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Otto lifted his head from the pile of parchment to look at his daughter, who had just entered his solar in the Hand’s Tower.“How fares the King?”Alicent sat down at the chair before him, putting her hands in her lap. “Maesters have not reported any improvement. He refuses to wake up.”He hummed. She continued.“Any word from Dragonstone yet?”He shook his head. “Apart from the acknowledgment of Princess and her consort’s banishment for unforeseeable future from Kings Landing, no.”Alicent narrowed her eyes. “But what if the Princess decided to appeal to the King in person? How long will we hide the King’s condition?”He looked at the pile of reports from his spies. “Every word that I have received about her and her… husband indicates that they are currently too busy with each other and maintaining their relationship with Velaryons. Additionally, this is not the first banishment the Rogue Prince has suffered, even if it’s the first for Princess. He would not dare to face his brother’s anger so soon after their union, instead, he would prefer to weather the storm by staying away. And Princess was already living on Dragonstone for the past year or so. I do not think that they will want to come back any time soon.”Alicent rung her hands nervously. “But they can! If a single word got out of Viserys not being well enough to even wake up, they would come running to take the position of regent! We do not have a shield in the King anymore, Father. Maesters are losing hope that he will ever wake up, and the situation will become unbearable if he dies this early!”Otto frowned.Viserys, that fool, had been sick for a long time. The king’s health had been deteriorating even before his banishment to Old Town.  The incident at Driftmark had only worsened his situation, but what broke the camel’s back was the news of Princess Rhaenyra, his dearest daughter, eloping with his rogue of a brother.Viserys had not taken the news lightly.He had raged, frothed at the mouth, about how his curse of a brother had seduced and ruined his daughter once again. He ranted, screamed, and shouted, and in his anger, told the maester to send the raven to Dragonstone to inform his daughter to not come to Kings Landing until she understood her mistake. And then he fainted.He hadn’t woken up yet, and the Mellos feared that he perhaps might never will.“Aegon had a dragon since he was just a child. And now, Aemond has that beast of war dragon. Daeron is young, sure, but if worse comes to worst, Dreamfyre is also big enough to take the Blacks head-on. I am aware that these are not the best circumstances, but if the King is on his deathbed, there is not much we can do besides prepare for war.”“Absolutely not!” Alicent rejected vehemently. “They are young, still children! How can you expect them to go to war right now? Aegon has been training to command his beast but he is still nowhere near trained enough. Helaena, despite bonding with Dreamfyre seldom takes flights on her dragon, let alone spend some time together. And Aemond! Did you forget that Aemond just lost his eye? Forget about training with dragon keepers, he has not even resumed his arms training and studies, as his wounds have not healed yet. Do you want to send my children to their early deaths?”Otto rubbed his temples, trying to ease the throbbing pain that was becoming persistent these days. “Calm down, Alicent. I am more aware than you that sending your sons to war before they can sire their heirs is nothing short of suicide. I was only discussing what would happen in the worst scenario. With the seven’s blessings, we might never face such difficult times, but it doesn’t hurt to prepare.”She was close to tears. “Then what are we supposed to do now?”His headache has not abated even a bit. “We were fortunate enough that the King issued the decree of banishment of Princess and his brother openly in the court. Even if his words could be dismissed due to anger, everyone saw him giving that order, so we do not need to worry about Princess trying to contest it. If she still tries to come here to attend Small Council gathering after some time, we will remind her that the decree for her banishment has not been lifted, thus forcing her to return. And if she still tries to force her way in to meet with Viserys, Mellos assures me that although they cannot wake the king, they can still ensure he does not die anytime soon. All her efforts will be for naught. That will control the blacks for a while.”She wanted to go over everything just to make sure that they would not miss anything. “That is not enough. We also need to take care of the court, most importantly the Small Council. None of the sympathizers of Princess can be allowed to linger anymore if we want to succeed.”On this, Otto was in full agreement. “Lyman is old, he will be forced to resign, and the same with many others. They will be replaced by loyal men. We were going to do that anyways, a little haste will not hurt us.”His daughter was an anxious creature. No matter how much he tried to make her unlearn her bad habits, he never succeeded. “And what about Velaryons? While Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon’s union might have offended them, they are still their allies due to Lady Laena’s daughters. If they came here, they can inform the Princess about the situation.”He shook his head dismissively. “Corlys Velaryon has always expressed his grudges by leaving every position of power in Kings Landing in a fit of anger. And it may be unpleasant for you to hear, but the fact is that Aemond did disrespect house Velaryon by not only claiming Lady Laena’a mount on the night of her funeral but also assaulting her daughters without remorse.”“They were the ones who attacked him-”“Alicent.” He put a stop to her rant. “Do not pretend in front of me, at least. Whatever childish fights your sons had with Rhaenyra’s sons had nothing to do with those girls. Aemond managed to claim the war mount, yes, that is a success for our faction, but in the process, he also tore down all the facade as well as any chance to make our alliance with House Velaryon and the opportunity to bring the Rogue Prince to heel by keeping his daughters hostage.”She scowled but subsided at his chastisement. At least she had learned by now that it was useless to debate with him. “Fine. That’s two major obstacles out of the way. But you cannot pretend that Princess does not have other allies in this city, right in this castle. What are we to do of every merchant, every nobleman, every spy, hmm? They do not have the same restrictions, what will you do to stop their wagging tongues? Cut them off?”He glared at her impudent tone. She wilted and lowered her head with shame. Satisfied, he explained the master plan he had been preparing for some time. “I often forget that despite being a queen for so long, you have no understanding of how to run a kingdom. Much of the Vale has already been forced out of Kings Landing upon your marriage to avoid headaches, and no Northern houses already travel this far to the south unless needed. Any allies of the Black faction still remaining here can be forced out on made-up charges, which would not be difficult for us. For anyone else, raised taxes will be enough to dissuade them from coming here.”Alicent frowned. “I don’t understand. How will that stop them from coming?”He sighed in exasperation. “Raising taxes on every trade route to Kings Landing and the city itself will force the merchants as well as nobility to seek another place for their business. Additional expenses for traveling here, as well as raised cost of living in this city, will trim much of the populous who travel to the capital to earn a living.”“But they will come at tourneys, no? What excuse will we give about hosting no tourneys or feasts?”“Again, when the taxes are raised on this city for those who are not the residents of Kings Landing, they will not be able to afford to seek their business here even when a tourney is hosted. Raise the rent and tax at rent houses, manses, even brothels, and the marketplaces lent to traveling merchants, and they will not be able to stay in the city for even a few days. And we can cut down the size of tourneys, instead encouraging lords to host them on their own grounds with their own coin. As for Reach, we already get goods from there, and Westerlands are our allies. Nobilities participating from these two regions will be more than enough to put rest to mutters that we are isolating. already, much of the kingdom has stopped trying to curry favor with the King since I came as they already knew that they would not be able to earn any favor with the King absent and sick most of the time."She was still confused. “But you will need to raise taxes on every merchant, every noble who travels here, regardless of where they come from. Won’t it hurt us as well?”Sometimes, Otto wondered if his daughter ever tried to think. “Think, girl! What we want is to dissuade others from traveling to Kings Landing, not from coming into the kingdom! The raised taxes on inland trading routes will completely take care of anyone traveling here. What alternative centers are there for the trade other than Kings Landing? White Harbor, Gulltown, Spicetown, Lannisport, and Old Town? Among them, two are under our direct control. White Harbour does not earn much compared to the rest, and Spicetown is new. Even if it competes with us, it still falls short, and Gulltown may be big enough but it has never been able to rival Old Town. Raising taxes on merchants who travel by sea to Kings Landing is what we want. Old Town has been the biggest hub of trade in the kingdom for centuries, even the upstart Velaryons couldn’t reach that level yet. Any trade refused here is more trade at Old Town, adding to our coffers.”She was struggling to understand what he was laying out, despite his plan being so simple. “So you mean to say that you will raise taxes at strategic routes that lead to here, thereby dissuading travelers from coming to Kings Landing due to the high costs of travel and living here?”Finally. “Precisely.”“But what about us then? How will we receive everything we need here?”He waved his hand carelessly. “Lord Hightower will provide everything we need here. Since Viserys is not awake to object, we can afford the slight delay in receiving goods here due to the redirection of trade routes. Most of our food comes from Reach anyway, and the rest is just luxury. The coffers are full, since we will not be hosting tourneys frequently and sufficing on banquets instead, we can also take the burden of the slightly raised prices on those items, and lower the prices for the delivery too to take of the burn from our House.”Both of them mulled over the situation they were faced with. While the future was uncertain, they had every hope that with the brilliant political acumen of Otto Hightower, they would be able to overcome the situation.He gave his last order. “You do not need to fret over the details; I will be the one doing it. All you need to do is to keep an eye on Helaena. As soon as she has her moon blood, we will have to start the preparations for Aegon’s marriage.”Alicent blushed on the topic, but voiced her agreement, and left the solar to complete her tasks.None of them had either discussed or thought about the small folk in their planning, not once. And why would they? Donating a sizeable amount to faith every year was their limit of doing good for the lowborn, what else did they need?Hence, for the want of a throne and a crown on the head of a man from their own blood, started the suffering of the residents of King.And so, for want of a nail…...
