Drama Queen // Otto Hightower // Thea Queen

5. Frightening & Beautiful

'Is everything all right, Your Grace?' Alicent questioned coming up to a large and crackling fire where Viserys stood, needing solace.

'You know, I... I named her... to protect the realm from Daemon. She was my only child. "The Realm's Delight." I named her out of love because I no longer believed...'

'Believed what, my love?' Alicent questioned and Viserys sighed

'Many in my line have been dragon riders. Very few among us have been dreamers. What is the power of a dragon... next to the power of prophecy.' Viserys told her

'The hour is too late, husband.'

'When Rhaenyra was a child... I saw it in a dream... as vivid as these flames, I saw it. A male babe born to me... wearing the Conqueror's crown.' Viserys told her confidently. 'And I so wanted it to be true, to be a dreamer myself. I sought that vision again, night after night... but it never came again. I poured all my thought and will into it. And my obsession killed Rhaenyra's mother.'

'Viserys.' Alicent tried to calm him

'I thought Rhaenyra was the way out of my abyss of grief and regret. And naming her heir would begin to set things right.'

'Oh, it did.' Alicent assured

'I never imagined I would remarry... that I would have a son.' Viserys told her his confidence wavering. 'What if I was wrong?' he heard a horn blowing in the distance the beast had been found. He put a hand on her stomach running his hands along her dress. Hoping for another boy, he couldn't handle another girl. But Alicents gaze shifted to her father confused to why his attention had shifted. She never thought he would remarry. He never seemed interested but he seemed very interested in someone tonight.

+

Otto saw Thea staring off as the sun disappeared from the sky yet she stared still at where the sun fled to. He hesitated turning back to the door before remembering he needed to Man the fuck Up and talk to her.

If this union was to work he had to try. Even if Thea had already deemed them platonic and she was never having children and when he started going senile she may or may not kill him off to keep from having to deal with him. Possibly sooner if he irritated her yet here he was going up to her wine glasses in hand.

She glanced over at him just barely as he sat beside her on the steps. Wordlessly he handed her the wine she stared back at it though.

"Im not one for posion." Otto informed her. She took it from and looked him in the eyes.

"I am." She countered taking a sip.

"You know you are both frieghtening and beautiful at the same time." Otto declared. It slipped out before he could stop himself. He expected Thea to say something snide but she laughed.

"I think thats quite possibly the best compliment Ive ever gotten." Thea informed him as she tapped her glass to his.

Maybe this could work. Maybe this was all they needed bonding through wine and his slight terror at his bride to be.

+

'He may not be white, Your Grace. But he's a big lad.' Harwin remarked as they got closer to the Hart.

'Your Grace... for the kill'. Jason offered his spear and Viserys took it. The hart bellowed and thrashed in their restaints.

'Right here, Your Grace.' A huntman remarked showing him where to strike. The hart wailed but didn't fall 'One more time, Your Grace. A little bit to your left.' The huntsman told him so again Viserys struck. The hart shrieked before collapsing to the ground. The hunter applauded their king.

Rhaenyra watch as a white Hart came up, stared at her. a white hart was good luck, a prophecy. She didn't want it to suffer.

'No.' her voice barely a rasp but the hart understood running off. When Rhaenyra got back to the camp she had blood dried onto her clothes but she walked with confidence and elegance. She was a queen. Thea smiled back at giving her a round of applause.

"Someone had fun," Thea remarked and Rhaenyra shrugged. "Fuck your handsome guard?"

"Lady Thea!" Rhaenyra declared glad for the darkness to cover her blush.

"Look at you as regal as a queen."

Thea Queen however felt less like a queen but not a peasant as she got to know Otto. It was strange. Maybe she could tolerate the old man after all.