selcouth | aegon targaryen (ii)

chapter three

Hyacinth's relationship with her grandfather was a strange one. She didn't remember the first conversation she had with him, but she does remember him being always present in her life, more than her father.

While Alicent did a fine job on treating Hyacinth like a daughter, Otto never intended on replacing her father in any way he could. He saw his son as a great gentleman and knight and when Hyacinth complained about the lack of letters from her father or his disinterest on her, Otto would always defend him, saying he was a good father for sending her to King's Landing.

Despite the fact that she wasn't a princess, he still treated her the same way as the rest of his grandchildren. He was very honest with all of them and always told them what sometimes they didn't wish to hear.

When he called her to his study, she knew what he wanted to tell her. It was always the same subject. Since her deal with her aunt, Otto had been insisting to get Aegon and Hyacinth married as soon as possible, for the prince needed heirs. However, Alicent said she wouldn't commit the same mistake he committed with her when it was her turn to marry.

Hyacinth knew her aunt wanted to give her time to live before marrying and becoming a mother. That was what she had been telling Otto for so many years. Nonetheless, now that Hyacinth was seven-and-ten, she knew that excuse wouldn't suffice any longer.

When he gave her permission to open the door, she fought to not look nervous, but her hands still trembled when she pushed the door open.

Otto was sitting behind his desk, looking up from the parchment to her when she entered the room, "Hyacinth, I'm glad you're back," he spoke, signalling to the chair in front of his desk for her to sit, "Have you been with your aunt and cousins?"

"Yes, grandfather."

"All of them?" He crossed his legs under his desk and raised his chin.

She knew exactly what he intended with that question, "Yes."

"How is your father?"

"He's fine, said he would be visiting soon."

He nodded his head, "I don't have much time, Hyacinth, so I will be very direct with you. Do you still wish to marry your cousin?"

"Yes, I intend on marrying Aegon, I didn't change my mind."

"Then I will speak the King to announce the engagement to the Realm. He's getting suspicious to why Aegon and Helaena aren't married yet. I need to marry the two of you before I can announce that Helaena won't be marrying her older brother."

Hyacinth fought the urge to gasp with the information, "So soon?"

"Soon? The prince is almost twenty, he should have been married for more than five years."

"Grandfather," she started, "When I made that deal with the Queen, the purpose was for me to be able to get Aegon to trust me. If you give me at least a moon, I promise I will do it. If you announce our engagement now, he will see it as a prison and not as something he wishes."

"You had time enough to do that, Hyacinth. I have told you before and I will tell you this again. You spent too much time with Aemond and Helaena when you should have been by Aegon's side," he pointed his finger at her.

She made a sardonic smile, "How can I spend time with him when he practically lives in the Street of Silk?"

"That's a problem you will solve. We will be announcing the wedding in a fortnight, so you better start investing your time on your older cousin."

She sighed, knowing there was not a chance to change her grandfather's ideas, "Will there be a ball, a tourney or something? Prince Aegon is only in the keep when he has to."