She was starting to hate Kings Landing again.
When she had arrived in the city months ago, she was pleasantly surprised by her father's warm greeting. She had never truly forgiven him for the decisions he made, but for the moment, she had put it all aside to give her father another chance. She had not seen him for years, and perhaps he had changed, especially with her mother gone.
Her mother's bones were put to rest in the Great Sept, and she made the decision to stay in the Capital.
For a brief period, she felt happy with her father. He had even asked her to step in and fulfill Aegon's duties in his absence. But as the months went on, she started to see the prophecy-obsessed man she remembered. She even realized that he still planned for her to marry Aegon as he kept refusing to have her married, even as the small council pressed him on the issue. There were even rumors about her, some saying she was not fit for marriage, that she was damaged.
Her disdain for her father only increased as she learned more about the mismanagement of his reign. The state of King's Landing was a glaring testament to his neglect.
She stood up and walked over to the balcony of the room she had been using as her solar. The city stretched before her, a chaotic sprawl of rooftops and winding streets, bustling with life. If she only looked at the better parts of the city, it looked like the greatest city in Westeros. But as her gaze shifted to Flea Bottom and the surrounding areas, she could see the dilapidated state of many buildings, their once-grand facades now crumbling and weathered. Narrow alleys overflowed with refuse, and the stench of waste and uncleanliness wafted up even to her high perch.
The streets were filled with beggars and orphans, their faces gaunt and dirty. The city guards were few and far between, unable or unwilling to keep order. Crime was rampant, and the people lived in fear of thieves and worse.
'It was an embarrassment to call this a capital,' she thought.
The root of all these problems was the factionalism in the Red Keep. Her father's efforts to keep the realm together had paralyzed the administration. His neglect, too, had a hand in it. Her new duties had given her deeper insight into the administration. Her father had let the factions fester and spread unchecked. The old rebel lords and the staunch royalists continued their feud, while other factions from the Reach, the West, and the Riverlands added to the chaos. There were also Baratheon sympathizers from the Stormlands who opposed Connington, and they also disliked the Dornish and, by extension, her and her brother. There were even royalists who believed her father was weak.
In stepping in for Aegon, she had thrived in the political landscape of the Red Keep. She dealt with the lords and ladies of Westeros, each with their own agendas and ambitions. She had been offered handmaidens from every kingdom, with the Tyrells especially wanting her to take their Little Rose as one.
Obviously, so that their Little Rose could get close to Aegon.
Navigating the intricate web of court politics had proven to be challenging, but it was a challenge she met head-on. She felt like she was born for this.
But despite her efforts, she found herself struggling to break the political and administrative deadlock that had gripped the capital. Still, she managed to bring some relief to the city's poor. She organized the distribution of food to the hungry and established motherhouses to help orphans.
Her efforts did not go unnoticed, and the smallfolk began to call her the Princess of the People. Her cousin Obara even claimed she had heard people say she was the only royal who truly cared.
She enjoyed her newfound position of influence. She came to realize she had a natural talent for leadership, and slowly but surely, she was earning the respect of the court.
Yet, there was a small ache in her heart. She knew that when Aegon recovered, she would lose this power. The thought of returning to a more passive role troubled her.
'Would Aegon ever truly recover?' a small voice in her head asked.
Aegon had become a shadow of his former self. They had never been particularly close, and she had tried to build a relationship with him like she tried with her father. But after his captivity and the torture he endured at the hands of Euron Greyjoy, he had become bitter and withdrawn.
He had begun to walk last month, but only with help. He was still gaunt, his cheeks hollow, his skin deathly pale. The sight of him was a constant reminder of the horrors he had endured. He surrounded himself with dubious companions like Gerold Dayne and Joffrey Lannister, whose influence she found troubling. They seemed to feed his darker impulses.
How the so-called Darkstar managed to climb this high she did not know.
'That roach,' she thought with disdain.
Aegon had even driven away the Martells. Her mother's family's perception of him had soured after the first few months of their stay here.
Even Uncle Oberyn had given up on building a relationship with him. It was only due to her mother's memory that they kept their opinions to themselves.
Aegon's demeanor tainted any interaction with him, and her father did nothing to address it.
A part of her wanted more power. She felt like she could do better than her father, better than her brother. It didn't help that her cousin Arianne had been telling her from time to time how, by Dornish law, she should be the heir.
As the sun set, she decided to spend some time in the garden. It had been a long day. She had been working with several merchants who helped her in giving food to the poor. Today, they had come to her complaining about how merchants from the north had been pushing into their markets and had even bought off important members of the merchant guild. Their problem sounded severe, but it was not something she could help with, not now. But it was good to see her influence spreading.
