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Chapter Text

“Alicent!”, Viserys entered the room as quickly as he could. “Calm down!”

“Calm down?”, Alicent turned to him with tears in her eyes. “Her boy took my son’s eye, and you did nothing. Nobody did anything.”

“And the best option you could choose was to attack Rhaenyra?”

“She owed me blood, you weren’t willing to take it. So I did.”, she looked at him with confidence that covered her fear.

It was an ugly thing and she regret it. Hurting her childhood friend like this was something she could never see herself doing it. She never imagined that she could hurt anybody like this. But the loss her son had to suffer woke something vile in her, something she despite it, something she feared it. She wished to unrealize it but it was too late now and she was not going to bend under Viserys’ rather angry gaze again.

“She is my daughter.”

“And Aemond is your son. I don’t see you seeking justice for him this passionately.”

“Why do you refuse to see the state I am in? I can barely walk these days, I am in constant agony and all I need is silence and peace. Love from my family, tell me, my queen, do I wish too much for an old man.”

“Yes.”, she swallowed a cry. “Yes, Viserys you wish too much. You wish for impossible things.”

“Aren’t you willing to let go of your unreasonable hatred towards her for your husband?”

“Unreasonable?”, she questioned. Searched for some sympathy or at least empathy on her husband’s face. “She lied to my face for years, she lied to your face for years. Humiliated herself and this family and while you were willing to close an eye to every law she broke you didn’t hold yourself back and punished my boys for every single thing they did.”

“Those boys-“

“They are your boys!”, she screamed with agony. “Your boys Viserys, our boys! The boys that you butchered your first wife for!”, Viserys visibly shaken by those words. “I gave you what you wished all those years ago and in return, all I get was pushing into the sidelines in favour of Rhaenyra! 14 years we were married and not even once you showed love to me and now you expect me to do it? Wasn’t I a dutiful wife? Didn’t I obey your every wish? Didn’t I give you the children you longed for? Didn’t I take care of you while everyone around you chose to ignore you? Wasn’t I a loyal wife to you and queen to this realm? What must I possibly have done wrong that I and my children deserve such torment? There was nothing dishonourable between us! I didn’t sully my name or yours. I never went against Rhaenyra for once, I defended her when no one did, and I stood by her side when people whispered about her! And what did she do in return? Caused my father’s exile through manipulations, all while smiling my face and pretending like my friend!”

“Your nerves-“

“My nerves are quite fine, your grace!”, she snapped. Viserys was looking small like he was hardly even breathing and yet he could keep continuing to blame her in this situation. Lyonel was in the door with Criston and Alicent saw the way Corlys and Rhaenys approached them. No one saw this side of Alicent before, no one saw her yelling let alone raising her voice. She never lost her composure before. “It’s yours that is broken. Yours and your daughter’s.”

“Alicent,”, Viserys took a deep breath. “Aemond said something he shouldn’t have. He is lucky that I will sideline this, and let him keep his tongue. Blaming the crown princess with infidelity and questioning her heir’s legitimacy is punishable by death.”

The world lost its meaning in Alicent’s eyes. She gave her youth to this wretched man, she gave him children while she herself was a child. She supported his daughter. She kept her mouth shut, suppressed her emotions, and played the fool. And all she ever wanted was a little love. Not much, just a little.

“Alicent.”, Rhaenys entered the room with a dry voice. “There is blood on your hand.”

Alicent smiled with pain, she thought Rhaenys meant what she did to Rhaenyra but then realized the actual pain. Probably happened when the knife fell from her hand. Her emotional pain was too much that she didn’t even feel the physical one.

“Let’s wash it and then the Maester can look at it.”, Rhaenys approached to her with small steps. She was almost scared to scare her. She slowly touched her arm. “Valyrian steel cuts deep, we must take care of it.”, Alicent jumped slightly and shake her touch but Rhaenys tried again, this time more softly. “We wouldn’t want it to get infected.”

“Does Maester take care of Rhaenyra?”, Viserys asked and even Lyonel sent him a look. His wife was bleeding Gods knows how long and he didn’t even realize it.

Rhaenys didn’t answer him. “Come on Alicent, kids are scared you must go to them. But not like this.”

“Kids?”, Alicent whispered with closed eyes.

“Yes, kids. Aemond is still with Maester, and Aegon and Helaena are with him. Don’t even leave his side for a second.”

“Is Luke alright? Aemond punched him badly, he was bleeding.”, Viserys threw himself to Alicent’s bed, he was muttering at this point. Lyonel looked to the Queen and then approached to him, trying to answer his questions with whispers.

“Aemond is strong as always but Helaena is scared, Alicent, she needs her mother.”, Rhaenys tried again. Alicent’s eyes were still closed and the blood was still dropping from her hand. She was looking out of this world.

“Baela and Rhaena must be very scared and heartbroken. Vhagar was their mother’s dragon.”

“The girls are in their bed, your grace.”, Corlys said with a rather annoyed tone.

“You shouldn't have left them alone.”

“Vaemond is with them.”

“They must be scared.”

“Your children are also scared, your grace. Would you rather see them before you went to bed?”, Lyonel tried but Viserys didn’t answer. He never would.

Alicent started to laugh, Lyonel bowed his head while Rhaenys and Corlys shared a look. Criston was just watching his queen.

“Fourteen years.”, she finally whispered after her laughs stopped. “Fourteen years and this is all I get in return.”

A few tears dropped but she wiped her face with her other hand and looked to Rhaenys. “You can go to your granddaughters Princess Rhaenys, I would take care of my children.”

“I am only trying to help.”

“Why?”, she asked. “Why would you try to help me when your granddaughters are scared and covered in blood? Their mother has just died, aren’t you supposed to be with them right now? Why are you with me?”

“The girls will be fine. Aemond won’t.”

“What has happened,”, Corlys took a step inside the room. “was an accident that we all wish wouldn’t have happened. But it did, and it was partly on girls to blame. A misunderstanding caused all this and we are terribly sorry your grace.”

“Sorry will not bring my son’s eye back.”

“No it won’t.”, Corlys said. “But this incident doesn’t have to be an era-defining moment. I am sure that once she calms down Princess Rhaenyra and her children will also realize that what has happened was unfair on their part and you will see goodwill from them.”

“Four children misunderstood something and my son lost his eye permanently.”, she said. “What would you do if it wouldn’t be Aemond and one of your granddaughters who lost an eye? What would you do if Aemond would take Baela or Rhaena’s eye? Or what would your little princess do if it would be one of her kids who lost an eye and not mine?”

“I would do the exact same thing you did.”, Rhaenys answered while looking directly into her eyes. “And she would do the same, that’s why we must sleep on it and talk about it on the morrow. When everybody is calmed down and reasonable enough to think.”

“She proposed my son be tortured.”

“She wasn’t in her right mind but I assure you she will in the morning.”

The morning came and no one had the time to be on their right minds. King Viserys Targaryen was found dead on his bed and everything changed.

Chapter Text

When Viserys died, nobody gave an explicit reaction to it. Of course, people were sad but the anxiety of what will happen next suppressed any other emotions.

Otto was still in exile in Oldtown, with young prince Daeron on his side. The boy was only eight and yet, he wasn’t that sad about his father’s death. Meanwhile, Otto wept secretly for his friend’s passing, and Daeron only thought about his brother’s lost eye. That was more concerning for him than his own father’s death. Viserys had sent him there nearly four years ago, not knowing what to do with him. He remembered his mother’s objections and cries but nevertheless, he found himself in this big, old, foreign city. And through the years he didn’t even receive one letter from his father. So he decided not to grieve for someone he didn’t know. His daily life continued for him.

Helaena, ever the sweetest soul was sad despite all. Viserys was her father after all, and even though he never showed her any affection losing him broke her delicate heart. She preferred to stay in her chambers, busying herself with her little friends. But her main sadness was caused by her mother’s defining grief, not the loss of her father. She couldn’t miss someone who was never there, to begin with.

Aemond took his death really hard. Blamed himself even. If only he didn’t claim Vhagar, if only he would just lay there and let the others kick him, if only he would just pretend everything was okay. Criston said his father was sick already and that was the Gods’ doing, had nothing to do with him. But Aemond still carried the heaviness in his heart. But his guilt wasn’t comparable enough to Alicent’s.

She was torn between love and hatred. She loved the man despite the odds, despite everything he had done to her. She was raised to be a dutiful wife and that was what she was. She gave fourteen years of her life and four children to him. If she couldn’t find a way to love him she would lose her mind. But her hatred grew each day. Every time he summoned her in the middle of the night for a distraction, every time he passed over her to take care of Rhaenyra, every time he disrespected her in front of people, her hatred grew and grew and reached a point that she couldn’t suppress it anymore. And the next day Viserys died, great timing truly. He didn’t let her have peace even after his death.

For Aegon, what happened in the past 24 hours was an eye-opening experience. Alicent has been telling him how dangerous Rhaenyra could be to him and his siblings for years. Aegon never actually cared about her words. She would have a quarrel with Rhaenyra and would go to his room after she calmed down, and would warn him how Viserys’ affection towards his half-sister could be his doom one day. Aegon thought they were nothing more than a mother’s usual worries. But then her kids took his little brother’s eye and yet their father blamed a little boy. Not his daughter or not her children. Aegon realized that day how little he and his siblings meant to Viserys and how pointless it was to gain Viserys’ love and favour. He was trying for something he could never achieve. Suddenly all of Alicent’s words started to make sense. His mother was the only one to see his sister’s true face and nobody believed her for a decade.

Rhaenyra was with Laenor and the kids when she first heard the news. She mistook Viserys’ kindness for a guarantee for years and thought nothing could hurt her or her kids. Never imagine what she would do if Viserys dies. Sure, she was his heir but who would accept her rule? Why would anybody believe her after her son took another child’s eye and everybody saw the way she reacted? Painting Alicent as the mad one, as the one who lost control, was easy. She knew where to hit, she knew how to turn the tides to her side. But now Viserys was gone and Alicent was the one with the reins. And suddenly all of her mistakes started to hit her head.

Daemon saw the perfect opportunity. Alicent just took a huge strike the other night. If the whole realm didn’t know up until this point, they now knew that the king doesn’t care about his kids with her. And she meant nothing. And Rhaenyra was ready to throw herself to his feet, she roamed around him the whole day before the incident. And though nothing has happened, Daemon was sure that she would come to him soon, he worked really hard to guarantee that. Surely Rhaenyra would be the queen and getting rid of both Harwin and Laenor was easy. And where she would go in times of despair and grief? Losing a father, a husband and a lover, all on the same day would be too hard for her and she would need someone to calm her down. Who was the better option than Daemon? And if he could manage to put the blame for Viserys’ death on Alicent, he could take the throne with little to no fight.

He miscalculated things.

His daughters -that he didn’t care, were under the custody of Vaemond and Corlys. Rhaenys didn’t leave Alicent’s side even for a second, held her during her final meltdown, calmed her down, assured her that things will be alright, held her hand while the Maester took care of the cut, and helped her to put the kids to their beds. Aemond played strong but Helaena was crying and Aegon refused to speak -much to everyone’s surprise. And Criston -the other candidate Daemon would love to blame, never left the Queen’s door.

Laenor was with Qarl, and Lyonel was with Harwin. Viserys died all alone, he begged for help but his whispers never reached the guards outside of his door. He died in pain, as miserable as he could be. And everybody was sure that he would not meet with Aemma anytime soon.

The funeral was rushed. They sail from Driftmark to King’s Landing in hurry, the Silent Sisters prepared his body and Rhaenys took the duty to burn him with Meleys.

Rhaenyra was too busy panicking and Daemon was too busy plotting.

She knew she had to press her claim soon enough and take the crown or else Alicent would crown Aegon but who would support her? House Strong and House Velaryon and who else? Alicent had four kids to betroth meanwhile Rhaenyra had two and a baby. One look from Rhaenys and she knew they would not support her claim to oppose Aegon’s. They were tired of her, and unlike her, they were aware of the danger named Daemon. The chosen heir or not, Rhaenyra would bring doom to House Targaryen if she would let Daemon take another step in her direction and neither Rhaenys nor Corlys was ambitious enough to let that happen.

But of course, they would not support Aegon because blood or not those kids were still their grandsons. But if things would come to that point, Corlys knew that deep down, Otto was a man he could work with. Daemon was not and he proved it well enough in the Stepstones. And the emotional abuse and isolation their daughter had to endure just because she married this man was enough for them to turn an eye to Rhaenyra’s kids.

Starks were too far away, Lady Arryn would support Rhaenyra but only because she had to not because she would want that. Borros Baratheon would lay his whole army to Aegon’s feet the moment he claims to make one of her daughters the queen. House Tully and House Tyrell would support Aegon against anyone and so does House Lannister.

Rhaenyra never felt more alone in the world, without any friends or allies because everybody turned their back on her. The path she had chosen was forcing her to fight for a crown she did not want but making peace with Alicent seemed harder than joining the Dorne to the fold.

“He will try to kill us all.”, Alicent murmured in her chambers that night. They had just burned Viserys and she took some calming tea and now was sitting in front of the flames. “My father isn’t here, we are open to any danger.”

“Ser Otto might not be here yet but he is on his way, my queen. He is returning home alongside Prince Daeron. No one can dare to hurt them.”

“They are the perfect target for Daemon Targaryen.”, she said without blinking. “His dragon is still too young as he is. He cannot protect them and-“

“Do not fear, my queen.”, Criston approached her more than he should and kneeled in front of her. “Alicent,”, he whispered while holding her hands. “I will protect you and the children and your father would rather die than see Daeron hurt.”

“You can’t protect us.”, she pulled her hands to herself. “No one can protect anyone.”

“I can.”, Criston said with determination, looking directly into her eyes. “Rhaenyra might be a lot of things but not an idiot. She will realize the danger she brought in and will stop it.”

“Our deaths mean her to win. Do you truly believe that she wouldn’t take the crown if blood dripped on it? She would reward him by putting the other crown on his head.”

“Ser Laenor is still alive and so does Ser Harwin. Daemon is in a war that he cannot win.”

“I’m not sure if he realizes that.”, she started to pick up her nails again, hurting herself. Criston held her hands again.

“Princess Rhaenys and Lord Corlys made it very clear that they will not support her cause and rather stay impartial. This doesn’t mean they will let Daemon enter the game and take everything without any force to stop him. Their hatred for Daemon is bigger than their desire for peace.”

“They blame him for Laena’s death.”

“He took her away from them and didn’t let her return for a decade. She died there alone and in fear, she burned alive with her unborn baby. They put the blame on him, rightly so.”

“But Rhaenyra’s kids are still known as Velaryons.”, she swallowed with one hand on her neck. She couldn’t breathe. “Rhaenyra’s win means Laenor is the king and their children as the heir. They could just go in, get rid of Daemon and then put the crown on her head. There is no reason for them to support Aegon.”

“This means, you must go and make an offer before Rhaenyra does.”

“Betroth Aegon with Baela?”

“Lord Corlys wishes for his blood to be on the throne while Princess Rhaenys only wants peace and nothing else. And the true power behind the House Velaryon is Princess Rhaenys, you told me this so yourself. I am sure you can come up with a better plan than this match. Something that can make every party happy. Lord Corlys, Princess Rhaenys and even Rhaenyra.”

“Rhaenya would only agree to my terms if she thinks I am winning.”

“Creating illusions to others isn’t a hard thing. And in this case, we don’t even have to create an illusion.”

“Daemon will take care of it.”

“He wishes to be the king. He has to kill both Ser Laenor and Ser Harwin.”

“And he will not wait until the morrow.”, Alicent’s voice finally gained some life. “He will strike at night.”

“On the morrow, our next ruler will claim his or her throne. If we can’t eliminate Daemon now, he will become an unstoppable force that even Corlys Velaryon cannot stop him.”

“I will go to Princess Rhaneys.”, she got up still shaking hands. “You go to them.”

“I was trying to cause that man’s departure only a few days ago and now I have to save his life in order to put Aegon on the throne. Life is ironic isn’t it?”

A shadow of a smile formed on Alicent’s lips. “Be careful. Daemon is a force that no man should play with.”

“I played and win once, I can do it twice.”

And with that Criston quickly left her chambers to find Ser Laenor and Ser Harwin. Alicent took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Her father was right, they were playing an ugly game and she had one chance to win it without any bloodshed. Or either Rhaenyra and her kids would find their heads on the spikes on the morrow or Alicent and her kids would.

*

“The Queen Alicent Hightower, my lord.”, the guard announced. Corlys and Rhaenys shared a look and then they quickly stand up, Rhaenyra was standing in the corner of the room, with panic covering her every move. She was late, couldn’t even finish her proposal and now Alicent was there.

“Your grace, the hour is quite late isn’t it?”, Rhaenyra asked the queen. “I’m sure it would be a lot wiser if you stay in your chambers in these dark times. Since the king was founded dead.”

“Let us not play games Rhaenyra, we are both too old for this.”, the queen answered with a tired expression. She was focused on Rhaenyra’s arm. Time was a funny thing, it was only a day ago that she attacked her with all the fury in her heart and now she was trying to find a common ground for all so that they could live in peace.

“I was in the middle of a speech.”

“Good, I’m sure you thought the best interests of our house-“

“It’s my house by blood.”, Rhaenyra said with determination and Alicent raised her eyes to hers. “You only joined to it by marriage and since the king, my father is dead, your marriage has ended with it. You are a Hightower, not a Targaryen.”

“And yet I gave three princes and a princess to this house, all true-born dragons. What did you give to it? What contributions have you’ve did to your house, except bring it shame and dishonour?”

“This is not a time for such matters.”, Rhaenys interfered. “As I told you last night Alicent, we all are mothers here and if we put our personal ambitions to the corner even for a second, I am sure that we all can find a common ground.”, she looked to Alicent and Rhaenya, both didn’t meet with her eyes. “And I am sure that my lord husband would be kind enough to leave the matters of the state to three women, and allow us to put things back to their order.”, Corlys hesitated but he knew better than to anger Rhaenys, especially in a moment like this.

Her cold nature was just a trick to outsiders. Corlys loved her enough to be able to see her true self. She was a mother who just lost her eldest, only daughter and was an uncrowned queen at the core. The only person who could unite the house of the dragon, and make the Queen and the Princess see the common ground.

Corlys bowed his head to the women and left the room, and before he turned the corner a dark-haired figure hit him with panic.

“My lord Corlys!”

He took a step back to balance himself. “What?”, he recognized the man. “Did something happen to my son? Do not tell me he drank himself to oblivion again.”

“No my lord.”, Ser Qarl tried to catch his breath. “It’s Prince Daemon.”

“What of him?”

He couldn’t even stand to hear the man’s name after all the pain he caused them.

“He is going to kill Laenor.”

*

Rhaenys was sitting on the head of the table, Alicent was on her right and Rhaenyra was on her left.

“First, there has been an unsaid apology here. We must hear it to ease our next topic.”

Rhaenys looked to Rhaenyra with stern eyes. Oh, she knew Luke was in the wrong. Taking another child’s eye was something inexcusable but she thought she could get away with it. But no more Viserys meant no more protection for her or her children and she could be at Alicent’s mercy at any second.

“I wish to apologize from her grace, the Queen.”, she muttered.

“Why?”, Rhaenys insisted, and Alicent was just playing with her hands, causing herself harm.

“For what has happened to Prince Aemond. It was a regrettable accident as I said last night-“

“He is your brother!”, Alicent hissed. “I know you love to forget this fact, your father used to too.”, Rhaenyra flinched visibly. “But no matter what you tell yourself, you cannot change this fact. Aemond is from your blood, he is your brother and he just lost an eye. Don’t you feel even a tiny bit of remorse for what has happened to him?”

“I’ve just apologized your grace, what do you want me to do?”

“I want you to be honest for once!”, she yelled, raising her head. “All you’ve been doing for the past decade was to lie and lie and lie. I need you to stop acting and be yourself. Be honest with yourself and with me because I deserve it. Your apology means nothing to me because I know it doesn’t come from your heart but from fear.”

“And why should I fear for? Or should I ask, whom should I fear for? You, Alicent? Would you hurt your childhood friend?”

“We haven’t been friends for too long. We’ve been apart more than we were together.”, her eyes filled with tears but Rhaenyra was still forcing herself to be strong. “None of it had to happen this way. All I asked for you was honesty and you’ve lied to me.”

