The month of her family's imprisonment had been a long and excruciating ordeal. During the first three weeks after the Black Conspiracy, Alicent refused to leave her chambers, feeling too humiliated to come out, and she refused to let anyone enter, not even her own kin, except for her maidservant. On the first day of her house arrest, Alicent cried hysterically, pushing her face into one of her pillows so it could absorb her anguished screams as she lamented over her son's betrayal of his birthright. After her tears had dried up, Alicent first cursed her son, then her former brother-in-law and stepdaughter, but she reserved the worst curses for her late husband.
"You treacherous bastard… you horrible, horrible traitor…" snarled Alicent as she laid in a fetal position on her bed, her face red and raw with tears and anger. "What kind of a father were you? How could you betray your own son and the rest of our family? Did you not love us?
Why did you constantly favor Rhaenyra over our children? I know she was the only living child you had with your first wife, but I gave you a new family and Rhaenyra grew up to be both a spoiled brat and a whore! Weak-willed and spineless is what you were, Viserys!" Alicent chuckled bitterly at her remark. "You were too weak to put your daughter in her place, too dedicated to the memory of Queen Aemma Arryn.
If you wanted Rhaenyra to be your sole heir, then why did you remarry? Why have more children who would compete with her for the Iron Throne? You were so stupid you pathetic, cruel, and cowardly FOOL!"
Alicent soon realized that cursing her dead husband's name wasn't going to change anything, and she decided to lose herself in the dark quagmire her mind had become. Time ceased existing and life seemed to lose all meaning to the former queen after the Black Conspiracy's success. As the month progressed, Alicent stopped caring about her appearance, letting her brown hair become stringy, greasy and unkempt; wearing the same white gown every day and night and hardly eating a thing. Her maidservant's duties were reduced to bringing her meals and later returning the usually untouched dishes back to the kitchens and checking on her. The girl was too scared to say anything encouraging to her mistress, fearing a verbal lashing from the Disgraced Queen if she tried.
During this time, Helaena and her brothers had been keeping to themselves as well. Aegon had secluded himself in his paramour's quarters, and had taken to having prostitutes brought in from the finest brothels from the Street of Silk to both "entertain" him and to distract him from the animosity his family felt towards him. As Aegon lost himself in the pleasures of the flesh, his neglected sister-wife coped by devoting herself more to their children. She would take them outside to the castle garden to play, helped her twins with their lessons, especially Jaehaera, who was having some trouble with reading but was making steady progress with it, and reading them stories, just about anything Helaena could do to try and preserve some normalcy for them. But she could only do so much, and the twins became curious about what was going on.
When she told her curious children about what their father had done, Jaehaerys had responded with disbelief, asking why his father would do that. His twin sister meanwhile, although she rarely showed any emotion, did bow her head down in what Helaena interpreted as being shame. Maelor, who was too young to understand, simply watched his siblings' reactions with curiosity from his mother's lap whilst sucking on his thumb. Since her children were so young, Helaena found it easy to distract them with play and bedtime stories. She only wished it was just that easy to distract her brothers from the situation as well.
Besides Aegon's whoring, Aemond's actions after the Black Conspiracy were just as destructive. After being escorted back to his bedchamber, and as soon the door to his room was closed, bedlam erupted. Furniture was heard being thrown about and smashed against the stone floor and walls, with each crash being accompanied by a storm of profane words and curses. When the crashing had stopped, a guard built up the nerve to open the door, wherein he found the prince's bedchamber in shambles save for his bed. A panting and sanguine prince glared at the guard, his good purple eye and false sapphire one creating an eerie effect, and he growled out the following:
"Get out. GET OUT!"
The guard quickly obeyed and resumed his post while Aemond pulled a cord to summon the servants. When they arrived, the still simmering prince sullenly commanded them to clean up his chambers and to fetch him wine and to keep it coming. As they cleaned, the servants felt like they were walking on eggshells rather than splintered wood and broken glass, and none of them dared to say a word out of fear of the one-eyed prince's temper. The wine kept Aemond quiet but it caused his anger to fester, and it left him in a perpetually foul mood, making him unapproachable like his mother. Guards had to be posted at Aemond's door at all times to ensure that he didn't leave his chambers to either embarrass himself or even attack his half-sister and her family.
Unlike his older brothers, Daeron had retained his dignity and composure. He quietly mourned for his father in his chambers, and kept to himself for the most part. He would visit Helaena and his nephews and niece, bringing much needed joy to both the children and their mother. Noting the positive effects of these interactions, Daeron and his sister began plotting to get their mother to leave the hermitage that her room had become. One afternoon, when the children were taking their naps, Princess Helaena Targaryen and her youngest brother made their way to their mother's bedchamber.
Upon opening the door, the smell of body odor and stale air assaulted the siblings' noses. Their mother's maidservant, who was accompanying them, was unfazed by it. The curtains were drawn, and the room was dark and dimly lit, the sunlight faintly peaking through the drapes covering the veranda entrance. Alicent was lying on her bed, and she didn't move when she heard the door open. She did respond when she heard more than one set of footsteps entering her bedchamber though.
Alicent got up to see who her visitors were. When Alicent commanded her maidservant to partially open the drapes by the veranda to allow more light in, the siblings were greatly shocked by their mother's appearance. She looked thinner, her eyes had bags beneath them, her hair unwashed and stringy and hanging about her face, and her white nightgown was wrinkled from being constantly worn. It was a far cry from the woman she was nearly a month earlier: regal, stately, and imposing, but now, she looked like a frail-minded beggar woman.
