Chapter 15

Chapter 15

AEMMA ARRYN

The ancient seat of House Targaryen stood tall behind her as they all gathered for the funeral of the departed Lady Maegella. Aemma stood behind in the crowd with the retinue from Vale as a septon prayed for her departed aunt. Aenys stood closest to the dead body, with Daemon and Viserys to his sides.

Various lords had sent their own representatives to attend the funeral, which wasn't a very large affair given that Lady Maegella Targaryen had not been seen for over seven years in Westeros. Aemma felt anguish at the death of the kind woman she remembered little of, though her grief was nothing in comparison to Aenys, who seemed absolutely broken. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes were swollen and red, and he had even grown a slight stubble.

"Beautiful!" came a small whisper from her cousin, Jeyne and Aemma followed her eyes as she focused on the dragon standing before them all. Aemma had not seen Aenys's dragon up close until now. She had heard rumors about the beauty of the shimmering white beast that her good brother had tamed, yet those rumors did its beauty no justice.

The infamous Grey Ghost, stood tall with its pearly white scales glistening in the Sun as it looked at her rider with its round bluish eyes. It was arguably the most beautiful dragon alive.

"Prince Aenys seems very distraught. It seems he was very close to her," mentioned Jeyne, and she nodded as she started feeling a hint of tiredness creeping in.

"Yeah, they were very close," she replied as her eyes focused on the three brothers standing in front. And even from her place, she could sense the tension in the air. Coming to Dragonstone for the funeral had been quite a decision in the end. After some back and forth, Viserys had decided to come to the island for the funeral.

"I still can not believe that someone so young is as famous as he is. It is quite astonishing, really," whispered Jeyne, and Aemma could only nod. Aenys hadn't even entered his thirties, yet his fame span over two continents.

"Though it's such a shame," continued Jeyne from her side and there was a hint of sadness in her tone, as she finished.

"He seems so fragile standing there, all alone," Jeyne finished and Aemma chewed her lips as she saw the truth in that statement. Both Viserys and Daemon seemed to be more interested in their quarrel than their brother's loss.

Even the rest of the attendees, few truly cared for the departed Maegella Targaryen and had chosen to attend because of the drama and prestige associated with it. Though for the lady standing on the side of Jeyne, the issue was of a completely different nature.

Rhea Royce stood there dutifully beside her liege lord, dressed in black as well, and was glaring at Daemon, besides Lord Gunthor Royce was giving the Rogue Prince a similar hate-filled look.

The Royces had arrived at the court with a particular agenda and though it might have been delayed due to the death of her aunt, they had not forgotten their purpose. Daemon Targaryen had given insult to their house and they needed to see retribution.

Her eyes found her daughter standing with her friend, Lady Alicent Hightower though if the rumors were true, the soon-to-be Lady Lannister. Her uncle had arranged a match for her with the second Lannister brother, Lord Jason Lannister.

For some reason, Aemma did not feel good about the match. She had known Alicent for years now, the girl had practically grown up by Rhaenyra's side. Her father had remained hesitant about her marriage for quite some time, yet suddenly there were a plethora of matches being made in haste.

"It was pirated who killed her right?" questioned Jeyne, and she nodded. And that was a whole other headache. Her husband had not moved against the pirate infestation of the Stepstones and now those same pirates had struck their family, distant as it may be.

And they would need to answer for this. Many Lords had been grumbling about those pirates for years now, and now with this their cause would gain more popularity.

Popularity and support, she thought as she looked up at Aenys, who was shaking slightly as the septons backed off after finishing their prayer. His fists were balled up and he seemed to be struggling to say those final words. And seconds later, he would finally look up, his eyes hollow as he would say the final words.

"Dracarys!" his voice shook as he shouted those words.

The white beast obeyed her rider's order and raised its head as the blue eyes glowed before it opened its mouth and spewed a jet of flames. Her surroundings grew hotter because of the fire. And as the dragon closed its mouth, Lady Maegella Targaryen's last rites were completed.

The dragon straightened up and let out a huge roar, like it was voicing its rider's anguish, before it spread its wings and flew away, leaving them all to mourn the loss of a princess, an aunt, and a mother.

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OTTO HIGHTOWER

Otto smirked as he watched a scowl appear on Daemon Targaryen's face as soon as he entered the Chamber of the Painted Table. The King sat at the head of the table as they gathered to discuss the repercussions of Daemon Targaryen's actions.

"What's he doing here!" said Daemon in his contempt-filled voice, and Otto sat straighter as the Rogue Prince stood opposite to her brother. The King did not get angry and replied simply.

"Otto is my hand, and he is here to advise me!" replied the King coolly, and he noticed Daemon Targaryen grit his teeth.

"This was supposed to be a family affair. You cannot involve outsiders like him in this!" retorted Daemon heatedly.

"Otto will stay, you defied my orders Daemon. You took your Gold Cloaks and occupied Dragonstone in open defiance. Tell me what am I to do with you?" began the King, and Otto watched the Prince smirk as he replied.

"Dragonstone is my birthright. I did nothing wrong!" spoke Daemon Targaryen. Otto decided to intervene.

"My Prince, I am afraid that is no longer true. Dragonstone belongs to the heir to the Iron Throne, which is the young lady Rhaenyra Targaryen," he added and watched as Daemon's fists balled up.

"Something which is of your design, you cunt!" cursed the Prince.

"Daemon enough!" and the King stopped the Prince before he could utter any more profanities. Daemon Targaryen was flushed with rage as he focused on his brother once more.

"I have already apologized to Aemma and Rhaenyra about the words I uttered that night. That matter is resolved now," spoke up the Prince. And Otto frowned at that. But the nod from the king confirmed that.

