House of The Dragon: The blind warrior

In the cover of night, amidst the chaotic streets of King's Landing where rape, murder, and thieving were a common occurrence, Daemon Targaryen walked through the streets being led by a goldcloak he knew all too well.

After the council meeting where he was denied his plan to take care of Vhagar and her rider, he had gone to the Little White Worm to ask if she would contact the man who was willing to take upon the endeavor of slaying Aemond in his home.

That's where he was headed now, to meet up with the very man who knew the passages of the Red Keep.

Rounding the corner, he found a man sitting on a barrel with a dog at his side, cutting cheese with a knife.

Daemon looked to his escort to confirm if this was the man. The goldcloak nodded before Daemon approached him.

"The White Worm said you're one of Aegon's rat catchers," he said, getting the attention of the man who was eating cheese.

"You must be busy; the castle positively crawls with them," he said, looking the man up and down, sizing him up.

"I heard the White Worm was dead," he finally spoke, chewing on his cheese while looking at Daemon like he wasn't a threat.

"Well, her ghost told me you were a betting man," Daemon spoke in sarcasm. "Fighting pits?" he asked.

"Dogs," the man said in haste, "and bones," he continued, revealing his gambling habits in the dog-fighting pits.

Daemon, who knew he could take advantage of a gambling man, took the pouch full of golden dragons, showing it and saying, "How deep are your debts?" As the man extended his hand to grab the pouch, Daemon pulled it back.

Daemon, seeing the annoyed face of the man, smirked before sitting next to him, all the while the goldcloak who brought Daemon watched the interaction between the men, already knowing where the conversation was heading.

"I was also told that you had a unique knowledge of the Red Keep?" Daemon asked.

"Maegor's tunnels," the ratcatcher said, nodding in confirmation.

"Great big rat's nest, it is," he continued before adding, "I know them better than the shape of my own cock," in an exaggerated way.

Daemon looked at the man, contemplating whether to go forward with the plan, before he remembered the humiliating feeling from three days ago.

Turning to the other man who was there, Daemon said, "This is my friend," before turning back to the ratcatcher. "And tonight, he will also be yours."

"You are to find and slay the Prince Aemond Targaryen," he finally revealed to the ratcatcher, who stopped chewing on his cheese out of surprise. "He has silver hair and one eye," Daemon said, taking a glance at one of the streets, thinking he saw something before turning back to the ratcatcher once again. "Should be easy enough to find," he said.

Looking at the unsure expression on the man's face, Daemon added, "But I understand he's quite skilled with a sword. You'll want to take caution." He then took out the pouch of gold once again and threw it on the ground.

"That's one half. You'll get the other one when it's done," he said, as the man went to grab the money before looking at it.

"All right," he agreed, looking between Daemon and the goldcloak. "But what if we can't find him?" he asked, just out of curiosity.

Daemon, who sat in silence for a moment, looked the man dead in the eyes before saying:

"A son, for a son."

Not at all knowing of the two people who were in the shadows, listening in on the whole conversation.

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"Nooo, I don't want to sleep, I want Grandma," said Jehaerys, whom Heleana was currently trying to put to sleep.

"I've already told you, she's busy. We'll see her tomorrow," Heleana reasoned with the child, quite tired herself, already having put one of the children to sleep.

"But I want to see her now!" Jehaerys whined, a little too loudly, making Jeheara, who had fallen asleep a moment ago, squirm in annoyance.

"How about this? You go to sleep now, and you get to sleep with Grandma for two days in a row, all right?" Heleana said, coming up with a way to placate the child.

"You promise?" he asked, his eyelids already heavy from exhaustion, to which Heleana smiled and nodded.

"I promise, little dragon," she said, before the child finally fell asleep, but not before saying,

"Alright, Aunt Heleana."

Sighing to herself, Heleana stood up and walked toward the open balcony, looking at the city lights of King's Landing, both appreciating its beauty but also pitying the people who were down there.

Her thoughts went back to the words her friend had spoken many years ago: "When I become King, I'll change the living situation of the smallfolk. I'll bolster the economy in a way where anyone could prosper if they worked hard." She gained a smile as she remembered the fond memory; she believed her friend.

He was a special person, just like her. He understood her, felt her pain and suffering, and most of all, he confided his problems with her and trusted her to no end.