"Helaena? Daeron?" Alicent all but whispered, her voice soft and nearly faint. "What a pleasant surprise…" The queen then began to weep. "I am so sorry that I have not come out. It is just that…"
"It is alright, mother." Helaena said, and she embraced Alicent. Despite her mother's smell and the feel of her unwashed skin touching hers, Helaena held the Disgraced Queen as she wept into her daughter's shoulder. When they parted, Alicent wiped your eyes.
"Mother," Daeron said, "you should come out. You have been in here like a caged animal for far too long."
"I know Daeron, darling. I should but it's just… Everyone knows what your oldest brother has done. Our shame runs deeper than the Blackwater Rush and how can I show my face around anyone? Especially now since the way has been cleared for your bitch of a half-sister to steal your birthright from you all..."
"You can show your face to your grandchildren, mother." Helaena pleaded. "They miss you, and they want to see you. Jaehaerys always asks about you"
Hearing about her grandchildren missing her, especially her precious and sweet grandson, Jaehaerys, weighed heavily on Alicent's heart. She thought she would start crying all over again. While her voice became choked up, she was able to convey her thoughts. "Oh my little darlings… How I have missed them…"
Wiping her tears away, Alicent sighed and composed herself.
"Give me a moment to get washed and dressed, dears." Alicent said, her voice regaining its strength. "I will join you all outside when I am ready. Shall I meet you all in the castle gardens?"
Both Princess Helaena and Prince Daeron nodded and smiled. Their mother was back. The maidservant was surprised by this development in her mistress's behavior. She had been too nervous to advise Alicent on going outside, and it just took her daughter mentioning her grandchildren to cajole the dowager queen to leave her seclusion. For the first time since the Conspiracy, water touched Alicent's skin, and she scrubbed her neglected flesh with tallow soap that was infused with spiceflowers, and her maidservant lathered up her hands with the same soap, with some perfume added, to massage her queen's scalp to clean and scent her hair.
When Alicent went to meet with her daughter and son, they were both happy to see that their mother had returned to her former self. She wore a green dress that had thread of gold-bordered hems with elegant embroidery depicting fig leaves and the eponymous fruit. The children still had not awakened from their naps, they usually slept until the second hour of the afternoon, but regardless, Alicent spent the time walking in the garden, enjoying sunlight and color, stimuli she had hidden herself from for many long days. When the children finally woke up, they were brought outside by their mother, and upon seeing their grandmother, they all squealed with delight and ran to her. Alicent embraced her grandchildren, tousling their hair and kissing the tops of their heads.
Seeing their mother's happiness brought much joy to both Helaena and Daeron. The bad memories of the Black Conspiracy and Rhaenyra's upcoming coronation were pushed aside as Alicent busied herself with her grandmotherly duties to Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor. Eventually, Alicent's two other sons emerged from their rooms, and she occasionally saw her father and younger brother, the latter who had been kicked out of the King's Landing City Watch by the new Lord Commander of the Gold Cloaks, one of the Rogue Prince's friends, Ser Luthor Largent. While Aegon and Aemond found some respite in the company of the twins and Maelor, the children's great-grandfather and granduncle were indifferent to their innocent charm. Otto barely acknowledged his great-grandchildren, and Gwayne was all but a stranger to his grandnephews and grandniece, so the children did not interact willingly with either man.
On the day of her stepdaughter's coronation, Alicent had gathered her family to listen to a traveling harpist in the castle gardens. The harpist was a quiet girl of about sixteen years of age with dark hair and eyes, giving her the appearance of being forlorn and meek. Accompanying the harpist was her father. Unlike his quiet daughter, the man was outspoken, and from the moment he entered the Red Keep's gardens, he spent every breath thanking Alicent for giving his daughter the opportunity to play at the castle. Besides his thankfulness, the man also went into great detail about how he and his daughter had been eking out a tenuous living through the minstrel's earnings from performing in taverns and some wealthy homes.
Having lived amongst scheming courtiers since her early adolescence, Alicent could detect when someone was trying to play on another's sympathy for personal gain. This man was no different, and the former queen groaned internally when the man began passive-aggressively asking whether Alicent had any acquaintances that would like to have his child play for them.
"I will see." She said curtly, and Alicent and her family took their places on the chairs that had been provided for them. With the harpist sitting on a bench under a tree with her simple wooden harp resting on her lap, and her father sitting on a stool to her right, the girl began to play. Her long, slender fingers caressed the catgut strings and soon, dulcet sounds began to emanate from the harp. The music was soothing and pleasant, and soon the minds of the harpist's audience became enchanted by her tunes.
The music reminded Alicent of her wedding twenty-three years earlier. During the feast, numerous bards from all over the Seven Kingdoms had come to play for the king and his new queen. During the later hours of the banquet, a bard played his harp and sang a beautiful love song that made Alicent cry. The harp music also reminded the former queen about the wedding ceremony itself, when Viserys removed her wedding cape bearing the Hightower's sigil, the titular Hightower Pharos that had given the family its name, and replaced it with the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen. Viserys was eleven years older than his second wife, but that meant nothing to Alicent because he was so kind and considerate to her, and she could remember how the two of them had been smiling and laughing throughout the day.
She even thought of Rhaenyra, who was only nine years old then. After the engagement of Alicent to Viserys was announced, Ser Otto had arranged for his daughter to bond with the princess. The first meeting between the two was awkward at first, mainly due to Rhaenyra still trying to cope with her mother's death just the year before, and her future stepmother not having any experience with children yet. Alicent was empathetic to the girl's sorrow however, for she had lost her mother at a young age as well, and both women had died in childbirth. Unlike Queen Aemma Arryn, however, Alicent's mother did not die in vain, for her last pregnancy bore her cold husband a healthy baby boy who reached adulthood, Alicent's younger brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower.