The shoe was lost.

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Alicent did not know what she had done to be punished like this.She was aware of Aegon’s wandering eyes and straying hands, but after her husband lost consciousness and she and Father became busier than ever to handle the affairs of the kingdom, Aegon got the freedom he never had before.And he always took advantage of it.“Stupid boy,” she had slapped him without a moment’s hesitation. “This is the fourth maid I had to dismiss in the last two months. Do you not understand what we stand to lose due to your constant disrespect to your station and soon-to-be wife?”The idiot boy half drunkenly peered at her. “I told you I wanted no part of it.” He mumbled at her. Her hand twitched as she suppressed the urge to slap him. Again.“And I have made it clear to you,” she roughly grabbed his chin, hissing into his face. “It is not up to you! Your existence itself is a threat to Rhaenyra, and if you want to live, you will have to become the King.”Aegon halfheartedly shook himself out of her grip. She let him go, disgusted with his appearance. Alicent paced his chambers like a caged predator, agitation apparent on her frame. “What will it take for you to realize what is at stake, Aegon? Why can you not understand we are sacrificing so much for you? Why can you not for once appreciate our struggle to keep you safe and if not help us, then at least refrain from causing more trouble for us?”He angrily stared at her, tears in his eyes. “But it’s not me you are struggling for, is it, mother? You and grandsire want all the power for yourself, thus you keep using me. You don’t love me, you are just using me!”The temperature of the chambers plummeted as the pair of mother and son looked at each other. And then she slapped him hard enough to leave scratches from her rings.“I realize you are too drunk to hold a proper conversation, Aegon.” She coldly stated, not feeling a lick of remorse after looking at his slumped figure. “I will send servants with water for your bath. Dress yourself, and put some effort into looking presentable. Ser Criston will fetch you later, you are due to make an appearance in court today. You may not wish to spend time there, but we have to present a united front, so at least you will show your face for once.”He groaned, whining complaints about being forced to spend time away from drinking, but Alicent was not in the mood to feel any mercy for him. She exited the room and made her way to her daughter’s chambers, her loyal shield silently shadowing behind her.“Ser Criston,” she called out in a low voice. “Have you seen to the matter of the dismissal of the servant?”He respectfully lowered his head. “Your Grace, we have sent her to her home. She only has an old mother and a younger sister. No one will complain.”She breathed out a sigh of relief.When Alicent complained that Aegon had become utterly fearless, she was not lying. At first, he only went to brothels. Those… women were not difficult to handle. Easy picking, they could be pacified with little money. But then, he became bold enough to paw at the serving maids in the Red Keep.This serving girl was not the first to bear the bastard of her eldest son. She knew that her son had grown fearless in forcing himself on young maids, but she had no other choice. She had to protect her children and her House. It was her duty. Which man did not have a bastard? It was regrettable that those poor girls had to experience such bitter circumstances, but she had no other choice. She had to protect her own.The matters of the kingdom were worth more than the chasteness of a mere serving girl. As of right now though, she had more important matters to oversee.She arrived at her destination during her musings. Ser Criston remained outside while she entered the chambers of her daughter, taking stock of the room with a critical eye. She frowned.“Minella,” she barked out, startling the maid who was clearing up the clutter in her daughter’s chambers. “It is pretty late, why is the Princess still not dressed for the day?”The maid nervously stood in front of her. “Your Grace, preparing and dressing Princess for the day is Tiyanna’s job. She is the only one who can get close to Princess Helaena without freaking her out, but no one can find her in the castle. We have tried, but the Princess refused to listen to any of us, and keeps demanding for Tiyanna only.”Alicent grimaced, remembering exactly who Tiyanna was. She was the maid she had just dismissed due to her son’s antics.She resisted the urge to rub her temples to alleviate the headache. “It’s alright.” She sighed. “Continue your work. I will see to my daughter myself.”Dressing a princess was a job that was the responsibility of the ladies in waiting of the aforementioned princess. And yet, her daughter had to rely on lowly servants for these tasks. Alicent would have raged at such disrespect to the station of her daughter, but it was she who had to make the difficult decision to not employ any girl from a noble house. Just a few days after Alicent had employed young Lannister cousins and Reach ladies to accompany her only daughter, Helaena started to throw tantrums, refusing to keep the company of anyone. Investigation revealed that those young girls were making fun of the young princess, squashing her bugs and dressing her in tight clothes and jewels that pinched her, leaving rashes on her delicate skin. But the most outrageous thing they had done was to spread rumors, saying that Helaena was insane.Alicent had harshly reprimanded them, sent strongly worded letters to their parents, and banished them from Kings Landing. She had not bothered to employ anyone else. Her father also agreed, saying that once Helaena becomes the Queen to Aegon, they can get noblewomen as her ladies in waiting.Until then, she had to contend with servants and maids who although not deserving of such responsibility, were aware enough of their station to not hurt her daughter’s reputation. But now the latest victim of Aegon’s drunken tendencies was one of those same maids, so Alicent had to prepare herself for the difficult task of wrangling her daughter for the next few days until the next maid was found.“Helaena,” she coaxed, gentling her tone as she laid eyes on her daughter. “Minella tells me that you have refused to prepare for the day. You are growing up, how can you even function if you cannot do the most basic task of getting dressed?”Her daughter pushed herself from the chaise where she was huddling. “Mother,” she uttered softly while avoiding her eyes. “I don’t want them near me, Mother, I told them to go away. They pull at my hair and dress. It hurts. I don’t want them near me, please.”Alicent sighed again. “My dearest daughter, you cannot- this is not how a lady of your station should behave.” She scolded softly.Helaena mulishly stared at her green dress. Mulishness was a rare look on her. “Where is Tiyanna?”Alicent faltered. “Tiyanna? She, ah, she had to leave the keep for some reason.”“When will she come back?”The queen hesitated while formulating her answer. “Helaena, Tiyanna had to go. There was some problem with her family, she could not accompany you anymore. I am sorry, truly I am, but she cannot come back.”The princess’ eyes widened. “Won’t come back?” She asked plaintively. “Mother, please, make her come back! She is my only friend here!”Alicent faltered again. “My child, she can’t…”There were tears in her daughter’s eyes. “She was my only friend,” she whispered, lowering her head. Despite herself, Alicent found herself caving in. She hurried forward, gently cradling Helaena’s hands in hers. “My child,” she coaxed again. “She had to go. Tis the work of fate, of the seven. We cannot fight against fate, and neither can your friend. If you are truly her friend, wouldn’t you want her to accompany her family in troubling times?”The young girl pursed her lips. “It was that bad… for her family?”The queen nodded. “Yes, she had no other choice. Otherwise, why would she leave you?”It worked. Seven, it worked. “If you say so,” she trailed off, hesitantly looking at her hands. Alicent squeezed them in encouragement.“How about this? Today, no, right now, I will send a missive among the ladies residing in Kings Landing, alright? I will summon them, and you can meet them and choose your companions yourself. No noble ladies will be among them, I give you my word, and I will not employ anyone without your agreement. Is that alright?”Helaena was not exactly excited at this prospect, but she was giving in at least. “But what about Tiyanna? Can I help her in any way?”The Queen smiled, hiding her exasperation at her daughter’s insistence over a mere servant. “I don’t see any reason not to. I will tell Talya to send money to your friend regularly, is that enough?” she smiled, holding in her sigh of relief when Helaena finally nodded in agreement. “Now, how about you get ready for the day, and I will have someone fetch you when the ladies arrive at the Keep?”At her daughter’s agreement, Alicent stood up and stretched her legs as she made way to exit the room. Being a mother was no easy task. Deep inside, she was rather envious of Rhaenyra. Despite the other’s fear and hesitance over topics like childbirth and motherhood, the Princess flourished in her role as a mother, and her bastards never gave her as much trouble as Alicent’s children did to her. But this was the way of life, she supposed. She had made her peace with every favor the fortune gave to the undeserving Princess.She let out a sigh. She was already tired, and the day had barely begun.    