Chapter Text
The day was a bit gloomy, was yet to have rain pouring, but it didn’t bother Rhaenyra. She was feeling a bit melancholic about everything on her surroundings in therms of family. Both her father and father-in-law fell into illness and she didn’t want to think about the premises of what will happen if or… when they succumb in the end. She shook her head, trying to get rid of these thoughts. Steps are heard coming into the room and the princess turns around to see her husband entering. Laenor turned to Rhaenyra and saw her serious countenance.
“Have you received any notice from Driftmark?”
"No, last time they gave me anything was two days ago, my Lord father’s condition was not terrible, but they had their concerns."
Rhaenyra came closer and hugged her husband, he sighed and laced her waist. His father and him had been away from each other after he was married to Rhaenyra, all things of staying in King's Landing and being at his wife's side and meeting sir Qarl. They didn't had much time together and now Lord Corlys was ill and Gods knows what could happen in the future. The heavy steps from the kingsguard approach the table, giving a moment for both the princess and her consort to turn around.
"Good morrow, Sir Lorent. What gives your presence?"
"Your Highness, Princess Rhaenys just return in dragonback and request a meeting."
Laenor felt his back straight up instantly. While extending her hand to him, Rhaenyra gave a nod to the guard and asked him to bring Rhaenys to the room.
When Rhaenys entered, she was a bit disturbed; exasperate even, using an armor red and silver. She didn't even said any greetings when both her son and daughter-in-law gave and asked about Corlys. Rhaenys looked right into Rhaenyra's eyes and let the news breakthrough.
"Viserys is dead." The young princess expression went from condescending to shocked, losing any shining trace once it had. "I grieve this lost with you, Rhaenyra. My cousin, your father... possessed a kind heart."
She didn't even had the chance to say more words to him. Only that day, first in his chambers and, then, in the dinner room, with the rest of the family, with Alicent. Even if a fight had break between the boys, Rhaenyra promised to go back and she would, next day basically. Now this information come washing over any good feeling. Laenor, once again, took her hand and he was ready to say something, probably some comfort words when his mother talk again.
"There is more. Aegon has been crowned as his successor."
"They crowned him?" Rhaenys gave a sympathetic look at Rhaenyra, she looked lost, eyes filling with tears, the old Targaryen could see thanks to lights coming from the windows of the room.
"How did the king died?" Laenor asked while getting closer to his wife.
"I could not say, my son, but I believe it had to do with his ill conditions."
"How long was this?"
"A day past, perhaps two. I was made prisoner in my quarters, while the queen made her preparations."
Laenor furrowed his countenance, after everything that happened, the way things were left before they returned to Dragonstone... Rhaenyra was feeling positive, besides some discomfort between the sons of each part.
"Alicent... demanded you declare... for Aegon?" the pain in Rhaenyra's voice could be heard very clear. Her eyes probing more tears, ready to be spilled free on her pained face.
After a short second of hesitation, Rhaenys answered.
"She did."
The confirmation of the action felt like inflicted a tremendous physical pain to the younger Targaryen, her head moved back a bit, like someone had moved suddenly towards her. Rhaenys could not make thoughts on this, but even if the princess had see the huge possibility of this happening, still she showed emotions of betrayal with every new word that was being proclaim. So she decided to say her part.
"I refused her, of course. There was no reason for me to go against my son's wife and what was your father's wish."
Laenor gave a nod to his mother, grateful for her affirmation.
"But, mother, how come you are alive? And with Meleys none less?"
"I had to find a way to escape my chambers and, with a kingsguard help, I found my way out of the castle, but returned to get my dragon from the pit. This is when I discovered that they had started the ceremony. The Sept crowned him in the dragon pit, I witnessed myself just before I fled on Meleys."
Another silence and Rhaenyra could only feel pain, everywhere, but mostly, in her heart. How? How could she toasted to her rightful inheritance one night and almost two days later, Alicent brings her son as the heir to everyone?
"They crowned him before the masses."
"So that the masses would see him as their rightful king."
Rhaenyra was in complete shock. Everyone decided to betray her in the blink of second and she could not decide which one was worse.
