Chapter 26

Chapter 26

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Rhaenyra Targaryen sat in her room, with the Seven-Pointed Star open before her. The heir of the Seven Kingdoms could be called many things, but pious wasn't among them. That title went to her dear childhood friend. And it was I reminiscence of that very friend that she had taken out the dusty tome. Yet, in the end, her mind continued to wander to the lands beyond the Narrow Sea.

The situation in the seven Kingdoms was growing worse and worse, especially with the rise in tensions with Bravos. Many had thought that the King would make common cause with the Free City to expel the pirates from the rocky islands of Stepstones. Yet the realm had been caught by surprise by the aggressive nature of the campaign, had taken everyone by surprise.

Daemon hadn't even waited for the talks between the Seven Kingdoms and Bravos to conclude and had begun to attack the islands without prejudice, even burning the Bravosi fleet making the relations between the two kingdoms tense. Yet despite the tensions, the Seven Kingdoms were peaceful and quite unaffected by this all, yet unlike the rest of the realm, she was quite aware of the problems his actions would cause for their estranged brother, especially at the time when he was days away from getting married.

She had been both surprised and elated when she had read Alicent's letter informing her of her impending marriage to her uncle Aenys. Dreams of her inaction that wretched day still haunted her, yet despite it all, Aenys had written to her as well, mentioning that despite the tensions between him and her father, he bore her no ill will and that she was free to contact him through his associates in the city.

The letter had been a bit of a relief, yet she had found it quite suspicious that none of his or Alicent's letters had reached her earlier. Despite her wishes, she knew that she couldn't be with her friend on her special day, and thus she trusted her brother with her letter and her gift.

As she sat there, lost in thought about the affairs a whole sea away, she missed the doors of her room being swung open as her father entered the room; the recent stresses had taken their toll on the King of the Seven Kingdoms.

The Viserys Targaryen that had entered the room wasn't the same man from a year ago. The debacle at Dragonstone hadn't just cost the King his relationship with his youngest brother but had also chipped away at his authority. Even now, months later, the murmurs in the court refused to die down, especially as they saw the King's armless sleeve, the Maesters having been forced to cut off the whole arm because of an unidentifiable ailment.

"Rhaenyra!" her head snapped back, and she frowned as she saw her father walking into her room like this. Her mind raced to recall the last time he had entered her room like this as he took giant strides toward her.

"What happened, fath…" yet the words had barely left her mouth before he nearly shouted at her.

"Where is he? Tell me right now, where is he!" he shouted, making her frown as she failed to understand what he was talking about.

"Where is who? What are you talking about?" she questioned as he stood in front of her. His flushed face and glinting eyes made her nervous for some reason. She felt him grip her shoulder with his remaining hand as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Gwayne! Where is Gwayne Hightower, the servants told me that you were the last person he was seen with, tell me where he is," he shouted, and suddenly it all clicked. She gulped, and her gaze shifted downwards as she replied.

"I don't know," yet she felt his grip tighten over her arm.

"Don't lie to me, Rhaenyra!" her father shouted at her, his voice making her shrink back before the man sighed, and the grip around her arm loosened as he spoke up again.

"Just tell me, Rhaenyra, we have looked everywhere and have found no trace of him. Otto is very worried about his disappearance," her father spoke up with a sigh. Rhaenyra gulped and decided to tell them, feeling that it was too late to stop him now.

"He is…" she began as she looked up and saw her father's gaze focused onto her, "he went to Bravos," she finished and saw him stiffen at her words, a myriad of emotions before it settled onto one of anger.

"Why?" he asked in a seething tone. And Rhaenyra looked up at him and scoffed at this farce.

"Shouldn't you already know that so why don't we just stop pretending!" she scoffed and saw him frown, yet she refused to believe that he was unaware of it all.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned again, and Rhaenyra felt her patience run out.

"Marriage! Your brother is set to marry Alicent in some days," she replied.

"How do you know that? Have you been in contact with him?" her father asked angrily, and she shrugged.

"I have," she replied and saw his lips thin at her reply.

"The Maester didn't tell me about receiving any letter from Bravos. How did he contact you," her father replied with narrowed eyes, and Rhaenyra picked up the letter she had received and waved it in front of him.

"Please, can we end this farce? He himself told me that he wrote a couple of times, yet I got none of his letters," she said heatedly, making him frown.

"And you believe him over me, your own father," said her father derisively, and Rhaenyra halted for a moment before she looked into his eyes and nodded. Her father's eyes flinted as he shook his head.