“Is this still about that night? I told you nothing has happened between me and Daemon-“

“But something happened between you and Criston.”, Alicent deadpanned and Rhaenys tried to suppress her shock. Rhaenyra was taken aback by this truth. “What did you think Rhaenyra? That I just started to dislike you? That I finally gave in to my father’s words out of nowhere? Did everything out of personal ambition? What is there for me to win anyways? Either you rule or Aegon, I will be nothing, as I have been nothing for the past 28 eight years of my life. What happened, what is this face?”, she asked after seeing Rhaenyra’s slightly widened eyes. “Did you forget my age, princess? Did you forget that we are both the same age? That I was just a child when I married your father when you and the whole realm were blaming me for seducing him? I was forced to give birth to Aegon when I was a child myself and now I am ready to give my life to save him from the executinoer’s sword. As I was ready to face that sword myself just to get the justice Aemond deserves last night. I might look old, but we both are in the same age with different experiences and do not even dare to stand there and claim that you had it worse.”

“I never wished to lie to you.”, Rhaenyra finally said, Alicent was pacing back and forth in the room, rubbing her head, trying to save herself from her terrible headache. “But what else could I? If I would confess the truth you would tell it to my father I-“

“I defended you against Viserys more than I can count.”, she was pressing her hands to her eyes now and was trying not to cry. “He had his doubts you know, about you being the heir. He wished to change it, he thought you were not worthy of it, he thought he was making a terrible mistake. I was the one who changed his mind. If I were a traitor you think I am, I would stay silent and let it be. It would save me from a miserable life and maybe my children would have their father with them.”

Rhaenyra was shaken by the things she had heard and now her own tears were filling her eyes. “It wasn’t my fault that my father did not spend time with them.”

“Oh, but it was yours.”, she turned to look at Rhaenyra, mimicking her voice. “No one is here for me.”

“I was stating a fact.”

“You were jealous of your two-year-old brother’s birthday, Rhaenyra. And thanks to your temper tantrum, Viserys neglected his other kids while keeping using my body as he wished.”

“I didn’t know about that.”

“You didn’t know that your father didn’t spend time with your siblings?”

“No!”, she declared. “I didn’t know it was my fault. Otherwise, I would’ve talked with him.”

“Truly? And what would you say to him?”

“I would say that he has done the same thing to me.”, Rhaenyra stood up. “I would tell him that I know exactly how it feels to grow up without a father -even though the said father was alive. I would tell him how humiliating and heartbroken it is to have a father who would rather do literally anything else in the world rather than spend time with you. I would tell him-“, she was crying at this point, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I would tell him how -how hard it is for a child to not get a father’s love. How damaging it is. I would beg him Alicent, not to treat them the way he treated me because I didn’t have a father growing up, you know this.”

Alicent was standing in the middle of the room, Rhaenyra approached her and held her hands.

“You know that when we were little kids I admired your relationship with your father.”

Alicent let out a sigh, Rhaenys was watching them intensely.

“Don’t do that, you know this is true. My mother was always occupied with other things. Ladies and babies and had so many miscarriages that I was not allowed to see her for at least half of the year. All I needed was my father but he never cared about me except patting my head once or twice in a week. He made me feel incapable, insufficient, and worthless. And then there was Otto Hightower-“, she smiled. “The second most powerful man in the realm and the best father in the capital.”

“Yes, what a father he was. Pimping out his fourteen-year-old daughter to a man who was twice her age, her best friend’s father.”

“It wasn’t what it seemed from the outside perspective. I would fly on Syrax and not return for days and he would not notice but if you would be late even for a few minutes to the supper, he would send guards after you, fearing that you must have hurt yourself and that fear was real.”

“And all your father wanted to do was to give you the freedom you wanted.”, Alicent said. “He always loved you and cared about you. He was just obsessed with his dreams and having sons, but you were his first child. I know how afraid he truly was to lose you. Before we married, I used to talk to him about you, to build a bridge between you two. And even then he asked me not to tell you about our meetings because he was afraid of breaking your heart.”

“He was?”, Rhaenyra asked with a soft voice. “You were trying to build a bridge?”

“Of course I was.”, he scoffed. “You were my best friend and you were in pain, didn’t know how to deal with it. He was your father, he should’ve been there for you, to hold you. I told him million times to communicate with you.”

“And your father has always done that. I remember when we were very young, after finishing our lessons with the Septa he would escort me to the nursey. I was afraid of the knights. And until we got there you would tell about our day with excitement and he would listen, Alicent. I never even saw him once rolling his eyes or focusing on other things. He would look at you like you were the most important thing in his life and would listen to you as if you were telling him the newest incidents that happened in the realm and not a five-year-old girl’s simple day.”

“Yes, I remember.”, Alicent said with a whisper and a shadow of a smile. “My mother was very sick. I didn’t know that of course, they hid it from me but even as a child, I could sense the tension. I would wake up in the nights-“

“You're never the one for the long night's sleep.”, Rhaenyra reminisced with a laugh and Alicent joined her.

“No I was not, it always felt like-“

“You were missing something.”

“I was missing something.”

Both said at the same time.

“I’m sorry, you were saying something.”

“I would find him with red eyes, obviously just stopped crying and would just hug him and he would keep me close. Braid my hair for the next day, telling me stories from all around the world. He never made me feel like I was alone.”, she let go of Rhaenyra’s hands. “I think that’s why his exile hurt me this much, more than it should. He was all I had ever since the day I was born. Losing him… it broke me.”

“I’m sorry.”, Rhaenyra whispered. “I truly am. I was stuck, Alicent. I knew I should’ve done something I shouldn't have and I knew I could trust you with everything but I think I just didn’t want to risk it. I was trying to protect myself and when my father said I must marry Laenor…”, she closed her eyes and Rhaenys straightened her position. “I just wanted to get back at him. Your father was his best friend and I thought if I could take him away, my father would feel the heartbreak that I felt.”, she wiped her tears and took a few steps back. “It was childish and I admit I never thought how much it would hurt you.”

“And I’m sorry too.”, Alicent said, not facing her. “I should’ve told you about my meetings with the king. But I was scared Rhaenyra, you must understand that. My father was all I ever know and he told me to go to the king and then the king told me not to tell you because you could understand it wrong. I never wanted to act behind your back or betray you.”, she said quickly. The words were waiting to be said for more than a decade. “But I didn’t have another choice.”

“You never wished to marry him.”, Rhaenyra felt like she has just realised that.

“All I wanted was-“

“Criston.”

Rhaenyra and Alicent felt like they were fourteen again, talking about crushes and boys.

“And I slept with him.”

“Criston was just the image of what I wanted. I wished for a simple life, a knight or a minor lord to fall in love with, keep a low profile, travel the world-“

“Be free.”

“I never asked for any of this.”

“To be the queen or caretaker of an old man.”

“No.”

“And I blamed you for years even though I knew you, even though I saw how miserable you were. People said you had seduced him, Daemon said you had seduced him and I chose to believe them rather than my own senses.”

“I should never say to the boys that your kids were illegitimate.”

“And I should’ve stopped Jace and Luke when they bullied Aemond for not having a dragon. Then maybe things wouldn’t be this worse.”, she waited a few seconds. “Fuck, Aemond literally lost an eye.”

“Yes, yes he did.”

“And I asked for him to be tortured.”

“Not the best time to remind me that.”, she said with a subtle annoyance.

“You cut me.”

“You fucking deserved it.”

“Queen Alicent Hightower!”, Rhaenyra acted surprised. “Watch your tongue.”

“I will not fucking do that.”, Alicent swore again and both women started to laugh -not even knowing why they were laughing.

Rhaenys was at her lowest, her girl was just like they were a decade ago. Full of life. And then some dragon prince took her away from them and she knew nothing about the stage she was in. Was she unaware of everything like Rhaenyra or was crushing under the responsibilities like Alicent? Or was she on the verge of a mental breakdown just like both women were now?

“Goodwill and apologizes will not give Aemond’s eye back.”, Rhaenyra finally admitted it.

“No it won’t, but I think those will be enough to put an end to the fire inside of him.”

“He managed to claim Vhagar, we should’ve congratulated him, and thrown a feast for his name.”

“I don’t think this is the best time for a feast.”

“No, no it’s not.”

“Rhaenyra?”, Rhaenys cleared her throat and both women turned to look at her as if they just remembered her existence. “Do you want to be the Queen?”

“No.”, she answered without a second thought and Alicent looked at her with shock.

“Alicent? Does Aegon wants to be the King?”

“No.”

“He doesn’t?”

“Rhaenyra he is fourteen. What would you like to do when you were at his age?”, Alicent rolled her eyes.

“Fly with you on dragonback.”, Rhaenyra said and Alicent stopped for a second. “See the wonders across the Narrow sea and-“

“Eat only cake, yes I remember.”, they looked at each other softly. “But I’m afraid Aegon’s wishes are a little …darker than those.”

“How dark?”

“He just wishes to drink himself into oblivion.”

“Because of my father.”

Alicent didn’t answer and chose to ask another question. “You don’t wish to be a queen?”

“My desires haven’t changed in the past fourteen years.”, she sent a look to Alicent. “I just wish to have a quiet and happy, simple life with my family in peace. Being the Queen is one of my last worries.”

“Then let's put Aegon on the throne.”, Rhaenys offered. “With you as his regent until he comes off age. Consider these next two years as a practice, and see if you like it or not. If you decide to be the Queen then you take the throne and if you don’t then Aegon will take it.”

“What the Lords would think?”

“The Lords of Westeros are sheep. Are you a sheep?”

“…No?”, Rhaenyra hesitated.

“No. You are a dragon, be a dragon. As long as there isn’t a war, the succession is nobody’s business but the Targaryens. And since Aegon is off age, as long as Alicent agrees with this we can call this a plan.”

Alicent stood silent for a while, thinking about it. Both Rhaenyra and Rhaenys were looking at her with positive expectations. “I agree.”, she finally said. “I will not have a usurper for a son. Let’s do it this way.”

“And who shall be his queen?”, Rhaenyra asked. “Balea or Rhaena?”

“Neither.”, Rhaenys cut the argument short. “He is betrothed to Helaena, let it be. I don’t want my granddaughters near to this madness.”

“Lord Corlys-“

“Lord Corlys does not have a say on this matter Rhaenyra. Those girls are the last memories Laena has left. I will not see them as pawns in this game.”

“What of Daemon?”

“What of him?”, Rhaenyra frowned.

“Well, he is the father of the girls. Do we really think he will stand aside and let you do whatever you wish to do?”

“He can do that. Or he can face me on dragonback, and that’s a battle I would win. I assure you both.”

“He will come for the throne.”, Alicent said, choosing to trust Rhaenyra. “He would never accept Aegon as his ruler and bend the knee.”

“He can’t have the throne. My father has five children in total and I have my own three. Daemon basically isn’t even in the succession.”

Alicent stood silent and just look at Rhaenyra. Watched the realization hit her, she turned to Rhaenys with panic.

“He is going to kill Laenor.”

Both women made their way to the door only for it to open with great force. Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Harrold Westerling threw Daemon to the ground, with a very angry Corlys and Laenor Velaryon on his back alongside with Ser Qarl, Ser Criston and Ser Harwin.

*

15 years later

“Your grace,”, Lord Tyland, the Master of the Coins stopped the council before they all left. “you said we were to discuss Prince Aemond’s possible betrothal today.”

“Yes, I’ve done.”, Alicent said with a frown and sat back in her place.

Rhaenyra was sitting on the head of the table at the Hand of the King. After two years of practising, she realized that ruling wasn’t her cup of tea but she enjoyed the power more than she would imagine. Aegon appointed her as his hand, and while he kept on drinking himself to oblivion much to Alicent and Rhaenyra’s demands, she ruled the realm alongside trusted advisors of hers, while maintaining a happy family.

After that night, Daemon had basically signed his own death warrant and ‘disappeared’ into the night -as they told the people. But in truth, Criston just cut his throat after he dared to attack Aegon shortly after in a temper tantrum and hence he was released from his vows this time without any repercussion. Everybody agreed that Daemon needed to go.

And Laenor couldn’t take the pressure any longer, losing Laena was the final straw for him and even though he tried so hard for Rhaenyra and the boys, he was just not the father he was meant to be. It took a while but Rhaenyra finally admitted that they had never consummated the marriage. Therefore their marriage got annulled and now he was living his best life in Driftmark with Qarl on his side, raising Baela as the future Lady of Driftmark -by the crown’s leave.

And for the first time, Rhaenyra was free to be free again. Admitting the lack of consummation also meant admitting that she mothered bastards and in order to fix the wrongs, she had married with the man she should have a long time ago. Now it was Ser Harwin Strong, the Lord Commander of the City Watch and the Royal Consort to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Aegon gave Dragonstone to Rhaenyra and her children. Now Jace was to inherit the Dragonstone and Luke to Harrenhal. Joffrey was too young to remember how it was before but both Jace and Luke took the new changes hard and it took time for them to adjust, they both still had a very close relationship with Laenor and their favourite time of the year was when they spent an entire month in Driftmark. Harwin and Rhaenyra also welcomed two new babies. The twins, Aemma and Visenya. Both were content with their new stations and their family. Of course, rumours still roamed around the castle, but they were too busy to focus on them.

Aegon unfortunately never managed to leave his love for alcohol completely. It didn’t matter how much Alicent and Rhaenyra or Aemond and Helaena or Otto and Criston tried. He was convinced that Viserys had never loved him and that he was usurping his sister’s throne. Marrying Helaena was also a hard task on his part but at least he tried his best with her. Tried not to bother her, and even though he couldn’t help himself when he was too drunk to care, he always apologized in the morning for the disturbance. He never lost himself enough to hurt Helaena but he always knew how much she hated his drinking problems. And while he was not the perfect father to the twins or to Maelor, he was a lot better than Viserys ever was to him. He just never saw himself worthy, and it was eating him alive.

Helaena didn’t like to be the Queen, she had no interest in it. She liked to spend her time with her children and her bugs and her animals. She left her queenly duties to her mother and only carried the crown in formal events. She liked her ladies enough but none of them was close to her. She chose to keep a low profile and was at least happy.

Daeron was now twenty-three, a young man. He was flirting his way through the castle. After Aegon’s coronation, he returned back to Oldtown with his grandfather and returned only three years ago finally. He missed his family and they had missed him. He was the one that continue his life completely, he adjust to his role because there was no change and was patiently waiting for Aemond to marry so that he could too.

Otto had so many unspoken words with both Rhaenyra and Alicent. Chose to keep them to himself after coming to the capital and seeing his daughter happy after all those years. There were apologies in those thrown-out speeches, but he visited the capital enough to see his only daughter happy in the first years and now he was staying at the Keep, most of the time.

And Gods, Alicent was happy. It took time for her to move on but she finally did. Criston was on her side all the time, and he was free to make his own choices just like Alicent. Their relationship started slowly as a secret, she was still the Queen Mother and would never do anything to sully her image but Criston was a good friend to lend her a helping hand every time the world became too loud and soon enough Rhaenyra caught it all. Little push to Alicent and a genuine apology to Criston -mutual of course, they had married too. A good fourteen years ago.

Aegon for the first time got sobered up for a whole fortnight. He never saw his mother happy or even with a smile before and Criston was all he knew for the past years. Seeing them together made him hate his father even more because his mother shined when she smiled and he took it away from her. She deserved to be happy too in this life and then Aegon hated himself even more because he knew she had him when she was very young and maybe things would be better if he would never be born.

When he drink this much to think about stupid things he would always find Aemond next to him. Criston had given him an eyepatch and Rhaenyra gave him a beautiful sapphire as an apology gift, both added much to his character, Aegon would admit. But that stern, hateful, harsh and unforgiving persona that Aemond showed to the outside was never there for him or Helaena or Daeron or the little ones.

The twins and Maelor loved their uncle more than anything and Aemond loved them more than anything. Aemond never stopped being the protector of his family. Now that he got his apology and the peace was ruling between them and Rhaenyra but still, he had that 10-year-old afraid boy who watched his mother break down in front of people inside of him. And he would never let such a thing happen again.

So when her marriage with Criston was set he waited and went to Criston’s bed in the middle of the night with the dagger he took from Aegon -well, more likely he gave it to him to threaten Criston anyways, the one that Alicent used to cut Rhaenyra, and threatened Criston and promised him a very painful death the second he would cause even a little frown on his mother’s face. She’s been through enough and just like Rhaenyra, she deserved happiness too.

And while he was trying to stop Aegon to kill himself and Helaena to adjust her new changes and secure Alicent’s happiness and cover for Daeron’s schemes, he forgot himself and his desires. Alicent and Criston saw it and decided to put a stop to it. They knew the only way for Aemond to start to take care of himself was to have a family of his own. Just like now Alicent and Criston did. She loved her first four kids but the two boys and a girl she had with Criston also filled her heart. Carina -named after her mother was going to turn into fourteen this year. Little Gwayne -named after her brother, was 12 and they welcomed another boy nine years ago, Garmon. Alicent saw the way Aemond looked to his new siblings and to his new nieces and nephews and saw the way he took care of them -even Rhaenyra’s children. He deserved that too, deserved to be a father and a husband. But she was also aware of the fear he was in.

He never let anyone get close to him. He may have forgiven Lucerys after the true apology he got from him but he never forget it. In the past ten years, he became intimate with women a few times but the insecurity in him never fade. Aegon tried to fix it in his ways, bringing him prostitutes all over the world -only made Aemond’s stomach sick. Helaena tried in her weird way to bring him comfort, Aemond appreciated the thought but he couldn’t understand how on earth Helaena found a similarity between him and a little mouse. And Daeron of course thought not addressing the issue was the perfect solution. Alicent cried the only time she tried to talk about it, causing even greater heartbreak to Aemond. Otto was terrible in his speech but still tried, and Criston was the only one to let him talk instead of doing it so himself but Aemond didn’t open himself up to anyone. No lovers, no paramours, not even a lady that interests him.

He was happy being the caretaker of the family. The cool and fun uncle who would take them to the sky with Vhagar. He never wished to be a father and a husband himself. None of them saw that but Aemond saw Viserys in him sometimes. They were similar in so many ways -and by the luck, out of all of his kids, it was Aegon he resemblances the most, another reason for him to drink. But Aemond had his fair share of similar traits and he was scared to turn out to be like him. A neglectful father and a husband to his family. He wasn’t willing to try. It was better this way. He didn’t need anyone, he had his family.

Just his family thought otherwise.

“You didn’t tell me you find a candidate.”, Rhaenyra frowned because they talk about this matter hundreds of times.

“I did not but Lord Tyland has a candidate.”

“He does?”, Rhaenyra looked to the corner of the table. She would not like any Lannisters in this lifetime and she made peace with the fact that none of the Lannisters would like her in this lifetime.

But Tyland was an honourable man that was loyal to his king and perfectly good at his job. He deserved his place.

Maester Orwyle was still sitting in his seat as the Grand Maester -again, much to Rhaenyra’s dislike.

Lord Jasper Wylde was the original Master of Law but he chose early retirement -just like the former Hand of the King, Lord Lyonel Strong did. It was now his other son’s duty. Lord Larys Strong. He was Alicent’s long-time friend and ever the supporter of Harwin.

Otto already had a perfect spy web so nobody got surprised when he was appointed as the Master of Whisperers. He was away sometimes, but still, he did his job.

Master of Ships was Lord Corlys. Though after he went to the war again in Stepstones, Laenor took his position for six years and when Corlys healed enough to get back he ran back to Driftmark, and whined the whole way.

And the Lord Commander was the Lord Harrold Westerling, ever the loyal knight.

Criston was now working as the Master-at-Arms. He was a great warrior, his talents shouldn't have gone to waste. And Alicent stood on the Small Council as an advisor. Sometimes Aemond would join them -or Daeron if he would get bored. Jace and Luke, every time they were in the capital and not in Dragonstone or Harrenhal or Driftmark.

They still had their problems but they were a family, they could fix them as much as they could.

And now their biggest problem was to save both Aegon and Aemond from themselves and then to find betrothals to literally everybody else.

