To Take What Is Rightfully Ours

Chapter 25. Taking Back The Favor Of The Gods

Diane wondered sometimes whether or not Viserys felt even a tiny bit guilty about having her in his chambers while his wife was struggling with her pregnancy so much. Viserys seemed to pay it no mind which was expected, considering what she knew about him, but still part of her kind of hoped he cared about Alicent at least a little. He married her out of his own free will, after all. No one held a sword to his throat or dragged him into the sept. A better man would have probably stuck by his decision but Viserys did not.

It played out in their favor, of course. Because of his infatuation, Viserys actually listened to her (sometimes even over Otto Hightower which was a nice bonus), and Diane knew how to "fake it" in all the senses of this phrase. And yet she was rather alarmed by the state of Alicent's health.

If Stranger existed, she would have been his identical copy. She was rarely seen in public but when she was, it was obvious that she lost weight despite her pregnancy and was way paler than a healthy person is supposed to be. And she was only early into her seventh month.

Diane didn't care much about Alicent as a person but she knew if the Queen was to die, Viserys would be widowed and free to take a wife again after the mourning period was over. It would be unfortunate but not unusual. What Diane didn't like was the fact that she was the most likely candidate for his third wife. She was just too good at what she was doing and that could be her curse sometimes. So she prayed that Alicent survived because she was not going to marry Viserys. No. Fucking. Way.

Once, a lot of years ago, Diane vowed that no man would ever hold power over her again, and she intended to stick to that vow. Besides, Daemon, knowing her thoughts on that matter, would never allow her to marry Viserys and another fall-out between the brothers was not something they could afford. So it was better not to end up in such an unfortunate situation at all.

'I think our dragons formed a polycule,' Diane informed Daemon and Rhaenyra while the three of them were walking in the garden.

Daemon raised an eyebrow instead of an answer.

'A what now?' the princess asked.

'I believe the three of them just mated together. Like a three-way relationship. I'm not sure in what way exactly. Silverwing definitely has hots for Syrax and it's very much reciprocated, and Caraxes is just happy to be there.'

Daemon let out a laugh, 'That's my boy.'

'One of the dragonkeepers said they gave up all the attempts to separate them because it's not worth the burns and bitten-off limbs,' Diane added, making Rhaenyra smile. 'I sneaked in last night to take a look. They sleep in a pile, it is so adorable. Caraxes caught me and I'm pretty sure he rolled his eyes at me.'

Daemon rolled his eyes with a smile. Then realized what he did and laughed.

'Your relationship with the dragons amazes me,' Rhaenyra said, making Diane smile. 'You get along with all of them with such an ease, it's remarkable.'

'She gets it from her mother,' Daemon said. 'I've never met a commoner so utterly unfazed by the presence of Caraxes as Iris was. And he is pretty darn terrifying.'

'I do not know how to explain it if I'm honest,' Diane said thoughtfully. 'I just... I communicate with them the same way I do with people, and they seem to understand me perfectly well. And, as long as it works, I don't really care how,' she smiled because why question something that was working? Clearly, her communication skills helped to keep Cannibal and Sheepstealer fed and away from the villages on Dragonstone, which were rapidly growing in population at this very moment.

'I remember when you were around five, you disappeared during the night. Gave me and your mother the fright of our lives,' Daemon looked from his daughter to Rhaenyra. 'And you know where we found this little menace?'