Who's Afraid of Little Old Me? / Aemond Targaryen / House of the Dragon

11. Rumors

The Hype / Gendry Waters out now!
"What did they say!" Avalon demanded. "Rhaenyra! Tell me. Im your sister!"

"Nothing." Rhaenyra huffed out.

"The council-"

"Is going to sell me off like a whore, your time will come soon enough." Rhaenyra spat. "Leave me alone Avalon."

"I just wanted to help." Avalon countered softly, taking a step back her words hit like a blow.

"There is no helping me." Rhaenyra hissed marching off.

"Come, princess." Ty requested reaching out a hand for her.

"I dont want to be married off." Avalon whispered as he walked her back to her chambers.

"Good thing you are not heir then." Ty agreed.

"DO you think, hypothetically speaking that I could be a good queen one day. Hypothetically of course, like if I was born first..." Avalon pondered.

"I think, hypothetically you would be the best queen westeros had ever seen."

"He's so cute I might just die!" Avalon declared plopping back onto Alicent's bed. "I could stare into those eyes forever."

"He is handsome- we are talking of ser Tyler Tully correct?" Alicent agreed sitting cross legged on the bed.

"Of course, who else?" Avalon agreed.

"I could put in a good word with your father. Not that he needs it. Ser Tyler is charming. Handsome. A true gentleman." Alicent assured.

"I think so too." Avalon gushed.

"You ever think anout the future?"

"The future? Constantly." Rupert agreed.

"I mean like a normal future. With marriage and kids and-"

"Heavens no. Marriages are controlling and kids are demanding. I want neither." Rupert corrected. Davina swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Good to know." She agreed.

"Davina whats this about? We always had the same goals. Power and dragons." Rupert reminded her. "Control."

"Yeah." Davina whispered.

"Come back to bed. We will work more with sheep stealer in the morrow." Rupert reached out for her and she sunk into his side. He kissed her temple pulling her closer.

"Avalon Tully has a nice ring to it." Alicent agreed.

"Heavens can you imagine? Me, married?"

"I couldnt imagine myself married and yet i have two children. Four if you include rhaenyra and yourself."

"Which I dont because its weird." Avalon corrected. Alicent laughed staring at the ceiling her hand interwoven with avalons when there was a knock on her door. She sat up, righted herself before speaking.

'Come.' the door opened and a hand maiden entered. Avalon say up her feet dangling off the bed.

'Pardon me, Your Grace. The King has requested your presence.'

'The hour is quite late.' Alicent remarked. Avalon didn't understand she looked between the woman and alicent confusion written all over her pale face.

'Yes, Your Grace.' Begrudgingly Alicent got up and got ready to be amounted once again. That was her duty as Queen. Pop out children until the day she died.

"I should get going." Avalon said awkwardly finally understanding that it meant sexual relations. She hugged ALicent bidding her goodnight but Alicent wished Avalon would have stayed and they could have spoke of cute boys all night long.

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'Am I your prisoner?' Daemon asked staring up at Davina.

"I'm your savior." Davina corrected dumping a pale of water on him. "I purify you." She mused as he spurt water out of his mouth.

"What was that for?"

"You were drunk and smelling like a sewer rat." Davina answered. "Sorry my lack of human contact and mainly dragon contact left me... well still me."

"You never were one to be gentle." Daemon agreed.

"Whats going on Dae?"

"You found me. Where was I? Last thing i remember ..."

"Do go on. I would love tonknow what Viserys is hunting you for." Davina agreed.

"What happened last night?" Alicent questioned.

"I went to bed and had a dream about Ty and- OH!" Avalon declared grabbing her tea.

"You didnt go out with your uncle?"

"What? No." Avalon answered putting her tea down undrunk. "What happened? Is he alright?"

"He... your father thinks he bedded Rhaenyra last night." Alicent whispered.

"What!" Avalon demanded her knee hitting the table before them. "OW!" She added rubbing her knee.

"Davina we were so perfect together. Why do you run from me?" Daemon pondered

"If you must know," she sighed heavily as she crouched beside him. "I ran towards you dummy. I was naked in bed with a man i care a lot about and i left him snoring beside me because i knew you were in trouble."

"What man?" Daemon countered aggressively.

"Dont give me that attitude. Everyone is saying you fucked rhaenyra in a pleasure house last night." Davina challenged

"Well-"

"Shes a child!" davina shouted back.

'Okay, we... we drank in a tavern. Several... taverns.' Rhaenyra admitted 'It was getting late... and I asked to go home. But Daemon wished to continue. As he was my escort, I had no real choice.' Rhaenyra lied.

"Continue" Alicent shouted '... in a brоthеl?'

'He took me to a show. I... I was only a spectator. I didn't do anything.' Rhaenyra assured 'And then Daemon sank into his cups and, uh... abandoned me for some whοre. I should've known better.'

'So you did not?'

"Are you alright princess?" Larys questioned.

"Oh yes. Im a good girl. I dont do naughty and scandalous things like my sister." Avalom agreed. " i'm a rule follower while she is a rule breaker."

"That you are princess." Larys agreed. "Might i ask what happened?"

"Rumors i hope but with rhaenyra's attitude lately," avalon shrugged. "I wouldnt put it past her. She must always be an incessant thorn in my fathers side yet he still choses her."

'Must I truly refute that? Daemon never touched me. Okay, I swear this to you upon the memory of my mother.' Rhaenyra told her defensively.

'It was foolish of you to place yourself in a position where your virtue could even come into question. The King has strived to find you a good match. And so have I. If that lord were to think that you had been... sullied... it would ruin everything.' Alicent reminded her.

'I know... Your Grace. I regret it.'