“I was too going to offer a candidate, princess.”, Corlys spoke again and Tyland rolled his eyes. Of course, he was going to offer a candidate. Driftmark and High Tide were filled with Velaryon cousins.

“If you mean Lady Aletris Velaryon, Princess Rhaenys had already offered her and we checked.”, Alicent said while rubbing her eyes, she was tired.

“May I ask why?”, Rhaenys, of course, mentioned about it to him but still the excuse didn’t make sense to him.

“She’s been fostering in the Storm’s End for years.”, Alicent said like it was the obvious answer.

Both Rhaenyra and Corlys frowned, none of the members of the council understood what she tried to mean.

“Your grace?”

“She is very close with the Baratheon girls and those Baratheon girls also have a Baratheon boy who’s in the same age as her.”

“There isn’t an official betrothal and I can assure you that she would rather Aemond than that boy.”

“Isn’t she the one who managed to claim a dragon and made everyone go feral a few years ago?”, Rhaenyra asked.

“Yes, princess. That’s why I and Rhaenys thought she would be a good match for Aemond.”

“She’s been in there for the most part of her life, she has probably already fallen in love with the boy.”

“She is only a year older than Aemond, she is very late for marriage and my cousins seem they are not in a rush.”

“Lord Corlys, I don’t have something against you or your family. I just want to say, she’s been sent there more than a decade ago. Those people became her family, don’t you think it’s cruel to take her away from them? She has been sent there as the future Lady of Storm’s End and you can’t argue with that. Your cousins’ lateness doesn’t change that. That girl grew up like this and now we can’t throw away her life like this.”

“Was it Vermithor that she claimed?”, Rhaenyra asked and the council turned to look at her.

“Yes.”, Corlys answered. “We already talked about this princess, she almost died during the process. Dragons don’t react well to distant Targaryen blood.”

“How distant was that?”

“She is my second cousin, your grace. While my father marries with a Summer Islander, my uncle Jorgen married Princess Rhaella Targaryen, they had a son together and my cousin married a Celtigar, and had her.”

“Well I would love to see Aemond marry with clearly his match but-“, she stopped a second after seeing the look on Alicent’s face. “-he is your son and of course your point makes sense. Who is your candidate Lord Tyland?”

“One of my bannerman’s daughters, the Lady Moira Reyne.”

“Tell us about her.”, said Otto.

“Well, she is seven and ten, a little younger than the prince but not that young. The perfect age for marrying. She is also a remarkable lady, I’m sure she would be a good and obedient wife to Aemond.”

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes but Alicent seemed like she loved this option more.

“If no one will object to it, I will make this betrothal official then.”

“Have you talked about this with Aemond?”

“I told him he needs to marry and he told me to choose the bride and that he will do his duty.”, Alicent rolled her eyes again. She really needed a massage from Criston. “That’s why we need to hasten things, he must marry soon.”

“Okay then.”, Rhaenyra got up. “You are his mother, if you consent then ours doesn’t matter. Let us just hope that this match will bring peace to Aemond, our family and to the realm.”

Oh, it was going to bring peace to them but just not in the way they hoped.

Chapter Text

“What do you think they are doing?”, Rhaenyra asked with a frown.

She was laying on the floor with open arms in front of the fireplace. Her head was spinning and she felt like throwing up, but the wine cup was still near her.

“Fighting?”, Alicent suggested. She was sitting on the couch with only her satin robes. Her feet were under her and she was holding the wine bottle, trying to focus her view but failing.

“Why would they fight?”

“I don’t know.”, she shrugged. “Men?”

“Eh, good enough.”, Rhaenyra shrugged too. After a few moments of silence, she continued. “But how they are hiding the marks?”

“What marks?”

“The fighting marks?”

“What fighting?”

Rhaenyra frowned again and tried to rise in her elbows, sending a look to Alicent. “Are you drunk Allie?”

“What? Me?”, she snorted. “Of course not. But you might Nyra, you are talking nonsense.”

Rhaenyra let down her elbows and lay down again, watching the wall and the big candles. “Maybe I am talking nonsense.”

Silence hit them again. They had started to do that ages ago, nearly a decade now. Harwin and Criston would leave them in the keep and go for a ‘boys' night’. After a few weeks, they had grown bored with this custom and one thing lead to another and they started to share a bottle of wine every Thursday, which that one bottle would usually turn into at least four with time. It really helped them to mend their friendship and they knew their husbands were also trying.

It was the hour of the wolf now. Even Otto was sleeping.

Aegon was probably in the Flea Bottom, doing whatever he wants to do. Aemond -if a headache hit him again because of his eye, would probably be inside of the library, reading the newcomers from all around Essos. Helaena and the kids would go to bed fairly early, and Daeron would sometimes join Aegon or prefer to do his own adventures.

Carina and the twins -Aemma and Visenya, used this night as a sleepover night and Alicent’s boys would be found in kitchens most likely. Baela and Rhaena were in Driftmark with their grandparents and uncle, Jace was in Dragonstone, and Luke had just left for Harrenhal with Joffrey. Lyonel was waiting for them in there.

“Are you sure about that match?”, Rhaenyra asked again.

“What match?”

“Aemond and the girl.”

“…Moira?”

“Whatever she is.”

Alicent closed her eyes and rubbed her face. “I am not drunk enough for this.”

“You drank three bottles yourself, it is a miracle that you haven’t passed out and can form normal sentences.”

“Look at you with your long lines and fancy words, as if I understand them.”

“Well, boohoo.”, Rhaenyra tried a lot to stand up and then she threw herself under Alicent’s couch. “Are you really sure about it?”

“Marrying Aegon and Helaena was a mistake that I admit.”, Alicent blurted, moving the wine bottle as she spoke. “And I do not wish to repeat the same mistake. I know how it exactly feels to force into a marriage that you don’t want to.”

“Then what? Why did you agree?”

“I didn’t agree to a wedding.”, she said with a hurt tone. “I just agreed to her arrival. Aemond is 25, old enough to marry.”

“Does he want marriage at all? I mean he seemed like…”, Rhaenyra opened her arm and looked at the confused Alicent. She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. “Are we even sure that he likes girls? Or men? Or anything?.”

Alicent snorted. “Just because his actions aren’t salient like Aegon or Daeron’s, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his fair share of incidents.”, she let out a hiccup and then covered her mouth with a slight shame. “Sorry.”

“You’ve drunk too much.”

“Because my baby boy is going to get married.”

“Why are you crying?”, Rhaenyra frowned and crawled away from her a little.

“I am not!”, Alicent said with tears in her eyes. “I just want him to be happy, he deserved that.”

“Of course he does bu-“

“You don’t understand.”, Alicent closed her eyes. “Ever since that incident in Driftmark-“, Rhaenyra visibly shivered. “-he closed himself off. He doesn’t open himself to anyone anymore.”

“You are being unfair. He talks to you.”

“What do you think he talks me about?”, she sadly smiled. “If Criston treats me alright if Criston hurts me if Criston forces me into things.”, she closed her eyes so the tears wouldn’t go down. “If I am happy, if I had nightmares, if the kids are causing problems, if Aegon is going down again, did Helaena and the kids eat enough, what is Daeron’s problem, why Criston was lumping the other day if he is needed in the council, do I need to talk and such. He only asks questions about me and about our family. But he withdraws even a little information about himself.”

“He doesn’t want to be a burden.”, Rhaenyra said, playing with the hem of her dress.

“I tried too hard to protect him and the kids from my unhappiness. It breaks my heart to see that I had failed and now Aemond is paying its consequences.”

“You did a great job. You managed to replace father’s absence in their lives.”

“But did I?”, she looked directly into her eyes. “If I did then pray tell, why all of my kids still are a mess? Why they are still hurt over him? It’s been 15 years Nyra.”

“I think it’s because he was alive and there and well at the beginning. If he would be simply dead, it wouldn’t hurt this much. It is the knowledge that he was there but would rather do anything but spend time with you. It is the neglect that hurts and the more father neglected them more you cuddled them and now that they grow up, they cannot find the balance.”

“Especially Aegon.”, Alicent whispered.

“Especially Aegon.”, Rhaenyra approved. “He breaks my heart the most. Seeing him trying to do his best with Helaena and the kids but failing hurts me because I know it hurts him. He is trying not to be a father so much that he doesn’t see the damage he is doing to himself. Alcohol is an escape for him.”

“If he can’t remember-“

“He can’t be held responsible.”

“I just want them to be happy.”, her voice cracked. “All of them. I want Aegon to stop blaming himself for every little thing happening, I want Helaena to have more connection with the world not worrying herself about everything, and I want Aemond to have his own life. He deserves it. He deserves to love someone and have someone who loves him, you’ve seen him with children, you know how much he loves them. He deserves that too. And Daeron? He needs a purpose again.”

“The only person that can help them is themselves. You and I can’t do anything.”

“I am trying not to force them, especially not Aegon and Helaena because their situation is a bit more complicated and sensitive. But with Aemond and Daeron? I can actually do something so why wouldn’t I?”

“Are you sure Aemond said yes to this because a small part of him wants this or because he wanted to make you happy?”

“The latter obviously. But as I said, I will not push him, that’s not me. Just the girl will come and they will meet. I want both of them to be happy. I will not force anyone and create another unhappy marriage. But he needs to start from somewhere. And as his mother, it is my responsibility to assure that. You’ll understand when you decide to marry your boys.”

“Fuck, I have to do that too.”, Rhaenyra rubbed her face. “Jace is the same age as Aemond, he waited too fucking long and now Luke is 23 and we can even find a betrothal for Joff.”, she facepalmed.

“What of Baela and Rhaena?”

“Rhaenys stated clearly that such a match will not happen.”

“Not even Luke and Rhaena?”

“No. She wishes to stay away from the throne as much as she can and Laenor agrees.”

“Well, she is being inconsistent then. She says one thing and does the other.”, Rhaenyra looked at her with confusion so Alicent’s rolled her eyes and put the wine bottle on the floor and crouched down next to Rhaenya. “Aletris.”

“Oh, her.”

“Yes, her.”, she said. “Corlys just pointed her as a candidate.”

“She is half Targaryen and half Velaryon and she is a dragon rider that rides my grandfather’s dragon. Why didn’t you choose her?”, Rhaenyra asked with a little annoyance. She would rather her than some Reyne girl.

“Because she is too much like Aemond. I want someone softer for him. Someone he can safely let go, not be on constant vigilance. He would argue with that girl from dusk till dawn and you know how much he truly hates such things. Moira Reyne is what he needs not Aletris Velaryon.”

“Well you are his mother but as his sister, I support Aletris.”

“You would support Velaryons over everyone else.”

“Laenor only wrote good things for her.”

“The only person your ex would tell bad things about is my husband.”

“And can you blame him?”, Rhaenyra raised her voice. “What Criston did was unspeakable.”

“He is not that man anymore.”, Alicent felt angry too. “You know that and Laenor can know that too if he would try to spend time with him.”

“It isn’t that easy.”

“Well I forgive you.”, she deadpanned and Rhaenyra looked shocked for a second. “And you forgave me. Lucerys and Aemond forgave each other, and Harwin and Criston forgave each other because that’s what families do. We all did horrible things and now we have been in peace for the past 15 years. Forgiving Criston would help both.”

“We’ll see.”, she cut it short and the doors opened and equally drunk Harwin and Criston entered while hugging each other and singing the Bear and the Maiden Fair.

Rhaenyra and Alicent look at each other and rolled their eyes. Harwin tried to bow to Alicent and Rhaenyra quickly muttered a ‘good night’ and took Harwin from Criston and left for their chambers. Alicent looked to Criston with a judgmental state and take off her robe, went in on her soft bed with her silk nightgown.

Criston watched her every move and then took off his boots and shirt, and went in bed as softly as he could. After both lay awake watching the ceiling for a while, Alicent spoke first.

“You smell disgusting.”

“Harwin threw me into a muddy puddle.”

“I will not ask why.”

They weren’t in the best of terms since the morning. Criston was arguing against her decision to marry Aemond and he wasn’t even being subtle anymore. Both argued and argued for hours and Criston went to fetch Harwin from the training grounds with a curious Daeron watching them from behind. Aemond surely heard of it and went to talk to his mother. Alicent smiled and held his hands, assuring him everything was fine but still, he said that he’ll talk with him in the morning.

“You are angry at me still?”

Alicent didn’t answer.

“I hope you know you are being unfair my love. I only want what’s best for Aemond.”

“And I do not want what’s best for my own son, is that what you are trying to say?”, she spoke fastly and turned her back on him.

She heard Criston’s sigh and his soft moves to turn her and hug her from her behind. Alicent thought about removing his arms around her for a second but she hated fighting with him and truly needed the comfort of his arms right now. So she went even closer and let him bury his nose to her neck and left a few light kisses.

“I never say such a thing. I am just worried about you both. You are hurting yourself over this matter and we both know Aemond had only agreed with this to make you happy. But I think we shouldn’t force him to do that, it should be him that must come to us and say ‘this is the woman of my dreams and the love of my life, the only person I wish to spend my time with'.”, he kissed her neck again this time deeply and Alicent felt his smile as she did herself too.

These were the things he had said to Otto all these years ago about Alicent.

“I know you want his happiness only and believe me I want it too. We are not two sides on this matter. But just, what if he would push himself to like this girl and left out other opportunities?”

She played with Criston’s finger for a few minutes, thinking. “You have a suggestion.”

“Harwin is planning to summon Jace and Luke.”

“Luke had just left.”

“And he’ll return soon.”

“And?”

“He is planning to summon some ladies around the realm that are fit enough to marry a prince. He will let them choose their future wives.”

“Rhaenyra didn’t mention it.”

Criston snorted. “Because he came up with this brilliant idea after his sixth ale. I am not sure if he even remembers it in the morning.”

“Well, it’s a brilliant plan. We can use the same system for Daeron too.”

“And for Aemond.”, he touches her with his nose.

“Well then let’s say, he and Moira will openly court one another without a promise and we also will let him court any lady he wishes?”

“Exactly.”

“Good then, let’s talk about it more in the morning.”

Half an hour passed and Alicent asked with a sleepy tone.

“We are doing the right thing, Criston, right? For our boy.”

“Of course my love, don’t even doubt it.”

*

Aemond approached his sister’s chambers with quick and knowing steps. It was tea time but Helaena never liked it so he knew she was trying to avoid their mother and use the kids as an excuse. But the kids weren’t with her today. He had heard from the maids that his sister requested silence today and dismissed them all. Including the children.

Little Jaehaerys and Jaehaera weren’t that little anymore, and neither was Maelor. The twins were going to celebrate their 12th name day in a few moons Maelor was already eight and the kids were growing rather quickly.

Jaehaerys liked to spend most of his time in the library. He wasn’t so keen on sword fighting. His dragon, Shrykos, was often near him. She was still too young, not a hatchling but not older than the boy himself. He didn’t like to see her caged in Dragonpit and said that he could feel her pain. Aegon, as usual, give in to his children’s wishes and now the young dragon -at the same height as the boy, was often seen walking around with his future rider. The servants were afraid in the beginning and Alicent herself frowned upon the permission but Jaehaerys wasn’t a boy who asked a lot of things, and the times he was truly happy weren’t more than ten a finger on a hand. Seeing how happy and full of life her grandson became, Alicent gave up and tried not to care about the possible dangers.

Jaehaera liked all the ‘girly’ things. The time -unlike her mother, lots and lots of dresses, jewelry that are suited for her age and pretty shoes. She liked to wear her hair as her grandmother does. The usual Targaryen way was to just take two parts from the front and combined them with a single string on the back. Alicent loved waves and braids and buns and updos, she loved making Jaehaera’s hair like that. So while Helaena followed the steps of her sister, her daughter followed Alicent. And she was now with her, and her aunt Carina and a few other ladies of the court, drinking tea and eating desserts. Her dragon Moghul was also allowed to roam around the castle but the young dragon loved the shades in the Godswood and was often seen sleeping there.

Maelor on the other hand was the complete opposite of his siblings. He was energetic and fast. He loved to run inside the castle, he loved riding horses and training in sword fighting. He was a happy kid with lots of energy to talk and sometimes both Helaena and Aegon felt dizzying to listen to him. His dragon had never hatched but it wasn’t dead either like Rhaena’s were a long time ago. He could feel the life inside of the egg, and so does anyone. Maelor never cared about not having a dragon unlike his uncle did years ago, everytime somebody asked about it he would give one simple explanation ‘it will hatch when the time comes’, and people hadn’t asked the boy this question in years. Some thought it was a child’s hope but Helaena supported her son and told stuff about being ready to enter the world and that a dragon is a symbol of its rider’s soul and such.

“May I come?”, Aemond knocked on the door and shared a look with Ser Erryk. He was bound to serve Helaena and Ser Arryk to Aegon.

Ser Harrold was too busy to arrange everything. Ser Willis kept company with the children of Aegon and Helaena, Ser Rickard followed Rhaenyra as a shadow, Ser Steffon was with Rhaenyra’s children and Ser Lorent was sworn to Daeron.

Aemond didn’t want it a kingsguard. He didn’t need it.

He was enough by himself but his family needed protection.

He would swear himself and would become a kingsguard but the seven was alive and well.

He was going to knock it again when he didn’t hear a response from his sister but before he managed to do that Helaena opened the door with a tired expression on her face. Her hair was messy and she was just standing in a robe. Looked to Aemond’s left and right and when she was sure nobody was there she let out his anger.

“What’s going on.”

“This.”, Helaena pointed to Aegon on her bed. Sleeping with a frown.

Aemond looked at his brother a little and sighed. Helaena had already sat on the couch in front of the bed and started doing her embodiments.

“He came late last night.”, she started to speak while Aemond kept looking at his brother with deep sadness in his eye. “You know he usually avoids us on the nights he drank too much but last night he was in really bad shape. Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk managed to bring him here with strength.”

“Did the kids see him?”, he tried to get rid of the lump in his throat.

“No.”, Helaena didn’t look at him. “You know last night was the free time of Ser Harwyn and Ser Criston so mother was with Rhaenyra and the girls were having sleepovers. Jaehaera asked me to attend as well.”

“She did?”, Aemond tried to sound curious. Jaehaera loved socializing and she was an extrovert but she had never asked for a sleepover before.

“Yes. Apparently, Aemma insisted a lot. She looked at me with her big eyes and I couldn’t say no.”

“What about the boys?”

Helaena sighed. “Jaehaerys was with grandpa.”

“Doesn’t he goes to his bed early, what was he doing with him?”

“Well, apparently they had found a big lead about Valyria or something.”

Oh that, Jaehaerys had a curious mind that had questioned everything. The Doom was one of those things. Helaena had seen it in her dreams, not that she understood it, not that she would tell anyone if she did but Jaehaerys was obsessed with it. He was reading books and asking Aemond to translate a few older Valyrian testaments, and Otto started to participate in his treasure hunt to keep an eye on the boy.

“And Maelor?”

“Went with them. Both stayed with him last night and I was alone in here.”

“Did he hurt you?”, Aemond asked with a zero expression on his face and tried to harden his heart as much as he could. His biggest fear was to her a positive answer to this question on one of those days. But Helaena snorted as usual.

“Physically? No. But emotionally?”, she waited a few seconds and Aemond’s focus shifted to her. “More than usual.”, she had whispered.

Aemond took a deep breath. “Would you like to talk about it? You know you are not alone when it comes to him.”

“I know, I know.”, she quickly spoke. “But it feels …immoral to talk with you about him.”

“Immoral? Why is that?”

“Because he comes to me drunk, he tells me things drunk. He doesn’t even remember it in the morning. And telling those things to you…”, Helaena forced herself to look at Aemond. “He comes to me because in his mind, deep down, he trusts me as a confider. Isn’t it immoral of me to tell you these things?”

“Not if it might help him.”, Aemond cut it short. The lump was back in its favourite spot in Aemond’s throat. “Not if I can help him.”

“No one can help him.”, Helaena returned to the job in her hands again. “No one can help anyone.”

“I can.”, Aemond insisted, taking a step closer to his sister. “You know I can.”

“No, I know you would hurt yourself trying. That’s what you always do.”

“That’s not-“

“That’s it Aemond.”, Helaena took a deep breath. “You are not our protector or our saviour, you are our brother. It is not your duty to save everyone who falls into darkness. When will you start to take care of your life? When will you start to go after your own happiness? Something big is about to happen in your life and-“

“You want me to talk about some girl that I didn’t even meet when our brother is likely to die alone in Flea Bottom in close future? Do you know how ridiculous this sounds?”

