Shattered Rubies

Chapter 12

"Come!" Alicent yelled from her fireplace, Elinor opened the door, seeing the Dowager Queen, Alicent turned around, "Elinor."

"It's your grace" Elinor corrected and walked to the table, Alicent stood up, warm rocks wrapped in a blanket against her stomach, "I thought I'd look in on you, you were not at the small today."

"How very kind. Indulgence was my sin, I ventured into the leopards pie too far at last night's supper" Alicent lied but Elinor gave a kind smile, "Hmm" she hummed.

She looked down at the table next to her, a open cup laid, a bit of the liquid still inside, Elinor raised an eyebrow and picked up the cup, sniffing the content.

Looking past the cup, Elinor lowered the cup and placed it back on the table, "Was anything of note discussed at the council?" Alicent asked as Elinor went over to the couch.

"Daemon seizing Harrenhall and Aegon's resulting displeasure, my snapping at Aemond for trying to embarrass his King" Elinor stated as she looked down at the book, "I would've thought you'd be most aggrieved your grace."

Elinor shrugged, "Harrenhall is a crippled castle, DragonStone's attentions are greatly divided, first in the River lands and then the Gullet and now the Crown Lands" Elinor stated paging through the books.

"Ser Criston wins every battle he faces, that alone is angering Rhaenyra, don't you think?" Elinor turned to face Alicent whom now sat in her chair, "He's covered himself in gloring to be sure."

"Well you must worry for him" Elinor slowly walked to Alicent, "As he is your sworn sword, on the march, never exposed to dragons is it a hard road for him."

"Ser Criston is the hand of the King, we should all pray for his victory and safe return" Elinor hummed in response, "You should pray more than others, Ser Criston is devoted to you, in more than one way" Alicent gulped, had Elinor found out?

Elinor sighed, "May I?" She asked as she say down on the chair opposite Alicent, "I've noticed you haven't been yourself of late" Elinor stated, very 'concerned', "Many weeks ago my Lord husband was alive and the realm was at peace."

Elinor scoffed, "Peace" she muttered under her breath, "Now I've barely had the hours to grieve one tragedy before suffering the next. I regret if I have not been myself" Elinor nodded her head and licked her lips.

"Seems you shared King Viserys's love for the historys" Elinor pointed to the book, "If not his love than surely an abiding interest" Alicent pointed out.

"The voices of history guided Viserys, he knew that his wisdom alone could only reach so far" Elinor took a book and paged through it, "Do you think that's why he changed his mind? In the end?"

Elinor looked up to meet Alicent gaze, "It is imposed to know what stirred his thoughts in those final hours" Elinor's slowly nodded her head and looked down to the book, "Ahh."

Alicent rubbed her nose, "Rhaenyra's supporters will believe what they wish 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's intentions died with him."

Elinor slight looked up from the book, "Of course" she whispered closing the book, "Have a lovely day, Lady Alicent" Alicent's face dropped and Elinor gave her a sweet smile.

Little did Elinor know, she was becoming just like her father.

****

Aegon's new chamber, his father's old one, had suddenly come to be Elinor's favorite place for peace and quiet, plopping grapes and berried into her mouth, her feet on the table whilst she balanced herself on of the legs of the chair she sat in.

She wandered how Rhaenyra has been with this war? But she wanted her to fail, miserably, her stomach turned.

"I know baby, I miss daddy too, but he's at a meeting, one that I do not want to attend, so we'll wait here" Elinor whispered her hand rubbing her lower belly. The door suddenly opened and smile grew on her face.

Turning her head her smile dropped, "Alicent, Aegon is not here" Alicent turned to Elinor, "I know, I'm looking for Viserys's book. Do you know where they are?" Elinor shrugged and shook her head.

Groaning, Alicent turned and squatted down at the cupboard, Elinor sighed removed her legs from the table and placed the chair on all four legs, she slight turned her body to Alicent, "Why do you need them?"

Alicent was about to answer when the doors opened, Aegon walking into the chamber, three Kingsguard after him, Aegon turned to see Elinor, a smile on his face, then he turned to see his mother, "What are you doing here?"

"Where are your father's books?" Alicent seemed tired from her second long squat, "I ordered them removed" Aegon stated very uninterested in his late father's belongings.

"With no thought of the centuries of knowledge in those pages" Elinor rolled her eyes, plopping another grape in her mouth, Aegon turned to his Kingsguard, they looked to each other and walked away.

"Your grace."

"I removed them, I didn't burn them" Aegon clarified making his way to his wife, grabbing a jug of wine and a glass along with him, with one sad look to Elinor, he sat down on the floor, between her legs.

"What is it?" Alicent questioned noticing Aegon's mood, "They don't care what I think" Aegon chugged the glass of wine, then rested his head on Elinor's thigh, "Who Aegon?" Alicent asked making her way towards the couple.

"My council, Cole, Aemond. They pursue their campaign without seeking my aid or even my thoughts" Elinor sighed and ran her hands through his hair, knowing it soothed his nerves and anger.

Alicent took the jug from Aegon, pouring her own drinking, "What thoughts would you have?" She asked trying not to laugh, Elinor sent her a glare, "I'm the King" Aegon reminded her.

"Do you think simply wearing the crown imbues you with wisdom?" Alicent questioned, Aegon sighed, looking to the floor, his head still leaning against Elinor's thigh, his thigh.

Alicent made her way to the seat across the couple, "Those men, at your council table, earned their seats. It was my hope that-" Alicent chuckled, "-once in throned, you would honor the burden of your new duties, be silent, strife to learn all the studied minds around you. In the hope that you'd be half the King your father was."

"Tread carefully" Elinor warned.

"Or what?" Alicent placed her glass down, "You'd hang me like you did the rat catchers? Or have me banished as you both did the Hand. I ruled in Viserys absence, throughout his long illness and Otto Hightower is the cunning statesmen who ever lived, you should humbly be seeking our opinions and council. You have no idea the sacrifices that were made to put you on that throne."

Elinor rolled her eyes, she didn't really care what Alicent had to do to make Aegon King, or that she ruled, she didn't really cared. She didn't care about Alicent, if she were to die, she wouldn't even shed a tear.

Aegon however thought his mother wanted him to be useless and sit around while others fight a war his mother made, he lifted his head, "Wha-what would you have me do, mother?"

"Do simply what is needed of you. Nothing."