chapter 9

William's POV:

William's muscles flexed as he dodged a blow from the knight he was fighting.

Suddenly, a commotion from the stands above drew his attention away from the fight. He had watched the scene of the Queen's death in House of the Dragon, so he knew what had happened.

William gritted his teeth, trying to push the thought of the Queen's death from his mind.

And then he heard a voice, a whisper that seemed to come from the depths of his soul.

Remember why you fight.

With his mentor's voice echoing in his mind, William took a deep breath and pushed aside his thoughts of the Queen's death. And then he lunged forward, his sword flashing in the sunlight.

The other knight raised his sword to block the attack, but William feinted to the left and struck him on the right side.

The knight staggered back, and William pressed his advantage, striking blow after blow. In a matter of moments, the fight was over.

William had emerged victorious; However, it was abruptly halted for a specific reason. After his triumph, William left the tournament grounds feeling the sweat and dirt sticking to his skin.

He headed towards his father's pavilion, longing for a refreshing bath and some rest. But as he drew closer, he noticed the somber expressions on the faces of the guards standing outside.

It seemed that news travel fast, especially among prominent families.

As William entered the pavilion, the air was heavy with tension and grief.

"Father, what's happened?" William asked.

His father turned to him; his face etched with sorrow. "The Queen died after giving birth and her child died a few hours later." he said in a low voice. 

William who had known that from watching the series in his past life, couldn't say that he knew that already. So, he put on a sad face and said:

"I had no idea." William said, trying to make his voice unsteady. "What will happen now?"

His father shook his head. "The king will have to find someone to marry to, and quickly. The succession cannot be left in doubt for too long."

Then he continued, "The ceremony will be held in a few hours, so get cleaned up," and gestured towards the bathroom. "There's bath and fresh clothes waiting for you," he said.

With a nod of thanks, William made his way to the bathroom, grateful for the chance to wash away the dirt and sweat from the tournament.

The opulent bathroom was decorated with intricate mosaic tiles and a large ceramic tub filled with hot water, and the aroma of lavender and rose petals wafted through the air. William immediately shed his armor and submerged himself in the warm water, feeling the tension in his muscles slowly dissolve.

He grabbed a bar of soap and lathered himself, luxuriating in the sensation of being clean again. After some time, he added a few drops of fragrant oils to the water to soothe his aching muscles. As he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, the tension in his body slowly melted away.

After a long soak, William reluctantly stepped out of the tub, feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. He wrapped himself in a soft towel and proceeded to don fresh clothes, feeling grateful for the chance to cleanse himself after the intense tournament.

....

After a couple of hours, William and his father they made their way towards the pyre, that's when William noticed a familiar figure in the distance. It was Rhaenyra Targaryen standing with her uncle Daemon. William hesitated for a moment, then made his way towards the grieving princess.

"Your Grace," he said, bowing only for formalities. "I offer my sincerest condolences for your loss."

Rhaenyra looked up at William, her eyes swollen and filled with sadness "Thank you," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

William nodded in response, feeling a sense of solemnity settling over him. Even though he had witnessed the scene from a distance, being here with Rhaenyra as she mourned made him feel a part of the tragedy in a way he couldn't have anticipated.

As his father went to offer his condolences to the king, William stood next to Rhaenyra, not wanting to leave her alone in her grief. He didn't know her well she was just someone who he had a crush on in his past life, but today he felt he shared a sense of kinship with her.

The bodies of the queen and Baelon were then laid on a pyre, and Rhaenyra approached, her steps slow and heavy with sorrow. 

She then looked at her father for a brief second then looked at the corpses and called her dragon, Syrax, who sensed her emotions and approached the pyre.

And then she spoke, her voice ringing out over the courtyard.

"Dracarys."

Syrax's eyes blazed with fire as he unleashed a burst of flames, engulfing the pyre and the bodies on it. The heat was intense, but Rhaenyra didn't flinch. She stood there, watching as the flames consumed everything until there was nothing left but ash.