would've could've should've | the dance of the dragons

the goodwill

"I just want to be sure that we are doing the right things and that's all."

"This was your plan, should I remind you that?", Rhaenyra raised an eyebrow at her husband. "Or should I remind you that our countless arguments and the lengths you went to only to convince me? You don't get to have cold feet now Harwin. We are doing this."

"But they are our boys.", Harwin tried again while trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

It was early morning, their guest was to arrive in a couple of hours and Alicent the ever the worrying one wanted to make one final council meeting before their arrival. Rhaenyra had already flown with Syrax and taken a bath when Harwin finally managed to wake up. Now she was brushing her hair in front of a mirror and was wearing a white robe. Harwin, on the other hand, was still sitting on the bed without a shirt, his hair was messy and his eyes were screaming about how tired they are.

And the 'our boys' argument. It was a sore wound still. Jace knew, Jace always knew Harwin was his father. But this didn't change the fact even after 15 years he decided to keep his distance from him. And from her. They didn't know what to do about it, only that ever since he got of age he's been travelling the world and finding excuses not to spend time with them. Even before that, he would talk less and less with them with every passing day and would focus on Luke and Joffrey -not on his twin sisters, not even once.

Rhaenyra felt guilt, and Harwin felt even worse than her. They both were adults, they didn't expect a fairytale, and they were aware of the fact that still people whispered about them -especially about her. So many people were mutilated and few were killed for merely stating that her sons were bastards, of course, nobody had expected that there would be no consequences after she come clean. It was the hardest time of her life, Viserys had just died and she was trying to rule the realm as a regent but Alicent and the council pushed her to confess. She understood her friend now, not back then but now. She had suffered because of her lies and manipulations, she deserved an apology, her kids deserved an apology and her own children deserved the truth.

She still remembered the day she went to a public trial where she confessed everything. She knew nothing was going to happen to her now, she understood that she was never in danger but back then she had just made things right with Alicent, she didn't trust her, she was sure that she was going to die. Alicent -for the first time in history, became the judge herself -with Corlys and Tyland (both men loathed her at this point). But she was fair and just and saved Rhaenyra. Of course, there was a talk of punishment. Some suggested taking Dragonstone from her, or take Syrax, or taking her princess status and disinheriting her, both Corlys and Tyland actually supported it, and of course execution or castration for Harwin and execution for Lyonel -for knowing the truth but hiding it, and of course death for Jace and Luke -because they were old enough to realize what was going on and sending Joffrey to the wall.

Laenor stopped it all.

He took the blame, he told everyone that their wedding was never consummated -which was a lie and that he begged her to have lovers so that people wouldn't make fun of him and that it was he who pushed for those mutilations and executions. Corlys was red with anger and Tyland knew it all was a lie but when Laenor suggested to gave up his rights on Driftmark, Alicent chose to believe those lies and let them go.

And then married Rhaenyra and Harwin to erase the shame on them and make those children legitimate. In the first few years, they didn't have their princely titles, they were known as Master Jacaerys, Master Lucerys and Master Joffrey and their daughters weren't even ladies because even though they got married, the people didn't forget anything. They got their titles back only when Aegon and Helaena welcomed their second son Maelor eight years ago. They weren't even allowed at the Red Keep before that, they were living in Harrenhal with Lyonel -who didn't go to the capital ever again because of the shame.