บท 72: 72

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113 AC

Kingslanding

Otto Hightower

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Hearing a Knock at the door I know my Daughter has arrived and I stand to head to let her in. It took her longer than I expected to read the Tower of the Hand of the King but I suppose anything could have caught her up. Reaching the door I open it and see my daughter standing on the other side with her hands held together and a smile on her face.

"Father." She gives a slight nod of her head and I step aside before waving her into the room.

I nod at each of the guards outside of the door and then shut it behind me, I don't want anyone overhearing what I plan to say. Discretion and secrecy are of the utmost importance in this endeavor and there can't be any room for failure. The opportune moment has arrived now that Aemma is confirmed to have arrived in Sunspear and will be staying for at least a moon.

"How are you this morn?" I ask as I head back to my chair while also guiding her to the chair before my desk.

She looks around confused but quickly follows my lead as she should and takes a seat with her hands placed neatly on her lap.

"I am fine, Father." I nod as I pull my seat back out and sit on it while maintaining eye contact.

So much of her Mother is in her eyes, surely that will help her with what I plan to ask of her.

"There is something I need for you to do, it is not something I necessarily want to ask of you but... it's for the good of the realm." She leans back in her seat with her hands wringing together in obvious stress.

"W-What would that be, Father?" I set my hands on the desk and lean forward.

"I need you to do something, I need for you to help the King." Her eyebrows raise and she looks around the room once more as if expecting someone else to be in here with us.

"Help the King?" She asks leaning forward and barely letting out a whisper.

I nod while leaning back into my seat and looking at her with mixed emotions, this plan is a dangerous one and she will be out in the open. She has a long friendship with Rhaenyra but other than that she has very few people she mingles with. A deliberate move on my part that I am coming to regret but the past is written and the ink is dry.

What I want for her to do is to strengthen our connection to the throne and the royal family... by joining the royal family. Many secret ravens with my Brother and he has me convinced this is both possible and a good thing for our House and the House of the Dragon. Their numbers have plummeted and the only newly born children going forward will be Martells until one takes the throne and then takes its Mothers name.

Daemon refuses to honor his Wife and the King's Wife only survived birthing Visenya by a miracle of the Seven. Even if Daemon started having children with his wife I doubt they would be anything more than trouble like their Father. So the only option is for the King to set aside his sickly wife who can not bear him any more babes and take a new Wife. There must be more Targaryens if something was to happen to Rhaenyra and a Great council was called.

I dread the fight between the Martells and Daemon that would break out should Rhaenyra turn up dead. Instead, there need to be more options and Alicent needs to be wed soon anyway, it's risky but a proper opportunity is presenting itself. With the Queen gone and the King locked in grief and suffering a wound from the throne it's the perfect time. Alicent can approach him to help him and slowly seduce him into making a mistake.

Then he will be left with no choice but to marry her, the High Septon is already behind the plan according to my Brother. A quick Annulment and a speedy marriage afterwards which will bear many more Targaryens with a blood connection to my House. A proper option to fall back on should something happen to Rhaenyra, it's almost perfect.

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113 AC

Water Gardens

Daeron Nymeros Martell

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"Visenya is an excellent little swimmer, a mighty pair of legs for someone so small." I help Visenya play in the water as my family minus my Father and Brother all enjoy the sun.

"Aegon is getting jealous." Rhaenyra speaks up with humor lacing her tone, I turn to see my son sitting up watching me with his 'aunt' with obvious displeasure on his chunky face.

"What is it, boy?" I ask as he watches on while chewing on his dragon toy completely covering it in spit. "You cried last time, look at Visenya swing her legs around and smile wide." Aegon is having none of my provocation as he shows his unnatural strength off by winding his arm back and tossing his dragon toy.

It splashes in the water and he goes to wide mouth screaming seeing he missed his target. I receive numerous frowns as if it is my fault and I am left only with Visenya enjoying my company as everyone fusses over the little Prince.

"Spoiled little shit." I mutter while lifting Visenya up out of the water wadding over to where the toy is to retrieve it.

But before I can close in on it a black mass dives into the water sending water in all directions. My eyes widen seeing Balerion break out of the water with a triumphantly closed mouth screech. Like a dog with a ball, he climbs out of the pool with the toy and pushes his way through the crowd of women to return the toy to Aegon.

""Good Balerion."" The dragon is praised and I swear he casts a vindictive look over his shoulder as he is petted by numerous hands.

I am left with Visenya on my hip watching on in awe at the 'show' my Son and his Dragon put on and soak in all the attention. Visenya smacking my side pulls my attention away however and I turn to see her own dragon swimming around us. Likely seeing Balerion take a dip the little albino dragon quickly tried it out for itself and seems to be enjoying itself.

