To Take What Is Rightfully Ours

Chapter 42. Telling Love Stories

'Is it just me or has Otto been acting weird lately?' Rhaenyra asked as they rode on horses through the streets of King's Landing. The princess was nearing her last months of pregnancy and it was generally advised to stay closer to the ground at such a vulnerable time so Rhaenyra wanted to get as many flights with Syrax as possible before mandia Abby essentially "grounded" her.

Diane looked at her, 'In what way?'

'Well, he is... distracted during Small Council meetings, a few days ago he looked like he was really hungover and I have never seen him like that. He doesn't argue with Daemon anywhere near as much as they usually do, and he is kind of... I wanted to say snappy with my father but that's not really true. He is as polite as usual but he is also somehow rude about it,' Rhaenyra frowned. 'I'm not sure if it makes sense but in my head it absolutely does.'

'I get what you mean,' Diane sighed. 'I'm fairly sure it's me.'

'Well... isn't it a good thing?'

'Oh, it is. If he is distracted, he is less likely to be efficient, and it makes our jobs easier. I just- the implications of why he is distracted make me somewhat uneasy.'

'What implications?'

'I think he is in love with me,' Diane glanced at Rhaenyra just in time to see the princess' eyes widen comically. 'And I think he is catching onto that which might be a bad thing and might be a good thing and I won't be able to know which until he makes up his mind.'

'Sorry, wait- in love?!' Rhaenyra repeated as if not fully believing she was even considering it. Lusting over someone (even if to a ridiculous degree) and being in love with them were two completely different things.

'Yes. I think I kind of- did my job too good at keeping him interested,' Diane frowned. 'Never thought that me being good at what I do might become a problem.'

'That's just- I didn't know he was capable of that.'

'Of what?'

'Of falling in love. Like genuinely. He just never struck me as a type.'

'Well, I suppose everyone is capable of falling in love to some degree. But I get what you mean. I did not expect it either. Desire and lust I know how to work with but love- that's a whole new level.'

'So what are you going to do?' Rhaenyra inquired.

'For right now? I don't think there is anything I can do. Unfortunately, it's up to Otto. He either accepts whatever feelings he has for me and all will be well, as I planned... or he will get scared and reject it altogether which will definitely mess up some of my plans,' Diane glanced at Rhaenyra. 'It wouldn't be a great loss, I don't really need him at my feet to make you Queen but having him there would surely help.'

Rhaenyra looked at her friend for a few seconds and then said, 'I'm not sure how I feel about this particular turn of phrase.'

Diane let out a laugh, 'Oh, and I know exactly how I feel about it.'

***

The hardest thing about flying on a dragon while pregnant was actually the hassle of getting onto the dragon in question. Getting off was easier for some reason, Rhaenyra figured out how to carefully slide off Syrax's wing pretty fast (Syrax was extremely cooperative, of course), but getting on- yeah, that was a challenge.

The dragonkeepers made a makeshift ladder for her and then Diane or Daemon helped her to get from the ladder into the saddle. All in all, it was manageable if you got the hang of it. Diane was just helping Rhaenyra when one of the dragonkeepers approached them. Silverwing was yet to show up to the take-off zone but Diane was too busy with getting one very stubborn and very pregnant princess into the saddle to think about it too hard.