The maesters swarmed them both at once.

Aegon started to shout when he saw Orwyle go to her first, examining the slick blood running down her thighs. Jaehaera began to bawl– her father calmed the moment he realized she was there, though the maesters had still scared her when they fussed over him removing the bandages. There was no point anymore– his wounds were healed.

Jaehaera wailed for her mother, who could do nothing but whimper and lean onto Orwyle as he assessed the damage. "I'm sorry, Your Grace," was all he could say after he realized what she already knew– the babe had been lost. She nodded her head in acknowledgement– this was nothing new. She shut her eyes tight and mustered up the strength to say, "Make sure he's alright." A moment later, she stopped hearing Jaehaera's bawls.

When she woke again, she was in her own rooms. Her pillows had been fluffed up around her head. She could smell tea from a tray at her bedside. A figure sat at the edge of her bed, but not the one she expected. It should have been Aemond there, caring enough about her to see that she was well.

"Jaehaera is with your mother," said Karrhys calmly when he felt her stir. "She had quite a fright earlier. The maesters have not left Aegon's side all morn. From what I hear, it is what they call a miraculous recovery. I am sure you knew your husband's cock was left so mangled and bloody that piss ran right down his legs. Apparently, he's been re-endowed."

If he was trying to make her laugh, he was not succeeding. "My mother was right," she said hoarsely. She wasn't sure why her voice sounded so when she had made sure not to scream even as she felt the consequences of her actions coming back to meet her. The pain had been great but she had not wanted to startle Jaehaera or hinder Aegon's recovery. "There was a price to pay."

To her surprise, he didn't gloat. She thought he would rub in her face how wrong she'd been, how stupid. But then she remembered he'd been in support of her plan. "A small price, in all honesty," he replied. "I know you do not wish to hear this, but another babe can be made. Now was not the time for you to be with child, at any rate... not when you've need to fly into battle."

Rhysaenya pressed her hands down, shifting herself up into a seated position. It pained her greatly, but she still shook away her father's hands when he tried to help her. "I want it known that it is a consequence of Rhaenyra," she demanded. "Say that it happened as I was avenging my son, say I could not handle knowing what happened to my husband. No one learns of the phoenix... no one."

"I agree. Let it be that she cost you yet another thing." He moved closer when he saw her turn away, face contorted in pain as she tried to swallow back tears. "You did the right thing for this kingdom, daughter. Do not let anyone make you feel otherwise. Even your husband needs to understand the importance of a king to an heir in times like this."

Her lip quivered, her hand going to her belly. Just days ago she'd been holding it, trying to feel movement within, talking to her babe and praying for it to be born healthy, to be a boy. "There was a moment when I wanted to shout," she muttered. "When the blood first started to flow, I wanted to cry out to the gods– have I not given enough? Was Jaehaerys not a sufficient price to pay?"

"Do not blame yourself," he said. It was so unlike him, the way he comforted her these days. This was not the formidable and fearsome father she grew up with. He had a new respect for her, she wagered. He knew that he'd saddled her with more than anyone could have anticipated when he plotted to make her queen. His calm was his way of apologizing. "Your mother's idea of balance may be mistaken. It could be that the usage of such magic took a toll on your body. The phoenix drew from your strength to see this done. In the end... it was not meant to be. The gods only know why. You will rest, you will recover. You can make another."

He was right, it was not what she wanted to hear at that moment. But she knew she had to move on. "Have my mother brew me one of her teas," she said. "The ones with the herbs only she uses. These maesters' concoctions won't get me back on my feet for a week. I need something that will help me recover in a day. Her magic will help me."

He nodded. "You must know... the Prince Regent is most displeased. I don't wish to pry into what happened between you, but..."

"I told you, he did this to Aegon," said Rhysaenya. "He wanted me for himself, he wanted the throne. I know you wished for me to be ready to marry Aemond, but... Father, I think he can no longer be trusted. He knows I am Daemon's daughter, he has what he needs to destroy me, but he won't do it. He wants complete control. He will burn the Seven Kingdoms down to see it so."

"But you realize we cannot kill him," he whispered. He was so quick to understand the point she was trying to make. "To leave Vhagar riderless now... it would all but give the Pretender another dragon to use. There are rumors I've heard, rumors that Larys himself doesn't even wish to bring up. That Rhaenyra is attempting to find riders for the beasts on Dragonstone. Rest assured, I have already asked Arrwyth to infiltrate this, to see if he can claim one of them for us. But should riders loyal to Rhaenyra come to pass..."

