Rhaenys Velaryon (she has officially adopted this title and declared herself Lady Driftmark Earl and the rightful ruler) clearly had no intention of turning this family tragedy into a political show.
Invited, in addition to the king's representative who must be notified, there are only a few vassals and allies who are closely related to House Velaryon, and...Redd and Rhaenyra with special identities.
At the port, Redd supported Rhaenyra and stepped off the Dragonstone ship, which was inconspicuous but sailed smoothly.
Rhaenyra was wearing a loose dark dress and a thick cloak to protect against the sea breeze. The bulge in her abdomen was already very obvious.
Her face was a little pale, not only because of her pregnancy, but also because she felt depressed about this double funeral.
Redd, on the other hand, was dressed in a simple black outfit and a cloak of the same color. He looked calm and glanced at the Driftmark guards at the port who were obviously much more heavily guarded, as well as the towering castle in the distance that seemed to be in mourning.
They didn't bring many followers, only Mysaria and a few necessary guards.
Keeping a low profile is a sign of respect for the host's family's grief, and it is also a way of self-protection in a delicate situation.
On the way to High Tide in a carriage, the atmosphere was silent.
Through the car window, you can see that there is also a kind of tension and uneasiness inside Driftmark.
There are few pedestrians on the street and most of the shops are closed. Occasionally, a small team of patrolling soldiers pass by with wary eyes.
Arriving at the castle, the atmosphere became more solemn.
The huge stone hall was decorated as a mourning hall, and the two gorgeous coffins placed side by side and covered with the flag of the Valerian family and the seahorse emblem were particularly eye-catching.
Corlys's coffin is empty, with only some symbolic relics and the Master of Ships hat he often wears.
Laenor's coffin is a real thing, and the heavy oak seems to carry injustice and humiliation.
Rhaenys stood in front of the coffin, with his back to the entrance.
She wore a pure black dress with no decoration, her silver-gold hair was meticulously pulled back, revealing a pale and resolute profile.
Her back was as straight as a black statue. Only her slightly trembling fingertips and her hands that were clenched until their joints turned white revealed the raging grief and anger in her heart.
There were no other close relatives of House Velaryon around her - Laena was said to be "unwell" and did not attend, while Daemon... was nowhere to be seen.
When Redd and Rhaenyra approached, Rhaenys slowly turned around.
Her eyes were red and swollen, but her gaze was exceptionally clear and sharp, like tempered Ice.
She first looked at Rhaenyra, her eyes lingering on his bulging abdomen for a moment.
A flash of extremely complicated emotions flashed through - there was sadness (thinking of his lost son and bloodline), but also some kind of indescribable determination.
Then, her eyes fell on Redd.
"Redd, Rhaenyra." Rhaenys's voice was hoarse, but extremely smooth, with an inviolable dignity, "Thank you for coming."
Simple greetings, no unnecessary words. In this situation, any comfort seems pale and feeble.
Rhaenyra took a step forward, gently held Rhaenys's cold hand, and whispered, "Please have my condolences." Her voice was sincere, with the empathy of a woman and soon-to-be mother.
Rhaenys clasped her fingers back slightly, then let go and nodded. "You are heavy, so you don't have to stand for a long time. Go and rest next to it." Her tone softened slightly.
The funeral ceremony was presided over by an old bachelor from Driftmark. The process was brief and solemn.
There is no lengthy eulogy, only the briefest recollection of the deceased's life (Corlys is "loyal Master of Ships and Driftmark Earl", Laenor is "the unfortunate knight who died young"), and a prayer for Seven to accept his soul.
Throughout the entire process, Rhaenys stood like a stone sculpture, with an expressionless face. Only the occasional blink of her eyelashes showed that she was not really feeling nothing.
After the ceremony, the guests were led to the side hall for some simple refreshments.
The atmosphere was still depressing, and no one talked or laughed loudly.
Redd noticed that except for the royal steward who had a few symbolic conversations with Rhaenys, the other vassals and allies of Driftmark just saluted from a distance, their eyes full of worry and wait-and-see.
Obviously, Rhaenys's current control over Driftmark relies more on her personal prestige and House Velaryon's hundreds of years of accumulated prestige, rather than a solid power structure.
The successive deaths of Corlys and Laenor created a huge power vacuum and crisis of trust.
At this moment, the side door of the side hall was pushed open, and Daemon·Targaryen walked in.
He was also dressed in black, but it was well-cut and highlighted his tall and straight figure.
There was just the right amount of pain on his face, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle, and he quickly scanned the whole place, stopping briefly on Redd and Rhaenyra, and finally settled on Rhaenys.
He walked straight to Rhaenys and bowed slightly. "Aunt Rhaenys, please accept my deepest condolences again. I just came back from a defense inspection on the east side of the island, so I'm a little late."
His explanation was reasonable, but leaving the core part of the funeral to "inspect defense" at this sensitive moment revealed a sense of strength and control.
Rhaenys glanced at him, his eyes were calm, and he just nodded slightly. "I'm interested, Daemon."
Daemon straightened up and turned to Redd, his tone with a hint of deliberate familiarity and "tacit understanding" of going through hardships together:
"Redd, Rhaenyra, you are here too. Stepstones I said goodbye. I didn't expect to meet again on such an occasion."
Redd responded calmly, "Everything is unpredictable, Your Highness."
Daemon seemed to want to say something more, but Rhaenys had already spoken. His voice was not high, but it could be heard clearly throughout the side hall. "Thank you all for coming to say goodbye to my husband and son.
House Velaryon suffered such a disaster, but Driftmark will still be here, and the Haima flag will still fly.
I, Rhaenys Velaryon, declare in the name of the daughter of Jaehaerys·Targaryen I, the wife of Corlys Velaryon, and the legal heir of Driftmark,
I will temporarily take pictures of Driftmark Earl and all family affairs until... the right time comes."
She did not say who the "suitable heir" would be or give any timetable.
However, the announcement of "temporary filming" and "legal heir" has clearly ruled out the possibility of Daemon taking over or interfering immediately.
It also implies that future inheritance rights will strictly follow the rules of House Velaryon (most likely Laena or his descendants).
Daemon's face darkened almost imperceptibly for a moment, but soon returned to a sad expression.
He did not refute or question on the spot, but lowered his head slightly, as if to show respect.
Redd understands clearly.
Rhaenys is using the most formal way to establish the legitimacy of his rule in front of many witnesses and blocking the path for Daemon to take advantage of it.