Chapter Text
As he looked around the court to see everyone waiting for him to speak, King Rhaegar had a look on his face that said to stand against him was to commit treason.
"My lords, for 18 years, I have fought and clawed my way through fire and blood to restore House Targaryen to greatness; first, I slew Robert Baratheon."
Flashback-18 years ago-Trident
"Fight me, Dragonspawn, fight me and die," the shouting of a man swinging his Warhammer as it hit a poor young lad right in the ribs before bringing it down in full might, splitting his skull like it was a melon.
"Please, Robert, stop this bloodshed," Rhaegar begged, "We should put this behind us."
Robert Baratheon swings his hammer in an attempt to kill Rhaegar.
"Never; you took my Lyanna, and your father murdered innocent people because of the voices in his head." Robert roared, and both men started an epic duel; Robert Hammer and Strength versus Rhaegar's sword and quickness.
With all eyes on the two men who started this war, Eddard Stark tried to intervene, but Ser Barristan Selmy stopped him, who sought to slay the young lord of Winterfell.
"I didn't kidnap Lyanna; she ran away with me; she doesn't love you," Rhaegar shouted.
Robert charged head-on and swung his hammer downwards, to which Rhaegar was about to meet the stranger, but it was not to be.
A shove from Ser Jonothor pushed Rhaegar to the side, taking the hammer blow which struck him in the chest.
"No! Ser Jonothor!" Rhaegar shouted.
Rhaegar took his sword and tried to stab Robert in the chest, but only for Robert to swat it away like it was a fly.
"You say anything to justify your crimes, just like your mad father; you kidnap her, you probably raped her," Robert said with absolute rage.
Rhaegar responded, "I didn't rape her; we wed under the godswoods, and right now, she is having my Visenya; I love her wild spirit, while you just love her face."
Robert suddenly went into a fury; tossing his hammer aside, he leapt at Rhaegar and wrapped his hand around Rhaegar's neck.
"Die, you rapist; I will be sure to send your family to seven hells as well," Robert said as he started choking and drowning Rhaegar underwater.
In a last act of desperation, Rhaegar, despite being choked and unable to see underwater, grabbed a broken spear tip and thrust it deep into Robert's side.
Rhaegar began to jab it repeatedly in Robert's body, forsaking honour for survival and after breathing a gasp of air.
He picked up a sword and drove it through Robert's heart. Taking off the Storm Lord helmet, he saw the hatred in Robert's eyes. "Lya, I failed you," Robert said, like he was a hero.
"I'm sorry, Robert." Rhaegar expresses sadness to his rival, "But Lyanna loves me."
Robert Baratheon was dead, but a battle still needed to be won, and unfortunately, darkness surrounded Rhaegar as he fell back underwater
present
"I should have ended the rebellion that day, but I was weak and brought back to camp for my safety," Rhaegar said with fury and regret as his hands turned into fists, knuckles whitened as he thought back to his biggest failure.
flashback - a week after the battle of the Trident
Rhaegar felt that he was still in a fight and tried to tackle the man watching over him, but with the amount of energy he had, it wasn't enough, and he had to lie on his back.
"Easy, my prince. You have been close to joining Robert Baratheon in death," Ser Barristan said as he helped adjust Rhaegar a bit so he was at least sitting up straight.
"What happened?" Rhaegar was determined to know if he had ended the rebellion.
"Well, I am afraid, my prince, that after you killed Robert, Ser Lewyn and I had to take you back to camp to save you." Ser Barristan started to hesitate as if he wasn't sure if he should say more.
"Please go on, Ser Barristan. Are the rebels defeated?"
"After we returned to the battlefield, the rebels rallied around Lord Stark on their side of the trident; the fighting was so deadly that most of our forces suffered heavy losses, and we had to fall back to our side."
Rhaegar could imagine the fury of the North to make sure they took as many men with them as possible to ensure that they could survive.
"It was getting dark; we decided to hold back and finish them off tomorrow, only to discover they had fallen back, and our losses made it impossible to pursue them."
Rhaegar sensed more news: "What are you not telling me, Ser Barristan?"
"Your Father has accused you of treason, and he demands your execution for failing to end the rebellion."
Rhaegar didn't want to believe that his father would order his death, but he knew how far his father's madness and paranoia would make him commit even something as heinous as kin slaying.
"Will you do it, Ser Barristan? Will you slay the only man who could help save the Seven Kingdoms from destruction?" Rhaegar asked his friend, who responded, "No."
present
"I came back to this place; I had my father removed from this damn throne; of course, he tried to destroy this place and everyone in it, from the homeless beggars to the highest lord."
