Epiphany // Alicent Hightower

74. I Swear I Sent A Raven

Being pregnant at the same time as Rhaenyra was less than ideal. Alicent didnt remember herself being this moody her first pregnancy but thats why Thorin called Rhaenyra aunt moody.

As the moons passed and their stomachs grew, Alicent noticed Laenor still wasnt back from one war or another. She found it strange. 

But Taelon and the children kept her mind off of Rhaenyra's mood swings. 

"What are my cousins doing here?" Taelon questioned. 

"They are here for the tourney." Tommen remarked. 

"What tourney?" Taelon countered. 

"The one we all set up secretly for your new child to be and Nyra's first babe with Laenor." Tommen informed him. "I swear I sent you a raven."

"Fuck off." Taelon groaned. "We are not having a tourney." 

"You dont have to compete and Alicent is not going into labor, its tradition." Tommen reminded him. 

"A shit tradition." Taelon corrected.

"Shit tradition." Thorin agreed and Taelon turned to face him. "I dont say those words in front of mama." THorin assured him. 

"Good lad." Tommen agreed. 

"I dont think I like you encouraging him." Taelon mused. 

"Nonsense, today it a grand day." 

 "Today is an exciting day. The announcement, the tourney." Alicent remarked happily. Rhaenyra sighed not looking at her. "But I know Taelon wasnt thrilled about it." 

"No?" Nyra countered softly, not wanting to sound interested. 

"The last tourney for..." Alicent stopped herself Rhaenyra stared silently back at her. 

"Is Taelon competing?" Nyra pondered.

"Yes, him and Tommen are competing together." ALicent agreed. "Well not together but- you know what I mean."

"I do." Nyra agreed stiffly.

"Lets hope todays tourney doesnt end the same as last time." Alicent offered gently as Emma came running up.

+

Taelon thought it was stupid. Taelon was the king he could have stopped it but everyone was so excited, he couldnt stop it. But he wanted to shout did you forget my father hosted a tourney for mother as she birthed a son and then died! Taelon wanted to shout it again and again but the cheering drowned out his thoughts.

"Alicent and Moody are pregnant it is the perfect time." Tommen assured.  "Honor them both."

Taelon agreed, mainly because Alicent was not due yet, ALicent wouldnt be birthing anyone into the world today.

Taelon half expected Daemon to show up and that made him anxious. Taelon didnt trust Daemon to be civil. He had ran off married Laena and fled, fled westeros. At least he wasnt being difficult in westeros then it would be Taelon's problem. 

"You alright?" Tommen questioned and Taelon's shoulders stiffened at the touch. "Whats wrong?" Tommen countered.

"I dont like this." Taelon admitted.

"Cancel it. Fuck this place." Tommen offered.

Tommen had never seen Taelon so worried. When a fighters mind wasnt clear, it put them in danger, left them open for mistakes, mistakes could be deadly.

"Shake it off, shake it off." Tommen instructed giving his shoulders a shake. Taelon let out a deep breath as he shook out his arms and legs. "You good?"

"Lets get this over with." Taelon agreed.

"That is the spirit!" Tommen agreed.

No one was surprised that Taelon won the first bout and came up asking Alicent for her favor.

"What about me?" Thorin questioned. "Am I not special?" Alicent looked between them a laugh on her lips. Tommen snorted a laugh.

"Me too!" Maekar shouted. He wanted to be just like Thorin. Soon all the kids were peering down, Aemond sat curiously watching, he was just over a year and he was always watching, always curious. 

"Prince Thorin," Taelon began again.

"I dont want pity." Thorin corrected.

"Yes you do, milk it!" Tommen corrected shouting back at them.

"Emma you want to throw it?" Thorin questioned and Emma nodded happily from Alicent's lap. 

"My little Emma, can I have your favor?" Taelon questioned.

"I dont have a favor." Thorin corrected looking to Emma. "Can you get me a cookie though?" Taelon snorted a laugh as he nodded.

"Me too!" Avalon shouted jumping up. "Me too! Get two for me!" 

"Can you give daddy my favor?" ALicent questioned handing it to Emma. She took it from Alicent staring down at it. 

"I can do it if you are scared to miss." Aegon declared and Emma jumped from Alicent's lap, looked to Aegon before she moved to the edge, Thorin held her up. Thorin was three years elder than Avalon and Emma and a big lad, she smiled as she threw it down.

"The future of the seven kingdoms right there." Tommen mused. Taelon leaned over grabbing it before it hit the ground.

"Thank you my wonderful wife and beautiful little girl." Taelon declared, Alicent smiled back down at him.

"Did I do it right?" Emma questioned as Alicent pulled her back to her.

"Perfect." Alicent mused. But it was perfect.

"Can I throw the next one?" Avalon questioned.

The next night asked for Rhaenyra's favor and Thorin jumped up running to block her.

"For Avalon?" Thorin begged reaching for it. Rhaenyra smiled down at him as she handed it over. Avalon reached for it and he held her up. 

"Catch it!" Avalon shouted jumping in Thorin's grasp as she threw it. It landed on the ground, the knight stared back at Thorin and Avalon annoyed.

"Shit reflexes that one has, he will never win." Tommen remarked.

"You going to catch it when Maekar chucks it down?" Taelon countered and Tommen pursed his lips.

"Thats not the point we are talking of others failures not my own to come." Tommen remarked.

Round after round, bout after bout and Taelon was having deja vu. Tommen walked back to him favor caught proudly in his hand after Aegon really whipped it down. Alicent smiled down at Taelon but she saw his clenched jaw, handsome features pinched. He saw her running a hand over her stomach and he got anxious.

 Taelon ran a hand over his face, and when he saw the maester come up behind Alicent in the viewing box, it was all too much. Taelon got knocked down in the third bout.

Harwin stared back at him as he dismounted. Everyone knew Harwin was a great fighter but Taelon was better.

"Good job Strong." Taelon said shaking Harwins hand.

"What the hell was that?" Tommen questioned as Taelon walked off.

"That was great." ALicent assured as he came up sitting beside her.

"No it wasnt." Taelon corrected wrapping an arm around her, Avalon jumped up in his lap. "But I like this spot better." Taelon leaned into Alicent. "Why was Mellos here?"

"Just a bit a discomfort." Alicent offered. "Probably the heat, nothing to worry about." Taelon let out a sigh as Alicent tipped her head into his. "I'm proud of you." Alicent assured. "You could have lost in the first round and I would be proud of you though." She added kissing his cheek.

"Uncle Tom is fighting the bear." Thorin declared and Avalon stood up in Taelon's lap to get a better view.

 "GET THE BEAR!" Aegon and Maekar declared jumping up and down, Avalon pulled on Taelon's hair as she leaned forward, stomping her little feet on Taelon's thighs.