“Hmm maybe, but he was firm last time.
I hate to be overly bothersome and make him repeat himself.
I do long for the day when I can take to the skies.
It will be fun to race you on Viktoriya.”
…
Rhaenyra looked forward to that day as well.
There were no other dragon riders regularly at court, not since Daemon left.
Until they were wed Laenor was spending his days in Driftmark.
Laenor had his own dragon, though he had other pleasures than dragon flight that distracted him.
Rhaenyra did not mind; she had her sights on another knight who fit her desires more keenly.
It was all done with Laenor’s blessing as well, an unexpected surprise, and something that made the looming marriage tolerable.
“Viktoriya has been growing so quick, soon you will be able to have her saddled.
For your next name day present you should ask father to allow you to try riding her.”
“That would even be before you rode Syrax!
Do you think she’ll be large enough?”
“Oh yes, especially with how tiny you are,” she said as she ruffled her sister’s perfectly groomed hair.
The little girl huffed with indignation, but did not voice complaint beyond that.
Rhaenyra enjoyed doing that.
She hoped that her suggestion took root.
More than likely her father would not allow her to fly because of his shrew wife.
She had tried several times to get Elaena to hear and speak ill of Alicent, but her little sister was too appropriate to speak ill of others.
Rhaenyra hoped she would grow out of that stage, gossip was a joy, and there were so many in court who were dullards or just plain hideous.
“What have you been reading these days?”
“I found an interesting book in the library, The Iron Chronicle.
It is about when the Ironborn ruled the Riverlands pre-conquest.”
Rhaenyra wrinkled her nose.
The Ironborn were quite awful.
They were little better than pirates.
Not that she had much contact with them as they were on the other side of the continent and reaved along the west coast.
It would be interesting to see how they would stand up against the Velaryon fleet at Driftmark.
“What is interesting about it?”
“The King of the Iron Isles and Rivers would often arrange thing so that his bannermen fought each other.
This would keep them weak and not able to challenge his rule.
I do not approve of such tactics myself.”
“Not that those tactics would be needed today.
We have dragons, our family has no need for such tawdry efforts, no one can challenge us.”
Elaena hesitated for a moment before rebutting.
“I’m not sure that is fully true.
Dorne resisted for how long?
The Stepstones proved quite difficult to wrangle, and is still not fully under control.
It isn’t as if its impossible to kill a dragon, look at what happened to Meraxes.”
“A lucky bolt, surely you aren’t suggesting our hold on the Seven Kingdoms is in peril?”
“What?
Oh, no, not at all.
Dragons are amazing weapons of mass destruction.
I am just against complacency.
You never know when some vile lying entity… ah well I just mean one shouldn’t underestimate future threats, that’s all.
As I said, I did not approve of the Ironborn’s behavior.”
Rhaenyra ruffled her hair again.
“You will be an important figure in my court when I am Queen, but there’s no need for you to worry about these things at your age.
You should have fun and play more!”
“But I do play.
Just yesterday I played monsters-and-maidens with Aegon, and we are starting to show Helaena how to play too.
You can join us if you’d like.”
She frowned and looked off into the distance.
She had no desire to be around Alicent’s brood.
Mood a bit soured she told her sister they would talk later.
Rhaenyra knew just how to cheer up and strengthen her disposition.
…
Alicent was feeding Aemond while others cared for her two oldest children.
Closeness to her child was a precious thing, and yet she wondered if this was to be her fate.
Pregnancy, nursing, and then another pregnancy.
She felt, worn, and tired.
The stress of dealing with Viserys, Rhaenyra, and Aegon combined with her physical exhaustion wore on her.
Helaena was a much easier child, though she acted at times like the way Elaena had acted when younger.
It was less pronounced but more frequent.
She would stare off at a ceiling or wall for hours unless she was interrupted.
Unlike Elaena she could be interrupted, though it frightened her.
Fortunately, when she cried from it, she was not loud like Aegon.
Her daughter worried her, was it something from Viserys?
She could only pray that she grew out of it like Elaena had.
A scream, followed by a shout of alarm jarred her from her thoughts.
What had happened?
The sound came from her children’s rooms.
She stood up and listened.
A cry came up to fetch a Maester.
Alicent handed Aemond to one of her handmaidens and rushed down the hallway.
She saw a servant checking an extremely pale face Aegon.
“No, Your Grace, he isn’t, but he is shaken by what he saw.
It is Elaena and the maid who fell.”
Alicent heard more shouts from the stairs nearby and she moved down them and saw one of the Maesters training under Mellos tending to Elaena.
One of Aegon’s toy swords was on the ground as well next to several other servants.
“Is she well?
What happened?”
Elaena was sitting upright looking somewhat annoyed.
“I told you; I did not hit my head on the way down, it is only my ankle that is twisted and my arm.
Fetch some ice for the swelling and be done with it.”
The Maester shook his head, “Princess, you fell down at least 30 steps and had someone land on you, I must ensure you have not taken serious injury.”
“What happened?” Alicent repeated herself.
One of the maidservants who took care of Aegon had trembled slightly.
“My Queen, your son was striking out with his toy and becoming a danger, so I sought to take it from him.
I was taking it downstairs and out of sight when he shoved me and I fell down the stairs.
I do not know how Elaena came to be under me, she had been reading nearby.”
Alicent grew cold.
Viserys could already not stand to be around Aegon when he threw a tantrum.
And while Aegon was young, she held the fear an incident like this would sour Viserys to Aegon completely.
She remembered her father’s words.
If Rhaenyra took the Iron Throne her children would be in danger.
Aegon could not develop a reputation for cruelty, it would harm his chances of replacing Rhaenyra.
She slapped the maidservant.
“Filthy liar.
It was your own clumsiness that made you fall and brought harm to the King’s daughter.
I suggest you admit what truly happened or I’ll see you whipped or worse.”
All eyes flew to her.
Before the terrified girl could respond, Elaena interrupted.
“Falls can be shocking things and they can lead to much confusion.
I confess, I realized I was late to see the squires practice in the yard, and was in a hurry.
I must have bumped Marya in my haste.
No doubt the unfortunate timing and the fall caused this muddle.
Fortunately, the one who caused the mishap was the only one injured, me.
So, there is no need for you to be wroth with anyone else, mother.”
The maidservant looked to Elaena and then back at Alicent.
“I… yes I don’t recall exactly… forgive me, Your Grace, I must have been confused.”
Alicent ignored her and went down to one knee to check on Elaena.
“Where are you injured?”
“Please, my Queen, allow me to finish my examination,” the Maester gently requested.