Despite the good music, tensions were still rife amongst the Hightower's and Green Targaryen's. Otto was still bitter about having to continue his duties as Hand of the King under King Consort Daemon Targaryen, and he stewed quietly in his chair closest to the tree. Gwayne was still despondent over his forced removal from the City Watch, but listening to the harp music appeared to be coaxing him out of his shell of depression. Aegon, who sat next to his sister-wife, was pale and sickly in appearance, the result of having spent a month engaging in drinking binges and orgies with both his mistress and various other prostitutes. Needless to say, Princess Helaena was disgusted with her brother-husband's actions and the two sat next to each other in sullen silence.
The children, who had seldom seen their father after the Black Conspiracy, had greeted their father out of politeness, but afterwards kept their distance by sitting next to their mother. Their Uncle Aemond was in a similar state, as he was clutching his head in his right hand, silently trying to combat a lingering hangover. Prince One-Eye's skin was pale from having spent most of the month in his chambers drinking and cursing his half-sister and her family, and his face bore a constant scowl. Thankfully, the harpist's music was soothing, and it did not irritate the prince's aching head. Earlier that morning, the pain in Aemond's skull felt as if a hundred pickaxes were chipping away at the bone to find a rich vein of ore, and now, it was just a dull, throbbing ache that just would not go away.
Daeron of course, was the best adjusted of his brothers, and he was clearly enjoying the music. Seeing this made Alicent thankful that this musical performance had not been commissioned in vain. She secretly envied on how mature her youngest child was in handling their family's downfall, and Alicent wished she had Daeron's ability to retain dignity in the face of trying circumstances. She also wished her sons and daughter could enjoy the music just like their younger brother was, but she knew that would not happen due to their different personalities. To Alicent's chagrin, she also took note on how her eldest son was looking at the young harpist, the look a man has when he sees a pretty young woman that he wants to bed.
Muffled cheering from the coronation could be heard from the crowds within the Red Keep and from outside of the castle walls. The family took painful note of it, but they did their best to ignore it. It was especially difficult to not hear the smallfolk chanting Rhaenyra's name as the new queen and her family made their way to the tourney grounds to begin the celebrations. Alicent clasped her hands together tightly as she listened to the noise.
"They should be chanting Aegon's name, not hers. King Aegon Targaryen the Second of His Name..." she said to herself.
Looking around, Alicent saw that her oldest son remained outwardly indifferent to the cheering, while his grandfather pursed his lips in displeasure, and Aemond scrunched his face in pain as if the muffled sounds from outside seemed to aggravate his hangover. Everyone else was doing their best to ignore the sound, trying not to imagine what things would have been like if Aegon had been crowned instead of Rhaenyra. But alas, time could not be rewound and past actions could not be taken back. They were going to have to live with this now for the rest of their lives. Alicent had just begun to accept this fact, even though it was being done so very begrudgingly.
As the weeklong coronation festivities continued, Alicent and her family remained in the Red Keep. The twins wanted to see the tourney, but were told no each and every time they asked. Every time they were told no, the twins pouted, and they would receive a warning from their mother that they would be sent to their rooms with no supper. Though speaking of evening meals, Helaena did try to have her children partake in their half-aunt's coronation celebrations by having food brought up from the kitchens that was being served at the feasts. This gesture was greatly appreciated by the children, and they happily ate in the Queen's Ballroom with their family.
After the coronation celebrations had ended, Alicent let out a sigh of relief. She no longer felt tense as she tried to block out the events that had been going on in and outside of the Red Keep. But now, a new source of worry emerged. With the reign of Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen just starting, Alicent began to worry on what would happen to both her and her family. The queen knew that Rhaenyra was not the forgiving type, and she feared that her stepdaughter had something unpleasant in store for both her and her family.
At midday, on Rhaenyra's first official day as queen, Alicent and her family, minus her father, were summoned to the throne room. The family were escorted down in silence by castle guards. None of them wanted to ask as to why they were being summoned, knowing that no one else knew the answer and because they did not want to get an unpleasant guess on what the summons entailed. The throne room was found to be empty when the family entered. Empty save for Otto, the Queensguard, Rhaenyra's small council, Wesley, and his son Edmund, Rhaenyra I's family, and the queen herself atop the Iron Throne.
Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen was wearing a gown made of rich maroon and black samite with golden Myrish lace with diamonds sewn in them decorating the hem, collar and sleeves, and a cloth of gold sash belt with black satin squares wrapped around her waist. The queen's silver-gold hair was tied in a braid that was hanging down her back unseen, and the crown of the Old and Young Kings' resting upon her head. Daemon stood on the right side of the of the Iron Throne garbed in rich dark red and sable clothes with golden thread accents and wearing his crown. Adding to the scene were the three great dragon skulls that were hung up along the walls of the throne room. The largest skull belonged to Balerion "the Black Dread", the fabled mount of King Aegon I Targaryen; to his left was the skull of Meraxes, the beloved dragon of the Conqueror's younger and favorite sister-wife, Queen Rhaenys Targaryen; and beside Meraxes was the skull of Quicksilver, the dragon of both King Aenys I Targaryen and his oldest son, Prince Aegon "the Uncrowned"; the respective son and grandson of Aegon the Conqueror and Rhaenys.