After a long process of questioning and vetting, Alicent finally chose three new companions for her daughter. Soniya Cartwell, the almost three and ten summer daughter of a respectable merchant of Kings Landing, Eyla Orme, ten and five summers, daughter of a skilled craftsman in the city, and Aline Wynch, ten and four, the daughter of one of the relatives of her own lady in waiting, Talya. All three looked respectable, sensible girls, and would no doubt provide company to her daughter.With that task done, the queen turned her attention towards other tasks. To be exact, the upcoming union of Aegon and Helaena.Alicent vividly remembered her own marriage. The affair seemed so lackluster, but at the time, she didn’t care much, too overcome by her nerves. Rhaenyra, her only friend at the time, would rarely talk with her, and her father and relatives were too busy celebrating her elevation to the status of queen. Viserys despite being charmed by her, still remained affected with grief to the point where he only arranged for a simple banquet and the marriage ceremony itself. There were no tourneys, no feasts with multiple courses for weeks, and no big celebrations. Even her dress was provided by her own House, since there was no woman left in the House Targaryen who would handle such duties and Rhaenyra was too young and too angry at both her father and her to even offer. House Hightower, despite having much wealth, had to contend with a subpar dress. Although it was made from expensive fabrics and embroidered with eye-catching, pricy threads, their attempt to imitate the wedding dresses of Targaryen brides made it seem like a cheap thing. The fabric wrinkled at odd places, the thread colors clashed, and there were no accompanying symbolic Targaryen jewels or braids to compliment it. Not many guests had come either, many citing the hastened timing of the ceremony not allowing them to reach the capital in time. Her relatives had taken offense to all this, but since the King himself remained shrouded in grief despite it being a happy occasion, they had to swallow the insults and remain quiet.Thus, she was determined to make the marriage of her son and daughter the talk of the Kingdom for years. Everything she was denied, she was determined to provide it to her children. No expense was to be spared, which was why despite the fact that her daughter had not flowered yet, she had already started preparations. The entire affair had become very extravagant, even for them, but she was determined to arrange the best for her children. She had traders bring delicate fabrics from faraway lands, and spent money like water on jewels that were to be sewn on the dress. For jewelry, she had summoned the best craftsmen in the kingdom and told them to present her with the best designs without caring about cost. Cooks were being hired left and right to prepare the most sumptuous feasts possible. The marriage cloak was almost done too.All that was left was for her daughter to flower.Despite herself, she couldn’t suppress her excitement. This marriage was not just a marriage, it was a union to symbolize and fortify the rightful inheritance of her son. Her sons were the true heir to the Iron Throne, and this marriage was a representation of all their hard work to get to this level. As soon as Helaena gave birth to Aegon’s heir and spare, they could move forward without hesitation. Viserys was hanging by a thread, but as soon as her son’s line was secure, they didn’t need to fear for his death. They could directly seat Aegon as the regent.And so, time went on. Alicent worked on the preparations for eventual marriage, her father handling the displeased nobles and merchants from other regions, and their loyal men fending off ravens from Dragonstone left and right. And then came the day they were eagerly waiting for.Princess Helaena flowered, finally becoming a woman grown.As soon as they learned of this, the preparation for the wedding started in earnest. The ravens from had Dragonstone petered out, so they didn’t worry too much that Princess Rhaenyra and her allies would be making any appearance beyond sending a representative.As the time went on, Alicent started to feel a bit… relieved. This was the first happy occasion in her family that she was responsible for, and everything was running smoothly.Too smoothly, which was why she was not surprised when something went wrong this close to the wedding.“That stupid, stupid boy!” She resisted the urge to curse, choosing to vent her anger by flinging the vase. “I told him- no, I warned him not to lay hands on any of Halaena’s serving ladies again. But he went ahead and assaulted her maid. Not any other serving girl, his own soon-to-be wife’s maid!” she ranted, pacing around the room like a caged beast. Her lady-in-waiting grimaced.“What should we do, my Queen? The girl is not a mere servant; her father is one of the most respectable merchants in this city. We cannot silence them easily if they decide to make a fuss.”Alicent held back a groan. Why, seven, why was she being tested like this?“Does her family know?”Talya shook her head. “Soniya Cartwell is a young girl, still unaware of such matters. She does not understand what happened, much less inform her family about this. Only the healer who checked on her and confirmed her to be with a child knows about this matter.”Alicent sucked her lip, tearing her eyes away from the bloodied cuticles. “This boy has sworn to keep testing me. Just- bring the girl to one of my rooms and make her drink tansy. I will talk to her to ensure she does not breathe a word of this to anyone. When the matter is wrapped up, make sure to keep the girl away from Aegon.”Her lady-in-waiting nodded and rushed to carry out her orders. Alicent collapsed in a nearby chaise and groaned. Things could not get worse than this.    
Things could get worse.
When she ordered her to drink tansy and gently coaxed her to keep the assault secret, she thought that the situation was handled. She had not, even in her worst nightmares, thought of any other possibility.Alicent hand’s shook when she took in the sight of the pale body of the young girl. Her ears were ringing, and it felt like she was breathing from underwater.“How- when,” she choked out, her voice trembling as much as her hands. The healer in front of her lowered his head.“Your Grace,” he started hesitantly. “One must take into account the effect the tea might had on the poor girl. Grown women struggled with the side effects of tansy, and the girl was barely flowered. Her young body could not bear the stress of the tea. Even if she had survived, she would have struggled with bearing a child to term anyways, losing her life later on.”Alicent refused to cry. She refused to. This was not what she had wanted. Yes, many maids since Tiyanna had been assaulted by Aegon, but all had been dealt with quietly without any problem. But when it came to one of her daughter’s companions, the closest one at that, the matter was far from being dealt with by ease.Talya dithered behind her. “Your Grace, what are your orders?”Alicent willed her hands to stop shaking. She did not succeed. “Arrange her body to be found somewhere at the bottom of the stairs to make it look like she fell.”“And what if her kin refused to believe she died by broken neck and have her body checked?”“They will not, let’s pray they will not. But even if they do, then,” she grimaced, trying to will away the image of the accusatory gaze of her daughter her guilty conscience conjured. “Claim ignorance. We know nothing. We have nothing to do with this matter, and if they press further, threaten them that we will investigate how a girl with such character got close to Princess.”“As you wish, my Queen.”As everyone left, Alicent broke down, sobbing. She had not wanted to do this. She never wanted the young girl- no, child, she was a child, to die like this. She had not wanted to hurt Halaena again like this. This went against everything she was taught. But she had no choice. She had no other choice. She was forced to take drastic measures for the safety of her children.She had to protect her children and her House. It was her duty. Which man did not have a bastard? Which man did not have drunken mishaps? It was regrettable that the poor girl had to experience such bitter circumstances, but she had no other choice. She had to protect her own.The matters of the kingdom were worth more than the life of a mere lady in waiting.So young Soniya’s body fell from another part of the castle, all for the want of a mother’s protection for her rapist son. And so, for the want of a shoe…...
The horse was lost.