She walked to the gardens with Ser Jaime following behind her. She looked for her favorite spot to sit, a large tree with a lot of shade and a bench below it.
She preferred to have Ser Jaime guard her; his dry humor always made her day.
As she approached the spot, she was surprised to see Aegon there in conversation with Joffrey Lannister. Aegon looked gaunt, his cheeks hollow, and his skin deathly pale. One of his hands was small and weak, unable to be used. Joffrey, on the other hand, was richly dressed, his golden hair gleaming in the light of the setting sun.
"It seems the prince and my nephew have taken your spot, Your Grace," Jaime said, his voice tinged with amusement.
"Yes, let's find somewhere else," she said. As she was about to leave, Joffrey's eyes met hers, and a sly smile spread across his face.
"Princess," Joffrey said smoothly, "come and join us."
Since she was seen, Rhaenys walked towards them, her gaze shifting between Aegon and Joffrey. Her brother, lounging on the bench, looked at her with a strange mixture of indifference and amusement.
"Lord Joffrey," she acknowledged coldly, her instincts warning her to be cautious.
"Call me Joffrey, my princess," he said, and she could see Jaime's hands twitching.
Joffrey stood up and walked over to her, his smile never fading. "You've been working too hard, princess. You should take more time for yourself."
"I was going to, but it seems you are here. I will leave you two alone." She was growing uncomfortable with how he looked at her.
"Oh, it's tiring just keeping your brother company," he replied, his tone suggestive. "But now that you're here, perhaps we could... enjoy each other's company."
"Joffrey!" Jaime barked, glaring at his nephew, who stood unfazed.
"Leave, Lord Joffrey. I wish to speak to my brother alone," she said, feeling a wave of revulsion.
Joffrey's smile faltered, and he glanced at Aegon, who remained silent. "Your brother doesn't seem to mind."
"Aegon," she said, her voice filled with faux sweetness, "give him permission to leave, brother. He seems to need it."
Aegon shrugged, looking almost bored. "He's just having a bit of fun, sister."
"Yes, princess, just a bit of fun. Though I do have to say, there are those who wonder why you are still unmarried. Nine and ten, almost twenty... there are rumors," Joffrey said with a smile.
"Joffrey, leave. The princess has commanded," Jaime said, stepping up. "I will be writing to Casterly Rock about this," he added.
Joffrey's smile turned into a sneer, but he took a step back. "As you wish, princess."
He gave her a bow, almost in a mocking way, and sauntered out of the garden, leaving her standing there, seething. She turned to Aegon, her anger barely contained.
"Why did you let him speak to me like that?" she demanded.
Aegon sighed, looking at her with weary eyes. "Does it really matter, sister? You're too uptight. Maybe if you relaxed a bit, you'd see things differently."
"I am your sister," she began.
"Oh, where were you all these years?" he asked. "Treat my friends with respect, sister," he added.
She sighed. "I won't fight you over this. I have had a long day, and I am tired," she said before turning to leave.
Aegon's face twisted with bitterness. "Oh, you must be tired from all your duties, or should I say my duties."
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "Yes, Aegon, I've been doing your duties because you have been ignoring them. I was only supposed to be doing this for a few months."
Aegon laughed, her words having no effect on him. "I know what you want, sister," he sneered.
She remained silent, wondering who had been filling her brother's head with these thoughts.
"Oh," he said as if he remembered something, "did you know that the wolf lord had finally let our bastard brother free? It seems you'll have more competition than you thought."
Yes, she was there when her father received the raven from Lord Stark informing him of her half-brother's departure.
"Father must believe you to be so terrible with my duties that he went as far as to have our bastard brother called back to take your place," Aegon said, laughing.
Was it true? Was this why father was bringing Maekar back to the capital? The thought of being sidelined again, after finally finding a place for herself, made her blood boil.
But she quickly brushed those thoughts away.
"I am not trying to usurp you, brother—" she began, only to be interrupted by Aegon.
"Yes, you are!" he shouted. "I see it in your eyes; I see it when everyone looks at me. I am not weak, sister. This is only temporary. I am still the heir!" Aegon looked manic, and for the first time, she felt fear seeing her brother.
"No one says otherwise, brother," she said quickly.
"I am strong... yes... father always said," he began to mutter. "The dragon... I will find it too. Then you will see," he said, looking into her eyes. "You will all see."
He had lost his mind, she thought. Was this how her grandfather was?
She quickly turned and left, her heart beating furiously. As she reached her chambers, Ser Jaime tried to console her, trying to tell her that Aegon was like this after Euron. He was nothing like this before. He also apologized for his nephew's behavior.
She dismissed the well-meaning Kingsguard. She needed to be alone.
As she sat in her room alone, she had only one thought in her mind.
Aegon cannot be king.