Hi everyone! This was originally going to be the chapter that would describe the Black and Green Wedding, but I decided to make this a separate chapter since the material I had would have made it too long. The wedding is in the next chapter. Enjoy!
During the month that followed the birth of the queen's newest granddaughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, King's Landing got ready for the Black and Green Wedding. The scale and grandeur of this event would rival that of the Golden Wedding ninety-six years earlier in 49 AC. An air of excitement permeated King's Landing during the weeks leading up to the wedding. Streets were swept of all dust and debris, and the Gold Cloaks were given orders to increase patrols around Flea Bottom and the other slums to keep the riffraff away out of sight of the wedding guests. Flower festoons decorated windows and doorways as colorful banners fluttered over the streets between houses and shops, and the Targaryen flag flew from the roofs and spires of buildings and the watchtowers along the battlements.
Pavilions, stands, and jousting fences were being set up outside of the city walls. Before the majority of the highborn wedding guests arrived at King's Landing, entertainers and hedge knights arrived first and they camped out on the tourney grounds. Two weeks before the Black and Green Wedding took place, the nobility of Westeros and Essos streamed into King's Landing both by land and by sea. Every Great House attended, and following them were about five or six of their bannermen. A flowerbed of banners depicting every color in the Known World fluttered outside of King's Landing's great walls.
When the week of the wedding arrived, the streets of the city was fragrant with the scents of baking bread and roasting meat. Royal huntsmen went out in droves to the Kingswood to hunt for deer and wild boar to provide for the wedding feast. Scores of livestock and poultry were butchered, and countless fish were netted. Wedding gifts from the guests were delivered to the Red Keep's throne room. Gold and silver jewelry, clothing, armor, a sword and shield, a fine longbow made from ebony wood, cradles, and books and so much more were the gifts that were given to Maelor and Visenya.
The Hightower's arrived in King's Landing at the start of that same week. It was the first time that Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower and Prince Aemond Targaryen had been at King's Landing in seventeen years ever since they exiled themselves to Oldtown following Rhaenyra I's coronation in 129 AC. Peering through the windows of the wheelhouse, Alicent observed the decorations that adorned the buildings lining the city streets and the gaiety of the atmosphere. Kinglanders were going about their daily business, and from what Alicent could see, they appeared to be in good spirits. Some stood to watch the train of wheelhouses as they made their way through the streets towards the Red Keep.
The scenery starkly contrasted with Alicent's memory of her departure from King's Landing all those years ago - crowds of people lining the streets to watch the Disgraced Queen and her father, brother, and sons leave the city during the early morning hours of the day. Alicent recalled that the temperature of the air then was cold and grim. The temperature outside now was warm and bright. The ride was pleasant until the wheelhouse jolted after riding over a bump in the street, which caused Alicent to tightly grip the handle of her cane, causing her to hiss with pain.
In recent years, the now fifty-eight year old Alicent had started to feel the aches and pains of old age. Rheumatism had turned the dowager queen's once slender and lovely fingers into gnarled, crooked branches, and bending her fingers even just a little caused Alicent to wince from the stinging pain that emanated from her swollen knuckles. Even walking had become problematic for her since both her knees had become swollen and painful from the same disease too. Maester Ulrich treated Alicent's rheumatism with poultices and potions, but these cures only provided temporary relief, and Alicent began learning how to live with the pain in her fingers and knees. She had begun using an ebony and gold cane to get around better, and occasionally submerged her fingers into bowls of warm or cold water whenever the pain flared up.
Alicent's hiss was heard by her fellow passengers: her longtime maidservant, Petra, and Lady Sam and her three children: fifteen year old Lilith, and eleven year old twins Regina and Reginald.
"My lady?" spoke up Petra in concern. "Your pains again?"
Alicent nodded, but she waved away her maidservant's outstretched hand.
"It is fine, Petra." said Alicent. "The pain has subsided."
Lady Sam noticed a tone of nervousness in Alicent's voice, and she decided it was time to voice her own concerns to the former queen.
"Are you nervous, Alicent?" a question which caused the older dowager to shake her head in response.
"No. I am actually looking forward to returning to the Red Keep."
A good answer, but Lady Sam was still not convinced, and her expression made her feelings clear to Alicent. Sighing once more, Alicent finally revealed the source of her latent anxiety.
"Very well. I am nervous about Rhaenyra and Daemon seeing me with a cane."
"Why?" asked Lady Sam and her three children simultaneously. It was a cute thing to hear, and the three women chuckled briefly before Alicent gave her explanation.
"I do not want my stepdaughter and her husband to view me as a fragile old woman. They still have some contempt for me despite all that has been done to bring the Blacks and Greens together, and I can picture them sniggering at my upcoming invalidity."
Samantha reached over and touched Alicent's hand.
"Fear not, Alicent. They will not snigger at you, or treat you with contempt. Queen Rhaenyra and King Daemon are getting up in age too. They would probably empathize with you more than anything at best."
