The Dragon's Dance: Maekar's Legacy (Completed)

130 AC

"The last sighting of the Cannibal has been him flying into the Gods Eye around a month ago, nothing ever since. A likely possibility that he has made a lair in the Isle of Faces," Larys informed Alicent as she sat down with him and her father for lunch.

"Prince Maekar seems to have recovered from his grief or at least he is pretending like it is," Larys continued, "Ever since word arrived that Daemon took the Adjudicator as a prize of war, Prince Maekar's grief has turned to a black rage." Alicent could only shudder when she thought of what Maekar did when he got the news of his son's death, he buried his axe into the messenger's head.

"Maekar should focus his attention on Daemon and if we are lucky maybe the two of them can kill each other." Her father remarked dryly as he took a grape. That is hope for her father, Alicent thought, Maekar was too powerful at this point to do anything against but this moment of tragedy could be turned into an opportunity for both her father and Larys. She knew that even Aemond had been in a foul mood, ever since he heard of Gaemon's death, the two were as close as brothers.

"I thought you held Prince Maekar in high esteem, my Lord Hand," Larys remarked as he took a sip. Alicent certainly did, Maekar did more for the Seven than the past ten generations of House Hightower. He freed the slaves of the Triarchy, brought the Faith of the Seven to them, and converted them. Most importantly, he changed Aegon from a wastrel to a man worthy of sitting on the Iron Throne.

"I hold him in high esteem as do we all but his influence over the King is starting to become a cause of worry. Nothing the King ever does is done without any advice from Prince Maekar. The Queen Dowager and I have been pushed to the side," Her father revealed. Alicent hid her snort inside her cup, Aegon did not push her to the side as much as completely sidelined her father. Maekar was the real Hand in all but name. He was after all the Kingmaker.

With her kinsman Ormund busy in the Reach trying to stamp out all of Rhaenyra's supporters without Daeron and with Jason Lannister dead at Stone Hedge with most of the Westerlands, there was only Borros Baratheon left who was scared of Maekar even if he didn't admit it. Thaddeus Rowan was Maekar's creature through and through. There wasn't any High Lord left who could challenge Maekar over control over the Green faction, a faction that she began to counter Rhaenyra has now become the King's Men while Rhaenyra's Blacks have become the Queen's Men under the control of Daemon.

"I am certain that once Prince Maekar leaves to avenge his son, you will be able to regain the King's favor for I doubt that Prince Maekar will return," Larys replied. "I may not be knowledgeable in matters of Dragon warfare but I am certain that if Vermithor and Caraxes fight to the death with their riders, it is unlikely that there will be any survivors."

Alicent then spoke, "While Prince Maekar leaves for Harrenhal so will my sons go to Dragonstone to put an end to that mad whore, Aegon and Aemond are burning with a desire for vengeance, and if there is anything that I know from my time in the Red Keep, every damn person with a dragon has an inane desire to burn everything to the ground if things do not go their way."

"The Blacks are splintering, the death of Jacaerys Waters has ripped them asunder. The Velaryons are now in disfavor with the Princess, it would be prudent to make overtures to the Seasnake and get him to defect." Her father opined. That would be possible if not for the Pale Death deeming Driftmark unworthy of existence. Alicent shuddred once more thinking of Maekar's plan to destroy House Velaryon.

Larys countered, "It would be prudent if not for the fact that Prince Maekar has ordered the Admiralty to see to it that Driftmark burns, the towns of Spicetown and the Hull are to be sacked, High Tide is to be put to the torch whilst the cherished treasures of the Seasnake are to be carted away all the while every other member of House Velaryon that hasn't already sworn themselves to the King is to be put to the sword, man, woman, or child. We all know that the Admiralty is loyal to the Scourge even unto death."

"Lords Rowan and Baratheon have arrived as has Prince Daeron, the final attack will begin this week, I am certain of it but the King and the Princes will not say a word to me, nor the Lords not to Ser Criston. Once the war is over we must make sure that Viserra, Shiera, and Maegelle do not get to influence Aegon as much as Maekar does." Otto then said to Alicent and Larys as they nodded their heads.

While Alicent was more than friendly with Shiera and Viserra she always felt unnerved by Shiera's gaze and her interests in the arcane while everyone knew that Viserra was a scheming whore. Maegelle was far better and more lively and a perfect companion for Helaena and a good daughter for Alicent who was fed to the teeth with her sons though she was disappointed with how indulgent her parents were with her unladylike interests in archery.

Then suddenly the door bursts open as men of the Dragon's Teeth emerge with their axes brandished all the while outside their guards are restrained.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ser Otto thundered at the soldier in the lead, Captain Jon Fletcher.