Yet here her brother was, King, and her sister, Rheala, the Queen… it felt wrong for some reason. No, it was wrong.

"If only he lived," she thought, before she felt something cold on her neck, followed by someone yanking her backward.

"Don't fight, little lady," the gruff voice of a man spoke as he dragged her back to the room to see another man standing there with a dagger in hand and a small dog accompanying him, looking between her niece and nephew.

Heleana, at that moment, recalled the dream that had been plaguing her nights: a rat drenched in the blood of a child's head. As she realized the implication of the dream, finally, a pit formed in her stomach.

"Choose," the words she had been dreading were spoken to her by the man who held her with the knife.

"W..what?" she whispered, her voice cracking as she shivered in fear, her eyes shifting from side to side, trying to find any way to get out of the situation.

"You heard him. Which one of your children do you want to die, because one of them will die tonight… or both, if you do not choose quick enough," the man with the dog said, pointing his knife at the sleeping children.

Heleana, who saw no way out of this, no way to save her niece and nephew, decided to sacrifice her life.

"Please, please kill me instead. They're children, they know nothing of the war," she pleaded as she tried to lean forward but was stopped by the man who held her with the knife.

"Easy there, lassie. It's not your time yet. The deal was a son for a son. Now choose," the man who held her said, as Heleana looked at them with both confusion and fear.

These men knew nothing. They first mistook her for their mother, and second, they thought Jeheara was a boy. If she wasn't scared enough to be almost delirious, she would have questioned their abilities as cutthroats.

Tensions ran high. Heleana had thousands of thoughts going through her head, trying to come up with any reason to spare the children, but it was clear anything she said they would ignore and present her with the same option. So, her thoughts went to a place she never thought they would — whom to spare between her niece and nephew.

After a moment of looking between the children, the man behind her had finally lost his patience and pressed the knife harder on her throat before he shouted, whispered,

"Choose!"

Heleana, whose eyes had finally formed tears of desperation, was about to lift her hand to point to the chosen child that would die, but just before she did, there was a squelching sound, and then something warm ran down her back.

She felt the cold steel that was pressing against her throat go limp before a thud reverberated through the room.

As she looked behind her, she found the man who had just a moment ago threatened her life, his head severed, lifeless on the ground, blood pooling around him.

The other man, seeing his friend's slain form, didn't even have a chance to react before a shadowy figure leapt down from the ceiling and cut his head in a swift arc as well.

Heleana watched the scene in complete shock, but she didn't let it distract her, knowing if she screamed, guards would be on them in a moment's notice. She inhaled, just about to let the siren loose, but once again she found herself held from behind, her mouth covered by a gloved hand.

"Not so fast," a calm voice said behind her, the man holding her tightly, but not so hard that it hurt like the previous man.

"I'm sorry for holding you like this, Princess, but you have to understand I can't let you blow our cover," he said, as the other person walked toward the children and checked on them, even going so far as to caress Jehaerys's cheek in a soothing manner.

Seeing this, Heleana already deduced that they weren't enemies, but she still couldn't help but be suspicious.

"Now, I'm going to slowly let go of you, but I'm going to need you to stay quiet. Can you do that for me?" the man spoke in a low voice, Heleana nodding slowly to confirm she understood.

So, he slowly let go of her, taking a couple of steps back. Heleana kept her word of not screaming, opting to check on her niece and nephew to see if they were still sleeping.

Letting out a sigh, Heleana looked at the headless men in disgust. They came to hurt her family, but why? The first thing that came to her mind was Rhaenyra, but Heleana knew she wasn't cruel like this. So, whoever planned this, did it to garner favor from her without her knowledge, most likely.

"Princess," the man spoke, as Heleana looked at him. He was wearing an all-black outfit, with a leather waistband full of knife holsters. He was also wearing a black hood that covered his entire face. Heleana even wondered how he could see when he had it draped like that.

The other person wore the same clothes but was of a much fiercer stature, most likely a woman, Heleana thought.

"Why have you come?" she asked, her gaze shifting between the two shadowy forms.

"Our lord sent us to come and find you," he said, confusing Heleana even more. Who was the lord they were talking about, and what did they want from her?

"I promise to explain more, but I'm going to need you to come with us," he said, extending his hand.

Before Heleana could say anything, she saw the other hooded figure walk to the door and listen before she finally spoke.