"I understand how devastating this must be to you, Rhaenyra, I warned you years ago that they would not accept you so easily and would take any poor choice of a man to replace you in the lineage, but this was a shameful coup that a lot of parts in the court said amen to it."
Rhaenys came closer to both of them, holding their hands, trying to give any emotional support she could must at the moment because they would need.
"The Greens are coming for you Rhaenyra. And for your children. I do think you all should leave Dragonstone at once." she gave a look at her son, a warning look while her daughter-in-law was still distraught by the news.
<Φ>
First thing Daemon Targaryen receive in the moment he and his family stepped in Driftmark was the information that Lord Corlys was still recovering from his wounds and princess Rhaenys has not returned from King's Landing.
"Do you want to go inside first to see your father?" he asked Laena, while taking off his gloves and looking at his daughters running towards the entrance of the castle.
"Yes, dear. Is strange that my mother did not returned yet, but my Lord father is probably in better conditions than what was first informed to us."
"Understood, I will arrange our things and meet you inside." they shared a little kiss and smile, then Laena walked towards the castle as well.
Daemon coordinate the helpers to where bring the bags and let the dragon keepers take their dragons to another part of island. When the prince started to move to the castle too, he heard a roar into the distance. Oh well, Rhaenys is coming back.
Meleys majestic size came into view carrying her rider with ease. After a minute, the dragon made a smooth dive, coming closer and closer, until it landed in the patio, close to where Daemon was standing. Rhaenys gave a look at him, before signing to her dragon to lay low a bit so she could jump off of her.
"My regards for your mastery in flying with Meleys. Always very gracious, Princess Rhaenys."
"Thank you, Prince Daemon. I came from Dragonstone, had to deliver the news to your niece about Viserys. He is dead, Daemon."
The prince smile left his face in seconds.
"What? How did this happened?"
"Viserys has been too sick for a long time, do not forget this Daemon. His condition worsened into the night and he succumbed to his demise, I assume."
Daemon put his hands into his silver hair, distressed with such information about his brother. He didn't even had the time to say one last thing to him and now Viserys was gone.
"How is she?"
"Took the news as good as you would after coming from King's Landing. She was planing to go back, but... didn't got the time for it." a brief silence and Rhaenys decided it was better tell him the rest. "Queen Alicent prepared her first born son to succeed Viserys. He was presented today for the people, Daemon, as their new king. And I'm certain that the Hightowers will come after Rhaenyra as well as the rest of the family."
Daemon saw red with the news.
"What in the hell of this lands she thinks she is to betray my brother's wishes on who should be his successor?!"
"She claim that in his death bed, Viserys spoke to her about Aegon and that he was the chosen one."
"That whore of a Queen murdered my brother and stole his throne. Why did you not do something about?"
Daemon turned around, walking in circles, almost growling with contained rage.
"A war is like to be fought over this treachery, to be sure. But this is not mine to begin."
With that, Rhaenys left for the castle direction, leaving Daemon by itself. A whole catastrophe was about to come with the situation.
<Φ>
The afternoon was passing fast and Rhaenyra was still digesting the message, it should not affect her the way it was, a feeling of heaviness in the chest spreading like fire. In a blink of an eye their toast became a lie, everything she wanted to rebuild with the rest of the family became something muddle with treason, by the one she believed wouldn't lay into this path, even if Otto Hightower was in the picture. Laenor found his wife in a catatonic state, observing the tiles in the ground with a lost gaze, expression showing a defeat never saw in her face ever before.
"Rhaenyra..." he came closer to her, kneeling and holding her hand "What do you want to do? Do you think we should... go?"
"No. No I do not wish this. I doubt they will leave things like this in reality, your mother is right because they will come for me, but probably to offer some consolation prize so I don't try to evoke my birthrights against their usurper."
He could see the begin of trembling on her lips and Rhaenyra quickly raised her head to try dismiss her fragility.
“I want to do something, to go and answer this act of theirs in the way it should be, but I’m afraid of keeping the idea of going forward with my rightful claim to the throne and this ends in a bath of blood. Our sons are just children, Laenor!”