"You are probably right." said Alicent, who felt a little bit better after listening to what her late cousin's widow had to say. Samantha's skill with rhetoric could not be denied, and Alicent was sure that she would have made a great Hand of the King or Queen had Sam have been born male instead of female. Nothing more was said between the two widows after that exchange. Alicent spoke again when she noticed that the wheelhouse was approaching the castle gates.
This announcement excited Sam's children, and Lilith, Regina, and Reginald looked out the wheelhouse windows to get a closer look at the gates. Passing under the gate, its shadow briefly darkening the interior of the wheelhouse, amazed the three siblings. It was as if they had just gone through a portal to another world. This was not their first visit to the Red Keep, but Lilith and the twins were excited as ever to be arriving at the home of the royal family. There was also some excitement for their mother as well.
Lilith had flowered last week, and Lady Sam could not wait to inform Rhaenyra I and the crown prince that her daughter was ready for marriage. Lilith's fiancé, Prince Aelyx Targaryen, was going to turn eleven in the ninth moon, making him still a little too young to become a husband. Sam hoped to arrange for the wedding between her eldest child and Prince Jacaerys Velaryon's youngest son to take place in three years time at the earliest after Aelyx's fourteenth nameday to further strengthen the ties between the Blacks and Greens. And after that wedding took place, Sam hoped to arrange the marriage between her youngest daughter Regina and Jace's youngest living full-blooded nephew, Prince Corlys Velaryon, to not only end the rivalry between Houses Hightower and Velaryon, but to also secure the line of succession at Driftmark with the conception and birth of a grandson for Corlys's father, Prince Lucerys Velaryon. As for her only son and youngest child, Reginald, who had yet to be promised to anyone, Sam hoped to create a betrothal between him and one of Rhaenyra's younger granddaughters.
Princess Laena Velaryon was out of the question, of course, due to her madness. However, if Rhaenyra were to offer Laena as a possible bride for Reginald, Sam had a feeling that she, against her better judgement to decline the match as politely as she could, would say yes to having her son marry the Mad Princess out of fear of creating a rift between her and her friend. The marriage would ensure that the reconciliation between the Hightower's and Velaryon's was sealed both ways, but Sam feared that Reginald would be absolutely miserable with Laena because of her mental instability. Sam hoped and prayed that instead, that the queen would offer the hand of either of her two youngest granddaughters, Princesses Valaena and Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Sam saw a lot of promise in a future marriage between her son and the six year old Valaena. She was half-Darklyn on her mother's side, and the Hightower's would benefit immensely from developing ties with the Black Targaryen's strongest ally after the Velaryon's. Economic benefits could also be born from this union for both Oldtown and Duskendale too such as lower tariffs, collaboration on strengthening sea patrols, and possibly gaining more mercantile ties with Essosi merchants for Oldtown through Duskendale. Even though Rhaenyra was only a month old, Sam was drawn to the infant princess's Valyrian pedigree. Marrying Reginald to the princess would allow the Hightower's access to the wealth and power of Houses Celtigar, Targaryen, and Velaryon.
So much to consider, so little time. Lady Samantha Tarly was just going to have to wait and see what happened during the weeklong festivities that were going to be held to celebrate the Black and Green Wedding. The wheelhouses made their way through the main gate to the Red Keep and they careened around the courtyard before coming to a complete stop. Footmen went up to the wheelhouse doors to open them and to assist the passengers out into the bright summer sunlight. Alicent was helped out first, and she carefully stepped out of the wheelhouse cane in hand in full view of the assembled Black Targaryen's.
From what Alicent saw, the older members of her stepfamily collectively blinked in disbelief, but other than that, no stronger reaction to her cane manifested itself.
"Lady Sam was right." Alicent thought reassuringly to herself. "They do not seem to care about my cane."
If only she could read their thoughts.
"Alicent is using a cane? Seven above, we are all getting old!" thought Queen Rhaenyra. "I might be using one in near future if the pain in my knees worsens..."
Rhaenyra I had ceased being quietly ashamed of her obesity during the last few years, but she knew that as she got older, her size was going to cause her some problems. So far, only her knees had begun to hurt, but the queen, who was now nine and forty, feared of what else was going to ache as time went on. Oh, what she would give to be young and shapely again like she was before her first pregnancy! Using a cane herself was a dreadful thought in itself for Rhaenyra, but it paled in comparison to the thought of Daemon himself having to use one. The queen glanced at her uncle-king.
His left hand was hidden by his side, and Rhaenyra hoped that it was not trembling again like it had been recently... When she looked away from Daemon, Rhaenyra I saw that her stepmother now had her eyes on him.
"Gods, look how Daemon has aged! He looks so thin too. Nearly frail..."
