Chapter summary: The Targaryens receive the faithful letter.

Come talk to me on Tumblr @hyper-somnia, or ArchiveofourOwn @1ellenflyer1! There is also more content on TikTok @trinhthu.lshs.
_______________

The House of the Dragon was having another family meeting, though it was less "family" and more "meeting". It was awkward and suffocating, but at least no insults had been tossed around yet (thank the Gods).

Viserys gleefully chatted with his family - Rhaenyra mostly - although even she couldn't help but feel drained by his cumbersome efforts to bring his family close. She loved her father dearly, and she did not know whether he refused to acknowledge the roots of the problems or actually was not aware, but his way of fixing things only made the situation worse.

Rhaenyra and Alicent were distant and resentful and sometimes even hostile towards each other, but whenever Viserys called for, or more precisely forced, a family meeting, they both just silently agreed to fake some form of amity, hoping that it would end as soon as possible. And Viserys, blissfully ignorant of his wife's and daughter's true feelings, would merrily end it and say he was happy (sometimes proud, Rhaenyra vaguely recalled) to see his family getting along so well.

At least the children are having fun, she thought, but she felt otherwise. They are children, even in the most boring of events they would find something to play with and (hopefully not) mess up. These family meetings, however, were not only boring but also restricting. As the children sat in their chairs, she felt like their minds were floating in their own worlds to make up for their bodies being restricted.

Rhaenyra silently observed her children as well as Alicent's. Jace and Luke adored their uncle Aegon, always following him around and mimicking him in everything they did – which, she did not know was good or bad – it was good that they had company, but Aegon could be... careless, in both his words and actions. Aemond would join them as well, she noticed, though she wasn't quite sure what role he played in their games. Jace and Luke admired him too, of course, but they admired Aegon more, and it seemed Aemond's withdrawn nature often pushed him further from the three. Then there's Helaena. Helaena, oh, what was Rhaenyra supposed to think of her and what was she actually like? Helaena was a quiet and gentle girl, that much she could tell. She did have a passion for certain... weird creatures, but Rhaenyra found herself in no place to judge, and to be fair, sometimes when she caught her cradling her precious bugs, the sight was endearing. Yet, Helaena unsettled her from time to time. The girl's eyes seemed to hold the world in them, and her posture held its weight. And Daeron — Rhaenyra wouldn't recognize Daeron anywhere if not for his white hair and violet eyes. Sometimes she even forgot he existed.

Rhaenyra's thoughtful gaze did not escape Alicent's eyes. The Queen lightly caressed her cup, trying not to tear at her own fingers. She found herself more and more anxious as days passed, as she no longer had anyone she could fully trust and as she realized her husband wasn't the most intimate of fathers. "You seem quite interested in my children, Princess." Alicent felt regret as soon as the words left her mouth – she managed to keep her voice calm, but the words were harsher than she intended.

Rhaenyra was startled for a moment, and then she was irritated. Not because she was snapped out of her thoughts, but because of how Alicent sounded. She said those words as if Rhaenyra was but a stranger to her own siblings. Well, she wasn't exactly familiar with them, but the caution in Alicent's tone both upset and frustrated her greatly. "I am quite interested in my siblings, my Queen." She scowled and resisted the urge to smirk as Alicent's eyebrows furrowed. That was, she must admit, a lie. Her half-siblings would promptly be thrown to the back of her mind at the end of this family meeting. She just said that out of spite, and seeing Alicent perplexed was an unexpected yet welcome reward.

"As their mother I am honored, Princess. I must, however, suggest that you bestow more of that interest on your own children." Alicent hummed, her eyes darting to Lucerys. He was mincing the steak with his knife and fork in extreme boredom, making a mess of his plate. The boy felt someone looking at him and lifted his head with a confused, bashful expression. Rhaenyra nodded her head and gave him a reassuring smile; and he smiled back at his mother, face flushed.

Rhaenyra kept her smile but it turned rigid as she turned to Alicent. Alicent had been watching her like a hawk – surely she could find something else to criticize apart from a literal child? Rhaenyra's mind was flooded with all the misdeeds and unconventional behaviors of Alicent's children, ready and eager to snap them back at her. The Princess did feel a pang of guilt: she didn't know who her half-siblings truly were, yet when it came to their faults she was more than well-informed. However, if Alicent wanted to be petty, she would be more than happy to oblige. This dinner needed something to spice it up, anyway. It was even more awkward than when Laenor and her tried to consummate their marriage — at least she could share her true feelings with him.

"Though I have much to learn from you about parenting, my Queen, I can assure you I keep a rather close eye on my children. I don't know if I can say the same for Pri— for Aegon, however." Rhaenyra said through gritted teeth and with a stiff smile. "Where was he last night, I wonder? Not where he was supposed to be, that's for sure."