Captain Jon ignored the Hand of the King and the Queen Dowager as he turned to the Master of Whisperers, "Lord Larys Strong, you are under arrest for the murder of your brother and father as well as for conspiring to place multiple pretenders on the throne." Alicent felt her heart thrumming upon seeing Larys surrounded by Maekar's men. Did Maekar know everything the whole time?

"On whose authority?" Alicent rose, though more than a little part of her was feeling euphoric at the notion that Larys was finally caught but an even greater part was fearful at what he would say.

"That of the King and Prince Maekar's," Captain Jon replied as his men grabbed Larys who tried to protest, and pulled him off his chair.

"This is an outrage, my Queen you must stop this," Larys began to plead frantically as he was pulled away, "I did whatever I did in the name of the Queen."

For a moment everybody stilled as they all looked to Alicent who paled but then Captain Jon answered, "We knew you make such outlandish claims, you know what to do, boys." In a heartbeat, the two men holding Larys Strong by his arms would then break his arms eliciting a guttural scream of agony as they would go on to break his wrists and fingers. The display caused Alicent to cower and close her eyes and ears in shock and fear as even her father would take a step back.

"Alright, gag him and drag him to the Small Council chambers and make sure that his fucking clubfoot hits every single damn step as we go," Captain Jon commanded as he turned to face Alicent and Otto. "The King has ordered the two of you to see him in the Small Council where everything shall be revealed."

Inside the Small Council Chambers where the entire Small Council was gathered with her sons and Maekar were five other people in chains, two of them were women, one was a crying silver-haired boy of no more than three namedays while the other was a fearful lanky silver-haired boy who hadn't yet reached manhood standing next to a man beaten to a pulp with a block meant for beheadings in the center.

Before Alicent or her father could say anything, Aemond took out his dagger grabbed the crying boy, placed his dagger at his throat, and snarled, "I will be asking you this one last time and you better speak the truth else your son will not grow old, I promise you that."

The two women began to weep, they were whores and one of them was Dornish, Alicent noted distastefully, and the other one fell to her knees before pleading, "Yes, it is true, my son was fathered by a Lysene oarsman who I serviced. I was told to pretend that my son was fathered by his grace the King. But I should wait for his signal for the King to acknowledge my son." Alicent couldn't believe her ears at the conspiracy that Larys was about to commit, that snake sought to place a bastard boy in the stead of her grandson.

In a deathly cold voice Maekar asked, "And who told you to commit this farce?" After learning of Gaemon's death, Maekar secluded himself inside his chambers for a whole week before emerging out of the destroyed chambers as gaunt and pale symbolizing his epithet, the Pale Death.

"It was the Clubfoot," The Dornish woman whimpered. "We truly did not know anything, Your Grace, it was all the Clubfoot." She pointed to the insenate man who was held up by the two of the Dragon's Teeth.

Aegon who was sitting and listening with stony silence then said, "I have heard enough from them, geld the boy and send him to the wall. The women will be hanged at sundown, take them away." As the Dragon's Teeth took the crying woman and child away Aegon turned to the whimpering lad and the man next to him.

"Do you have a better story or should I make you sing further on the rack? The Clubfoot was quite fond of them." Aemond growled at the man who fell to his knees.

"It was the Clubfoot, it was all him. He is the one who told me what to do, he gave me the boy to squire a year ago and commanded me to make him a king if Rhaenyra should ever take the city. He was to be King Viserys' natural born son," As the man blabbered whom Alicent later knew was called Perkin the Flea, a hedge knight, Alicent stood in shock looking at the spindly boy, he was no older than Daeron. He was supposed to be her husband's bastard!!

"He also promised me a Royal pardon should his grace ever take back the Iron Throne," He wept while Alicent felt her fury boiling as did the others.

"A Royal Pardon, eh, from Larys Fucking Strong," Aegon ground out, "You may take that shite's pardon for what it is worth but you will get nothing but death from me, you and your little king." Aegon drew out Blackfyre and nodded. The Dragon's Teeth dragged them both to the headsman's block and Aegon did not even give the boy a chance to speak before both their heads rolled on the floor of the Small Council chambers.

"And finally we have you, Larys, don't even think about speaking another damn fucking word out of your fucking mouth," Maekar whispered as he took a pitcher of water and dumped it on Larys' head before slapping him awake. "We have planned something special for you."

Aemond continued, "Since you love to torture people so much, we decided to let you die the way you lived."

"Bring him in," Aegon called out as the doors opened once more to reveal the King's Justice, Ser Jon Roxton, a fearsome man with a black temper. One glance was more than enough for Alicent to know that this knight was drunk.

"We had a little drinking contest with Ser Jon and he won, he nearly drank an entire barrel of Arbor Gold," Aegon said with a wicked smile while Aemond handed the drunk knight a rusted and blunt axe. Alicent closed her eyes, this was going to be a gory sight.