Even Alicent was impressed with what she was seeing. Rhaenyra was the living embodiment of what a Targaryen queen was expected to be and more. However, when Alicent laid her eyes on Wesley, a great anger came over her. That old man was responsible for everything, the Black Conspiracy and the downfall of the Greens. If it weren't for him, none of this would be happening right now and Alicent had often imagined herself wringing Wesley's neck in revenge for he had done.
As they approached the Iron Throne, Otto turned his face away from his family, and his daughter was quick to notice something was wrong. Her father looked despondent and his Hand of the King badge was gone. Looking from her father to the assembled crowd of Blacks, Alicent saw the badge pinned on the tunic of Lord Corlys Velaryon. Her heart sank when she saw that. This nightmare was just getting worse and worse with each passing day!
Alicent could see House Hightower's prestige slowly getting plucked away like feathers from a goose by a cook's boy. Lord Commander Darklyn held his hand up and ordered for the guards to stop the retinue when they were close enough to the Iron Throne. Everyone looked up towards Rhaenyra. The queen regnant looked down upon them in silence before she spoke.
"Alicent." she said curtly, her voice echoing throughout the massive chamber.
"Rhaenyra." Her stepmother said back in an acerbic tone. Alicent's twelve year old step-grandson, Prince Joffrey Velaryon, did not care much for her tone. Joff took it upon himself to correct his hated step-grandmother.
"Don't you mean 'your grace'?"
Alicent glared at Joffrey with an offended look. How dare that little bastard speak to her like that! If her Aegon had been crowned king, Alicent would have convinced him to cut out Joffrey's tongue for being insolent. Just like the youngest Velaryon prince had stood up for his mother, his half-uncle Aemond was also similarly inclined. Aemond was set to charge Joffrey when his older brother and sister grabbed him and held him back.
Queen Rhaenyra smirked after hearing her son's comment. It was so fulfilling to see Alicent and her family looking up at her from the floor while they were at her mercy. How long had Rhaenyra been dreaming of this moment? For twenty-two long years, ever since Aegon the Elder was born. For all that time, Alicent and her children had been protected from Rhaenyra and her Blacks by her dear father, but now, their fate was in her hands.
It had all down come to this. All of the heartbreak, the scheming, and the fights that had gone on between Rhaenyra and her adversarial stepmother, half-siblings, and Greens was soon to be brought to a close, or so she thought. King Viserys I Targaryen had tolerated the machinations of his Hand and second wife for far too long, and now, his oldest daughter was going to do something about it. After everyone had settled down, Rhaenyra spoke.
"Now that you are all here, I am sure that you are eager to know what I have in store for you."
"Yes," Alicent said. "we would all very much like to hear it."
Rhaenyra smiled. Alicent was making this too easy. But the queen's stepmother wasn't finished.
"A very small court you have here, Rhaenyra. Where are Mushroom and all the Black bootlickers, pardon me, courtiers?"
Aemond sniggered upon hearing his mother's comment on the relative emptiness of the throne room. The prince's nephews and niece looked back towards their uncle with confused looks. Prince Lucerys balled his good hand into a fist. Rhaena took notice of her fiancé's building temper and she gently gripped his right shoulder to calm him. The rest of the family took Alicent's comment and Aemond's rude reaction in disapproving silence.
Rhaenyra's smugness morphed into anger.
"I ordered them to stay in their quarters for the time being. I wanted this to be a family matter, not a public spectacle."
Alicent's spitefulness simmered down when she heard her stepdaughter say that. She dropped her smirk and adopted a more formal countenance.
"Heh, that was wise of you, Rhaenyra. Thank you."
Queen Rhaenyra simply nodded in response to her stepmother's remark. It was now time to get to the point about this family get together.
"Now, I am sure you all have a faint inkling as to why I have summoned everyone here." The gathered prisoners all nodded.
"Is it about what will happen to us now since you have been crowned?" Helaena asked, surprising her family with her outspokenness.
"Correct." Rhaenyra resumed. "In light of my father's passing this past moon, you, Alicent, in accordance with the Widow's Law, are entitled to keep your title of dowager queen, and the income and servants you acquired when you married my father. The same applies to your children and grandchildren; your future descendants will also be able to bear the title of prince or princess. You may also remain in the Red Keep, which is mandated under Queen Alysanne's Laws, for the rest of your days."
"As long as we stay out of sight and out of mind, am I correct?" Alicent asked.
"If you so wish." Rhaenyra said, her tone implying a faint hope that her stepmother would do just that.
"You do not have to concern yourself with being hospitable to us, Rhaenyra." Alicent continued, "For I do not wish to stay another day here for as long as you sit on the Iron Throne."
Rhaenyra I's eyebrows rose up in surprise, as did the rest of her family's. Alicent felt disgust for her stepdaughter.
"Oh, do not act so surprised, Rhaenyra. We all know that this is what you really want. You have been dreaming of casting me and your half-brothers and sister out since your tens. Allow me to make it easier for you. I hereby announce that I will be returning to Oldtown on the morrow with both my father and brother, and any of my children who wish to accompany me."
The dowager's children turned to face their mother after she had made that statement. Wanting to regain control of the situation, Queen Rhaenyra picked up where she had left off.
