Traitor / Larys Strong / Otto Hightower (3)

15. False Queen

Aelsa believed her son when he said yes he drank some ale and no he didnt fuck a whore. He looked terrified at the thought. Yes had a girlfriends for a week at a time but the most he ever did was kiss their cheeks. One on the lips and he was blushing profusely after all day.

"Honestly. Those boys." Aelsa muttered

"You never..." larys questioned.

"Gods no. I didnt need to buy my men." She reminded him dragging a hand down his chest. "You?"

"No." Larys answered. "I was busy fawning over women out of my league."

"You got me." Aelsa countered

"And you are out of my league." He agreed kissing her.

Aelsa woke up exhausted, she looked to larys he was ready for the day because of course he was. She groaned rolling over in bed. 

"I need a vacation from his job, from his life!" She decided. 

"After the war."

"That will be the bloody day." Aelsa murmured. "Come on, lets go." 

"That's the spirit." Larys agreed kissing her cheek. 

" We march to make the first strike in the name of His Grace."

"I assure you, my nephew will not begrudge me a night of comfort." Gwayne countered the men stared off. "If it soothes your brow, Cole, we will rendezvous with your army at first light. Or, if their wine is good, perhaps a little after first light."

" We're exposed." Criston countered noting the shadows in the clouds.

"Any word from Cole?"

"He's not fucking up." Aegon assured. Aelsa silently tapped her hand of the king badge. "Yes well, you were right." He agreed. 

"Louder, for the people in back?" Aelsa mused. 

"You, Aelsa Lannister were right." Aegon agreed. 

"And dont you forget it." Aelsa agreed. "I'm waiting for another Cole was a fuck up raven from gwayne any moment now." 

"Have some faith. He is commander of the guard." 

"After the original commander left for Rhaenyra." Aelsa reminded him. 'He was default commander, just as Rhaenyra was default heir. They are just a bunch of defaults over there." 

" What?" Gwayne followed his gaze. " Cole?"

" Get to the trees!" Criston demanded. "Hyah! Hyah!" Moondancer roared out swooping down from the clouds.

"A good showing, Ser Criston." Gwayne admitted. "I am in your debt."

"They know we're abroad. They'll be hunting." Criston realized. "And we must move under the trees and by cover of dark, starting tonight. And no fucking inns."

Rhaenyra saw alicent heading in, her guards remained behind, now was the time. When she knelt beside alicent, alicent hesitated before recognizing her.

" No, no. Shh." Rhaenyra begged as alicent rose up, she looked to the blade in rhaenryas hand.

" What..."

"Shh." She demanded pointing the blade her.

"What... H..." alicent gasped back.

" I must speak with you."

"If I c-cry out?" Alicent countered.

"Your knights would find me. I would be taken or slain, though not before I killed you." Rhaenyra corrected.

"And then what?" Alicent demanded.

"W..." Rhaenyra hesitated. "I have begun badly." She realized and alicent scoffed.

"The false queen is in the capital." Larys remarked. 

"What? And just stand there?"

"She is with the queen dowager." Larys answered. Aelsa's lips pursed. 

"Where?" 

"Sept." Aelsa nodded. 

"Good work honey," Aelsa agreed. "I will handle it."

"Be careful." Larys called after her. 

"Not in my nature." She corrected, heels clicking on the ground as she went. 

"We watched the tourney together, you and I... the day my brother was born. We knew, even then, that men trained up for battle are eager to fight, to seek blood and glory. But you are... I know you do not have that desire within you. Rhaenys has counseled me. She said she saw in you a wish to avert the worst of what may now come."

"So, you've come to surrender then?" Alicent questioned.

Ser Laurent looked up from his book seeing Aelsa marching forward, four guards flanked her and more were coming up the path behind her. Lannister guards by the looks of it. 

"Shit." He murmured getting up and stumbling towards her trying to block her  but Aelsa spun out of his way. 

"Watch it old man." Aelsa countered. 

"A copper for a weary-"

"Not in the giving mood." Aelsa corrected unwavering. 

"I have come to see if we may uncover some path towards peace." Rhaenyra corrected. "My dragons are restless. They smell battle. But if you and I may come to terms..."

"There are no terms now. You have no army, your allies turn from you when they hear of your depravity, your hands are bloodied in a crime I could never have imagined you..."

" The trespass was not mine." Rhaenyra corrected honestly. Alicent stared back at her in disbelief. "Ah, think what you will. I am a mother too and you have yet to answer for the murder of my son."

" I repudiate that act with all my heart."

" Of course, you do." Rhaenyra scoffed. " And the usurping of my rightful inheritance?" They silenced as someone came up to light a candle opposite them. "Have you now stooped so low that you will countenance the suffering and death of thousands, in order that your feckless son... "

"Your father changed his mind." Alicent corrected.

"Surround the building." Aelsa instructed. 

"What of the septas?" 

"Are you scared of a few nuns?" Aelsa sassed. "Everyone is examined pull their fucking wraps free, I want every head examined." Aelsa demanded. 

"You trust your source?" 

"My source is my husband so yes. I do." Aelsa agreed her head snapping around. "Grab that man that tried to stop us." she instructed. "He knows something." 

"Yes my lady." the guards agreed fanning out. 

"Oh, so you say. And so your father has proclaimed to the realm. I saw the king that night. Mere hours before I left him, he had affirmed my right to the throne, a right he upheld steadfastly, every day of his life after my mother died." Rhaenyra corrected. "And yet, you will maintain that his mind was changed in an instant?"

"I will."

"You lie."