As the head of the whimpering snake was placed on the block, Maekar whispered, "It is going to take a while to sever your head but it will be worth it." Then Ser Jon raised his axe, for the first of many times that hour for Larys before Alicent fled the hall.

As Tyland walked out of the hall after the grisly execution of Larys Strong, he ran into Maekar looking out of one of the balconies of the Red Keep.

"Tyland," Maekar remarked as Tyland joined him on the balcony, "You will make a good Hand, be sure to guide Aegon well. He will need good men with him advising him after the war. See to it that House Velaryon is wiped out somehow or the other. Those fuckers need to die. The Seasnake, Otto, they are all the same, they deserve to die."

"I doubt that the King will choose me over his grandfather," Tyland said to Maekar as they saw the Red Keep and the city itself preparing for what could be the final battles of the war. One at the Gods Eye and the other at the Gullet. Tyland would lead the fleet with the King, Princes Aemond, and Daeron from above while Queen Maegelle and Ser Haegon would arrive from the east. They had captured Myr before the letter arrived in their camp.

Tyland knew as did nearly everyone who knew Maekar well enough, that he was going to fight Daemon to the death, while Vermithor was bigger than Caraxes, Daemon was not to be taken lightly. If the Gods were kind then Maekar would return victorious but Maekar seemed set to die.

"Don't allow Otto to enjoy his victory. He is too blinded by his ambitions to care for the good of the realm. He thought I was too blinded by my hatred of Daemon to see through his charade." Maekar then pointed to the serpentine steps behind them, "These infernal steps ought to do the job for you."

"Take care not to fly too close to the sun like how the Seasnake and Otto are doing else you will go blind. If you dance with dragons you must surely expect to get burned, You are a good friend Tyland, I don't want you to burn." Maekar advised Tyland as he patted him on the back before walking away and Tyland was left alone on the balcony.

"Send my regards to the rest of the gang," Maekar said to him as he turned back, "I couldn't have asked for better friends."

Dragonpit

"Uncle, let me go with you, please. I want to avenge Gaemon as well," Aemond pleaded as I entered the Dragonpit. Everyone knows that I am about to die. I want to die at this point, I have stopped giving a fuck about anything at this point. I am tired, I want to rest.

I placed my hand on Aemond's shoulder and said, "Gaemon is dead because of me, my hubris and stupidity are what caused his death and I alone must atone for it. You are young Aemond, you have a long life ahead of you. Do not waste it by getting involved in the squabbles of two old men blinded by their hatred. Your old lady deserves to die in peace, she has done enough and more for our family than anyone else other than the Dread."

Before he could speak I continued, "If you want to use Vhagar so much then I suggest after you are done with Dragonstone, you might want to set your eyes on the Bloody Gate, the Eyrie, Moat Cailin, and the Neck. Those Arryns and Northmen haven't properly learned the lesson that the rest of Westeros has learned."

I then said one last thing to him before heading to meet my faithful Dragon's Teeth, "Don't be wasteful son, kill only if you have to, no more, especially when it comes to the children of your own family. Don't kill the hatchlings for they are the future of our house. Say this to Aegon as well."

"No man will find a more loyal and faithful group of soldiers as you all for you have left a chance at a peaceful life for a troubled one with mine. All my highs and lows I have shared with you. I have known some of you since the days I used to play and run with you in the halls of Dragonstone. It has been my privilege and honor to lead you. You may retire with full honors after this war and enjoy the bounty that you have rightfully earned." I said to them as I felt myself breaking within. All of them knelt before me with their axes facing down to the ground.

Harrenhal

It was dusk by the time I arrived at Harrenhal but it was as I expected, the castle was deserted except for Daemon and Caraxes. No doubt most of his army must have slipped behind the other side of the Gods Eye, good thing that I sent Thaddeus Rowan and Borros Baratheon that way.

"You have lived too long, Daemon," I said to him as we stared each other down with our dragons behind us.

"I agreed and so have you, Maekar, care to join me in Hell," Daemon asked without his usual arrogance.

"After you, for you are the elder," I replied as I palmed the Harbinger.

Seeing that Daemon replied, "I placed the Adjudicator in the Godswood. You should have brought someone to take it, or else it might get stolen."

"Someone will take it and it will make its way back to Cape Maekar, do not fear that it will go unattended," I responded. A battalion of my Dragon's Teeth was riding up the road to Harrenhal. I had already told them to take the sword and to kill Alys Rivers if they ever got her.

