The unwanted princess - H.o.D.

Lord Hand

Everything hurt when she moved, but, as always, Valora did what was expected of her. It had been a day a few hours from her labours and she still hurt from it. All she wanted was to be left alone, to rest in her bed the whole day, only moving when necessary, whenever her wetnurses came in carrying one of her babes to feed. That was usually how it went when Valora gave birth - she would be given three or four days of reprieve while everyone did everything else for her as she recovered. And, really, that was all that she needed but of course, that was not what she was going to get; not with Aegon's coronation happening later that afternoon at the Dragonpit after a day of the Small Council running against time to get everything ready before word of the King's death reached Rhaenyra.

Valora wanted to stay at Keep. She wanted to lay back in her bed and sleep off her pains, but she was a princess. Not only that, she was Aegon's wife, the mother of his children - his heirs -, the woman who was soon to be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. She needed to be there at the coronation, she knew. So, in spite of maester Orwyle's warnings and her own limitations, Valora let her maids work on her hair and dress her up as she whined and moaned every time she moved.

The chambers were silent apart from Valora's noises. The maids worked in silence as if they too could feel the tension building within the walls of the Red Keep and as much as Valora appreciated the peace, she was starting to grow a little restless, being trapped inside her mind with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company. That was, of course, until there was a knock on her door and Ser Dalt stepped in.

"The lord hand wishes to have a word with you, my princess." He said, his eyes softening when he noticed the way she bent over in pain. "He says it is urgent."

"Of course it is." She groaned, waving her maids away as she stumbled toward a chair to sit down. "Send him in."

Ser Dalt bowed at her before stepping outside once more. The maids scurried out quickly as well, curtsying Otto as they went. Otto waited for the last of the maids to walk out and close the door after her before even bothering turning around to look at Valora.

"I expect there is a good reason why you are interrupting my getting ready, my lord hand." Valora glared at the man before him, who barely blinked at her hostile greeting.

"My sincerest regrets for the timing, your grace." He said, and Valora didn't miss the way her title changed in his tongue. She was no longer my princess. Aegon hadn't even been crowned, and yet, there he was, regarding her as a queen. "I realize it probably wasn't the best of times to talk to you about such gruesome matters, given your... Condition."

"Your daughter seemed to have had no qualms about ill-timing, my lord." Valora scoffed.

"The Dowager Queen sends her deepest apologies, your grace." Otto responded, without missing a beat. "But I am sure a woman as smart as you understands the situation."

"I understand you are pushing Aegon to take the throne." Valora said, groaning again as she pushed herself to sit straighter against the chair. Take it from Rhaenyra, she wanted to say. She bit her tongue instead.

"It was your father's dying wish." Otto said, to which Valora scoffed.

"If that is what you choose to believe in..."

"Believe it or no, it is of no consequence." Otto squinted his eyes at her, as if he was chiding a petulant child. "Aegon will be king. You will be queen. And from what your husband told us at the Small Council, that had seemed to be your wish a few hours ago."

"My wish is to keep my children safe." Valora argued. "So it's Aegon's. And if sitting him in that throne is the only way to do that, then so be it."

"Valora." Otto said and Valora blinked, surprised. It was probably the first time Otto Hightower spoke to her at all, let alone called her by name and it made her head spin for a moment. "I came to talk to you because I feared you would be the only one who would understand. Your father... Your father was a good king. Decent, at the very least. Peaceful, yes. But a fool. He loved your mother, more than I have ever seen a man love a woman before. And that love was what made him love Rhaenyra and hate you. That love is what made him stick to his stupid wish of having Rhaenyra in the throne in spite of the consequences this action could bring upon us. He put little thought into what was best for the realm."

"And what was best for the realm was... Aegon?" Valora almost scoffed. "You and I both know that is not what you think, my lord."

"What was best for the realm was a king." Otto sends her a look.

"And now you have one." Valora shrugged. "I am not entirely sure what that has to do with me, however."

"It has to do with you because I don't think you are seeing the seriousness of the situation."

Valora wanted to roll her eyes. She could see the seriousness of the situation alright. Even more than Otto himself gave her credit for. She understood the threat she was under - the threat her children were under. She understood the threat Rhaenyra and her claim represented to her family. But she also understood the threat Otto himself presented to be. An ever looming knife over Aegon's head - over her boys' head - if he didn't do as he was told; if Valora didn't do what was expected of her. She knew. She knew it well.

"I understand." Valora found herself saying.

"Do you?" Otto almost scoffed in a way that made Valora's skin crawl. She felt like a child at that moment. She hated it.

"I understand that as long as Aegon is alive, Rhaenyra's claim will be weak." Valora said. "I understand that as long as my family exists, people will question my sister on the throne. I understand that as long as there is a single pure-blooded Targaryen, Rhaenyra's and her bastards boys' claim will be questioned. I understand what I have to do to protect my children and I'm sure you understand I'm willing to do it."

At her words, Otto raised an eyebrow at her, almost impressed. He nodded his head once, his eyes analyzing her up and down, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips almost as if he was pleased. Valora felt a shiver run down her spine. She realized in that moment her suspicions had been correct. Whatever this was, it had been happening for a long time before this. Otto Hightower had been planning on usurping the throne for a long time and Valora felt dirty playing his game as nothing more than a stupid pawn.

"That's good, your grace." He said, his tone less severe now and more pleased, once he realized the two of them were fighting the same war. Valora didn't like it at all, but what other chance did she have, really? "That is good that you see it this way, my queen, because right now, either you cleave to Rhaenyra or pray for her mercy."

"And Rhaenyra had never been very known for her mercy, I'm afraid." Valora said, mostly to himself, but sighing when Otto nodded in agreement. "Much less my dear uncle, her husband."

"You are wiser than I believed you to be." Otto said, and Valora only nodded.

She hated the way he looked at her, as if she suddenly became easy prey for him. He was trying to get on her good graces, she knew. Help her, guide her compliment her. It was clear she wanted in her an ally - and if he already had a position by the king's side, what better ally than the queen herself? She could see it, though, and, as much as she still felt very much uneasy in this new territory of power-play she was stepping into, she knew having Otto as an enemy would not end well for her.

So, for now, she'd let him think he had her fooled. Let him believe she trusted him and his venomous words. For as long as she could, Valora would keep Otto close and on her side, but never trusting him completely. After all, now that she put herself in the eye of the storm, everyone around her was to be treated like an enemy.