"Aemond will die," she assured him. "Not by our hand but by his own. Helaena has seen it. The phoenix showed it to me, too. Should I have to kill him, however, I will. To defend myself, to defend my daughter, to defend Aegon, I will. For now... all we must do is rejoice in that Aegon is healed. That he will sit the Iron Throne again and Aemond will no longer be our Regent. Now that I have shown the phoenix's magic to be true and frightening... we will find a way to end this war without need for further bloodshed."

She sent him off to fetch her mother, who came with a strengthening tea that filled her bones with energy again, allowing her to stand within the hour of drinking it. Jaehaera was confused and babbling, but Rhysaenya held her tight and assured her all was well– she didn't need to worry.

The maesters had not left Aegon's side all day, marveling at his healing and still unsure about releasing any news that their king was well. Rhysaenya commanded they release as few details as possible– let them say that His Grace had regained consciousness and was still sound of mind, though his body was broken. It was better that Rhaenyra did not learn that Aegon was fully able to ride a dragon again. Let her find new dragonriders, if she so chose... but Rhysaenya would make sure they were ready to face them.

It was at night that she was allowed in to see him, once the shock of the moment had passed him. He ran to her– ran,when just a day ago his legs had been burned and broken so that he might never move on his own again. Rhysaenya relaxed in his hold as he brought her into an embrace, feeling her eyes brimming with tears anew. But she did not let them fall.

"You're alright," he said, as if she had been worse off than him. He drew back to look at her, cupping her face. The parts of his hair that had been singed off had not yet recovered, but his skin was no longer burned. "Thank all the gods."

"I should say the same," she said to him, her knuckles caressing his cheek. "I thought you would die and never wake again." She sniffled and dropped her head onto his shoulder. "Aegon, I lost our babe. I am sorry, I am so sorry."

She thought he would be upset with her, thought he would think her selfish for having incurred such a risk. But he caressed the back of her neck, "Do not apologize. They told me you healed me. They said you used your magic to heal me. I was trapped as if in a dream– I thought I would never be whole again. But you made me whole. You saved my life." He held the back of her neck to lift her head, kissing her temple. "Don't be upset, please. I could never be angry with you."

Her lips trembled, but she tried to smile. "All that matters is that you're well again." It was truly what mattered in the end. "Sunfyre is well, too, he is healed and he is back. We will need him... the both of you. Aemond's sent Cole to march on Harrenhal, but we've need of dragonriders more than anything."

The look in Aegon's face told her how exhausted he was– he didn't want to fight again, she knew that he'd been scared from that. But now they could not afford to give up, not if these rumors about Rhaenyra saddling wild dragons were true. "You've learned now," she said gently. "You cannot be hurt again, you cannot make the same mistake. It will be different next time."

He blinked several times, as if recalling the incident. "I thought he was there to save me. I thought... thank the gods.Aemond is here. And then Vhagar opened her jaws and... that was the last thing I remembered. I heard voices in-between. I heard you many times. Over and over. But I was trapped. My own body became a prison."

She was stunned to hear how clearly he recalled it. Perhaps the phoenix had worked its magic too well. "You remember it being Aemond who dealt you such a blow?"

"I remember it clearly. I've been debating all day what to do about it. I don't want to kill him, he's my brother. You care for him, I care for him. But what he did... it was treason. It was the deepest of betrayals."

"We can't have it cost us Vhagar," she murmured. "We must only do it if there is no other choice. I wanted to hurt him, I wanted him to give me a reason to... but in the end there was no way. Aemond will fall, I have seen it. He will be his own destruction. You are alive and well, Aegon, that's what matters. All that matters."

He cupped her face, having her look at him. He was handsome as ever– she'd thought the same even when his face was scarred. She would have loved him no matter what he looked like. "Do you still want him?"

She shook her head. "I don't... know. I don't think so. After Jaehaerys, after what he did to you... only the darkest parts of me want him. There was a moment when he helped me kill Meleys that I felt that rush but after I realized what he had done to you, it left. He only seeks to control me. With you, it has always been different. With you I don't only feel desire, I feel... love." Though nervous, she admitted now that he could hear her, "I love you, Aegon. You've no idea how glad I am of your recovery."

Aegon's lips quirked, a blush dusting his cheeks. "I thought I heard you say you loved me when I was dreaming. I wasn't sure..." She kissed him quickly, "You were not dreaming."