I then decided to say what I meant to say to myself as I tried to justify my decisions at the start of the Dance, "I figured that in a straight fight between Caraxes and the Cannibal, the victor would be left with grievous wounds. I thought that you wouldn't dare to go after Gaemon for such a bitter victory not as long as I was around. I never thought you to be so callous as to use Jacaerys as bait. I thought you liked Rhaenyra's children with Harwin Strong." If half the rumors from Dragonstone were true then Rhaenyra was either losing her mind or had become hardened in her grief and anger.

Daemon bitterly replied, "Jace was never meant to be bait merely a distraction until I arrived, I warned him a thousand times before we left not to get too close to the Cannibal. He did not listen. The boy was too bold by half. You taught your boy well, too bad he fell for my trap." No disagreements there. I have a feeling that his wife is not very happy with him, not that mine is either. At least we have that in common.

"Would you have sided against Rhaenyra had I not married her?" Daemon then asked me.

I shook my head, "Probably not, I would have just sat out the whole thing from Cape Maekar."

Daemon nodded before asking, "Figured as much, will Otto live long enough to gloat?"

I snorted, "Fuck no, he is as dead as the Seasnake."

"Good," Daemon nodded, "You were never Otto's creature."

I replied, "No more than you were the Seasnake's."

I walked over to Vermithor and I could already see my life flash in front of my eyes, hiding behind my mother's skirts under the disapproving gaze of others, my aunt Maegelle tickling me, flying on Silverwing with my mother, my first flight with Vermithor, the day I met Shiera, bouncing Gaemon on my knee, teaching Maegelle how to shoot with a bow, playing tag with Haegon and Daeron. Introducing Dreamfyre to Helaena for the first time, helping Aemond bond with Vhagar, and teaching Aegon humility in boot camp. Holding my grandchildren for the first time, I felt a tear come down my cheek as I placed my helmet on my head.

Gaemon will never come back but I will go to him, and hopefully so will the rest of my family.

I placed the Harbinger on a specially made scabbard on the saddle as I tied my chains, "Come on boy, it is our last ride. Let us go meet grumpy Old Jae, we have to rub it in his face, don't we?"

I didn't have to snap my whip and we leaped into the air as the sun began to set, Caraxes and Daemon jumping with us as we ascended into the clouds.

As we entered the clouds, looked around for a sign of Caraxes and I found it when from my left, a bright flash appeared as a stream of red flames came straight at me, Vermithor jerked sharply away from the flames as I could feel the fire and the wash of its heat before returning a searing jet straight at Caraxes who darted out of the clouds. The lean red dragon dodged the blast before returning another, this time I steered Vermithor away as we returned the favor, Caraxes rolled in the air before charging headlong at us.

His mistake.

We slammed into each other and I was rattled to my bone as our dragons began to grapple with their claws and jaws. Both dragons fought fiercely and viciously for the kill as they tried to close their jaws around each other's necks. Claws scrapped as they tried to sink into their enemy while the wings began to scrabble, and then as Vermithor tried to snap his jaws around Caraxes' long neck but the dragon slipped out however it gave me a chance as I found Daemon open for a clean shot but then Caraxes disengaged from the slugging match as he tried to pull out.

All my anger that I had surged through my veins as I screamed, "DRACARYS."

A stream of unrelenting brass fire came out of Vermithor's maw, Caraxes tried to dodge but the stream followed him and struck him on the wing before hitting him in the chest, the red dragon screeched in pain as he dropped in the air and I got the chance I was waiting for as Vermithor and I slammed straight down into Caraxes and we began to grapple as I began to pull Caraxes down straight into the Gods Eye down a thousand feet below.

Then Caraxes with his long neck reached out and snapped his jaws shut at Vermithor's left wing and a very clear snap was heard, I looked in shock to see the dark blood sprouting out of the place where Caraxes had closed his jaw but Vermithor did not give up as he closed his jaw around Caraxes' neck while his claws began to tear into now weakened belly, the ashen scales falling off like leaves during autumn.

Even as we fell, I found Daemon who drew out Dark Sister and struck off his chains, 'Not this time, Daemon,' I thought as I grabbed the Harbinger and struck off my chains before getting up on the saddle and leaping off Vermithor straight at Daemon. He saw me coming and raised Dark Sister to meet me but I took no notice of his sword as I buried the Harbinger into his fucking face.

As I tumbled over into the empty orange and purple sky, I looked around to see the looming Harrenhal as the Gods Eye came ever closer, I saw Vermithor tear off Caraxes' entrails while he tore off Vermithor's wing. I saw Daemon's lifeless body tumble in the air with my fucking axe in his fucking face and then I felt blood on my lips and I looked at myself to see Dark Sister more than halfway inside my belly. She punched straight through the plate and gambeson and came out, no wonder I couldn't feel my legs.

I found myself laughing as the Gods Eye rushed forward to meet me.