𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸𝙵? [𝓅𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝓉𝓌𝑜]

ℋ𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇 𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝒾𝒾

𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝒜𝓁𝓎𝓇𝒾𝒶 ℋ𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇

King's Landing, 109

Alyria was lonely. She had no family aside from her children. Her father no longer spoke to her, choosing to cast her aside and side with his other daughter Alicent. Daemon listened to her advice and stayed in King's Landing. Otto did not like it but he had no other choice. Prince Daemon took a seat in the council room, and with Alyria's help, King Viserys spoke to him, asking for his opinions on matters of the crown.

Alyria began to make allies, to help Rhaenyra secure her place at court, as the future queen. Viserys saw the way Alyria cared for Rhaenyra, she loved her like she was her own and took care of her as such. Alyria had gotten close to Rhaenys, she knew what it felt like to have your place taken away just for being a woman. Rhaenys had grown fond of Alyria Hightower. She saw all the work she had put in for Daemon to be allowed back to work.

House Targaryen was in a good place, Rhaenyra loved her stepmother and even went as far as to consider her a mother. Daemon was a bit more open to getting to know her. Viserys enjoyed her company. The royal couple often dined together as a family, including the children and Prince Daemon. Alyria encouraged her husband to share his ruling experience with Rhaenyra although she was still young. She was ten and two, nearly ten and three. Prince Aemond was nearly four, Helaena two and her youngest were nearly one.

Alicent was pregnant with her second child, a boy she would taunt her sister who cared very little for it. She hoped it was a boy, it would not make a difference, Rhaenyra was still the heir to King Viserys. Daemon saw how unaffected she was by her sister's words. Rhaenyra had been done with her lessons, it was a nice day to be out and the young princess had asked Alyria to join her at the dragon pit to meet Syrax and watch her fly. Daemon was there, he too was going for a fly when she saw Alyria pet Syrax who rarely allowed others to even pet her, yet the dragon was content and she seemed happy with the attention she was getting from her.

The rogue prince smiled at them, he felt content with the life he led. He was happy where he was, even when Otto Hightower tried his best to get a rise out of him. "It seems the young Syrax is fond of you, my queen," he said as he approached them. "Syrax loves her because she knows I love her" Alyria nodded at her words. "Once Syrax gets bigger Mother says she will come fly with me," Rhaenyra said excitedly she didn't notice she called her mother but Daemon saw the happiness on Alyria's face. She saw the tears pooling in her eyes. "Once Syrax gets bigger we can fly across the Narrow Sea and eat only cake" Rhaenyra nodded excitedly before hugging her stepmother who gladly hugged her back.

Daemon smiled at them. "Perhaps, she can fly with me on Caraxes?" Daemon offered and Rhaenyra quickly nodded. "That would be nice! We can fly together as a family" she said and Alyria glanced a Daemon who smirked, she smiled and nodded. That day, Rhaenyra took the skies with her dragon Syrax, Daemon, and Queen Alyria took the skies with Caraxes who like Syrax became very fond of the queen. Alyria was happy, being in the skies gave her the freedom she had lost when she married Viserys. Although she cared for him and was very fond of him, she did not wish to marry him. She wished to marry for love, not duty.

When they returned, Rhaenyra was tired and ready to rest. "How was that for your first dragon ride?" Daemon asked as he held Rhaenyra's hand. "Did you like it?" the young girl asked. "I loved it. I can't wait to ride Syrax with you!" she told her daughter before pinching her cheek. "Me as well. It would be exciting" she replied. "Once my brothers and sister get bigger we can all go together!" Daemon watched his niece, and how happy she was with the new family she had gotten.

In her room, Alyria laid in her bed. Everyone had retired for the night and her husband had wished to be alone. In those lonely nights, Alyria would write her days. What she did, what had occurred, gossip she had heard and the things she wished to do. It was simple. Years later, those journals would come to light, and people would get to see the reason or rather woman who made sure House Targaryen would prevail. Only a few doors from her, was Daemon. He too laid awake, thinking of Alyria. His brothers wife. It was well known that prince Daemon was not fond of the Hightowers or anyone with their blood. But, Alyria and her children were the rare exception. He thought of her much often than not, he wished he didn't. She was married and with children and he would never do anything that would ruin her reputation.

He liked her. He was very fond of her but he knew she would never be his. Even when she married his brother for duty he knew she would never do anything to taint her honor, and he would not allow that either. In the months that passed, Rhaenyra had been more involved in the matters of the court, being taught by Daemon and her father, sometimes by Lyonel Strong.

Otto watched his daughter. Alyria was becoming a problem. And he did not like it. The young queen was in her chambers. It was time for everyone to retire when a knock disturbed her night routine. "Enter" she called out. She sighed as soon as she saw her father. They had not talk in months and she did not wish for conversation at the time. "Lord Hand" she greeted. "Daughter" he said as he made himself comfortable. "I see you, and your.. friends have been teaching Rhaenyra about the matters of the court and ruling" he stated. "Yes. She's to be the future queen. She needs to know how to run her Kingdom" she saw her father's anger slip for a moment. "I thought we already had this conversation?" Otto asked.

She stood up. "We did. Yet here you are trying to change my mind on something that will not happen. Rhaenyra will be a good queen" she stated once again. "She's not your daughter. You do know that, right?" he asked and she nodded. "Yes. I know. But that doesn't change anything" she told him. "My whole life I've listened to what you have ordered me to do. I played my part as a good lady, I served both queen Alyssane and queen Aemma, I served king Jaehaerys. Now, I am serving Viserys" she told him. "As his wife, yes" he replied.

Alyria shook her head. "You have never asked me if that was what I wished for. Viserys is kind to me. He care and values my opinion. Far more than you ever have. He respects me, perhaps not as much as I wish but he does. I married him, much like you wished. Yet, having your daughter being queen and your grandchildren being royal children was not enough for you. You wanted more. You want the crown so bad that you are willing to sacrifice both of your daughters for it" Otto watched his daughter carefully.

Alyria looked a lot like her mother he had often said. In this light, and with her words it was like having Ariana Florent in front of him once again and he felt a shamed because he knew she would not have allowed any of it. "I miss mother most of the time. Especially when I was with child. I wished for her to be here, by side. Helping me through it. I know you loved her. You have said so yourself. Yet, I wonder if she would agree with what you are doing now?" she asked him and he knew she wouldn't. "As a mother, she would not want for Rhaenyra to be alone in a place full of wolves waiting for her downfall. She would not wish the same for her own daughters and son. Yet, you sold your daughters for power. One you married of the king, the other, you sold her off to be his whore" she told him.

She looked him in the eyes. "You are a second son who stands to inherit nothing. And still, you are getting nothing. Because it is I who is married to the king. It is I who gave him three sons and a daughter. It is I who wears the crown. It is Alicent who gave him a son and one more child on the way. You are just pathetic. A pathetic second son who will inherit nothing" she whispered and he slapped her. She didn't move nor did she flinch. She scoffed at his action though. "Like I said, pathetic" she said once again. "Guards!" she called for her loyal guards. "Please escort the lord hand back to his chambers. He is not feeling well" Alyria watched her men take her father away.

Alyria knew her father would not stand down. So, she began to play her cards. She had house Velaryon by her side and soon, the Arryns as she had asked for Lady Jayne Arryn to come to court and spend time with Rhaenyra as they were close in age. She had asked for Sara Snow, despite being a bastard the queen would give her the Stark last name. Cassandra Baratheon had also been invited and Elena Tyrell. She would soon make her alliances with other houses. Rhaenyra would sit on the Iron Throne no matter the cost.

(Not Edited)