Melisandre's words caused Lyanna's expression to darken immediately.
She spoke in an icy tone.
"You'd better explain yourself clearly. If you're spouting nonsense, I'll cut out your tongue."
Over the years, Viserys had maintained a very good relationship with both of his "sisters-in-law."
He had given them a great deal of freedom.
The two of them were practically the directors of the [Targaryen Publishing House].
Both Lyanna and Elia understood clearly that without Viserys, neither they nor their children might have the lives they enjoyed today.
Faced with Lyanna's threat, Melisandre remained completely unmoved.
She calmly continued speaking.
"What I saw in the flames cannot be wrong."
Hearing that, the tension that had briefly appeared on Elia's face instead eased somewhat.
Visions in flames? Just another trick.
Seeing the disbelief in their expressions, Melisandre continued.
"Lady Elia, I hope you can inform Queen Rhaella of His Majesty Viserys's death as soon as possible, and have Prince Aegon inherit the throne without delay."
"Consider it my repayment for His Majesty sheltering me all these years."
Melisandre's voice carried neither joy nor sorrow, as though nothing in the world truly mattered to her.
"So cursing your own king is your idea of repayment?" Lyanna mocked mercilessly from the side.
"Once His Majesty dies, every surrounding power will inevitably cast its eyes upon Gohor.
This city is the fruit of his life's work. Only by crowning a new king quickly can stability be maintained."
"I could have said nothing at all. News of His Majesty's death may arrive from the front lines at any moment.
You may choose to believe me or not. In at most two or three days, my prophecy will be proven true."
After saying that, Melisandre simply turned and left.
And because of what she said, Lyanna could not find a single point to refute.
"Even if this is true, how are we supposed to tell the Queen?" Elia said painfully.
Lyanna thought for a moment before replying.
"You stay with Aegon. I'll go see the Queen."
The affairs of Gohor were being handled smoothly by Davos, the Old Crab, and Oswell.
Rhaella at most acted as a supervisor.
That left her with a great deal of free time.
Nearly ten years old now, Daenerys had recently begun learning how to ride horses, and Rhaella was accompanying her.
Across the lush green lawn, the silver-haired princess awkwardly tried to coordinate with a small white pony.
Watching over her was William Darry.
"Don't be afraid, Princess. Hold the reins tightly!"
Sitting nearby, Rhaella watched her daughter and suddenly remembered the time on Dragonstone when Viserys had comforted her by saying he dreamed of Daenerys riding a horse.
That dream had helped her survive the gates of death while giving birth to Daenerys.
Rhaella lifted a cup of black tea, preparing to drink it, when suddenly a sharp pain stabbed through her chest.
An indescribable sorrow surged into her heart.
Why does this feeling seem so familiar?
Clutching her chest, Rhaella felt as though she had experienced this once before.
"Your Grace, are you alright?"
A maid nearby noticed her discomfort and hurried over anxiously.
"I... I'm fine."
Rhaella weakly waved her hand.
"Should I summon the maester?"
The feeling of her heart being torn apart refused to fade. Just as Rhaella was about to nod, she suddenly heard sobbing nearby.
"Princess, if you're tired, we can continue tomorrow."
Rhaella looked up and saw her youngest daughter crying uncontrollably atop the pony.
Tears streamed down the girl's delicate face.
"Go... go ask Daenerys what's wrong."
Daenerys was quickly brought before her mother, but the sobbing would not stop.
"Mother, I don't know what's wrong with me. I just can't stop crying. I... I miss my brother..."
"Brother..."
Rhaella's heart trembled violently.
"Rhaegar... it was Rhaegar..."
Suddenly, even the Queen Mother in her forties could no longer hold back her tears.
She remembered now.
When Rhaegar died, she had experienced almost exactly the same feeling.
An ominous premonition rose in her heart.
"Your Grace, Lady Lyanna requests an audience," a maid said softly to the mother and daughter, both overcome with tears.
"Tell her I'm unavailable right now. I'll see her later."
As the Dowager Queen of House Targaryen, she could hardly receive guests with tears in her eyes.
"It concerns His Majesty Viserys," the maid added.
Rhaella immediately raised her head, disbelief written all over her face.
She ordered someone to bring warm water, fixed her makeup, and then went to meet Lyanna.
The moment Lyanna saw Rhaella, she could tell something was wrong with her emotional state.
All the words she had prepared vanished from her mind.
In the end, it was Rhaella who spoke first, and only then did Lyanna respond.
"Your Grace... it's Melisandre. She says she saw... news of His Majesty in the flames."
Looking at Lyanna's troubled expression, Rhaella felt her heart pounding wildly.
Her chest rose and fell violently, and even her breathing became ragged.
"What... what news?"
Lyanna opened her mouth, but the words "fallen in battle" seemed stuck in her throat.
She simply could not force them out.
Rhaella understood as well.
If it were good news—or even merely not terrible news—Lyanna would never look like this.
Yet deep inside, she still clung to a sliver of hope.
Beside them, William looked completely confused, unable to understand the cryptic exchange between the two women.
"His Majesty... has very likely fallen in battle."
"What?!" Willem cried out in shock.
Rhaella, meanwhile, collapsed weakly back into her chair.
Willem could hardly believe his ears. Frowning, he asked again, "Lady Lyanna... what did you just say?"
"His Majesty has very likely fallen in battle. Melisandre saw it in the flames. She said that within at most two or three days, news from the front lines will arrive."
Since the truth had already been spoken, Lyanna clenched her fists and forced herself to say everything in one breath.
But upon hearing those words, Willem immediately became extremely vigilant.
He stepped forward with one hand on his sword hilt and demanded:
"Are you and Lady Elia attempting to usurp His Majesty's throne? To fabricate such a story!"
Lyanna already knew how fiercely loyal Viserys's Kingsguard were.
She had prepared herself for this reaction the moment she spoke.
"You may imprison me, Aemon, Aegon, and Elia. We will not resist."
The emotions in Willem's eyes shifted rapidly. Then he turned toward the guards outside and gave an order.
"Men! Place Lady Lyanna, Lady Elia, and Princes Aegon and Aemon under heavy protection! Ensure their safety. Without the Queen Mother's permission, no one is allowed to approach them!"
A large group of soldiers rushed inside at once.
Rhaella silently accepted Willem's decision. And Lyanna showed no intention of resisting.
She simply surrendered without struggle.
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