Johanna Lannister did a fine job at feigning understanding.
“Illness?
I hope it is nothing serious?” the Lady of Casterly Rock exclaimed, nursing her cup.
Their evening had started out beautifully.
The two women had exchanged pleasantries, complimenting each other’s gowns and the magnificent feast the servants had laid out for them.
Slow-roasted venison with honeyed turnips, mushroom pies, hunks of freshly baked bread, and custard tarts.
Alicent had taken care to have the finest honey wine for her guest, having heard of the lady’s fondness for the drink.
On her part, Johanna Lannister showered her with kind words and gifts.
A splendid embroidered petticoat with mink fur trimmings for her and a gold ring with a pink emerald for Helaena.
Aemond received a deer-hide knife scabbard, inlaid with gold threads, whilst Daeron, whose absence Johanna lamented, got an oaken dragon toy with sapphire eyes.
The lady’s young daughter Tyshara wanted to hand Aegon’s gift personally to him, but her son was nowhere to be seen.
Alicent tried to dismiss his absence, claiming he was still studying with the Maesters and would be arriving shortly.
Yet as the evening progressed, and she and Johanna ran out of platitudes to exchange, her firstborn never came.
Alicent was just about ready to pick her nails to the bone.
“I will find him, your Grace,” Ser Criston Cole had promised when she’d pulled him aside to have words.
Sadly, her honorable knight was too late in fulfilling his promise.
Nightfall had already descended on the Keep when Ser Criston unearthed Aegon near the castle’s pigsty and dragged him back to the Queen’s apartments.
By then Lady Johanna had grown sick of waiting and excused herself to take her daughter to bed.
Alicent tried to soothe her obvious displeasure by inventing a sickness that had prevented her son from attending.
“It is just a little chill, that is all.
Maester Orwyle has assured me he will regain his strength in no time.”
The lady pulled her lips into a smirk, her hooded eyes almost disappearing into her head.
Alicent thought she looked like she was choking on a lemon.
The golden dress she wore did nothing to stop the comparison.
Nevertheless, she refused to linger.
When Ser Criston brought Aegon into her apartments later, filthy and stinking of wine, Alicent was grateful for her departure.
“Johanna Lannister is the Lady of Casterly Rock.
The second wealthiest house in Westeros.
Proud and powerful, and capable of aiding or hindering the throne, if her husband were so inclined.
And yet despite knowing this, you chose to show her nothing but disrespect?”
Her limbs trembling, Alicent seized Aegon by the chin, forcing his head up to look at her.
His clothes were caked with mud and dried leaves, his silver hair a tangle of messy knots.
The smell of strong ale languished on his breath, and a large stain marred the front of his doublet.
But the worst was his face.
Blank and sulky, as if there wasn’t a single thought floating around his head.
He truly is Viserys’ son, she thought bitterly.
Her husband too would get the same droopy expression whenever she attempted to bring up concerns he was determined to ignore.
“I told you, I didn’t want to spend the afternoon reading with her.
I don’t like her!”
Before she knew it, her hand snapped up, and she dealt him a slap across the face.
An ugly red imprint bloomed on his left cheek.
“Gods be good, the world does not revolve around your wants and likes!
There are more important things at stake!”
Jason Lannister’s sudden visit to Kings Landing had brought an invaluable opportunity to Alicent.
A marriage pact.
If she managed to betroth Aegon to Lord Jason’s daughter, Alicent would have the means to stand against Rhaenyra and the might of House Velaryon.
Her son did not care for her reasoning, though.
“She is four.
A whiny, snotty child.
Why would I want her trailing after me?”
“And yet you have no issue with Jacaerys Velaryon hanging on your every word.”
The sullen frown turned into a grimace.
Alicent wished she could slap him again, but the slight shake of Criston’s head bade her stay her hand.
There is no slapping sense into him, she realized.
If that were possible, then he never would have struck up a friendship with Rhaenyra’s kin in the first place.
“Jace at least has some wits about him.
The Lannister girl is a halfwit with a stutter.”
“She will learn, grow, and mature.
I cannot say the same thing for you.”
The redness that ravished his cheeks then had nothing to do with her blows.
“You read to her then!” his voice shattered, and he shook off Ser Criston’s grip.
He collapsed onto a pair of cushions, arms crossed firmly on his chest.
Alicent released a strangled sigh.
How was it possible that he was her eldest?
This behavior was not even suited to a squalling babe, much less a boy on the cusp of manhood.
“Gods…
years I have spent trying to secure your position.
Find your allies, supporters who will protect you and defend your rights.
And at every turn, you have spurned my efforts.
For what?
A cup of wine?
An afternoon spent in bed?
The friendship of Rhaenyra’s son?”
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Alicent leaned against the window frame, overlooking the darkened gardens.
“Sometimes I wonder why I even bother trying.
You clearly have no wish to be a son of mine.”
