ALICENT
Alicent took a sip from her goblet, and spat it out.
It was cold water, bitter and scathing. The freezing touch lingered on Alicent's tongue as she glanced within her goblet. She had assumed that it was a light yellow, that Aegon had his maid pour Alicent a strain of Arbor gold. Her son, after all, had his goblet filled from the same flagon. She peered closer inside her goblet, and saw that the drink was clear, the yellow being that of the golden goblet shining through.
"Water?" Alicent asked, her tongue still burning from the bitterness,"Would you treat your mother like some common peasant?" She looked back at the cold water within the goblet,"My son, the Blackwater Rush is full of the filthy leavings of King's Landing. You are to grow sick if you drink it."
"The water is from the cisterns and wells that Good Queen Alysanne had the Old King build," Aegon said.
"And those cisterns and wells are full of the same filth," Alicent snapped, reaching over and pulling Aegon's cup from his grasp. "My son," Alicent stroked Aegon's cheek,"Any man, whether noble or beggar, can seek for water from Alysanne's Wells. What is to say that there are those amongst them who are the catspaws of the traitor Daemon, who received commands from Lord Flea Bottom to poison a well that the king frequents. And there are tales of sicknesses in the wells."
"The shitting sickness, and worse," Aegon snickered as he snatched his goblet back,"I have heard my lot of them, and I am not shitting yet."
"Better to trust the wines of the Red Keep," Alicent said,"which are guarded by your grandfather's true men."
"Would Mother have me send for wine instead?" Aegon asked.
"That would be wise," Alicent said,"Archmaester Frosts, who teaches the silver link at the Citadel, proposes that wine is a fire that burns through disease. Much like the furnace of dragonflame and the blood of the dragon. Whereas sicknesses thrives in water as fish do in the sea."
"Joy," Aegon beckoned his maid,"Go forth to the royal stores, and bring forth a flagon of the finest honeyed wine of Lannisport. It is for my mother, Her Grace the queen."
The maid curtsied, a lean girl of sixteen years with mousy brown hair, a hooked nose, and a sweet smile that touched her blue eyes. "Yes, Your Grace," she said as she fled swiftly from the chamber.
Alicent turned back to Aegon, and her heart leapt when she saw him curling his hand again around the goblet that contained cold water. "My son," Alicent said,"Do not play games with me."
"War is no time for games," Aegon said,"During my visits to the city, I oft find that a glass of cold water clears my head after anxious activity. Better than wine, at least."
"If it is your wish, Aegon," Alicent slowly nodded,"But has one of Kingsguard tasted it first?"
Aegon nodded,"Ser Gaston had a pint of the water an hour ago when the servants brought the flagon. If there is any poison, it should have acted by now."
Alicent breathed. There were loyal men about Aegon's side, at the very least. The men who wore white cloaks had worried Alicent of late. Only Ser Criston of the seven who served her husband could she say to trust. The first Cargyll, Marbrand, and Darklyn had joined in Rhaenyra's treason, and Alicent's father had stripped them of their white cloaks. The second Cargyll stood still in the ranks of the Kingsguard, and Alicent was uncertain if he would sway the way of his brother. Fell and Thorne were both Helaena's creatures, even more dangerous than those loyal to Rhaenyra, as Rhaenyra's white cloaks did not stand close to the king. Alicent's father knew just as she did to forge a Kingsguard who would serve the king, and Alicent had recommended Belgrave, Honeys, and Flowers as worthy choices to replace the three who had followed Rhaenyra's foolish path.
Belgrave stood behind the king, his face in the shadows as one hand stroked his wisp of a beard and the other held his sword's sheath. Honeys stood at the king's right, the candlelight illuminating his golden hair as his face turned to watch the door to the chamber. Alicent could see Flowers's eyes, a piercing black as the knight stood upon the left of Aegon with his white cloak resting stagnant in the cool and windless chamber.
"It is hot here," Aegon took a sip from his goblet of cold water,"Mother, let us keep it brief. Why are you here in these early hours of morning?"
"Aegon," Alicent answered, her mouth dry,"I know that other matters have occupied your time during the recent Small Councils, but I trust that your grandfather has informed you of the happenings."
"Ser Otto has," Aegon said,"He has dispatched Grand Maester Orwyle to inform me that the ravenry has received tidings from the Vale."
