Forget Me Not

🍁 Chapter 10 🍁

There was a visible commotion in the Red Keep. The servants were moving from one place to another with haste, while Queen Alicent was supervising them.

Lord Lyonel Strong was watching the queen through a window in the Tower of the Hand. "It seems that Her Grace is really excited about her stepdaughter's visit," he remarked.

"Who would not be excited to greet a lovely baby, Father?" Lord Larys, who was standing beside Lord Lyonel, said. He added, "It has been a year since Princess Rhaenyra left for Dragonstone. Her Grace must have missed her so much. Also, Princess Rhaenyra's newborn son is a very healthy and adorable boy with beautiful 'brown' hair."

Lord Lyonel knew that the last sentence was aimed at him. However, he chose to remain silent.

A few moments later, carriages arrived at the Red Keep. Princess Rhaenyra stepped down from one carriage with her newborn son, his wetnurse, and her ladies-in-waiting. The door of another carriage opened and Ser Laenor stepped down with Prince Jacaerys, Prince Lucerys and Princess Naerys. The other carriages carried personal servants and the wetnurses of Prince Lucerys and Princess Naerys.

Lord Lyonel and Lord Larys' eyes fell on Rhaenyra and her children as the herald announced their arrival. The queen welcomed them with a wide smile on her face. Rhaenyra returned her smile but both of them knew that they were not at all happy to meet each other. However, Rhaenyra was not right about that. Alicent was more than happy to welcome Rhaenyra. But it was not out of love for her stepdaughter. Rather, she was glad to have an opportunity to insult Rhaenyra for birthing another baseborn child.

Alicent accompanied Rhaenyra, Laenor and the newborn child to King Viserys' chamber while the wetnurses took Jacaerys, Lucerys and Naerys to another chamber. Ser Harwin did not like the smile on Alicent's face. With great difficulty, he controlled the urge to break her milky white teeth while walking behind Rhaenyra.

The King's chamber:

King Viserys was overjoyed on seeing his daughter. He walked towards the door of his chamber as he saw them approaching and embraced his daughter.

"Daughter," he said. "It has been such a long time."

Alicent said, "His Grace is talking as if he has not seen his daughter for ages. But it has only been a year."

Viserys said to Alicent, "A year, you say. But to me it was ages, for I have never been away from my precious child for so long."

"Oh Father," Rhaenyra said as she embraced her father again.

Alicent took the newborn child from Laenor and started rocking the child in her arms. She noticed that he was indeed a healthy boy with fair skin, brown eyes, brown hair and a pug nose, just like his brothers and his mother's sworn protector, Ser Harwin. She placed the boy in Viserys' arms.

Viserys' eyes became moist when he saw his grandson. "He is so lovely," Viserys said.

"Yes, he is," Laenor replied. "He will make a fearsome knight some day."

Viserys said, "What have you named him? I hope you have decided something. It has been almost two moons since the boy was born and it would be unseemly if he is still nameless."

"His name is Joffrey," Rhaenyra replied.

"A rather unusual name for a Velaryon," Alicent commented.

Laenor said, "I wanted to name my son after my dear friend and companion, Joffrey Lonmouth."

Alicent said to him, "Ser Joffrey of House Lonmouth, the Knight of Kisses. I remember him, Aye. He died when Ser Criston cracked his helm with his morningstar in your wedding tourney."