We Bleed Silver(GOT/ASOIAF Fanfic)

Helaena entered the Hall of a Hundred Hearths, carrying Maelor in her arms and holding Princess Jaehaenyra's hand. Her head bowed low, while Vermithor slowly lowered his, his cold dragon eyes fixed on the silver-haired princess.

"Princess Helaena Targaryen," Draezell began, his voice calm yet icy, "for the treason of your husband, Aegon the usurper, and the crime of your mother, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, in falsifying King Viserys I's will, you would, by right, face execution. However, in recognition of your refusal to participate in the rebellion and your dedication to protecting the royal bloodline, the King and the late Queen have decided to show mercy."

He paused, his gaze steady and unyielding. "You shall retain your royal status, but as you once served as the usurper's false queen, your accomplishments cannot erase your guilt. Princess Helaena, you are to reside at the Great Sept of Seven Dragons in Summerfield as a septa. There, you will pray for the souls of your husband, mother, and late son, begging the Seven for forgiveness for their sins."

Though his words carried a note of pity, Draezell's tone remained cold as he delivered the judgment.

Whispers broke out among the gathered nobles. Most found the sentence acceptable. That even the wife and children of Aegon could be spared suggested that the brown-haired Targaryen and his young Hand were willing to abide by the customs of nobility, rather than use their dragons to impose Harrenhal's fiery fate upon their enemies.

Only Lord Borros Baratheon seemed troubled. He loved his four daughters dearly, but the memory of his eldest haunted him. On the way to King's Landing, Cassandra Baratheon had encountered the queen and her wrath. The dragon annihilated his six-thousand-strong army, reducing half of Cassandra's body to ash. Though Cassandra and Ser Desmond Caron had avoided Syrax's initial attack, no one anticipated the queen's fury. She burned the entire forest to cinders, and Cassandra ultimately succumbed to her wounds, while Ser Desmond died in the flames trying to protect her.

Gripped by fear and rage, Borros himself had executed his second daughter, Maris, after her reckless words contributed to Lucerys Velaryon's death. He would never forget Maris's tearful pleas when he entered her chambers, her desperate cries of, "Father, I'll never speak out again! Please, spare me!"

With tears streaming down his face, he ordered her beheaded. Her curses echoed in his ears as the blade fell. To the maester, he claimed her death was from illness. Only the people of Storm's End knew how Maris's rashness had sealed her fate.

Now Borros could only hope that Jacaerys and Draezell were unaware of his actions, praying they would pardon House Baratheon for its lesser sins. And even if they knew, Borros reasoned, he could offer his daughter's life as penance.

"Let her take responsibility for her own folly," he thought grimly.

"As for your children," Draezell continued, "Princess Jaehaenyra must renounce her surname. Until she comes of age, you will oversee her upbringing. Upon reaching adulthood, she will be placed under the guidance of Septa Serina at the Great Sept of Seven Dragons. There, she will serve as a devout septa, assisting her mother in her prayers for atonement."

Draezell then gestured for Jacaerys to pronounce judgment on Maelor, the centerpiece of this trial against the Greens.

"Princess Helaena," Jacaerys said, his posture straight as he looked at the child cradled in her arms. Maelor, only two years old, was oblivious to the events unfolding around him. Earlier, the eerie atmosphere of Harrenhal had brought him to tears, and Helaena had struggled to soothe him. The nobles maintained hushed voices to avoid disturbing the sleeping boy.

"My mother originally planned to eradicate the usurper's bloodline, but I persuaded her otherwise," Jacaerys spoke gently. "What I seek is a kingdom healed of the wounds caused by Hightower folly, not a chasm filled with endless cycles of vengeance and bloodshed. Innocence cannot be condemned, and I cannot bring myself to harm an innocent child. However, I also cannot ignore the potential threat he poses to the sanctity of the line of succession. My grandfather, King Viserys, named my mother as his heir. That royal decree is sacred, above tradition. It is the violation of this decree that tarnished the sanctity of the monarchy — this was the true folly of the Hightowers."

He spoke deliberately, his tone calm and measured.

This reasoning was taught to him by Draezell. Standing nearby, Draezell offered a nearly imperceptible nod of approval. On the night before the coronation, he and Jacaerys had a long discussion about the issue of succession. Draezell explained the complexities of Westerosi inheritance customs. While the traditional male-preference primogeniture favored by the nobility often prioritized male heirs, it did not entirely exclude female succession.

Typically, the order of inheritance began with the eldest son, followed by his male descendants, other male offspring, and then shifted to the eldest daughter or brothers born of the same bloodline. In some cases, as with House Royce, a woman's claim could take precedence over uncles or distant cousins. For instance, Lady Rhea Royce's rights superseded those of her male relatives.