"This is just like him, always poisoning people's minds against him. I have seen him do it all his life, thinking himself better than everyone, trying to reach beyond his station." her father scoffed angrily, his sole hand balled into a fist as he began to pace angrily before looking straight at her.

"Now even my own daughter calls me a liar because of him!" he nearly shouted, yet Rhaenyra didn't back off from his gaze. He then reached for the letter she had received from Aenys and took it out of her hand.

"This just goes to show how you cannot be trusted, Rhaenyra!" he said in a seething tone.

"And you can be!" the words slipped out of her mouth before she could think. She felt him stiffen at her words.

"I am not an idiot, and I can see what you are doing. The whole realm can. The war and everything will not make people forget what happened at Dragonstone," she replied. And it was true, especially with the rise in tensions with Bravos, people were even more anxious and skeptical of the crown's powers.

"Don't speak of things you don't understand!" her father shouted at her, making her shrink back, yet she was quite tired of it all.

"And how has that been working for you, you cannot make people stop speaking about distasteful things, and now you believe forgetting about the existence of your brother whom you wronged will solve everything," she replied.

"I am not at fault here! It has always been him! ALWAYS!" her father shouted and huffed for breath.

"Aenys is the third son. Third! Yet he has always dreamed of achieving beyond his station. He thinks himself so clever and above us all that he looks at us all with disdain and contempt in his eyes. His duty was to serve me! Serve as Daemon has, yet what would he know of duty, always reaching beyond his station, betraying me" her father scoffed, making her gulp, his eyes focused on her.

"And this all shows me that you don't as well," he suddenly added, and she stilled at her words.

"I gave you months to choose a consort, yet you have done nothing but cause trouble for me yet you stand here and lecture me," and dread pooled in her heart at those words.

"No, more," he continued.

"You will get no more chance. I shall choose someone suitable for you, and you shall marry him as per my decision," he added, making her eyes widen.

"Fath…"

"And that is final!" he said, and then after a final look at the letter in his hand, he threw it into the fireplace before walking out of her room.

0000

ALESNADRO FEROSA

The Sealord of Bravos watched himself in the mirror as the servants adjusted his clothes and hair as he got ready for the special occasion. Life as the Sealord had become quite hectic over the last couple of months.

Their negotiation with Kingslanding had fallen apart after the overreach from Prince Daemon had cost them half a dozen ships and had only just resumed after very high tensions. Yet, despite the troubles of the past months, today was not a day to be worried about things like that. It was a day for celebrations.

"This cannot go on, Alesandro. You need to force the Prince to intervene," and he would enjoy them if not for the constant interventions from his old friend. Alesandro sighed, trying to recall just how many times he had already discussed this already.

He turned away from the mirror to look at Alissano as he replied.

"And as I have told you and everyone else, he cannot. It just isn't possible for him to intervene, especially given the agreement we made him when he set up his institution here," replied Alesandro yet Alissano was anything but persistent.

"That agreement is nothing but a piece of parchment. It holds little value. You have to force him to side with us in this conflict in Bravos. We cannot let the seven Kingdoms have control over those islands," argued Alessandro wasn't blind to their concerns.

Yet many people overestimated the influence they held over Aenys Targaryen. The Prince had been quite clear when he had set up his businesses in Bravos, making sure that he would not be forced to intervene in any conflict between the two Kingdoms.

"You are just being ridiculous now, Alissano, plus the matter in the Stepstones isn't as simple as just conquering them. Those islands are impossible to hold, and Westeros will soon realize that if they haven't already. They are a money sink and goddamn hassle to manage," replied Alessandro trying to get Alissano to understand his point, yet his friend, dressed in a fine purple doublet embroidered with gold thread.

"I understand that, but isn't it the Prince's duty to repay us for everything we have done for him, for providing him refuge," argued Alissano making him sigh.

Had it been a year or so ago, they might even have been able to force him. Yet now forcing Aenys Targaryen to do anything like that was impossible, not that he would ever do so. Yet still, the sheer amount of wealth and influence possessed by the man made it so that they couldn't force him to do anything. Even in Bravos, there were many amongst the key holders and other influential people who employed the man's services for themselves or their families.

"It is not possible, Alissano, and if we are to speak of compensation, then he has done enough. The tolls we collect from his trading and the generosity with which he heals the destitute of this city are payment enough, not to mention his help in establishing protocols to deal with any plague in the future," Alessandro replied, getting a bit tired of this whole discussion. And as his friend was about to continue, Alesandroo decided to cut him off as he raised his hand.

"That will be enough, Alissano!" he said, his tone louder than before, and his friend stopped as he sighed.

