Epiphany // Alicent Hightower

71. It's MINE!

"Aunt moody." The nickname was back. Nyra forced a smile down at Thorin. "Are you coming to Aemond's first name day party?" 

"I am. Of course I am."  Nyra agreed. 

"Are you having a baby soon?" 

"Thats the plan." Nyra agreed stiffly. 

"Is Lenny here?" 

"Laenor is not." Nyra corrected. 

"So hes not helping you with a baby then." THorin realized as he walked off and Nyra opened her mouth to object but hell, that was a fine idea. Laenor would not be helping with the baby.

"Has is already been a year?" Alicent pondered as she dressed Aemond for the day. 

"Seems like just yesterday." Taelon agreed. 

"Moody is coming to the party." Thorin remarked. Maekar and Aegon chased after him. Alicent loved the nickname aunt moody, it fit Rhaenyra perfectly. 

"Thats nice." Alicent agreed as Aemond smiled back at her. 

"You can't keep it!" Emma shouted running down the halls with Avalon. 

"It's mine!" Avalon corrected. 

"You have to ask daddy!" Emma corrected. "DADDY!" she screamed out. Taelon peered out the door to see his girls sprinting and stumbling to him. Avalon's hands were clasped in front of her. 

"Whats going on?" Taelon questioned kneeling before them. "What do you got Avalon?" 

"A mouse." Emma declared. 

"You caught a mouse?" Taelon questioned reaching out. 

"Thorin did." Avalon corrected. "He gave it to me." Taelon cupped his hands gently around hers. 

"Can I see?" Avalon sighed opening her hands and Taelon felt the little paws run into his hands. Taelon peered between his fingers and Avalon gnawed at her lips, big violet eyes stared back at him. 

"Please daddy, please!" Avalon begged. 

"You are going to take care of it? Fed it and clean its cage?" Taelon countered. 

"Yes!" Avalon declared jumping up. "Yes, yes!" 

"Then lets find a little home for him." Taelon agreed as Avalon squealed. Emma stared back at them perplexed. 

"What?" Emma countered. 

"Mine. Daddy says so!" Avalon declared proudly. 

"Go show mama." Taelon agreed as the mouse crawled back into Avalon's hands. 

"What?" Emma repeated as Taelon picked her up. 

"Whats wrong love?" Taelon questioned as Emma leaned into her. 

"Can I have a pet too?" 

"You want Thorin to catch you a mouse?" Taelon pondered. 

"No... I want a cat."

+

"So Taelon is the king does that make me king adjacent?" Tommen pondered. 

"No." Harwin answered. 

"No? Are you sure? I think it does." Tommen corrected. 

"Why? Why would it?" Harwin countered. 

"Because Taelon is my brother." Tommen declared. 

"Rhaenyra isnt queen adjacent because Taelon is king." Harwin reminded him. 

"Can't you just pretend to be on my side?" Tommen mused. 

"It's more fun when I'm not." Harwin teased. 

"Ha, ha big bear has jokes." 

"Big bear." Harwin grumbled. "Whats Thorins nickname for you?" 

"Best uncle ever." Tommen declared proudly. 

"I'm going to ask him." harwin corrected. "Go to the source." 

"You dont believe me?" 

"No." Harwin answered simply. 

"He calls this one aunt moody." Tommen remarked when Nyra approached them. 

"He does.' Nyra agreed stiffly. "Don't know why, I'm such a ray of sunshine." Tommen laughed out, doubling over. Nyra had pondered the idea of Tommen giving her pleasure, he was handsome, he was like family, he would probably agree to it. But then she remembered the night everything went to hell. One of many nights everything went to hell. Tommen told her no. 

"Tom! We need to find Emma a cat!" Taelon declared. 

"Whos name day is it again?" Tommen mused walking off. 

"Thorin caught Avalon a mouse-"

"Thats so sweet, hes going to marry her one day." Tommen decided.

"Shes three, lets not rush that." Taelon corrected. 

"And Thorin wouldnt catch Emma a cat." Tommen remarked. 

"Emma asked me so we are going to find her a cat." Taelon clarified. 

"Me is we." Tommen remarked. "So I'm like king adjacent." Tommen offered casually. 

"Sure." Taelon agreed and Tommen's jaw dropped as he turned back to Harwin. 

"Suck on that Harwin!" Tommen declared. "I'm like king adjacent!''

"I dont know how we are related some days." Harwin remarked before noticing Nyra's stare. "Something wrong princess?" 

"No." Nyra whispered taking a step closer. "You dont have to be so formal, Harwin. I have known you forever. Tommen is family, he is your family. I dont see why we cant be closer as well." Harwin smirked down at her. 

"How close?" Harwin countered as she took another step closer. 

+

Taelon still wasnt used to 'your grace'. He understood he was the king, it had been a year since that day but still it was an adjustment. The council encouraged him, liked his ideas, valued him which he found strange because all of them seek to replace him previously.  But it was as though they had their eyes opened when Taelon married. They saw what a good husband and father he was. They saw how bright the capital grew under his tutelage. 

They believed in him as they should have from the beginning but better late than never. 

While Maekar and Aegon chased after their big brother, thinking the world of Thorin. Avalon and Emma doted over Aemond. He was a quiet baby, always watching, listening, a little smile on his face as he looked around. 

Alicent thought at the rate she was going they would have twins again. Even picked out a name for a girl just in case. Taelon and Alicent did worry that Aemond would feel left out as he grew, but Thorin wasnt a twin, he was their first child though and he loved being the eldest. Aemond loved his big sisters. Always smiled bigger when they came to play with him. 

Taelon hoped his father would be proud. Hoped his mother would be too. He loved his family, hoped that Nyra was adjusting, she didnt tell him much about her union and they didnt see much of Laenor. But Taelon still wanted the best for his little sister.