Alicent nodded,"The bastards Jacaerys and Joffrey Strong have descended a fortnight ago on the Eyrie upon their dragons Vermax and Tyraxes. Lady Jeyne Arryn had welcomed them, and swore the Knights of the Vale for the traitor princess."
"Orwyle told me that much," Aegon said,"What has he hidden from his king?"
"The raven was written from Runestone," Alicent answered,"by the hand of Ser Gunthor Royce at great risk to his person, for his liege lady had declared for the traitors."
"Even in a sea of treason, he is true," Aegon said,"When the war is over, the Royces of Runestone shall be well compensated for their loyalty."
"They have already paid dearly," Alicent said,"When Ser Gunthor's brother Lord Robar spoke against the two bastards at the Eyrie, the bastard Joffrey had his dragon tear off the hand of Lord Robar's daughter and threatened to burn her if Lord Robar did not seal his tongue. At her vassal's suffering, Lady Jeyne did naught but stand by and watch. It has only served to harden Lord Robar's anger."
"The bastard's wanton act of cruelty has further sullied the usurper's foul name in the eyes of the realm," Aegon said,"That is why my half-sister will lose. We stand for what is right and honourable, and the realm knows that for its true king.'
"That is not the end of the letter," Alicent said,"After the bastards swindled the loyalty of the Lady Jeyne, Ser Gunthor reports that Lord Robar saw the both of them ride north upon their dragons. There is only one place worth riding to further north. Winterfell. Lord Larys's birds confirm Ser Gunthor's tale, as they have sighted two dragons touch down first at Sisterton and then at White Harbour, on the path to the heart of the North." Alicent looked Aegon in his calm lilac eyes,"Your grandfather's fear has been realized. The Vale and the North will declare for your traitor of a half-sister, and it is the strength Rhaenyra needs to declare war.'
"What does Ser Otto mean to do about it?" Aegon asked, his eyes hardening.
"That shall depend on you, my son," Alicent said,"For before the scrapes of faraway lands can be addressed, infections of the heart must be first cured. And there is a ghastly infection in the heart of Your Grace's realm."
"It is Helaena and Aemond, is it not?" Aegon gave a bitter laugh,"I have done as much to Helaena short of setting her aside. We have not shared a bed for a moon, and the Kingsguard are commanded to remain in Maegor's Holdfast, confining my wife to these quarters save for her nightly visits to the Tower of the Hand." "What more can I do, Mother?" Aegon asked,"Would you have me be Maegor the Cruel, and kill her to take another wife?"
"Let us not speak of Helaena, my son," Alicent bit her lip,"She has no means of reaching Dreamfyre in the Dragonpit, and is not so much a danger as your brother. Vhagar is tethered in the yard of the Red Keep, and in minutes Aemond could be upon her back torching the castle. He has already begun making his moves towards power. Aemond has barged into a Small Council uninvited, forced your grandfather to name him Master of Ships, and has demanded Driftmark. How much longer before he sets his eyes on the Iron Throne?"
"What would you have me do, Mother?" Aegon laughed again,"Have my guards seize Aemond in the middle of the night, and whip him naked through the streets?"
"He near did the same to you, my son," Alicent answered,"Or does Your Grace not remember?"
"I cannot forget," Aegon answered.
"Two years ago," Alicent said,"during one of your visits to the people of the city, Aemond barged into your chamber and dragged you from my bed. It was only the intervention of Ser Arryk that prevented Aemond from parading you naked through the streets. Before that day, I still harboured a faint hope to love your brother, but that day he proved the wretch he had always been.'
"Mother," Aegon's eyes sharpened,"Do you know where my bed was that day? Where my chamber was? Upon the Street of Silk, in an establishment called the Blue Pearl. A brothel. That day Aemond dragged me from my bed was the day Maelor was born. It was fortunate that Ser Arryk was there, and I attended the birth of my son dressed."
Aegon's voice rang with a knock on the chamber door, and the guard announced that Aegon's maid had returned. The brown-haired girl swept into the chamber with a heavy flagon weighing down her arms.
"Joy," Aegon said,"Pour my mother a glass of wine." He took away the cup of water and brought forth an empty one, chiseled of brass and inlaid with emeralds, dragonglass, and amethysts.
The maid nodded and tipped the flagon over the empty goblet, a thin trickle of dull yellow streaming forth. Alicent glanced at the swirling wine, knowing that there were many poisons that Prince Daemon knew which no eye could see, so Alicent lifted the goblet to the maid. "I grant you a taste, girl," Alicent said.