She felt her eyes filling with tears, Laenor moved fast to be closer to Rhaenyra, holding her in a tight hug, trying to give assurance, even if he was too nervous with the outcome of a “no” to any propose.
“I will stand with you, whatever is your decision on the matter, we will protect our boys, whatever it takes.”
It had a long pause between them. Rhaenyra kept wondering about her father death, they came up with this story of his change of mind and she wondered if this was truly a made up story or… if her father really decided that she wasn’t fit for the role. But, before she could voice her thinking to her husband, a kingsguard came knocking in the door. So Laenor detached from Rhaenyra to open.
"My Lord, Princess." Erryk gives a formal nod "I come here to inform the arrival of prince Daemon Targaryen and his lady wife, Laena Velaryon. They wish to speak to you both as soon as possible in regards of the occurrences in King's Landing."
Laenor looked over his shoulder, to see Rhaenyra give an approval sound to the request, while discreetly wiping off her tears.
"Thank you Sir Erryk, please inform that we will meet them soon in the main hall."
After the kingsguard rush to the entrance to speak to their new guests, Laenor extended his hand to the Targaryen woman.
"Shall we go now, Princess?"
"Yes." she gave him a little smile, before getting up and taking his hand. "and thank you."
<Φ>
Daemon walked in circles almost, before Laena hold his arm to gave him a look, he could hear her warning with the gesture. Don't rush anything, even if you are worried about their future. Finally, Rhaenyra and Laenor appear walking down the stairs to the main hall, with wormed out expressions.
"Hello uncle, Laena." Rhaenyra was the first to come and welcome them. Laenor followed in silence with a courtesy nod.
"We know what happened, my mother gave us the news, we could not be more sorry for your lost, Nyra." Laena spoke softly while hugging her cousin.
"We heard too about their wonderful way of saying how sorry they were for you losing your father, niece, honestly I can not say I'm surprised by this move. Otto Hightower and his scum never ceased to distaste me in every way."
Rhaenyra could feel her uncle rage, pulsing horribly and she knew he was holding himself back very hard to not give her a hard time more than she was already experiencing.
"Yes. Well, we are yet to make any contact with King's Landing, I was thinking of going back there."
"If you will travel into that nest of vipers, I wonder if you have already a great number of people ready to be your army." Daemon's tone was rigid and his countenance was almost disappointed.
"Daemon..."
"Laena, you must understand whatever is the fate of the situation, whatever is Rhaenyra's desires here, it is not important to any of them! Our family is in danger, just for the reason they will do anything to keep this piece of power they stole!" The man was about to rip off his own hair with such rage he was having. Daemon saw the danger of having that family around them for so long, but to witness this robbery taking place, even if in a thousand times he felt threatened by them, by Otto, still, Daemon was not really prepared to see this coming.
Rhaenyra was in anguish. Her uncle was right, she knew there was a need to mount a defense, to open conversation with allies, a need to gain more allies, and finally, confront the Hightowers and their betrayal. But she couldn't bring herself to make any move, Rhaenyra was feeling an absurd weight in her chest, the death of her father and... Alicent demanding allegiance from Rhaenys to Aegon, a boy unwilling to lead a nation, but pushed to such a position by his own family, thus born a usurper. Rhaenyra took a deep breath, things were not walking a light path.
Heavy steps were heard coming, sir Erryk came again, ready to make another announcement.
"Princes, my Lady" he made a nod to both Laenor, Daemon and Laena. Then he turned to look at Rhaenyra. "My Princess, there is a request for your presence outside the castle, for Lord Otto Hightower."
By name said, Daemon reacted faster than Rhaenyra, snapping his head up to look right into the guard's eyes, with fury. She had knowledge that he would explode right there, so she moved first.
"It's alright sir. Tell we are moving to meet him."
After the guard left the room, Rhaenyra immediately heard the disapproval speech coming from her uncle.
"I can not believe you will entertain the idea of talking with that cunt of a man, who only wanted to see our fall down the moment he began his work for the King! Rhaenyra, this is madness! Is stupid and reckless and it will only bring their eyes upon you in a wicked manner!"
