Fragile Things / Alicent Hightower / Criston Cole (2.1)

16. Dismissed

Favorite ex / Ted lasso out now!
"Alicent i feel... i have... my heart is heavy." Avalon remarked.

"About what?" Alicent questioned "this busienss with daemon and Rhaenyra because-"

"No. I mean yes but..." avalon held her hand as she stared at the ceiling. "I feel conflicted".

"About?"

"I dont think i should tell you. I want to but i dont want you to look at me differently." Avalon admitted.

"There is nothing you could do to change how i feel." Alicent assured turning to her. "Is it bad?"

"I dont know. Avalon admitted.

"We make a stand. We make a statement. The rat catcher is dead. Cole saw to that. The man of blood will hang as well. But what if there are more? More that could turn against us."

"I will see to it that the guard is vetted your grace." Larys assured.

"And round up the rat catchers while you are at it." Aegon decided.

"Of course your grace."

" Who are they?"

"Ratcatchers." the man answered. "In the king's employ."

"What'd they do?" Hugh questioned looking up at the hung men.

"What have you done?" Otto demanded.  "The ratcatchers!"

"Oh... I had them hanged." Aegon answered. "The maggot who took attacked. His accomplice was a rat catcher. If you ask me cats are better. Alyssa loves cats.

" Idiot!"

"Beware how you speak to your king, my lord." Criston countered.

"The king is my grandson and my grandson is a fool!" Otto corrected. "He's worse than a fool! He's murdered innocent men!"

"And one guilty one." Aegon added. "They could have all been-"

"And hanged them from the walls of the city for all to see!" Otto shouted. 

"Plot against the king, and I will pay it back a hundred times over..." aegon agreed nonchalantly "they called for war when they went after my siblings, my mother-" criston loved that aegon thought of avalon as a true mother. The women were very close it made sense that aegon and helaena thought of avalon as a mother.

"They are fathers and brothers and sons! And their wives and children gather now at our gates to weep and curse your name! With avalons tears and declarations we brought the people together against the deprivations to come. And you've thrown it away." Otto hissed pacing the room. "After all I've done for you. Thoughtless, feckless... self-indulgent."

"At least I did something." Aegon challenged. "I have not answered injury to the crown with, what? Wailing and currying favor with the fishwives?" Aegon scoffed. "I will not be thought weak."

"I wish to spill blood, not ink!" Aegon demanded. "We must act. Ser Criston Cole has acted."

"And what... has Ser Criston Cole done?" Otto countered hesitantly.

"Any news from vaera?" Alicent pondered.

"No. I know she is safe with the starks but..." avalon hesitated.

"But?"

"Mama?" Alyssa called from the door. "Aemond is crying."

"What?" Avalon shot up rushing to alyssa. "Is he hurt?"

"His heart." Alyssa reasoned.

"He has sent Ser Arryk to slay Rhaenyra."

"Alone?"

"He's pretending to be his own twin. Brilliant." Aegon agreed.

"Gods help us all." Otto murmured.

"It's time the bitch queen paid a price."

"And you acceded to this, this prank without consulting me or the council?" Otto tsked. "Instead of judgment, you display impetuousness, and diminish us in the eyes of our enemy! Ill-considered, trifling! Do you never think of your father? His... forbearance, his... judiciousness, his... his... dignity."

"Fuck dignity! I want revenge." Aegon demanded. "My father is dead."

"He is. And we are the poorer for it." Otto agreed. "He was right about you."

"He made me king." Aegon corrected, Otto laughed out.

"Is that what you think?"

"Aemond my love?" Avalon questioned he turned to her with bloodshot eyes. "Oh sweetie," she ran to him. "What happened?" He held her.

"Daemon was after me."

"What?" Avalon questioned.

"Daemon sent them to kill me." Aemond realized.  "I wasnt there though..."

"My sweet boy." She realized he was probably right.

"In truth, I am proud... that he considers me such a foe." Aemond admitted. "And that he seeks to murder me in my bed. He's afraid of me. As well he should be." Aemond lay in her lap as she stoked a hand over his back. "I do regret that business with Luke. I lost my temper that day. I am sorry for it."

"I know you are my love. I know you didnt mean it." Avalon assured. "This business with daemon..."

"They used to tease me, you remember mum? Because I was different."

"Try not to lose your temper on dragonback." Avalon requested kissing his head.

"Remove your badge, Ser Otto." Aegon demanded. Otto turned slowly to him. "You were my father's Hand. Not mine. Take it off."

"You wouldn't dare."

"I have dared..." Aegon corrected with a low chuckle. "and I find it stimulating."

"Insolent pup. You think yourself clever, but without a strong Hand at your side... to guide?"

"Give it to Cole."

"Your Grace?" Criston countered.

"In this hour, you have proven yourself of more worth than a hundred old men. My new Hand will be a steel fist." Aegon agreed.

"You will regret this." otto warned.

"Give it to him." Aegon instructed, otto threw it at his feet. "You are dismissed."