The Death of War

Chapter 30

I'm sorry for the late update, work was extremely busy.

Aemond tells Alicent about Otto's death and has a small encounter with Jace. Rhaenys and Baela talked to Rhaenyra about Jace. I hope you guys like it 🥰

Aemond should have felt some kind of pain as he watched his grandsire burn, his screams had been heard all over the city. Daemon had taken great pleasure in having Caraxes burn his grandsire, after so many years the man finally had his revenge. All the small council members had been killed too as the people of Kings Landing cheered. The small folk were very pleased with their new queen, especially after she had fed them all while the greens had ignored them. Once the traitors had been taken care of Rhaenyra and Daemon had returned to the Red Keep, awaiting their children's arrival. Ravens had been sent throughout the kingdom ordering every lord to travel to Kings Landing to swear fealty to the new queen.

Aemond stood outside his mother's chambers, which was also her prison. He had not seen her since she had been informed of Aegon's death. His brother had been found dead in his cell, a smile on his face. Aemond had not known Rhaenyra would give their brother a choice, he had believed she would make a spectacle of his death and have him burn or beheaded in front of everyone. Rhaenyra had given their brother sweetsleep and gave him a painless death. She then gave him a proper Targaryen funeral, affording him the honors he was due as a Targaryen prince. Aemond thought his sister was more gracious than he was, he would not have gone to so much trouble for someone who betrayed him. His mother had screamed when she was told of Aegon's death. For some reason, he did not understand, Rhaenyra had not told his mother about Otto's death.

He signaled to the guard who opened the doors and allowed him in. He found his mother sitting by the table and looking out of the small window. Rhaenyra had made sure the window was not large enough for his mother to be able to jump off of it. She would be a prisoner for the rest of her life and that was the only part he regretted. Even while recognizing all the horrible things she had done and the way she had mistreated them, she was still his mother and he loved her.

"Mother." Her face turned towards him, but she did not move from her position. "They tell me you have not been eating much."

"What is the point?" She shrugged before looking towards the window once more. "I have nothing to live for, Aegon is dead."

"Aegon is not your only child." He knew she was angry at him and he could not blame her for that. She had never expected him to turn against her. "Helaena is your child and you also have grandchildren. I was told you refuse to see her."

"She betrayed me, just as you did." This time she did turn and glared at him. "You all left me with nothing, I will have to spend the rest of my life locked in here."

"I never understood why power and the throne were more important to you than your own children." His look became hostile, he was tired of wondering about his parents and their lack of affection towards them. "For years, I honestly believed that you wanted Aegon on the throne to protect us, to make sure we would survive. I actually believed you when you said Rhaenyra would kill us as soon as she ascended to the throne. But you were lying, you did not want her to be queen because that would mean you would no longer have any power."

"She did exactly as I said she would do." Alicent stood up. "He is dead because of you."

"No, he is dead because of you." Aemond would not allow her to place the blame on him, not this time. "He is dead because you made him Rhaenyra's enemy when you forced him to take the throne. You made sure that she would have no other choice but to kill him to protect her claim. You made all of this happen!"