Heavy silence blanketed the room as Alicent resisted the urge to split open her nail beds.
Some distant part of her told her her words were too harsh, unbecoming of a good mother.
Still, it felt good to voice them.
To free herself of the shackles she had borne since the day her father had sold her off to be a royal broodmare.
“I didn’t ask for it.” Aegon’s voice was small, shaky.
When Alicent cast a glance at him, tears were welling in his purple eyes.
“No.
Yet you keep spitting upon it as if it means nothing to you.
As if I mean nothing to you.”
The hurt came then, and Alicent could not stop the tears from filling her own eyes.
All that pain, that suffering.
All my sacrifices are worth naught.
She might as well have flung herself from the tallest window in the Red Keep.
“That is not true.”
“Then act like it.
Listen to me and do your duty.”
“I am trying…” he hiccupped a sob, wiping his nose on his sleeve.
The dirt caked on the garment left tracks above his upper lip.
Alicent gritted her teeth. Get faster updates on novelping.com.
“No.
You are not.
If you were, you would have been here instead of chasing after Jacaerys Velaryon.”
She expected him to argue again, but to her shame, he did nothing except drop his head and sniffle in silence.
“Thought as much.
Escort the Prince to his chambers, and take the watch.
I do not want him sneaking out to bring us more misery.”
“Of course, my queen.” In two quick strides, he crossed the room and forced Aegon to his feet.
Her son stumbled out of her apartments, head hanging low, and shoulders bunched.
Alicent buried her face in her hands.
All for naught.
Was this her lot in life?
Forever doomed to toil in service of others.
And toward what end?
Her son was just as big of an oaf as her husband.
Haughty, proud, petulant, and focused solely on his desires.
Such a man would never be capable of seizing power.
Rhaenyra might as well lop our heads off now.
Alicent regarded her right index finger.
If she squinted, she could still make out the fine outline of a ring band she had worn there.
A most cherished gift from a most cherished friend.
No.
She shall not get such satisfaction from me.
Rhaenyra had already trampled her heart once.
Alicent would sooner let the Others take her than allow her to claim the final victory.
This has to mean something.
It must.
Rubbing at her hands, she turned and headed toward her writing desk.
Johanna Lannister may have been as proud as her husband, but Alicent wagered she too could be bought if the price was high enough.
Aegon will be king someday.
And once the crown sat atop his head, Alicent Hightower would finally be vindicated.
As expected, Johanna Lannister seemed unimpressed by her efforts of appeasement.
“It truly is a pity the prince’s illness has impeded him from giving my daughter audience.
Thrice.”
Alicent set down her teacup, her heartbeat soaring.
Wouldn’t be a Lannister if she didn’t have a sharp tongue, she thought.
It had taken quite a bit of convincing to get the Lady of Casterly Rock to come and break her fast with her.
Yet, even after she had arrived at the queen’s apartments, resplendent in Lannister reds and golds, she remained notably curt.
“Yes, I know.
But this flux has been troubling him for months.
He never quite recovered from his first bout with it.
But the maesters have been giving him new potions now, so he is sure to be hale and healthy again.”
“Not before we depart for Casterly Rock.” The lady raised her hooked nose high.
There was something especially disconcerting about her icy blue eyes.
A kind of hidden fierceness that gave Alicent pause.
The Lioness of the Rock indeed.
She seldom placed stock in gossip, but for once the rumors about Lord Jason’s fierce Westerling wife were true.
“Yes.
I am quite saddened that you will be leaving us so soon.” She leaned against the table, fingers entwined.
“But mayhaps my daughter and I could give you a proper sendoff this evening, over supper?”
The lady regarded her for a moment, slender fingers twirling the golden lion pendant about her neck.
“The Princess Helaena?
That is quite a generous offer, my Queen.”
“Of course, it would do Helaena good to play with such a sweet girl like your Tyshara.
And it would give us plenty of time to discuss…
other matters.”
Johanna’s dark brows knitted into a pensive frown.
Then, half a heartbeat later, she smiled.
“I thank you for the invitation, my Queen.
I must first consult with my lord husband about it to see if we can afford another…
dalliance.”
Alicent resisted the urge to dismiss her entirely.
The woman had no right to address her so coldly.
She was her subject, not the inverse.
But she gritted her teeth and bore it all the same.
Her position was always tenuous as long as Rhaenyra lived.
“Yes, naturally.
I shall expect your answer by midday then.”
Johanna left without much fanfare after, her red gown trailing behind her like a torrent of blood.
It took the queen the longest time to bid herself to rise from her seat.
I must tell Helaena.
She had hoped to avoid involving her daughter in this.
Formal social gatherings were never her strong suit.
The noise caused her much discomfort.
Likewise, it unsettled whoever was in her company.
It shall be brief, she told herself.
Just so Johanna could see how sweet and kind her girl was.
A proper princess.
She wagered she could stop Helaena from rambling for that long.
No one needed to hear that.