She had Jaehaera brought to them, that night the three curled up together in his bed with sweet dreams ahead of them. She cried in his arms for a good while about their babe, but by morning she was ready to face the challenges ahead– her father was right, perhaps now had not been the time to have a babe in her belly. If she had need to fly to battle...

They walked together, hand in hand, to attend the Small Council meeting on the morrow. All were shocked to see firsthand Aegon's miraculous recovery. Rhysaenya made it clear that it was not to be spread about that the phoenix had been used to heal him. Let it be known that he was alive and well-enough to think, but do not let anyone know that he could ride again, that he could sit the throne as well as he had before Rook's Rest. The longer Rhaenyra remained in the dark about it, the better.

They spoke as well of what would be propagated about the loss of their child. Larys Strong was well-suited to spread rumors– let him be the one to handle making it known that Rhysaenya had miscarried, lost yet another child because of Rhaenyra's actions. Otto had been most pleased that she and Karrhys were in such staunch agreement with him on this matter, on garnering further sympathy. Yes, let it be said that Rhysaenya had suffered most grievously seeing her husband harmed, avenging her son. Let it be known that Rhaenyra was costing her again and again.

Though Larys had not been seemingly convinced that the rumors about Rhaenyra recruiting dragonriders had any fact to them, Rhysaenya had thought to address them first thing. Whether it was what her father had wanted, she did not know, but once she brought it up, the matter was out in the open.

"The rumor I heard regarded a commonborn claiming Seasmoke," said Lord Jasper Wylde awkwardly, glancing at Larys as if he ought not be saying anything. "It would seem Rhaenyra is recruiting anyone who will take the offer... bastards and the like."

"Anyone with what could be a solid claim," said Rhysaenya, drumming her fingertips on the table. "Should she saddle the other beasts on Dragonstone, we will be in trouble." She did not so much as look at Aemond as she brushed past him, tallying up the dragons on the board behind them, moving pins to assess their position. "As far as we know, Rhaenyra has seven dragons now, though not all are of fighting age. Syrax and Caraxes pose the biggest threat, aided in particular by Vermax and Moondancer. Tyraxes and Stormcloud are negligible, but Seasmoke is large enough to be a problem if they train this new rider well. Then there are Vermithor, Silverwing, Grey Ghost, Sheepstealer, and the Cannibal. Should she find riders for any of these... we may yet find ourselves in great peril, particularly with Dreamfyre and Tessarion less than useful to our cause."

Karrhys offered, "We could play this game with her." He tilted his head. "My source tells me that Rhaenyra is recruiting far and wide. I have sent Arrwyth already. The Realm learned long ago that my wife was Viserra's bastard. He is an excellent actor. Rhaenyra's not seen him for decades, he can easily pose as lowborn and answer her call. He may yet claim one of those dragons and bring them to our side."

Ravens flew out that night. Helaena came to see Aegon, though she was quieter than usual even with her brother chatting away and trying to ease her. It was as though she could not stop thinking about her visions, as if she knew not to get overly excited. She was haunted by what was to come, Rhysaenya knew. She wondered how often Helaena had played with Jaehaerys, knowing he would die but being unable to piece together when or how she had seen it.

News came in the week that followed, a confirmation of that which they learned when a dragon had come flying wildly over the city. Aemond had gone at once to chase after it on Vhagar, but had to turn around when he discovered that Rhaenyra had done it. She had new riders for Vermithor and Silverwing now, which meant they no longer held the advantage in dragons. In his rage, Aemond had turned to Sharp Point and laid waste to the town. Larys had warned Aegon that there was no telling what Aemond would be willing to do to him– but that ought not be a problem, Rhysaenya had not left his side since he'd been healed nor had she even spoken to Aemond in that week.

No one had heard from Arrwyth. As far as they knew, he had left Tarth and sailed right for Dragonstone, but they had no confirmation of whether he was dead or alive. Rhysaenya did not think that boded well. The phoenix had lingered in the castle since she healed Aegon– it was as if it awaited her next command. She was trying to think of how best to handle the situation, if there was a way she could see through Arrwyth into Dragonstone and learn exactly what they were dealing with.

"What, pray tell, are you doing?" Aegon watched her from the bed as she arranged the candles in a circle on the floor, sweeping a torch over them and lighting them in sequence.

"I don't know how this works," she said. "It's never been done before, that we know of. But I have to try and do something about Rhaenyra's dragons. I want to try a spell of sorts. If I can take out the weakest beasts, then I can try it again on the larger ones. Even on people."