"That is good. But the matter of the heir still remains standing. You must swear fealty to Rhaenyra," spoke the King Viserys, and the whole chamber descended into silence. Otto watched Daemon's mind race before he suddenly.

"I will, but I have a condition," he began slowly, and as he was about to intervene the King stopped him with a gesture as he motioned for Daemon to continue.

"Speak!" said the King and he noticed a smirk appear on the Prince's face. And Otto had a pretty good idea of the demand from the Prince.

"I will kneel down and swear fealty to Rhaenyra if you annul my marriage to my Bronze Bitch!"

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ALICENT HIGHTOWER

The funeral for Princess Maegella Targaryen had been a somber affair. She had been laid to rest in the tradition of House Targaryen with Prince Aenys's dragon burning her corpse and burying the ashes. She had been buried beside her father and mother, King Jaeharys and Queen Alysanne, as per her wishes, and Dragonstone added another Targaryen rave in its crypts.

Yet that was yesterday, and a whole day had passed the ceremony, and the weather had improved in comparison to yesterday for it had been raining during the funeral as if the sky itself wept for the departed soul. She walked with the two guards towards her destination as they headed for the cave where the Grey Ghose rested.

Prince Aenys had secluded himself with his dragon, and according to Rhaenyra, he hadn't eaten in days. And the sad thing was there were few who cared for the Prince's health. King Viserys had been holed up in the chambers with her father and Prince Daemon since dawn.

The Prince had looked distraught at the funeral, with dark circles under his eyes. His eyes had lost the usual spark that she attributed to them. Looking at him like this made her remember of the time she had lost her own mother and how broken she had felt after that. Yet, unlike Prince Aenys, she wasn't alone. She had her brothers to keep her company, to help her get through those dark times. But he had no one.

"Here!" said one of the Dragonkeepers as they came to stand in front of the mouth of a rather narrow cave. But Grey Ghost wasn't a rather large dragon, and she could see it walking through those cracks.

"The Prince entered the cave last night and hasn't come out yet," said the Dragonkeeper, and she nodded. There was no sound coming from the cave, and darkness made it impossible to see much. Yet she took a deep breath as she decided to step inside.

The guards made to follow her, yet she stopped them with the shake of her head.

"No, there is no need. I will go in alone," they tried to retort.

"But your father, my la…,"

"The dragon might get agitated seeing so many people. I will go alone," she said in her authoritative tone the guards stepped back, and she moved inside the cave, taking careful steps as she stepped into the darkness.

She followed the winding path, and just when she feared that she had gotten lost she was rescued by the sound of soft music being played. Very familiar music that she hadn't heard in a long time. Her footsteps became steadier as she followed the sound of the harp, heading towards the one playing it.

She finally reached the part where the dragon resided and watched as the Prince sat there leaning back as his dragon coiled around him. The Prince played his harp though Alicent did not miss the paleness in his skin or the shakiness of his hand.

He struck the final note and opened his eyes, looking straight at her. Those amethyst orbs were hollow and seemed as if they had lost all hope, and it was as if she was staring into a mirror. And she knew that the Prince was lost just like her.

They were both suffering, him with the loss of the person who had been like a mother to him and her with her fate getting weaved into a plot against her own love. Perhaps, the Prince felt the same as he gave her a weak smile.

"We have similar eyes, now Alicent, though I believe you lost your mother years ago." And his words made her stop as she stood rooted on the ground.

"So, tell me, what have you lost, Lady Alicent Hightower?" he asked her as she walked to reduce the distance between them, and then she stood right in front of him.

"I have lost my love," she replied, her voice shaky as she thought about her father's machinations and how she was about to become a party to a plot against her love. The Prince shook her head as he had a broken smile on his face.

"We don't lose our love, Alicent. We just lose those we love," he spoke in a broken voice and a crooked smile.

"Our love remains with us, always," he finished, and she returned his smile as she nodded. It was not a surprise to her that the Prince was aware of her circumstances

"I have heard about your marriage, Alicent," spoke the Prince, surprising her once more as he stood up and walked towards her.

"Jason Lannister," he began as he stopped right in front of her.

"A fine match, many would say. But I believe you are not naive enough to miss this for what it is?" and she nodded slowly. Her years spent at court had given her a solid understanding of the Games that were played behind those lavish smiles and courts.

"Tell me do you wish to escape this fate of yours, Alicent?" he questioned her, and her eyes widened in surprise. They were looking into each other's eyes, and she chewed her lip as she nodded.

Of course, she would want to avoid being sold like cattle. Alicent had accepted her fate long ago, knowing that her love would never come to fruition. She had accepted that she would have to get married to a man of noble status and bear him an heir. Yet she did not wish to be sold like cattle by her uncle for his alliance with House Lannister.

"Good, then I believe I have a perfect solution for this," the Prince said as he swept away a strand of hair from her face, and she saw him lean closer and she felt his breath on his face, and her eyes widened as her words finally made sense.

Then she felt his lips touch hers as his arms wrapped themselves around her, and Alicent found herself feeling safe and wanted once in her life.

His lips were harder than Rhaenyra's, and they had cracked due to his starving himself in the cave since last night. Yet she did not let go as she moved in closer and let herself seek solace in those arms.

Alicent had always thought him so intimidating and strong yet when she felt his arms around herself, they were gentle and careful as he leaned in closer. This wasn't the kiss of mutual love, for both of them could never obtain the one they loved, yet it was a kiss of need, as both of them found what they needed.

They needed a partner. They needed someone who understood them.

She needed him, and he needed her.

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Aenys isn't truly doing this for Rhaenyra. He has a legacy of his own and needs children to carry it. He also has secrets of his own, secrets that Alicent knows. So, by binding Alicent to himself, he makes sure that no one ever comes to know of them, and he gets a companion he can trust. For whatever you may say of Alicent Hightower, she was the most true character in the series.

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