Chapter Text
It started with Joffrey’s birth, the realization that he had failed in more ways than he had realized. That he had not only fallen short of giving his wife the children and heirs she needed but had failed her as a husband entirely. For he could do little more than hold her hand as she marched towards the queen, blood still dripping down her legs. And he said nothing when the queen made her jabs at his son’s looks. A babe of a few hours and already he received scorn.
So when Rhaenyra requested they leave, he did not fight her overtly so. For he knew she was right, that leaving would be best for their sons whom would surly reach an age soon where they would understand the rumors about their looks. And that worked for a time, the boys were sad to leave, but once at Dragonstone they were filled with enthusiasm. There were less eyes on them now and he and Qarl did not need to hide as much which gave him more time to spend with the boys. He took on his own duties more seriously, taking over the training for their oldest children. Showing Luce what he needed to know to one day rule Driftmark. He spoke to the boys for hours of his own youthful adventures and even of the war of the Stepstones when he tucked them into bed. Sanitized versions of course, and the boys loved it. It was wonderful while it lasted.
Rhaenyra had taken on more political work, now that she no longer had to join the small counsel her time was free to spend on enforcing her ties with the lords. For she now knew how precarious her position was, she needed the lords to support her. Harwin had been murdered, as had the lord hand. There was no doubt in her mind about that. Otto Hightower had arranged to have his enemies executed, and her family would be next. As a mother, she would take no chances with her children’s safety.
And so she planned; a flurry of ravens flew back and forth from Dragonstone.
Rhaenyra organized hunts to invite the lords too. House Arryn and House Baratheon were her first targets. For she had seen very little of her mother’s family since her passing, she needed their support. House Baratheon lay very near here home, and was tied to her house through Rhaenys’ mother. It was her sons supposed Baratheon ancestry she used to excuse their dark hair and her mother’s Arryn blood to explain their eyes. But she would need more than just them, and so she wrote to some of the lords for their daughters to attend her as ladies in waiting. The hunts served multiple purposes as well, for she rode into the woods with the men; they had to see her as a capable ruler. But it was truly the ladies of the land she spend most of the time with. For it was them she had to speak with of fostering and which of their daughters would be suited as ladies in waiting. She had three unmarried sons, not yet betrothed; alliances could still be made after all.
And so Dragonstone went from a desolate empty rock to hosting a near constant stream of visiting lords and ladies. Her sons gained many playmates, which would set up their own ties with future lords.