Main Content
Archive of Our OwnArchive of Our OwnHi, TheBrimmedHat!PostLog Out
FandomsBrowseSearchAboutWork Search
tip: hetalia f/f sort:kudos
Actions
Entire Work ← Previous Chapter Next Chapter → Chapter Index Edit Bookmark Mark for Later Comments Share Download
Work Header
Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warnings:
Graphic Depictions Of ViolenceMajor Character Death
Category:
Gen
Fandoms:
House of the Dragon (TV)Warhammer Fantasy
Characters:
Ikit ClawRhaenyra TargaryenJacaerys VelaryonLucerys Velaryon (Son of Rhaenyra)Baela TargaryenRhaena Targaryen (Daughter of Daemon)Daemon TargaryenCorlys "The Sea Snake" VelaryonHelaena TargaryenAddam VelaryonBackground & Cameo CharactersSilverwing | Alysanne Targaryen's DragonOriginal CharactersJoffrey Velaryon
Additional Tags:
Crack Treated SeriouslyCanon-Typical ViolenceThe Dance of the Dragons | Aegon II Targaryen v. Rhaenyra Targaryen EraAlternate Universe - Canon DivergenceCanonical Character DeathCharacter Turned Into a HumanIkit got isekai'd as Jace's twinSkaven Species (Warhammer Fantasy)Death to all GreensHuman ExperimentationScience ExperimentsIkit is his own warningSilverwing still has shit taste in male ridersPOV MultipleBackground RelationshipsBackground Character Deathshow canon onlyDragon RidersAnimal AbuseIkit is an abusive dragonriderTho he's fairly mellow compared to his SkavenselfGood Parent Rhaenyra TargaryenNo beta we die like LucerysDysfunctional FamilyCannibalismBlood and TortureCanon-Typical BehaviorBAMF Helaena Targaryen
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:2026-02-26Completed:2026-04-22Words:181,492Chapters:55/55Comments:1,270Kudos:749Bookmarks:160Hits:33,683
The Rat Prince of Westeros
SkilledWarriorKiwi
Chapter 53: Elinda
Chapter Text
It had been five years since the end of the civil war that became known as the Dance of the Dragons.
The winter had also finally ebbed, making way for spring after half a decade of ice, sleet and snow engulfing the realm. Now the air was growing warmer, the sun lingering longer. Frost not longer slicked every window each morning and the dark brooding skies were clearing and thus the ravens of the Citadel flew to announce the next spring.
It had been a harsh five years, with most of the first being focused upon administrative duties and sorting through the debts, traitors and backstabbers that still lingered across the realm. Sending Prince Daemon to the Iron Islands had quickly stopped Lord Dalton Greyjoy's pillaging of Lannisport, with the Lady Lannister swearing upon her children's lives of her fealty to Queen Rhaenyra.
Then a year later the Winter Fever appeared in Westeros. Originating from the Three Sisters, within the Bite, it then traveled to White Harbour after killing half the population upon the isle towns. By the time the year came to an end and another moved over, the Winter Fever had spread through various docks and harbours across the Seven Kingdoms. Gulltown, Maidenpool, Duskendale, with reports of it even reaching Braavos and even the landlocked Barrowton deep within the realm.
One of those cities infected was King's Landing, originating from the Blackwater Rush from the likes of sailors and fishmongers and dock-side whores. At the suggesting of Lord Hand Corlys, King's Landing closed its gates when the first sick were announced within its walls to prevent more infected entering.
Queen Rhaenyra had asked her second son, Prince Ikit, to take Viserys to Dragonstone for the duration of the quarantine. Viserys had been sickly as a child and the queen was not about to take risks with his health, regardless of the fortitude of those of Targaryen blood. The two princes agreed and left the same day the gates closed, using the farsqueaker to communicate while upon Dragonstone.
Elinda quickly learned that Prince Ikit had extreme knowledge when it came to plagues and how to hinder or help them, as she brought tea for her queen while she was talking into the far larger model of the farsqueaker, welded into the wall and the same size as a human and as such had much greater clarity over distances, with a long horn for listening and speaking, and seeking advice on how to limit casualties for the Winter Fever.
The queen had refused Prince Ikit's initial advice of rounding up every sick person, locking them inside a building, and then burning them to death. His next suggestions were a lot more easy and kind to implement.