"And I shall make it easier for you too, Alicent, on which of your children shall remain here with me." The queen said edgily. "Besides retaining your royal rights and titles, I have decided to make your grandson, Prince Jaehaerys, my cupbearer. "
"Cupbearer?" A confused Jaehaerys asked from his mother's side. Both Aegon and Helaena became stiff when they heard that. Their half-sister was appearing to be generous and forgiving by allowing her half-siblings and their children to retain all of their royal rights and titles, and for appointing Jaehaerys as her cupbearer. However, what both Aegon and his sister-wife both knew was that through their son serving Rhaenyra, they were obligated to stay, thus becoming nothing more than glorified hostages under the queen's reign.
Alicent balled both her hands into fists. Both her and Rhaenyra were playing for keeps in this never ending game of thrones, and the latter was winning (well, winning this round anyway). The rest of the gathering proceeded on tensely, but no other hiccups occured. Alicent's two youngest sons chose to accompany their mother, grandfather, and uncle to Oldtown. Queen Rhaenyra and her family, especially the Velaryon Princes, made it no secret that they were all relieved that Aemond was leaving the Red Keep.
After the meeting with the Hightower's had been adjourned, Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen had one more loose end to tie up. Ser Criston Cole was summoned from his cell, and he was brought forth before the Iron Throne. Although the man had betrayed her by becoming her stepmother's sworn shield, deep down, Rhaenyra still wanted Ser Cole to return to her side. She was even willing to forgive him if he were to renounce his loyalty to Alicent and her family. Ser Cole declined the queen's offer of clemency.
Furious and hurt, Rhaenyra ordered for Ser Criston Cole to be sent off to the Night's Watch to spend the rest of his days at the Wall. Rhaenyra I did not want her stepmother to have her strongest supporter by her side at the Hightower in Oldtown, and executing a famed knight would be negatively received by the entire Seven Kingdoms. Instead of conspiring against the crown, Ser Cole could busy himself with keeping back the wildlings and being on the lookout for the legendary "White-Walkers". The following morning, the Red Keep stirred with activity as servants loaded wagons with the Hightower's belongings, prepped the wheelhouses, and stable-hands harnessed the horses. Meanwhile in the city harbor, the ship that was to be used to transport Ser Criston Cole to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea was being prepped for the voyage north.
As the hour of their departure approached, the family gathered in the entrance courtyard. Alicent dearly embraced and kissed her son, daughter, and their children for the last time. Aemond and Daeron embraced their older siblings and held their nephews and niece, promising to see them again one day and telling them that when they were old enough, the children could visit the Hightower on their dragons.
"Will you come visit us, Uncle Aemond?" Jaehaera asked. It was rare for the girl to speak and her question both surprised and endeared her family.
"Yes I will, my little niece." Aemond said whilst sitting on one knee to be at level with Jaehaera.
"Do you not want your Uncle Daeron to visit too, 'Haera'?" Daeron said in a tone filled with mock hurt.
"Yes…" she said shyly, to which her uncle patted her gently on the head, causing her to smile. Jaehaerys piped up after his twin. "Will you still show me your sword techniques that Ser Cole taught you, Uncle Aemond?"
"Of course, Jaehaerys." Aemond said, and he tousled his nephew's hair, causing the little boy to giggle.
Besides the twins, Aemond gently patted the head of his youngest nephew, Maelor, who smiled sweetly and giggled upon feeling his uncle's hand atop his head. Despite his otherwise caustic personality, Aemond was the favorite uncle of his older siblings' children and they adored him. Daeron was loved by his nephews and niece too, but he was more proper and soft-spoken while Aemond was more extroverted, energetic, and loud. This fact made the farewell shared between Aemond and the children even more heartbreaking. At least there was the promise of visitation via dragon back in the future.
Saying good-bye to Ser Criston Cole was equally difficult, especially for the Targaryen princes. He had trained them all in swordplay during their boyhood. It was Criston who helped Aemond into becoming a lethal swordsman despite having only one eye. He was like a second father to the brothers, and they loved him more than their own biological father, whom Aegon and Aemond had both grown distant from after the Red Spring. Criston was also the confidant of Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, and their parting was just as sad.
Soon the time for departure arrived, and Alicent, Gwayne, and Otto filed into their wheelhouse while Aemond and Daeron went to the Dragonpit to fetch their dragons, and Ser Criston Cole boarded the wheelhouse to travel to the docks for his voyage to the North. Watching the entourage from the Red Keep's veranda was Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen and her family. At long last, Rhaenyra was soon to be rid of her hated stepmother and rival. For years the two women had been competing for the affections of the Young King, the intensity of this domestic dual making the competition between Queens Visenya and Rhaenys Targaryen for their shared brother-king, Aegon I, seem like mere child's play. In Rhaenyra's opinion, she found the methods that her stepmother used to try and win over her husband to her side to be particularly ridiculous.
One of the methods Alicent used was pregnancy, and she had used it twice. Just a fortnight after Rhaenyra had announced her first pregnancy fifteen years earlier in 114 AC, Alicent revealed that she too had become pregnant for the fourth time. The princess found that to be too much of a coincidence, but her father was too drunk with joy to notice. The second incident occurred half a year after Prince Viserys had been born. Helaena had woken up one morning to discover that she had bled onto her bedsheets.
The then thirteen year old princess had "flowered", i.e started her menstrual cycle for the first time, and she had crossed over the threshold of womanhood. After cheering on this milestone, Queen Alicent quickly arranged for Helaena to marry her older brother in accordance with the incestuous traditions of Old Valyria. Alicent wanted her children to give their father grandchildren born from the Targaryen-Hightower line so that he would not focus so much on the grandsons that his eldest daughter had given him. Alicent's plan quickly bore fruit, for shortly after the wedding, Helaena announced that she was pregnant. However, the scheme almost cost the princess her life when she went into labor just nine months after marrying Aegon.
