Chapter 54: Chapter 54
Chapter 54
ALICENT HIGHTOWER
Alicent Hightower woke up groggily as she shifted leisurely in her bed. The tiredness from watching over the wedding proceedings had taken a toll on her, and she would sleep for hours now.
And she shifted, turning in her bed, yet her heart sunk as she felt her hand hit something hard, making her grogginess vanish in a second as she opened her eyes and turned to see just what she had hit.
And it was not a thing. No, it was someone whom she hadn't seen for a week, someone whom she was missing quite fervently—her second half, the father of her child, her Lord husband.
"Aenys," she called out and saw him frown as he rubbed his eyes, he was still in a tunic and looked rather weary as he sat up straighter after a yawn.
And as their eyes met, his lips turned up into a smile.
"Good Morning, Alicent," he greeted her, and she was quick to question.
"When did you return? You could have woken me up, and weren't you supposed to return a day later," she recalled the schedule,
"There was an emergency, and I had to return a bit early, and most importantly…" he stopped as he smiled, leaned forward, and kissed her hand.
"I heard a very jubilous news on my arrival," he continued, and she blushed as she looked down.
"So, you have heard," she asked, and he nodded.
"I have," he said as she gulped down and asked once more.
"But still, you could have woken me up," she complained, and he frowned as he shook his head.
"I know just how hard you have been working and didn't want to disturb your only rest, so I forbade the servants from disturbing you when I returned," he added. She nodded as he got up and began to wash his face, and she asked another question.
"But why did you return early? What kind of emergency had you returned at such short notice?" she questioned, watching as his face turned grim as he turned to face her.
"Yesterday, the King made an attempt to reform the Gold Cloaks and issued an order for the arrest of Daemon and his followers," he told her, making her still at those words as she asked incredulously.
"What? That could have been disastrous," she reasoned quickly, especially in these times when the capital was filled with minor and major lords, and Daemon was the only one with a dragon present.
"Yes, though it was I who recommended the measure but realized too late that the Viserys may act on it at once, and so when I realized my mistake, I rushed out of the Vale and, as I had suspected, found Daemon on Ceraxes on the verge of bringing down the newly appointed captain of the City Guard," he finished non chalantly making her clutch the sheets with much force as she nearly shrieked.
"Seven above!" as her eyes scrutinized his body, looking for any new scar or wound that he may have sustained, and thankfully, she found none as relief filled her.
The worry must have shown on her face as he cut in rather quickly as he sat beside her.
"We didn't fight. It didn't come to that, even though a small part of me wished that this whole debacle would have ended tonight," he said. She could sympathize with that point, but if it meant any danger for him, she would rather this whole conflict last years as long as he remained safe.
"What happened?" she questioned.
"Nothing much, actually. He fled the capital with his mistress and his son, and now his Gold Claoks have been rounded up. The King has appointed Harwin Strong as the next commander, a rather good choice, in my opinion," he added, and she frowned.
"Prince Daemon left?" she confirmed, and he nodded.
"We don't know yet where he went, but we will learn so soon.
"And what of Rhaenyra? When will she return?" she questioned.
"Soon, she will attend the tourney Lady Jeyne prepared for her and then shall leave after that; I expect she will reach the capital by the day after tomorrow," he added, and she frowned.
"That seems rather late," she observed, and he nodded as he turned to face her.
"Yes, indeed, and there is good reason for that. She needs to be very cautious during the journey. Maybe I shall ride out again today to accompany her," he suddenly added as he rubbed his chin.
"But why?" she questioned, perplexed by all this.
He turned to face her, and he answered with a smile.
"Because you, my lady, aren't the only one with child," his answer made her frown for a second before she realized what he meant.
"Really!" she gasped out in equal worry and joy.
"Yes, I confirmed it myself in Vale. Rhaenyra is with child."
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RHAENYRA TARGARYEN
Rhaenyra Targaryen sat beside the Lady of the Vale in her booth as the knights clashed in the melee below them. The stands were filled with shouts of men and women alike, and the whole court was filled with sounds of metal clashing against metal.
Yet she couldn't pay attention to the ongoing tourney. Her mind still lost in the conversation she had had with Aenys last night and its implications for the future.
A part of her had given up on the idea of sitting on the Iron Throne, relieving herself of the fate of never ever ascending those steps, yet his words had changed it all, and now the possibility that she had all but discarded was set to become a reality.