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Out of all of his father’s children, Gwayne had the simplest life. All his brothers were sent back to Old Town one by one for different reasons, marriages to make alliances, or to Citadel. Even his sister rose to one of the highest positions as the Queen. But him? He was stuck as a random Hightower knight until the King lost his consciousness and father became the regent and appointed him as a captain. Not higher than that, because Father feared it might alert the Rogue Prince.Some days, he resented his lot in life, lamenting about the lows he had reached by being forced to contend with the scraps thrown to him by his father and Queen sister. Some days, he would let go of any trace of envy he ever held in his life and would spend time cursing his father’s ambitions and where those ambitions had led him and his siblings.This was one of the later occasions.“Damn,” he whistled, truly exasperated with the role of a dog and trash disposer that was involuntarily assigned to him. “How many girls are there by now? Fourteenth? Fifteenth? I lost count at nine. I don’t even know how many bodies your white knight has dealt with.”His sister scowled at him. “Do not dawdle, just disappear the body as soon as possible!”He rolled his eyes. “Stop hissing at me, Alicent, I am not your dog.”At his harsh tone, she first hunched inward, but in the next breath, raised her head in false bravado.“True, but I am your Queen. And more importantly, Father has ordered you to assist me in any way possible.”He scowled at the reminder. He may not be a dog, but with the way his father and sister treated him, he was no better than one.He grunted. “That still doesn’t take away from your deficiencies. If only you were more concerned with raising your children properly rather than watching all the ladies of court like a hawk, then maybe we wouldn’t be here.”She closed her eyes in anger. “Gwayne, in the next few moments, if you do not shut your mouth, do not blame me for what I may do to you.”His scowl deepened, but he chose to remain silent this time. Despite everything, Alicent was the queen, and their father had made it clear that no obstacles in Aegon’s ascension to the throne would be tolerated.And so, he disposed of the body quietly, just like he did every last time, and just like he would continue doing so.    Patrolling the streets was a much better task than staying back in the Keep.Ever since the old king had fallen sick, Gwayne thoughts started to become a bit… antagonistic towards his family.When he had become a knight, he had taken the oath to protect the weak. And every day he trampled on that very same oath, all so that another law of seven could be upheld, so that the whore of Dragonstone could not sit on the throne and plunge the kingdom into an era of deviancy and sin.But was Aegon any better? Was there any deviant greater than Aegon in Kingslnding? The boy, for he was no man, was not content with just feasting on those sinful whores or useless peasants, he also had to go and force himself on the pious maidens from lower nobility.But more than that, why should he, Gwayne Hightower, the brother to Queen and uncle to the next king, be treated as a mere errand boy? And not any mere errand boy, he was disposing of bodies!Oh, how the mighty have fallen.He snorted and pulled the reins to direct the horse through the next section. Peasant, peasant, stalls, beggar, beggar, peasants, peasants, fountain, peas-That was strange.He spurred his horse forward, trying to get a look at why so many were gathered at the square. As he drew closer, he noticed an emaciated man dressed in a hair shirt and rough spun breeches with a begging bowl hanging around his neck, passionately giving the gathered men a sermon.“-cast away the trappings of this world for your gods! For the seven! Just look at those nobles who surround themselves with all that wealth. Are they not feasting on your flesh and bone? All these riches and wealth are not your salvation, but a curse! Cast them away, cast them-”Great, another lunatic, he scoffed and went on his way. As if there was any lack of those in Kingslanding before.    Despite his father dining with the royal family on a regular basis, Gwayne was a rare participant. Today was one such day, and he wished he was anywhere but. There was nothing else to do besides hear his father castigate everyone for “not doing their duty.” And today’s topic was the heirs of Aegon.Or lack thereof.“Aegon, I can understand, but Helaena? Alicent, you have always led me to believe that your children understood what they were supposed to do, then what is this? Why has Helaena not given us a prince to succeed Aegon yet? Is she barren? Speaking of her, where is she?”Everyone noticed how his sister tried not to flinch, but no one noticed how the young Prince Aemond’s fist tightened around his goblet at the mention of his sister. But since Alicent was the one Father addressed, no one looked at young Targaryen.“She was feeling under the weather today, so I suggested that she should rest today.”Father perked up. “Is she with a child?”Very blunt. The queen picked at her fingernails. “The Maester checked her. He had confirmed that there was no sign of a babe.”Father scowled, turning his head towards his crowning jewel, his successor. “And what about you Aegon? Half of the time you are not in the Red Keep. How are we to have your successor when you can’t spend much time with your wife? If she is proving to be difficult to get with a child, then the least you could do is to try to spend every night to increase the chance of a babe.”Before the drunk prince could even lift his head in an attempt to answer his grandfather, Prince Aemond spoke up. “I do not think this is a topic fit for discussion at the dinner table.”Apparently, this was all his father needed before he turned his tirade on his most dutiful grandson. “Then where else should we talk about this, hmm? It is hard to find your brother on a normal day, where else am I supposed to talk with him? All of you have proven to be nothing but failures one after another, and forget about appreciating my efforts to protect you, none of you even care about your duties, easy as they are! Your brother can’t be bothered to learn about his future station, and your sister is proving to be barren as a desert! And you, useless just like your mother, can’t even corral them both!”At that, the short temper of the young prince snapped, as he banged his fist on the table and stood up, exiting the room in a huff without paying any heed to Father’s shouting. Gwayne sighed and made his escape before the older man could remember his presence, too busy shouting at his daughter and grandson.    “I see you have been sent to deal with my errant brother’s new “paramour” again.”Gwayne scowled. “And I see you have been relegated to being his nursemaid again, nephew.”This time, it was his sister’s second pup who scowled.Alicent would never realize it until it blew up in her face, but the matter of fact was that none of her children were what she had hoped them to be. Dutiful, pious, loyal to their house, and most important of all, subservient to her. Aegon was nothing but a rabid dog, drinking and forcing himself on little girls, and then going ten steps ahead and forcing his bastards resulting from those unions to fight each other like animals. Halaena was nothing but a mad woman, constantly resisting her duty and refusing to birth an heir that might be better than either of his parents, more concerned with her disgusting bugs, and Aemond…No one had noticed the ambitious glint in his youngest nephew’s eyes. Gwayne was certain that if Aemond got the chance, he would not hesitate to remove Aegon from his way. Being the fourth son of a second son, Gwanye could easily recognize the resentment in the young Prince. Alicent could read as many odes as she wanted to the dutiful nature of her second son, but he was nothing but a monster in hiding, who only cared for his family where they could benefit him. The Hightower knight was certain that as soon as he got the chance, Aemond would not hesitate to even sideline his mother, all to get his hands on power.She had been his biggest deterrent to achieving something in his life, after all. King Viserys’ second son thought himself to be the most capable among all his siblings, and yet here he was, relegated to taking care of his wayward brother.“Careful, uncle,” the Targaryen Prince purred out, maliciousness clear in his tone. “It is still an honor to take care of a prince’s trash. There are not many duties left that can be assigned to you if you fail even at this.”Gwayne resisted the urge to punch the brat. “Still better than you. At the very least, I will not be relegated to being a nursemaid of a useless mongrel masquerading as my sibling despite proving to be better than him in every aspect.”He meant that. He really meant that. He did not want to be seen with Aegon in the city. The reports of small groups of smallfolk taking up arms against gold cloaks and knights started coming in some days ago. Today, he himself had seen a fight breaking out in the poorer section of Market Square. The people there looked downright rabid, foaming at the mouth at a chance to loot valuables from any person who was seen with a valuable. Gwayne did not want to be in the city more than what was required of him.Aemond surged forward, grabbing his collar, and taking him off guard. “Be careful how you speak of a Prince, Ser Hightower.”Not willing to back down from this fight, he bared his teeth. “I will speak of him however I want when I am the one covering his dirty deeds.”Both of them were itching to fight, and would have started right there and then were it not for Ser Criston.“Calm down, both of you,” he shook them like errant puppies. “Is this the time to be doing this? To let this discord fester between you?”Aemond shook him off. “Tell that to him,” he snarled, jerking his chin in Gwayne’s direction. “This man has no respect for us, always thinking himself to be better.”“Then be better. All I have seen from you all is nothing but disgrace.” Gwayne was in the mood to dig his grave today.Ser Criston was having none of it. “Enough. Ser Gwayne, the Queen has given you a task, I will suggest you see to it with haste.”He also shrugged the older knight off of him, stomping away. He hated Aemond, he hated Aegon, he hated Alicent, he hated his father, and he hated everyone here. All of them treated him as if he was their glorified servant, not a lauded knight. He was not the one to still not be knighted despite his boasts about being the best swordsman like Aemond, neither did he rape girls, or had to open his legs like his sister to get what he had today. He was knighted on his own abilities and was more capable than all of them here.But alas, he was stuck with his duty. He avoided the mass gathered around the mad shepherd and went ahead, undetected, and disposed of another body. Best he completed his task before his queenly sister accosted him and scrambled his brains with her constant complaining.    “Stop worshiping those lords who feast on your blood and sweat and worship only the seven! Those nobles dressed in riches are not followers of seven! These sorcerers who fly those beasts in the skies are abominations! They are the followers of the devil! Cast away your loyalty to-”Every time he came to check on Shepherd, the number of people crowding around him increased. Despite his idiotic sermons and advice to cast away the worldly trappings, Gwayne saw no harm in letting the madman continue with the charade.Besides, listening to a madman was better than fighting with their knights, or outright rioting.    