Chapter 26: Vanquishing

                                    

                                          
YEAR 130 AC
Moondancer ascended into the sky quite promptly after the figures of two Targaryen dragons appeared in the clouds above Dragonstone. So, Baela intended to fight, a thought swirled in Daena's head, making her gaze turn from confident to slightly annoyed. There was no point in fighting: Moondancer was very much young and little, even the injured Sunfyre could take her down without much effort. With Vermithor on Aegon's side, Daena's half-sister and her dragon didn't stand a single chance: Baela was heading towards her very death. Daemon's eldest daughter felt completely torn about it. On one hand, Dragonstone didn't have much to protect Rhaenyra's claim, so their mission was already a guaranteed success. On the other hand, she had no intention of slaying Baela, even though not particularly close to her, but her own flesh and blood; though at that moment it felt utterly inevitable. 
Daena was hesitant about attacking her sister instantly. Instead, she turned Vermithor to the left, separating from Aegon and Sunfyre, and flying towards Moondancer. The battle, in Daena's view, should be the last resort, which, she hoped, there would be no need for. The woman had hoped that her younger sister had a bit of common sense not to make courageous yet stupid decisions, which could cost her her own life. Instead, Daena merely wanted to talk, to give Baela a chance to keep her head on her shoulders. 
As Vermethor was approaching Baela's small dragon, Prince Aemond's wife spoke:
"It's been a while, dear sister!"
Daemon's younger daughter, though her facial expression wasn't visible to Daena, frowned, though the girl still trying to keep her composure. Baela was terrified, that was obvious and sensible of her.
"What do you want, Daena?" The girl yelled, trying her best to hide the betraying shakiness in her voice.
The Targaryen lady sighed.
"Don't make it difficult, Baela. You know very well why we are here. Descend to the ground and surrender. I promise to you: if you do that, there will be no bloodshed." 
Daena's voice was loud and firm, which, hopefully, would let her sister know how serious the situation was. Aemond's wife didn't take her eyes off Baela, trying to understand what her sister was about to do. She was completely genuine about her promise: no matter what her sister's father had done to Daena personally, no matter what confrontation the Blacks and the Greens found themselves in, the silver-haired lady was no kinslayer. Shedding someone's blood, even though it might bring some temporary feeling of justice and satisfaction, wouldn't resurrect her loved ones: Baela's blood spilled wouldn't bring either Lancel, Helaena, or Jaehaerys to life. Therefore Daena didn't intend to harm her half-sister... As long as the latter wouldn't force her to do so.
Baela stayed silent for a good moment or two when finally her scream shattered the sky above the three dragons.
"I am not surrendering! I would rather perish in the sky, as a dragonrider, than bend the knee to the usurper!"
The saddening bitterness washed over Daena like a big wave. Though she did not want it, she expected such to be Baela's answer. There was nothing she could do now to save her life. Whether one of Daemon's twins would live or die that day, was now up to the Seven. Daena would have no regrets about what was to happen: she gave her sister a chance, which she denied. 
Neither Aegon nor Daena had enough time to realize what the best thing to do was when Moondancer advanced towards Sunfyre, a deafening bestial scream escaping the dragon's mouth. Baela, most likely, could see that the golden dragon of Aegon's was injured, so thought that he would be easier to take down before trying her luck with Vermithor. However, no matter what Baela's true strategy was, it was destined to be doomed. The battle ended before it could even begin properly: as inexperienced and gullible Moondancer was vigorously attempting to bite off Sunfyre's torn wing, Vermithor's jaw clenched around her own, tearing the wing off Baela's green beats at the base. The scream of agony filled the sky, as Moondancer fell to the ground, taking her young rider with her. As Daena was watching the second dragon perishing by her hands, there was no remorse on her face. The first time Vermithor had taken someone's life, his rider's heart was filled with guilt. However, this time her face was stiff, stripped of any emotion, as there was only a single thought in her head: if Baela somehow could survive. The thought wasn't caused by repentance but by mere stolid curiosity: taken that Rhaenyra survived after a very similar collapse, it wasn't completely impossible.