Her young body had difficulty withstanding the strain of childbirth, and the situation was made even more precarious since she was pregnant with twins. Thankfully, both children were born healthy, and their fourteen year old mother survived, although she was bedridden for sometime afterwards. Despite being overjoyed that she had become a grandmother for the first time, Alicent was disappointed with the flaws her grandchildren had been born with. The firstborn twin, Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen, was a polydactyl, and he had six fingers on his left hand and six toes on each foot. The second born twin, Princess Jaehaera Targaryen, was a very sweet but unusually quiet and withdrawn girl who never cried, even as a baby (much to her mother's relief), and she was believed to be a simpleton by most.
Adding more to the scheming queen's woes, her eldest son had also fathered two bastards, a girl and a boy, on two different women the same year his twins were born! Initially displeased with her grandchildren's flaws, Alicent learned to overlook them, and she loved both Jaehaerys and Jaehaera dearly. The birth of the perfect Prince Maelor Targaryen in 127 AC rectified the queen's earlier disappointments. But now, all that effort Alicent had put into trying to win over Viserys was all for nothing. After Alicent had entered her wheelhouse, the drivers snapped their reins, and the horses began to move forward towards the open gate.
Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower looked out the window and watched as the castle battlements and gate passed by. The Red Keep had been her home since she was thirteen years old. She had been living there for twenty-eight years since the year 101 AC. For the first five years, Alicent was simply the daughter of the Hand of the King and the companion and caretaker of her late husband's grandfather, and for the remaining twenty-three, she was the queen consort of the Seven Kingdoms.
And now, she was the begrudging dowager queen for her stepdaughter. Despite the early hour of the morning, smallfolk lined the streets to watch their former queen and the two princes leave the city. Alicent's reputation amongst the commoners was mixed. Some saw her as the epitome of the dutiful wife and mother who steadfastly defended her eldest son's birthright, while others saw her as a grasping bitch who was jealous of her stepdaughter's popularity in the Seven Kingdoms. Alicent soon gained two more monikers alongside "the Disgraced Queen", "the Exiled Queen" and "the Queen in Exile".
Overhead, two dragons ascended into the bright morning sky. The first to fly up was Tessarion, Prince Daeron Targaryen's mount. She was a young dragon that was the about the size of a two-story tavern and was covered with cobalt scales, light blue wing membranes, and had copper belly scales. Due to her coloring, Tessarion was known reverently as the "Blue Queen". The dragon that followed her was even more majestic.
Out of all the contemporary dragons, Vhagar was the oldest and biggest. She was originally the mount of Queen Visenya Targaryen, the first Targaryen queen, and was the sole survivor of the trio that had conquered Westeros over a century ago, and her pale-grey scales and white wing membranes were riddled with nicks and holes that had been gained from the fired arrows and thrown spears from countless battles. Ever since the Conquest, Vhagar had continued to grow and in the present day, she was the same size that the long dead Balerion was. One hundred and seventeen years of life had slowed Vhagar's movements and made her cautious, but her ferocity still remained. She was a source of immense pride to Prince Aemond Targaryen, and it was rumored that he paid more respect to the ancient beast than he did to his own mother.
Vhagar let out a deep, guttural grunt as she ignored her aching joints in order to unfold her massive wings. Beating them softly once and then hard the second time, Vhagar was able to achieve liftoff. The current from her wings caused a massive cloud of dust to materialize, and the wind to blow hard enough to knock off the hats of some of the handlers. It was an amazing sight to see such magnificent beasts take flight. It was particularly amazing to watch Vhagar fly.
From their veranda, Rhaenyra and her husband watched the dragons fly off towards the main road leading out of King's Landing. It was a poignant sight to watch Vhagar leave the city that had been her home ever since its founding over a century earlier when it was just a fortress with palisade walls that was then known as the "Aegonfort."
"She's so big." Viserys said softly as he watched the dragon follow Tessarion. He had been learning more about the Conquest from Grandmaester Gerardys, and he often imagined how glorious it must have been for his famous ancestors and their dragons to subdue most of the continent except for Dorne. He wandered what the forces of Houses Gardner and Lannister thought when they saw the three dragons appear above the horizon and consume their men with almighty dragonfyre, christening the slaughter henceforth as the "Field of Fire". Little Viserys hoped that the hatchling within his egg would grow up to become a beast worthy of song just as Balerion, Meraxes, and Vaghar were.
When the dragons were out of sight and the Hightower entourage was out of the city limits, the royal family and their captives returned to the Red Keep. The journey home to the Reach was a long one, even while traveling on the Kingsroad. The retinue sometimes stayed at the various inns that dotted the roadside, and were even hosted in a few castles. Wherever they went, Aemond and Daeron's dragons attracted attention from both smallfolk and nobles alike. Regardless of the current political situation in the Seven Kingdoms, the nobles were willing to put aside their differences or fears of being disapproved of by their new queen to provide shelter and food for Alicent and her family.
One of those hospitable lords was Larys Strong, the Lord of Harrenhal. Alicent greatly appreciated her quiet host's generosity, and both she and her family gladly partook in Larys's bread and salt. Very little conversation was made between the Hightower's and their host, but that was alright; having a sturdy roof over their heads, warm food in their bellies, and a soft bed to sleep in more than made up for the lack of socialization. Prince Aemond was certainly taken with one of Lord Strong's servants, the bastard born Alys Rivers. The alluring woman was just as taken with the one-eyed prince as well, and Aemond's mother and kinsmen were not too pleased that Alys was going to accompany them to Oldtown.
