THE HEALER PRINCE ( House of dragon reincarnation)(OC x Alicent)

Part 55

Chapter 56

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

"Rhaenyra is pregnant!" she questioned incredulously as Aenys settled down beside her on the bed, and he nodded.

"Yes, I confirmed it myself in Vale," he continued, quashing the notion that her ears were playing tricks on her. But that was news to her, and she was elated, of course, but she was more worried.

For she lived with Rhaenyra and her brother, Gwayne. And thinking of them as parents, well, Seven bless that child.

"How?" she gasped out, and Aenys looked at her with a mocking smile as she quickly shook her head.

"Are you really asking that my dear?" he said with a chuckle, and a small blush crept up her cheeks as she pinched his arm, making him wince.

"Ouch! Ouch! Is this how you treat your lord husband, who has returned after a week," he complained animatedly, and she rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean," she said, and he nodded as he rubbed his arm.

"Well, it doesn't matter how. She is with a child and is set to marry in a few weeks. I don't think it matters much," he added, and she noticed how his expression changed the next moment as he continued.

"Though there is something else that I wanted to tell you," he began, and she could tell from his tone that this matter was rather serious, so she nodded.

"I had a discussion with Rhaenyra about the succession in Vale and have decided to support her claim," he finished, and she stilled at those words, for they were a contradiction to his earlier decision.

Yet, unlike when he had reluctantly given in to hers and Rhaenyra's demands, this time, his mind seemed made up as he looked at her with a determined gaze.

"Why?" she questioned, knowing that if there was a chance of making him change it once more, she must first understand the reason behind this change.

"Because I don't want the throne, because taking it would be more of a hindrance, but most of all," he began to list them out as he turned towards her and looked her in the eye.

"But most of all, because I don't believe in letting fear control my decisions, and even this time, I won't let the fear of an unknown scenario determine what I do, come whatever may," he finished.

"But what of the Council! What will happen if Daemon calls a Grand Council," she questioned worriedly, and his eyes narrowed as he answered.

"There wont be a damned Council!" he answered, surprising her.

"A council is only ever necessary if the succession is in crisis, or the monarch himself calls it as my grandfather did. A mistake which haunts my family to this day," he began seething as he named King Jaehaerys the culprit of his family's divide as he often did.

"In this scenario, there is no reason for a Grand Council, and as the heir to the throne, Rhaenyra shall have every opportunity to refuse any such demand," he said.

"But what of the lords! What will we do if they listen to Daemon's call and gather for a Council what will we do then," she implored.

"Any such lords who defy the Crown's intentions and attend an illegal Council will be branded as traitors and will be dealt as such. I will show them no mercy, and they will face the full might of the Crown," he answered resolutely, his mind made up as she gasped.

"That could be disastrous! Thousands could die," she gasped, and his expression didn't shift at her words as he looked her in the eye.

"Then so be it," he said in a cold, detached tone that told her enough that he was willing to condemn thousands of people for this.