Her eye twitched slightly, she was becoming angry, not with the reason of her awful day, but with her uncle nonetheless.
"Uncle... I can understand your dissatisfaction over Otto’s presence, given the reason that he probably is the driven force of this treason, however I cannot deny a meeting with him, so that the future of this land can be discussed, the future of the family and where I, Laenor and the children will be standing."
Daemon came too close to his niece, again with that urgent fury in his eyes, veins almost popping in his forehead and neck, like a caged animal ready to attack and destroy anything and everything in its path.
"Rhaenyra, for the love of the Gods, you are mad! Completely gone out of your right state of mind!"
"Daemon, do not speak in this manner with Rhaenyra!" Laena pulled him a bit.
Laenor came rushing towards his wife, putting himself between uncle and niece. The Velaryon man was starting to get stressed and annoyed by the behavior of Rhaenyra's kin. He also understood Daemon's frustration, but the princess was right, they needed to get in touch with the other side and if Otto Hightower decided to come here and put the situation on the table, then before any more violent moves, they would talk to him.
"Daemon, I will ask you to be more benevolent in this moment, because things are in a sensible state. The father of my wife is dead, her half-brother was put in the throne on her place and his grandfather is here to contact. Even if we are to start a war to secure back Rhaenyra's place, she still needs to advise the situation from the source, which is, talking with Otto."
Rhaenyra touched Laenor arm, in a way to show her gratitude, but before anyone else said anything, Daemon marched out of the room, to meet the former Hand of the King.
<Φ>
Otto observed his surroundings, Dragonstone was a pretty place, with it's great structure above the sea and wonderful view of the horizon. He wondered if the princess would even entertain the idea of coming to speak with him. Even if he always aimed to put Aegon were he was at the moment, still Otto felt that Rhaenyra had good management skills. It was a little funny that both Rhaenyra and Alicent had good aptitude for governance. Both, who didn't seem to entertain the idea of leading so much when they were younger, are now grown women with good dialogue scores, whatever it was the situation. Thus, Otto hoped that the princess would grant his request and that they could, for the first time, come to a consensus.
"Otto fucking Hightower."
He turned to see Daemon, marching in his direction, surrounded with some of the kingsguards that worked for the princess, sir Laenor and lady Laena. The prince emanated an undeniable fury and his hand was on the scabbard where his sword, Dark Sister, was.
"Prince Daemon Targaryen." Otto showed annoyance. "I come at the behest of the Dowager Queen Alicent, mother of King Aegon, Second of His Name, Lord and Protector of the Seven Kingdoms. I've been directed to deliver her message only to Princess Rhaenyra. Where is the Princess?"
Coming from behind the people, Rhaenyra showed in a nice black dress, with an overcoat of the same color, details symbolizing her house. A crown on her head would suit the princess very well.
"Princess Rhaenyra."
"It should be Queen Rhaenyra by now, but well... some people made things difficult for this to happen."
"I think I should apologize for the situation, Princess, but you must understand that some changes happened in the last moment." that was a strange pause, then he proceeded "King Aegon, second of his name, in his wisdom and desire for peace, is offering terms."
Silence follow, he could feel some tension in the air, feeling up his lungs and Otto tried not to falter now.
"Acknowledge Aegon as king and swear obeisance before the Iron Throne. In exchange, His Grace will confirm your possession of Dragonstone, it will pass to your trueborn son, Jacaerys, upon your death. Lucerys will be confirmed as the legitimate heir to Driftmark and all the lands and holdings of House Velaryon."
Rhaenyra observed very attentively the former Hand of the King. Daemon snorted at his niece's side, his right hand catching the hilt of his sword.
"And then what more are you offering to my niece? She is the heir, not your drunken, usurper cunt of a King."
"Aegon Targaryen sits in the Iron Throne. He wears the Conqueror's crown, wields the Conqueror's sword, has the Conqueror's name. He was anointed by a septon of the Faith before the eyes of thousands. Every symbol of legitimacy belongs to him." they could hear the smugness in Otto's voice. "The great houses are considering the terms offered by His Grace as well."
"Strange, because those great houses swore fealty to me as soon as I was made heir by my father."