"I can hear someone coming; we have to leave." Heleana, who was busy looking at the one she guessed was a lady, didn't see the man approach before she was hoisted up on his shoulder.

Heleana yelped in surprise as the man started moving quickly, Heleana on his shoulder thrashing around but not really making any loud noises.

"Let's go, Inej," he spoke as the other one moved quickly across the room and opened a wall, revealing a secret passage.

Heleana, who was surprised, didn't have time to dwell on it, because the next moment, the two hooded people were moving with impressive speed through the dark tunnels. The smaller one went first, while the one who carried her followed behind, but still keeping up even though he was carrying her.

Suddenly, commotion picked up as they heard soldiers shouting and running around, most likely finding the bodies the two people had left behind.

After a while of speeding through the tunnels that led through the Red Keep, Heleana smelled a foul odor that reminded her of the streets of King's Landing and the salty smell of the sea as they came upon an opening.

As they went through, what greeted them was a small dock-like area that connected to the Blackwater, with one small wooden boat waiting for them.

The woman went to untie the rope from where it was connected to the dock, and the man set the thrashing Heleana down on the boat.

"Where are you taking me?" she finally shouted, looking at the man who took off his hood to reveal a somewhat handsome face with black hair and blue eyes.

"Sorry, Princess, for the rough treatment, but our lord trusted me with this mission. Your safety is of utmost paramount importance," he said, taking the paddles as the boat was freed and he started paddling.

"Wait… please wait," Heleana said desperately, not knowing what awaited her. But the other one, who also took off her hood, now revealed to be a brown-skinned lady, extended a letter to her, which she slowly reached to grasp.

As she read the contents, the first word on the letter instantly stood out to her.

"Vēzos nykeāzma," she read out loud, shocked.

'Blue star.'

The only person who ever called her that or knew about it was her dear friend who passed away many years ago. But as she read the contents of the letter, she couldn't help but stare in shock.

"H... how is this possible?" she said out loud, looking in the direction the boat was going.

Dragonstone.

"He can't wait to see you," the woman finally spoke next to her, with an accented voice, giving Heleana a small smile.

Heleana, who was mostly confused, felt a tug at her heart. She slowly placed her hand on it.

"Could it really be him?" she thought, as the boat slowly drifted away from King's Landing, uncertainty gripping her form.

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The Red Keep was bustling with activity.

Every lord, lady, and servant in the keep heard the heavy boots of Hightower men running through the stone halls of the castle. No one knew the reason for it, not even the very owners of the castle, the royal family.

Alicent walked into her grandchildren's chamber to find a handful of Hightower men and a couple of Kingsguards standing around two bodies with severed heads.

She reeled back in shock, her gaze instantly looking for her grandchildren. Finding them wrapped in blankets with a Kingsguard standing watch, she rushed towards them, checking to ensure they had no wounds.

Criston Cole, who was with the Queen Regent, looked on in complete silence before turning to one of the men present.

"Tell me, ser, what has transpired here? Why are there two corpses in the prince's and princess's chamber?" he asked in a calm manner as one of the men approached.

"We're not too sure ourselves. No one was harmed; we just heard the scream of the princess and rushed in only to find these two men already in this state," he explained. Criston's gaze locked onto one of the men's severed heads before turning his attention to the Queen Regent, who was comforting her grandchildren.

The soldiers, who had been looking around in confusion, suddenly stood at attention as the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, Prince Aemon Targaryen, and the current Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Rheala Targaryen, stepped into the room. The latter ran in like a possessed person, most likely already made aware of the situation.

"Jehaerys, Jehaera!" the Queen rushed to her children, assessing them the same way their grandmother had.

"What is the meaning of this? Does anyone know who these men are?" Otto spoke forcefully, looking between the guards and soldiers with a scrutinizing gaze.

"It's still unclear who these two men are, but I'll have the brothers look into it," Criston Cole said, speaking with the Hand, most likely trying to placate him.

"And weren't you supposed to be on watch, ser?" Rheala, who until now had been focused on the well-being of her children, chimed in, her tone a mix of fury and worry. Her children could've been killed, after all.

Criston, who was now in the spotlight, inclined his head to bow in apology, but before he could, Queen Alicent interjected.

"Cole was with me. I was feeling overwhelmed, so I went on a walk to clear my head," she said. Everyone knew that Cole was her sworn shield, so it wasn't questioned why they were together, except for Aemond, who made a face that looked suspiciously like doubt.