“What I know-“, she pressed the word and looked to Aemond’s eye with a fire. “-is that only Aegon can help Aegon and he will soon.”

“Oh, is that it?”, he mocked. “You saw a dream and now we all must just watch the way he destroys himself?”

“You had always believed in my dreams, and now you start to doubt them?”

“I believed them when it comes to others not when it comes to us. There is a high possibility that you may understand them wrong, I am only-“

“I saw your eye loss, haven’t I?”, she challenged him. “I told you you will have to close an eye in order to get a dragon and you didn’t believe me, mother didn’t believe me.”

“I believed everything else since, Elea.”, Aemond took a deep breath. He didn’t want to make her feel bad. He knew he was the only one who truly believed in her dreams. Aegon dread it, Alicent listened but never understood and Daeron preferred to act like nothing was happening. “What have you seen?”, he asked but Helaena just shrugged and avoid him. “Sister?”, he pleaded.

“Nothing particular.”, she whispered. “It wasn’t like one of my usuals. I just knew. You have to believe it too. He’ll be okay one day.”

“Okay.”, he nodded his head. “Okay, I believe you, okay.”, he rubbed his face and returned his eye back to Aegon. “What is this about then? Part of the progress?”, when his sister didn’t answer him he turned back once again to look at her. “Sister?”

“He cried the whole night again. Hugged me like a little kid would to his mother. Repeated self-hating phrases.”

“What kind of phrases?”

Helaena stopped all of her doings and patted the couch so that Aemond could sit. After a moment of thinking, Aemond approached her slowly and sat down. Both were looking to Aegon, never to each other. Helaena was playing with her fingers just like her mother did once in her youth and Aemond’s jaw was hurting because of all the clenching.

“He still thinks father never liked him, let one love him.”

“Father loved none but Aemma Arryn and Rhaenyra and her bastards.”

“Bastards.”, Helaena snorted. “They never were though, weren’t they? They were true princelings, true Velaryons in his eyes. Pure and perfect, holy even, without a sin.”

“I never understood how he kept believing you know. It was clear as day.”

“He knew the truth deep down, he just made himself believe those lies.”

“No, no, maybe at the beginning but towards the end, he was believing Elea. He truly believed, in his heart and in his mind, that those boys were Velaryons. He loved them to the stars and the moons. But it was a love that was killing him. Funny enough nobody caused him to harm more than the people he loved. He avoided us like we were plagues while his precious Rhaenyra was destroying everything Aegon once stood for.”

“We had left behind those days. Rhaenyra is okay now, I guess. Not that bad anymore, at least she tries.”

“She only started to try when it was her head on the line. Not out of love or something like that, but to save her own life. I will never forget that day you know. I had lost an eye, bleeding, was in pain, and couldn’t focus on anything that was happening. They took us all to the great hall and father entered first. He didn’t even look at me.”, he smiled with tears in his eye. “Not a single glance but he rushed to them.”, the last word came out poisonous. “Only when mother had entered he remembered my existence. And while she gave everything to give me justice, he threatened everyone to cut their tongues off for merely stating the truth and she stood there, looked at me, and demanded my torture. I don’t care how much she tries or how genuine she is, I will never leave those days behind. We all act otherwise, and maybe the anger and the hatred aren’t there anymore but the pain? The heartbreak? The sorrow? There are things no goodwill and siblinghood can take from me, and those things are too deep now. Nothing can or will heal my eye and even if a miracle happens, I will never forget the fear that I had to endure that day.”, Helaena put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. “So I don’t understand why Aegon destroyed himself over a shadow that left out lives 15 years ago. He was a disease, he and Daemon, that was going to destroy this house but the Gods had taken him when he crossed the line one too many times and now we are all free. His love was never going to be ours even if we would be the exact copy of Rhaenyra. He didn’t love himself so he blamed us. It has nothing to do with Aegon. He didn’t like us when we were newborns, he didn’t like us when we were kids, and he didn’t like us when we were teens. He wasn’t going to love us when we were adults too.”

“He thinks Viserys would love him if he would give the throne to Rhaenyra.”

“Is this an actual thought? Does he actually think that? Like is it a thought process? Will he open the subject to the council?”

“He was drunk-“

“Drunken words are sober thoughts.”

“I don’t know Aemond.”, she whispered again. “I tried to calm him down. We gave the throne to her, didn’t we? She was the regent, she could just take it but didn’t. It was she who rejected it, it was the throne itself who rejected Rhaenyra the way it rejected him. It is not Aegon’s fault.”

“He has a thick head, it’s normal for him to not understand this basic fact.”

“Don’t be harsh on him.”

“Harsh? If I were truly harsh on him he wouldn’t be like this. Just look at him, Helaena.”

Aegon was shirtless, when he had a panic attack last night he tried to rip it off but Helaena kindly helped him to get rid of it. He had purple and yellow bruises all around his back and arms, there was a huge red spot on his back that covered nearly all of his right side. There were scratches on his face and blood on his ear.

“He is our king. We are ruled by him. And look at him, look what he is doing to himself.”

“Mother rules the realm.”, Helaena said.

“But she shouldn’t! After everything she gave up, she should be happy, relaxing in wherever she wants. Not picking up Aegon’s mistakes, she is not the queen anymore, she has no duty to the realm.”

“Mother is happy.”

“Is she? Can you truly tell me that she would rather stay here and get lost in politics rather than return back to Oldtown and raise the kids she had wanted this time?”

“Don’t say that.”, she said with tears and made an attempt to close her eyes. “Don’t ever say that, mother loves us.”

“Loves us, yes, but she didn’t want us.”, Aemond shrugged.

He had made peace with it. His mother was a child who was forced to bear children of her own. She was a child who just lost her mother and was stuck with a complex father. She was a child who was raising children. No one in their right mind would even suggest that she had wanted them. She was 14 when she had Aegon, nearly 16 when Helaena came into the world -not even of age yet, and 17 when Aemond had come, and 19 when Daeron was born after lots of miscarriage scares and long and bloody labour. Then Ser Criston had become a permanent member in their lives and Aemond had heard that some nights the king would send his men at very late hours and Criston would shrug them off without even asking or disturbing the queen. Knowing that she couldn’t stand him but would do her duty nevertheless, Criston had to take this decision for her name more than once. He protected his queen even against his king.

That was why Aemond gave his blessing to their union because he knew Criston would rather to fell onto his sword rather than cause even a little frown on his mother’s face.

That and he knew Criston made Alicent happy.

That and Aemond wanted Criston as a father figure.

Now 15 years had passed, three half-siblings born into their weird family and Aemond lost count of the times he had to stop himself before calling Criston ‘father’.

But he knew Aegon had called him like that even before Viserys had die when he was drunk a little and he remembered the way Criston’s eyes teared up and he listen to his mother’s muffled cries outside of her chambers that night, and Criston’s painful face. Knowing that the woman he was in love with was in pain because of what could’ve been, but his hands were tied.

“But you shouldn't say it anyways, it hurts mother.”

“I never hurt mother.”

“Is this why you accepted the marriage proposal?”

“She didn’t propose anyone to me and I didn’t accept. She wouldn’t force-“, Aemond stopped himself and bit his tongue but a shadow had already passed from his beautiful sister’s face. “I am sorry Elea.”

“It’s okay.”, she shrugged. “I remember her sorrow too on my wedding day. I was trying to cheer her up even though I was numb too.”

“You know she didn’t want that.”

“I know. But it was the council’s order. We were both young, so very young then.”

“They knew another possible queen would only create chaos at that point because none wanted Rhaenyra and they needed him with a child as soon as possible so the people wouldn’t forget whose line the blood of the dragon would continue and that Rhaenyra was merely a regent.”

“The council never forgot what Daemon had caused her.”

“No, they did not.”

“Lions are the kings of the woods brother.”, Helaena said suddenly. “But they do not rule over dragons.”

“Reynes are not true lions.”

“Coat of gold, coat of red, a lion still has claws.”, she said like she was in a trance. “But hers are not long and sharp and the rains will weep for her in a stranger’s halls.”

“Was this a-“, Aemond slowly touched to Helaena but she jumped and got up from the couch, rubbing her face. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes I am. But as I said, she is not worthy, only a dragon can rule a dragon.”

“I don’t want anyone to rule me.”

“It’s not what you want, it’s about what you need. Moira Reyne is dutiful and obedient, that’s for sure. But you must think clearly, is this what you want? Is this what you desire? A woman by your side who would agree with everything you say? Or do you long for a challenge?”

“I only wish to make mother happy and if the solution to it is Moira Reyne then I am ready to take her under my protection.”

“You can’t, you hate yellow.”, she said while watching the sky from a window, she continued before Aemond had managed to open his mouth. “Can we go riding tomorrow? You, me, Aegon and Daeron? As siblings? And we can ask Rhaenyra too. It’s been too long since we did that.”

“Sure, we can. Do you think he would be in a good shape for that?”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

Aemond nodded even though she didn’t see but before he left Helaena warned him once again.

“Sometimes truth is too obvious brother but even two eyes can’t see it. And sometimes the truth is too well hidden but even one eye can see it. But most of the time the truth is simple mercy. And a victim maybe wasn’t the victim all along.”

*

“How was the hunting?”, Ellyn asked with excitement. “I wish father would let me join.”

Aletris dismounted from her horse without help from a stable boy or a young squire and fixed her jacket. “You know Lord Borros doesn’t like it when you mention such things. How would he say?”, she made a thinking face then clapped her fingers. “Oh, now I remember, it wasn’t ‘ladylike’.”

“But you do it.”

“I am not a lady.”

“Of course you are.”, a deeper voice called them out from their backs. “You are the most gracious lady in the realm.”

Aletris made a face and rolled her eyes while Ellyn pretended that she didn’t see it. “You are being too kind, again, Royce.”

“Anything for you my lady.”, Royce was a typical Baratheon with his dark hair and blue eyes but was also a child in her eyes. All this courting thing wasn’t working for her and no amount of pushing from Lord Borros and Princess Rhaenys wouldn’t cause a sudden spark or an ever-growing bloom.

It was sad that nobody could see it. And she was sure nobody would even hear it if she would shout it from the skies.

“My lady, my father told me to escort you to your chambers and then back to the dining hall.”, Royce spoke once again, not making eye contact with her.

It wasn’t like he was in love with her or something, but the pressure on his back caused him to try too hard. When they sent Aletris there to foster with Rhaenys’ cousin -because her parents passed away too soon, Royce wasn’t even born yet. He was barely sixteen -his name day was a week ago when Aletris herself was a grown woman now twenty and six. It was a horrendous scandal that she wasn’t married yet. But Borros made her the future Lady of the Storm’s End the moment Royce had born and too many things happened to Rhaenys and Corlys to do something about it.

Aletris wanted to get married but only when she find an equal. A man, she wanted, someone who wouldn’t frown upon her behaviours and call them ‘unladylike’ (such as wearing long pants with tunics and jackets and high boots, or riding a horse without a proper saddle, or flying with her dragon or going into hunts), she wanted someone who would accompany her, someone who would support her, someone who would respect her.

Lord Borros Baratheon wasn’t a guy like that and even though she literally watched the way Royce had grown up, she knew he wasn’t like that either. Also, the idea of marrying him was on the verge of disgusting her. She remembered when he was a baby, she remembered the boy’s childhood, she remembered the time that she had nursed him when he was toothing. And now that boy had grown up but still, he was a boy and was a child in her eyes.

She wrote to Corlys and Rhaenys about her thoughts and they responded to her when they had a chance, telling her that they had understood her struggles but that becoming a Lady Paramount was more important than such things and that she should find a way to let go of her thoughts.

She didn’t even try to do that.

She burned the letter and made it very specific to everyone around that she was not going to marry Royce. The boy couldn’t even speak to her for more than two minutes without a stutter and she was not going to be used as a broodmare for some lordling.

She never wanted children -not after she had to take care of Royce, her fucking future ‘husband’. She was not going to make a baby with a baby and even if she would find a man to her liking, the breeding subject wasn’t for her. She would rather end up as a spinster rather than have a child at this point.

She spoke those words loudly too but every single time, but every single time, Lord Borros and Lady Elenda just laughed at her. Laena’s horrible death on the childbed also made her reconsider the subject and with each passing day, she found even less interest in the matter.

She could get away from the marriage if she could have impulse control. She knew cousins or not, Borros wasn’t going to stand here because of Rhaenys and her disinterest was showing too much while they were with outsiders but then the dreadful day came.

The day she accidentally claimed Vermithor.

She didn’t even know what was the dragon doing in Storm’s End. She had heard about the new customers that allowed dragons to have more freedom and for some reason, even a young princeling (only a year younger than her) thought it was a good idea to let go of some older dragons in the depths of the Dragonstone. And for some reason, Vermithor flew over Storm’s End.

She was a quarter Targaryen, her grandmother was a princess. Her father had a dragon egg on his cradle that never hatched and died soon enough, the egg had turned into a stone and she didn’t get one when she was born. And she never wished to claim it. Her Targaryen blood was mixed now with Velaryon and Celtigar and even though she was a pure Valyrian, she wasn’t even a half-dragonlord. She cared about her life more than a little adventure so she stood away from them. And she never wished for one, not when Laena claimed Vhagar or Laenor claimed Seasmoke, not Rhaenys took her for a fly with Meleys or not when she had seen Caraxes and Syrax from afar.

She wasn’t made for dragons.

But then Vermithor arrived, the legendary dragon of Jaehaerys the First and finds a nest in there. He had slept in its grand entrance just below the mountain. Borros was terrified, he wrote to Rhaenys immediately and she arrived the next day with Meleys. Tried to approach him but he was aggressive, too aggressive than usual. She tried to control him but failed and he even blew fire at Meleys.

He was in pain but nobody saw it.

Well nobody but Aletris.

She knew she shouldn’t have done it, she knew it was both dangerous and stupid but she couldn’t control her impulse and went down on the mountain in the dark while one of the greatest storms was covering the whole Storm’s End.

She stole a health kit from the Maester and approached the dragon. She knew High Valyrian too well and even though it was a little rusty, she still managed to speak a few words.

“I am here to help you.”, she said. “I know you are hurt, let me help you.”

He was alone, all alone in the world. His rider died a very long time ago and now it was a new age, a new era and nobody took care of him. It was sad almost. Vermithor roared and she thought she was going to die horribly with dragon fire but then the old dragon let her approach.

He probably flew too close to the mountains, she thought. Because there was a long splinter on his side. It took a while and a huge amount of effort and trying to bargain with him not to burn her alive but finally she managed to take the splinter out and the roar of the Vermithor reached to even Dragonstone. She managed to fix the wound quickly before Jacaerys arrived to see what was wrong with him and thanks to her luck nobody saw her. They all were so terrified.

She kept going to him daily, for nearly a fortnight. Feed him, cleaned his wounds and even spoke with him and the dragon’s fury passed each and every day, little by little. And when the day of his departure arrived he just took her with his claws and flew her around for half an hour.

She felt like dying and passing out and she was just lucky not to throw up. But then he put her back from where he got her. Her hair was messy and she was shaken on the floor and Laenor was watching her with both humour and fear with Seasmoke, Vermithor looked at her with a tilted head a little and let out another roar that probably meant ‘goodbye’ or something.

Then Laenor, her cousin, took her back to her chambers under the horrified looks of the Baratheon family and tried to calm her down. Rhaenys arrived the next day with Meleys again and while she was telling the story something knocked on her window and when they turned they saw Vermithor’s nose.

She would never forget the looks on Laenor and Rhaenys' faces.

But Vermithor hit the window with his nose again, clearly trying not to break it but he was getting angrier, she knew it. Rhaenys told her to go on and she tried to land on his saddle -in a storm and with zero experience. She was sure that she was going to die but even though she was experienceless, Vermithor was not. This time he flew her around a little calmly and let her adjust and then brought her to Dragonstone, where she met with Jace officially.

Vermithor sent a look to Jace and then went inside the Dragonmount again, she had spoken with Jace and returned back to Storm’s End. This thing kept happening nearly every day but Vermithor didn’t still let her ride him when she wanted. He had the power in this bond until one day she said ‘fuck it’ and sailed to Dragonstone and sat on his saddle for three and a half days straight. The old dragon appreciated her efforts and let her ride him.

It wasn’t a usual bonding story and as much as she heard Corlys was shocked and horrified but in the end, she had a dragon that had to stay in Dragonstone but they would meet weekly.

And the idea of marrying his only son and heir with a dragon rider was too good to stand any embarrassment for Borros Baratheon.

She had sworn not to marry Royce and she intended to keep it and they couldn’t actually fırce her now that she had a dragon but this ‘betrothal’ (which wasn’t even official yet) kept other men away from her so she was going to use it a little more too. She was old now, a life was stolen for her and she was not going to become a trophy for older lords with tens of children, and surely she was not going to be a nursemaid for a boy for the rest of her life. She was a dragon rider and she had already accepted an alone life.

She had dismissed Royce’s attempts and started to walk towards her chambers locking her arms with Ellyn.

“At least he is trying.”, Ellyn tried.

“Would you want to marry a sixteen-year-old?”

“Well, I am eight and ten myself, so it’s not that bad.”

“Okay let me rephrase it then, would you rather marry a sixteen-year-old boy that you watched grow?”

“No, it’s gross.”

“Exactly. I would rather end up as a spinster than marry. I realized recently that this was not an option for me anyways.”

“Don’t say that, I’m sure Vermithor would take you away from us gladly and you could find a husband for yourself.”

“I am six and twenty, no lord would want to marry me, think I am too old.”

“You are a Velaryon with a dragon. Sea Snake is your cousin.”

“And was my legal ward but see what he had allowed.”

“Would you rather marry a Stark?”, Ellyn got surprised. “Or an Arryn? Those stoic, boring people? At least Royce has-“

“Royce is a child with boring interests.”, she rolled her eyes. “At least Cregan Stark is a man.”

“And already has a son and heir.”

“I also heard he is good looking so yes, I would rather marry a Stark at this point.”

“Well, maybe you should write to aunt Rhaenys. Maybe if you give them a candidate, they would reconsider it?”

“They would not.”

“They are aware you are not happy and they had already tried.”, Ellyn said but then regret it.

“They tried what?”, Aletris stopped her steps.

“Noth-“

“Ellyn?”

“Okay, I will tell you but you can’t tell it to no one, promise?”

“Fine, I promise.”, Aletris said after a few seconds.

“They had proposed you as a candidate for the One-Eyed Prince.”, Ellyn said with wide eyes.

“Aemond Targaryen?”, Aletris frowned.

“Yes!”

“Then what had happened? Why didn’t I hear such things?”

“The Queen had said that you are to be the Lady of Storm’s End and that you’ve been fostered as that. It wouldn’t be fair to take it from you.”

“And what did my dearest cousin say?”, she was slowly getting angry.

“I don’t know.”

“Did they find another candidate?”

“Moira Reyne.”, Ellyn blurted.

“A Westerlander rather than a pure Valyrian?”

“Well, would you like to go to the capital and marry a prince?”

“I do not wish to marry at this point.”, Ellyn was going to speak again but Aletris had stopped her. “I need to take a bath and get ready for dinner.”

Ellyn was left in the corridor while an angry Aletris entered her chambers and took a very hot bath. She put on her deep blue dress with low shoulders and cuffs on her wrists with exposing arms and wore a silver belt. She let her maids braid her white hair in a simple way, a lovely updo. She wore her silver earrings and a silver necklace with a Velaryon sigil under it.

When she arrived she realized she was the last one and muttered a quick apology. Lord Borros was holding a scroll in his hands but she didn’t ask. While they all were eating and chatting with each other he suddenly spoke.

“You all are going to the Red Keep next week.”

“Why, father?”, Maris asked. They had never gone to the capital before.

“The Queen,”, he grimaced a second. “The Dowager Queen had sent for young lords and ladies all around the realm. Looking for matches for her children and her grandchildren -step and such. Princess Rhaenyra will also attend to the matchmaking process.”

“Can I marry a prince?”, Cassandra asked, eyes gleaming with joy -and a bit of ambition.

