The Devil's Heart

Chapter Ten: The Council

Vhaelyra laughed with Aegon as they sat in her new chambers.

Soon, the door opened and Otto Hightower rushed in.

"What have you done?" He yelled.

Vhaelyra looked to him, raising a brow.

"The Ratcatchers!" Otto yelled.

Vhaelyra nodded. "Oh.. I had them hanged." She shrugged, taking a drink of her wine. "The maggot who took Helaenas son confessed to an accomplice. He could not say for certain which man it was, so.."

"Idiot!" Otto screamed.

"Beware how you speak to your Queen, my lord." Aegon spoke.

"The Queen is my granddaughter and my granddaughter is a fool!" Otto yelled. "Worse than a fool! She's murdered innocent men!"

"And one guilty one." Vhaelyra spoke. "You would also do well to remember I am not your granddaughter."

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

"Plot against the Queen, and I will pay it back a hun-"

"They are fathers and brothers and sons!" Otto screamed. "And their wives and children gather now at our gates to weep and curse your name!" He shook his head. "With Helaena's child's blood, we bought their approval. With your mother's tears, we made a bitter sacrifice against the deprivations to come. And you've thrown it away. After all I've done for you. Thoughtless, feckless... self-indulgent."

"Atleast I did something." Vhaelyra spoke. "I have not answered inquiry to the crown with, what? Wailing and currying favor with the fishwives?" She laughed. "I will not be thought weak."

"Even now, the news of Rhaenyra's monstrous crime spreads through the realm. The great house falters. They cannot but come to our side." Otto spoke, anger filling his voice.

"I wish to spill blood, not ink!" Vhaelyra yelled. "We must act." Vhaelyra looked to Cole who stood beside Aegon. "Ser Criston Cole has acted."

Otto looked at Vhaelyra, slowly turning to look at Cole, before back at Vhaelyra. "And what.. has Ser Criston Cole done?"

"He has sent Ser Arryk to slay Rhaenyra." Aegon spoke.

"Alone?"

"He's pretending to be his own twin." Vhaelyra spoke.

"Gods help us all..." Otto sighed.

"It's time the bitch Queen paid a price." Ser Criston spoke.

Vhaelyra slowly turned to look at him, opening her mouth to say something but Otto cut her off.

"And you acceded to this... this prank without consulting me or the council?" Otto asked.

Vhaelyra loked to him.

"Instead of judgement, you display impetuousness, and diminish us in the eyes of our enemy!" Otto yelled. "Ill-considered, trifling!" He muttered, pacing around the room. "Do you ever think of your father? His... forbearance, his... judiciousness, his... his... dignity?"

"Fuck dignity!" Vhaelyra yelled. "I want revenge." She huffed, shaking her head. "My grandsire is dead."

"He is." Otto spoke. "And we are all the poorer for it." He shook his head. "He was right about you."

"He made me Queen." Vhaelyra spoke.

Otto laughed. "Is that what you think?"

"Remove your badge, Ser Otto." Vhaelyra spoke. "You were my grandsire's hand. Not mine." She spoke.