Alicent could not believe that she had just described her former brother-in-law, the Rogue Prince, as being frail. It was such an alien concept, and quite honestly it disturbed her a bit. A distraction came in the form of the sound of another wheelhouse entering the castle courtyard. It contained Princes Aemond and Daeron Targaryen, who had been picked up from the Dragonpit after having their dragons corralled there. Exiting their wheelhouse, the two men made their way back to their wives and families.
Lady Daenaera Velaryon, who was earlier exchanging smiles with her foster family while cradling her five month pregnant belly, became meek and solemn when her husband approached. She lowered her head and offered her hand to Aemond, who took it into his and kissed it. Alys Rivers, who stood behind Daenaera with her son Lydus, did not seemed to be phased by the sight of Aemond kissing his wife's hand. Lydus on the other hand, seemed to be disgusted by it on his mother's behalf. Lucerys and Rhaena were somewhat relieved when they saw this display of affection between their foster daughter and her husband even though it appeared to be superficial; they were still leery on how submissive Daenaera became when Aemond was nearby.
Lady Bethany Hightower, in stark contrast to her second cousin-in-law, grinned at Daeron, who shared his wife's expression, when they saw each other. Their youngest son, six year old Prince Valarr Targaryen, ran up to his father with open arms. Daeron was more than happy to scoop Valarr up into his arms, and he walked up the rest of the way to his wife and other children carrying the happy little boy. Neither Alicent or Rhaenyra could believe how fast twins Vaella and Valarr had grown. It almost felt like it was only yesterday that they were newborns, and now they were four years away from turning ten!
Remarking on the swift passage of time was not just reserved for Daeron and Bethany's twins. Both sides observed on who had become greyer, taller, fatter, what have you. The Velaryon Princes were all in their thirties now and were still in their prime. Tall, strong, and imposing were apt descriptions of them. Jacaerys and Joffrey still retained their trimmed beard and goatee while Lucerys remained clean-shaven, and they all wore garments that reflected the colors of Houses Targaryen and Velaryon.
"The very image Ser Harwin Strong..." thought Alicent to herself as she gazed upon her step-grandsons. And speaking of image, Jace and Luke's wives were the spitting image of their mother. Twins Baela and Rhaena were both gorgeous with long, curly silver-white hair that they allowed to flow freely behind their backs.
"Laena would be so proud of her daughters." Alicent was amazed on how shapely Baela and Rhaena after all their pregnancies. The same could not be said for their younger stepbrother's wife. Lady Nell Beesbury was plump and average looking in comparison to the twin princesses, but she still looked pleasant and sweet. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, who stood behind her grandchildren, looked as regal and magnificent as ever, but even Alicent thought could detect a certain latent frailty about the seventy-one year old Queen Who Never Was.
"Greetings, Alicent." spoke Rhaenyra, startling the Disgraced Queen from her observations. "How was your journey? A pleasant one I hope?"
"It was." responded Alicent with a nod of her head. "Lady Sam and her children and my maidservant provided me with very pleasant company as we traveled on the Roseroad."
"Lady Sam's company is always pleasurable." commented Rhaenyra before smiling at Samantha. The queen's attention then switched from her aging stepmother to her dear friend. Rhaenyra's expression had been stoic when she was addressing Alicent, but it became happy once she began speaking to the widow Tarly. The two women greeted each other in a spirited manner, exchanging compliments and pleasantries.
Feeling ignored but relieved to be free of the obligation of continuing a conversation with her stepdaughter, Alicent decided to make a silent review of her step-great-grandchildren by the Velaryon Princes. Alicent was flabbergasted at how tall they had all grown to be. Fifteen year old Prince Baelor Targaryen was just an inch shorter than his father, and he looked to be growing sideburns. He proudly wore crimson and sable garments with a pearl studded gold circlet on his head. Baelor also wore a sword at his belt in a black, gold, and pearl studded scabbard.
"He likes his pearls, doesn't he?" Alicent could not help but notice the tiny little spherical gemstones that decorated Baelor's outfit. Then again, what was the problem with liking pearls? They're beautiful. She then saw Baelor's wife.
Fifteen year old Princess Alysanne Velaryon was 5'4 and three months along, and it still flabbergasted Alicent that her stepdaughter was going to become a great-grandmother later in the year. Other than her small baby bump, Alicent noticed how Alysanne wore a dress that combined two of the colors of both her father's and mother's houses: sea-green and black. Pearls also decorated the expecting princess's outfit, and they lined the hems and collar of the dress.
"How sweet, they share a pearl theme."
Other than the pearls, Alicent observed how her eldest step-great-granddaughter possessed long, curly silver-gold hair and beautiful purple eyes. Targaryen through and through even though she was a Velaryon by birth. She was a pretty young lady, and both she and her husband made a lovely couple. Next up were Alysanne's sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Baelor's younger siblings. In comparison to Princess Alysanne, Alicent thought that Princess Alyssa Targaryen was more striking at four and ten.
