House of the Dragon: The Green King

Little steps

"We are forever bound to those with whom we share blood, for better or worse; this can be our biggest weakness or our greatest strength". Queen Alicent Hightower

110 AC

Otto Hightower, Pov

I sat comfortably on my chair in my office, waiting for my grandson to arrive.

Thinking of Aemon, a strange sense of pride and fear welled up in me. That boy was a natural player in the game. No, there was nothing natural about it. That boy had wisdom beyond most lords' years. From the moment Aegon was born, the boy's whole personality had shifted. No longer was he an extremely intelligent boy who hid behind his mother's skirt and basically clings to her like a man lost at sea clings to a raft. He was a proud dragon now.

Thinking of Aemon, a strange sense of pride and fear welled up in me. That boy was a natural player in the game. No, there was nothing natural about it. That boy had wisdom beyond most lords' years. From the moment Aegon was born, the boy's whole personality had shifted. No longer was he an extremely intelligent boy who hid behind his mother's skirt and basically clings to her like a man lost at sea clings to a raft. He was a proud dragon now.

After Aegon was born, the boy started to visit me more and more and started to cling to me and shadow me. At first, I thought it was merely him looking for a suitable male role model since the King had only spent a few hours with him every two moons or so, but I soon grew to see it was more that the boy was observing me getting a feel for the game and was analysing how I played through my various interactions with Lords from all seven kingdoms.

This was when I started to observe him more. The boy had begun to play his own game and set his own plans into motion, and even at such an early age, he was playing like a seasoned lord.

Nothing impressed me more than him reading his limitations at such a young age and adapting to fulfil his needs. He was too young to mingle with the lords and get relationships, and no sons of important lords his age were at court for him to build up connections with, so what did he do to get powerful connections? He used his mother.

After my Helaena was born, he had some trouble convincing his mother to open a tea club with other important ladies of the realm. Many esteemed ladies went to this club, including Lady Redwyne and Lady Tarth, two prominent members of the club. From what my spies and Alicent told me, he, along with Aegon and Helaena, were always at these tea parties, interacting their sleeve with the ladies of these clubs. He had, from what I heard, made a very close connection to Lady Redwyne in that club, which formed a very profitable connection for the future. It did help that ever since Rheanyra insulted Lady Redwyne at the Aegon name day celebration, the older woman had a distaste for the princess, so liking the prince and rightful heir was only natural.

This also allowed my daughter to get the daughter of the heir of house Redywne as her lady-in-waiting the girl was only five name days older than Aemon and the two were close it seemed a chuckle escaped my lips as I thought of that no Aemon isn't close to anyone but Alicent and his siblings not even the maid that follows him around like he was her son everywhere not a surprise seeing as she had lost her own child and was most likely projecting her maternal feeling onto Aemon with whom she had been with since he was born he humoured but from what I could tell this was basically another one of his ploys to wrap the woman around his fingers which he had done so very skillfully the woman practically worshipped him.

What a scary little boy he was. The only reason I had picked up on him was because of the vast amount of time I had spent with him and, of course, double-checking with Alicent, who too had picked up on his antics. Of course, she said nothing and allowed him to carry on and even helped him discreetly with his moves here and there, but she mainly pretended to be oblivious. Apart from us, I doubt anyone knows him well enough to see what he is blessed by. The seven rumours I started with the help of the highsepton might have very well been the truth at this moment in time.

Knock knock

Enter," I said out loud in an authoritative manner. The door swung open, and in walked Aemon, closely followed by the maid and Ser Harold Westerling.

The Aemon walked over to me and sat down in front of me his body spread out on that chair as he looked me right in the eyes as I too looked into his deep violet eyes that seemed to shimmer as if raging flames danced behind them.

I wave for Ser Westerling to leave, which he does, and the maid remains until Aemon speaks in a gentle tone. "Emilia, please leave; I will be fine," he said, and the main followed his order swiftly.

Thud

The door slammed shut, leaving me and my grandson alone with each other. We sat in silence for a few moments before he spoke: "Grandfather, as much as I enjoy your company, I would like to know why I'm here" he spoke in an inpatient tone; patience had never been a virtue of his.

"The daughter of Lord Jason Lannister and Lady Johanna is coming to court in a month's time to serve as your mother's lady in waiting". I spoke in a calm tone.

"Adella Lannister is four years my senior if I am correct and the first child of Lord Jason Lannister." He spoke, pretending to be having a hard time recalling who she was, an obvious false face. I knew he knew the name of every lady of high enough status who could help our cause and was of marriageable age to him.

"I hope you will be good friends. She will be working closely with the Queen, I say, hinting at what was to come.

"Yes, I believe we will get along swimmingly", he said as he got up and left the room without even asking for a dismissal.

I let out a low chuckle. The boy really was dangerous. I had just told him who I planned to marry him to and how I had basically arranged for it and what I needed him to do, and he not only picked up on it and read between the lines, he agreed with no defiance. He was practical and was very much shaping up to be the most dangerous political mind in Westeros.

The end

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