Even something as simple as having people wear facial coverings, to wash hands thoroughly with soap or wear gloves while making sure to boil water before drinking it cut down immensely upon spreading infection. Then there were great soup kitchens filled with cauldrons which Rhaenyra would add one dose- and no more -of the magical serum Prince Ikit was wont to make to each cauldron. The soup was offered freely and while some smallfolk refused, citing it as demon blood or black magics, many more accepted especially those who had lost family from the sickness. The soup made those healthy far more resistant to being infected for a limited time, while those ill had a far higher chance to recover. Elsewhere those sickened from the Winter Fever died more grievously- three out of every four would die. Yet those in King's Landing now became one out of four.
Despite the skepticism at first the results were enough that more and more visited the kitchens for the 'healing broth' as many called it. The words spoken of the queen were deeply favourable, even those who still called her the Mother of Monsters seemed to do so with a fondness especially as more news came with how heavily the Fevers were afflicting other townships. Even Prince Ikit was being spoken of favourably, as more and more of the sick recovered.
At one point a group of Poor Fellows started to preach that the Winter Fever was retribution from the Seven for the Targaryens and their incest, and Prince Ikit's destruction of the Hightower. They only brayed a day before all seven of them were dragged down from their posts and beaten to death by an angry crowd.
Midway through 133AC the illness finally began to loosen its grip upon the realm, but not without taking many with it. Half the population of Sisterton was dead- either from the plague, or the belief the Ibbenese had brought the sickness to the isle and each and every one had been hunted down and killed by the survivors -with many more seaside towns ravaged. Yet King's Landing managed to surge past with limited casualties, even if amongst the court the deaths were limited but Elinda knew several laundry maids had sickened and a few died. The court maester had also been stricken yet managed to recover from the sickness. Yet on the whole the capital had bore it well, far better than any other in Westeros.
The end of the illness was celebrated with the announcement of Prince Jacaerys's and Lady Baela's wedding. It was a fairly lax affair, most due to the winter still snowing in many keeps and roads, but the court of King's Landing had enough envoys and lordlings and many others still braved the weather to attend the royal wedding. The celebration was well welcomed by the people of King's Landing, as many were downtrodden by the passing plague and cold. Silverwing was a mixed sight as she flew back to King's Landing, as the beast was malformed from Essos but the queen was delighted at her two sons returning from Dragonstone.
Elinda had been excited as well, happy to see Jace taking another step forward as the crown prince and the confident, charismatic man he was settling into. She had seen the relationship grow between Jace and Baela, how strong both had been during the Dance, knowing they would be wonderful as husband and wife. They would be a magnificent king and queen after the rule of Queen Rhaenyra and the Rogue Prince.
She spent several days with the royal family, typically in the company of Aegon. Joffrey she also enjoyed the company of, even if it was mostly him bringing her information about the smallfolk or discussing it with her. He was young but Elinda had noticed how he seemed to vanish into the shadows when the mood struck him. Elinda understood knowing the mood of the people was important, and had helped acquire several plainclothes outfits for Joffrey and knew what secret corridors he favoured. She kept an eye open for him and Joffrey would bring any worthwhile information, just as she would tell him of anything curious she heard amongst the court.
The future Lord of Driftmark was a shadow presence but comforting, Elinda all too easily remembering when Ser Arryk had burst into Rhaenyra's room within Dragonstone and attempted to assassinate her. Elinda had managed to flee and find Ser Lorent, but Elinda knew knives in the dark were among the most dangerous.
It was why dowager queen Alicent remained under heavy lock and key. For all her regret and tears, she had caused catastrophic damage through her spite and greed. Just because she regretted her actions now, after killing her children and grandchildren, did not negate she had been one of the driving forces in the usurpation.
Alicent's prison was a small apartment, with a bed and side chamber for a bath and chamberpot. Elinda was the only one who directly dealt with Alicent, even when the maids would clean the room and search for contraband it would always be when she was either sleeping in one room or bathing in the other. Rhaenyra had declined to treat Alicent more cruelly, as the Rogue Prince had suggested ice baths with only water and bland gruel for the rest of her days. Elinda knew Queen Rhaenyra only did this type of comfort out of respect for her late father King Viserys, and the years the dowager queen had spent by his side.
Elinda meanwhile, never forgave Alicent. And never would. She loved Rhaenyra, loved all her children, and Lucerys was a sin Alicent could never atone for.
