Fragile Things / Alicent Hightower / Criston Cole (2.1)

22. More Crippled Than I

"Fuck you. I told you we should've sent our dragons. And now look what's happened. Daemon, of all people, has taken Harrenhal." Aegon shouted. "I give you a job, and now you just sit there. It's your fucking castle!" Larys hesitated.

"Aegon," Avalon begged. Davina rolled her eyes, this man child was in charge? Heavens help them all. 

"NO!" he demanded. "Explain yourself."

"Well, that castle is more crippled than I am, Your Grace." Larys admitted, Aegon scoffed. "It's like to drive Daemon to madness as he attempts to make use of it. It is beyond his faculties." He added. "It is also penniless, as I happily control all of its gold." Larys reminded him. "So, as Harrenhal saps Daemon's resolve, the false queen remains trapped on her island, and Ser Criston continues felling castles in the Crownlands."

" Wh... I need to be informed of these things if I am to make informed rulings. I will not be made to look a fool in front of my allies and enemies". Aegon demanded.

" Harrenhal must wait." Aemond corrected. "Ser Criston is marching on Rook's Rest." Avalon cocked her head confused, rooks rest?

"Rook's Re... A pathetic prize." Aegon corrected. " I gave no such command..."

"I agree, its stupid." Davina agreed. "If I'm sending my men up from dorne you are going to need to give me more than little houses." 

"The castle is small, weakly defended, and Lord Staunton sits on Rhaenyra's council. After Cole smashes it, we'll have Dragonstone effectively cut off by land. This war will not be won with dragons alone, but with dragons flying behind armies of men." Aemond corrected moving the pieces along the map.

"No! Have him turn about. I want Harrenhal back." Aegon demanded fiddling with the marks.

"Alright, pirate has a good plan." Davina admitted. 

"Davina!" Avalon scolded. "Thats my boy." 

"He's cute, it was meant to be taken lightly." Davina whispered back. 

"Cole is already preparing his attack." Aemond answered glancing to davina. 

""Uh, how-how do you know this?" Aegon demanded.

"He sent word to me." Aemond answered. Avalon reached out a hand and Aemond pulled it from his breast pocket. She read it over, it wasn't much but a confirmation. Criston was agreeing to... to Aemond's plan she realized.

"To you?" Aegon hissed. "The two of you have been plotting... without my authority?" Aemond smiled leaning forward in his chair.

"You had more pressing matters to attend to such as holding court choosing your sobriquet Naming imbecile lip spitters to our king guard." Aemond said confusing the rest of the council with his high valyrian language. Larys looked to Avalon as she slowly fisted the scroll. "Do you wisely strategize? If so, you should voice it to your council we all await your answer." Aemond told aegon.

"I can have to... make a... war?" Aegon countered slowly. Damn that old valyrian tongue he should have paid better attention in studies.

"That was just great, our ancestors would be proud." Davina decided. 

"That was awful." Daelora corrected. "I can speak better than him."  Davina hushed her daughter quietly. 

"Might I..." Avalon offered. Aegon nodded in need of help. "Aemond is right, for the time being, Harrenhall is crumbling, if we gather the smaller houses... we have hopes to win against the larger."

"Harrenhal is a useful morass. It will keep Daemon well-occupied while we strengthen our host and weaken Rhaenyra's support on the mainland. We will deal with it in the Riverlands in time. But right now. Rook's Rest is an easy target and a worthy effort." Aemond told them in plain speak. "Don't you agree, my king?" Aemond challenged.

"I took a tea." Avalon admitted. Alicent kissed her gently. "I... my insides want to come out."

"Not worth it?"

"I wouldn't say that but its easier with you." Avalon whispered leaning into her.

"Sit I will tend to you." Alicent assured. "How is davina and her daughter settling?" She got a hot pack and held it out, Avalon put it to her stomach.

"Perfectly, Davina is bossing around everyone as we speak." Avalon assured. "It's for the best if they listen to her."

"I bet." Alicent agreed as there was a knock at the door.  "Come." Alicent groaned. "Lord Larys."

"Hello larys." Avalon added

"I thought I'd look in on you, Your Grace, after your absence from the small council." Larys added. "I feared something was amiss."

" You're kind to do so, my lord, but I overslept." Alicent offered, not wanting to deal with her sons this morning or evening.

"My queen?" Larys looked to Avalon.

"Womanly things." Avalon offered. "Kills the body every moon."

"I'm sorry for asking." Larys agreed looking down.

"Was anything of note discussed at the council?" Alicent cut in.

"Daemon having seized Harrenhal and His Grace's resulting displeasure."

" I would've thought you would be the most aggrieved, my lord." Alicent countered

"Larys handled the news very well." Avalon assured leaning heavily into Alicent. "Aegon not so much..."

"I see it as a loss for our greater good. Dragonstone's attentions are greatly divided. First in the Riverlands and the Gullet, and now the Crownlands. Ser Criston wins every challenge he faces there. That truth alone is like to incite Rhaenyra's fury."

" He's covered himself in glory, to be sure." Alicent agreed.

"And you must worry for him? Your sworn sword.. on the march, ever exposed to dragons?" Larys looked between them. "It is a perilous road."

"Ser Criston is the Hand of the King. We should all pray for his victory and safe return." Avalon agreed. "Just as we pray for Gwayne and the rest of the men."

"Indeed." he agreed rising up. "If I may be so bold, my queen... you have not seemed yourself of late."

"Only weeks ago, my lord husband was alive and the realm was at peace. Now, I've... barely had the hours to grieve one tragedy before suffering the next." Alicent agreed. "I regret if I have not been myself..."

"Oh Ali," Avalon whispered. "None of us are ourselves these days." Avalon assured. "I never thought myself vicious but I feel wicked when I think of what I want to do to the enemy." Alicent wondered when Avalon started thinking of Rhaenyra as the enemy.

" Who is reading this?" Larys pondered, Alicent nodded. "I did not know you shared your lord husband's love... for the histories." Larys remarked picking up a book.

"If not his love, then certainly an... an abiding interest." Alicent agreed. "The voices of history guided Viserys. He knew that his wisdom alone could only reach so far."

"Do you think that is why he changed his mind... in the end?" Larys pondered. "No matter how suited he thought Rhaenyra for the crown, the, uh, voices of history, as you say, would have told him how the realm would react to her succession."

"It was impossible to know what steered his thoughts in those final hours."

"Do you now doubt his intentions?" Larys pondered.

"Not for a moment, he was right, Rhaenyra is not suited." Avalon assured. "Not after what she tried to do to my boy."

"Rhaenyra's supporters will believe what they wish" Alicent added. "And so will Aegon's The war will be fought, many will die... and the victor will eventually ascend the throne. The significance of Viserys' intentions died with him." Larys sealed the book.

"Yes, it did."

"Goodnight lord larys."

"Goodnight my queens."