Driftmark

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A few days later, Mithrax and Daenerys landed in the main courtyard of the castle. There was a notable gash on the dragon's chest that hadn't fully healed yet.

"Mother," Dany greeted her once she'd hopped off of Mith's saddle. "Worried? Why? Pirates are no match for a dragon, let alone four," she said as she reached Lady Myrcella.

"We did run into some trouble.. but found Baelon and the ships, as well as Trajan. The two of them flew back to Dragonstone with the queen and the ships are returning with the tide," she said after she'd pulled back from the hug. "Has anything happened here while I was gone?" she asked, and looked round, having failed to notice Caligo in the air. He clearly was not here, either. "Where is Janos?"

"Has he now," Dany replied, starting to relieve herself of the armor she'd been wearing for the past two or three days. "Queen Rhaena said that Maekar played a hand in the king's murder. If that much is true, it is no surprise he would clear her," she said, dropping the heavy mail on the ground right there.

Daenerys did a double take at her mother in disbelief that she had not began with this piece of information, which to her seemed more important than the peasant girl being cleared of murder. "He sent him home? Which one?" she inquired.

"Perhaps," Dany said, not entirely sure what to make of this. She smiled a little at the good news, however. "Did either you or Edmyn open the letter?" she asked.

"That he is," replied Dany, her smile growing a little bigger. "Quite like the noble knights from the stories, is he not? I better see to him and Monty then, and get that letter," she added, and started towards the training yard, stopping after a few steps to look back and see if her mother was going to join her or not. "Are you staying here?"

"I shall see you later at the dinner, then," she said, and made her way to the training yard.

Dany arrived swiftly, having heard of a single dragonrider approaching and having assumed it would be Baelon. "Are we all set?" she asked, in a rather good mood after having dinner with her family.

"What?" was Dany's response as she stopped mid-step and all colour slowly drained from her face. "What happened?!"

Daenerys was silent for a long time, unsure whether to believe her ears or not. Then, she crossed over to him and reached out to touch his arm and stop his pacing. She found she cared very little for nearly everyone he had mentioned and perhaps to her surprise, she had no pity for this family set on destroying itself. Aegon, however, would have made a good king; one that this realm had so desperately needed after the last monster that sat atop the Iron Throne.

"Rhaena killed Aegon?" she asked, looking to Baelon as her voice broke off. Her eyes were wet, but she had promised herself not to cry for the dead anymore and so she was not going to.

She laughed at his joke, although her smile quickly left her features and was replaced with something between confusion and sadness. She broke off from Baelon and touched a hand to her forehead in a gesture that implied she was feeling light-headed, which she was. "Aegon.. but then.. no," she began, realized she was rambling, and shut up. When she turned back to Baelon, it was with an air of confidence, as if she knew what they needed to do next. "Do you trust me, cousin?" she asked.