Chapter 101: Relying on Each Other

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Alicent let out a scream as Rhaegar left the room. Her frustration came out in a flurry of flung pillows and disheveled covers. She was moving around quickly, pulling at her hair in a desperate way.

"Queen, is there anything you need?" the maid asked from the other side of the door. Her voice was filled with concern.

"Get out! I don't want anything, get out!" Alicent's response was sharp and laced with curses, her anger boiling over like a cauldron ready to spill.

She was aware that her actions hadn't gone unnoticed, which led to the chilling warning she had just received. Even the veiled threat against her own son, Aegon, hadn't gone unnoticed.

In the middle of her rage, Alicent started to cry, her head in her hands as she banged her forehead against the wall in an attempt to drown out her anguish.

Amidst the blur of tears and the constriction of her throat, one phrase emerged, repeated like a mantra: "It wasn't me, I really didn't want to..."

What she didn't want remained a mystery to all but herself. But in the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter at all.

...

Outside the castle, Rhaegar emerged from the secret passage and looked up at the sky, where the moon was obscured by thick, dark clouds. He looked over at the distant cliffs and knew his dragon was resting there.

"Never mind, Rhaenyra isn't in a good mood today. Just go find her," he told himself, his thoughts surprisingly calm after the encounter with Alicent.

Originally planning to find comfort in Cannibal's company, Rhaegar now felt a sense of relief at the thought of his sister. He made his way back into the castle with the coal stove in hand, a smile on his face.

As he approached Rhaenyra's door, he was surprised to find Cole, the guard stationed outside, waiting for him.

"Prince," Cole greeted, his eyebrows raised in curiosity at Rhaegar's unexpected visit.

"I'm looking for Rhaenyra. We agreed to sleep together," Rhaegar replied matter-of-factly, concocting a story on the spot as he pushed open the door and entered the room without hesitation, breezing past the guard knights.

As he stepped into the bedroom, Rhaegar took his time. There she was, Rhaenyra, lying peacefully on her side on the bed, her silver-gold locks cascading around her.

Rhaegar approached his sister, observing her bold sleeping pose, and couldn't help but shake his head with a bemused expression.

"No wonder I'm always so overwhelmed," he muttered under his breath, only to be startled as Rhaenyra suddenly opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on him.

Rhaegar was caught off guard and took a step back as Rhaenyra playfully pulled him onto the bed.

"Sister," he greeted with a mix of surprise and amusement, settling onto the bed at her insistence.

Rhaenyra playfully pinched his cheeks. "Rhaegar, who gave you the nerve to come into my room without asking?"

"I have a dragon, so I can go wherever I want," Rhaegar replied, tilting his head defiantly.

"Hmph, I think you need to be taught a lesson," Rhaenyra retorted, not one to put up with her brother's antics. She then pinched his cheeks with one hand, which made Rhaegar's face turn red and swell.

Despite his best efforts to resist, Rhaegar found himself overpowered by his sister's strength. Eventually, she relented and let go of him, satisfied with her playful teasing.

Rhaenyra settled down on the bed next to Rhaegar, took off her coat, and curled up close to him, curious. "Where did you get that black robe?"

"Isn't that what all the bad guys wear?" Rhaegar replied with a wry smile, adjusting his position to be more comfortable.

Rhaenyra couldn't help but tease, "Oh, are you a bad guy?"

Rhaegar blinked, his expression uncertain as he nestled closer to his sister. "I'm not sure."

"Then no," Rhaenyra replied softly, running her fingers through his hair. "You're my brother, and I'll be relieved as long as you come back safely."

Rhaegar remained silent, but he nestled even closer to her, finding comfort in her embrace.

Rhaenyra noticed the of concern in Rhaegar's demeanor and asked, "What's troubling you? Weren't you quite spirited earlier, giving me a hard time?"

"But I'm worried about you too," Rhaenyra responded, her tone softening. "You've been missing for days, and Father and I have been beside ourselves with anxiety."

"I'm sorry," Rhaegar said sincerely, not wanting to dodge responsibility. He admitted that he'd been a bit lax in taking care of important matters and had been spending too much time on less important things in the Peninsula.

Rhaenyra's expression softened, and she gave him a gentle kiss on the head, whispering, "It's okay, as long as you're back. Just promise me you won't do it again."

"Alright," Rhaegar nodded, accepting the mistake.

Feeling a bit flustered by his nod, Rhaenyra's cheeks flushed slightly. "Go to sleep now. Tomorrow, you can talk to Father about everything."

"Okay," Rhaegar agreed, putting his arm around her waist, finding comfort in her presence.

As they lay there in silence, Rhaegar suddenly spoke up. "Sister, some people say that I might hurt you..."

Rhaenyra was too drowsy to open her eyes fully, so she tightened her hold on him and murmured, "That won't happen. We've got each other's backs."

"Mmm..." Rhaegar replied softly, feeling reassured by her words.

...

As the night gave way to dawn, Rhaegar woke up to find his sister sitting at the dressing table, carefully brushing her hair.

He smiled as he blinked away the last of his sleepiness. "It's good to be back home," he said to himself, feeling grateful to be back with his family.

When Rhaenyra realized he was awake, she gently encouraged him to get up and join them for breakfast. With a nod, Rhaegar quickly got dressed, still thinking about what had happened the night before.

Just as he finished getting dressed, there was a knock at the door, followed by Harrold's calm voice. "Princess, is Prince Rhaegar in your chambers?"

Rhaenyra exchanged a puzzled glance with Rhaegar before confirming his presence to the guard. "Yes, Ser. How may I assist you?"

"The King wishes to speak with the Prince personally," Harrold relayed tersely.

Rhaenyra's brow furrowed with curiosity as she turned to her brother. Rhaegar merely shrugged in response, equally puzzled by the unexpected summons.

"Go ahead, comfort Father. He's not feeling well," Rhaenyra advised gently.

Rhaegar nodded and leaned in to kiss his sister on the cheek before leaving the room.

Rhaenyra was amused by her brother's departure and continued to prepare for the day ahead.

...

After leaving his quarters, Rhaegar, with Harrold by his side, made his way to his father's chamber door. Just as he was about to knock, the door to the room next door opened, and there was Alicent, being led by a maid.

Their eyes met for a second, but Alicent didn't say anything. She just nodded her head a little and kept going. With a smile, Rhaegar knocked on the door and went in. Harrold closed the door behind him and stood guard.

As soon as he walked in, Rhaegar wrinkled his nose at the smell of wine that lingered in the air. Viserys was slouched in a reclining chair by a round table, his face flushed from drink but his gaze unusually sharp. Rhaegar couldn't help but notice the scattered empty bottles, which seemed to be evidence of his father's indulgence from the previous night.

Rhaegar tried to ignore the smell as he approached his father. "Father, what can I do for you?" he asked.

He'd been expecting to talk about his recent trip to the Peninsula or maybe the Free folk, but nothing as important as what Viserys brought up next.

"Rhaegar, do you want to become the heir to throne?" Viserys's words hit Rhaegar like a punch in the stomach, leaving him momentarily stunned.

"What... what do you mean?" Rhaegar stammered, his mind struggling to comprehend the unexpected proposition.

"I'm going to change the rules of succession and make you the new heir," Viserys said bluntly, trying to clear up the confusion on Rhaegar's face.

"No! Rhaenyra is the rightful heir, as has been decreed to the realm," Rhaegar responded firmly, his convictions unwavering.

Quickly moving to his father's side, Rhaegar searched his eyes, his voice laced with concern. "Has someone influenced you, Father? You've always defended Rhaenyra's claim. What's changed your mind?"

(Word count: 1,418)