Alyssa was tall for her age at 5'7, her long platinum-white hair tied in a braid, and she wore an all-blue ensemble that consisted of sky-blue and dark ocean-blue. The colors matched not only her indigo eyes, but also the color of the scales of her beloved dragon Aemma, who had become known as in recent years as "the Blue Princess" to tell her apart from Tessarion the Blue Queen. The Exiled Queen had heard from Lady Sam that Alyssa had adopted her own coat-of-arms: a blue three-headed dragon on a black field to represent Aemma, similar to how her half-granduncle had made the dragon golden on his own heraldry in honor of Sunfyre. Alyssa's demeanor reminded her step-great-grandmother of Daemon. She appeared to be haughty, overconfident, and fearless.
Standing silently beside Alyssa was her favorite companion, Lady Florence Rowan. She was an inch shorter than the princess, but she was a lovely young girl at three and ten. Her blonde hair was tied into a braided bun, and she wore light blue and white clothes to emulate Alyssa's appearance. The princess's other two companions, Ladies Magda Rollingford and Lia Wendwater, stood behind her ignored in Alyssa's shadow. Standing close beside Florence was Alyssa's dear younger brother, ten year old Prince Aelyx Targaryen.
Aelyx reminded Queen Alicent of his father when he was his age. Except for the silver-gold streak in his brown hair, Aelyx was the spitting image of Jacaerys at 5'1. Aelyx wore a purple doublet with black trousers and boots, and he had a sheathed dirk attached to his belt. The prince squinted at his step-great-grandmother, making Alicent wonder if the boy had been told that she was a witch, and he was looking for warts, claw-like fingernails, or rotten teeth. She had gnarled fingers, but other than that, Alicent felt confident that her outward appearance disappointed Aelyx.
And speaking of disappointment, Alicent next looked at Princess Laena Velaryon. She looked so thin and haggard for a fourteen year old, her purple eyes were sunken, and her silver-white hair was combed but flat. Laena looked directly at the Disgraced Queen, but her eyes looked vacant and lifeless. Her younger sister, thirteen year old Princess Megaera Velaryon, looked lovely and full of life. Meg was four inches shorter than her best friend and cousin Alyssa at 5'3, but she no less striking.
Her honey-blonde hair had become paler, which made her purple eyes stand out. Unlike her cousin, Meg wore red and pink from head to toe. Meg's younger brother, eleven year old Prince Corlys Velaryon, wore sea-green and white like his father. He had every Valyrian feature, and Alicent thought that the boy was handsome despite being a little too skinny. Corlys might as well have been a little stick figure in comparison to his cousins by his Uncle Joffrey.
Only three and ten at the time, Prince Aeric Targaryen was four inches taller than his own father, and he looked so burly and strong that he could have easily have been mistaken to be three or four years older than he really was. Aeric's eleven year old younger brother, Prince Daemion Targaryen, was not as thickly built as him, but he looked to be quite strapping in his own right. Both brothers had their father's brown hair and eyes and pug nose. Aeric's hair was short and combed back, and he had small, squinty eyes, and while Daemion's hair was also trimmed, his eyes looked wider in comparison to his older brother's. Alicent thought that Joffrey and Nell's sons looked rather homely.
Now, for the descendants of Rhaenyra I and Daemon's marriage. Twenty-five year old Prince Aegon the Younger was handsome and dark eyed as ever while his wife, the twenty-five year old Lady Thea Celtigar, looked as beautiful and bright eyed as usual. The couple seemed happier too. Five year old "Prince" Oswyn stood in front of his foster father, and Alicent thought that the boy fit right in with most of her stepdaughter's grandchildren with his brown hair and eyes. Held in her mother's arms and wrapped in swaddling clothes was the couple's much cherished one month old daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Alicent was surprised when Lady Sam told her that Thea nursed her own child. Nursing babies ruined breasts. That is why there are wet nurses to perform that function for noblewomen. But whatever, it was Thea's choice; all that mattered was that Aegon and Thea were happy, and they were. Now, on to Aegon the Younger's sister-in-law.
The stoic looking twenty-two year old Lady Myrine Darklyn stood beside her handsome husband, twenty-four year old Prince Viserys Targaryen, and their three young children. Six year old Princess Valaena Targaryen looked exactly like her mother, except her expression looked sweeter than Myrine's. She stood between her parents holding her father's left hand. Her first younger brother, three year old Prince Aerys Targaryen, was being held by his father. Aerys looked exactly like his father did when he was his age, and he had the classic looks of his family.
Valaena's youngest brother, eleven month old Prince Daemon Targaryen, was being cradled in his mother's arms. He too reminded Alicent of her youngest step-grandson when he was an infant with his silver-gold hair and purple eyes. Both Daemon and his cousin Rhaenyra were referred to as "Little Daemon" and "Little Rhaenyra" to tell them apart from their grandparents/namesakes. Having covered all of her step-great-grandchildren, Alicent's gaze moved on to her future granddaughter-in-law. Princess Visenya Targaryen.
