''Something must be done. Aegon is unfit to rule.'' Arryk remarked as Erryk stared down at the fighting pits, the childrens fighting pits. ''You tolerated the Prince's proclivities for years." Arryk added
''Because it was my sworn duty, Arryk.'' Erryk reminded him. 'It's for the Hand to find wisdom. We swore an oath of service until death.'' He hissed.
''A moment of your time, m'lords." Jayne said as she approached them. Erryk looked her over deciding her a whore.
''You'll find no buyers for your wares here.'' Erryk hissed
''I can take you to Prince Aegon.' Jayne told them and that caught their attention, they righted their stance and turned to her, the shouts and cries around them from the pits bouncing off the walls. ''Rather, I am sent by one who knows where he is... Who'll tell you, for a price.'' Jayne offered.
''Deliver him, and we'll consider your price.'' Arryk retorted.
''My mistress will not treat with the servants of the Keep... exalted though they may be. She'll trust this to the Hand of the King only.'' Jayne informed him confidently.
''Impossible.''
''I think he will wish to hear what the White Worm can tell him." The brothers shared a look before nodding.
+
The bells were trolling, lord Caswell waited impatiently atop his horse as the gates opened he was almost free.
"Halt! Hold the gate!"
Caswells horse neighed as Caswell was grabbed, yanked from his horse.
"Let go of me!" Allun Caswell screamed out but they had their orders and he was delivered to the hand of the king... queen.
''He was fleeing from the gate.' Larys informed Otto.
''Do you know who I am?" Allun asked incredulously as he forced himself from the knights harsh grip.
'' A warning for the Princess, I'd wager.'' Larys went on ignoring Allun.
"What say you?" Otto asked, a fire raging behind him as he stared down Allun. He didn't need deserters.
'' The Lord Confessor presumes....' Allun corrected defensively. ''I have no love for the Princess.''
''And where were you going then with such urgency?'' Otto countered and Allun said nothing. He took this as a sign of guilty. "Let the King's Justice take him." Otto instructed and he was dragged away kicking and screaming out.
"Let go of me! No! This is not right!"
" You did well, Lord Larys." Otto said calmly and Larys nodded his thanks.
"I will make you..." Allun's words drifted off as he got farther away.
" Only my duty, my Lord Hand." Larys offered.
"Who do you think you are?" Alluns voice wavered faintly from afar.
" You've spent many hours with the Queen of late." Otto remarked stiffly.
" There's no reason those hours could not, in the end, benefit you." Larys informed him, rocking his cane gently on the ground at his feet.
+
Viserys was wrapped, his face and body covered in fine cloth, his crown placed upon his stomach. Alicent wept over him, before taking a deep and steading breath heading to Rhaenys.
"I will do you the considerable courtesy of assuming there is a good reason for the outrage of my treatment here this morning. Rhaenys hissed when Alicent entered her chambers.
"My sincerest regrets for the lack of ceremony." Alicent remarked.
" The King." Rhaenys realized. Alicent nodded. "And you are usurping the throne." Rhaenys said through an exasperated breath.
" It was my husband's dying wish." Alicent informed her stiffly but Rhaenys scoffed out a breath. ''Believe it or no, it is of no consequence. Aegon will be king.' Alicent informed her. " I came here to ask your support."
" Well, I must credit you for your boldness." Rhaenys seethed.
" House Velaryon has long allied itself with the Princess Rhaenyra and what has it gained you? Your daughter dead... alone in Pentos. Your son cuckolded. Rhaenyra's heirs are none of yours. It is your husband who grasps so heedlessly for the throne." Alicent reminded her. ''And even he has abandoned you: gone these six long years to fight a desperate battle, returning grievously, if not mortally, wounded, leaving the Lady of Driftmark to chart her course alone."
" The word of my house is not fickle." Rhaenys said insulted as she walked the room.
" No. But, dear cousin... you more than any soul alive understand what I say now. Princess Rhaenys, I loved my husband, but I will speak the truth we both know." Alicent begged following her to the window and grabbing her hands. 'You should've been queen.''
''I little thought to hear those words from you.' Rhaenys remarked softly.
''The Iron Throne was yours by blood and by temperament. Viserys would've lived his days a country lord, content to hunt and study his histories, but... here we are. We do not rule but we may guide the men that do. Gently... away from violence and sure destruction and instead toward peace." Alicent offered hopefully but Rhaenys pulled away from her storming the room with a groan.
''Ugh. Is it in the name of peace that you've imprisoned me? And what of my dragon?" Rhaenys questioned not looking to Alicent her anger rising.
''If we are overmatched, Rhaenyra will be tempted to strike us, and war will ensue." Alicent reasoned. ''Without your dragon, she may be persuaded to negotiate. If it's Driftmark you want, you shall have it for you and your granddaughters to pass on as you see fit."
" You are wiser than I believed you to be... Alicent Hightower." Rhaenys turned to her venom in her gaze.
" A true queen counts the cost to her people."
" And yet you toil still in service to men. Your father, your husband, your son. You desire not to be free, but to make a window in the wall of your prison. Have you never imagined yourself... on the Iron Throne?" Rhaenys countered and Alicent stared at her for a long moment a heavy silence filled them.
'' I'll leave you with your thoughts. Ring the bell when you have an answer.'' Alicent offered instead as she left the door sealing closed behind her.
+
"What if I told you I'm a mastermind?" Aemond glanced over at Uri. "I always have a plan, im excellent at adapting, obviously new realm and all."
"Also quite flexible." Aemond added. "But what does that have to-"
"You don't know your brother is, that's obvious with our wandering." Uri went on. "Who else is looking for Aegon?"
"The hand, Otto and Erryk and Arryk." Criston informed her.
"The Hand?" Uri repeated. "Do you have iron fist here too?"
"What?" Aemond questioned through a laugh.
"Never mind," Uri said clearing her thoughts of Danny Rand and secret under ground societies and kung fu magic. "Television...." Uri said but remembered they didn't have electricity. "Anyways..." Uri said slowly. "So these Erryk guys they know him?"
"Yes."
"They play dirty?" Uri went on.
"The hand has been known to." Criston agreed.
"You think he has moles, spies, eyes pretending to be loyal to crown?" Uri offered and Aemond nodded. "Where do the sketchy people populate?"
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Mastermind // Aemond Targaryen (1)
FanfictionAemond had a dragon. Uri held the dragon flame. Together they could be unstoppable. 🧚♀️ Uri was destined for more than teaching fairies at Alfea while chasing down burned ones her gateway ring opens and sends her to a new realm. One where her fir...