"It seems the whole tourney isn't to your liking, Princess," the voice of Lady Jeyne cut across the booth, startling her as her head snapped to the side, and she tried to smile.
"No, of course not, my lady. The tournament is lovely," she said, the words rolling off her tongue.
The Lady of the Vale was dressed in a blue gown made of blue silk that wrapped around her body. She smiled as she looked at her, turned away, and looked at the field as she continued talking.
"There is no need to lie, Princess. I know what has you worried," she began making her frown as she glanced at her with a side eye, her lips turned up as she continued.
"After all, there are many things that worry an incumbent heir to the Iron Throne," she said, her eyes widened as she realized this.
"Aenys told you of his decision," she said, nodding as the crowd broke out into a massive cheer. It seemed they had a winner, Ser Joffrey Arryn, the man who recently married Lady Royce had emerged victorious, as many had expected and the crowd cheered for the man who raised his fist into the air triumphantly.
"Indeed, he did. And I must say, the Prince is even more noble than his titles make him out to be. A shame though that a match between him and myself couldn't be realized," she said with a teasing tone to her words, which she didn't mind. After all, she was aware of just how close such a match came to happening until Aenys literally fought off a dragon to marry Alicent.
They watched, clapping and standing up as the Knight of the Gate presented the Crown of Love and Beauty to his newlywed wife to a ground-shaking cheer from the crowd as Lady Jeyne continued.
"You needn't worry, though, Princess. You shall sit on the throne and begin a new era for this Kingdom, one where daughters born shall no longer only be valued for their wombs, and though you may feel that you know little of ruling and governing, I believe you are sharp enough that you could grasp it all quite easily," she began as she began to step forward, walking into the front of the booth.
Looking back, she beckoned her over, offered her a hand, and pulled her forward.
"Now, let me give you a little hand," she said as she winked at her before motioning to a servant by their side. The herald began to beat his drum very loudly, bringing the attention of the crowd towards them.
The crowd's enthusiasm died down as they saw their monarch step forward, ready to make an announcement.
"First of all, I give my heartfelt congratulations to the winners of the tournament for showing their mettle and emerging victorious in these glorious battles," she began, her voice surprisingly strong, spreading all over the clearing as the crowd cheered.
"Yet I have an even greater news to share with you all on this auspicious day," she began.
"Many of you may have questions about the absence of one of our guests here today. And now I shall tell you all the reason for his absence. For moons now, the evil of piracy has plagued our shores; they raze our ships and enslave our men and women," she began, and Rhaenyra realized just what she was going to do.
"I made the Crown aware of our plight, and hence Prince Aenys and the heir, Princess Rhaenyra, arrived in my castle, answering the call and promising aid to us in combating this evil," she finished.
"NO MORE, THEY SAID! AND NOW, AS WE CELEBRATE THEIR PRESENCE HERE, THE PRINCE FLIES TO THE CAPITAL, PROMISING FIFTY OF HIS OWN SHIPS AND MEN TO HELP SU RID OF THIS PLAGUE!" She shouted with all her might, and the crowd broke out into massive cheer as she raised her hand.
"And all this was made possible by the efforts of none other than the Princess herself," she began as she pushed her forward and mouthed to her to say a few words.
Rhaenyra thought of what to say as she looked at the gathered crowd of lords and ladies and common men and women before she finally began.
"Many of you may be seeing me for the first time, yet I have grown up hearing tales of this land and its people," she began recalling the various stories her mother would often narrate to her from her childhood.
"Tales of the honor and resilience of those that live in these lands, people with whom I share blood. House of Arryn and Vale have kept faith with House Targaryen for more than a hundred years, answering the call. Now that House Arryn is in need, I consider it a personal responsibility as a daughter of the Vale to lend aid to the people of this land," her voice growing louder and louder with every word.
"AND I SAY HELP HAS ARRIVED!" She said as she raised a fist into the sky, and the crowd roared.
"NO MORE SHALL THOSE PIRATES PLAGUE YOUR SHORES! NO MORE SHALL THEY BURN YOUR SHIPS AND ENSLAVE MY PEOPLE! NOW THEY SHALL FACE THE DRAGON'S WRATH! THEY SHALL TASTE…." She took a deep breath as she shouted the next words with all her might.
"….FIRE AND BLOOD!"
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