Seventeen year old Visenya was 5'5, an inch shorter than her mother, and had most of her features. Purple eyes, a petulant mouth, long silver-gold hair that was tied into a braid, and the shapely figure that Rhaenyra I once had before her first pregnancy. Visenya a white and dark purple dress to match her appearance. Alicent made cursory glances around the courtyard in search of comely dark-haired squires. There were none to be found, but Alicent was still wary.
"Maelor best keep an eye on this little vixen after they are wed. I hope not to hear of any great-grandchildren being born with brown hair and eyes in the future..."
Content with her review of her stepdaughter's family, the Disgraced Queen turned her attention to her own blood. Thirty-nine year Prince Aegon the Elder and thirty-seven year old Princess Helaena Targaryen both looked happy and healthy, which gladdened their mother greatly. Their eldest two children both looked healthy but not happy. The twenty-three year old twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera looked like they did not want to be next to each other. They put on happy faces when their grandmother looked at them, but it was obvious to Alicent that these expressions were fake.
The Exiled Queen felt sorry for her granddaughter. She too would have been both furious and heartbroken if Viserys I had taken up a mistress. Having a stepdaughter named as the king's successor ahead of her half-brother had been bothersome enough for Alicent when Viserys was still alive, dealing with any royal bastards fathered by her husband would have made her even crankier. She did not dare imagine what she would have done if Viserys had taken one of her ladies-in-waiting to his bed... Probably would have poisoned them by having "strangler" crystals added to their wine to give both king and his mistress a truly horrific death.
Thankfully for the Young King, that never happened. Jaehaera did not hate her twin brother-husband enough to poison both him and his whore, which reassured Alicent. Seeking a distraction from thoughts of adultery and murder, Alicent looked down at her great-grandchildren. It was not her first time seeing the twins' children, for the first visit between the great-grandmother and Gaemon, Aegon, and Aeva had taken place nearly three years before in 143 AC during an annual visit to Oldtown by Aegon the Elder and his family. Currently, this was the fourth time that the twin's grandmother had laid eyes on their children.
Held close to his mother with one hand was six year old Prince Gaemon Targaryen. As poorly as Laena looked, the appearance of her half-second cousin gave Alicent the impression that Gaemon was not destined for a long life. He was thinner than Corlys the Sea Worm, his mouth hung agape with a gossamer strand of drool hanging from his bottom lip, and a black bandanna was wrapped around his blind eyes so that no one would be unnerved by their unsightly milkiness. Gaemon seemed to sway very slightly back and forth under his mother's restraining hand like a blade of grass being swayed by a gentle breeze. Blind, simpleminded, frail, and apparently lacking some sense of balance.
Alicent truly felt sorry for her eldest great-grandson. Perhaps Gaemon the Blind not living long could be considered a blessing in disguise? His own father most likely thought so. Did his grandparents think so too in some dark corner of their minds? Maybe deep down inside, Jaehaera hoped for her oldest child's suffering to end soon?
Gaemon's two younger siblings, meanwhile, were both healthy and thriving. Five year old Prince Aegon Targaryen was standing in front his father, who had his hand on his son's right shoulder. Aegon was such a darling and handsome little boy with silver-gold hair and purple eyes whose cheeks dimpled when he smiled. Four year old Princess Aeva Targaryen stood between her parents holding their free hands. She was a sweet and beautiful little girl with long silver-gold hair that curled at the ends, and she looked bashfully away from her great-grandmother when their eyes met.
Jaehaerys had promised his grandmother that he would personally introduce her to his one year old twin bastard children, Maegon and Maegelle Waters, sometime during her visit to the Red Keep for the wedding. Alicent was honestly reluctant to see Maegon and Maegelle. As much as she loved her eldest grandson, Alicent was disappointed in him for having a mistress, a feeling that grew deeper after she heard that he had fathered bastards with the woman. Like father, like son, was the first thing that came to Alicent's mind after hearing of the birth of her baseborn twin great-grandchildren. But it was also that same grandmotherly love that made Alicent agree to see the twins; where was the harm in that?
And speaking of grandmotherly love, Alicent laid loving eyes upon nineteen year old Prince Maelor Targaryen, her son and daughter's youngest child together. Maelor was an inch shorter than both his father and older brother at 5'9, but he had a more robust build than Jaehaerys, and he had broad shoulders whereas Jaehaerys' shoulders were sloped. Maelor's hair was trimmed and short, while his brother kept his silver-gold hair shoulder-length. Jaehaerys had a mustache while his younger brother was cleanshaven. Alicent thought that both her grandsons looked handsome.
Jaehaera was overweight like her mother, but just like Helaena, Jaehaera looked sweet, and Alicent thought that her granddaughter had happy eyes. Her silver-gold hair went past her shoulders, and it sharply contrasted with her maroon and black dress. Apparently, Jaehaera had begun copying her half-aunt's fashion sense to make herself look slimmer. Alicent sympathized with her granddaughter. She hoped that Jaehaera would not be so self-conscious about her weight in the coming years; her children, especially Gaemon, should distract her from that.