“The Starks doesn’t have a daughter or sister, and neither does the Tullys or the Tyrells or the Arryns. A Greyjoy cannot be even a candidate and neither can a Martell. Us Baratheons have the most beautiful girls in the realm. Of course one of you will marry into royalty.”

“Well not me.”, Royce blurted and blushed in a second. “I will marry Aletris! So we don't have to go.”

"I will go.", she deadpanned. "It is not for you to decide what I will do."

"It will when we will marry.", Royce said like he was proud of himself.

Aletris rolled her eyes while the Baratheon sisters chatted with each other and Borros kept eating and his wife drinking. While Royce was telling her things that she wasn’t listening she was trying to form a plan in her head. Maybe talking with her cousin face to face would make him change his mind about the match.

Chapter Text

“I just want to be sure that we are doing the right things and that’s all.”

“This was your plan, should I remind you that?”, Rhaenyra raised an eyebrow at her husband. “Or should I remind you that our countless arguments and the lengths you went to only to convince me? You don’t get to have cold feet now Harwin. We are doing this.”

“But they are our boys.”, Harwin tried again while trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

It was early morning, their guest was to arrive in a couple of hours and Alicent the ever the worrying one wanted to make one final council meeting before their arrival. Rhaenyra had already flown with Syrax and taken a bath when Harwin finally managed to wake up. Now she was brushing her hair in front of a mirror and was wearing a white robe. Harwin, on the other hand, was still sitting on the bed without a shirt, his hair was messy and his eyes were screaming about how tired they are.

And the ‘our boys’ argument. It was a sore wound still. Jace knew, Jace always knew Harwin was his father. But this didn’t change the fact even after 15 years he decided to keep his distance from him. And from her. They didn’t know what to do about it, only that ever since he got of age he’s been travelling the world and finding excuses not to spend time with them. Even before that, he would talk less and less with them with every passing day and would focus on Luke and Joffrey -not on his twin sisters, not even once.

Rhaenyra felt guilt, and Harwin felt even worse than her. They both were adults, they didn’t expect a fairytale, and they were aware of the fact that still people whispered about them -especially about her. So many people were mutilated and few were killed for merely stating that her sons were bastards, of course, nobody had expected that there would be no consequences after she come clean. It was the hardest time of her life, Viserys had just died and she was trying to rule the realm as a regent but Alicent and the council pushed her to confess. She understood her friend now, not back then but now. She had suffered because of her lies and manipulations, she deserved an apology, her kids deserved an apology and her own children deserved the truth.

She still remembered the day she went to a public trial where she confessed everything. She knew nothing was going to happen to her now, she understood that she was never in danger but back then she had just made things right with Alicent, she didn’t trust her, she was sure that she was going to die. Alicent -for the first time in history, became the judge herself -with Corlys and Tyland (both men loathed her at this point). But she was fair and just and saved Rhaenyra. Of course, there was a talk of punishment. Some suggested taking Dragonstone from her, or take Syrax, or taking her princess status and disinheriting her, both Corlys and Tyland actually supported it, and of course execution or castration for Harwin and execution for Lyonel -for knowing the truth but hiding it, and of course death for Jace and Luke -because they were old enough to realize what was going on and sending Joffrey to the wall.

Laenor stopped it all.

He took the blame, he told everyone that their wedding was never consummated -which was a lie and that he begged her to have lovers so that people wouldn’t make fun of him and that it was he who pushed for those mutilations and executions. Corlys was red with anger and Tyland knew it all was a lie but when Laenor suggested to gave up his rights on Driftmark, Alicent chose to believe those lies and let them go.

And then married Rhaenyra and Harwin to erase the shame on them and make those children legitimate. In the first few years, they didn’t have their princely titles, they were known as Master Jacaerys, Master Lucerys and Master Joffrey and their daughters weren’t even ladies because even though they got married, the people didn’t forget anything. They got their titles back only when Aegon and Helaena welcomed their second son Maelor eight years ago. They weren’t even allowed at the Red Keep before that, they were living in Harrenhal with Lyonel -who didn’t go to the capital ever again because of the shame.

That’s why after the regency ended Rhaenyra was also exiled there and lost her princess status, and of course, all of Harwin’s titles were taken from him. They were living as Lady Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin, not to inherit even a rock in this world.

But then Maelor was born and Aegon decided to restore their honour. Summoned them to the castle, gave her titles back to Rhaenyra and named her the Hand of the King and made Harwin the Lord Commander of the City Watch once more. The boys got their prince status but the girls became Ladies only. Because only the children and the grandchildren of a monarch could have such royal titles but both Aemma and Visenya had born after Viserys died, and Aegon chose not to give them such titles. He had only one daughter, and she should be the only princess.

Now 8 years later, Harwin and Criston were friends and had their night outs, Alicent and Rhaenyra would occasionally get drunk, their daughters had sleepovers and now they were trying to find a match for all of their boys.

It’s been a fortnight since their last night out where Harwin came up with a brilliant plan but forgot the next day. Alicent was too drunk to remember too but Criston had reminded all of them and only Rhaenyra rejected the offer at the beginning. Said that she doesn’t wish to force her children to marry but Harwin tried and tried and tried to persuade her to agree and in the end, she had given up.

They didn’t summon every lady to the court but chose only a few important houses. None of the Paramount Houses had daughters (except for Baratheons) and only a Great House lady could marry a prince at this point. To form alliances that could benefit the throne. Rhaenyra knew the last decision would be Alicent’s because even though she was the Hand, Alicent still outrank her as the Dowager Queen -something Rhaenyra could never be. But she also knew Alicent would ask for her opinions and wouldn’t go against her. They also summoned a few lords and knights from those houses so they could think of future betrothals for their daughters.

They had summoned;

Velaryons, Bar Emmons, Rosbys, Celtigars and Darklyns from the Crownlands.

Starks, Cerwyns, Umbers, Karstarks and Manderlys from the North.

Arryns, Royces, Corbrays and Waynwoods from the Vale.

Tullys, Blackwoods, Brackens, Darrys, Mootons, Mullendores and Freys from the Riverlands.

Greyjoys and Harlaws from the Iron Islands.

Lannisters, Reynes, Tarbecks, Crakehalls, Marbrands and Westerlings from the Westerlands.

Tyrells, Hightowers, Tarlys, Florents, Fossoways, Redwynes, Oakhearts and the Rowans from the Reach.

Baratheons, Dondarrions, Estermonts and Lonmouths from the Stormlands.

Their Northern guests will not arrive for another fortnight and the River Lords and the Lords of the Vale would arrive next week. They were to welcome Strom Lords, Reacher Lords, Lords of the Westerlands, and the Lords of the Crowlands today. Even Rhaenys had come to the Red Keep the other night to welcome them.

“I know they are our boys but they are old enough to get married and have children. Also, they are their own people, they can choose their wife to be themselves, we will just point out some good options.”

“What if they would want to marry a commoner?”

“They are princes now.”, Rhaenyra looked at him from the mirror. “They cannot marry with commoners, they are too late for that.”

“What if they don’t like any of these girls?”

“Then they will not marry.”

“Can I have your word on this?”, Harwin asked with worry.

“Do you think I would force my children to marry? Also, there are too many girls and too many bachelors. Alicent has to find a future Queen and has two sons to marry immediately and three other future betrothal candidates to choose from. Not to mention finding a prominent lord to marry Jaehaera one day and one for her own daughter. We will be lucky if there will be a lady or lord left after she picked them all apart.”

“You two are too alike on this matter. Both want the best for their children but forget that they are not children anymore.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”, she let go of her brush and turned to her husband and frowned at him.

“It means, they don’t need their mothers to roam around the castle and fight over who is the best candidate, they are perfectly capable of doing that.”

“The last time I gave this opportunity to Jace, he wanted to marry a Northern bastard.”

“She was a Stark bastard.”, Harwin tried to suppress his laugh. “Aegon could easily make her legitimate.”

“Yes, right after gaining back his status and his right over Dragonstone, marrying a legitimized bastard wouldn’t make everything worse.”, Rhaenyra rolled her eyes.

“I told you it was just a phase and it passed, right?”

“I don’t like the way he goes to the North at every chance he gets. He can return back here with a bastard wife and children.”

“Jace is smarter than that.”

“That’s my only hope.”

Harwin put a shirt on and hugged Rhaenyra from behind, their eyes met in the mirror. “Alicent is probably dragging everyone to quit their jobs right now, we must save the poor men.”

“We cannot save anyone, she will eat us alive too.”

*

“I am surprised that Borros let Aletris come without a fuss.”, Rhaenys said while walking towards the council room. “I was expecting to receive furious letters that say how this is an insult to him and to his family. As if we didn’t give our precious pearl to him in return for nothing.”

“Aletris’ status hurts my nerves every time I think about it.”, some men bowed to them while Corlys spoke with a stoic tone. “She is my cousin and deserves better than his green boy.”

“She is six and twenty, don’t you think you are a little too late to think about her honour now?”

“You were the one who suggested sending her there.”

“Her parents were dead and I had two toddlers of my own. I didn’t have time for her, and I admit that we had made a mistake. I trusted a cousin’s words and a friend’s goodwill and they basically took her as a hostage after they had their son.”

“A decade of an age difference, it is not fair to her, she deserves a man, not a boy who still hides behind his mother’s skirts.”, Corlys huffed and Rhaenys sent him a mocking smile.

“Again my love, you are a little too late now. She is not just a woman grown anymore, some ignorant men in the realm would see her as worthy of nothing.”

“She is a Velaryon with Targaryen blood and she rides the king of the dragons. She will never be worthy of anything.”

“Worse then, they will see her as a trophy. They will court her only to use her as a broodmare in the end, hoping to gain a dragon egg for their babies.”

“The Queen would never allow that.”

“You and I think differently, as usual.”, Rhaenys amused. “The Queen would give her as many as dragon eggs she wishes. But the Queen Mother? Well, I can’t say the same for her.”

“It is Alicent who rules the realm and it is Alicent who rules the court. Both Aegon and Helaena do nothing but take care of themselves.”

“I thought we agreed upon not saying such things in public.”

They were getting close to the council chamber, so there weren’t many people around. “I was never known to hold my tongue.”, Corlys sent her a side eye and a smirk. “You know it better than anyone else.”

Rhaenys hit his arm jokingly. “Between Laena-“, her voice got cracked. “-and Laenor and then the War on Stepstones… We made things very wrong with her. And I fear now it is too late.”

“I don’t think so. Now that you had forbidden me to interfere even a little with Baela and Rhaena’s matches, I have plenty of time to take care of my dearest cousin.”

“And what of your other cousin?”

“Which one?”

“The one that is coming here, the little one.”

“Daenaera?”

“Yes, her. What if your plans for her?”

“I have one plan only. Make her the future queen.”

“Haven’t you learned anything from your mistakes?”, Rhaenys stopped Corlys and looked at him with sadness in her eyes. “Your political games and ambition and need for seeking glory cost us everything including our precious daughter and our only son’s birthright. You and I, we are getting older every single day, husband, not younger. Isn’t it time for you to stop and return back home, to Driftmark? Spend time with your son because he needs his father. Don’t you think your granddaughters, the only living memory of our daughter, deserves to know their grandfather?”

“Our son is a man that has been through a lot now and every time he looks at me I have to look down because I had ruined his life, I am the reason for his sister’s death and his ex-wife’s fall from grace. How can I spend time with him? How can I look to my granddaughters, knowing that they are blaming me too?”

“You didn’t kill Laena, your ambitions and Daemon’s-“, both shivered because of that cursed name. “-vindictiveness. Both are women grown now, eager to marry and start their own families. Baela is learning more and more about her inheritance every day and one day she will be a wonderful Lady of Driftmark Rhaena already has eyes for a mysterious man, someone she loves and truly wishes to marry. Both of them are blessed with two things Laena couldn’t and never will have, but the Gods are working in mysterious ways and they gave her true wishes of her heart to her daughters. They do not blame you or me or their uncle or Rhaenyra. They blame only Daemon. Even though he was their father, they can see his true face. Daemon never loved them -especially not Rhaena.”, she huffed. “He didn’t think she was worthy because she didn’t have a dragon. Tell me what kind of a father would do such things? You may have your own ambitions and used our children to achieve them in ways that I had never supported but at least you love them and supported them through all. You were there for Laena when she married Daemon even though the king himself had forbidden it, and you supported Laenor and covered everything for him for years. And we both paid enough debts for the things we had done. Now it is time for us to move on. Not enter another game.”

“You were the one who suggested Aletris to Alicent.”

“She wrote me a letter and asked my advice. I love my cousin, I truly do. But I also know her unhappiness. I do not wish to force her into a marriage she doesn’t want because I had suffered for it for years. Aemond…”, she stopped for a minute to organize her thoughts. “is a difficult person, no one can deny it. Not even Alicent or herself. He’s been through a lot and while everybody else acts like they had forgotten everything, he can’t, no matter how much he forces himself and this causes him to be more alone. So that he wouldn’t just snap or blow out to someone and lit a fuse.”

“Do you think it is still a chance? That the peace can go down at any minute? Is it that fragile?”

“It is not fragile.”, Rhaenys rolled her eyes. “Rhaenyra said herself that she didn’t want the throne and in the years she had spent in Harrenhal -basically in exile, without any titles or anyone to spoil her, she got humbled. She finally got rid of the remaining Daemon from her system. She opened her eyes to reality. It wasn’t that people didn’t want a queen on the throne, of course, there were such people who would refuse to bow down to her even though she would be Jaehaerys reborn simply because she is a woman. But the majority of people didn’t want to see her on the throne solely because of herself. Because she mistook kindness for obedience and thought she could have everything without any backlash. She could’ve been the queen if she played it right if she secured her claim. It wasn’t that people chose a king over a queen, that was what had happened to me.”, she took her hand from Corlys’ arm. “I loved my cousin more than everything but he was weak and uneducated when he was next to me. I was raised to be the future queen, and I took every step according to it. People didn’t want to bow down to a woman, they chose Viserys and nearly paid for it. While they chose Aegon over Rhaenyra even though they don’t like him too, because of her immatureness. She stood against everything Westeros stood for and so many people -including our son, paid for it. It still hurts me to look at her, sometimes I feel rage. But I try to let go because of Laenor’s love for her. In this aspect, I understand Aemond more than anyone. I understand his sudden want of outburst. I just want to go and yell at everyone ‘was it all that easy to forget everything?”. I want to shake Alicent and wake her up from the dream she’s in. Her best friend slept with her crush -while knowing this and then lied to her face and caused her unhappiness for a decade, she is the sole reason why Viserys was that away from her and her children, she offered torture of her boy and yet Alicent still drinks with her, she is still friends with her, laughs with her as if nothing had happened.”, Rhaenys shook her head and laughed with disbelief. “Criston is the reason why Harwin was sent to exile, he is the reason why Lyonel Strong still lives in shame in Harrenhal and they go out weekly. Alicent met with the king for weeks behind her back, yet Rhaenyra still trusts her. If it wouldn’t because of Alicent, she would be the queen now and yet she doesn’t feel like her birthright was stolen. Alicent is on good terms with Otto, Rhaenyra respects Otto, and you are friendly with Otto.”, she laughed again but with tears in her eyes this time. “I blamed you for years for stocking in the past but now I am the one who lives in the past. I feel like everything and everyone is moving around me, the time is changing, and old wounds are healing but I am still in Driftmark, still 15 years ago, sending my only daughter to the sea for her final journey and he stood there-“, the words came out with venom from her mouth. “-laughs and she is there, watching him as if she just wants to fuck him in front of everyone while my daughter is gone and my son is drowning himself in his cups.”

“Rhaenys…”, Corlys tried but Rhaenys pushed his hands.

“I will always stay in that moment. Like Aemond will always stay in the moment he lost his eye. Some people can move on but we never will because our wounds are just too deep and there is no way to amend them. Alicent married Criston and forgot all of her unhappiness, Rhaenyra married Harwin and all the shame is gone from their names now, Jacaerys will inherit the Dragonstone, Lucerys will inherit the Harrenhal, I’m sure they will find somewhere for Joffrey too, Laenor and Qarl has a strong and a happy relationship, Baela will become a lady of her own rights one day and Rhaena will marry soon and have a family of her own. I know none of the things I’ve said to you will change anything and you will enter these bloody games once again and make her the Queen, Aletris will either become the Lady Paramount of Stormlands or something else, Aegon is the King and Helaena is the Queen, maybe even Aemond can get over everything, and there is no one that people love more than Daeron and when it all ends and the time for Maesters to wrote down everything will past tense, Otto will be the winner of the game of the thrones and I will still stay in Driftmark, 15 years ago, sending my only daughter to the sea.”, she wiped her tears. “So no, husband, the peace isn’t fragile at all because everybody moved on. I just thought someone like Aletris could help Aemond to move on, a challenge, a thrill of living, a purpose. So that at least, at least, one of them would be happy. I was just trying to save a soul from the pit called ‘regret’.”

“I never knew what to say or do when it came to moments like this. It was Laena who helped me even though she was a child. She was kind and compassionate, full of love and so bright for her age, so bright that I remember fearing what kind of darkness would want to extinguish her. While trying to make her the queen, some part of me wished that Viserys would say no because I couldn’t handle seeing my beautiful girl with someone so old. Losing her in these games was my biggest fear. I never knew the danger would come from a man that I trusted, a man that I went to war with. And he did it all to get revenge on me because Laenor married Rhaenyra. Because Laenor took his chance to be the king and rule over her.”, Corlys tried to open his heart to his heartbroken wife. “Do you think it is easy for me to move on when I see her smile everywhere I look? Living in the Keep and hearing or seeing Vhagar kills me. Seeing Rhaenyra’s face every day makes me want to strangle her, I make plans to kill Otto, Harwin Strong, Criston Cole, all of them… But what choice do I have but to move on? She wouldn’t want that for us.”

“No she wouldn’t.”, Rhaenys said in a small voice.

“So I am trying to move on and I promise that I’ll do everything to help you move on too because you don’t deserve such pain, but I do. I must face that sorrow every day of my life because whatever happened to my family was caused by me.”

“And then tell me, why are you trying to do that once more.”

“Because this is who I am.”, Corlys simply said while holding her face between his hands. “Because I can’t sit back and watch a Baratheon girl or someone else be the future queen while I have a beautiful cousin who deserves the spot, a pure Valyrian. I cannot sit back and watch a Reyne get marry to a Targaryen. The rider of the Vhagar deserved a pure Valyrian bride, who rides the king of the dragons. And I will try for this because if I make it right this time, maybe then-“

“Maybe then you can look to Laenor and the girls.”

“No.”, he said. “Maybe then I can look into your eyes.”

*

“We have 7 bachelors.”, Alicent started to talk.

“Seven?”, Lord Tyland asked.

“Princes Aemond and Daeron, my sons, are in need of a wife.”

“I thought Prince Aemond had already promised to Lady Moira Reyne.”

“He will meet her and court her but there isn’t an official betrothal and it won’t be until my son and the girl wishes it.”, Alicent deadpanned to Tyland. “And then of course we need to find betrothals or at least candidates for a suitable match for my grandsons, our future king Prince Jaehaerys and his little brother Prince Maelor. Princess Rhaenyra will also look for a bride for her sons Princess Jacaerys and Lucerys and a betrothal for a short time for young Prince Joffrey.”

“And the princesses?”, Tyland questioned again. He didn’t have a wife or children but Jason had a son he was proud of. Fetching a Princess or at least Lady Visenya or Lady Aemma or Lady Carina would be a blessing.

“We will find a betrothal to my granddaughter Princess Jaehaera, and we will consider possible matches for Ladies Carina, Visenya and Aemma. But nothing too serious. The main goal is to find a future queen and future betrothals to the young princess and to the prince. Then Prince Aemond and Prince Jacaerys because they are the eldest, then Prince Daeron and Prince Lucerys, and lastly Prince Joffrey and the ladies. Now let’s make one last brainstorm.”

There were the small council members in the room; Aegon, Helaena, Alicent, Rhaenyra, Otto, Corlys, Tyland, Maester Orwlye, Larys and Ser Harrold. And close family and friends; Criston, Harwin, Rhaenys and Laenor.

