Epiphany // Alicent Hightower

53. Worry & Boredom

It wasnt long after Taelon got back and Nyra left for her royal tour that Alicent was giving birth again. 

"I'm an uncle again!" Tommen declared happily. 

Taelon and Alicent had twins again, girls. 

"I had some thoughts." Alicent remarked. "For their names."

"Yes?" Taelon questioned but Alicent was at a loss for words. Taelon holding their daughter was the cutest thing. 

"I'm going to need you to draw a picture of you holding them because I need this memory forever." Alicent declared. 

"I really hoped they would have hair like yours." Taelon whispered kissing her little head. 

"I like your hair." Alicent countered. 

"As long as they are beautiful and kind like you." Taelon agreed. "What names were you thinking?"

"Aemma, after your mum." Alicent remarked and Taelon's breath caught in his throat. "Oh I'm sorry-"

"No, I like that." Taelon agreed softly. "I really do." 

"Hurts to say her name sometimes." Taelon admitted. 

"Emma?" Alicent countered. 

"Emma." Taelon repeated. Emma Angel, Emma Monster, Emma Targaryen the first of her name, cutest little bundle of joy ever made. 

"And well for your great, great, great something grandmother... what about Avalon?" Taelon smiled back at her as he sat down she leaned into him contently. 

''Avalon and Emma.'' Taelon agreed. "That's wonderful." 

When Viserys came to visit Tommen and Harwin were already in the chambers. 

"That was so sweet, thank you Ser Harwin." Alicent declared. Tommen beamed back at her though. 

"I definitely helped with that." Tommen declared. 

"He definitely did not." Harwin corrected. 

"It was my idea!" Tommen corrected. 

"And you got bored of looking." Harwin countered. 

"I didnt get bored, I looked in all the places." Tommen corrected. 

"Clearly not all." Taelon mused. 

"Shut up and be grateful." Tommen teased. 

"I know Taelon read and reread your great, great grans journals. He used to bring it everywhere. Harenhal when we were younger. Thought there must be more." Harwin remarked. 

"I thought there must be more." Tommen corrected. 

"Is that avalon's journal?" Viserys questioned. Taelon smiled down at the words. "I think that Taelon has that book memorized."

"It was one of the things we bonded over." Alicent remarked. "Gave me an excuse to talk to Taelon... I was so nervous to talk to you back then. It seems like forever ago now." 

"It was forever ago." Taelon agreed leaning into her. "And we have five children... what a wild ride."

+

 '...the wall Blackhaven are unscalable vassalstone. And the castle is surrounded by a deep, dry moat. It is well fortified against any future Dornish incursions.' Beric Dondarrion began. Rhaenyra sat bored as she was to choose from suitors. The line was endless and the options were still awful. Perhaps because she was in love with Taelon for so long everyone else just seemed very meh in comparison. 'And though my seat may be lesser in size, it is situated most pleasingly.' He went on clearing his throat he moved to pour himself a glass of wine. 'The view across the Marches is inspiring, so said Queen Alysanne herself when she honored my father and I...'

'And tell me, Lord Dondarrion,' Rhaenyra spoke up. 'did you think my great-grandmother as beautiful as they say?'

'This was half a century ago, Princess.'

'Yes, it was.' She agreed and the crowd of spectators laughed in agreement.

'That was unseemly, Princess.' Criston remarked. 

'The man is older than my father. It's unseemly for him to put himself forward as a contender for my hand.' Rhaenyra corrected her guard. 'Next!' she demanded. 'And now a child.' Rhaenyra shook her head, this was useless.

Nyra had heard of the birth of twins. Taelon's twins with the she devil. Nyra was to find a husband and get over Taelon but what if he was the one for her?

'The Black woods are an ancient house with a formidable army.' Boremund Baratheon began. He stared up at her hopefully. 'In the River lands, they once ruled as kings. The blood of the First Men still flows in their veins.'

'Go on.'

'My Princess... ours is a bond that has long endured, since Lucas Black wood, the grand sire of my grand sire, aided the Dragon in his war of conquest...' Boremund reminded her.

'Aye, the Black woods truly turned the tide on that one.' One of the men in the crowd shouted and Boremunds confidence flickered as the crowd laughed again

'Coursed with the blood of the First Men, our history is deeply rooted in this land, which your house has made its home. If chosen as your match, Princess... your days shall be easy and nights safe under my protection.' Boremund went on.

"Protection"?' the man spoke up again. 'The Princess has a dragon, you dumb cunt.'

Days would be boring and nights would be dreadful. She wanted to go home. As much as she hated Taelon and ALicent right now she wanted to go home. 

'Bracken!' he was scolded but he kept on laughing

'I could learn to like that one.' Rhaenyra remarked. 'Ugh, let us have the next so we may go to supper.'

'Craven.'

'Ooh!' the crowd declared as Bracken and Boremund faced off.

'We're leaving.' Criston told Rhaenyra leading her away.

'Sheathe that steel, you twats!'

'Send word to the harbor and have Captain Oswin ready the ship.' Rhaenyra said as they walked.

'Princess, we're due in Bitter bridge in three days' time.' Cole corrected

'I would happily row myself back to King's Landing if it brought an end to this ridiculous pageant. Taelon will be happy to see me.' Rhaenyra told him, at least that was the hope. Bracken grunted, falling to the ground, the child Boremund had taken him down.

'Don't look, Princess.' Criston said leading her outside.