Of Bastards & Dragons || Aenar Targaryen

73 • THE SPIDER'S WEB

"You seem to be acting on new knowledge, Your Grace" Massey remarked. "It wouldn't hurt to know where that was coming from."

Aenar hesitated for a beat. "Queen Alicent herself."

Celtigar scoffed. "And we're to trust the word of the enemy?"

"I don't see her as such."

"You've being lured into the vipers web. You're blinded brother, instead of focusing on the present task, you still had an audience with the enemy. Alicent is a snake, a viper who murdered our brother, ruined our family! She's no better than a common criminal!"

Sighing Daenerys took a more gentle approach. "Uncle…is it not possible that the Alicent could be pointing you in the wrong direction? She could be convincing you that you should hide yourself away, just so that her commander can prove victorious."

"It is a notion I've considered niece, certainly, and one that plagued my mind for the duration of my journey back from King's Landing. I doubt I can convince you of Alicent's honesty, other than affirming that I believe her. It is a judgement made on instinct."

"Are we to draw up all our plans from now on based on instinct and faith?" Celtigar argued.

"And what would you have me do, my Lord? Kill the innocent lives, the soldiers marching from the South have been mislead. I cannot send dragons to burn them."

Rhaenys bowed her head slightly. "I wish that I could argue against your assumption…though you should know that I would still proudly ascend on Meleys if that was your desire, regardless of what waits for me in the South."

"A sense of loyalty and dedication that I am sincerely grateful for Aunt, but I cannot send you to your own peril while your children and grandchildren are at Kingslanding."

Celtigar still wasn't impressed. "Are we to simply hide away forever because we are too scared of Lady Laena's dragon? If so, I don't see what the purpose is for us to continue strategising for a war you refuse to take part in.....Your Grace."

"I agree.... A kingdom without a King, is ripe for the picking." Cersei concurs. "The realm is watching who the victor will be."

Aenar clenched his jaw, he had a selection of choice words that she wanted to fire at the sour lord and his rude wife. He wasn't supposed to stand for such insolence. But he could understand the frustrations, particularly from their perspective, which focused more heavily on the losses they'd endured up to that point. They had a thirst for retribution that he was apparently refusing to quench, and so it was expected to receive a certain amount of backlash. Though Celtigar was definitely toeing the line as to what was acceptable.

"I grow tired of waiting in this place," Aenar told them. "A sentiment I'm sure most of you also resonate with. But I won't throw away a life or numerous lives out of boredom. This isn't a battle we can win, not yet. We need more. We need more teeth, to put it succinctly."

"But if we don't act…Duskendale and Rook's Rest…"

"Will perish, yes. That is the likely scenario, and one we will avoid. I understand some of you might view this as me not sufficiently looking out for my allies. Let it be known that the Greens touch any of my allies, or if it comes to their armies, striking first, our lost souls will be avenged tenfold. But these are the cruelties of war. Sacrifices and difficult choices must be made." Aenar deadpans.

"I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear you talk in this manner." Daemon retorts.

"Lord Staunton would be the first to say that Rook's Rest, in the grand scheme of things, will not determine the outcome of this conflict." Aenar spat back. "So far as the Greens haven't attacked. We will wait!" His tone was stern. "This council is dismissed."