“The future queen must come from an important house, your grace. Her name must matter more than her beauty or age.”, Maester Orwyle spoke first. “You had summoned many important houses but I think the whole council agrees that we cannot make a future queen form an Umber or from a Greyjoy.”

“The Iron Islands are only summoned here so that they wouldn’t feel less.”, Tyland said. “There hasn’t been a Northern or Ironborn queen and forgive me your grace, but we mustn't start now.”

“My son will choose his wife when he comes of age.”, Aegon cut it short. “We are not here to find him an absolute bride and put a chain on his neck at that early age. We got married at that age-“, he pointed to himself and Helaena. “-and I’m sure the Queen would answer you gladly when you ask about her happiness status. We will not put the same pressure on our kids.”, he was weirdly sober that day. And even smiled a little when Helaena nodded to agree with him.

“Of course, my son. We are just here to make suggestions.”

“I want a Southern bride if my son agrees too. The Northerns are too much of a problem and we don’t need to bring them to the table too. I have two brothers and three nephews with princely status, they would be enough.”, once again after he finished his speech Helaena agreed.

“Your grace, having a Northern Queen could actually unite the two sides of the realm. We know that Northern Lords don’t like the fact that they are this much being overlooked. Having a bride from there would seem like goodwill.”, Aegon flinched at Rhaenyra’s last word and Rhaenyra shared a look with Alicent.

“Jace loves to entertain the Norther Lords, go to him if you are keen on such an idea.”, Rhaenyra got surprised by the sudden attack. “I’ve heard that my nephew had fallen in love with a Northern girl already.”

“It was nothing your grace.”, Harwin tried to explain.

“A bastard I heard.”, he raised an eyebrow and turned to Rhaenyra. “Remember what you said to me once sister? Put a crown on a dog’s head but that dog is still a dog.”

“Aegon.”, Alicent warned while Rhaenyra gritted her teeth.

“Don’t mention me about goodwill ever again.”, he spat Helaena put a hand on his arm and Rhaenyra’s face lit up with realization.

Fuck, she thought. Couldn’t I find a better word?

“Goodwill was to forgive your sins and save your heads. Goodwill was to make you a princess again even though you acted like nothing but a whore-“

“Aegon.”, Alicent warned him again with a louder tone but Aegon stopped her with his hand.

“-goodwill was to legitimize your bastards and make them princes. Goodwill was to make you my hand and let you live here. Goodwill was to let you have your tongue still when so many lost theirs because of you and your lies. Be grateful that you are sitting here and be able to state your opinions. I did it all because our father-“, his voice cracked. “-loved you once, even though you never deserved it. But I swear on the Old Gods and the New and to the Valyrian Gods, if you mention ‘goodwill’ ever again in my presence or my wife or any of my brothers, I will have your tongue and make you eat it. Understood?”

Rhaenyra’s face was white as it could ever be and Harwin was holding her hand. Alicent had already buried her face into hers, Helaena was trying to calm Aegon by holding his arm, Corlys shared a look with Rhaenys, and the rest of the room just bowed their head.

“I asked you a question?”, Aegon pressed.

“I understood your grace.”, Rhaenyra whispered.

“Good. Just because you are here doesn’t mean you can’t go back to the rat hole you came from. You are only here because my mother wished so and nothing more. You are not my sister, you are not my anything. And do not dare to state your opinions about my children ever again. Focus on yours.”

A silence fell upon the room and Otto finally broke it.

“I think we mustn't have this topic to discuss here and let it go. We will argue about it once we got to know the candidates. It is meaningless now.”

Alicent was eager to agree, she never thought the council would go like this and after looking at his grandfather for a moment Aegon dismissed everyone with his hand and stood up, held Helaena’s hand and walked out of the room.

Everybody left but Alicent, Criston, Rhaenyra and Harwin. Rhaenyra didn’t move and was still sitting, Harwin was standing and holding her hand. Criston was watching the sea from the window and Alicent was rubbing her face.

“I told you not to interfere.”

“I tried to make a suggestion as his hand.”

“Rhaenyra.”, Alicent warned. “He is going through something, you know it as much as I do. Watch out for your words, be more careful.”

“I don’t understand what is wrong with ‘goodwill’.”

“It’s a mistake my father done 15 years ago.”

“A mistake he did it because of you.”, Alicent snapped and Rhaenyra looked at her with surprise.

“Alicent.”, Criston said calmly. “I see the Reyne sigil from the ships. Your possible future good daughter had arrived, let’s go to see her.”

Alicent continued to look at Rhaenyra intensely but then got up and fixed her green dress and let Criston take her arm.

“Goodwill?”, Harwin asked again to his teary-eyed wife after they both left.

“Now make your apologies and show goodwill to one another. Your father, your grandsire, your king demands it!”

“That is insufficient. Aemond has been damaged permanently, my king. ‘Goodwill’ cannot make him whole.”

“A wrong word that I used at a very wrong time.”, she wiped her face. “Nothing more.”

*

"You've said everybody moved on.", Corlys whispered to Rhaenys.

"Apparently everyone but the king."

"Rhaenys you know better than me what happens-"

"-when a king lives in the past, yes. We all have seen it for 14 years with Viserys."

"We must help the boy before it's too late."

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe they didn’t let us to the council meeting. Even Helaena was there!”, Daeron spoke with annoyance while watching the upcoming nobles from the window in Aegon’s chambers.

“Because our sister is the queen and it is her children that have the utmost priority.”, Aemond said while he was sitting on a chair, leaning his back as much as he could, closing his eyes and playing with his hands.

“Yes and after them, they will be talking about us. Don’t you want to have a say in your possible future wife?”

“Mother wishes her to be Moira Reyne so it will be Moira Reyne.”

“Mother wishes this, mother wishes that.”, Daeron rolled his eyes. “What about what you wish brother? Why do you let mother decide everything?”

“I don’t let her decide everything. On the contrary, I am trying to decide everything on her behalf so she wouldn’t worry about me too. It’s a kindness that unfortunately none of her other children does.”

“Daeron rolled his eyes again. I am three and twenty, I think I had passed the age that she would need to worry about me. I’ve had to return from Oldtown because she wanted, I am trying to be useful because she wanted, I take care of the kids to relieve her responsibilities. You are not the only one who thinks about her well-being.”

“You think you are so smart, aren’t you?”, a ghost of a smile appeared on Aemond’s lips.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”, Daeron nervously fixed his collar.

“It means little brother, that we all can see the struggle you are in.”

“I am in no strugg-“

“Just because Aegon does it more obviously doesn’t mean we don’t see you.”

“Going to brothels doesn’t mean I have a problem.”

“No, of course. But drinking yourself to the point that you forgot even your own name means you have a very serious problem. And thinking that neither of us actually realizes it or sees it means your problems are too deep within.”

“You are overreacting. Just because our lifestyles aren’t similar, doesn’t give you a right to judge me.”

“You think I don’t know you enough to judge?”

“How could you?”, Daeron asked while turning back to the window. “I’ve been in Oldtown my whole life. I am a stranger to you all.”

Aemond opened his eye. “Are you a stranger to us or are we a stranger to you? I think you must get the answer to this question first. Because when you finally return we didn’t feel anything but happiness to have our baby brother back because he’d been taken from us too young and it had been too long since we last saw him. And we were and still are very excited to meet with him, to know him -even Aegon. Because you are a Targaryen, you are -what they used to say? Ah, you are a ‘green’ and you always will be.”

“We don’t have time for unnecessary emotions Aemond.”

“It is not unnecessary emotions. I am aware that you don’t feel like you are fitting in, it’s too painfully obvious.”

“Then why you didn’t say anything before?”

“Because we all tried to give you time to adjust yourself. The King’s Landing you left and the King’s Landing you had found were very different and mother of course blames herself.”

“It doesn’t seem like that to me.”, Daeron mumbled and Aemond took a deep breath. “She seems very content with her life and her new husband and her new children. Replacements of us and father.”

“She is happy and this must be our focus. They are not replacements if the prior ones just made her unhappy.”

“You just said the same thing yourself. She was so unhappy with her father and us, she forced herself to love us but she never could. And now she is married to a man she loves and cares about, a man that loves and cares about her, and she has three beautiful children to swoon over. She doesn’t need to worry about us all anymore.”

“Do you think she is truly someone like that? Someone who forgets her children just because she has new ones?”

“How can I know? I don’t know anything about her. I wasn’t there remember?”, Daeron slightly turned to him. “She sent me.”

“She didn’t send you.”, Aemond’s voice was stern now and he got up from his chair, and approached to his brother. “Father sent you and she begged for him to change his mind.”

“She was the queen!”, Daeron opened his arms and turned to Aemond completely this time. “And now you are telling me that she could take the king’s dagger and assault the crown princess with no consequences, that she can be the first female judge in history without any objections, that she was that powerful. But she couldn’t make her baby boy be returned back to her? And what?”, he laughed. “Should I believe that? She didn’t know what to do with me as much as father didn’t and probably thought one headache less and let me stay there.”

“She wrote to our uncle and grandfather every day, begged to them to send you back.”

“She was the ‘queen’.”, he whispered the last word. “All she had to do was to command and they would have to obey.”

“And her husband was the king.”, Aemond tried to touch his brother’s arm but Daeron pulled himself back.

“What is this weird thing with you and her?”, he pointed out the window while saying ‘her’.

“What weird thing?”

“Why are you two always trying to hug or touch the people you are talking to.”, Daeron asked rather angrily. “Because she never liked that. I remember that I used to go to her after a nightmare for cuddles and she would send me right back to my chambers. And her oh-so-honourable knight, the one you all love, her new husband, wouldn’t even look at me.”, he huffed. “Well, it seems it had changed to thanks to her new little family.”

“Do not take out your resentments of father from her.”, Aemond warned. “She doesn’t deserve it. She had been through a lot.”

“And we haven’t?”, Daeron questioned again. “She was a victim yes, but not the only victim. She is the reason why Aegon is so fucked up. She used to hit him remember? ‘Cause I do.”, Daeron laughed. “That’s called abuse, brother. And it had nothing to do with father.”

Aemond grimaced. “She’s been trying to protect him.”

“By hitting him?”, Daeron asked with a raised eyebrow. “She is also the reason Helaena is an introvert.”

“Our sister-“

“Our sister never got any attention from her because she used to ignore her. Because of her resemblances to Rhaenyra, I guess.”, he shrugged. “She used to try to talk with her and she would do what, remember? She would just walk away and Helaena, little Helaena would look at her with tears in her eyes.”

“She never liked to be around people.”

“But she wasn’t any ordinary person, wasn’t she? She was her mother and the only person Helaena wanted to be around. And now she walks away from her touches too.”

“She doesn’t like physical content but loves our mother.”

“I am not talking about love. I love our mother too but this doesn’t change the fact she was a horrible mother to us because she never liked our father. She punished four little children for the sins of her husband and her father.”

“She never did that.”, Aemond shook his head. “You have valid points, yes. She failed from time to time as a mother but you must feel empathy with her. She was a child too.”

“It’s not an excuse.”, Daeron deadpanned. “I understand she never wanted us, but she had to have us, yes and it’s terrible. But hitting Aegon and ingoring Helaena? This wasn’t her being a child this was her punishing them. There can never be an excuse for these. She resented us.”

“She didn’t know what to do with us.”, Aemond tried to correct him. “If you haven’t realised yet, our maternal grandmother is not alive. And grandfather isn’t the perfect parental figure a kid can have.”

“Did he hit her ever?”

Aemond got surprised and lost his words for a second. “I don’t think so, no.”

“Did he ever ignore her?”

“How can we-“

“Well I can answer, no, he did not. He wasn’t the best father we all agree on that, but he never abused her the way she abused us.”

“He made her marry her best friend’s father, a man twice of her age when she was only fourteen.”, Aemond answered with shock. “You are being unfair to her.”

“Why do you always feel the need to defend her?”, Daeron raised his voice. “She is not a child anymore, she is an adult. She had so many times to apologize to us or acknowledge her mistakes. She criticises Rhaenyra on this and yet, they both are the same in my eyes.”

“I don’t try to defend her.”, Aemond hissed. “I am trying to show you a different angle. I am saying that your feelings are valid but hers are too. You can’t resent her forever because she is happy now.”

“You’ve lost only one eye brother.”, Daeron deadpanned. “I don’t understand how can you be so blind.”

Aemond took a step back to calm himself because no matter what Daeron was his brother but then the doors opened fastly and Aegon entered the room with great fury, with Helaena following him nervously.

“Goodwill? GOODWILL?”, he kicked a chair and caused its fall, and threw a few books to the wall. Helaena closed her ears and Aemond quickly went to shield her from any potential object that accidentally went her way and even Daeron took a few cautious steps towards them. “I AM GOING TO SHOW HER WHAT GOODWILL IS!”, he threw a few other things while his siblings just watched him. “LORD TYLAND!”, he yelled once again while pouring himself a glass of wine.

Tyland Lannister entered the room with nervousness and shared a look with Aemond. “My king.”

“Tell the council; that whore is not my hand anymore.”, he drank his first cup and poured the second and send a look to pale-looking Tyland. “And she is not a princess, none of her bastards is a prince.”

“Brother what is going-“

“And that husband of hers, I want him to be taken to the Black Cells.”

“Your grace what would the queen say?”, Tyland’s eyes were wide as they could be and he was subtly shaking.

“The Queen-“, Aegon hissed while drinking his fourth cup. “-is standing right there. Do you want to say something honey?”

Helaena was leaning against the wall and was trying not to meet anyone’s eyes. She seemed like not hearing Aegon.

“See?”, Aegon let out a cruel laugh. “She doesn’t even fucking speak!”

“Aegon-“, Daeron tried to interfere.

“So tell me Lord Tyland, if my queen refuses to speak then why we are worried about what she is going to say?”, he raised his voice with each word and took a step with each word. He was standing too close to Tyland now. “And if you are talking about the Queen Mother then maybe you have to remind her that I AM THE KING!”, he hit his face with his wine glass and Aemond quickly left Helaena’s side and pulled Aegon back while Daeron tried to help Tyland.

“Brother calm yourself down. What is going on?”, Aemond held his face sternly. “You are speaking of nonsense.”

“I am the king.”, Aegon whispered. “I never talk nonsense.”

“Did Rhaenyra do something?”

“We should’ve killed that whore and her bastards when they took your eye. They don’t deserve our goodwill.”

Aegon tried to push Aemond but he stopped him. “Aegon!”, he hissed. “You are talking war, do not let your anger affect your decisions. Tell us what happened first.”

Aegon refused to answer and Daeron turned to Lord Tyland. “Go and tell to the Queen Mother what happened here.”

“Do not do such a thing!”, Aegon yelled again and this time managed to push Aemond. “Or I will have your tongue!”

“If he won’t I will.”, Helaena said finally, still not meeting anybody’s eyes. “Will you have my tongue too?”

Aegon looked at her with complete betrayal on his face and then started to laugh. “Of course, you all united against me as usual. Why am I even surprised?”

“Lord Tyland do what I say.”, Daeron spoke to the man again and he quickly left the room.

“You cannot snap at her every time she uses a word that you don’t like.”, Helaena said again. “You are humiliating yourself in front of people.”

“She humiliated herself in front of the whole realm and still can walk with a spine, so I guess I’ll be fine.”, Aegon said between his laugh and tears and pulled another cup to drink his seventh cup. When he tried to finish his next and realized the wine had finished he threw the cup to the wall and caused Helaena once again to close her ears because of the sound and this time Daeron approached her.

“Guards bring me wine!”, Aegon yelled but when one of them entered the room Aemond blocked Aegon.

“If you take another step to the throne I will cut you out.”, he said and the guard quickly left the room.

“Look at that!”, Aegon started to clap. “I am the king and yet people listen to everybody but me.”

“If you want people to listen to you maybe you should start to act like a king. It’s been what, 15 years since you’ve crowned? And you are still having temper tantrums.”

“Because I do not like her!”, Aegon yelled. “I do not want to even see her. Don’t you see brother, she is the reason for all our sufferings.”

“And father.”, Helaena added with a small voice.

“And mother.”, everybody turned to look at Daeron.

“What are you talking about?”, Aegon asked. “She only tried us to be our best selves while father was too busy with defending some bastards and the whole realm was too busy licking Rhaenyra’s ass. She was the only one who was there for us.”

“Not for me. And seeing you three, totally miserable, I am starting to think maybe it was a good thing that she was not there for me.”

“Daeron,”, Aegon started to talk because both Aemond and Helaena didn’t know what to say. “I don’t know what is your problem with her but we don’t attack her here. Feel free to go after our father who died 15 years ago and Rhaenyra but not her. We don’t have space for that issue too.”

Aemond rubbed his face and Daeron huffed.

“The nobles had arrived we must go there.”, Helaena said to Aegon.

“Do I look like I want to spend time with a bunch of cunty nobles who are eager to sell their girls to us?”

“I thought that was your favourite activity.”, Daeron mocked him. And Aegon threw a book to his head also jokingly. “Guess I was wrong.”

“Daeron, with all my patience, fuck off.”, his speech started to slow down.

“Perfect, you promised to stay sober and got drunk again.”, Aemond held his brother and help him sit down.

“I didn’t need to give you a promise. I wasn’t going to let that whore send my babies far away. And you all told me that I was being paranoid.”

“What did she say to make you this angry?”, Daeron asked while also sitting down.

“She offered a Northern bride for Jaehaerys. Knowing damn well that there isn’t a single girl that is suitable for him, agewise.”

“How do you know she knew that? Maybe she made an honest recommendation. The North might feel that they are being overstepped which they are slightly right. We had marriages within nearly all the kingdoms. Our mother is from the Reach, Daemon was married to a Vale girl and so did our father, Daemon then married a Crowlands girl, Rhaenyra married and cuckolded a Crowlands boy and now is married to a Riverlander, Prince Aemon married a Stormlander. There is only Westerlands, Iron Islands and the North left and well-“

“Fuck the Iron Islands.”, Daeron said.

“-yes.”, Aemond replied, slightly annoyed that he cut his speech. “There never will be an Iron Islander Queen but North is old and proud and richer than them. Cregan Stark is a force to be reckoned with. It’s not bad advice Aegon.”

“Look,”, he rubbed his face. “If I knew, I knew it Aemond, that the North doesn’t have a suitable bride for Jaehaerys and Maelor, do you think there is even a slight chance that she didn’t? I mean if she didn’t then that’s a problem too, she is supposed to be my hand, not knowing means she fucked up her job.”

“Are you trying to find a way to lash at her because you are nervous yourself and she is an easy target or are you truly angry at her?”, Helaena asked, feeling safe so she approached her brothers.

“She meant sending Jaehaera, my daughter, our only daughter to North.”, Aegon deadpanned.

“I will never let that happen. My daughter is too young and will not marry a Northern. I cannot bear to stay away from her this much.”, Helaena quickly spoke and held Aegon’s arm. “I swear to you if you arrange such a match I would take Dreamfyre and the boys and start living in the North.”

Aegon saved his arm from Helaena. “This is why I am this angry too! I will not let such a thing. Our daughter will stay close to us and will marry a Southerner. I didn’t even let a Dornish match, I will not send her to North to some, some barbarians that I had never met.”, after seeing Helaena’s still worrying eyes he added more softly. “You don’t need to worry, our daughter will stay with us.”

“You know that she is a princess, right?”, Daeron asked and then explained when all three turned to look at him. “Laenor was the heir of Driftmark and should’ve stayed there and now Harwin is the heir of Harrenhal and he should stay there but their wife was Rhaenyra. A princess. So they stayed here with her. Jaehaera has this right. Marry her with a powerful heir and then make them stay here until that boy’s father dies.”

“This is weirdly good advice.”, Aemond sent an approving look to Daeron. “But I agree with a Southern match. The new Queen especially must be Southern. We are in dire need of a Westerland match, it is even more urgent than a Northern one.”

“What are your recommendations?”

“Marry Jaehaerys with a Crownlander. Maelor with a Westerlander. And Jaehaera with a Reacher. Secure the three most powerful kingdoms around you. We have three nephews, unfortunately. Luke will inherit Harrenhal one day, so marry him with a Riverlander, and Jace will inherit Dragonstone -such a waste and shame, but marry him with either a Crownlander or with an Ironborn, the key is this wife must be an islander. And send little Joffrey to the Vale.”