"This was years ago, my Princess, and stale oaths will not put you on the Iron Throne."
Now, Rhaenyra was furious with Otto's presumption, his cocky instance. She marched towards him, hearing every guard stand in position with their swords up, from both sides, ready to act to defend in each side they were.
"You are no more Hand than Aegon is King. Fucking traitor!" she took of his Hand of the King pin and throw away. How could he do all of this? How could Alicent? Both of them not wasting a second in plundering her rights. It shouldn't, but it hurt Rhaenyra so much right now, because deep down, she held them in high regard, especially after that last dinner with Viserys. You will make a fine queen hovered in her mind, painfully.
Another moment of silence came between both parts, Otto looked at her with some kind of pity, which made her even more angry.
"Grand Maester?"
The man approached them both and took an old, carefully folded sheet from the sleeve of his cloak.
"What the fuck is this?" Daemon hissed.
Otto gave the paper to Rhaenyra, who unfolded with urge the thing, to see what exactly were they planning now.
To her immense surprise, when the princess finally unfolded the sheet, her eyes fell on a page of a book. A book that Alicent carried with her almost 20 years ago. The book Rhaenyra hated to pick up to read, as reading made her lazy, but the history of Westeros was bit interesting. In this she forced herself to read and understand, often not only because of the history itself, but because Alicent was with her, motivating her to study. Rhaenyra felt her anger being replaced by sadness. Longing for a time that would never return, when she and Alicent were so close, for the princess was the two of them against the world, Rhaenyra countless times dreamed that if she were to be queen, Alicent Hightower would be by her side, until the end.
"Queen Alicent has not forgotten the love you once had for each other." his tone of voice, suddenly so soft, so tender, as if Otto saw the sorrow in her expression. "No blood need be spilled, so the realm can carry on in peace."
While Rhaenyra was observing so attentively to the page, Otto saw her fragility. After so many years and she still had regards towards Alicent, he could see that. He could take advantage of it...
"Queen Alicent eagerly awaits your answer."
"She can have her answer now, stuffed in her father's mouth along with his withered cock. Let's end this mummer's farce. Sir Erryk, bring me Lord Hightower so I may take the pleasure myself!"
All swords up once more and the tension build again. Otto looked at them, the fact that sir Laenor and his sister didn't try to interfere at any moment in the negotiation, but Daemon Targaryen didn't shut up for a moment, made Otto wish to go into combat with the prince. He was ruining everything.
"No."
Daemon halted his movements and looked at his niece. She looked back with a serious countenance, imposing her desire to avoid blood. So the prince had no choice but to accept the princess's wishes and lowered his sword. Otto looked at his crew and signaled for his guards to lower their swords as well. There was a chance standing here yet, so he would try make the most of it.
"My Princess, all words uttered by me are not intended to hurt you. I am only here to ensure that everything can go smoothly, I urge you to please consider the King's terms, for the good of all, but most of all for your good, for your safety and that of your family."
Rhaenyra surreptitiously wiped the tear that fell from her eye.
"And what if I wish to place some other terms in this offering?"
"If it is your wish and the extra terms are within the limits of what the King can grant, then there is no impediment to adding terms in your name, Princess."
"I am no fool here, Lord Otto Hightower, I do not trust that my family is in safe hands, even if I am to go to King's Landing and bend the knee to Aegon." she looked upon her shoulder, over Laenor. He nodded at her. "I need to think. Is it possible for you to return within 2 days at least, so that I can consider all this, whether I should accept it or not and, if so, arrange a condition that can peacefully guarantee my and my family's safety?"
Better than he could ever thought it could go, Otto agree with no hesitation. With this, the meeting was over.
<Φ>
Oh, but of course, her uncle would be drowning in anger when everyone returned to the castle. He didn't stop walking nervously in the main room since then, Rhaenyra was feeling ridiculous for him. Daemon seemed more troubled by the situation than she and Laenor together.
"You can't be serious for a moment about accepting these horrendous terms coming from that scum!"