"Her name is Joy, Mother," Aegon said.
"Joy," Alicent said.
"It is an honour, Your Grace," the maid exclaimed as she received the goblet and drank a sip. She swiftly gave the cup back, and Alicent smiled. Alicent set the goblet on the table, knowing that there was still a whiles to wait ere the wine be safe to drink. She turned back to Aegon.
"Whatever Aemond's reasons that day of Maelor's birth," Alicent said,"He attacked a prince."
"He is also a prince," Aegon said.
"You were the heir to the Iron Throne," Alicent snarled,"Prince or pauper, to strike the future king is tantamount to high treason and a sentence of death or the Wall. Your father was merciful to spare Aemond. Mayhaps too merciful."
"Mother," Aegon said,"He is my brother, and brothers fight."
"That was no childhood squabble," Alicent said,"That was a humiliation meant to strip you of your rights. That was only the edge of Aemond's ambitions which has revealed its wretched self in this war. No sensible man wants war with your elder sister. Not me, not your grandfather, nor any of the Small Council. We would have had peace if not for Aemond. Only Aemond wants war, harbouring his boyhood resentment to Luke Velaryon." "When this war is over," Alicent leaned in close to Aegon,"you and Rhaenyra shall both be dead. And who shall laugh at the very end, seated upon the Iron Throne?"
"What would you have me do?" Aegon asked, staring at his cup of water,"Get him drunk, and have my Kingsguard throw him in the black cells. What shall I do with him then? He is my brother. I cannot put him to death, and I will not send him to the Wall, which is forever."
"Send him away on some years of exile," Alicent said,"Away from court to not interfere with our peace with Rhaenyra. Once the peace is settled and your reign is secure, you may welcome Aemond back for all I care."
"And have Aemond be another Maegor?" Aegon laughed bitterly,"Mother, you should not forget that he rides Vhagar. Should I order him into exile, and at best he would emerge vengeful after the years to take Jaehaerys's throne. At worst, he would laugh in my face and burn the Red Keep to the ground. Vhagar is four times Sunfyre's size, just as Balerion was to Quicksilver."
"Aemond must thus be separated from his dragon," Alicent said,"lest he attempt a treason like Maegor."
"I raised Sunfyre from when he was but a yellow hatchling," Aegon said,"I know of the love a rider bears his dragon, and a dragon their rider. Dragons are not like hounds. There is ancient magic in their bonds with their masters. To separate a dragon from its rider would be as cruel as all Maegor's evils. I will not have it."
"Mercy is a sweet thing, Aegon," Alicent said,"but it killed King Aenys. You must not allow mercy to blind you from doing what is right."
"Mother," Aegon said,"There must be another way."
Alicent bit her tongue, knowing that she could not sway Aegon this way. "Then at the very least, do not allow Aemond to demand Driftmark," Alicent said,"for a castle is only the gate for greater ambitions."
"How shall I do that?" Aegon asked.
"Aemond is Helaena's creature, and the two largest dragons still ridden are theirs," Alicent said,"You must match their strength. You must make Daeron yours." She waited, preparing her next words.
"I sense that is not all, Mother," Aegon said.
"Make a peace with Rhaenyra, have her dragons support your reign," Alicent said,"and Aemond is nothing."
"How?" Aegon's question Alicent had expected.
"You are not the one to start this war, nor is Rhaenyra," Alicent said,"It was all the machinations of Aemond and the traitor Prince Daemon. So long as those two poisons are removed, there is naught standing between a peace."
"It is a throne my half-sister wants," Aegon said.
"And that you can give to her," Alicent said,"Aemond is Helaena's creature, and to remove him, your shrew of a queen must also be put aside. You could then offer to marry Rhaenyra should she name Prince Daemon a traitor and their marriage void in the eyes of gods and men. You would sit the Iron Throne together, and Rhaenyra is not so much a fool as to refuse a throne that could be gained without a war."
"Just one matter, Mother," Aegon said,"If I am to marry Rhaenyra, who would inherit the Iron Throne after me. Jaehaerys, or Jacaerys?"
"That is a matter of future days," Alicent said,"My king should look to the present first, and an end to this war before too much blood is shed." She looked Aegon in the eyes,"Will you save your realm?"
Aegon took a swig of water, and there was fire in his eyes,"I will."