“And what of North? What of Stormlands?”

“Stormlands has enough royal matches for this generation and you said yourself the North doesn’t have any suitable brides but has grooms but the only princess is Jaehaera and she is most definitely isn’t going there. I, most likely, will marry a Westerlander too. And we can send Daeron to the North.”

“Of course, you can.”, Daeron spoke sweetly. “When I am cold in my grave, brother.”

“Daeron-“

“My ass would freeze there. I have a colourful personality brother. I love feasts and fun and people and dance and music and good food. North has neither. I am a dragon, I need fire around me to survive. I will marry one of Borros Baratheon’s daughters. Find someone else for the North.”

“You said Jace loved a Northern. Marry him with her.”

“And what part of the word ‘bastard’ you didn’t get dear wife?

“Legitimize her.”

“And offendr Rhaenyra even more? I wouldn’t do that.”, Daeron said while getting up from his chair.

“Offending her sounds good though, I might.”

“No you won’t.”, Aemond cut it short. “He needs to marry an islander.”

“And they said to be a king, have fun. Nobody told me I would go mad over love matches.”, the alcohol started to kick.

“Okay, Aegon we will use the excuse of a headache for your absence and in the meantime, you will sleep here to sober up. Helaena, and Daeron, will go and welcome the guests. Mother and Rhaenyra can’t do that alone.”, Aemond ordered and both of his siblings left the room but Aemond turned one last time to Aegon. “This supper is really important for mother, you know it right?”

“It’s just a supper.”

“They may not connect the dots but I know you better than anyone. You know the date damn well and it is the reason for your irrational anger over a simple thing.”

“It’s not.”, Aegon lied. “It’s just a day, has no importance.”

“Father’s death anniversary means the most to you and she really wants to have this supper to honour his memory. There will be no Rhaenyra or Criston or our lovely siblings, nephews or whatever. Only you and me, Elea and Daeron and mother. We will pray and light candles.”

“I don’t know why she tries this hard.”, Aegon murmured while getting into the bed. “He would forget his existence the day after she died if she meant him anything.”

*

“Where is Aegon?”, Alicent asked with under her smile. “The King must be here to welcome them.”

“The King has a terrible headache, lady mother.”, Daeron announced loudly. “And he wished us to lend his apologizes to his guests.”

Corlys’ Velaryon cousins were on the front with Laenor and the rest of the Crowlands nobles, right next to them there was Borros Baratheon and his daughters and son and the rest of his bannermen. Lord Jason Lannister was standing apart from the crowd with his son and bannermen. Lord Tyrell was standing next to Lord Hightower -Alicent’s brother and the Reacher Lords were behind them.

“We all welcome you in the name of the King Aegon, Second of His Name, Rightful King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and the Protector of the Realm.”, Alicent spoke loudly as the Queen Mother. Showed them who held the true power. On her right, there was Helaena, the Queen and on her left, there was Rhaenyra, the Hand.

On Helaena’s side, the royal princes were standing. Aemond, Daeron, Luke and Joffrey. In front of them, there were Jaehaerys and Jaeharera, she was holding them by their shoulders.

On Rhaenyra’s side, there were the small council members, Harwin and Criston.

The nobles bend down and after finishing all the formalities, the guards showed them their chambers. “Your grace,”, Lord Tyland called for Alicent and she kindly finished her talk with her brother and turned towards the Westerland Lords. “You must remember my brother, Jason Lannister, Lord of the Casterly Rock and the Lord Paramount of the Westerlands.”

“Of course I do.”, Alicent said with a kind smile while Jason muttered a ‘your grace’ and bowed to kiss her ring. “It’s been such a joy to see you here, it’s been a long time.”

“Two years, your grace.”, Jason said. “You know how it is ruling, leave them a moment alone and the sheep would start to riot.”, and then he let out a laugh. “They need a lion to keep them under control.”

“Of course, but I heard it doesn’t matter the colour of the lion.”, Rhaenyra approached to them. “Lord Reyne, you too welcome to the court. It’s been even longer since to see you.”

Lord Reyne was different then Jason, he was more like Tyland. “Princess Rhaenyra.”, he only bowed his head to her but when he turned to Alicent he made a formal bow and kissed her ring. “Your grace, it’s been an honour to finally meet you.”

“It’s unfair that we haven’t before.”, Alicent said while sending a look to Rhaenyra because now Jason was openly sulking. “And this must be your daughter.”

“Yes, yes, come here sweetheart.”, a slim figure walked towards them with a kind smile and focusing eyes. People around them were watching them intensely. They knew they were an addition, and she was brought here with a promise. “This my only daughter, Lady Moira Reyne.”

The ginger girl curtsied to Alicent and she would never admit but she handled that even better than Alicent did herself when she was her age. “Your grace, it is an honour to stand in your presence.”

Alicent observed the girl. She had a small heart-shaped face, her cheek bones were prominent, had a symmetrical face with a small nose and pink lips. Her blue eyes were shining under the sun, she wasn’t tall but she wasn’t short. They were at the same height. And her hair was soft ginger that looked like auburn towards her roots. She was cute, Alicent had to admit that. She was very comely, and beautiful. Maybe too soft next to Aemond but Alicent liked her enough.

“Lady Reyne,”, she said while sending an appreciative look to Tyland and turning her fake kind smile into a big real one for the first time today. “you are as beautiful as we had heard. Helaena darling!”, she called for her daughter. She was with Daeron and Aemond had left already.

“Your grace.”, everybody bowed to Helaena and she look very uncomfortable for a second until Alicent put a hand on her arm.

“This is Lady Moira Reyne. I wanted to introduce you to her.”

Helaena turned to look at her mother when she heard the girl’s name and then turned back to the girl. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too, my Queen.”, her smile was perfectly shaped so that Helaena felt warmth.

Lord Jason started to praise Lord Reyne -and himself and they all were lost in conversation when Helaena suddenly blurted. “Both of my ladies found themselves husbands and they need to leave my service.”, everybody turned to look at her but before Alicent interfered she continued. “I need a new one.”, then looked to Moira -who looked speechless. “Would you be interested?”

“You want me to be your lady, my queen?”

“Yes. If there is a possibility of you and me being sisters in the future, it might be better if we get to know each other.”, Alicent sent a proud look to Helaena. “And it’s not like Aemond himself will court you, he is too shy for that.”

Daeron who was in a different conversation close to them burst out laughing and couldn’t even stop himself when Alicent sent him a look.

“I wouldn’t want to disturb his grace.”, Moira spoke quickly.

“Well, he will have to court at least one. He cannot die as a prude.”, Daeron entered their conversation and Rhaenyra looked like she is going to laugh too. Alicent pinched her in secret while keeping a smile on her face. Jason and Tyland shared a look with Lord Reyne and Moira looked lost. “I am the handsome one.”, Daeron said to Moira. “Aemond is not that bad himself but of course, I am on another level.”, he held her hand while looking directly into her eyes and kissed it.

“Ehm,”, Tyland faked a cough. “This is Prince Daeron Targaryen, Lady Moira. The youngest of the princes.”

“And truly the best-looking one, though Aegon is not that bad of himself.”, Helaena said, looking proud of herself and Alicent was just trying not to die of embarrassment.

“It’s-“

“And honour to meet me and being granted by my light, my dear, I know. If I had a golden dragon every time I heard that, I would be richer than your father.”, then he frowned for a second. “Oh, wait, I am already are.”, and then started to laugh and everybody joined it rather forcibly. Only Helaena truly laughed. “No need for such basic necessities. Everybody repeats the same thing all over the castle right now.”

“Of course.”, she could only say that.

“Stop flirting with your brother’s candidate.”, Alicent whispered to his ear when everybody started to talk again.

“His candidate? Lady mother!”, he acted shocked. “Do not tell me that you grouped every woman here.”

“Of course I did.”, she whispered again with narrowed eyes. “You can’t go for Moira Reyne like Aemond can’t go for Selyse Marbrand or Hestia Corbray.”

“Pray to tell, why such bother? Let us look at these ladies, get blinded by their beauty a little, and then let us choose. Why you must interfere with everything?”

“You had twenty-three years to find yourself a wife and you spend that time with …you know what. And now as your mother, I take the reins in my hands but the last decision will be yours.”

“And if my last decision would be Moira Reyne?”

Alicent looked into his mischievous eyes. “Then I will grant it.”

“And what if Aemond lusts for her too?”

“Then I will forbid her to both of you and send her away. I will not choose between my sons.”

“But you see, lady mother,”, he got close to her ear even more. “you already chose between your sons. You chose to keep your eldest two and send me away.”, Daeron looked at her with subtle hurt and sorrow but still put on a happy mask and kissed her cheek.

Alicent kept looking after him but then got distracted by Helaena.

*

“You had grouped the girls?”, Rhaenyra asked while entering to her chambers. There was she and Criston and she came with Harwin. “Pray tell?”

Alicent took a deep breath and rubbed her face. “Criston can you please give me the lists.”

Criston went to her desk and searched a little then shared the lists between them. First Rhaenyra started to read Jace’s list.

“For Jace, you had chosen; Mariposa Darklyn, Melantha Mullendore, Verona Harlaw, Robin Tarbeck, Felisse Fossoway and Maris Baratheon.”

“And Sarra Snow.”, Alicent looked directly in the eye. “We all have ears, we all heard the same rumours. If your boy truly loves this girl I will talk with Aegon.”

“Do you think it is a possibility after today?”

Harwin and Criston shared a look, they were too tense today.

“What do you think of the names my love?”

“Darklyn girl can be, she is an islander. Mullendore is beneath us, he is a prince. I would rather die than see my son getting married to an Ironborn. Tarbeck, Fossoway can happen, I wouldn’t argue against it. But my personal choice is Maris Baratheon.”

“Of course.”, Alicent mumbled and then explain when Rhaenyra sent her a look. “She has the most status and comes from a Paramount House. She would be my first choice as well.”

“Who do you have for Aemond and Daeron?”

“For Aemond; Moira Reyne, Ellyanne Crakehall, Cassandra Baratheon, Cassana Estermont, Agatha Rowan, Cressida Dondarrion, Baela Targaryen and Aletris Velaryon.”

“You add Aletris?”, Rhaenyra asked with a secret smile.

“A friend of mine suggested her.”

“Did she?”, both women smiled at each other. “Baela can’t though.”

“I thought it would be a fine step for peace.”

“I mean, ask Rhaenys if you want but she didn’t even come here. Aletris is a good option. Is a dragon rider.”

“And old a little.”, Criston said. “People would frown upon it.”

“People can fuck off.”, Rhaenyra shrugged. “Their kids would most definitely become Dragonriders.”

“Crakehall and Estermont are also beneath Prince Aemond, your grace.”, Harwin stated his opinion. “Dondarrion and Rowan might be but surely there are better options. I would suggest you focus on Lady Reyne and Lady Velaryon.”

“Why not Cassandra?”

“Would it be fair if all the princes would choose Baratheon wives?”, he questioned. “People would riot.”

“He has a point.”, Criston agreed. “We need different girls and boys from different regions. If Princess Rhaenyra wishes for Maris Baratheon specifically then we must focus on others.”

“Well that one wants a prince for herself good luck keeping her away from Aemond.”, she shrugged. “My favourite is Moira, Helaena even made her, her lady. And I will not do anything with Aletris. If it happens, it will happen because it's in their destiny. But I will not interfere.”

“And Daeron?”

“His list is short.”, Criston took the paper. “Rhaena Targaryen, Lynara Umber, Alarra Manderly, Hestia Corbray, Alysanne Blackwood and Selyse Marbrand.”

“Rhaena is off the list again. And I don’t think you can send him to North.”

“We know that. These ladies are not to inherit anything -except Hestia and Selyse, they can come and live in here.”

“Well when we don’t count Rhaena, the best option seems like Alarra Manderly. They are the richest in the North, and arguably more powerful than the Stark when it comes to influencing other regions. They know how to have fun, are more extroverts than the rest of the North, have Reach ties and their fleet is one of the strongest ones out there. Also, it will give the North the royal wedding they long for.”

“You are right Ser Harwin. My personal choice is her too but I heard a great deal about Lady Alysanne.”

“About her beauty?”

“No, about her character. They say she is fierce and fearless. Not very ladylike but a warrior more likely. They say she is very bright and clever, a perfect rider, hunter and archer.”

“When you put it like that she seems perfect for Aemond.”

“That’s why I suggested Aletris, Criston.”, Rhaenyra rolled her eyes. “Moira is shy, or she looks like that. Aemond would get bored of her.”

“And with Aletris, he would have endless fighting.”

“Isn’t it the fun part?”, Rhaenyra asked. “Harwin and I argue about everything. It keeps the dynamics more exciting.”

“Criston and I prefer to have a calm life.”

“You want for him to have what you want.”

“And you are doing the same.”

“Fine. I will not argue, though, about the Blackwood girl, I heard some rumours too.”

“What kind of rumours?”

“When you live in Riverlands, you hear everything from everywhere your grace.”, Harwin reached for a wine cup.

“Rumours about her …friendship with one Lady Sabitha Frey.”

“Who’s now married to that prick.”, Criston turned to look at Alicent. “What was his name.”

She frowned while thinking and Harwin answered. “She is married to Forrest Frey.”

“Cousin?”

“No Criston, she is not a Frey herself. She was a Vypren and then married that prick.”

“Oh.”

“And what kind of friends they are? The special kind that Laenor also has his own or?”

“Well I never met them your grace but the rumours say they sleep in the same tent when they were going on hunting trips and they are very close. But they also say she has her fair share of men who are swooning over her. And she seems interested.”

“Then she might get along with Daeron even better.”, Criston murmured. “He too …has his fair share of adventures with both genders.”

“They also say she had lost her maidenhead when she was a girl, on horseback.”

“Happens most of us. Means she was really dedicated.”

“Exactly Ally. She seems truly more suitable for Aemond though. Wish to change?”

“Between Moira and Aletris, we will have enough competition. No need to add another.”

“Fine then, the Manderly girl we are going to vouch for. Now, Luke, I want to know about my baby.”

This time Harwin started to read. “Raya Waynwood, Fem Fossoway, Rhea Florent, Shiera Mullendore, and Ellyn Baratheon.”

“Again Baratheon has the most status but can’t be. What do you think?”

“I think, we need a Riverlander Lady. Not from the Vale or from the Reach.”

“Gwenys Mooton?”, Alicent recommended. “She is a little young but can work if you wish.”

“How old is she?”

“16, I believe. I wrote her for Joffrey.”

“Rhaenyra?”

“House Mooton is a powerful house. And would work better for his favour than any of the Reacher girls here. Let's add her but for the second option, we should keep Fem Fossoway.”

“Not Rhea Florent?”, Criston frowned. “Both Houses usually go toe to toe but they slightly topped them this year.”

“I don’t want any foxes around. Fossoway girl would be enough.”

“Okay.”, Alicent took the paper from Harwin and added her.

“What of our future queen?”, Harwin wondered.

“It’s the most important one isn’t it.”, Alicent smiled nervously. “We can’t fuck it up.”

“No we can’t.”, Rhaenyra murmured and shared a look with Harwin. “I know they are 2 years older but both Aemma and Visenya would be great queens.”

Alicent too shared a look with Criston and then decided to be honest. “The council discussed that already when you weren’t there and they ruled over them. I am sorry but they are not even an option. They had officially forbade the match.”

“They had?”, Rhaenyra felt the rage but knew that she should keep her face straight.

“You know why, I will not explain it to you. Our future queen candidates are; Daenera Velaryon, Mariposa Bar Emmon, Lessie Rosby, Aregelle Royce and Cerissa Fossoway.”

“You know it going to be Daenera, why to make a list?”, Rhaenyra tried to calm herself down and focus on this matter instead.

“If I would offer just her, then I would have to stand the smug look on Sea Snake’s face until the rest of my days. I am happier this way.”

“And Jaehaera? Maelor?”

“For Jaehaera I had lots of North suggestions like; Rickon Stark, Torrhen and Rickard Karstark and Edwyn Manderly but after today I cross all of them. And we are left with; Stevron Celtigar, Lonnel Bracken, Leo Tyrell, Paxter Redwyne and Matthos Oakheart.”

“Let me guess, you are vouching for the Tyrell boy?”

“I would rather see her marry Rickon Stark and become the Lady of Winterfell but since it is not happening, then I actually vouch for Matthos Oeakhart. The rest all are second sons, this boy will inherit Old Oak one day. And she would become a powerful lady there.”

“I don’t think your son would let such a below match.”, Rhaenyra rolled her eyes.

“He must find someone himself because I had summoned the most powerful houses in the realm. If he doesn’t like it, there is nothing I can do. Then he will turn to Dorne and use her as a way to join them to the fold and marry her with Qyle Martell or go for Lys and a Rogare match.”

“Prince Maelor?”

“Agnes Frey, Melissa Westerling and Phoebe Lonmouth.”

“All three are too below of our house.”, Rhaenyra complained. “None of them are suitable for a prince. He is the spare heir as we speak and continue to be until Jaehaerys has his own sons.”

“Then again, go and find a bride for him in Essos.”

“Fine! What are my options for my baby Joffrey?”

“Your baby Joffrey is older than all of my grandchildren.”, Alicent deadpanned.

“The candidates?”, Rhaenyra pressed.

“Arsa Arryn, Mariah Waynwood, Gweyns Mooton -though we erased her, Piper Tarbeck, Melea Florent, Myranda Fossoway and Amber Tarly”

“Arryn girl without a question. She is to inherit the Vale one day. He would be her consort.”

“And for the girls? I’m sure you have candidates for them to your grace?”, Harwin asked.

“Well since they all are the same age we didn’t group them.”

“Candidates are; Marton Rosby, Olyvar Darklyn, Karlon and Harlon Cerwyn, Jon Umber, Dorren, Walton and Jonos Manderly, Rodwell Royce, Kermit and Oscar Tully, Samwell Mooton, Walden and Willem Frey, Toron and Rodrik Greyjoy, Dagon Harlaw, Alton Reyne, Hover Celtigar, Cregan Stark, Benjicot Blackwood, Barthogan Bracken, Beron Darry, Loreon Lannister, Lyonel Tyrell, Luthor and Petyr Redwyne, Stephen and Brandon Lonmouth, Royce Baratheon and Robert Estermont.”

“Let’s just focus on Lord Paramounts; Tully boys, Greyjoy boys, Cregan Stark, Loreon Lannister, Lyonel Tyrell and Royce Baratheon.”

“Baratheon boy is betrothed to Aletris Velaryon though it’s unofficial. I think we must erase him too.”

“Fine. I will not marry any of my girls with a Greyjoy Alicent, will you?”

“No. Then let’s erase them. Cregan Stark is powerful but also too old. This leaves us with specifically; Kermit Tully -already the Lord Paramount of the Trident and is 20, Loreon Lannister -waiting on the line and is 17, Lyonel Tyrell -waiting on the line and is 19. Three Paramounts for three girls.”

“I will take Kermit and Lyonel, you can have Loreon.”

“I want Lyonel for myself.”

“Why is that?”

“Can it be because of the same reason you want Kermit Tully?”

“You are being selfish and-“

“And you are being rude as usual-“

And they fought and fought about them for hours.

Chapter Text

“Open the door.”, a voice called behind the door.

“Ser Criston we can’t-“

“Open the door, it is the queen’s orders. She wishes for her son.”, Criston pressed and when the guards didn’t open the door he pushed it and entered it.

Aegon was sitting on the bed, clearly hungover from the morning and just woke up, and there was a girl next to him, half-naked, covered in blankets and also obviously just woke up.

Criston bowed and Aegon asked while rubbing his eyes. “Ser Criston?”

He looked at the woman next to him. “You can leave.”, the girl looked to Aegon and when he nodded she quickly got up and left. “Come on, got up and get dressed. You are being late.”, even in this state, Aegon could tell that Criston was furious.

“You can’t give orders to me.”

“I can if it’s necessary, my king. Do you know why? Because I have sworn to your mother that I will protect you, even from yourself.”

“You are overreacting.”, Aegon huffed and lay down again. “It’s just a stupid dinner, mother wouldn’t even realize my absence.”

