Chapter 96: 96
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114 AC
Highgarden
Daeron Nymeros Martell
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"-and then we had to drag the animal out of the water while the mud seemed to pull us deeper." Lord Tyrell shakes his head with an unpleasant look on his face while holding up a chicken leg.
"Did it at least make for a good meal with all the effort it took to down?" I smile while trying to stay engaged in the conversation with the man but after the third hunting story, I am quite tired.
"Oh he did... best in recent memory, the sweet taste of victory." The unpleasant look is long gone on the man's face as he leans back in his chair with a pleased one taking its place. "I am starting to get the itch if you know what I mean." I nod while leaning forward a bit to slide my chair back while planning my escape.
Damn Rhaenyra, ran off using the children as an excuse... I really might be coming to regret including this man in any plans I have for the future. Hopefully, his second Son is not this bad... I only saw him for a moment before he ran off likely knowing what was coming.
...smart man.
"I am sure." I mutter while observing the drippings of his meal on his chest. "If it was not for the King requesting for our early return to show him the twins then I would love to join you on a hunt." I have never been happier for my Good Father wanting me to come and try to heal him as I am in this moment.
"Next time." He smiles wide while nodding eagerly and I smile back.
Maybe it would be fun if I actually cared for hunting but in all honesty, I care not for it when there are more 'important' things I could be doing. I am sure I will enjoy it much more when I can bring along Aegon and have him participate, anything with my Son is vastly more fun in my eyes. But until then I would rather hold off on burning myself out on the 'hobby' and instead I will focus on other things.
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114 AC
Highgarden
Garen Tyrell
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"There you are." I startle hearing a familiar voice behind me and the maid I had against the wall nearly faints in fright as well. "Oh... you are a little busy." I turn to see the Prince of Dorne smiling while avoiding looking at the maid's exposed breasts.
"Prince Daeron." A new feeling stirs inside of me, a mix of nervousness and anger... something I have never felt before.
"I was hoping to talk to you alone..." I almost sigh seeing him not try to end things here after the humiliating discovery, but what can someone expect from the Dornish anyway?
They care not for acts of the flesh as the rest of men do... I am not sure if I respect or fear their ways.
"Sure." I nod toward him before turning back to Maria Flowers a bastard of a Shield island Lord who has tits fat enough to suffocate a man with ease. "Later?" I ask while raising a brow and she finally breaks her gaze away from the Prince as she tightens her grip on her hastily fixed dress.
"P-Prince." She ignores me and bows slightly toward Prince Daeron which causes his eyes to widen slightly and I notice she lowered her dress a bit.
Damn whore...
"She is a dead woman walking." The Prince chuckles while shaking his head as Maria runs down the hall without looking back.
"Huh?" I look away from the plump rear of the woman I have been trying to bed for months.
"Rhaenyra..." He stops and shakes his head seemingly thinking better of what he was about to say. "Ignore me, let's take a walk and talk about an idea I have been thinking about." I slowly nod as his arm goes around my shoulder as if we are old friends.
"Alright." He guides me by the grip on my shoulder toward the path he took to arrive here and I can't help but wonder what it is a Dornish Prince wants to talk to me about.
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114 AC
Highgarden
Rhaenyra Targaryen
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"How did it go?" I ask knowing full well that Daeron likely sought out Garen Tyrell for his plans.
"Seems like a decent prospect all things considered, but I might need to test him some." I turn from Aegon who is sitting in between his Sisters as they lay on their backs in the middle of the bed.
"How so?" He shrugs but rolls his eyes seeing my interest plainly on my face.
"He might be a bit... uncertain of himself." That is not what I was expecting, can't really have him join the small council if he is a nervous type. "I felt like every time I brought something up or tried to bring something up about finding him a 'place' in court... he got skittish." I purse my lips as I turn back to the children finding Aegon brushing his fingers through Nymeria's short hair.
""Sweet boy."" I pinch his nose much to his displeasure. "Well if he does not fit then there is no point trying to make him fit." I like Daeron's idea of preparing the small council in advance, so long as they are not trying to hinder my father's rule.
I am not in a rush for the throne but I certainly would not dislike it being prepared for me in ways that my Father does not seem keen in doing himself. The extent of my small council knowledge is what I have seen and heard with my own eyes while actually being in the room while the council was in session. The bad part is that is not from lack of me trying as well, he simply expects me to jump right into the role as soon as the crown is placed on my head.
