Epiphany // Alicent Hightower

113. Mood Killer

The journey home was miserable. Aislynn was excited to have a dragon but she hated that Aemond had to lose an eye to get it. Aislynn lay beside Aemond on the ride home, Alicent gave him milk of the poppy every hour it seemed for the pain. He whimpered out. Taelon hated that he couldnt help him. Couldnt fix this. There was no fixing this.

"As hand I will get right to work on those decrees when we get back... well I will tell the maester to." Tommen assured Taelon when he found him staring off into the distance, waving crashing around them.

"Thanks Tom."

"Hey I'm sorry about that... earlier not being there sooner... I got a raven from Gaena." Tommen remarked softly.

"Is she alright?" Taelon questioned turning to him. "Is the baby, did the baby come?"

"Loki's egg hatched." Tommen remarked. "And... I kept reading it and when she said baby I kept thinking oh Gods my baby is here. Loki helped her write it you see and... well... I was having a panic attack." Tommen remarked.

"It's okay." Taelon assured. "It was mainly everyone shouting she did it, he did it." Taelon remarked. "You got there before Rhaenyra and the devil so..."

"Still, I am your hand. I need to-"

"You are my best friend, my brother. Your family, is my family. Never put work before them."

"Thank you." Tommen agreed patting his back.

"Next time someone dies and I'm about to fuck my wife though, dont tell me unless its people I love and care about and see regularly, or just wait if they are already dead its not like they are coming back to life. Its a mood killer."

"HA!" Tommen laughed out. "Mood killer, I get it."

+

'I need you, Uncle.'' Rhaenyra told him as he leaned back against the stone wall. ''I cannot face Taelon alone let us find our blood just as aegon the conqueror did with his sisters with you as my husband and king."

"King?" Daemon questioned. "Did you not hear the prick?"

"We fight it." Rhaenyra declared. "You and I on the throne, ruling together."

"Usurping the crown." Daemon chuckled out a snide smirk on his face.

"The valeryan's are of the sea but you and I we are made of fire we have always been meant to burn together.' Rhaenyra declared.

'' We could not marry unless Laenor were dead.'' Daemon reminded her

''I know.'' Rhaenyra agreed. ''I will not be a tyrant. And rule through terror.'' Rhaenyra assured. "I will be good and just and strip him of his titles and make him feel small and worthless." Rhaenyra wanted to cry again. She couldnt believe Taelon was being so idiotic.

''A tyrant rules only through terror.'' Daemon agreed ''If the King isn't feared, he is powerless. If you are to be a strong queen, you must cultivate love and respect, yes, but your subjects must fear you... as you fear Taelon.''

"I dont fear him. I loathe him." Rhaenyra corrected. ''But I do love Laenor.'' Rhaenyra told daemon softly.

''Then grant him this kindness. Set him free.'' Daemon told her confidently.

'' This will cost Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys their only remaining child. And the realm will whisper that I was somehow responsible.'' Rhaenyra remarked.

''Let them whisper.'' Daemon declared. "They already are, why not add to it now, so by the time we take the throne it is old news. We will know the truth of it and our enemies won't.'' Daemon said smugly.