"Alright, back to swimming little one." Easing Visenya back into the water being careful to support her with my hands under her armpits she quickly returns to kicking around and smiling wide.

----

"I think the rooms are nicer here than they are at Sunspear." My Mom mutters as she returns to the fire pit outside under the stars with the rest of the 'adults' as we sip on fancy wines.

"You can thank me for that." I shamelessly take credit, I might not have actually built them but I designed them.

"Whatever." Her nose scrunches up as she steals the Dornish red from my hand and takes a seat beside Myriah who snorts in amusement.

I place a hand over my heart as I shake off the blatant disregard and my Wife slips her arm around me in a show of 'comfort'. I lean my head on hers while watching my Mom finish off my bottle, wondering if that was how she drank them back when she was like eleven. She told me one time she used to sneak into the kitchen to steal bottles of wine and show up to her Septa drunk off her ass. No one watched her and she wanted attention so she got it one way or the other and if not she was too shit-faced to notice anyway.

An absolutely wild concept to my more modern mind but I guess I can't really say anything based on my current circumstances.

"Want to go check out Bloodstone or even Lys tomorrow?" I suddenly ask feeling a little adventurous.

"Really?" Rhaenyra asks first after the chatter dies from my sudden question.

"Yeah, I kind of want to check on the progress of Lewyn's island with my own eyes and maybe fly by Lys on a quick little stop. I have not been to Lys since I took the city by force and left a greedy banker in charge of everything. I am certain nothing could go wrong with that..." Rhaenyra chuckles as she shakes her head.

"Yea I am sure he is running it exactly how you intended and is not dipping into every purse and vault he can get his hands into. All while making plans to flee to another Free City out of your reach with all the gold he can carry. Maybe Pentos or Braavos, he could already be planning his escape right now." I turn my head and kiss her head while pulling her against my side enjoying her warm softness.

"Not likely, Pentos is still kicking up a fuss with Braavos and I will be needing to settle that sooner than later. Braavos hates competition or rather the Iron Bank hates competition and would sooner kill Lysandro Rogare if he arrived seeking to hide than to let him be sheltered. The other two of the three daughters would also be in a similar circumstance but more from being angry at the man for bowing to me and being the cause of Lys fully breaking off." I hum while running my hand up her side and watching the fire burn away at the logs I tossed into it.

"What about Volantis or another Free City?" Aemma asks curiously and I purse my lips in thought for a moment.

I look toward her and find her sitting on her legs tucked into herself staying warm in the cold winds the desert kicks up at night. A bottle of her own clutched in her hands as if seeking warmth from it making me almost laugh at the sight. It is nice to see another side of my Good Mother instead of the caged bird she usually is.

"Volantis might would help him out... though it would be easy to find him for the right price and if I threw my weight around." I notice Aemma raise an eyebrow in confusion and mouth 'Throw his weight'. "If I landed my dragon on top of their black wall and demanded he be brought out or I melt the wall to a puddle they would throw him out. Hell, they would throw out anyone who even resembles him in a bid to save their walls from being marred like the wall of Lys. I intend to have it fixed but there has been a fuss kicked up over the walls around Lys being 'tainted'." If they wanted pretty walls they should not have stabbed their Dragon Lords in their sleep after the Doom and slayed the few dragons sleeping on the island.

"I take it the other cities each have their own problems?" Myriah speaks up with sarcasm heavy in her tone but I still nod.

"There is no hiding unless he went past the bone mountains and then it just would not be worth the effort on his part. His best bet is to do as I say and build up his family's influence and power while under my 'protection'." I would not fly out to defend him from a measly assassin but I am a verbal hammer to swing around.

Like anyone causing him, problems could be threatened with my dragon's fire to straighten them up.

"I would love to see Lewyn again... Lys could be nice to visit as well but I don't want to take Aegon..." Rhaenyra finally speaks up again adjusting herself to sit against me more comfortably.

"I am sure I could watch Aegon for a few days, I would have his other Grandmother to help me and Visenya to distract him." My Mother pounces like a big cat on the hunt when she saw an opportunity to have some 'Aegon time'.

Rhaenyra a little drunk seems surprised as if she did not think about the possibility and slowly nods.

"I will think about it... maybe." She presses her face against me as she hands over her empty cup which I take before she can drop it.

My Mother seems pleased and Myriah shakes her head at everything going on with a small smile. She also saw plainly how our Mother is trying to get some alone time with her Grandbaby and it amuses us both. But I am feeling conflicted since it would be the first time I was away from Aegon for any long period of time.

We will see if it is to be.