Dreams, Dragons, and Deceit || Aemond & Aegon Targaryen

A New King

It took hours for the princess to finally fall asleep that night, tossing and turning until the hour of the wolf. Eventually, from sheer exhaustion, she drifted off.

Frantic and disoriented, Visaera squealed as she was hauled from bed by Ser Jaunton, who apologized profusely, even as he dragged her from her rooms to the Queen's chambers. Then he was dismissed, leaving her standing in the center of Alicent's rooms in only her nightdress. Aemond was sitting on the sofa in front of the hearth, watching the flames dance in the darkness.

"Visaera, there you are," Alicent greeted, a sniffle following. The skin around her eyes was raw and Visaera could tell she had been crying. The Queen's gaze lingered pointedly on the angry red marks Aemond had left on her skin, but she said nothing about them. "The King has passed in the night." Visaera went to bed with the knowledge she would never see him again, now all she could do was nod, feeling strangely detached from her own feelings.

Behind his mother, Aemond sat, still as a statue, but for his hands. His fingers rubbed back and forth across each other, clearly desperate to keep themselves busy with something.

"Aemond?" He glanced at her and then back at the fire, avoiding eye contact and making her stomach drop. Alicent was watching them both with a knowing look in her eye. Visaera glanced back and forth between him and his mother, wondering what had been said between them in her absence. Something just wasn't right...

"Visaera, my love, we're going to crown Aegon, as Viserys commanded, and when the coronation is over, we will begin planning the wedding." The sweet tone of the Queen's voice made her so sick that it took her a moment to register what Alicent had said.

"I-what?" Visaera breathed, as the words finally sank in. "No, no you can't do that. My mother has been named the heir to the throne." Alicent shook her head and reached for Visaera, as though she was speaking to a small child.

"No, no. You were there, dear. Viserys said Aegon—" Repeatedly shaking her head, Visaera backed away from the Queen.

"He didn't know what he was saying! He called me Rhaenyra! My Queen, what you speak of is treason. Please, just let me write to my mother—"

"Did you not hear a word I just said, child? The King's dying wish was to see his son crowned." Alicent insisted, stepping toward her.

"No, no! That's your wish!" Visaera cried out, taking another step away from the Queen.

"That is enough, Visaera," Otto commanded, stepping into Alicent's chambers. "If you wish to send a raven, by all means, you can send your mother assurances of your support, and ask for hers in return."

"I will not," Visaera replied, glaring at him. "You're no Hand of the Hing; merely the hand that overreaches, and my mother will have your fucking head." Otto's mouth tightened into a thin line and he nodded at Ser Criston.

"Take her to her room, bar the door. Hopefully, her grandmother will—"

"My grandmother?" Visaera perked at the mention of Rhaenys and she found a sliver of hope. She hadn't even known that Rhaenys was still in King's Landing, let alone in the Red Keep. "My grandmother's here?" Already, Cole was gripping her around the arms, squeezing them with bruising force.

"What are you doing?" she cried, struggling against him, "Get your fucking hands off me!" She turned to look at the prince, who continued staring at the fire. "You're just going to let them do this?" she pleaded, waiting for him to turn and look at her. "Aemond!" Cole dragged her from the room, making her arms ache, "Aemond!" She screamed his name until Cole clapped his hand roughly over her mouth, squishing her face until she tried to bite him.