The Mouth of the Dragon, The Eyes of the Lamb

Chapter 4

Rhaenyra found Laenor fairly quickly and gripped his tunic as she dragged him into her chambers. His eyes were wide, but he stayed silent. A couple of months had passed since the Pink Dread incident, and Rhaenyra was still attempting to mend the bridge with Alicent. She knew that Alicent had been furious that Rhaenyra brought Aemond to the throne room that day, but he had been harmed as well.

"She means to make a laughing stock of me, Laenor!"

Laenor frowned and closed the door so no one could hear her yelling. "I'm assuming you are talking about Alicent?"

Rhaenyra cast him a glare before she began to pace. "I know she is still actively trying to turn my siblings against me."

Laenor arched his brow before pulling Rhaenyra into a hug. "Why do you think she's trying to turn them against you this time?"

Rhaenyra huffed out a laugh and shook her head. "She's still angry about the pig incident, so to try to mend fences, I proposed a betrothal between Jace and Helaena. She all but spit in my face."

"So what is your response going to be?"

Rhaenyra was silent. She knew what she wanted to do, but it would hurt some of the most important people to her. Laenor had his lover here. Rhaenyra had her entire family and her own lover here. Could she really voice what she wanted aloud?

"I want to leave. I want to go home to Dragonstone."

Laenor pushed Rhaenyra back gently by her shoulders and looked down at her. His brown eyes bore into her violet ones as shock, then anger overtook him.

"Nyra, our life is here, at King's Landing. Do you really want to tear the children away from their friends? Family? Can you truly leave Viserys behind? Can you ask Harwin to abandon his post to follow you? Or ask him to stay behind to never see you again?"

"That's not fair, Laenor."

"What you are asking for isn't fair, Rhaenyra!"

"I am alone here, Laenor!" Laenor snapped his mouth shut and stared at his wife. He had watched, over the years since they were wed, the light slowly leave her eyes. Sadness is all that existed in Rhaenyra's eyes except when she was looking at their children. "You have drunk and whored your way through King's Landing for years. I have not begrudged you, not once. I have not regretted our deal. But I need you on my side now, Laenor." Laenor remained silent but nodded his head.

Rhaenyra pressed a kiss to his cheek before she turned and left the room. She needed space to breathe, and the walls of the Red Keep were pressing down on her. The halls were relatively silent until she began to walk by Aegon's chambers. Soft sobs were coming from the other side of the door, and Rhaenyra frowned. She didn't knock as she opened the door and walked into the room.

Goblets and bottles were scattered around the room along with dirty clothes. When had Aegon's drinking gotten so bad? Rhaenyra rounded the corner quickly so the bed came into view. The word bed was used very loosely. It was nothing more than a mattress on the floor, but Aegon had insisted that that was what he wanted.

Aegon himself was sitting in the middle of the mattress with his knees against his chest. Sobs were wracking his lanky frame, and Rhaenyra took a tentative step toward him. His blond head whipped toward the movement, and he wiped his cheeks roughly.

"Don't you know how to knock, Nyra? Go away." He wouldn't meet her eye, and Rhaenyra continued the short walk to the bed. She sat on the mattress, and Aegon turned his head even farther away.

"Aegon, what's the matter?" Rhaenyra asked softly as she put her hand on top of his. Aegon jerked his hand away, and Rhaenyra let out a soft sigh. "I can't help if you won't tell me what's wrong."