𝙺𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽 ° aemond targaryen

Act Three, Scene Eleven

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"Valzȳrys"
𝟷𝟸𝟾 𝙰𝙲 - 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐'𝚜 𝙻𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐
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     THE CHATTER AROUND THE LONG table was like a hum behind the prince's thoughts. He kept his eye locked on the table before him, not truly listening to what anyone had been saying as he mulled over the events of the past few days. In truth, he regretted what he had done to his brother, who now lay comatose in his bed, but it was a small price to pay for the rewards he had gotten. Rhaenys was dead and as was her dragon--the Blacks had taken a heavy hit. But then again, so had they. Though, with the king indisposed, that left the throne open.

      "A king can not rule in his sleep," The words finally caught Aemond's attention, his eye lifting and resting on his mother, who had rose from her chair and was looking at the men gathered around the table. "The realm will have noticed his absence. Let them hear of his great deeds at Rook's Rest." She paused for a moment, her eyes glancing at her second born son before looking away. "But now we must name a regent to take his place...until he recovers...or does not."

     "A wise strategy, Your Grace," Larys was quick to say, turning his head towards the woman beside him. "A regency will assure the people of the stability of the crown."

     The table was silent for a moment before Tyland spoke up, the Lannister man sighing softly. "Did you have a candidate in mind, Your Grace?"

     "I myself served in this role for my husband," The Hightower woman spoke confidently. "I am well-prepared to do it again."

      "You played your part admirably in a time of peace, Your Grace, but circumstances have changed."

     Alicent nearly scoffed at Wylde's words. "And here I had forgotten."

     "The king does not lack for heirs." The man spoke again. "The obvious choice would be his immediate successor, Prince Aemond."

     At those words and the agreement from Tyland, the boy fought back a smirk, his eye lifting once again from where it had fallen on the table. He knew the council would lean his way over his mother's, seeing as they need a strong face to their side of the war. Though, eh knew his mother would not back down without a fight.

     "Aemond is young. And his lack of restraint had already cost us dearly." Alicent replied, a look of annoyance on her face.

     The council went back and forth with the dowager queen, each trying to fight for their view point on things, though it seemed the only one on the woman's side was the Grand Maester. In truth, Alicent would not have been so adamant for herself had Vaella still been around--her son had been a live wire since her disappearance, sporadic and quick to anger. She knew that if the girl were here, she would feel more comfortable knowing there was someone that could talk the prince out of his impulsive plans.

      "Ser Criston, what say you?" Larys' voice broke through, all eyes turning to the Hand of the King, who refused to make eye contact with the woman beside him as he spoke up.

     "Aemond is next in line," He said. "It must be him."

      "It is agreed then." The boy said after a long silence, slowly standing from his seat and moving over the the other end of the table, grabbing the king's stone orb in the process. He lowered himself down slowly, his eyes scanning the table for merely a second. "What is our standing in the Riverlands?"

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     It was the hour of the wolf by the time the girl reached the Gate of the Gods, dozens of torches lighting up the stone walls as various people mulled around their small merchant stalls. Her eyes fell upwards, seeing various soldiers lining the walls and standing at attention in front of the closed iron bars. Her brows furrowed--it was highly unusual for the gates of the city to be closed, and for so many guards to be present.