He made a face. "Rhysaenya, last time you used the phoenix's magic, I woke up to you bleeding out on the floor. Is this a wise strategy?"

"We have no others," she said. She coaxed the phoenix towards her, though it did not enter the circle. "My mother had me read spellbooks when I was younger. There is much I don't remember, but my father reminded me that the strength comes from within."

She drew a blade, cutting into her palm. Slowly, she began to drip blood onto each of the candles, disturbing each flame. "Take their fire for yourself," she told the phoenix once she'd made the round and offered him her palm. "Take the strength of her dragons, make their flame yours."

The phoenix bent his head to take the blood. This time, rather than seeing any visions, she conjured in her own mind the thought of death and dragons. Let her dragons die, take from her as has been taken from me. She sensed the phoenix's tail igniting, the glow burning into her eyes. She did not know if it would be enough, but she hoped it had understood her message.

"You scare me, just a bit," said Aegon as she smeared blood over each candle, forming the Valyrian rune for 'death.' "But I cannot help finding this unbelievably erotic all the same."

She smirked at him over her shoulder. "That must be what the first Aegon felt each time he saw Visenya at her magic."

"Do you ever think something was wrong with that Aegon?" He sat up as she moved towards him, swaying her hips. "So many years and he could not put a child into either Rhaenys or Visenya, despite being known to visit both of them frequently? Rhaenys especially should have come to be with child far sooner."

"Not all Targaryen men are blessed with your fertility," she told him. As the bleeding subsided, she offered him her palm. He kissed over the wound, causing her to shiver.

He drew her towards him, massaging her hips. "I crave you. If you are well enough for it."

"It's been long enough," she said, though she did not know if a week was sufficient time to wait after such a violent miscarriage. She simply couldn't hold back her urges– the dragon in her needed Aegon now, needed to make a new memory where Aemond was not involved. "Let us bring death by creating a new life. And let us test that regrown cock the phoenix gave you."

He rolled his eyes playfully, pulling her to sit on his lap. "If it works. I've not tried it." He kissed her neck. "I never again want to go to the Street of Silk. This new cock, it will be for you and only you. My Queen, the mother of my children. If Aemond will never have you again, no whore will have me, either."

"Good," she said, nipping at his lip as he kissed her again. "You are mine and mine alone. I want to give you as many heirs as Alysanne gave Jaehaerys. Only, ours will live. I will make sure of it. Give me a new heir, my King."

The candles were still lit behind her as he pinned her to the bed, moving savagely as he nipped and sucked wherever he pleased. She could feel bruises forming on her skin and adored it. Aegon excited her a certain way, he ignited both love and lust in her with each time he gripped her bottom tight in his hand and drove into her with a force she didn't know he had.

A part of her wanted Aemond to see them making love, see the way they connected as he never would be able to with Rhysaenya. The other part wanted him as far away as possible, didn't even want to hear of Aemond's existence in the near future. To think she ever wanted him, when she had Aegon there. She wished she had known she would love Aegon years ago, when they were younger. How much they would've accomplished by now, how many children she could have given him already.

Three days later, exactly, her spell seemed to have worked. She'd been with Aegon that morning, Jaehaera between them, when there came a knock on the door. Otto and Karrhys were asking for an audience with their King– urgent news from Blackwater Bay.

Rhysaenya had borne witness to an announcement unlike any other. Otto's plans had finally borne fruit– the Triarchy had agreed to their alliance. A Pentoshi cog carrying Rhaenyra's youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys, had been captured as the boys were being taken across the Narrow Sea for safety. As far as they knew, Prince Viserys was captured and Prince Aegon had narrowly escaped with his life– though his dragon Stormcloud had died after carrying the boy to safety. Jacaerys had led the new dragons in their first battle against the Triarchy ships. As far as they knew, he and Vermax had lost their lives.

"Your spell," said Aegon at once, looking to her as if in a new light. "Gods be good, the phoenix took their fire."

The phoenix, who had made itself at home in his quarters, lazily chirped from its makeshift nest by the window. Otto's nose was turned up in what might've been disbelief, but Karrhys's lips curled so much that Rhysaenya swore he was nearly laughing.

"A small spell to claim the lives of small dragons," he said proudly. "Now... a larger spell. A larger dragon. Which do you set your sights on now, my Queen?"

It was left for her to decide.