Things were not good for them, despite what his father and sister liked to think.The wedding of his nephew and niece was an extravagant affair that was talked about for years. They had feared that Princess might come to the city to attend, rendering all their efforts useless, but she had not even bothered to send a representative or a gift as a token. Oh, that had lit a metaphorical fire behind his sister’s back, as she ranted over the disrespect dealt to her, but father had not cared. He had admitted that he was relived on the wayward heir’s absence, lest their best-kept secret was discovered. With the Princess not coming, many of the kingdoms had also bowed out from the ceremony, leaving them with only their allies to celebrate the festivities. However, problems started after the marriage festivities had wrapped up.Smallfolk were not happy with such displays of extravagance when their own ways to earn a living were getting less. And they often started fights with Gold Cloaks.Lack of earnings was not the only reason why smallfolk would stare at the knight with barely concealed hostility in their eyes. Perhaps due to his involvement in the matter, he was being too sensitive, but people were talking.About lack of trade. The increasing poverty. Higher taxes. Lack of food and earning. The fighting pits. The beast of a prince.About missing girls.Gwayne had tried to bring the matter to his father, but he had dismissed it without even listening to him. He claimed that it was useless listening to every complaint of smallfolk as they would run out of time before the complaints ended. He never bothered bringing the matter up again.Still, as he said before, it was better for smallfolk to listen to a lunatic rather than rioting.    “Halaena refuses to talk to me anymore.”Gwayne wanted to roll his eyes. “Perhaps she would be more willing to talk to you if you do not keep sending her companions away as soon as she forms a bond?”She waved her hand dismissively. “None of those girls deserve the honor given to them. It’s better if they stay away and not fill my daughter’s head with nonsense.”He eyed her, judgment clear in his eyes. “Even the dead ones?”Alicent flinched but then straightened up in the next breath. “Yes, even the dead ones.”He grunted, tearing his eyes away from her. “That is not what people down below think. Smallfolk are getting riled up over the constant disappearances, sister. If your son cannot stop himself, then we all will be doomed.”It was clear that she was scowling at his back. “I have tried my best, have I not? And I still try. Maybe you should do what you are supposed to do and suppress any unrest in the city as you should?”He tried to smoother the anger that stirred in his heart. “Out of everyone here, I am the only one who has been fulfilling his responsibilities properly.” He stormed out angrily, not giving his sister any chance to respond.Cursing in his head, Gwayne went out to search for his wayward nephew in the cesspool called Flea Bottom. The boy had not bothered to return to the Red Keep for days now, and all of them worried for their own reasons.Gwayne wasn’t thrilled to go looking for his sister’s wayward pup along with Prince Aemond. Again. He had not forgotten the insults that pup had thrown at him, and he was sure, neither had Aemond. He had just returned from petrol, and today, the crowds looked much more intense, boiling with emotion at the perceived injustices they were being dealt with at the hands of the nobility.He bit his tongue, refraining from saying any word to his nephew again, the young prince returning the favor. He was sure Ser Criston was thankful that for once, they were not tearing each other’s throats out. In all honesty, Gwayne just wanted to get out of this cesspool called Fleabottom as soon as possible. The crowds were especially unnerving today.As they reached their destination, the Hightower knight swallowed bile. It looked like a brothel on the outside, but it housed much darker secrets; a fighting pit that used little children, younger than ten summers no less, to fight each other to death. Gwayne had brought the complaint forward, but his father was too busy to pay attention, and his sister, as always, did everything to hide the shameful deeds of her son but did nothing to stop him or punish him.All of them had their hoods down, so they were not recognizable, but their cloaks and weapons were of high quality, marking them as nobles. People stared at them, unnerving him further. As they moved forward, the proprietor of the establishment came out, laying out his “services” as if he were selling vegetables at the market. Ser Criston flashed the pommel of his sword, and the man shut up, meekly leading them to where the wayward prince was.After going through dingy hallways and dark rooms, they finally came across the man in question, who was sprawled on a divan on the balcony, surrounded by whores on all sides, a cup of wine in his hands. He was clearly inebriated, only a few clothes preserving his modesty, laughing uproariously at the children who were fighting down in the pit.“Prince Aegon,” Ser Criston called out. The blasted boy didn’t even look at them. The Kingsguard tried again. “Prince Aegon, the Queen has asked for you.”That roused a reaction. “What does that woman want now,” he scowled. Ser Criston was not deterred. “It’s been days since you were seen in the Red Keep. Nobles are getting nervous. The Queen wants to ensure that their future King is seen doing something, even if it is just you being present here.”Aegon snorted. “Oh please, she doesn’t care where I am, she only wants to ensure I don’t disrupt her plans. For all that she preaches about me being the future King, not once had she bothered to share anything about the Kingdom with me, always ensuring that she has a tight grip on everything that has to do with ruling. She calls me the heir and yet she disrespects my authority all the time.”Prince Aemond’s expression looked thunderous.“Out! Everyone, out!” he shouted, causing the whores to scramble out of his way in fear. The prince stalked forward, hauling his older brother as if he was naught but an errant cub, and shook him furiously. “Oh, she does? Then have you tried proving her wrong? All you want is to drink and to whore, wasting coin and men that have to use their skills to hunt you down every single time you venture out. Where have you shown any interest or capability to do anything for the kingdom besides using your station for your hedonistic lifestyle?”Aegon, contrary to all their expectations. “Jealous, little brother? You should be, considering all the hard work you put into being the perfect prince and yet you can’t even surpass me, let alone Father’s dearest Rhaenyra and Daemon.”Ser Criston put his hand on Aemond’s shoulder to stop him from doing anything rash. “Prince Aegon, this is not the time. Let’s return to the Red Keep, it’s not safe here.”With that, all the happiness that Aegon felt at putting his brother down evaporated. “What’s the point of me being there when all she will do is berate me and send me to my chambers?”“The point, Prince Aegon,” this time, it was Gwayne who jumped in. “Is to ensure you remain under her watchful eye so that you won’t do something else to bring more shame on us.”The silver-haired man groaned. “Not you too. Learn to live a little, Ser Hightower.”He shuddered in disgust. “I think I am perfectly fine the way I am. No need to degrade myself for useless things.”Aegon barked out another cruel laugh. “Oh, I think you degrade yourself enough on your own. Tell me, how it is going, being another lapdog among numerous other men my mother runs around?”Gwayne couldn’t stop the rush of anger that he felt when he heard those words. Without thinking, he lifted his hand and slapped the drunken brat.It was as if the world had stopped. Aemond’s lips quirked in amusement. Ser Criston waffled, unable to decide where he should go. But then it restarted when he was slapped back.“Do not,” Aegon was almost in his face now, spitting at him. “Ever, ever, dare to lift your hands on me again. All of you say I am going to be the King, and you know what, it is time that all of you started acting like it. If anyone, even your sister, who is my mother, lifted their hand on me again, I will cut it off and feed it to the dogs in front of you all. Understood?”It was terrifying, Gwayne thought to himself. His sister’s children dressed like Hightowers, worshipped the same faith as them, and spoke like them, in short, despite their colorings, they didn’t resemble Targaryens much besides their silver hair and dragons. However, there were rare moments when that infamous dragon blood woke up, making it clear to all that they were, indeed, Targaryens. The same Targaryens that thought themselves closer to gods, who thought themselves to be better than the rest of their human brethren.And now, he was realizing, that no matter how damped his nephew’s dragon blood was, he was still that same Targaryen. He could only gulp and shakily nod.Ser Criston, however, had gone up against bigger fishes and came out unscathed, thus was more focused on his task of corralling the older prince. “While it is a good thing you have finally discovered your zeal for the impending kingship, it would still be better to hash it out in the Red Keep. It is not safe to remain out in the city for long.”It caused some grumbling, but the wayward prince finally agreed to graciously return with them. Meanwhile, Gwayne remained silent. As the fear dimmed, anger ignited in his heart again. He felt as if he was walking on coals.He had warned his father. He had warned his sister that they were not in control of her brats. But did they listen? No. They never cared what he had to say. For all they preached about their superior blood and faith and discipline, the only reason his entire family cared for his sister’s brats was because they were King’s children. They were Targaryens. If all of Alicent’s children had the same temperament but a different father, the entire house of Hightower would have scorned these brats. But now, the entire kingdom will suffer. Aegon was already bad enough as a prince completely under the watch of his mother. Just imagining what he could do as a king with no one to stop him made Gwayne shudder.It was that anger that made him completely blind to his surroundings until it was too late.“Coin, good ser, a coin to feed our bellies.”Ser Criston replied without turning to look at the old beggar. “Apologies, we have brought no coin with us today.”“Just a coin, good ser! It may not mean anything to you but it will feed my family tonight.”They continued on. “Apologies, maybe next time.”“Why? You look like you are one of those highborns. Can you not even spare a few coins?” Gwayne wanted to whistle at the audacity of the beggar.Aemond, apparently, also had enough, as he turned around and shoved away the beggar that was clutching at their cloaks. “Haven’t you heard him once? Move!”The old man staggered and fell, which attracted more eyes to their small group. One man, with an ugly scar on his face, obviously a thug, looked them up and down. “Oi, what’s yer issue?”