Everyone nodded as some remembered when the Mad King tried to light all the wildfire. 'Let my son rule over a city of charred bones and cooked meat' was the last thing he shouted before Ser Jaime killed him.
"Father, why are you giving the court a history lesson? Are you becoming a Maester?" a silver-haired youth said, to which a few people started to laugh.
"No, Aegon, I was explaining why I must now finish what I should have finished all those years ago."
Aegon Targaryen was a spitting image of his father; while being a skilled fighter, he preferred peace over war.
If he had one weakness, it was his caring nature for others that people used to their advantage
"But Father, may I remind you of what you cause through your actions and the consequences that happen because of you?"
flashback - four moons after the battle of the Trident
The crowd cheered as Rhaegar walked from the Sept of Baelor to the Red Keep after he was now officially crowned King Rhaegar, the first of his name, King of the Andals, First Men and Rhoynar, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.
He knew that he should have killed the rebels, but he needed to show people that his father's reign was well and truly over.
He arrived in the throne room, sat on the iron throne, and looked to hear the Hand of the King and his friend Ser Jon Connington announce, "All hail King Rhaegar, long may he reign."
"Long may he reign," the nobility shouted, to which Rhaegar thought that House Targaryen, he and his son Aegon, was on its last chance.
After the rebels' loss at the Trident and Rhaegar took over his father's throne, he took over the siege of Storm's End and finally achieved in one month what Mace Tyrell achieved in a year.
Stannis Baratheon stood before him, the last Stag, as his brother Renly died of malnutrition right before Rhaegar took Storms End.
"Stannis Baratheon, you stand accused of treason against the crown. How do you plead?" Rhaegar said as he looked at the man who had withstood so much, now seemed so broken.
"Get it over with, I did my duty to my brother Robert in holding Storms End for as long as I could, but I failed to save Renly," Stannis replied with a sad look on his face.
Stannis then said with a last ounce of defiance in his eyes, "I'm not the one who kidnapped another man's betrothed; I shirk my duty to protect the people of the realm and started a war."
"Your family don't deserve to rule. They had a few wise rulers, but most were vicious, cruel and corrupt." Stannis all but spat at Rhaegar, who oddly smiled at him.
But before he could do anything, the doors opened to reveal the remaining Kingsguard Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Gerold Hightower and Ser Oswell Whent.
"My friends, what are you doing here? Is Lya with you?" Rhaegar asked them; the three legendary knights stepped aside to reveal a wet nurse holding a bundle.
"Lady Lyanna is gone; she died from a fever, but not before naming her Lyarra after her mother." Ser Arthur explained before Rhaegar took his new daughter.
"No! She is Visenya Targaryen! My daughter of Ice!" he shouted before the court.
Silence filled the throne room as people began questioning why this war had happened.
Queen Elia Martell stood out from the crowd. "I have to tolerate many things you have done because I am your wife, and it is my duty, but I would not stand for your actions regarding Lyanna Stark's child."
Rhaegar ignored her, "This is my trueborn daughter, Visenya Targaryen. Anyone who said otherwise will be executed without hesitation."
"You may be king, but the world will say she is a bastard through and through," Stannis shouted at Rhaegar, who handed the newly named Visenya to Ser Arthur.
Rhaegar drew his sword, and in anger, he beheaded Stannis.
"Anyone else?" he asked, and people remained silent, and now there was a sense of fear.
present
"Your actions that day caused a crisis that made grandfather's actions seem like a child throwing a temper tantrum," Aegon shouted at Rhaegar
"Watch yourself, Aegon. You may be my son and heir, but I am still your King." Rhaegar said, pointing his finger at Aegon.
"And maybe you should be more concerned that you have yet to produce a legitimate heir."
Rhaegar had Aegon wed to his sisters Rhaenys, Visenya, and his aunt Daenerys; while Aegon loved them, he didn't love them like a husband should love a wife.
Aegon said with sadness, "I am loyal to you, Father, but know that I would rather have peace than war. But if you decide to go to war, I would go with you instead of waiting here."
Aegon stormed off, leaving the court divided on whether or not to support him or the king.
It was like Rhaegar or Aerys all over again.
"Now, know this, everyone, eighteen years ago, I failed to end the rebellion, utterly. So know that I won't surrender my righteous war, The North, The Riverlands and The Vale will be brought back into the Seven Kingdoms, or I will die trying." Rhaegar shouted to the sound of cheering youth who saw this war as a chance for glory.
Those who oppose it see this as a pointless waste of life and pray to the Seven that it will end quickly.