With her mother busy greeting the Hightower's, and as her step-grandmother reviewed her family, the bride-to-be made her own observations of Maelor's extended family. Visenya's gaze did not linger long on her half-uncles. Their appearances remained mostly unchanged from when she last saw them six and seven years ago. She thought that Aemond still looked mean, and that Daeron had an air of arrogance to him that made Visenya feel some slight internal annoyance. The princess did not linger long on her half-uncles' wives either.
She found Alys to be unsettling like everyone else did, she felt bad for Daenaera, and she thought that Bethany looked lovely and sweet. And speaking of Bethany, the families of her older brothers had grown bigger in recent years, and it appeared that this growth showed no signs of stopping. Lady Myrielle Peake, the wife of Ser Garmund Hightower, was visibly pregnant and seemed to be as far along as Daenaera was. This was the couple's third child together, and Visenya could see them holding the hands of their two young daughters: Jacquetta and Prunella. The girls were fussy and energetic, and Visenya overheard Garmund and Myrielle call their daughters "Ettie" and "Nella" from time to time when they tried to settle them.
Ser Martyn Hightower and Lady Jeyne Merryweather had added two more children to their family, and they now had two sons and two daughters: Brandon, Kyra, Aurora, and Matthieu. Unlike his younger siblings, Lord Lyonel Hightower and Lady Patricia Redwyne had not had any more children. They looked proud of their brood of five: twins Priscilla and Samantha, Willem, Ilia, and Cecily, but Visenya wondered if Lord Lyonel was content with having only one son. He and his wife were not getting any younger, and even though Willem was only one and ten, anything could happen, and if his only son and heir were to die prematurely, Lyonel would be forced to name one of his younger brothers as his heir.
It was then Visenya's eyes found their way back to her half-cousins. She thought that Lydus looked broody, but then again, he was five and ten. He was 5'8, and looked exactly like his father with silver-gold hair and purple eyes. Lydus stood next to his mother behind his father and stepmother.
"I wonder how that makes him feel?" she thought. That could not be a good feeling. Being forced to stand behind your own father just because you were baseborn while your stepmother stands up front because she was his father's lawful wife. Visenya's thoughts were soon brightened as she got a good look at her Uncle Daeron's children.
Eleven year old Saera was as beautiful and demure as her mother. Her younger brothers, Valerion and Aeryn, had accompanied the retinues of their foster families until they met up with their parents at Stonebridge, whereas they got to travel with them for the rest of the way up to King's Landing. Both boys looked handsome and sweet. Visenya thought that her half-uncle's youngest children, the twins Vaella and Valarr, were just as darling. So much family to look over, so little time!
Having exchanged pleasantries and observations, the families retreated into the splendid comfort of the Red Keep. After settling into her guest room, Alicent went on a little tour with Petra following her to look around her former home. Nothing much had changed since Alicent left on her self-imposed exile from the Red Keep all those years ago. As she slowly traversed the castle halls, the dowager queen reminisced about her time at the royal court as both a lady and queen. Having lived at the Red Keep for twenty-eight years from 101 AC to 129 AC, there were plenty of memories to look back on.
Visiting the royal library every evening to pick out a book to read to the bedridden Old King to lull him into sleep. Feeding him porridge and tenderly wiping his mouth and dabbing his white beard clean with a piece of cloth during mealtimes. Assisting a maidservant in bathing and dressing Jaehaerys I. Listening to Jaehaerys as he regaled Alicent about his life, riveting her with his earliest recollections of being held by his grandfather Aegon the Dragon, of hiding behind his mother's skirts whenever Queen Visenya or her son, Maegor the Cruel, were around, and of listening to one or both of his parents, King Aenys I Targaryen and Queen Alyssa Velaryon, singing with their beautiful voices.
Even though Jaehaerys I's mind had steadily grown foggier and more unreliable during the years she cared for him, Alicent was amazed on how the king could recall the major events that defined his life and reign. She could still remember seeing how dark Jaehaerys the Conciliator's eyes became whenever he mentioned the outbreak of the Faith Militant Uprising, the deaths of his older brothers by Maegor's hand or order, the drama he contended with from his stepfather and first Hand of the King, Lord Rogar Baratheon, and his thrice widowed older sister, Queen Rhaena Targaryen. Alicent recalled how the Old King's eyes would well up with tears at the memory of Queen Alysanne and their children, for out of the thirteen offspring that Jaehaerys had fathered on his beloved sister-wife, only two were living by the time he died. Sadder still, distance, bitterness, and apathy separated Jaehaerys I from his only living son and daughter. As his last days ticked by, Jaehaerys often mistook Alicent for his estranged daughter, Princess Saera Targaryen, who was living faraway in Volantis ruling her own little "kingdom" there from her high-end pleasure house.