Yet in practice, particularly during times of war, Westerosi lords often leaned towards appointing adult male heirs over eldest or second sons. Furthermore, in the absence of heirs, a widow might manage her late husband's lands or even inherit them outright, though the latter was exceedingly rare.

While many nobles supported Queen Rhaenyra's claim out of oaths or personal loyalty, it did not imply an endorsement of gender equality in inheritance. The idea of absolute primogeniture, rooted in Rhoynish customs rather than Andal traditions, was foreign to them. To avoid further division in a kingdom already weakened by famine, plague, and the looming threat of winter, Jacaerys needed a justification that aligned with traditional norms.

Draezell had advised him to shift focus away from the groundbreaking nature of Rhaenyra's female claim. Instead, he urged Jacaerys to emphasize the sanctity of royal decrees within House Targaryen. By framing the succession as an act of royal prerogative rather than a deviation from tradition, they could reinforce the authority of the crown and quell doubts seeded by the Great Council of 101 AC, which had emboldened some nobles to believe they held a say in the monarchy's succession.

This approach would simultaneously reaffirm the role of women in the inheritance system while maintaining the traditional precedence of male heirs, ensuring stability for the realm.

Jacaerys's words brought visible relief to many of the nobles present, especially those who had reluctantly joined the Black faction out of honor-bound loyalty to their oaths. These lords were inclined to uphold the traditional laws of succession, and it was this very adherence to tradition that had compelled them to honor their oaths in the first place.

"Until Maelor reaches his fifteenth name day, he shall remain under Princess Helaena's care. Upon his coming of age, he will be placed under the guardianship of Prince Draezell, who will select a suitable land for him to reside on. The prince shall also provide for Princess Helaena and Jaehaenyra in their roles as septa and novice. Maelor must relinquish the Targaryen name and swear eternal loyalty, vowing never to betray the crown. Now, Princess, you shall swear this oath on his behalf, in the name of the gods and our ancestors," Jacaerys declared.

Princess Helaena cradled Maelor in her arms and looked tenderly at Jaehaenyra. The young girl obediently let go of her mother's hand and stood quietly by her side.

"In the name of Helaena Targaryen, and on behalf of my son Maelor and my daughter Jaehaenyra, I swear by the Old and New Gods, by the ancestors of House Targaryen, and by the dragons themselves. I pledge that I, and my son's bloodline, shall remain forever loyal to the descendants of Queen Rhaenyra's bloodline, never to betray their rule or their right to inherit. My son's line will forfeit all claims to the Iron Throne, relinquish the right to bond with dragons, the custody of dragon eggs, and the Targaryen name. When my son reaches his fifteenth name day, he shall renew this oath himself."

"Princess Helaena, I make a reciprocal vow," Jacaerys said, striving to keep his voice calm. "So long as Maelor's descendants abide by their oaths, I, my successors, and my descendants will ensure their safety." He glanced at the sleeping Maelor. "I shall grant him the name of his father's deceased dragon — Sunfyre. From this day forth, Maelor Sunfyre, may he grow strong and atone for the follies of his father and uncles."

"Praise your mercy, Your Grace," Helaena replied gratefully.

Once Helaena and her children's fate was decided, the court turned to those seeking to atone for their betrayals. One prominent example was Ormund Peake, stripped of all lands and titles. He chose to don the black in exchange for his survival and the noble status of his son. As a reward for Ormund's eventual surrender, Titus Peake was spared service at the Wall. Whitegrove, one of the three Peake castles, was restored to Titus, though its associated lands were significantly reduced.

The Maesters' conspiracy was dealt with harshly. In Oldtown, all involved were executed, their students stripped of their chains and required to retrain under new Maesters. According to the plan, the Citadel was dismantled entirely, and the wealth and knowledge it housed were being loaded onto the Silver Fleet, soon to be transferred to the crown's custody.

Then came the part most anticipated by the gathered lords and ladies. For every punishment, there were rewards to be bestowed.

Prince Draezell, the greatest contributor to the war's victory, received all that had been promised before the war. Vast swathes of Ormund Peake's lands, half of the Hightower's southern territories, and the lands of Nightsong were all claimed by House Vaelarys. Draezell also gained control over the oversight of the Royal Mint, guardianship of Aegon and Viserys, fifty years of tax exemption, and a bounty of 900,000 golden dragons. Additionally, Draezell also proposed to Cregan to take the 30,000 people he brought with him which, Cregan Stark replied, "Draezell, you shall always be a friend to House Stark."

Lords of the Riverlands and the Vale were granted tax relief and golden rewards, while Jacaerys vowed to send grain to the North free of charge to aid their allies in surviving the coming winter.

As the rewards continued to be distributed, Ser Simon Strong, acting Castellan of Harrenhal, cautiously stepped forward. His designated rewards were gold and tax exemptions, but he sought something far more significant.

"Your Grace, please hear my plea."