𝑨 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 // 𝑨𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒏 𝑰𝑰 𝑻𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒚𝒆𝒏

67. A Farewell Kiss

"His health has improved tremendously of late, my queen." Talked the grand maester on. Alicent stood patiently with his hands in front of her, listening carefully to what was being said to her. Viserys had gotten better, and she allowed herself to feel relieved by the news.

When the elderly man had finished his reports on the king's progressive health, she thanked him for his services and dissmissed him to have a moment to herself.

On the desk was a pile of papers and letters that had been sent from different houses. Complaints, desires, progress made under this moon and finances that she needed to take a look at.

The job seemed to be overwhelming at times. After Viserys had been bedridden, he had appointed her queen regent until he recovered. Her father had only seen it as another step forward on their part, Alicent too but all of this was just tiring at times.

One thing she prioritized over these complaints and updates on progress, however, was Aemond's wedding and the welcome for his future wife. What she had heard from many lords and ladies who had met her before had had nothing to say about her that Alicent would find unseemly.

She knew that Aemond was a man of duty, a man she was proud to have raised, he would need a woman who was the same, who valued appropriate behavior highly, and who did not shy away from her wifely duties.

"So it's decided then?" Sir Criston asked from the door. Gesturing against the paper in her hand. The letter she had received from Lord Bracken. "It is, Soon he's getting married and then he'll finally be able to settle down."

"A... very gracious Idea, my Queen."

Alicent knew it was wrong, both for her desertion and for her faith. Sir Criston Cole was a knight and his white cloak had already been stained by Rhaenyra. She didn't have to be a victim of it herself. Or a hypocrite for that matter.

"Thank you, Sir Criston."

She held his gaze for a moment longer before she heard the door open, and in less than a second Aemond was standing inside the chamber with his hands behind his back, staring at Sir Criston.

The queen smiled, opened her arms to welcome her son. "Aemond, so good that you could come here on such short notice."

He gave her a quick nod before staring at the knight again. His gaze was anything but joyful or warm. "Leave us" he ordered the knight. His tone demanding and at least as cold as his eye.

Sir Criston turned to Alicent to wait for her approval, it was strange she thought. Aemond had never behaved like that with Criston before.

In silence, she gave the knight permission to leave them alone and not long after that he was at the door.

"Mother, you asked to see me." It was more of a statement than a question. It was as if he respectfully told her to get to the point and tell her what it was she wanted.

Aemond was probably the only one of his brothers (at least in his mind) who actually respected his mother, after he lost his eye she was the only person he found comfort in and the only one who actually cared. His father hadn't even once visited him, or asked him how he was doing, and most importantly, he hadn't done a damn thing that night. His half-sister and her bastard son's had not received any punishment. Instead, she had fled to Dragonstone and hid behind the Daemon.

He resisted the urge to scoff at the idea, to think that that woman would have been their queen one day had it not been for...

"I have important news for you, my son. The gods have blessed you and the kingdom with their generosity." She told him and went to her desk to pick up the letter that had been sent.