Dragonborn

FOUR

It's been a month since Baelon was born, Aemma is on the road to a fast recovery, and Daemon is being his usual douche self — terrorizing anyone with his foul mood. Otto seems more dour than usual but that's not my problem.

I could usually hear the three of them going at it after a session in the council room. Usually, I have to attend the council meeting but I don't feel like listening to grown men bicker over the simplest problem. So we (Trip, Rhaenyra and Alicent) — with father's permission, of course — visited another one of my secret haunts.

"Princess!" Kosa exclaimed, rounding out of the counter and bowing. "I didn't know you were visiting."

Kosa is a former prostitute that I hired to manage this shop. I saved her from getting killed by a persistent customer and we talked. She was smart and honest (a little too honest, if you ask me) so I offered her the job — which she thankfully accepted because I didn't have time anymore for my shop. And she's a quick study to everything I taught her.

"Ah, sorry to drop by suddenly. I just want to show this place to them." I gestured behind me towards the other girls. "The Keep is still buzzing with the news of this bad boy."

"Oh, he is beautiful. You did a good job, your highness."

"Mother is the one you should be complimenting, Kos," I said. The other woman gave me a look. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You haven't been listening to the common folks, do you? The news of your deeds reached everywhere. They have been calling you The Mother. Visenya Reborn. And my favourite, the Realm's Guardian."

I barked out a surprised laugh. "The fuck? That's ridiculous."

"It is not, princess. The feat of delivering a prince the way you did and saving the Queen? It is something that everyone will remember for years to come." She said seriously. Too serious for a jovial woman. "I am honoured to call you my Queen when the King names you his heir."

"Stop that! Don't talk like that, Kosa. That kind of talk is treason." I hissed, lowering my voice to keep my sister and Alicent from listening. "Deamon is the heir."

"As you wish, my princess." She said. "The young ladies seem to be fascinated with your collections."

"I'm serious. Do not talk of this to anyone, and stop your friends from talking about this. I don't want to find out that you've been imprisoned in the Black Cells."

"Yes, Your Highness. I will make your usual."

I just sighed — I could sooner stop Trip from pestering Otto than tell these girls what to do — as I went back towards the girls.

"What is this place?" Rhaenyra asked as Alicent gravitated towards the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf.

"The Rabbit Hole," I said as I passed our brother to her. "Remember when you accused me of visiting brothels every night? This is what I've been doing."

"You built this place?" My sister asked, equal parts awed and put out. "You didn't tell me?"

"To be fair, our parents don't know either. So you are sworn to secrecy. You too, Alicent."

We spend our afternoon there, losing ourselves in the book and the cakes and teas. Soon though, we have to go back. But for now, we'll relax and forget our responsibilities to the realm.

*****

Father named me as his heir — Kosa has been right, that insufferable woman — on Baelon's first birthday in front of the Lords and Ladies of the Realm. They then swore their fealty to the crown and me. I stare in disbelief at my father — smiling so proudly sitting atop the Iron Thron, to my mother and siblings, and reluctantly accepted.