Fire and Blood

Chapter 111: Return to the Frontlines

Red Keep ― Maegor's Holdfast...

"Why?! Aeonar, how could you do this?!" Alicent cried out, her heart heavy with both sorrow and an insatiable thirst for answers. Her voice was filled with a mix of emotions swirling within her. Alicent's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps as she stood before her husband. Upon learning about Aeonar's actions during the Battle of the Gullet, which had endangered their son Aegon's life, the queen confronted him. "How could you risk our son's life like that?! Did you not consider the consequences of your actions? Did you not think about the pain it would cause me, the mother of your children?" She longed for reassurance, for some semblance of understanding that would restore her shattered faith in the man she had once loved since they were children.

But instead, as Alicent looked into Aeonar's eyes, she saw no remorse, no regret. Instead, she saw a coldness that chilled her to the bone.

"He's still alive, is he not?" Aeonar said coldly.

Alicent stood there, stunned and unable to catch her breath, as Aeonar's words hit her like a ton of bricks. The weight of his words crushed her spirit, leaving her gasping for air as she struggled to come to terms with the truth. Throughout their lives, Alicent had always believed in Aeonar's unwavering devotion to their family and his commitment to their well-being. She felt she had been living in a perfect dream, a world where everything was excellent, and her family was a tight-knit, solid group. He had always been the rock she could lean on, the one person she could trust implicitly.

But now, that illusion had been shattered, and Alicent was left with the harsh reality that her husband was no longer the man he once was. Seeing Aeonar show no remorse for his actions, she felt a profound sense of emotional abandonment. How could he have jeopardized their son's life so callously? How could he have placed his desire for vengeance above the safety of their family? The realization hit the queen like a dagger to the heart, leaving her feeling vulnerable and alone. The foundation of trust they had painstakingly built over the years had crumbled, leaving behind a void that seemed impossible to fill. Alicent couldn't help but wonder if their relationship could ever be repaired and if forgiveness could ever find its way into her wounded heart.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing... You've changed..."

"No, Alicent. I feel liberated! Don't you understand? It's never been about what I want; it's ABOUT WHAT'S FAIR!! The malcontents have torn the realm apart for their own selfish greed, poisoned the House of the Dragon from the inside, they fucking MURDERED. OUR. SON!!" Aeonar's face darkened. "You thought we could be decent people in an indecent time! But you were wrong. You were all wrong. Our world is a dark, cruel place, and the only morality that exists in a cruel world... is fate. Unbiased, unprejudiced. And every action I take is for the greater good, no matter how ruthless or unforgiving. I'm done with all this passivity and weakness. If it's fire and blood they want, then by the Old Gods and the New, it's fire and blood they'll get! Beatrice and all sycophants who side with her will get MORE BLOOD THAN THEY EVER BARGAINED FOR!!"

A loud crack resonated throughout the room, causing Aeonar's head to turn to the right abruptly. It dawned on him that the sound had originated from an open hand striking against his face. As he glanced back, Aeonar immediately identified Alicent as the one who stood before him with a hand raised high in the air. In a split second, her hand came crashing down on his cheek, leaving a stinging sensation in its wake.

Aeonar stood there, his face stinging from the force of the slap, but his mind detached from the physical sensation. Instead, he raised an eyebrow, his expression remaining stoic and unreadable. He watched as Alicent's tears streamed down her face, her hand trembling from the impact she had just delivered. It was as if time had slowed down, and he could see every detail of her anguish. Aeonar had expected to react in anger, perhaps even feel a surge of rage boil to the surface, but instead, he felt nothing. The absence of emotion left him feeling strangely detached from the situation as if he were an observer rather than a participant. "You get that one for free. But that's the last one," he warned.