"Saera, is that you?" the Old King would wheeze from his bed whenever his young caregiver would enter his room.
"No, your grace, it is me, Lady Alicent." replied the then maiden Lady Hightower in a gentle tone, her heart breaking when she heard Jaehaerys mumble a sad "Oh, I am sorry..."
Moving on from the death of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, Alicent moved on to the memories of her marriage, of raising her children, and of locking horns with her stepdaughter. She remembered how happy her husband the Young King looked when he held their children for the first time after they were born. She recalled how when Aegon and Aemond were young, they would race each other down the hallway to greet their parents as they exited the Chamber of the Sphinxes after attending a meeting with the small council, while a well-behaved little Helaena always walked up to the chamber holding her septa's hand. Alicent could still hear the sound of her sons' footsteps echoing down the hallway and they would call out "Papa" or "Mama" as they ran. Grinning as their sons closed in on them, Viserys I would be the first to stretch out his arms to collect Aegon, while Alicent walked around to wrap her arms around Aemond.
Rhaenyra would walk out behind her father and stepmother from the chamber with Ser Criston Cole behind her with a look of annoyance on her face. Alicent recalled how whenever she came into a room where her stepdaughter was socializing with her ladies-in-waiting, how they would stop talking to listen to the crown princess whisper something of a mean-spirited nature about the queen before giggling madly as if it were the funniest thing they had ever heard. It was worse whenever Daemon visited the Red Keep from campaigns or adventures in the east. While Rhaenyra whispered her nasty remarks about Alicent and her family, Daemon never bothered to lower his voice in his sister-in-law's presence, nor did he try to muffle the cruel laughter that he would emit soon after.
Children, grandchildren, and, occasionally, politics distracted Queen Alicent from her stepdaughter and brother-in-law's verbal bullying. The day she heard that Rhaenyra had given birth to her first son, Aegon, Helaena, and Aemond all hugged their mother at the same time, which was a little hard since she was nine months pregnant with Daeron at the time, and expressed their excitement over the impending birth of their new sibling. Queen Alicent would listen with great pride as Ser Cole informed her on the progress of her sons' training in swordplay, and how Aemond was a natural with swords despite having only one eye. Her eyes watered when Aegon and Helaena were married, although Alicent did regret marrying off her daughter at age thirteen since her first pregnancy nearly cost the princess her life later that same year. Alicent wept joyful tears when she held her firstborn grandchildren after they were born, and she told Aegon and Helaena that the twins were beautiful and that she felt so blessed.
All of these memories made Alicent sigh wistfully. So many people had come in and out of her life over the years. Her father had been dead for seventeen years, Ser Criston Cole had been wasting away at the Wall for just as long, and her dear Cousin Ormund had been gone for nearly three years. But she had welcomed more grandchildren during that time too, and was going to have a new grandson or granddaughter during the eighth moon of 146 AC, and Ormund was going to have another posthumous grandchild around the same time too. She had seen House Hightower grow as her cousin's sons increased their family's numbers, and she had become a great-grandmother during this time too.
Alicent's nostalgic reverie ended once she entered one of the royal gardens. Children could be heard giggling and playfully shouting. Following the sounds, Alicent and Petra came upon the heartwarming sight of Rhaenyra's grandchildren by her two youngest sons playing with the Disgraced Queen's great-grandchildren. Thea, Myrine, and Jaehaera were present and sitting on marble benches. Lady Celtigar, who was seated next to Jaehaera under the cool shade of a tree, had her back to the children, and Alicent correctly guessed that Thea was nursing her daughter.
Myrine and Jaehaera were paying attention to the children. Valaena was clearly in charge of her brothers and half-cousins. Arms akimbo and hands resting on her hips, the six year old princess reminded Alicent of a stern septa overseeing the activities of her charges. Her tone of voice whenever she corrected or chided her brothers and half-cousins certainly hammered in the visual. It appeared that Aerys received the brunt of his older sister's overbearing watchfulness.
"No, Aerys. Do not drop that in front of Daemon! He is not a cow." scolded Valaena after her younger brother dropped grass that he had picked in front of Little Daemon, who had been crawling up to them. Aerys' response to his big sister was to stick out his lower lip and pout. Little Daemon showed no indication of wanting to eat the shredded grass. Instead, he took a handful of grass into his tiny fist and dropped it back onto the ground, marveling at how it fell.
Aeva had been pulling grass just like Aerys had been doing. Seeing how Daemon was in awe of dropping grass caused Aeva to pick up the grass she had pulled and she sprinkled it down in front of him. Daemon broke out into a wide grin and he let out sweet infantile laughter, and he began repeating what he had done earlier with the grass. This seemed to frustrate Valaena, but it was short-lived, and she sat down and watched as her younger brothers and Aeva played. Aegon sat next to his older brother on a bench by a fountain watching the other children.