“Nothing,” Gwayne hurried forward, trying not to test his luck today. Better they calm the people surrounding them rather than using brute force. “We are just moving along.”“Then what is his problem, bumping into people?” he jerked his chin rather rudely towards Aemond, who bristled in response. Gwayne tried again.“We don’t want any trouble, we are just doing our work, we only want to return to our homes.”But it was obvious that no matter how hard he tried, they would still be roped back in.“They are highborns! They are one of those vultures feasting on our flesh! They can’t even spare a few coins after taking so much from us!”It was dark down here, which was why they were able to get out of that whorehouse quietly, but with this, people started to look at them interestedly. Gwayne closed his eyes as the beggar spoke up. Oh great. It wasn’t like people in the city actively hated them.Another thug stared at all four of them. “They do look like nobles. They have those fancy swords.”That was all the encouragement as the group stepped closer to them, trying to peer at them closely in an attempt to recognize them. One man grabbed Aemond’s hand, which turned out to be a mistake.The bristling prince took his sword out and cut the offender’s hand. If it was possible, things went from bad to worse in an instant. The crowd boiled with bloodlust at the sight of blood, and in the struggle, one of them snatched the cloak off of Aegon’s head.“Targaryen! That’s a Targaryen!”“Which one? There are too many of them!”“Viserys son! The Prince! That monster Prince, I know his face, it is him! The Aegon!”“Aegon? That’s him?”“Monster!”“He is a monster! My daughter used to work in the keep and she said he forces himself on girls!”“That old smith’s girl too! But she disappeared and the guards told the old man she ran away.”“Catch them! Don’t let them get away! We will bring them to Shepherd for justice!”Crap. There was no way that madman would let them go unscathed. They needed to get out, now.“We need to get out right now! The man they are talking about, he is insane!” He whispered at Criston, who nodded with urgency, sword in his hand.“It will be difficult, but we can do it. Prince Aemond, take Prince Aegon and make your escape. I and Ser Gwayne will hold them off.”“But-”“Aemond,” Gwayne hissed at his nephew. “I know you long to prove yourself, but this is not the crowd you want to be around. Both of your lives are in danger, these people hate Targaryens more than any other noble in the city. Get out before something happens.”Momentarily appeased, though still not happy, Aemond agreed. They surged forward, taking the crowd off by surprise, though not for long. They hastily made a retreat, with Criston and Gwayne covering their backs.They could have escaped, they could have, but when had things been easy in his life?Aegon was drunk.Aegon was drunk and was clearly not capable of keeping up with them. They had to exert all their skills and energy to escape. A task not made easy due to the drunkard stumbling at every two steps, evidenced by Aemond’s cursing. It was not a surprise that despite their superior skills, the rioters caught up with them. The crowds were much more enraged than before.He shouldn’t have been surprised by what happened next. Or maybe, he was more astonished with the fact that he felt surprised in the first place.Aegon wasn’t just a wasted degenerate. He was a backstabbing degenerate who would sacrifice his own family to save his hide. He had pushed Aemond, the brother who was protecting him at the moment, no less, towards the crowds with a frenzied “catch him” and took off with an astonishing speed that had been absent till now.The thing about large crowds was that they behaved like herds. Once riled up, none of them would have the capacity to think rationally. For all that they were screaming about capturing the monster prince Aegon to have justice for the missing girls, they were more than happy to get their hands on another Targaryen Prince. Neither Gwayne nor Criston realized if it took just a moment or maybe an eternity, but in front of their eyes, Aemond was torn apart as if he was nothing. As if he was not the greatest swordsman in Kingslanding, as if he was not the rider of mighty Vhagar, as if he was not the most capable child of his sister. He died like he never mattered to the world.Gwayne may have disliked the brat, but never had he wished such a brutal end for him. He was still his nephew, his blood. The shock of his death made him numb, the very thought of how he would break the news to his sister brought tears to his eyes. The distress stilled him and his fellow knight, allowing the mob to descend on him. In the background, he heard a loud roar, or maybe that was his imagination.It would take many hours for the Gold Cloaks to find his broken, barely breathing body.Thus, all for the desire to save his own hide for just a moment of a selfish, pathetic, disgusting man, a white cloak trampled under the feet, forever forgotten, a knight fell, never to rise again, and a second son torn apart, never to be the glorious king he was envisioned to be.And so, for the want of a horse…...
The rider was lost.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Not even a day had passed since they sent the word about their marriage to Kings Landing when they received the answer.“Banishment. That is the only thing Viserys can do.” Daemon scoffed as he sped through the contents. Rhaenyra only rolled his eyes.“Well, you are a repeat offender, it is the first time for me,” she replied in a bored tone. She was bored after hearing the news of her banishment. Bored.Something niggled at him, but he couldn’t figure it out. “You are not angry?”She looked at him. “Why would I be? After what happened at Driftmark, do you think I want to go back to that snake pit anytime soon?”He was in full agreement with that statement. “Well, I can’t fault you for avoiding the hideous hag your father calls his wife. Or her father.”She smiled at him. “Since we both agree we do not want to be there anytime soon,” mischievousness shined in her eyes. “How about we spend our time doing something fun?”Daemon let out his signature smirk. “As you say, dear wife of mine.”  They spent the entire day flying without any care.    He did not worry when a year passed without them being allowed back. He had been exiled for much longer before. Besides, he had much more pleasant thoughts to focus on, namely his young wife.What was curious about this ordeal was that Rhaenyra didn’t care either.    “Some are trying to compare it to Golden Wedding, calling it the event of the century,” Daemon made a retching sound. Rhaenyra smiled, used to her husband’s antics whenever she was suffering from pregnancy.“Alicent had always felt regret at how lackluster her own nuptials were. Her complaints were constant back at my marriage with Laenor. Always commenting on the number of courses, jousts, days of festivities, the clothes, even my jewels. She always said that if she, the Queen could have a simple ceremony, then why not me? It was Father who put down his foot, not to be outdone by Corlys at the wedding of his own daughter.”Daemon snorted. “Ah, the battles of old fogies. Nothing irks my brother more besides me and Corlys competing with him.” Her husband was endlessly amused by the petty rivalry her father and previous goodfather had going on for most of their lives. “Nevertheless, the amount of money rumored to be spent on the… ceremony is eye-raising, to say the least.”She should not. She would not. “Rumored? Shouldn’t you have directly asked Lord Beesbury? The poor man will never let the chance to lament the lack of coin and our exaggerated spending.” She asked while raising an eyebrow. Damn it.Her husband sobered up at the mention of the old lord. “That’s the thing, Rhaenyra. Lord Beesbury had been dismissed a month ago due to overstepping his authority regarding the crown’s interest, whatever that means. Every word that I get is from people who have been loyal to me since the time Aemma was alive. This means every news I get is slow and varied.”It was her turn to frown now. “He was dismissed? Shouldn’t we have been informed of changes in the Small Council? The Council holds the highest authority after the royal family, it’s not a post about some guard on some random gate. Why were we not informed?”Daemon looked her in the eye. “Since the banishment decree came, no official raven had come from Kings Landing. Every word that we have been receiving has been from your allies, allies that had been swiftly dismissed over the past year.”She was starting to look worried. Daemon was ashamed to admit that the sight filled him with an odd satisfaction. This entire past year, Rhaenyra had not tried to make up with his brother, not even once. Or to take an interest in the going ons of Kings Landing. “It does sound worrisome. If father is removing all of my allies, then that means that he is still very much angry with our marriage.”And just like that, Daemon's happiness burst like a bubble. “Angry enough to sabotage you like this? He is removing all of your key supporters, the few that existed in the court from power.”Her eyes flashed. “You are saying as if it is a new development. For years after you were gone, Father had given a lot of power to his wife, who had constantly undermined and isolated me, picking at the few allies I had in that place. For all her complaints about duty and sacrifice, she has proven to be the most powerful consort in Targaryen's history, effectively ruling by herself without even the supervision of her husband or even father. I couldn’t even sit at the council without being insulted or thrown out at one of the most petty arguments. I will not grovel at her feet, or even at father’s. You want to do that, be my guest, but do not drag me into this.”Daemon flinched. For all Rhaenyra preferred to pretend that everything was fine, there were moments when she would prove to be perceptive. Or bitter, considering she did understand what was happening.He cleared his throat. “Anyways, word on the street is that they are beggaring the royal treasury for this wedding. The residents of the city are not happy, considering the lack of business and work they have been enduring for the past few years. Even nobles are whispering about the audacity of the Hightower family extending invitations to only their favorites and not the entire nobility.”Rhaenyra relaxed back into the chaise, her shoulders relaxing. “Well then, let them dig their own grave. Let father also learn what he had done by disrupting the fragile balance of power. This sure goes against his ethos of marinating peace. We do not need to worry about the money either, my household has been surviving on Dragonstone coffers since I became the heir, it will make no difference to us what they do to the treasury in the short run.”He shuffled the parchments, curiosity burning inside him. “So, will you be going then?”She raised an eyebrow. “Was our banishment lifted?”“…no.”“Then why grace them with our presence? Are you gagging for Father to insult you again?”He flushed with embarrassment. “What about a representative?”She waved her hand in a so-so gesture. “Well no one wants us there, what’s the point of sending an innocent soul to present us in that snake pit?”And with that, the matter was put to rest.    