Rhaenyra stood her ground as Alicent angrily yelled at her.
“How could you?
You risked the life of your sister on a lark!
What were you thinking?”
Her sister had been perfectly safe riding behind her on Syrax, she had made sure the chains and straps were secure.
Little Elaena had loved every second of their flight.
“I was thinking my sister could use a change of pace.
She was perfectly safe, Syrax is well behaved!
She loved it, I have not seen her laugh with such glee in almost two years.”
Alicent shook her head.
“Did someone else join you in making sure she was secure?”
“No… but I know what I am doing.”
“Yes, because we all know how sound your judgement is.”
Rhaenyra’s blood ran hot.
She knew she was talking about her… escapades with men and going into the city.
It had not been long since that discussion.
“Watch what you say, Alicent.”
“She’s not even five!
She is fragile; her neck could have snapped with the wrong wind!”
Rhaenyra laughed, “You are ridiculous.
You do not understand, nor will you ever.
You are not a Targaryen.
Stop speaking of things which you know not!”
“I will speak with the King about this.
You endanger your honor and yourself with your recklessness, but to risk your sister like this… no more.
I forbid it.”
Rhaenyra almost struck her.
How dare she try to forbid her something.
She was the heir!
“You are not her mother; you have no say in what she does.
I will take her flying every day if it pleases me.”
Her one-time friend quivered with rage and promised once more to take it to the King.
Rhaenyra turned away herself.
Alicent had no right to interfere with her bonding with Elaena.
She wasn’t there.
She had not felt the sheer joy emanate from Elaena.
And to accuse her of being reckless with her sister’s life… that had been too far.
Her father came to her later that evening.
“You and Alicent have been quarrelling.
I have heard her side; I would hear yours.”
“Elaena asked to fly with me; I saw no reason to deny her.
It was perfectly safe.
Alicent worries over nothing and oversteps her place.
She is not my mother; she is not Elaena’s mother.”
Viserys sighed heavily.
“No one can replace Aemma.”
Rhaenyra let out a dismissive laugh.
“Rhaenyra!
I say again, no one can replace Aemma.
She will always be dear in my heart above all others.
She is gone and could not be here to care for Elaena.
Alicent, and yes, you as well, took on the role of mother in her place.
And what a fine job you both have done!
She is brilliant, kind, and studious.”
Rhaenyra hated the fact her father had remarried.
And if he had to get married, why did it have to be Alicent?
He could have married Laena Valeryon, yes, she was younger but it would have secured an important political alliance.
A marriage that was based on pragmatism, not love and lust.
Not a replacement of the heart.
“If you claim that I also helped raise her as a mother figure, then Alicent still has no right to hector me over her safety.
I would not let harm befall her.”
Viserys let out another a sigh.
“Rhaenyra, I know you will always protect your sister.
It is natural to worry, she is young and fragile.” He chuckled a bit, it was forced.
“A stiff wind likely could knock her over.
Surely it is not necessary to take her to the sky again so soon.
She will fly all her life, if she desires.
In a few short years she will be flying alongside you on her own.
For the sake of peace in this house, just be patient.”
“You are forbidding me?”
“Part of being a ruler is compromising, Rhaenyra.”
She arched an eyebrow.
“You are either forbidding me or you are not.
Which is it, Your Grace,” the last words were said harshly full of derision.
“Forbidding you, then.
Do not fly your sister without my permission.”
Rhaenyra nodded, “Next time little Elaena asks I’ll tell her to go to you for permission then.”
Viserys scowled, a telltale sign that his temper was on the verge of fraying.
Rhaenyra could tell and considered the wisdom of guarding her tongue.
“You are being spiteful, and for no need.
She will fly soon enough.”
“As you say, Your Grace.”
Viserys sighed one more time and dismissed her.
…
Alicent had worried when Elaena had come to her.
Rhaenyra, spiteful as she was, had attempted to poison their relationship by making it clear Alicent had been behind the refusal for her to ride with Rhaenyra on Syrax.
The daughter of her heart, if not her blood, came prepared to discuss it.
Speaking of how tame Syrax was, how careful Rhaenyra had been, and with tales from Old Valyria of newborns being taken up on dragons to fly with their fathers.
None of it moved Alicent; it was dangerous, and she had convinced Viserys.
Her experience with Aegon had led her to be prepared for a tantrum, cries, and even barbed words that would cut her.
She had been prepared to endure them, even bear Elaena’s disdain.
None of that came.
Once it was clear Alicent was adamant in her view, Elaena dropped the matter entirely.
There were no tears or recriminations, or anything of the like.
Months later their relationship was as strong as ever as Alicent prepared to give birth to her third child.
Little Elaena had asked to be there with her, to hold her hand as she faced the birthing bed.
Touched, Alicent had accepted.
It was the first birthing without her father nearby.
Not that he would be in the birthing chamber, of course, but knowing he was there within walking distance had comforted her.
Now he had been sent back to Oldtown; one of those uncommon times where Viserys had refused her.
She knew the succession and his advice to the King on favoring Aegon over Rhaenyra was the major reason.
She felt Elaena’s hand tighten around hers, and her anxiety over the birth, her father, and her son’s futures faded a bit.
The delivery turned out easier than her prior two births.
Was she becoming used to labor?
The pain itself had felt a distant thing even as the contractions had reached their peak.
She thanked the Seven for the easy birth.
Her youngest son, Aemond Targaryen was smaller at birth than her other two, but his cry was fierce and the Maester stated he was healthy.
That was what mattered most.
Viserys had come in later and held his son.
He seemed surprised to see Elaena there.
“So that is where you are.
I had looked for you earlier to walk while I awaited news, but assumed you had found a nook somewhere to read another one of your tomes.”
“Forgive me father, I wanted to be here with mother.”
Viserys waved his hand.
“No explanation is needed.” He turned to Alicent.
“You have given me another son; thank you my dear.”
Alicent smiled in return, hopeful that her completing her responsibility as a dutiful wife would aid in putting her son on the Iron Throne.
The realm wished it.
With a trueborn son many were clamoring to have Rhaenyra set aside.
Only her husband would not do it, so what would bitter Rhaenyra who whored around and had to be made to do her duty do when there was another who the realm desired to have rule over them?
She hated to think Rhaenyra would be capable of having her half-brothers killed or sent to the Wall, but the way she had acted lately, she was almost sure that would happen once she ascended the Iron Throne.
It was made all the worse with the betrothal between Laenor Velaryon and Rhaenyra.
Even though Rhaenyra did not want the marriage, it had bolstered her claim.
Laenor flew Seasmoke, and his mother was the Princess Rhaenys, who’s line had carried the alternative to Viserys.
Her father had tried all he could to push for alternatives for Rhaenyra when he was still Hand.
She accepted the babe back from her husband.
He did have a good set of lungs.
She prayed that he would not take after Aegon too much.
That boy would scream and cry over anything; it was a chore to get him to quiet down.
The servants who tended to him admitted to helplessness, his cries alarming those around who were not used to it.
Viserys enjoyed interacting with his son when he wasn’t like that, but when he was, he washed his hands of him entirely.
Elaena who was now sized smaller than Aegon, despite her being older, was one of the few who could return him to calm.
Aemond had to be better than her difficult firstborn, he just had to be.