But she was loyal unlike the disgraced former queen, and would attend to her respectfully at Queen Rhaenyra's request. Alicent had grown more mad in her isolation, begging of stomach pains in between fits of crying, but despite being checked by several different maesters exhibited no source of injury or sickness even if she had clawed her fingers of their nails upon the door numerous times. Some felt it was the disgraced dowager queen's guilt manifesting physically. Others thought it was the Seven punishing her for her actions. Others simply thought her mad.
Life continued to move on as the realm slowly recovered even with the winter nipping at them as the sickness left.
At one point Lord Cregan Stark asked for assistance from the crown due to wildling raids, a three thousand strong group led by Sylas the Grim slaughtering the Night's Watch at Queensgate and then invading the northlands. Many remembered how invaluable the late Lord Roderick Dustin, or Roddy the Ruin, had been with his Winter Wolves. They had helped those allied to Queen Rhaenyra in destroying the hosts of Lord Jason Lannister and Ser Criston Cole, proving their valor well and true.
Prince Jacaerys flew to Lord Cregan's aid, with his twin brother in support. They stopped briefly in the Vale to meet Lady Jeyne Arryn, their kinswoman who had housed Joffrey and Rhaena during the Dance. When there Prince Ikit helped Lady Jeyne with her illness as the Maiden of the Vale spoke of a persistent cough and when pressed, admitted to her wheezing, shortness of breath, the short bouts fever she was suffering from. It did not match the symptoms of the Winter Fever but nonetheless Prince Ikit offered his serum to her, the tincture which not only healed yet left the user hardier than before, and she accepted with wonderful results.
Elinda found that one of the things she found so deeply fascinating about Prince Ikit. For all the horrific, amazing weapons he had created he had also created such a useful method of healing even if there had to be a bout of a month between drinks of the raw, potent fluid. It had been what had saved Baela, Daemon and their dragons. Had helped Rhaenyra heal from her wounds of her miscarriage, and aided the Sea Snake in recovering from bloodfever. For the people of King's Landing to fend off the Winter Fever. And now to heal his kinswoman.
The Vale hadn't a larger wall-bound farsqueaker installed, but the two princes were able to call the queen and inform her of their meeting with Lady Jeyne with their handheld ones. The Maiden of the Vale even spoke on the object to her kinswoman, even if it had a amount of static she could still be heard and obviously wondered at the technology that let her hear the queen from so far away.
Then the two princes continued their journey up towards the Wall and there, with Silverwing and Vermax, dealt with the roving band of wildlings with no casualties to the North in the battle. While there they visited the Wall, spoke to Lord Stark about his impending famine issues within the North and how he was going to seek out loans to Braavos to keep his people fed. Several suggestions were made, but in the end Prince Ikit took Silverwing out to the Shivering Sea and returned several times with great disorientated leviathans forced to breech in the Bay of Seals.
Jacaerys had never seen a leviathan be caught like that and certainly questioned his brother.
'Leviathans breathe air,' was Prince Ikit's response, from Jace's recount later when they returned to King's Landing. 'And water likes lightning. Food everywhere if you know where to look-look.'
Regardless, Cregan Stark was very thankful for the pod of stranded leviathans and went about butchering the giant animals for supplies. Even their dense skin and fat would be beneficial to surviving, Elinda knew, and the North knew very well on how to utilize every aspect of their animals. It was also another means to affirm the rule of Queen Rhaenyra. Many spoke of how grateful they were that Prince Ikit was a second son, while Prince Jacaerys was the firstborn. That they had been born in those positions for a reason.
The following year came with the break of winter and the return of the warmth of the realm, and the announcement of Lady Baela that she was with child. Due to knowing of her mother, grandmother, great-grandmothers, histories of difficult childbirth, Lady Baela had waited until she was over twenty name-days before finally deciding to try for a child with her husband.
Elinda knew next in line for a royal wedding would be Prince Joffrey and Lady Rhaena; after Luke's death there had been some debate but Ikit made it clear he would never marry and Rhaenyra accepted his words true even if Corlys made a brief attempt otherwise. From what Elinda had heard Ikit seemed more interested about integrating more of his technology within King's Landing. Not weaponry but rather things like 'conveyor belts' and 'rail systems' which Elinda did not understand but he seemed excited by.
