Traitor / Larys Strong / Otto Hightower (3)

18. Clearly

" Our lords in the Crownlands are grousing." Larys remarked. "Their herds of livestock struggle to keep pace with the dragons' relentless appetites. Vhagar's in particular."

"They can either provide the crown what it needs, or we can claim their holdings." Aelsa suggested. "bring a dragon out, let them have some fun."

"Oh, that would be a relief, as we have no more coin to lend to the effort. Resources are certainly growing no more plentiful in the face of the blockade." Ollivander remarked. " The demand on the blacksmiths, armorers and tanners for equipment has only grown apace with Ser Criston's army."

"Yeah he doesn't think of anyone else but himself." Aelsa agreed. "Which is why he was promoted and demoted so quickly."

"Well, Cole's done splendidly, at the least, turning every castle and army he's faced," Jasper went on as Aegon spun his marble. "including Duskendale, gods bless him."

"The Kingmaker, they're calling him. And with Aemond and Vhagar also at the ready, we are a formidable opponent".

"You bore me." Aegon decided with a slam of his marble. "You all bore me." He demanded marching off.

"You were useless anyways." Aelsa assured as he left. "Lets get some real work done while he's gone." She instructed moving to the kings chair.

"Perhaps Ser Criston will be able to procure more livestock through his campaign. Any coin we can save will be a welcome bounty..." Larys suggested.

"Good, what else?"

"What are you doing here?" Aegon demanded seeing his mother rummaging through his things.

"Where are your father's books?"

" I ordered them removed." Aegon answered.

"With no thought to the centuries of knowledge in those pages." Alicent countered, Aegon dismissed his men.

"Your Grace." They agreed heading off.

"I removed them, I didn't burn them."

"You used to tell me that harrenhal was haunted, but we went there, remember?"

"I do it was fun, the kids thought it was haunted." larys recalled.

"Daemon is there now... I heard... old wives tales of course."

"Go on." Larys agreed

"Daemon has to atone for the sins of his past." Aelsa remarked. "Harrenhal does that."

This is the room that has caused him so much pain the seat that he has coveted and was denied and the little girl was stole it from him. " Aelsa told Larys. "He will kill her for us in the end." she decided staring up at the throne.

" Tread carefully."

" Or what?" Alicent challenged. "You'll hang me, as you did your ratcatchers? Or have me banished, as you did your Hand? I ruled in your father's absence throughout his long illness, and Otto Hightower was as cunning a statesman as ever lived. You should humbly be seeking our opinions and counsel. You have no idea the sacrifices that were made to put you on that throne."

"Wha... What would you have me do, Mother?"

"Do simply what is needed of you: nothing."

XXX

"Idiot," aemond murmured seeing aegon fly over head, "wait vhagar not yet." Vhagar grumbled laying back down in the grass with a heavy thud.

"Forward, Sunfyre!" Aegon shouted. "Faster!"

" Dragon!"

"Whose dragon is that?" Gwayne questioned.

"His Grace, the king's." Criston realized.

"This was your secret plot, Cole? For the king himself to lay ambush and mayhaps die in the attempt?!"

" No!" Criston corrected. "Loose more signal arrows! Stalwart men of House Targaryen, your king has joined you! Hold to your courage! Hold to your wits! For the Seven have blessed and shielded this host with divine purpose! For the one true king, Aegon! Advance!" Criston demanded. "Where are you, Aemond?"

When Aegon came back in pieces it seemed Aelsa looked to Alicent, not Criston or Aemond but to Alicent.

"Aelsa-"

"I am blaming you." Aelsa assured. "You told him to do nothing and you hurt his fragile little ego! So now hes basically dead and yeah. Im blaming you. This would have never happened to him, if your father still had control of you ."

"Aelsa-"

"Otto kept you in line as much as he kept aegon and aemond in line."

"And you cant!" Alicent shouted back.

"Clearly because you shit heads don't listen to me!"