The Grey Wolf & The Golden Dragon | Aegon Targaryen II

The Still Before the Storm

Alysanne

"My King, My Queen," Torlyn greeted breathlessly as she hurried into the nursery.

Alysanne perched on the thick fur rug, leaning against Crimson; stroking her fingers through her fur as Aegon rocked Aelys in his arms. The babe cooed at his father and Aly couldn't help but smile as she watched her husband's face light up. For two days, they'd been mulling restlessly about the keep, holding their beath and waiting for an answer that seemed like it would never come. "The Lord Hand has returned from Dragonstone." Alysanne was up from the floor in a single breath and Aegon was immediately passing Aelys to the nursemaid.

"Calm yourself, my love," Aegon breathed, catching her by the hand as she all but ran to the small council chambers. Otto was somber faced beside his daughter as they waited for the rest of the council to join them. Lord Beesbury was no longer in attendance and Alysanne could only guess that he had been killed, along with the rest who had refused to bend the knee. Every time she thought of it, her stomach churned.

Lord Larys was the one to seal the doors closed behind Aemond. Slinking around the edges of the chamber, he could almost go unnoticed. Almost...

"Do the King's wife and brothers need to be here?"

"Not only does this information affect all of them; our King has commanded that any of his siblings are welcome to attend council meetings, as is his wife." Alicent offered. If anyone no longer belonged at the meetings, it was the Queen Mother, but Alysanne didn't dare voice that thought.

"Tell us, Grandfather," Aegon urged. "What happened?"

"Rhaenyra has, quite bluntly, rejected our terms." Otto answered simply. Alysanne could feel her heart rise in her throat, and she swallowed heavily. "She wears the crown of Jaehaerys, as well. Another betrayal offered by Ser Erryk." At the door, Aegon's new guard, Erryk's twin, shifted uncomfortably. "The princess immediately decreed herself Queen, and every man who stands with us traitors." There was a pregnant pause as everyone absorbed the words.

"There's more..." Alicent prompted.

"Every word, Lord Hand," Alysanne added. Eyebrows were collectively raised around the room as she leaned forward against the edge of the table. "I don't want a brief summary of events. I want to know every last word that was said; all that you can recall. Please..." Aegon nodded at Otto in agreement.

"Once I listed our terms, Daemon's first words were that he would rather feed his sons to the dragons than have them carry shields and cups for..."

"Yes?" Alysanne urged.

"For our 'drunken, usurper, cunt of a King' were his exact words, I believe..."

"Oh, fuck him!" Alysanne snapped, barely resisting the urge to throw her cup of wine across the room. Beside her, Aegon smirked at her immediate defense of her husband.

"She forcefully removed our Grandmaester's chain from his neck and passed it to her own Maester, Gerardys. Her last words, just before we departed were that she will have her throne or she will have our heads, every last one of us who betrayed her."

"Our heads?" Alysanne echoed in disbelief. "So she wants war?" With every word, her voice rose along with her panic. "I thought the whole point of claiming the throne as to keep us safe, Otto? And what of our offer of betrothal? You relayed it?"

"I did, my Queen, but..."

"But what?" Aegon asked.

"I'm only relaying what I heard at the docks, but it has been said that, upon hearing the news that Aegon was crowned, Rhaenyra went into a fit and her labors began. If the rumors are true, she birthed a daughter, nearly three moons early. They said the babe did not survive." Alysanne's legs nearly gave out beneath her, and she gripped Aegon's sleeve and the side of the table to keep from doubling over.