“Do you think this is only about a dinner, Aegon?”, Criston frowned. “It is about you. Everybody around you are worried about you. We all try to make you feel better in your position, and we all try to support you. And you do what? Cheat on your wife repeatedly, humiliate her in front of the court and in public, have outbursts in council meetings and ignore your mother. This is not how a king behaves.”

“And you know a lot about that?”, he put his arm to his eyes. “How a king behaves?”

“I had witnessed your father’s rule for 14 years. I know exactly how a king shouldn’t behave.”, Criston snapped.

“Kings before me had mistresses.”

“No king had a mistress. Not Aegon, not Aenys or Maegor and definitely not Jaehaerys or your father. Also having a …commoner girl in your bed is not making her your mistress. Do you really think this low of your sister?”

“My sister, my wife, my business.”, Aegon opened his arms. “Now go Cole, I’ll sleep.”

“No, you won’t.”

Aegon opened one eye. “You are getting bold, Cole. Be careful to not to cross a boundary, I am your king.”

“Yes you are, but you are also my stepson.”, he raised his eyebrows and opened his arms. “And right now I am talking to my stepson.”

“Your stepson is 29.”, Aegon mocked. “Still not under your jurisdiction.”

Criston smiled and took the clothes from the side and throw it to Aegon. “Now, wear these and let us go.”

Aegon changed his position to sit down, looked at the clothes and then at Criston and laughed. “Get out Cole, I am not coming.”

“You are coming, Aegon.”, he hissed.

“Cole-“

“I told you to get up!”, Criston approached him and pulled him to his feet much to Aegon’s surprise. “You may spend your gold to lickspittles and to your whores, you can mistreat servants and squires, you can have public quarrels with Rhaenyra and tease Aemond as much as you want but there is one thing you will not do, one thing I will not let you; disrespecting your mother!”, he said all these while holding his head between his hands. “You are not a child anymore just like you said, every action you make has consequences.”

“It is just one stupid dinner that mother throws to remember a man who never loved her or cared about her or did you forget all these Cole?”, Aegon pushed Criston. “He was too busy with Rhaenyra and her bastards, never had time for her or for us. Everybody knows that no one wants to go to that dinner and not even mother. She only does that to not feel guilty. Why am I the only one who gets harsh responses when I stated the truths that everybody knows?”

“Yes you are right.”, Criston nodded. “Your parents’ relationship was strained and Alicent always cared about him more. But still, he is your father, you should remember him in a good light.”

“No one wants to do that.”, Aegon pressed every word.

“No they don’t, but they do nevertheless because of your mother. To make her happy. Why can’t you?”

“Cole?”, Aegon asked when Criston turned to leave. “How did you know about these?”

“What do you mean?”

“The whores and servants?”

“Everybody in the Keep knows t-“, Criston tried to explain.

“No, not everyone.”, Aegon looked at him with intense eyes. “I keep the girls away from Helaena deliberately, and my ‘mistreatment’ of servants and squires is definitely not public information. I yell at them only when I’m alone. So I repeat how did you know it?”

Criston kept his silence and Aegon understood who he was protecting.

“Tell my brother that if he ever pays people for information, I’ll speak in a langue that he understands.”

*

“You are late.”, Aemon said when Aegon finally entered to the dining room. Alicent was sitting on the head of the table, Aemond and Daeron were on her left, the first chair on her right was left for Aegon and Helaena was sitting next to it.

“You should be grateful that I came in the first place.”, Aegon huffed and sat in his place. “Tell your husband that if he crosses his line one more time, then his punishment will be severe.”

“What’s that mean?”, Alicent froze. “Did you have a quarrel?”

“The context is unimportant, just warn him.”

Alicent looked very tired like she had no energy to fight with anyone. She just closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Let’s pray.”

Everybody crossed their hands, Alicent, Aemond and Aegon closed their eyes while Helaena and Daeron shared a look.

“May the Mother smile down on this gathering with love. May the Smith mend the bones that have been broken for far too long. And to Viserys Targaryen, may the Gods give him peace and happiness in his rest.”, the prayer ended and she looked to all of her children one by one. “We are gathered here to reminisce about your father, my husband. It has been 15 years since the day he passed. Viserys-“, she looked very emotional and was a loss for words. “-was many things-“

“Yes, incompetent, neglectful, abusive and unfair.”

“Aegon!”, Alicent warned her son with sadness. “Let’s not remember the dead with sorrow-“

“Why?”, Aegon laughed and Aemond kicked him under the table. “He was a bad person, a bad father and a bad husband. Dying didn’t fix any of these. He never treated us right, why would we treat his memory right?”

“His sins had been erased with his death, we had talked about this-“

“I just don’t understand why we must lie to ourselves about him just to portray him in a good light.”, he deadpanned. “He spent his entire life with defending Rhaenyra’s mistakes and her bastards’ rights, they don’t even mention his name ever since he died. He treated all of us poorly, you yourself had to endure him for years-“

“I had loved your father.”, Alicent’s eyes were filled with tears.

“Loving your captor wasn’t some blessing, mother. You had to.”

Alicent looked so heartbroken. “He wasn’t my captor. He loved me too-“

“Yes, of course, he loved you. But I am not sure when did he love you more. When did he threaten to cut off your tongue when you tried to defend Aemond? Or when he called you Aemma? Or when he touched you without your permission?”, Aegon’s words were harsh and they caused utter silence in the room.

Alicent looked like she had been slapped across the face, utter shock and heartbreak were plain as day. She was never good at hiding her emotions. Helaena looked down, Aemond’s eye was glittering with anger and Daeron was looking at the walls with a frown.

“Excuse me children.”, Alicent finally spoke. “I think it is time for me to go to the rest.”

“Mother-“

“No, Aemond. It’s alright.”, she tried to smile. “I had been tired the whole day already and I lacked appetite ever since the morning. You continue.”, she looked to Aegon who didn’t meet her eyes. She knew her son better than anyone and the regret over the things he had said was visible. She put a hand on his shoulder for a second but then pulled it back and tried not to break down and cry while going to her chambers.

*

“Was that necessary?”, Aemond asked after a few tense minutes. He was obviously furious but trying to calm himself.

“Aemond.”, Helaena warned while Aegon didn’t even bother himself with answering his brother. He was peacefully eating his food.

“We should go hunting soon.”, Daeron tried to melt the ice between the two brothers. “Though I must admit I had forgotten which beasts were living in the King’s Wood. Would you remind me some time, Aegon?”

“Of course brother. You can always come to my chambers to talk.”, Aegon said sweetly, then his eyes caught Aemond’s unblinking one and smiled slyly. “Though you should inform me first. Since Aemond comes unexpectedly I never have a chance to …welcome him properly.”

“Yes, brother, you must definitely inform him first. Or you may catch him in an unfavourable position.”, Aemond snapped back.

“Aemond.”, Helaena warned again. “Aegon!”, she raised her voice a little. “Leave us alone.”, she sent the maids and the servants and the remaining kingsguards from the room. “Whatever this is going on between you, you will talk it right here and end it. You have no right to make anyone nervous. Mother had prepared this dinner to reminisce about father and have family time together. You had ruined it for her, do not ruin it for Daeron and me too.”

“Yes, this thing between you two hurts all of us.”, Daeron joined his sister.

“Tell it to him, he is the one who likes to be sly and make his business from people’s back.”

“I really wonder sometimes how can you keep looking at us!”, Aemond yelled while putting the fork a little too harshly.

“Aemond that’s enough!”, Daeron yelled with frustration.

“You got your ammunition, go ahead, strike me then.”, Aegon huffed.

“No one is trying to do that, Aegon. On the contrary, mother and I hoped that maybe that dinner would end things between you two before it properly started.”, Helaena frowned. “But now I see that we are too late for that.”

“I see everyone for who they are, Helaena.”, Aegon snapped. “I don’t need your or mother’s console. She can go and keep doing favours for Rhaenyra and take care of her new family, you can go and do whatever you want to do, as usual.”, Aegon didn’t look at Helaena’s hurt face and finished his fine. “I am leaving.”

“Of course you do.”, Aemond snorted, then yelled with great anger. “There are no sycophants here who can't fit you into the sky, right? Only your siblings, telling the truth to your face!”, Aemond got up. “You are no fit for a king and the greatest embarrassment our family had to endure!”, he then huffed. “Even Rhaenyra would be a better ruler than you.”

Aegon laughed and rushed to Aemond, punching him in the face. Aemond was caught in surprise, he tried to fight him back but then Aegon punched him in his stomach, making him take a sharp breath.

Helaena and Daeron took a step back, Daeron pushed Helaena to stay away from them while she yelled. “Daeron please do something!”

Aemond took Aegon in a headlock and turned him around while punching his back. Aegon made the turn their positions and caught him by his shoulders and then Aemond hit his face with his elbow.

“Aemond please!”, Helaena screamed and Daeron tried to get in between them.

“Aegon stop it!”

Aemond punched Aegon in the face twice and then pushed his body to the floor, starting to choke him while Aegon was trying to save himself.

“Aemond let him go!”

“Stop this, Aemond, stop it!”, Daeron yelled and pulled Aemond with his whole power and Helaena rushed to Aegon’s side to control him.

Aegon stood up, pushed Helaena’s hand while coughing and saw the way Daeron pushed Aemond with great fury. “This all is happening because I am crowned king, isn’t it? This is your siblinghood!”, he yelled. All of you are blinded by envy. You and Rhaenyra, all of you! You all want something from me, you all expect something from me, you all are imagining someone else in that fucking throne, rather than me! Isn’t it?”

Helaena covered his mouth with sadness and shock, Aemond was breathing deeply, his hair was a mess and his eye patch was off in the floor, Daeron took a deep breath and rubbed his face. None of them said anything to Aegon laughed with pain and left the room.

Minutes later they all were sitting on their chairs, watching the destroyed food and the room. “How did it become that?”, Helaena softly asked while her focus was on the walls. “I know you two never got along but then you were fine, weren’t you? It’s been 15 years Aemond since he got crowned king. Yes, there was always tension but in the past few days you were good.”, she tried to understand.

“I am sorry, I wouldn’t do that in front of you.”

“I am not asking that, I am asking when did that happen? Are we all too blind that we couldn’t see the last straws? You were good this morning, talking and laughing. What changed in the past hours? How did it come to that? This is too much Aemond, too much!”

“He is not just our brother but also our king. You assaulted the king, you choked the king.”, Daeron turned to Aemond. “You almost killed our brother.”

“I wouldn’t kill him, I just tried to teach him a lesson.”, he rubbed his face. “I am truly sorry that this night got ruined. But you all saw it, he started first.”

“Aegon is not alright, you know this better than all of us.”

“Aegon hadn’t been alright since forever.”

“Aemond,”, Helaena took a deep breath. “tell me what caused this.”

“He found out about the servant girl.”, Aemond whispered. “And had a fight with Criston.”

“About what?”

Aemond tried not to look at Helaena but she insisted. “When he went there to remind him of this dinner he found a girl in her bed and then Criston scolded him.”

“Criston doesn’t have a right to scold the king.”, Daeron huffed.

“He is married to our mother.”, Helaena answered. “He has no right to scold the king, yes, but he has every right to scold Aegon Targaryen.”

“He had been already angry. He lashed out at my mother, and I was the next target. I am the reason for his anger, not Rhaenyra or mother or father and not even Criston.”

“Despite all, you should’ve kept your calm, brother.”, Daeron got up from his chair and walked towards the windows. “Now let’s wait until mother hears that.”

*

The next morning Helaena woke up early and decided to check on Aegon first, before going to their mother to talk. When she entered the room she saw Aegon was already awake and dressed up all in black. Their eyes met from the mirror and Helaena frowned.

“You never woke up at this hour.”

“I call for the immediate small council meeting.”

“Aegon, whatever you are going to do, please don’t. Aemond is our-“

“I will abdicate.”

Everything stopped around Helaena. “What?”, she was dumbfounded.

“I will abdicate.”, Aegon said again with a hint of a smile and then turned to Helaena, something mad was shining in his eyes. “Isn’t this what all of you want? Me off from the throne? You, Aegon, Rhaenyra, Daeron, fuck, even mother thinks I am not fit.”

“Are you drunk?”, she blurted.

“No my sweet sister.”, Aegon walked towards her and held her hands. “On the contrary, I have never been this sober in my entire life.”

“Then you had lost your mind.”

“Maybe I did.”, he pouted and shrugged. “But imagine, me abdicating, you can get rid of me and marry with your heart’s choosing. And let Rhaenyra and Aemond fight for the throne.”, he frowned for a second. “Though you are older than him, so the war would be between you and Rhaenyra. Well, I won’t care. Rip each other alive.”

“Aegon,”, Helaena took a deep breath. “Aegon this is madness. I beg you to stop for a minute and think about the consequen-“

“Oh I did!”, he yelled. “I had been thinking about the consequences of everything in my entire life and yet I am not enough. I tried my best for everything, but some people are just not suitable. Fuck, even if I would be Jaehaerys reborn, it wouldn’t be enough for mother or father!”, he frantically turned around and took a ring from his desk.

It was Viserys’ ring that symbolized his rule.

“See that? It belonged to my father and my mother gave it to me on my coronation day alongside Blackfyre and Rhaenys’ dagger. She told me this had symbolized her love and support for me. And this is sister, what all of you are after. All of you!”, he threw the ring away and Helaena jumped. “I don’t want it. I never wanted it. And it’s enough now. You can have it. I don’t want any of this.”

Aegon didn’t listen to her and went to the council meeting room, waiting for the others. While Helaena rushed to Alicent’s room. The guards tried to stop her but she didn’t listen and entered the room. Alicent was sitting on the bed with her messy wavy hair and a white nightgown, her eyes were puffy because of all the crying she did last night and Criston was kneeling in front of her, holding her hands and probably consoling her.

“Helaena can we please talk later.”, Alicent didn’t turn to look at her and spoke with a shaky voice.

“Mother you must help!”, her heart was beating so loud that she was sure the whole castle could hear.

“What happened my dear?”, Alicent turned while wiping her eyes.

“Aegon had lost his mind.”, Helaena spoke quickly. “He had ordered the council meeting to star immediately.”

“Is he awake-“

“He will abdicate from the throne.”

Alicent and Criston looked like statues for a second, both frozen and in shock, mouth open, couldn’t blink. “What?”, Alicent finally whispered and urgently started to dress.

*

“Is your intention killing me?”, Alicent had a hard time breathing properly, her heart was beating frantically and cold sweats covered her whole face. There was a sharp pain in her left arm and she had a problem speaking with all the sharp breaths she took. “Do you have any idea what is going to happen if you abdicate when the whole fucking realm is here?”

“Rhaenyra and Aemond will tear each other down for the throne.”, he shrugged. “My bet is on Aemond. He always wanted the things I have a little too much, Rhaenyra doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Aegon!”, she yelled and hit the table. “This isn’t one of your tourney bets, this is your life, our lives!”, she yelled from her throat, everything was hurting her.

“Oh is this what you care about? Your life?”, he faked a pout. “Don’t worry mother, you may not be the de facto ruler while Aemond rules, but you still would have-“

Alicent walked to him and slapped him as hard as she could. “Snap out of this, Aegon! Talk to me, tell me what happened-“

“Men would for less than this.”, Aegon’s voice froze Alicent’s veins. “Aemond should feel lucky that my final act isn’t punishing him, though both you and he deserve it. My mercy is too much-“

“Your mercy?”, Alicent let out a loud laugh, while putting one hand to her heart because it was truly hurting her. Aegon looked concerned for a second but then masked it. “What if the council appoints Rhaenyra as the queen? Did you think what would happen then? To you, to your brothers? Your children and Helaena?”

Aegon didn’t listen to her and bonded his hands behind his back and watched the door with a straight face. Alicent’s breaths got fastened and the pain made her close her eyes. The door opened and the council members entered the room -including Helaena, Criston and Rhaenyra.

“What is it my king?”, Tyland asked. “Isn’t it too early for a meeting? Is the Dorne getting invaded?”

“My son please.”, Alicent whispered for the last time.

“I had gathered all of you here to announce something.”

“What is it, your grace?”, Rhaenyra looked to the miserable-looking Alicent and then to Aegon and frowned.

“I am abdicating the throne.”, Aegon said and while everybody looked shocked, a small smile formed on Rhaenyra’s lips but only to disappear seconds after.

“Alicent!”, Criston yelled loudly and rushed to his wife’s side. Aegon turned to his mother with wide eyes, Helaena and Rhaenyra followed Criston. Alicent passed out in Criston’s arms and for a second Criston couldn’t hear a breath.

“Maester, now!”

*

“My prince?”, a soft voice called for him while Aemond was walking inside of his mother’s gardens, waiting for her arrival. He didn’t sleep last night and had a terrible headache and a permanent frown already took place on his face. He turned towards the voice and saw a fragile girl, his possible betrothed Moira Reyne.

He never judge people according to their looks, he thought he had no right to it. He was no better, he lacked an eye, and no matter how pretty the little stone in his eye was, men and women were scared of him. But even Aemond could tell the girl was beautiful. Not in an exotic way like the Dornish or ethereal like Valyrians or wild like the Northerens. She had a very soft, calming beauty. Her copper hair had been tied in a small bun, her short bangs covered her forehead. She didn’t have heavy make-up as some elder ladies did and Aemond wasn’t sure if the pinkness on her cheeks was caused by a mere blush or if it was made.

She was wearing a baby blue dress with a blue ribbon belt just below her chest. The arms and the top of the trees were covered with small diamonds and embodiments, she wore a blue ribbon on her neck with a small diamond hanging on it, the same diamond also covered her earrings, and there was only a single ring on her right hand, a ruby lion, the symbol of her house.

“Lady Moira,”, he spoke elegantly. “pardon me, I was not expecting you here.”

She frowned for a second but then disappeared. “The Queen Mother summoned me here, my prince. To have breakfast and talk.”

“Hmm.”, he turned to look at the extravagant breakfast table. He should’ve noticed it sooner. There was no way two people could finish it. “It seems my mother forgot the inform me.”

“If I caused any distress-“, she tried to explain but Aemond raise a hand to stop her, and even forced himself to smile a little. Very little.

“None at all, my lady. We haven’t been officially introduced to each other, I believe?”

“No, my prince. You were absent when I arrived.”

“Yes, the council matters.”, he tried to find an excuse. “I wouldn’t wish to bore you with them, my lady.”

Moira only smiled and looked around in a nervous way. There were only two servants in the room, they were looking at each other and then at the two people in the room.

“My lady, may I take your leave?”, Aemond finally talked after minutes in silence, still trying to be kind. “It seems my mother cannot make it to this lovely breakfast, and I’m afraid that it wouldn’t be suitable for us to be alone here, without a chaperone.”

“Of course, my prince.”, she bowed her head but then stopped. “But what if the Queen Alicent would come after we had left? Wouldn’t she taken ill with me?”

“Not even close.”, Aemond frowned, trying to brush away the girl’s fears. “You will see in time that my mother is a kind soul. She would never bear ill feelings to the people who didn’t cause him great harm.”

“Yes she is even very close with Princess Rhaenyra.”, Moira smiled but then horror covered her whole face. “Your grace I am so sorry, I didn-“

“You can calm down, I am not offended.”, he wasn’t offended, no, but he was shocked. “As I said, Lady Moira, my mother wouldn’t think bad about you. Now, I must go and check on her because she had never missed a meeting before.”, then he kindly bowed his head and left.

“I crossed a line, haven’t I?”, Moira asked desperately to the servants in the room and both nodded.

Chapter Text

Hello, unfortunately, this story will not be going on until the new year because of scheduling problems and a loss of inspiration. I had changed my mind about the plotline and the new version just doesn't feel right to me. I do not have enough time to stop and think about it because my finals are getting close and I have to study. I just hope that after 4 weeks of break, my inspiration will come back to me in January and I will fastly continue to this story.

In the meantime; you can always read my still ongoing stories. Masquerade is also a HOTD fic that revolves around Aemond, I update it every Tuesday and Thursday. And Court of Lies is my most precious project, it is a story about Robert's Rebellion, the chapters are a lot longer than my other stories (approximately 20 thousand per chapter), I have lots of original characters and the main love interest is Arthur Dayne. I will spend my free time rewriting the first 10 chapters because now I go back and read I had realized the story suddenly gets heavier so I'll change that. But I'm sure you would enjoy the story.

Until I return...