Another two years had passed, and Daemon could say with surety that there was no one left in Kings Landing that was loyal to them. Communication had almost ceased by this point, exacerbated by the fact that not many merchant caravans traveled to the capital anymore due to high taxes. He could not understand why Viserys was doing this. If it was to punish them, then why punish the rest of the kingdom? His brother was not like this.Surely this couldn’t be allowed to go on. Surely Rhaenyra could not let this happen.So he chose to confront her during her lessons with Jacaerys, hoping the lad would side with him. The boy, despite being young, was shaping up to be an astute politician and diplomat, something that was extremely rare in their family.“We have to go there. We have been shut out of the capital for too long, this can’t be allowed to go on anymore.”Rhaenyra, as had been usual for the past few years, was not interested in the going ons of Kings Landing, and didn’t even bother to lift her head from the books containing Valyrian grammar. “No need, the banishment has not been lifted yet.”He stalked forward, hoping that she would listen to him for once and not brush him off again whenever he talked about the capital. “Rhaenyra, you have to understand the urgency of the matter. Any other time I couldn’t care less about what happens there, but officially all your allies have been ousted from position of power in the capital! This is not the time to hold your grudges!”Jacaerys just looked between his mother and stepfather going at it, hesitating on whether he should leave or interfere. It was at this moment though that Rhaenys walked in. Daemon wanted to bash his head. As if it wasn't enough that he and his wife were gearing up for a fight, they had to be witnessed by the bitter woman who had the honor of being both of their former goodmother.“What is this I am hearing about holding onto your grudges?” The former Targaryen princess turned Lady Velaryon swept in as if she owned the place, calmly scrutinizing each of them. Daemon turned even in disinterest, not willing to subject himself to the sarcastic remarks of his cousin.“Nothing much, just sorting out some personal matters. Shouldn’t you be on your way with Baela? Considering all the fuss you created about her being a day late on arriving to Driftmark, I assumed both of you had departed by now.”She replied in an equally disinterested tone. “Baela wanted to say farewell to her siblings before our departure. I came in search of Jacaerys, nothing more.”As if to prove her words, his daughter came in after her, beelining for Jacaerys with a beam, who welcomed her with equal relief. The sight of them filled Daemon with Joy. For all their problems, they were not to endure another pair forced into a loveless marriage, evidenced by the fact that both parties were happy with the prospect of spending their lives with each other.“Now, what is this about holding grudges? Will I be wrong to assume that it is about my kingly cousin?”Annnd his hackles rose up again. Rhaenyra finally felt the need to raise her head, peering at her former goodmother with interest. “Assume? Have you heard something, Princess?"Rhaenys only scoffed in response. “Who hasn’t in this kingdom, to be honest? Everyone is talking about the King isolating the capital. No one who is not an ally of his wife’s family is allowed to step in. They are spending money from the royal treasury as if it is going out of fashion. Many are discontent with the royal family right now, as if so many regions were not alienated before.”“See,” Daemon crowed, not letting such a chance be wasted, even if it came from his bitter cousin. “That was what I have been trying to tell you, Rhaenyra! We need to go there; we need to observe the situation! If it went on like this, we will not be able to handle the catastrophe that may arise from this.”Rhaenyra only narrowed her eyes in response. “My father was the one who openly chose his wife’s family after everything. He made his choice in abandoning me, why should I be the one to beg him?”His eyes widened with disbelief. “Is that what this is about, Rhaenyra? You are angry that he chose to side with his consort and her brood? Both of us knew very well that he was not going to be happy with our union. I had asked you many times to go back there when Aegon was born, when Viserys was born. Surely the sight of his grandchildren would have mellowed him out, but you are immature enough to not take advantage of the situation? When will your anger cool down?”Rhaenys was a woman who had never let a chance pass to express her bitterness, even if it came at the expense of siding with someone she disliked. “You have to understand Daemon, Rhaenyra is known to hold a grudge even when it harms her. You cannot expect her to be mature about this situation.”With a bang, Rhaenyra slammed her hand on the table and stood up, fury etched on her features. “Is this what you all think of me?” She hissed, anger contorting her features. “A little girl who has no control over her own emotions, not mature enough to understand what is happening around her? This is rich, coming from both of you, considering both of you ran away and never bothered to show your face for years, decades even when you felt slighted by my father. So what if I am angry with him? He had always chosen to side with his consort where it mattered most, why can I not show my displeasure with him when both of you felt the freedom to do the same many times before?”“It’s different-”“ENOUGH!” The scream that startled all of them came from the most surprising person, Jacaerys. The young prince had never dared to object to his elders, let alone his voice. “What is wrong with you all, squabbling like children in a tavern? All of you are among the most powerful people in the entire Kingdom, why are you acting otherwise?”Rhaenys was never cowed by anyone, let alone a boy she considered her inferior. “We are not acting like mere children, we are merely pointing out the deficiencies in your mother. She is the heir to the Iron Throne, and yet she is the one who keeps acting like a child, allowing her bitterness to influence her actions.”“Oh that’s rich, coming from you, Princess Rhaenys,” Jace’s voice was filled with so much venom, that all of them were taken aback in surprise. “My mother is bitter? Mother? What about you then? You, who never deigned to step a foot in Kings Landing despite marrying your son to him, nor did you ever allow us to come to Driftmark unless the occasion was too hard to ignore. You never visited, you never supported her, heck I never heard about you sending even a note of concern to my mother or even your son who spent his days drunk like a wasted sailor.”It was rare for the Queen who Never Was to be talked down like this. She was surprised, and so were the rest of them. But she quickly collected herself to throw back a sharp retort. “And who is to blame for that, boy? Your mother. She was the one to spit in our faces. Surely you have heard of the rumors surrounding your and your brother’s birth.”He lifted his chin and defiantly looked into her eye. “Aye, I have heard of them. As frequently as the rumors about your son’s deviancy, I dare say.”Daemon and Baela gapped at him. Rhaenyra was astonished, but she looked at her son in pride. Rhaenys’ fury mounted with each passing moment. “Do not take that tone with me, boy! I had never insulted your mother over anything. I have never held her transgressions against our house against her. I accepted all of her mistakes all for the sake of peace and avoidance to deepen the fracture in our families, and yet, she insists on letting her bitterness ruin all of our sacrifices.”“Her bitterness? Hah, that’s rich, coming from you of all people.” Jacaerys shot back, equally enraged. Daemon watched the boy in fascination. “You claim my mother’s bitterness is the reason why all of your sacrifices would be in vain, but wasn’t it your bitterness that tied her to someone as useless as your son? You knew what he was, you knew he couldn’t perform his duty, and yet you still bound him to mother, endangering her position as the heir no less, all because you were bitter over losing the throne.”“The throne that was my right! My right that your grandsire’s line is parading around! Should I not feel resentment over losing something that was my right, my birthright!”“Then you should have fought for it! You could have pressed your claim through war, but you were the one to back down. You made that decision. My mother was a mere child back then, she had no influence over grandsire or King Jaehaerys! She is not to be blamed for what you lost and what you accepted as your loss! Why are you intent on punishing her when the culprits behind your tragedy are someone else?”For once, Rhaenys was silenced, with no comeback gracing her lips. Jacaerys nodded as if in satisfaction, and then continued on. “We spent years in Kings Landing, alone, without any help. Your son was often busy being drunk or circling around his paramour. It would be rare to see him taking care of Mother, let alone protect her. Mother needed help, and he never gave it to her, instead bringing more rumors and whispers over their state of marriage, more than she could afford. And yet, she never took it out on him, not even once. She could have gone to High Septon or Grandsire to have this marriage annulled based on his inability. She could have found a better match, a better husband who would not only give her trueborn children but also protect her. But she didn’t, did she? She protected him, more than you, his own family bothered to. She had no duty to him to do so, no such obligation, but she thought him kin and respected him.And you,” the young Prince whirled and pinned Daemon with a stern stare. “Don’t think I forgot about you. For all the concern that you are showing about the happenings in Kings Landing, you never even sent a raven to ask about the place and our family even once since mother married, did you? After ruining her reputation, no less! I have never seen you showing remorse over that, the audacity! And now you are behaving as if there is no one more concerned than you about the Kingdom.”