"Daemon, I need you to understand here that there's no use in me wanting to rally against Aegon and his scum if it means my children will be in danger, it's not worth it, not in thousands of years!" she felt sweat forming in her neck of this much of conversation in one fucking day. "I will think about it, but I'm in no hurry to throw myself into a war over that throne, even if it was stolen from me."
"Rhaenyra, we have a greater number of dragons compared to them! We can go head to head with the Hightowers and win, even with some damage, we can win and you take the throne back!"
She was getting tired of this litany. The princess couldn't even properly digest her father's death and the theft she'd suffered and now there was only argument over argument being thrown at her, about accepting terms of this, fighting for that, she was feeling… smothered.
"I know the stories my father told me and I know them very well. When dragons flew to war... everything burn. And I do not wish to rule over a kingdom of ash and bone."
"Are you considering the Hightowers' terms, my Princess?"
"If I were to be Queen, what is my true duty to the realm, Lord Bartimos? Ensuring peace and unity? Or that I sit the Iron Throne no matter the cost?"
Daemon rolled his eyes and walked to leave the room.
"That's your father talking."
She considered to respond to that, but Rhaenyra was tired of arguing with her uncle so she just let him be. Laena gave her a sympathetic look.
"It's alright. Let him sulk by himself, I have better things to worried about right now than my uncle's wishes of violence at any instance." she sighed, looking at the table with the map of Westeros carved into each end. "Would it be too weak of me really if I were to accept the terms of the usurper King?"
Her question meet silence and anxious looks.
"I believe, my wife, that it would be very brave of you to give up something that is rightfully yours for the sake of protecting our children and who knows what other lives, as well." Laenor smiled, trying to comfort her once more in that day.
"And, I believe I speak for everyone here in this room, that you would be showing an example of what it is to be a really sensible person and who thinks about the well-being of the family and everyone in the realm at the moment you abdicate the throne so that there is no a war within the family itself." Laena came to her side, holding her hand. Everyone in the room nodded in vehement agreement.
"Well, let it be an agreement with the Hightowers then."
Everyone was excuse to go back to their routines, leaving only Rhaenyra, Laenor and Laena in the room. The princess was thinking really hard about a term that could ensure the safety of her family and keep both parties in harmony, even if forced, so that there would be no room for conflict in the future. She had a very out-of-the-box idea, but one that could still assure her of a lot, but, first, Rhaenyra would have to talk with her husband.
"I have some terms to be put into the ones Otto already gave me. But there is one in particular, that I have to discuss, mostly with Laenor. So I need your opinion in this matter. Both of you."
The Velaryons gave her all the attention, so she had to speak. Now or never.
"I had the thought of a marriage could secure neutrality from the new Crown. A marriage between me and Alicent Hightower."
Laenor's eyes opened instantly with the words and Laena was catatonic for a few seconds, before letting out the loudest laugh Rhaenyra had heard in a while. The Targaryen felt her cheeks blush slightly with the reactions.
"Oh my... Are you- Is this your cue to take a beloved consideration towards Queen Alicent?"
"This, beloved cousin, is my way to have the usurper King really avoiding attacking my family, our family, in the future. Because his own mother would be married to me, by Old Valyrian traditions." she gave a smug smile "I would still be married with Laenor, but I could keep this other marriage with Alicent."
Laena smiled and Laenor finally reacted.
"Well... This is something I did not expected, but if you think it's an option that they will accept, I don't foresee any problem to put that term in discussion with Otto Hightower, since he is the father of your future betrothed."
Laena resume to laugh out loud, once again.
After some time, the Velaryons excuse themselves to go for a walk, brother and sister had little time in this past few years, they had a lot to talk. So Rhaenyra was left with her thoughts. Honestly, the idea came with a jolt in her head, she might have been playing with fire, but after Otto handed her that page deliberately and announcing that Alicent hadn't forgotten the moments they shared in the past, under the weirwood tree and so many other places. Rhaenyra felt that this might work, even though she and Alicent no longer talked like they used to, even though the only time in years they had indulged each other was at that blessed dinner, the Targaryen felt… hope.
From the shadows of the room, she saw her uncle appearing again, crestfallen.
