It's Time To Go // Criston Cole // Harwin Strong

101. Only Child

''Open the gate!"

''Hold your nerve, my Queen.'' Otto remarked. ''What we do, we do for the good of the realm.''

"I must confess a certain uneasiness now this is at hand." Alicent remarked. ''He may yet live.''

"Or he's been washed away with the sea and eaten by a shark." Aislynn countered. "What? I'm just being honest. Best possible outcome, he's dead already." 

"Aislynn, he could live." Alicent corrected. 

''But we must be prepared if he does not.'' Vaemond remarked. "YOur sister is right." Aislynn tipped her head to him. 

"The realm has enjoyed a long peace, a credit to the work of both Jaehaerys and Viserys, but the threat of war looms and may arrive on our shores." Otto told her ''When it does, will you want a child at the command of the greatest fleet in Westeros?''

''We must, of course... act in the interest of our subjects.'' Alicent agreed.

"Of our family, and the true Velaryon bloodline." Aislynn agreed nodding to Vaemond. 

''The next Lord of the Tides will be deeply in your debt, Your Grace. As will Driftmark... in all its strength." Vaemond encouraged.

+

''I wondered for many an hour what your purpose was in coming here. Whether you'd speak for or against the suit brought by Ser Vaemond. But then, I realized... you intend to advocate for yourself.'' Rhaenyra remarked calmly. ''This is no fair proceeding. It is a trap set by the Queen and the Hand, I'd wager, to proclaim my son illegitimate.''

''Yet you did worse than that with Laenor. Did you not?'' Rhaenys spat.

''I loved your son. You may not believe it to be true, but I did. I did not order his death. Nor was I complicit in it. I swear this to you.'' Rhaenyra didn't kill Laenor. She had someone else do it. ''I'll make you an offer. Back Luke's claim, and let us betroth Laena's children to mine. Baela will be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and her sons will be heirs to the throne. Rhaena will rule in Driftmark, and... the seat will pass to her and Lucerys's children in time.' Rhaenyra said quickly.

'A generous offer.'' Rhaenys agreed ''Or a desperate one.'' She added stiffly

'' What does it matter?' Rhaenyra countered and Rhaenys chuckled softly.

''You are right in this, at least. It does not matter.'' Rhaenys agreed ''You can bargain with me all you like. Bring my granddaughter with you to soften my resolve. But tomorrow, the High towers land their first blow. They force you to your knees... and I must stand alone."

+

''Alicent? Alicent...'' Viserys said with a heavy breath.

''No, it's Rhaenyra, father.'' She heard his stiff breath in his lungs as he looked to her.

"Rhaenyra." He murmured softly as thunder raged outside the window. He was in no fit state to do or be any use for the meeting.

"The Song of Ice and Fire." Do you believe it to be true?" Rhaenyra asked eagerly. Aislynn hesitated at the door, seeing it a crack open she thought Alicent was being the good and dutiful wife as she had been since she married that awful muppet of a man. 

''Aegon's Dream.'' Viserys agreed.

"Dreams? Was he a gypsy?" Aislynn murmured under her breath. 

''You told me it was our duty to hold the realm united against a common foe. By naming me heir, you divided the realm." Rhaenyra reminded him, Viserys continued breathing heavily, pained breaths Rhaenyra didn't recognize her father anymore. ''I thought I wanted it. But the burden is a heavy one.' Rhaenyra admitted softly. ''It's too heavy.''

''My... My only child.''

Aislynn held back a scoff, your only fucking child that ran away with your brother, who you hate? What the hell viserys, she wanted to smother him with his pillow. 

''If you wish me to bear it, then defend me. And my children." Rhaenyra begged. But Viserys fell back to sleep. Rhaenyra spun around at the clicking of Aislynn's heels on the ground. 

"Wow, thats really touching Rhaenyra, you leave, no word or contact beside a marriage and death announcement and now you need daddy to fix your fucking problems... again." Aislynn declared. 

"This is not about you." Rhaenyra hissed. 

"Which part? I'm just trying to bring justice to the realms." Aislynn reminded her. 

"You are vermin sent to destroy me." Rhaenyra corrected and Aislynn chuckled light heartedly. 

"You know its funny I think Viserys said the same thing about Daemon after he claimed to fuck you in a pleasure house all those years ago... now here we are." 

"Daemon loves me. My father will choose me!"

"He choose you, the people agreed because what were they supposed to do? Say no to the king. But look what a damn disappointment you have become. What you always were. But now the realms see you as we do. Nothing more then a whore begging daddy to throw money at a problem and make it go away. He's not saving your ass from the mess you made. Not this time."

Rhaenyra had the sinking feeling that Aislynn was right.