“How did you know-”“People talk. It wasn’t exactly hard to learn why grandsire banished you years ago or why so many disparaged her reputation even before I was born. So many lifted their fingers at you, and considering your expression right now, I believe that none of them were wrong. You did try to ruin Mother, didn’t you?”Daemon understood now what his cousin must have felt, dressed down by a whelp of mere age. “Do not take that tone with me, brat. There are matters you don’t understand. Things are different now, your mother needs to understand this fact. Surely you are not blind to see that?”The young prince merely scoffed. “Sure, when it comes to all of you, the situation was different. It only falls to my mother to be the responsible one, right? Listen to me, both of you, because I will not repeat it.” He pinned both him and Rhaenys with a frightening glare. “Everything that is going wrong in the capital is not Mother’s fault. It isn’t, and I will not let you both make it out to be.Both of you abandoned her and the capital a long time ago. None of you cared what was happening there. For all that you insist on the situation worsening, it had always been bad for us. We were all alone in that place. Everyone keeps saying that Grandsire loves Mother the most, but it was rare that he would come to her defense. We were all alone in that place, and none of you sought to remedy that, not even once. None of you even bothered to send a raven of concern or support to her. She was left to fend for herself all alone.Those so-called allies you keep mentioning, kepa? None of them even bothered coming to our defense whenever something happened, not even once, even when she was insulted in front of them. Anyone with any power or favor with Queen consort could stand up and insult us. It was a known fact that the Queen and her shield could do whatever they wanted with Mother and us, and no one would bat an eye on it. We were not safe in that place. I had to grow up quicker than I wanted to because that useless husband of hers rarely showed his support to our family. I had to be her pillar, and her, facing those storms all alone because all of you were bitter over whatever feuds you had with grandsire but chose to take it out on her. Things had always been bad for us, you are noticing it now because now you all are feeling the brunt of it too and not shielded from it because of Mother’s passivity.”The young boy panted, still caught up in rage. Daemon felt contempt. For himself or the boy, he was not sure anymore. “So you are saying your mother had done no wrong in her life? Will you still come to her defense after understanding how her lack of action at this point could harm us?”The boy looked back at him, a sneer curling on his lips. “No, she had her fair share of mistakes, but so do all of you. You have no right to blame her when you share equal blame. As for me coming to her defense… none of you bothered. I am her son, after all. Who will come to her defense if not me?”Silence rang in the room. Both Daemon and Rhaenys felt angry, yet ashamed, to be called out by a slip of a boy decades younger than them. Rhaenyra looked at her son in pride and joy, as if she couldn’t believe her eyes. The day when someone stood in front of her and defended her passionately against everyone. Her son had grown up and had become her shield, something that all mothers wished. She had never dreamed of such, but she felt extremely blessed by this occurrence.“So you suggest that we should do nothing then? Your mother is the heir, Prince Jacaerys. She has a responsibility to shore up her position, even if it comes at the cost of disregarding her discomfort. Shall she do nothing, waiting for the day when everything will sort it out by itself while we stand idly by the side?”Rhaenys was nothing if not determined. But Jacaerys was equally stubborn.“I have never claimed that we should do nothing. Mother,” he turned towards her, addressing her for the first time since the heated fight started. “For all their bitter complaints, they are not wrong when they say that we can’t remain idle. This is the time to take action, I suggest we act on it.”To Daemon’s surprise, this was the calmest he had seen Rhaenyra when the matter of taking action about the isolation of Kings Landing came up. Or maybe it wasn’t that much of a surprise considering it came from her son, her beloved firstborn and heir. “What do you suggest we should do then?”“Exactly,” Daemon purred dangerously. “What do you suggest we should do, little prince?”Rhaenyra shot him a warning glare, but it was Baela’s vice that pulled them back in. “Stepmother, father, grandmother, this is something we have been talking about for months, me, Jace, Rhaena and Luke. Just because Kings Landing had isolated itself doesn’t mean we should take the same approach.”Rhaenys furrowed her brows. “You mean to say that we should invite nobility here then? At Dragonstone?”“No, that’s not what I am saying,” Baela shook her head. “Dragonstone is the seat of the heir. The heir to the Iron Thorne is sent here to train for the impending kingship and gain experience, as it was established by King Jaehaerys. This is the position that we have formally adopted in front of the nobility anyway, that stepmother is focusing on gaining experience over her seat. It would make sense that the nobility should come here to seek connections and build a fledgling court that may transition to the next one at the death of the king. And yet, the King’s court itself is fractured, his children pulled into two separate factions, warring over the position of heir, which puts us in a unique situation. This had turned off many nobles to seek their luck at Dragonstone, maybe after seeing what happened in Kings Landing for years. We cannot have the nobility come to us, but perhaps, we can go to them.”Daemon narrowed his eyes. “Speak plainly. What is it you are trying to say?”It was Jacaerys who took over the explanation. “It’s simple. Many alliances are forged by marriage pacts or fostering. Four of your heirs are already betrothed, namely me, Baela, Luke, and Rhaena. But the rest are free to entertain the proposals. But let’s not haste regarding that matter. The easiest path we have right now is to encourage fostering.”“But Baela claimed moments ago that we can’t have the nobility come to us.” Rhaenys enquired, her brows furrowed. Jacaerys was measured in his response.“She is right. We can’t have them come here. To demand such after a long time of disinterest will show that we are arrogant, causing more trouble for us. No, we can do something else,” he shook his head. “The easiest solution to our obstacles right now is to go on a progress.”“A progress?” Rhaenyra raised her eyebrow in distaste, which made sense, considering how her last progress had gone. Her eldest only nodded in response.“Progress is perhaps the simplest way to state this. The more accurate way to call it would be a mixture of progress and fostering.”At their blank faces, Baela sighed and took over the explanation again. “Think of it this way, we have a number of dragon riders on our side. None of us have to go to every single region, we can divide it between us. Well, except for Stepmother and Jace perhaps, but that could be discussed later. Each of us could pick a specific region suited to our temperaments, and focus on building our alliances there. For instance, Luke and Rhaena are meant to rule over High Tide, meaning they will take over the massive shipping and economic empire Grandsire Corlys has built. Thus, they can work on those connections, most of which are focused on Storm Lands. They can go there, live among the houses of that region, and make friendships and alliances. The same is the case for the rest of us. Call it a combination of progress and fostering.”Rhaenyra nodded in understanding. “Yes, this will certainly avoid any unpleasantness on the nobility’s part over the lack of interest from our side in building alliances.”Baela beamed at them in understanding. “Not only that, but it has the biggest advantage of all of us avoiding places where we would not be welcomed. Kepa can avoid Vale and Reach while you do not need to step back in Stormlands or Riverlands again. All of us can choose the destination that best matches our temperaments, and work from there. This way, we are not isolated anymore, but better than anything, any alliance we make will be without the influence of our oppositions since we will be in places the Greens have no control over besides the mere illusion of having power due to living close to the King, giving us an edge.”It was a sound strategy if Daemon was honest with himself. Honestly, he could not have come up with a better solution if he tried.“This… is not a bad idea.” Rhaenys also murmured in agreement, giving her approval.“Then it’s settled.” Rhaenyra gave her approval, and with that, everyone let out a sound of relief. Well, everyone except Rhaenys, who was back to looking unflappable as always. “Let’s convene on this matter and deliberate on where to start. I believe, if we start planning right now, we will be able to go on this “progress” in mere months.”And with that, the preparations started with fervor. The discussion went on for a long time, all of them hemming and hawing over where they were supposed to go. It was decided that Luke and Rhaena would go with Rhaenys for the first few years on a tour through Stormlands. Daemon would turn towards Riverlands, taking Joffrey with him, and a brief visit by Lucerys who will then go with Lord Corlys on his voyages to establish connections with his trading partners while his betrothed and Rhaenys carried on in Stormlands. Rhaenyra would take Baela and Jace to Vale. When Jace would be deemed capable, he would be sent to North, while Baela would continue in Vale, and Rhaenyra would join Daemon in Highgarden. From there, they would make their way to Westerlands, sympathetic houses at the very least, and Iron Islands if the situation permitted it. For their domains, the vessels in Dragonstone, Driftmark, and rare loyal houses in Crownlands, they would choose squires, knights, and maids to accompany them on the progress rather than visiting those places. The younger children would accompany whoever was suitable at the moment. They had thought of leaving a Targaryen behind on Dragonstone, but there was no threat to the place for now. They were not at war, the greens all had dragons, and they would see no advantage in targeting their ancestral seat as long as the King breathed. Still, as a precaution, they decided to have someone from the elder dragon riders visit every few months and to leave a loyal castellan from the Celtigar family to overlook the security of the castle.All in all, they had a very packed schedule ahead of them. In a mere four months, all of them took flight to their respective destinations, brimming with determination to bring success on this voyage. They had put a lot of effort into this, and all of them were determined to succeed.It was perhaps a stroke of luck that all of them remained busy for years, each of them sending reports on their whereabouts and new alliances or friendships, as well as any questions that arose regarding different matters on the journey back at Dragonstone to the Celtigar castellan who was saddled with the responsibility sharing all of the receiving information with the relevant parties. The poor man was so swamped with the work that he unintentionally ignored the raven from Kings Landing, a call for help from the greens after their hubris had resulted in peasants laying siege to the Red Keep. They had sent the raven unmarked in hopes that it would make it to Dragonstone, the closest place that could come to their help in a matter of days after all the marked ravens were shot down by the enraged mobs. They would send a few more before they petered out, as the residents of the Keep were forced to eat the same ravens in desperation to sate their hunger, having run out of food some time ago. Alas, the poor Celtigar man never took notice of those notes, too swamped with work, and thus deemed those ravens as unimportant. If they were that urgent, surely they would have been marked by such?It was a stroke of luck that a much older Prince Jacaerys returned to Dragonstone after years, desperate to escape the cold of North and breathe in the volcanic air of his homeland, even if it was for a few days before he went to his next destination. He would notice those ravens, but by then, too many moons had passed.Thus, due to the desire of the Blacks to solidify their position to save themselves from the impending civil war they could face years later, the call for help by Greens went ignored until it was too late.And so, for the want of a rider…...
The battle was lost.