Most crowned Princes have been made Hand of the King or some other position... at least during my great-grandfather's reign. It no doubt helped my grandfather who would have made an excellent king had he not passed far too early.
But in my case, my Father did not want me even in the room once I was named Crown Princess... it angers me.
"-you alright?" Daeron grabs my head with both his hands and rocks it back and forward slowly as he 'looks me over'.
"I am fine." I swat his hands away with a huff which brings a smile to his face as he slowly nods while backing up slightly.
I watch from the corner of my eye as he heads to the tub while taking off his clothes and tosses them into a pile one piece at a time. I bite my lip as his back muscles come into view before chewing it a bit too hard as he drops his pants as well. But I refocus on the children as he looks over his shoulder with an amused look and a raised brow.
"Like what you see?" I roll my eyes hearing the familiar question he has asked at least a hundred times.
"Something like that." I respond even against my better judgment knowing full well it will only enflame his pride.
"Something like that..." He mutters as he shakes his head while stepping into the tub. "Did you wash Aegon?" Aegon himself widens his eyes hearing 'wash' and I can't help but smile knowing he knows what comes next.
"Aegon." He does not break his gaze from his Father who has his back to us resting in the steaming waters but I know he heard me. "Aegon." I nudge his little belly as he clenches his hands into fists.
"No." My Son speaks up one simple word but carries all the conviction he can muster.
"Did he just say no?" Daeron asks from the tub with amusement obvious in his tone. "I take it he has not been washed... he likely stinks of Balerion as well..." I nod along while watching my Son scrunch his nose and look displeased.
"Muna, no." I smile as he turns and looks up at me with hope in his little eyes.
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"-and then they wished upon a star an-" Leaning against the stacked-up pillows I smile watching Daeron lay on the far end of the bed next to the cradle as he tells a story to the twins.
"No." Aegon speaks up from under the blankets in between me and Daeron, the freshly washed boy is hiding and also interrupting 'story time'.
"What do you mean 'no'?" Daeron turns to the bump under the sheets and frowns. "Only little babes hide when they are scared." I shake my head seeing him taunt our Son and soon after the blanket shifts and a little head lifts itself up.
"You scared." Daeron reaches over to grab Aegon but our Son quickly moves and cuddles up to my side. "No." Daeron sighs as he flops face first after rolling over to try and reach our boy, his middle finger only a few hairs from touching Aegon's foot.
"I should have let you wash him." Daeron mumbles into to bed before turning back over and even facing his back to us as he grabs the rails to the cradle and pulls it a bit closer to the bed. "You two can't escape me..." He happily mutters as Aegon 'silently' starts to move away from me and toward him.
Aegon makes far more noise than he seems to understand as he sneaks up on his Father who has returned to storytelling to the twins who no doubt are already asleep. The baby dragons are curled up and resting and that tells me all I need to know, if the hatchlings are resting then the twins are resting.
"No." Aegon slaps at his Father's back but misjudges the length of his arm and hits the blanket instead and much to his horror he soon finds himself captured by a quickly moving Dornish Prince.
"Tell me 'no' again." Daeron pins Aegon down under his shoulder while only leaving Aegon his head to move which looks cute as the little silver-haired head struggles.
"No." I laugh as Daeron quickly 'punishes' Aegon by blowing against his bare skin after pressing his lips against his exposed stomach which obviously tickles as Aegon squirms and shrieks.
"You two are almost too much to handle." I sigh as I pat my chest as the Father 'wrestles' his Son while both make incomprehensible noises.
Both turn to me as Daeron lifts his head which allows Aegon some wiggle room to look my way as well... they both look so alike with their faces side by side.
"No." The Father says.
"No." The Son echoes before squealing as he gets tickled.
I stare blankly at the two loudmouths as I lean forward to adjust the pillows behind me so I can lie down and get some rest. But with the way these two are at it at the moment I expect for them to wake up the twins and soon I will have to help put them back to sleep. But even knowing this I still do not say anything as it feels wrong to interrupt them when they are like this.
I hope they will always be like this, it warms my heart and fills me with emotions I can hardly describe.
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