There were sufficient rumors about her mental capacity as is.
As expected, Helaena was not pleased by Alicent’s request.
“It will only be for a short while,” she assured.
Her sweet girl stared off into nothing, fingers pulling at the lace on her dress sleeve.
As soon as the threads were out, she would neatly tuck them back in and repeat.
“I do not like her.
She is loud.”
Alicent sighed and dared to draw closer.
The way her daughter shrank away shattered her heart.
“I know sweetling.
But it would mean much to me if you came,” she forced lightness into her voice.
“And after, you can skip your needlework lessons and play with your pets.”
Helaena’s head snapped up, and Alicent seized the opportunity.
“Did you enjoy your gift?”
Faster than she could blink, Helaena rushed over to the glass case set beside her bed. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
She fished for something with her hand before snapping the wooden lid close.
The smell of wet soil and musty leaves filled the chamber.
Alicent’s stomach turned when she glimpsed a fat, black shape crawling about her hand.
“Yes.
She is very pretty.”
Balling her fists, she dared approach.
“She?
How can you tell it is a she?”
Helaena allowed the millipede to curl about her wrist, fingers trailing over its back plates.
Alicent swallowed the sickness and steadied herself.
“The legs on the seventh ring.
Males have a special set of legs there to help them mate.
She does not.”
“How curious,” she carefully lowered herself to sit on the steps of the chamber entrance.
Only when Helaena was satisfied that she had left plenty of space in between did she sit beside her.
“She has sixty rings on her body.
And two pairs of legs on each.
That is two hundred and forty.”
“Yes, it is.
Very good,” Alicent offered.
“She has eyes.
Though I do not believe she can see.”
“Why is that, do you think?”
“I cannot say…” she paused, her face darkening.
“It is beyond our understanding.”
Releasing a labored sigh, she gave her a small smile.
“I suppose you are right.
Some things just are.”
Gingerly inching closer, she caressed Helaena’s forearm, daring to give it a squeeze.
To her dismay, her daughter’s muscles bunched, and she shook off the grip.
I should be thankful.
At least she is not like Aegon.
With the right indulgences, Helaena could be as prim and proper as every other maiden.
Yet a small part of Alicent would never cease wondering why the gods had made her so.
“You will come then?”
Helaena blinked, cocking her head at her.
“For a little while.”
A weight lifted off Alicent’s shoulders.
“Yes, for a little while.
And I will be sure to tell Maester Orwyle to find a companion for your…”
The sound of the door flying open cut her off.
Ser Lorent Marbrand rushed in, dragging with him a figure covered in dirt.
Alicent almost screamed Aegon’s name, but glimpsing the perpetrator’s face made the words catch in her throat.
“Aemond?
Gods be good, what has happened?”
Panicked, she rushed to seize him in her arms, hands frantically searching for any sign of injury.
Barring the sand and soot, he seemed unharmed.
“He did it again,” Helaena announced, and Alicent’s gut dropped.
“I found him outside the Dragonpit, Your Grace.
The Keepers said he snuck below to the lairs to seek out the dragons.”
Anger choked her throat, stifling the scream threatening to escape.
“Mother have mercy, not you as well.
Your brother has dealt me enough grief as it is!” she seized him by the shoulders.
“How many times have I warned you to keep away from that place?
Would you have me confine you to your chambers?”
“That is not fair; they made me do it!” He spat out, eyes red.
He had been weeping, she realized.
“As if you need encouragement.
Your obsession with those beasts defies reason!”
“They gave me a pig!”
His cry stumped her.
“What?”
Aemond gritted his teeth, his head held low.
“Aegon and Jace.
They said they had found a dragon for me.”
“The last ring has no legs at all,” Helaena whispered behind her.
“But it was a pig with wings and a tail.”
Swallowing hard, Alicent let the rage slowly build inside her.
Why must he insist on having a dragon?
It was the one thing she had begrudged him.
The one thing he dared defy her on.
She understood it in a way.
He was a Targaryen, and the power of his family name was forged in dragon fire.
But she often wished he would seek power elsewhere.
Content himself with earthly virtues, just like her family did.
“You will have a dragon one day,” she promised instead.
“He will have to close an eye,” her daughter announced again, the millipede curled about her index finger.
“I know it.”
Aemond dared to look up at her then, his lips pressed into a firm white line.
The hurt pouring from his purple eyes left her distraught.
“They laughed.
Both of them.
They oinked and chortled and shoved me down.”
Pressing him tightly to her chest, she squeezed till they were both breathless.
“I know…” she whispered into his temple.
The smell of fire and dragon stink coated her mouth, but she pushed it aside.
He is to be my champion.
Aegon may not have been the dutiful son she had wished for, but Aemond was.
Strong, capable, loyal to a fault.
If anyone was to be her avenger, it would be him.
I cannot lose him to this dragon madness.
“And I promise you.
They will never do it again.
I will make sure of it.”