Alicent made her way through the garden, and she caught the eye of her granddaughter and Lady Darklyn.
"Grandmother! This is a pleasant surprise. I thought that you would be staying in your chambers for the rest of the day."
"Not a chance, sweetling." responded Alicent. "There is still daylight left, the weather is nice, and I wanted to see the castle again."
"Has it changed much since you were last here?" asked Myrine, who had stood up from her bench after Alicent had been spotted. Thea had looked over her shoulder to see who had come into the garden, and she swiveled a little to her right so that if Alicent were to sit by her, she would not see her bare breast. The Disgraced Queen shook her head in response to Myrine's question.
"Not much. But it was nice to walk in the hallways and see familiar sights again. The only thing that has changed are the faces of those who live here now."
The women all nodded in agreement. Myrine gestured towards two of the benches, except the one that Thea was sitting on.
"Would you like to have a seat, my lady?"
Alicent nodded and said thank you, and she made her way towards her granddaughter's bench while Jaehaera walked up with her. It felt good to sit down. Sitting got the weight off of her knees, and Alicent could let her fingers relax over the head of her cane rather than grip it and feel pain. Jaehaera sat in the middle with her grandmother on her right, and Petra on her left. Nothing more was said as the women watched the children continue playing.
Valaena was preoccupied with drawing a star into the dirt with a tiny stone when she saw something fall in the corner of her eye from a tree after a breeze blew in. Looking back her brothers and Aeva to make sure that they were fine, Valaena rushed off to investigate what the object was. It was a bird's nest. Made of grass and straw, Valaena was delighted to see three little mottled eggs laying snugly in the nest. Cradling the nest in both hands, Valaena carefully hurried back to her siblings and cousins to show them what they had found.
Aegon hopped off his bench and he led his blind brother over to see what their half-cousin had found. Myrine called out to her daughter.
"What is that, Valaena?"
"A bird's nest, mama! There are eggs in it!"
"Really?" Myrine's interest was piqued. She rose up from her bench and walked over to see if she could tell what kind of bird made that nest and laid those eggs. Cooing was then heard, and Alicent turned to see Thea pulling the front of her dress up. Wiping off her baby daughter's lips with her thumb, Thea then planted a kiss on top of the baby's head.
Thea then turned her head and called out to Jaehaera.
"Jaehaera, could you tie my laces, please?"
Jaehaera nodded and got up to tie the laces on the back of Thea's dress. After this was done, Thea got up and walked to the opposite end of the bench, and sat down. She rocked Little Rhaenyra in her arms. Glancing up from her child, Thea noticed that her husband's step-grandmother was looking at Little Rhaenyra.
"Would you like to hold her, my lady?" asked Thea.
Alicent's eyes widened, and she felt embarrassed at being caught staring again.
"Seven above, my senses are leaving me. I hope to not end my days like King Jaehaerys did..."
Embarrassment aside, Alicent was legitimately curious about Little Rhaenyra. The news of the birth of Aegon the Younger and his beloved Thea's long awaited child warmed the hearts of the Iron Throne's subjects, and even Alicent was included in that number. Alicent had yet to see the baby princess's face, and she nodded at Thea to let her know that she would like to hold Rhaenyra. Handing her cane to Petra, and holding out her hands, Alicent gently cradled the baby after Thea had handed her over. Alicent soon found herself captivated by the infant princess just like everybody else was.
She still found some things about Queen Rhaenyra to be irritating, but Alicent found no fault with the Princess Rhaenyra that she was now holding.
"She's lovely." commented the dowager queen to Lady Thea Celtigar. "You should feel blessed."
"Aegon and I feel blessed every day, my lady." replied Thea.
The sight of Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, a woman who had championed her eldest son's claim to the Iron Throne against her stepdaughter's rights during the reign of her late husband, looking happy while holding the newest granddaughter of Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen was a poignant thing to witness. Just across from the benches, the grandchildren of the Blacks and Greens marveled at a bird's nest together as Lady Myrine Darklyn told them how birds made their nests and what kind of bird made the one that she was holding. The children took turns holding it in their hands, or carefully touching the eggs inside. When it was Gaemon's turn to hold the nest, Myrine held it in the palm of her hand as Aegon and Aeva helped their brother to gently wrap his fingers around it. The blind prince's fingers canvased every inch of the circumference of the nest to feel the prick of bent grass or straw, and the delicate smoothness of an egg.
Gaemon grinned as his sense of touch helped him to experience a tiny fragment of a world that he could not see.
Blacks. Greens. Tension. Hope.
The path to this moment for House Targaryen was a tricky one to navigate through. It was a path riddled with bumps and turns, triumphs and defeats, joys and sorrows. But in the end, they had finally arrived to what they hoped was a long-awaited conclusion to the tensions surrounding the line of succession. At this moment, everyone was getting along. Hopefully, the Black and Green Wedding would make everything right for all time.
Keep your fingers crossed. The wedding's next!