"I heard your new plan." he gulped, still avoiding eye contact "I cannot believe in such lack of common sense. Rhaenyra, you're letting yourself be coerced by the Hightowers just like your father did years ago!"
"Uncle, Do you have any other ideas that don't involve a likely absurdly violent fight with our dragons? Do you have any other suggestions that could ensure the safety of this family at all levels? A suggestion that doesn't involve the death of several, or especially the death of one of us?"
His breathing was ragged and he finally looked at her. His jaw was impassive, grinding and flexing. His fingers literally turning colorless, such was the force that Daemon gripped the sword hilt.
"You don't have an answer for that, do you?" she gave him a really tired look. "I have no emotional conditions and no real desire to go to war now, uncle. I don't want my family getting involved in mass destruction in exchange for getting my person a chance to sit on that throne. If you would like to support me on this occasion, I would be very grateful. If you don't want to support, I will respect your opinion, but I ask you to respect my decision."
He just nodded and walked away silently.
<Φ>
The requested two days had passed like a breeze and Otto Hightower, once again, was present before Dragonstone. But this time, he was accompanied by his daughter, Alicent, who had Sir Criston Cole with her. A raven had been dispatched the day after his visit, requesting the presence of the dowager queen so that the terms offered could be discussed further and possibly accepted by the princess. Otto was feeling very pleased, as it had not been seen in a long time.
He felt that because princess Rhaenyra was the former heir to the throne, rather than Daemon, it was a fact to be thankful for. Otto didn't even want to imagine the horrors that could have happened if the rogue prince owned the inheritance today.
And Alicent... she was more than surprised and pleased with Rhaenyra wanting to talk about what was offered, peacefully and asking for her presence for such a conversation, the dowager queen tried not to show her anxiety so much, but her father's glances at her fingers, the reddened skin near her fingernails, hinted that Alicent was hiding nothing. Old habits are hard to break.
At their arrival, first thing Alicent saw was Rhaenyra, very prominent, wearing black with some red accents, plus the overcoat. Beside her were Laenor, Sir Erryk, and a little further away but very present were prince Daemon, his ladywife, Laena and Rhaenyra's own council. Their eyes met for a few seconds and the Hightower could see a different, dangerous glint hovering under the princess's gaze. She looked beautiful...
After some greetings, all of them reunited in the main room of Dragonstone castle and Rhaenyra began to talk.
"First, I want to thank you both for have the patience of coming here in person, so we can arrange this terms in the best way possible, in order to avoid any conflict." she made a brief pause and stared into Otto's eyes. "I hereby announce that I accept the terms granted to me, in order that I may officially pass my position as heir to the throne to my half-brother Aegon Targaryen, accepting him as the new King of the Seven Kingdoms."
Alicent couldn't help the sincere smile that spread across her face. Just like her father, who didn't make any point of hiding his relief.
"We are really pleased to hear this, Princess!"
"But, as I was offered the option of adding some more things, which are within the reach of the King to perform them. So I wish to add a few more terms to our royal agreement."
Otto hesitated for a moment, but nodded for Rhaenyra to continue.
"If I am to accept this terms, I wish for the crown that belonged to King Viserys, as a symbol for my possession as Princess of Dragonstone and I would like to receive the ring that belonged to my mother, which my father always carried with him."
"That can be arranged for you, Princess." Otto gave a small, sincere smile upon hearing the princess' wishes. "There is something else you would like to ask for?"
"Yes, actually. One more thing. In order to seek true security and peace within the family of the Targaryens and Hightowers, I believe that only a stable union between the two houses can secure our deal." another pause. Alicent felt a slight dizziness come over her. At Rhaenyra's words, she began to get an idea of what the princess was about to ask. A betroth. But in what sense? "With that, I would like to add one last term, in which I, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, ask that you, Lord Otto Hightower, grant me the hand of your daughter, Alicent Hightower in marriage, as if she is to accept my asking as well, so that our union by the Old Valyria traditions may secure any and all commitments between our families, and especially between the King and myself."
Never in all her life did Alicent blush so much as at that moment when Rhaenyra had the delicious audacity to ask for her hand in marriage. And, worst of all? She was completely willing to accept the request even before her own father said anything.