Epiphany // Alicent Hightower

92. Hypothetical

The next morning Aislynn, Loki and Aemond were fast asleep so was Alicent. When Taelon woke up he found her wet boots by the door and kissed her once cold cheeks. She mumbled pulling him closer.

"I gotta go love.' Taelon whispered.

'No,' she moaned and Taelon kissed her softly. 'Stay. Tired.'

'You could have been here with me, but you spent your night on the moon.' Taelon reminded her.

'They want to go to the moon. I think Aislynn really wants to fly.' Alicent said finally opening her eyes.

'I want her to fly." Taelon agreed. "Maybe we... maybe... okay I want to take Aemond to dragonstone." 

"What for?" Alicent questioned. 

"Unclaimed dragons." Taelon answered. "Aislynn and him could-"

"They are unclaimed for a reason." Alicnt corrected him. "They are dangerous."

"All dragons are dangerous." Taelon remarked. "But Alicent-"

"What if something goes wrong?"

"What if something goes right." Taelon countered. "Silverwing is said be a gentle dragon. Grey ghost is a scardy cat we wont see him. Vhagar is across the narrow sea somewhere, she is the largest. Then... Vithormer and Cannibal-" Taelon murmured. "-we wont see them either."

"I'm sorry did you say Cannibal?" 

"Yeah... yeah. but like I said, Vithormer hides and Cannibal stays away. Silverwing. She is who I want for Aemond or Aislynn.... would that not be great? You know its all they have ever wanted." 

"Something to talk about." ALicent agreed hesitantly. 

+

'Only Thor could wield the hammer because only he was worthy of the power it possessed.' Tommen told the kids. "But Loki was the God of mischief." Loki beamed back at his father. 

"Could he wield the hammer?" Loki questioned. 

"No... but I believe that maybe he might have but the legend says no but.." Tommen winked back at him. 

'The hammer is like Excalibur!' Aemond remarked. 

'Just like Excalibur.' Tommen agreed.

'whats that?' Lila questioned sitting in Gaena's lap.

'Excalibur is a sword, a sword that had been buried into a stone forever to be stuck there until a true king came to Camelot.' Gaena told them. she loved the story of merlin and Arthur. She kind of thought Tommen and Taelon were like Arthur and Merlin. Best friends, sidekicks, heroes.  'That only King Arthur Pendragon could wield.' Gaena told her. 'only a true king just of heart and soul was able to pull the sword free of the stone.'

'and Arthur was a true king?" Aemond questioned.

'yes, with help and guidance from his advisors and friends he became a great king, and his power to wield Excalibur proved that he was the rightful king of Camelot.'

It got them thinking about the future, Taelon's future heir. Thorin had been named the heir to runestone and a shock to most, Tommen had assured Gaena and anyone that questioned Taelon's integrity that it was before he was wed and he did the right thing. He also reminded knights that they were seen in plenty of pleasure houses and that they could have bastards roaming around unbeknown to them. 

Now Thorin was just about 15, the twins Aegon and Maekar turning 14 soon it seemed the time to formally declare Taelon's heir. 

The elder the kids grew Taelon saw that although he loved all his kids Thorin was showing the most responsibility, the most honor, and leadership. Thorin could not be heir to both. 

So he looked to Maekar and Aegon. Aegon was stronger at the sword, Maekar was wiser, pouring over his studies with Aemond. He knew having two kings, working together would not do. Perhaps he needed them all to observe his council meetings as Thorin did on occasion. 

"Let me walk you through a hypothetical." Taelon remarked as he sat head of the table, Thorin, Aegon and Maekar sat around the table.

"The castle is under attack, they have a hostage, your sister-" Taelon went on. 

"Which one?" Aegon mused. 

"That shouldnt matter." Taelon countered. 

"Yet it does." Maekar agreed. "If its Emma then they are not holding her prisoner they are her prisoner."

"Cute but scary." Aegon agreed. 

"Lila." Taelon offered. 

"WHy would you do that to Lila?" Maekar declared. 

"It's a hypothetical." Taelon reminded them. 

"But LIla? Little Lila, Gods father-"

"What do you do to get her back?" Taelon cut in. 

"Is someone in trouble?" Maekar questioned. 

"Hypothetical." Taelon repeated. 

"I fight the bastard that took her, one on one." Aegon declared. 

"He refuses, says his army is larger." Taelon offered. 

"If he refuses to fight for his people then why would they fight for him? WHy protect him?" Aegon countered. "If he is willing to hide behind his army instead of face me like a real man." Taelon liked that answer. He looked to Maekar. Taelon didnt notice Thorin heading out. 

"He still refuses. Then what?" Taelon encouraged. 

"He will try and hide, wait us out until hes antsy." Maekar offered. "He knows the people will be watching. If the other houses sense weakness on his part, those that followed him in a rebellion against the crown, they'll stop fearing him. He can't have that. Fear is his power."

"Or a weakness." Taelon pondered. "How would you attack if he came out to play?"

"Open area, away from civilians. He would have LIla guarded, he would have the castle..." Maekar stopped. 

"Trapped in the castle only with our guards inside. It seems a losing feat." Taelon remarked. 

"They won't be able to hit us in a double envelopment. A pincer move. They won't be able to hit us from the sides." Maekar offered. "If we can get out and around them, come at them from both sides."

"Good." Taelon agreed

"It's crucial that we let them charge at us." Aegon added. 

"That's right. Get them closer. Keeps the fighting from spreading to the lower cities."  Maekar agreed. "If we let him buckle our center, he'll pursue. Then we'll have him surrounded on all sides."

"That was wonderful." Taelon declared as the door opened. They looked to Thorin. 

"While both sides are discussing strategy, I sneak in and get Lila back." Thorin remarked. Lila waved back at them from Thorin's arm. "Now that the precious cargo is safe, they are holding nothing over us and we show them the strength of the dragon." 

His boys were not making this easy. They all showed great strength. 

"What are we playing?" Lila questioned as Thorin put her down. 

"A hypothetical."