Lord Larys Clubfoot and his extended family members, on the other hand, were apparently pleased that this bewitching servant was leaving Harrenhal.
Nevertheless, the entourage continued on their southward journey. Almost three weeks had passed since the group had left King's Landing when they finally reached Oldtown. Waiting for Alicent and her family was her Cousin Ormund, the Lord of the Hightower and Voice of Oldtown. Greeting the Exiled Queen alongside Ormund was his young, new wife, Lady Samantha Tarly; and his four children from his first marriage: Lyonel, Martyn, Garmund, and Bethany. The rest of Alicent's extended family was present as well, and her party was greeted somberly upon their return.
Shortly after arriving in Oldtown, Ser Otto, who had rarely spoken a word since his departure from the Red Keep, had suddenly fallen ill, and he became bedridden for the rest of the day. The next morning, he was found to have died in his sleep overnight. During his funeral, Otto was remembered for both his intellect and for his remarkable service as Hand of the King. Even Rhaenyra I sent a raven bearing a letter describing a brief message of condolence and stating what a good Hand Otto had been for her great-grandfather and father. However, not many tears were shed for the man.
Even by his closest family members, Otto was seen as a grasping and power hungry man who had little patience for others if they did not have anything he could benefit from. Alicent did not weep for her father. She justified her lack of tears due to remembering her father not crying when her mother was being buried. The funeral however, did bring the family together in a morose way. Rhaenyra allowed for Aegon and Helaena to travel to Oldtown to say their final good-byes to their grandfather.
Their children stayed behind at the Red Keep since Maelor was too young to ride on a dragon with his parents, and it would have been unfair for him to be left behind if his parents had brought his older twin siblings with them. Aegon and Helaena's mother, brothers and cousins welcomed their arrival at the Hightower with subtle mirth. Despite the circumstances, Aegon and Helaena appeared to be well. After the exile of the Hightower's, Aegon began to clean up his act. First, Aegon cast out his paramour and swore off all other women, although not before bedding the female harpist his mother had hired to play for them during his half-sister's coronation.
Second, Aegon tried to curb his drinking, although this was not very successful. His efforts, however, were much appreciated by his sister-wife. Helaena's disappointment over her brother-husband's submission to the Blacks began to soften as Aegon tried to improve himself for both her and their children.
The princess herself had been doing well in spite of the circumstances. She coped with living at the Black court by keeping the company of her handmaidens and tending to her family. She told her mother that her grandchildren missed her and they wondered when she would return. Being away from her beloved grandchildren hurt, but hearing how they missed her caused Alicent to cry. It was the only time she was lachrymose during her father's funeral.
Aegon and Helaena were allowed to stay at Oldtown for a week before they were expected to return. When the time came to return home, their parting from their mother and brothers was sad, but not as bad as it was the first time. After they returned to King's Landing, the couple was greeted by their excited children at the entrance courtyard of the castle.
"Mommy!" an excited Jaehaerys exclaimed as he ran into his mother's open arms. Helaena gave her eldest son a good, loving squeeze before she kissed the top of his head. Jaehaera followed behind her twin with little Maelor clutching her hand. With his sister's assistance, Maelor toddled over to their father, who scooped him up off the floor and embraced both the boy and girl. Before either parent could speak, Jaehaerys spoke up.
"Mommy, Auntie Rhaenyra wants to see you."
Helaena gave her son a puzzled look.
"Did she say why, darling?"
"No. She just told me to tell you to come to the garden to see to her."
"What were you doing with her anyway, son?" Aegon asked.
"Aunt Rhaenyra had us come to the garden to see Cousin Visenya. She's tiny and sleeps a lot. After seeing her, we all played with Aegon and Viserys. When a servant told us that your dragons were spotted, auntie told me to let you know that she wanted to see you about something."
Helaena nodded with submissive acceptance.
"Very well. Go back to your cousins, my loves. Please tell your aunt that I have to change first before I come see her."
The children nodded and they went back to the gardens with Septa Loretta escorting them. Aegon was happy to know that he was not invited for an audience with his older half-sister. He was adamant to both stay out of her way and out of her sight. The feeling was mutual with the queen as well. It was up to Helaena to be the diplomat for her family.
After getting changed out of her traveling clothes, Helaena traversed through the halls to the Red Keep's garden. The sounds of children playing could be heard when she entered the verdant sanctuary. Walking deeper into the garden revealed a cheerful scene. The royal children were playing tag, and Viserys was "it". So far it appeared that Viserys had tagged both Jaehaerys and Jaehaera; running in a dress was not easy, and Jaehaera had tripped at some point for she was nursing her left knee and was giving her half-cousin an angry, pouty look.
Jaehaerys may have been tagged first, and he was seated beside his twin sister beneath the shade of a maple tree. Now, Viserys was chasing after Aegon, who was carrying Maelor on his back. The two year old boy was giggling with joy while his cousin panted with exhaustion as he tried to outrun a smugly grinning Viserys. Aegon's speed began to slow down, and Maelor's excited cries became more high pitched as his cousin caught up to them. Viserys soon reached them and he tapped both Maelor and Aegon.
"Got you both!" he chirped happily.
Aegon fell to his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Maelor crawled off his half-cousin's back and he plopped down next to him.
"I want to be 'it' this time." Jaehaerys chimed.
"No." Viserys said. "I won, so I get to be 'it' again."
"Ugghhh…" Jaehaerys whined.
Jaehaera considered her twin brother's disappointment and she looked at Viserys.
"Can't you two be 'it' together?"
