Epiphany // Alicent Hightower

77. Strong

Taelon liked tradition and wanted his children to have that stability of family supper and bedtime stories. Togetherness. So when Nyra gave birth Taelon was so excited to be an uncle and so close to Aislynn too. He was thrilled. They would be the best of friends. Aemond was barely a year elder than Aislynn but they were so cute together. 

But Nyra gave birth to a black haired little boy. Now Alicent had done similarly but with Laenor's darker skin and both of them having very silver hair... Taelon cleared his throat as he picked up his nephew, Jacaerys... Velaryon. 

"Handsome lad." Taelon remarked. 

"He is." Nyra agreed. Laenor smiled ignorantly. He would love this boy, his heir, his son even if Jacaerys was not his. Laenor pushed the thought away. He knew it was different for women, affairs, but Jacaerys would be his. 

"Look at that hair." Taelon added and Nyra held her breath. "You got your grandmothers Arryn line did you?" Taelon offered. 

"Seems so." Nyra agreed. 

"Well I will let you rest." Taelon remarked handing Laenor his son. "Let me know if you need anything. Either of you." Taelon offered kindly as he pressed a kiss to Nyra's forehead.

"Thank you Taelon." 

"Thank you, your grace." Laenor agreed. 

"We are family Laenor. You dont have to call me your grace." Taelon assured as he headed out. 

"So? The screaming stopped." Tommen remarked. "What-" Taelon pushed him up against the wall, Tommen raised his hands in surrender. "What did I do?" Tommen questioned.

"What did you do?" Taelon agreed stiffly. Tommen blinked back at him, jaw slacked, confusion ran through him. "Tommen!" 

"What? What? I dont know what I'm being accused of!" Tommen declared. 

"Nyra had a son." 

"And?" Tommen questioned glancing to Taelon's rough grip.

"With black hair." Taelon added. 

"Oh... and?" Tommen countered. 

"Light skin, dark hair, dark eyes." Taelon seethed. 

"Oh... oh!" Tommen declared understanding. 

"Oh?" Taelon hissed giving him another shove. 

"Why are you being so aggressive?" Tommen demanded trying to push Taelon back but Taelon was stronger. 

"What did you do?" Taelon countered. "With my Nyra?" 

"What?" Tommen realized what he was insinuating. "No, no Taelon. Mate. No." Tommen declared. 

"You came awfully quick, and when-"

"No! I would never." Tommen declared. "You have to believe me. I would never. She is like my sister and I dont have your queer customs and wouldnt fuck my sister." 

"You didnt?" Taelon hissed and Harwin hesitated backing up when he saw them, heard they shouting. 

"NO!" Tommen declared. "I love Nyra but not like that." TOmmen assured him. "I would never touch her. You have to believe me." Taelon saw it in his eyes that he was telling the truth and let him go.

"Damn you." Tommen muttered fixing his shirt. "For your information I came because I'm your brother. Damn you again because I had a date with Gaena and you-" Tommen fussed with his shirt. "-stretched out the collar, I want to look-"

"Gaena? My cousin Gaena?"

"The one and only. It's actually a double date." TOmmen agreed. "You honestly thought I would bare Nyra's children?"

"She would bare yours." Taelon corrected. 

"Same difference." Tommen assured and Taelon tipped his head side to side in contemplation. "You think she fucked a guard?" 

"I am 99 percent confident that the little boy in there is not Laenor Velaryons." Taelon agreed softly. 

"I'm sorry man." 

"She is the princess..." Taelon murmured. "My sister. I should have annulled their union when I became king." 

"Marriage did you good, you thought it would do her good as well." Tommen offered. 

"But if she likes this mystery man... I would have wed her to him if she wanted but they seemed to be getting along. Nyra and Laenor." Taelon clarified. 

"Thats because Laenor was overseas." Tommen agreed. 

"I should have known better... I'm sorry for ever thinking you would do such a thing." Taelon declared. "Can you forgive me?"

"Already forgotten." Tommen assured. "because as I said. Date with Gaena." 

"Let me pay for tonight." Taelon offered. "THe least I can do."

"Oh yes, of course." Tommen agreed with a cheeky grin. "Never say no to your money." 

"Did you say double date?" 

"Gaena and Davina." Tommen agreed. 

"You sure you can handle them both?" 

"Oh no, Gaena is mine. Davina agreed to Larys." 

"Is there a different larys I'm not aware of?" Taelon mused. 

"I'm just as surprised as you." Tommen agreed. 

+

"A... a bastard?" Alicent questioned. 

"Seems like it." Taelon agreed. "I'm just so disappointed. I thought that her rebellious ways would come to a stop. Her outbursts... but-"

"People make mistakes." Alicent offered. "Laenor was gone for moons, she got lonely perhaps." 

"You are right. Of course you are right." Taelon agreed. "I just wish she would have been more careful. Corlys and Rhaenys are coming to meet their new grandson any day now and... I can see Rhaenys face already."

"You didnt do anything wrong." Alicent reminded him. 

"But with Laena gone, Gods knows where and Laenor right here with a wife that doesnt..." Taelon stopped himself. 

"I'm glad I have you." Alicent remarked. "I'm glad I have a husband like you. A wonderful father to the children. They just need time to fall in love. Maybe this child will be a wake up call for Laenor that he needs to be here for her. 

But when Rhaenys and Corlys came, although Laenor's face held a smile as he introduced them to Jacaerys his parents were not happy. 

"Jacaerys..." Corlys prompted as he looked to Rhaenyra. 

"Velaryon." Laenor remarked. 

"Is that so?" Corlys murmured. Rhaenys huffed out a breath as she looked to Taelon. 

"I had hoped that they would find love like you and your queen." Rhaenys offered. 

"They are young." Taelon reminded her. "Laenor and Nyra went through a lot. It was a stressful-"

"You went through a lot." Rhaenys corrected. "You became king. Had two children since then. Both of your seed." 

"I have also loved Alicent a lot longer than Nyra has loved Laenor." Taelon remarked. 

"Your queen is lucky you are so devoted to her. I should have fought harder for Laena and you." Rhaenys remarked softly. 

"Laena is a sweet girl. I'm sure she is happy wherever she is." Taelon offered. 

"If she fell for you she would be here not across the narrow sea."