"I have already had this discussion many times now. I will not break our word and force Aenys to capitulate to these absurd demands. The situation in Stepstones may be dire, but I believe it will resolve itself in time," Alessandro spoke up, ending all discussion on this matter.

"Then I hope you are right," spoke Alissano as Alessandro looked into the mirror for the final time.

"Ok, then, I believe I am ready. Let us leave!" Alessandro said, and then the formally dressed men left the room to join the nuptials of Bravos's resident Dragon Slayer.

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

The massive manse of Aenys Targaryen had a massive line of carriages and palanquins lined outside it. People from the upper echelons of Brravos and several other cities walked in, dressed in glamour as Bravos celebrated the nuptials of its famous Prince.

The massive veranda at the center of the squarish manse had been transformed into a Hall to accommodate the people attending the wedding. Furniture made of ironwood had been set up, along with food and drinks from nearly every corner of the world. There was a pile of gifts and tributes placed to the side, brought there by the various attendees.

Alicent Hightower sat in her room in front of the mirror, her heart racing as Antonie and her workers put on the final touches to the several-hour-long preparation. Alicent had always known that she was beautiful, yet this day was special. One look in the massive mirror in front of her made her blush. It was clear why the female designer was as popular as she was. The dress she had brought out the best in her, cut from a radiant shade of breathtaking green silk, embroidered with gold threads and small red emeralds, the dress itself was a marvel explicitly designed for her.

"Ok, everything is done now," said the designer as her workers backed off, with Antonie giving her a final look over. Alicent didn't miss the sense of pride in her eyes as the designer asked her with a small smile.

"I believe this is the best work of my life, my lady," said the designer. Alicent smiled; Antonie was among the few people she considered a friend in the city, the second being the Sealord's wife, Blair, who walked behind her.

Blair herself was dressed in a red dress covered in rubies that glistened in the light, with her long black hair tied in an elaborate braid.

"I always did say that the Prince had impeccable taste," teased Blair, making her blush.

"You look absolutely gorgeous, dear. I don't think anyone will be able to take their eyes off you," said the wife of the Sealord, and Alicent didn't know how to react to those words.

Alicent looked at herself in the mirror and gulped as she saw herself surrounded by all these new people. A small part of her heart ached, not seeing the silvery hair of Rhaenyra or the abysmal japes of her little brother. Today was perhaps the most important day in the life of Alicent Hightower because, in a few hours, she would no longer be Alicent Hightower but rather Alicent Targaryen, wife to Aenys Targaryen, the infamous slayer of Vhagar and most acclaimed healer in the entire world.

She was broken out of her reverie by a small knock on the door, making both Antonie and Blair frown.

"Who is interrupting us at this time," murmured the designer as one of her workers slowly walked to the door and slowly opened the door.

And Alicent's heart stilled as she saw Aenys walk in, dressed in a black tunic embroidered with gold thread, his beard gone, and his hair slicked back neatly. She had never seen him dressed like this. She saw him still as his eyes landed on her, his intense gaze locked onto her.

"AKHM!" A slight cough from Sealord's wife broke them both out of her trance, and she saw Aenys blush as Blair walked up to him.

"What are you doing here?" teased Blair as she walked in front of her, blocking his gaze from her. She smiled as she saw him gulp nervously as he slowly replied.

"I was hoping I could talk with Alicent privately," said Aenys. Blair's eyes narrowed mischievously as she replied with a massive grin.

"Two minutes, and I will be right outside the room, so don't you dare do anything," she said, making Aenys roll his eyes. And with that, everyone left the room, leaving her alone with Aenys, who had a small blush on his face as his gaze remained steadily focused on her.

Her face heated up as she saw his intense gaze, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw the intensity of his gaze. He was awestruck, though she wasn't any different herself, with her eyes continuously lingering on his ravishing form.

"Ummm, what brought you here, Aenys?" she asked and saw him nod slowly as he broke out of a trance.

"I believe there is someone here who wants to meet you?" and her heart thumped in her chest at his words. Aenys slowly walked to the door and opened it, and her heart skipped as her eyes landed on the person who walked in.

Dressed in a green ornate doublet embroidered with emeralds, his midnight brown hair, similar in coloring to her own, slicked back to show his brown eyes. He was taller than the last time she had seen him.

"It is good to see you, sister," he said, and Alicent felt her eyes tear up as she heard that familiar tone. And in that torrent of emotions, she could only mutter his name in her shaky voice.

"Gwayne!"

0000

Who do you think will be Viserys' choice for Rhaenyra, and what consequences will his actions have? And will Aenys get out of the plot against him unscathed?

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