Alicent gripped the armrests, so tightly that she felt as though her joints would be dislocated. Rhaenyra struck a nerve – Alicent's face paled against her will. She was uncontrollably startled by Rhaenyra's words and unreasonably angry at Aegon. Her father's words still echoed in her mind. She feared for her children, for their lives; and Aegon's was the most distressful. Not only was he not astute enough to vie for his own benefits, but he was also too self-indulgent, and too naive. He drowned himself in hedonistic indulgences, not caring or wanting to protect his mind or reputation. What would he do if–when one day he had to fend for himself, fight for his life?

Rhaenyra had always been distant towards her half-siblings. The most intense reaction they could gauge out of her was a scowl or a sneer. Yet, her behavior from the start of the feast was disturbing to Alicent, to say the least. What was with the sudden interest? Did she finally decide that they didn't bring her the greatest of advantages? Was she plotting something? Were Alicent's children in danger–

The Queen thought she would have thrown up due to the knot in her stomach had it not been for her husband's piercing voice. "Enough, you two," Viserys called out, "this is getting out of line."

"Has anything ever been in line, father/husband?"

Alicent's and Rhaenyra's eyes widened in surprise as the words spilled out of their mouths simultaneously. Once again, however bitter it was for them, their thoughts aligned. Both of them shrunk into their own seats. The room's temperature plunged; neither the fireplace nor the steaming dishes could bring a semblance of warmth into it. The silence sunk in like a maddening fog; even the children slowly quieted down, exchanging cautious instead of mischievous glances.

"You two are acting out of line!" Viserys exclaimed. "You are supposed to make an example for the children, not act like them. Stop this puerile fighting before it gets out of hand!"

"Puerile fighting? Puerile fighting?!" Alicent seethed, tears welling up in her bloodshot eyes. It took all of her willpower to not break down due to all of the pressure she had been under. "Viserys, how can you not see why we fight, why I fight? The Red Keep is crumbling; the propriety and righteousness that once upheld it are gone. And you, husband, you know everything that has gone wrong, yet you keep sweeping it under the rug!"

"And what have you done to make things right, my Queen, except for watching and criticizing?" Rhaenyra knew Alicent better than anyone else, she just didn't know whether it was because of hatred or their long-lost love. "It would have been better if you yourself were as righteous and holy as you want everyone else to be, but no. Everything you think of me, you're the same!"

Viserys was exasperated. Either that, or he was panicking. His wife and daughter had never reacted this fiercely to each other's words, not in their children's presence at least. The children were tongue-tied, squirming, and trying not to make the adults notice them. The younger ones were frightened, some were even holding back tears. But before Viserys could speak up, Alicent gasped out.

"You are many things to me. I am not sure if I am the same to you."

Rhaenyra let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, her mind swirling with emotions. How dare Alicent say such a thing like that, in a time like this? How dare she make her painful and angry and confused and... hopeful?

Time seemed to have come to a standstill as no one said or did anything when suddenly a crow dashed in from one of the highest windows in the hall. It flapped its wings loudly, demanding the attention of everyone in the room. The crow stayed in the same place mid-air before taking its perch on an empty chair.

Viserys felt relieved as his family were distracted from the heated argument by the feathered intruder. He sighed and waved his hand to the handmaidens, "Get that creature out." Even if he actually felt thankful to the crow, he needed to bring back some semblance of normalcy. Alicent and Rhaenyra felt the same. They needed an excuse to regulate their emotions, to get out of there even.

The children were observing the crow curiously. The crow was a big, agile one. Its feathers were a shiny, healthy black. It returned their gazes, moving its head to take in each of them. Rhaenyra sighed, audibly this time as she didn't care about keeping an appearance anymore. She smiled tiredly and joined her sons in looking as they beckoned to her. Rhaenyra furrowed her eyebrows as she inspected more closely.

"Father," she narrowed her eyes and turned to Viserys, "I think it has something for us."

Viserys stared at Rhaenyra and Alicent incredulously, then finally the crow. He was no less bewildered than his wife or daughter. The crow moved its head vivaciously, perceiving him in an equally curious manner. He hummed in both exhaustion and amusement, sitting up straight in his seat, "Let it come to me then."

As soon as those words fell out of Viserys' lips, the crow flew to him, perching upon his armrest. It was holding something white in its beak. He shook his head, took the scroll from its leg and raised his brows teasingly, "Is that for us as well?"

The crow only blinked at the King. He chuckled and opened the scroll, "Well, we will find out soon enough, won't we? I must say your owner is a very impolite man, whoever he is."

Viserys' smile, however, faltered immediately as he took in the first few words of the scroll. The blood drained from his face in both shock and anger. He threw the scroll on the table as if it was a dirty rag, "Not only impolite but also an audacious liar! Get this blasphemy out of here immediately!"

"Husband, what is—" Alicent moved closer.

"See for yourselves. Rhaenyra, read it aloud."

Rhaenyra looked at Alicent, mirroring her bewilderment at the King's unexpected change of tone. She fetched the scroll and opened it to find a letter written purely in High Valyrian. She started reading it aloud in the Common Tongue, but her voice got quieter and quieter.