Regardless of anything or Ikit's own planning Elinda felt it would be a wise match for Joffrey and Rhaena to be wed, as both got along splendidly. Luke's death still lingered but the realm moved onward and so must they. Joffrey had already expressed interest in wanting to visit the likes of Asshai, and while the Sea Snake hadn't given him the same attention as he had Lucerys, Corlys was more than willing to do it now with spring stretching across the land with the cold storms easing.
Still, they were discussions for another time. Now it was to celebrate the beginning of spring, the ravens from the Citadel confirming the turn of the seasons.
Elinda woke upon that day well and refreshed, ready to attend to her queen.
But first, she would have to serve breakfast to the disgraced one.
Her visits were well known at this point, with the tray already waiting for her in the kitchens. Fresh bread with a creamy almond and cauliflower soup, butter on the side with a cup water. She would have to wait as Alicent ate all her food, so she could not steal away a spoon or fork.
As she walked to where Alicent's lonely apartments were, Elinda stopped in the staircase of the tower and put the tray on the alcove of the window. Above upon the landing would be a guard for Alicent's door but beyond them changing shifts, Elinda herself and the monthly maids, no one ever used this path. So in the corner, away from any prying eyes, she took a small pouch from around her neck and with the ease of long practice dumped the contents into the soup. Then she carefully stirred in the shards of glass, so delicately crushed they were no larger than flecks of sand and would be lost beneath the texture of the almonds.
Always a dish, a soup or stew, with nuts for the disgraced queen. At least once a week. Over a collection of calm, patient years.
Elinda picked up the tray and continued her ascent, greeting the guard by name when she appeared upon the landing. She waited patiently for him to unlock the door for her, then when she entered the small prison she saw that dowager queen Alicent was already awake, dressed, and sitting at the table. The door remained open with the guard standing before it, and over his shoulder scratch marks could be seen on the wood.
The room was near empty, only a bed, table, rug and the banner of House Targaryen upon the wall. Otherwise it was barren, a cell. The dowager queen's expression was pained, arms wrapped around her abdomen and she did not look up at Elinda's approach.
Elinda walked over to the table, putting down the tray and saying gently, "Good morn. Here is your breakfast."
"I'm not hungry," Alicent whispered. She shuddered, eyes bloodshot and fingers bandaged.
"It is the first day of spring," Elinda said, taking the bowl and putting it before her. "You must eat. You must keep your strength and shouldn't let this food go to waste. Please, Your Grace."
Alicent swallowed, a spasm of pain crossing her features. Then she reached out and picked up the spoon.
Actions
↑ Top ← Previous Chapter Next Chapter → Edit Bookmark Comments (23)
Kudos
Paddle_Dragon, TheRedHood1e, Sparta10, Svuvyzusuki, Debbyblack09, Ana_17_AA, Crutt_Nacker2008, CecyBlack, Tasya_Claw029, Jasonthedeer, trouverme, ManiacaLaugh, dog3n, Soneaa, The_Most_Lovely_Rodent, Saya_Rose, Mel_ina, Diamonds4Daffodils, Thedarkknight12, Cassisins, wiejmx, NoNameGambit, Imotek, Strawberryboi, LiteralPanic, Poopsi, Donutlover4, Password5363, Kw921225, Pixel_Picasso, 0037, ForgottenAngerCourter, AndromiaTornado, ariadne22, lucifer_devil5, Sulzi, XiuLan_GracefulOrchid, ordermixtre, OwlrageousJones, b_s_s_rr_s, SabrinaRodrigues, WitcherGod90, Lescliffe, Starvaleorrego, Lsywastx369, Kaustubh, 3Juul, Kai_Meli, NotaPridefulWitch, Jazzy_Savvy, and 333 more users as well as 366 guests left kudos on this work!
Comments
Post Comment
Comment as TheBrimmedHat
Plain text with limited HTML ?
Comment
10000 characters left
Footer
Customize
Default
Low Vision Default
Reversi
Snow Blue
About the Archive
Site Map
Diversity Statement
Terms of Service
Content Policy
Privacy Policy
DMCA & TIDA Policies
Site Status
Contact Us
Policy Questions & Abuse Reports
Technical Support & Feedback
Development
otwarchive v1.2.0.0
Known Issues
GPL-2.0-or-later by the OTW