"Nonetheless, someone broke into the Red Keep right under our noses. We're lucky that nothing serious has occurred," Otto said, looking around the room, not noticing Heleana anywhere.

"Who was with the children?" Aemon finally spoke, stepping forward while looking at the men with his one good eye.

All of them stayed silent before the one who had answered Criston stepped forward once again. "No one, my prince. They were all alone when we came upon… this," he said, wincing a little when he said 'this.'

"That can't be. Heleana was supposed to look after them," Rheala said, standing up and looking around. Criston, who realized what it could mean instantly, ordered some of the men to go check on Heleana's chambers.

"Heleana wouldn't leave them until I or the wetnurses came to relieve her. She just wouldn't," Rheala said, speaking mostly to herself but informing her grandfather.

"I want men around every exit of the Red Keep. I want you to turn the castle upside down if you have to. Find my granddaughter!" he shouted, the men shuffling on their feet as Otto gave orders, hoping their fears weren't true. Heleana was most likely in her room, busy with her embroidery.

Aemon, who was on the floor examining the dead men, looked at the way the heads were cut off. It was clean, with one swipe of a sword… or a short sword.

One thing was clear to him, though: whoever did this was strong and skilled. There wasn't any sign of fighting or a struggle, just one clean sweep of a sword, and the head was off.

"Whoever did this to these men, they were skilled assassins. They ambushed the men without them even knowing it," he spoke aloud, getting everyone's attention. Criston, who also knelt down to investigate, came to the same conclusion.

"Do you think it was Rhaenyra who sent them?" Alicent asked, clearly horrified by the information.

"We cannot be sure, but this could be an opportunity," Otto spoke, also stepping forward to look at the men's faces, looking at the severed heads in disgust.

Before anyone could say anything more, the sound of singing reached their ears. It was out of tune and sounded slurred, but as the singer entered the room, being carried by two men, it became clear who it was.

Aegon, second of his name, had come to bid his children goodnight while he was drunk.

Aegon, too drunk to notice the dead men, looked around the room before saying, "Are you having a family gathering without me?" No one answered him; no one wanted to. Everyone was ashamed.

Aemond, who had been kneeling, stood up, clenching his teeth together, not showing any emotion. Rheala, who looked at Aegon in shock, practically ran across the room to deliver a devastating slap to his face that reverberated through the room.

"How dare you?" she shouted at Aegon as he held his face in confusion. Rheala Targaryen was Aegon Targaryen's twin sister and his wife. It was known throughout the castle and the world that the siblings had a good relationship—so good, in fact, that it was Aegon who proposed they marry. Though they had arguments here and there, no one could deny they were a good couple.

Yet right now, Rheala's fury was so palpable that she didn't even realize she had struck her king and her husband.

"While you were getting piss drunk in your cups, your children were almost killed in their own chambers!" she shouted at Aegon, who was sobering up as he heard the news.

"What?" he asked, confused, looking around the room and locking eyes with the disappointed gazes of his mother, grandfather, and the same look Aemond always gave him: a look of disgust.

"For all we know, our sister could have also been kidnapped, while you… what? Squabbled away with your friends?" To the bystanders, it was becoming obvious that, as much as Aegon's habits were something to look down on, the Queen was projecting her own shortcomings this night onto him.

Aegon, not knowing what to say, looked at his wife, who was all but in tears. Still drunk and delirious, he said the one thing he could in his state.

"I... I'm sorry." It was sincere, because when he looked at his children, he could see the fear in their eyes.

Otto Hightower, seeing this, ordered Ser Criston to take the king to his chambers. While Ser Criston helped the king leave and his friends trailed behind them, Aemond also moved to leave the room. But Alicent, who was going to him, caught him.

"Where are you going? Your sister is missing. You need to help look for her," she said pleadingly, looking Aemond in his eyes.

Aemond, who looked at his mother, shrugged her hand off him before saying something that shocked everyone.

"If Heleana was taken, it's her fault for being weak," he said, and he left after that decree.

Rheala, now back by her children's side, didn't hear anything, nor did Otto Hightower, who was busy giving commands to more guards who had come.

Looking at the chaos around her, Alicent thought one thing and one thing only.

'What have I done?'

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Hey everyone, Author here!

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