Hand of the Queen

17

I sit on the balcony of our bed chamber, picking at the skin around my fingernails as I stare out at the churning sea. I hear the door open and close behind me, the sound of a sword belt being taken off and leaned against the wall.

"Alysanne?" Aegon calls, he slowly walks closer. "My love, are you alright?" I quickly nod, unable to meet his eyes. "Look at me, Lady Targaryen." I slowly turn to meet his gentle gaze as he takes my hands in his own. "Talk to me, darling."

"I have not bled, Aegon." I tell him, his eyes widen.

"Have you visited the maester?" I bit my lip and nod.

"Edlin walked with me there this morning." He gently takes my face in his hands.

"Oh, my beautiful Alysanne." He wipes away the tears that slips down my face. "War or not, this is a happy moment. There are no need for tears, my darling."

"Cersei will place a target upon me once she knows, Aegon." He plants a soft kiss between my brow.

"I will not allow anything to happen to you or our child, I swear to you." He gathers me gently in his arms, swaying in the breeze as he hums the song of a lullaby.

...

"Daenerys." I say, the Queen turns from where she stands beside Missandei. "There is something I must tell you." Her face becomes covered in concern as she steps closer.

"What is it?" She asks, taking my hand. I take a deep breath and pull a smile on my lips.

"I am with child, your grace." Shock paints onto her expression immediately, but it melts into joy just as quickly as it came.

"Oh, Alysanne." She pulls me into her arms, I close my eyes and let out a breath of relief. She finally pulls back to meet my gaze. "I cannot have children of my own, this is a truth I have come to terms with." She places a hand atop my stomach. "Lady Hand, you hold the Heir to the Iron Throne within you." I look to the queen with wide eyes, only a soft smile rests on her face.

...

I walk to Edlin with a smile on my face, the proud joy that crossed his face this morning in the maester's room has not yet disappeared. Melania trails behind me, unwilling to leave my side since she smelled the child within me.

"Alysanne." Varys says from beside him. He looks to me with the same loyalty he always has, but there has been something lingering behind it since the Roseroad. "I have heard the wonderful news, congratulations."

"Thank you, Lord Varys." I say, looking between the both of them. "The Queen requests us all in the war room to discuss our meeting with Cersi." Edlin smiles at, giving me a small bow.

"As you wish, Lady Hand."

...

I stand beside Daenerys as the others sit within their seats, deliberation clear on their faces.

"Cersei will likely set a trap, I advise you not to fall to her level." Tyrion says, I carefully meet eyes with the Queen.

"I tire of this pragmatism, Tyrion Lannister." Daenerys says, eying the man closely.

"I remain loyal to you, my Queen, as I always have been. I just know my sister, I know what kind of ruler she is." Tyrion assures her, I can practically feel the unease spilling off of her.

"Leave us. I wish to speak to my Hand alone." Daenerys tells them, the others leave without question.

"I advise you not to allow Tyrion further into your court, your grace." I tell her, she slowly nods in agreement. "No matter how he claims to work against his family, there will always be a lingering loyalty to them. I do not trust him to not sabotage your throne in order to save his own family name."

"Do you think he will betray us at this meeting?" I shake my head, eying the dragons that lay outside.

"I suggest you bring your army with us to King's Landing, all of it. Show Cersei the true nature of what she must fight against if she wishes to win this war. Even if Tyrion planned to betray you, he will have to think twice when he sees your army gathered as one." We walk together to the edge of the balcony, the great beasts settle into the grass below them. Melania sits beside me, nudging her snout against my palm.

The Dragon and the Wolf, sat hand in hand.

...

"How are you feeling, Alysanne?" Aegon asks, intertwining his fingers with my own as we walk.

"Alright, my love." I say, smiling gently at him. "I want you to train me to wield my daggers more effectively." Aegon looks to me in shock. "My father, he would have never left me unable to protect myself, despite the protests of my mother. I know how to wield daggers as quick as lightning, but I want to know how to position them to protect my womb." My husband slowly begins to nod.

"I will teach you, my wife. Change into your training clothes and meet me beside the dragons." I rush from him back to our bed chambers and do as he says. I slip on black leathers pants, a tight black tunic wraps around my chest. A black, armored corset embedded with the sigil of House Targaryen straps tight against my skin, I pull on my black boots quickly after. The corset holds space for six knives, I slide each dagger into their place along my torso and quickly pull my hair into a braid. Before leaving the room, I quickly reattach my Hand's pin.

I weave my way through the halls of Dragonstone until the doors to the outside come into view, they've been left open. Aegon stands waiting beyond them, smiling to me with his hand on the hilt of his sword. He looks even more handsome in this light, the hazy sky shining down on his skin. His violet eyes shine, despite the clouds that cover the sun's rays. He smiles at me as I approach him, pausing to place a soft kiss on my lips.

"Ready to begin?"