"From the Kingdom of Valeikova,

We, House Valerion and House Moroz, have long thought we are the only living descendants of Old Valyria. Due to our recent advances in transportation, we sent out men to explore lands unknown to us. It surprised and delighted us greatly that other Valyrian descendants have taken their place in Westeros as the royal family Targaryen, and dragons still roam outside Valeikova.

Neither one single letter nor a messenger can discuss the matters of our shared legacy. Therefore, together with this letter, we sent a scale taken from our largest living dragon as a pledge. We wish to send an official emissary to discuss our heritage if you would allow it. This emissary would bring you more proof and whatever you should want to see.

May the Gods guide us,

Pyotr the First of Valeikova."

"And... sealed by a seal I have never seen before..." Rhaenyra added hesitantly, her expression the same as her father's. "I cannot make out what this seal consists of."

The room was dead silent for a second before erupting into screams and shouts, mostly from the children. They rushed to Rhaenyra's side, each of them demanding to see the letter from her hands. Even Aemond couldn't keep his composure at the news, his eyes shining with shock and delight. The crow jumped away from the children, expressing disdain at the mell-pell.

"Mother, can I see? Please?" Lucerys whined.

Rhaenyra shook her head, still in a state of shock, "Uh-uh, it's in High Valyrian. I don't think you can-"

"I can, the maesters said my Valyrian has been getting better!" Jace said eagerly, and she obliged. The boy took a close look, taking in every detail. His fingers trembled in anticipation, shock crossing his face, and his mouth dropped slightly. He would have screamed once more if Aegon didn't push him to see the letter for himself.

Jacaerys lifted his head and hesitantly brought it to Alicent. The Queen took it, though taken aback by his gesture, "Oh, thank you." She examined the letter's appearance rather than its content. The handwriting was clearly High Valyrian, but it was very different from their way of writing. It also seemed that whoever wrote this letter made sure to keep the words as simple as possible.

"Husband," Alicent was the calmest out of them upon receiving the news, but her voice still shook slightly, "maybe we should ponder the matter more carefully. This isn't something we can disregard so hastily."

Rhaenyra nodded in agreement. She leaned closer to her father and the mysterious crow, "Father, the letter said they sent a scale of their dragon. Did you see anything else outside of the letter...?"

Viserys lifted his gaze and turned to the crow, "Oh, yes, I forgot that. But, no, I didn't see anything else."

The creature flapped its wing defensively before settling down on his armrest once again. It raised one wing and there was something meticulously clothed attached to its body. The King took a deep breath (out of frustration rather than anticipation) and retrieved it. He quickly opened the small package and it revealed a scale pure white, large and sharp. He didn't know if it was glowing or simply gleaming under the candlelight but there was this undeniably magnetic pull to it. Viserys picked it up with bare hand but that proved to be a mistake as his fingers burned and he promptly dropped the scale to the ground. The sounds echoed in the opulent chamber. All eyes were on Viserys, including the crow's, which had this disappointed glint in them. The Targaryens unconsciously took a step back away from the scale.

"I... I don't think this is some scheme..." Rhaenyra kneeled to the scale on the ground, picking it up, her fingers wrapped by a handkerchief. It was still cold, so cold, but she endured. The handkerchief started to freeze. It seemed like a dragon scale. It felt like a dragon scale.

"Maybe... We should get it checked?" Alicent stepped closer. She looked at Viserys, who returned her gaze with a calmer attitude. His anger had dissipated, and now, even if he was frustrated and felt lied to, he would be mindful of what could potentially be of Valyrian heritage.

"I will grant them the honour of even considering their words, for they are our guests." He sighed and gestured to a maester, who rushed to his side. "Take these and examine them, immediately."

The maester bowed and quickly got to work, picking the so-called scale up with pliers. He made a cursory inspection at first, but after a few minutes, his face ashened. He stuttered, "Par–pardon me, my King." The maester went to get some more intricate instruments and studied the scale properly. The Targaryens scoffed in tandem. Negligence was a form of insolence, Rhaenyra thought absentmindedly, fortunately for the puny maester they had greater tasks at hand. They all leaned forward, watching the maester with rapt attention. Aemond would have touched the scale had Rhaenyra not shushed him. He pursed his lips.

Eventually, the maester looked up and said shakily, "This... this is a legitimate dragon scale, Your Graces... Taken from a living dragon."

The King closed his eyes while simultaneous gasps could be heard across the room. He was going to say something when the maester continued, "There is more. Whoever these people are, they took the scale with ease and care. The scale was perfectly cut. There are no signs of struggle, scratches, or even blood. The dragon must have let them take the scale and was taken care of afterwards."

"The creature let them? Let them?! A dragon is not a pet, a–a domesticated animal!" Viserys snapped, "It is–it is..." He took a deep breath, and Queen Alicent helped him back down on his seat. She exchanged glances with Rhaenyra. They didn't know what to say, what to even think, or feel. Their heads reeled, rendering them unable to hear the children's eager chatter.

Viserys' eyes struggled to focus and finally turned to the white dragon scale. The plate holding it had frozen completely and it was still gleaming. His words came out in a breath, nearly imperceptible.

"Call for the Small Council."