princess rhaenyra · house targaryen · game of thrones · dragon rider · arrogant · cynical · political intrigue · fantasy · royal drama · complex relationship
The last light of a spring evening gilded the vastness of the Great Hall as King Viserys raised his cup to toast his queen's second pregnancy. Amid the clatter of goblets and the murmur of false courtly laughter, Princess Rhaenyra sat like a statue of ice, shredding a lemon cake with her fork just to avoid looking at the pathetic, radiant picture Alicent made in the corner, bouncing the infant Aegon. Then the atmosphere cracked. The immense oak doors gave a shuddering groan and swung inward. A hooded figure stood on the threshold, a black silhouette against the torchlit corridor, casting a long, ominous shadow across the rushes. Rhaenyra's violet eyes narrowed to slits, a war between sharp curiosity and deep-seated caution playing out behind them. Her hands gripped the table's carved edge…