a slight if more time passes than what already has.”

Elaena agreed with her sister.

“My sister is right, your grace. Father is not a patient men and he is quick to anger over any perceived slight. If he wants to talk to you it would be better to go now.”

Maekar looked at her and Rhaella saw the look in his face, he wanted to stay and learn more about his mother.

“Maekar you and Rhaenys can stay here while i talk with the Triarch, Ser Barristan you stay with them, Ser Alliser you come with me.” Rhaella said.

“Yes, your grace.” Both Kingsguard knights responded.

“Thank you mother, we will be ready to leave when you are.” Maekar said while bowing his head in thanks.

Rhaella was guided by Larissa trough the manse, they made smalltalk as they moved towards the solar and Rhaella learned a lot about Volantis from the younger woman. When they reached the door Larissa opened it and announced her, she entered the room and once again Rhaella had to stop her eyes from rolling at another room all in gold and jade, the man had no sense of style.

“You can leave now. I believe what we have to talk is for my and the queen’s ears only.” The Triarch said looking at his daughter and ser Barristan. The Kingsguard knight made to object, but Rhaella stopped him.

“You can stay outside ser Barristan. I don’t believe i am in danger here.”

“Yes, your grace.” Ser Barristan responded.

When both left the room, Rhaella took another moment to look at her surroundings. The solar was lacking in decorations apart from all the gold and jade the Triarch seemed so fond of, the only pieces not made of the precious materials was a marble bust of a man that stood behind the desk and a few bookcases along the walls, the desk and chairs were also made of northern ironwood, but even that had gold and jade imbedded in them.

“Take a seat Queen Rhaella, and let us begin our negotiations.” The Triarch said while looking her up and down.

Rhaella sat at the chair in front of the desk and said:

“I confess i don’t know what you expect from this talks Triarch Malaquo. I know there are many ways we can help each other in trade, but many of those are limited to me because of previous contracts.”

The man nodded at her.

“I believe you speak about your contract with Braavos and the iron bank. I would never want you to break a contract with the bank; it is bad for business for all involved, but there are still ways we could help each other. Your ships will certainly need repairs while plying their trade; pirate attacks are quite common around the Valyrian Peninsula and near Faros and Moraq. I would like to offer my shipyards as a point of repair for your ships.” The Triarch said, once again looking Rhaella up and down.

Rhaella took some time before answering, it was an interesting proposal, but also quite difficult for her future negotiations. She wanted to make the same offer to Princess Vaella and her husband in Elyria, but stopping in Volantis for repairs would be less time consuming for their ships than making the journey into Slaver’s Bay.

It seemed Rhaella had a decision to make. She could refuse and continue to have the shipyard option to negotiate in Elyria, or she could accept and use what she dubbed the ‘Long summer Option’ to guarantee Elyrian support in the future. The problem with that option was that it would cost a vast amount of gold, it would cut into their income to such an extent that it would set back their planed invasion of The Stepstones some four or five years.

A third option was to accept and try to negotiate a lower price for the use of the shipyards. The cut in costs could lower their setbacks by a few moons, maybe a whole year. It was an option that Rhaella could use quite easily; she wasn’t blind to the admiring glances that the Triarch had been sending her since the moment they met, she would never lower herself so much as to actually use her body in such a way. But implying, showing a bit of skin, that was something she would be willing to do.

And if he tried to take more than she was willing to give, the dagger that she always carried hidden below her dress would be used. Just because her Kingsguard wasn’t in the room doesn’t means she was defenseless.

“That is certainly a good proposal Malaquo. May i call you Malaquo?” Rhaella asked as she bended a little lower than necessary to grab the goblet of wine in front of her, giving a good view down her dress. She took a sip of the wine and then put it back in the desk, giving another view down her dress; she then leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs.

“Of course you may call me Malaquo, my dear. May i call you Rhaella?” He responded/asked with a lecherous look and an eager tone.

Too easy, Rhaella thought.

“Certainly Malaquo. I always thought it easier to do business if we divest ourselves from the formalities.” Rhaella responded.

“And i accept your offer of your shipyards, but i would like to negotiate prices for the repair our ships.” She said.

“Of course, i expected as much. Since we are, as you said, ‘divesting ourselves from formalities’, why don’t we move to a more comfortable place.” He responded, pointing to two chairs near the unlit fireplace.

“I agree, Malaquo.” She said, rising from her chair, presenting her hand and trying to hide her disgust as the older man took her hand and guided her towards the fireplace.

It might be easier and more profitable this way. But it is certainly disgusting to use my ‘womanly charms’.Rhaella thought.

Rhaella was back at the inn right outside the black walls that she chose when they arrived in Volantis. The inn usually served visiting nobles that had business in Volantis and she had paid for an entire floor to be set aside for her family while they stayed in the city.

Once she returned to the inn, she immediately took a bath. She was able to get everything she wanted out of her negotiations with the Triarch without too much trouble, there was only a single moment in which he put his hand in her thigh that she thought she would need to use her dagger, but he removed his hand fast enough that she didn’t need to. It still left her feeling like she spent a whole day cleaning stables, hence the reason for the immediate bath.

She then had dinner with the children and Helaena, who came to tell that her uncle was willing to meet with Rhaella the next morning. Maekar was in a pensive mood so the dinner was a little more subdued than usual.

She was now drinking a small goblet of wine, it was nearing her bedtime and she was thinking of what she would do in the meeting tomorrow. She heard a knock on her door.

“You may open it.” She answered loud enough to be heard outside.

The door opened slightly and the face of Ser Alliser appeared.

“Your Grace, the princess and the prince are here to see you.”

Rhaella held back a smirk, the last time someone called Maekar as a bastard in front of her she had the man put in permanent latrine cleanup duty in the Red Keep, since then no one had the courage to call him ‘waters’ in front of her. It was always the prince or the young prince.

“Let them in Ser Alliser.” She responded.

The children entered the room side by side, holding hands as they usually did. She remembered how some of the journals they had of their ancestors always said that sometimes Targaryen marriages were not just to keep the blood pure, sometimes the blood itself called for a paring to happen, like it did to Gaemon and Daenys, Jaehaerys and Alysanne or Aelor and Aelora. She would be very surprised if the same didn’t happen to Maekar and Rhaenys.

“Mother may i please sleep here with you i… I don’t want to be alone tonight.” Maekar said in a low voice.

“Of course son, you know you don’t even need to ask.” Rhaella responded.

“What about you Rhaenys?” She asked.

“I’m not leaving him!” The little girl responded with all the imperiousness of a five year old princess.

“I didn’t expect you to.” Rhaella said giving her granddaughter a small smile. She then asked Maekar.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

The boy stayed silent for a few moments, Rhaella saw his mouth open and shut several times until he responded.

“Maybe some other time, now i just want to sleep and let this day be over with.”

Rhaella put the goblet she was drinking from in the table, rose from her chair and walked towards the children. She went on her knees hugged them both and said:

“Let’s go to sleep then, tomorrow will be a new day and things will be better.”