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

53. Ice and Fire

" 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."

"Zena is a little thing, but she's fast." Maeve remarked. "She can swoop- we can swoop down together and get livestock from farms that Rhaenyra-"

"No." Tyland corrected, she grumbled slumping back in her chair. She spun her own marble having a contest it seemed against Aegon beside her.

"They can either provide the crown what it needs, or we can claim their holdings." Jasper countered.

"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." Tyland remarked. " The demand on the blacksmiths, armorers and tanners for equipment has only grown apace with Ser Criston's army."

"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."

"He's a brave man." Maeve agreed. "Strong, dependable."

"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. Maeve got up moving to his spot.

"Do continue." She urged. "I'm listening."

"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.

"I think he will be able to." Maeve agreed.

"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."

"On your feet! To Rook's Rest! To battle!" Criston shouted.

"It's broad daylight." Gwayne corrected washing the blood from his face. "We must hold here and ready ourselves to lay siege at nightfall."

"We shall move now and strike by day. They will not expect it." Criston corrected.

"They will not expect it because it is fucking madness. Did you forget the little encounter we had on the road to Rosby?" Gwayne countered.

"I did not. ''

"Dragonstone and their dragons are just across the bay." Gwayne countered "What? Grown tired of living, have you?" Criston wanted to get home and hug Maeve, to tell her the war was all but won and she didn't have to worry anymore.

"Are you afraid, Ser?"

"Worse. I'm rational." Gwayne challenged.

" He is daring us to act." Jace demanded. "We need to send a dragon."

"There are those who have mistaken my caution for weakness. Let that be their undoing." Rhaenyra decided. " I will go."

" My queen..." Jace begged. " You cannot."

"I will not lose dragons to war whilst I hide here in my castle." Rhaenyra corrected.

"Our allies raise their banners for you, Mother.' jace reminded her.

" Yes, they do." Rhaenyra agreed.

"If you die, all is lost. Send me." Jace begged.

" No."

" I will burn Cole's lines and withdraw before King's Landing could even raise the alarm." Jace begged.

"You lack the experience." She corrected.

"They are fighting over rooks rest."

"Why?" Avalon countered.

"To block off supply to dragonstone." Davina realized. "Daya where are with-"

"On it!" Daya agreed running off.

"And tom?"

"Yep." He sighed getting up. "DJ help Dav."

"On it!" She agreed saluting him.

"I'm confused." Avalon whispered.

"The person in charge usually is." Davina agreed. "While they are dealing with rooks rest we will handle high garden and... old town."

"Old town?"

"Old town." Davina agreed.

"Daya is setting out to..." Jeremy cleared his throat. "Deal with the Greyjoy."

"With him as your master of ships you will be unstoppable on the seas."

"Davina, I can't thank you enough for being my hand." Avalon declared. "You are so much better at this than I."

"You have a gentle heart, like my brother, you will rule in peace, we just need to get you there."

"You must send me, Your Grace." Rhaenys corrected. "Meleys is your largest dragon and no stranger to battle. I will meet Cole."

"I wish only to fight for you, for your claim and mine." Jace reminded rhaenyra.

"I... There's something I need to tell you, Jace. Something... I told your sister when she first became heir to the throne. But since she is gone, it is your duty, our honor and your burden to bear." Rhaenyra remarked.

"She's not gone." Jace corrected.

"She isn't ours anymore." Rhaenyra corrected. "You," she held his face in her hands. "It is yours now. You are my heir jace." He tensed. "It's a secret that Viserys told me when he named me his successor. And it has passed from king to heir... since Aegon the Conqueror's time." Rhaenyra remarked with a heavy breath. "I never told you because I was unsure that I believed it myself. The Targaryen who sits the Iron Throne is not just a king or a queen. They are a Protector. Ordained to lead the Seven Kingdoms, to strengthen them... ... and to unite them against a common foe. Viserys chose me to succeed him. He held to this the whole of his life. My father believed that I, alone, was meant to be this Protector. But to unite the realm, I had to send the dragons to war. The horrors I have just loosed cannot be for a crown alone. That is why I must believe what Viserys told me when he named me his heir. What Jaehaerys had told him. And what I will now tell you." Rhaenyra grabbed his hand.

"What is it?" Jace questioned.

"Aegon the Conqueror's Dream. He called it "The Song of Ice and Fire"."