Jaehaerys's mood immediately changed upon hearing that.
"Yes! Let's do it together, Viserys!"
"Alright." Viserys said. He did not sound too thrilled about it. But when they resumed their game, the two boys were soon giggling and playfully taunting their siblings as they chased them around. Helaena smiled at the sight. If these children of Black and Green could get along, why couldn't the adults? A voice was heard over the jubilant commotion.
"Princess Helaena."
Helaena turned to see the queen sitting on a bench under a tree by a fountain. She was wearing a fur lined black cloak that covered a purple and black dress and in her arms was a swaddled Princess Visenya. Behind Rhaenyra in the shadows was the baby princess's wet nurse, and flanking the two women were two members of the Queensguard. A chair had been set up in front of the queen's bench for Helaena to sit on. The princess curtsied to Rhaenyra.
"Your grace," she said, the words sounding alien to her. "I was told by my son that you wanted to see me?"
"Yes, please have a seat." Rhaenyra said. Helaena quickly obeyed and she sat down. Visenya stirred slightly in her mother's arms, and Rhaenyra rocked her gently back to sleep. She looked from her daughter to her younger half-sister.
"Would you like to hold her?" the queen asked. Helaena nodded, and Rhaenyra carefully handed her off daughter to the princess. Visenya was sound asleep and did not wake up at all during this exchange. The baby princess's half-aunt thought that she was beautiful and perfect in every way. Unlike her mother and brothers, Helaena did not bear any ill will towards her half-nephews and niece.
When Rhaenyra brought her sons to their grandfather's court for the first time as babes, Helaena would hold them after her father had. Jacaerys, Lucerys, Joffrey, Aegon, Viserys, and Visenya did not choose their parents, and Helaena could not understand why her family was so biased against them other then the Velaryon Princes' lack of Valyrian features. Holding the princess caused Helaena to realize that Visenya was the first of her father's grandchildren to not be held by him. It was a sad thought, and Helaena quickly buried it. Rhaenyra observed the scene with an inquisitive eye.
"A lovely babe is she not?" she asked proudly.
"Yes, she is." Helaena said without looking up. "She is going to grow up to be quite a lovely woman. Uncle Daemon and her brothers are going to have their hands full when suitors start swarming the Red Keep asking for her hand."
Rhaenyra smiled softly at that comment. Her arms ached to hold Visenya again, and she held out her arms to collect her child from Helaena. Giving the newborn a kiss on her forehead along with a gentle hug, the queen then gave Visenya to her wet nurse, who in turn placed the baby in her cradle and began to rock it gently. Resting beside the baby girl was a dragon egg. Its shell was scaled and looked to be made out of polished steel, and it scintillated with light from the spots of sunshine that peered through the red and brown foliage of the tree.
"Now," the queen began. "about why I have summoned you here..."
Helaena sat straight in her chair.
"Ever since the birth of your older brother, the divide in our father's court over the line of succession has become more and more noticeable. It has been a nightmare for both our families with all the bickering, arguments, and spreading of vile rumors. Father tried not to get involved to avoid making one side think that he was favoring the other. Now that he is gone and I am queen, I want to mend the rift between our families."
Helaena listened to her half-sister's words, taking them in steadily. She could not believe what she was hearing. Rhaenyra, a stubborn woman who believed everything she did was right was talking about establishing peace between the Blacks and the Greens.
"The best way to facilitate this is through marriage," Rhaenyra continued, "a marriage between my only daughter, a Black princess, and your youngest son, a Green prince. Do you not want this fighting between our families to end, Helaena? Maelor and Visenya will grow up together, and I am sure that they will form a close bond. They will be the symbol of our families moving beyond our feud and into a brand new beginning for House Targaryen. What do you think, Helaena?"
Helaena became rigid in her chair. By all means she wanted to say yes, but something held her back. Years of being told about the unworthiness of Rhaenyra's claim next to Aegon's had left some impact on the princess's mind, and Helaena felt deep down that the queen was being dubious. She even felt that Rhaenyra's "offer" for Helaena's mother to remain at the royal court was merely a ploy to incite Alicent to move out on her own accord. But Helaena was tired of all the infighting, and she wanted it to end just as much as Rhaenyra did.
Ignoring the great weight of the reluctance she felt upon her lips, Helaena gave her half-sister her answer.
"I…" she began tenuously, the weight slowly lifting like a floodgate and allowing her words to flow out. "I too want this to end, Rhaenyra. It has gone on long enough. My son will marry your daughter, his cousin, when they come of age."
The queen smiled.
"Good." she said. "I am glad."
All the while this was going on, little Maelor continued to play tag with his cousins and siblings. As they played, tiny Visenya slept soundly in her cradle beside her dragon egg. As the two little ones were immersed in their individual moments of blissful existence, their mothers' planned their combined destinies. A two year old boy was engaged to a newborn girl who was only a month and a half old. What would their world be like when the time came for them to be wed?
Rewrite Notes: Lots of changes!
1. Aemond meets Alys earlier. In the original chapter, they met during Daeron's wedding feast. Alys was a pyromancer with who was hired to perform during the feast.
2. Ser Criston Cole is exiled to the Wall rather than sent back to his family seat. I was originally going to have him executed, but changed my mind. Criston was popular, and having him beheaded would have been received very negatively by the people. I imagined that Rhaenyra may still have had some feelings left for Ser Cole.
3. Names of Ormund's children have been changed to their canon version. The names (both canon and non-canon) that I gave them were originally Garemund, Reginald, Regina, and Lilith.