Dragon's roar (House of the Dragon)

014

Chapter 14: "I'm the one who's in control" Power, Little mix.

The flight to Kingslanding was short and Alannys was locked up in her former apartments as soon as they arrived at the Red Keep. She had not seen Aemond ever since. She passed time by looking at the window. Suddenly, a maid entered the room holding a green gown. The Velaryon golden seahorses sewn at the hem indicated the lady this dress was for her to wear. She instantly got up from her seat.

"What is this ? I'm not wearing it ! I'd rather throw myself from that window than wear green" exclaimed the young woman.

"And yet, you shall wear it, my dear" answered a voice emerging from the door.

Alicent Hightower entered the room. The former queen, the traitor. She wore a sweet expression. An expression that could convey trust in another context but Alannys was far from naive. She sat back down at the window, refusing to look at the older woman. The Dowager queen came to sit with her.

"My dear Alannys, you should be reasonable. King Aegon grants you an audience. The Hand and I thought this gown was well suited for the situation."

"What situation ?! Aegon is no more King than I am the heir to Winterfell and everyone knows that. This whole thing is nothing but a farce" accused the younger woman.

"And again, Aegon wears the Conqueror's crown, sword and name. He is the first born son of Viserys. When he died, my husband expressed his wish to see his son ascend the Iron throne. It was meant to be this way" calmly answered Alicent.

Alannys tried to control her breath and ease her anger. If she wanted to be a valuable spy for Queen Rhaenyra, she needed to be calm. She needed to establish a plan.

"What does your king expect from me ?"

The former queen grabbed her hand in a motherly gesture. Alannys could have found comfort in it but she was no foul. Alicent Hightower was trying to play her and she could not let that happen. 

"We want you to wear that dress and go to the audience in the throne room. There, you will bend the knee to Aegon and recognise him as the rightful King."

"Why me ? Why does my claim matter that much ?"

"Because you are, as you said, a valuable advisor of Rhaenyra. And maybe you could convince her" explained Alicent with a faint smile. "You know, your mother was a dear friend of mine. I watched you grow for many years. I only want you to be safe, Alannys, truly."

Could she wear that green dress and betray Rhaenyra in such a way ? Her guardian would not want her to. She would want her to fight back. Daemon would want her to seize her own power. But she was not sure she could. Alannys needed to be a spy to be useful to her Queen.

"I accept. Can I have some time alone to prepare myself ?"

"Of course, my dear. When you are dressed, the guards will escort you."

People started to gather in the throne room. Aemond stood up with his mother on one side of the Iron throne where Aegon was seated. He waited like everyone else for Alannys to enter. He did not expect to see her at Storm's End, especially in that situation. This woman confused him. She was the enemy but at the same time he felt the need to have her, for himself. It was not something that could be thought of or explained. It was a sensation, his body speaking much more than his mind. To say that he was bewitched would be an understatement. He understood that even more when the great doors opened.

"The lady Alannys, of Houses Velaryon and Lannister" announced a guard.

Alannys entered the throne room, clad in green but on her own terms. She stood there, at the entrance of the room, her head held high. The green gown was not quite the same as the one the Queen brought her. The hem of the dress was missing so no golden seahorses remained. The bodice of the dress was thorn on many parts, showing scratches on the fabric. She also removed one sleeve and tore off a part of the cleavage. Her shoulder and the extreme top of her breast were visible. It was improper but Aemond found that she looked like a true Queen at this precise moment.  He heard his mother scoff as the lady made her way through the great hall. When she arrived in front of the throne, the Velaryon did not curtsied before Aegon. She only raised her head and stared back at him.

"You wanted to see me, Prince Aegon ?"

"It is King Aegon, now, lady Alannys" intervened Otto Hightower.

"Maybe for you. But I was not talking to you, lord Hand" replied the woman with the same tone before turning to aegon once again. " Do you still need people to talk for you ? Even standing here ?"

Aemond could not detach his gaze from her. She stood there, facing lords and kings ; she could face empires if need be. The blonde prince was surprised at her recklessness and maybe...appealed. Alannys Velaryon was strong and powerful but also his enemy in this war. She felt so out of reach for him, which made him want her even more.

"How dare you speak to the King in such a way ?!" answered an angered Aegon. "I am the rightful sovereign of the Seven Kingdoms, Aegon Targaryen , second of his name. I order you to bend the knee in front of me. If you do so, I agree with the small council's approval to spare your life."

"Spare my life ? Why would my life be condemned ?"

"You are recognised as guilty of treason against the Crown. You are accused of trying to plot to overthrow King Aegon" accused the Hand of the King.

So that was it. Alannys understood their plan. They would try to make her bend the knee by threatening her life. For one second, she dared look in Aemond's direction and she immediately met his gaze. She held it for a moment before focusing back on his brother. The lady could not let Aemond unsettle her. Not when she had to build a plan.

"Then do it, take my life if you want to" provoked the Velaryon woman.

"I will have your head, traitor !" barked Aegon grabbing his sword.

Aemond felt his fists tighten at those words. An unexpected anger took hold of him. He did not know why but he was angered by his brother's behaviour. He looked back to Alannys' form clad in green. She looked absolutely fierce as if she had been fighting in a war ; in a way, that was what she was doing.

"You will not do that" answered the lady.

Her calm answer has provoked the whole court to go quiet. It also calmed Aegon in an instant. This is when Aemond realised his mother was holding his arm. He also realised he had been stepping toward the throne.

"You cannot kill me. You know if you do that, it means war. If you kill me, Queen Rhaenyra will unleash fire and blood on you, as she should. I am too valuable as a prisoner for you to kill me. You cannot kill me, prince Aegon" stated Alannys with her head high.

"I am the King !"

"And yet, you keep repeating it as a proof. If you really were a true king, you would have no need to say it" concluded the Velaryon.

"Guards, escort lady Alannys back to her chambers" ordered Otto Hightower, sensing that Aegon was losing his temper.

Alannys was forced back into her apartments. She threw the nearest thing, a vase, against a wall. She had a hard time controlling her anger and she almost exploded in the throne room, in front of the whole court. As she went back to her bed, she found a paper there.

'They cannot cage a lioness, you will soon be free.'