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Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warnings:
Graphic Depictions Of ViolenceMajor Character Death
Categories:
F/FF/MM/MMulti
Fandoms:
A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. MartinA Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms
Relationships:
Rhaenyra Targaryen/Laenor VelaryonJoffrey Lonmouth/Laenor VelaryonCorlys Velaryon/Rhaenys TargaryenDaemon Targaryen/Laena VelaryonRhaenyra Targaryen/Laena Velaryon
Characters:
Rhaenyra TargaryenLaenor VelaryonLaena VelaryonHelaena TargaryenAlicent HightowerAegon II TargaryenAemond TargaryenRhaenys Targaryen (Daughter of Aemon)Corlys VelaryonJoffrey Lonmouth
Additional Tags:
Self-Insertdance of dragonsAlternate UniverseTechnologySelf-Indulgent
Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of The Blacks, the Greens and the Reds Next Work →
Stats:
Published:2019-09-19Updated:2026-06-17Words:1,084,451Chapters:467/?Comments:4,066Kudos:6,016Bookmarks:1,174Hits:557,654
The Blacks, The Greens and The Reds
Loke_Lyon
Chapter 6: Opening Moves - Chapter 5
Chapter Text
After waiting around and chatting to the various nobles, touching base with a few of the present Blacks to boot, until it was socially appropriate to retreat, Laenor and I found ourselves in a suite of rooms. Our luggage had been brought up and unpacked for us, I was relieved to note. Ser Byren seemed the type to 'lose' it in transit.
Now I felt a tiny shred of guilt for making a mention to Father that he didn't seem to be enjoying his job at the Dragonpit due to the fine temper he had been in. Father's annoyed look had told me he'd gotten my meaning and that Ser Hastwyck wouldn't have his royal appointment much longer. Only a tiny one though. One that could easily be banished by remembering his sneer.
Before we dressed, I collared a passing servant myself and had two messages sent out. One to the Guild of Alchemists to request a meeting at their soonest convenience and the other to Ser Harwin Strong and Larys Strong, inviting them to eat with us tomorrow night.
No doubt Alicent would be more interested in my message to Harwin. At the moment, even Viserys occasionally contracted the Alchemist's Guild so even if many might mutter about it, it would likely be written off as a product of my uncommon interest in alchemy. No one would invoke the w-word in relation to it at least. Harwin was a different story. Laenor would have to be there at all times, Larys too. If I got permission to search the tunnels I would have to convince the older brother to remain with Laenor and allow me to go alone or with just Larys. No one would believe I'd sleep with Larys, poor guy. It was an annoyance but if I had to play the political game I needed to stop handing my enemies ammunition.
A few hours later, a steward stopped by to lead us to the private dining area used by the royal family as if I, the heir apparent, did not know where it was. I kept my smile gracious though. I could not afford rumours of a bad temper to go about. I gave word for a steward to follow us with the gifts I'd bought. When we arrived, Viserys and Alicent were there sans children but clutching a sniffling bundle of cloth Alicent that I assumed to be Daeron. Thankfully, the Kingsguard on duty was not the Lord Commander. I'd probably end up stabbing Criston if I had to deal with him today.
Father enveloped me in a hug I wish I could let myself enjoy before moving on to Laenor. Hugs from the royal person were not something that happened everyday and the aftermath left Laenor looking dumbfounded. I was hard not to laugh as Viserys steered me over to the latest addition to the family. Daeron was a baby. Babies, for the most part, look exactly the same. Still, I made a show of cooing over him and even managed to coax a smile from him.
I was interrupted from making a show of being a good big sister by a bundle of energy flinging itself into my legs. This one I gave a genuine smile to as Helaena beamed up at me.
"Hello little one!" I exclaimed as I lifted her up. She immediately curled into me for a hug I gladly returned. In the corner of my eye, Viserys smile widened and Alicent looked as if someone had just served her curdled milk.
"Did you bring presents?" she asked, eye wide.
"Of course!" I smiled and let her down. As I did I caught sight of Aegon and Aemond.
I'd tried. I really had. I'd played the doting big sister, read them stories and made time for them. It had seemed like it was working for a while. Then I'd noticed him drawing back, shying away. When Alicent had suggested betrothing me to Aegon, the boy had exploded into a fury before storming away which had nixed that idea. I'd tried to coax the reason for his outburst from him but what I'd got was a whole lot of garbled, snot covered whining that sounded as if it could be ripped straight from Alicent's mouth.
I'd gathered she'd spent every moment I wasn't with Aegon telling him I was stealing his birthright, intending on killing him or worse. A whole lot of me was furious. Alicent had terrified the poor boy and in doing so had laid the first slab on the path to the Dance. On the other hand, the Rhaenyra in me was angry that her overtures of love had been denied and wanted to slap the sulky little brat for being rude.
It was had to separate that out.
Helaena had been a pleasant success. Evidently, Alicent hadn't found the need to fill her daughter's head with visions of me literally eating babies and by the time she'd realised a need too nothing short of watching me murder kittens was going to convince Helaena I was anything other than the greatest older sister to ever exist. In response, she'd kept Aemond from me as much as she could get away with. So now I had two sulky little brothers and a bundle of energy and affection for a sister.
And now Daeron. Was it too much to hope she was lured into a false sense of security by me relocating to Dragonstone? Given the way she was clutching him to her chest, I'd say not.
"Aegon, look at you! You've grown so much," I said with all the false pride of an older sister. He straightened under my scrutiny and shot me a practised smile that I was impressed to see only looked slightly strained. Aemond gave me a baleful look as I turned to him. Mother above, what had Alicent been telling him that a four year old would have that expression.
"Have you started squiring yet?" I asked.
"He has, under Ser Criston Cole," Alicent said from somewhere behind me. There was a note of maliciousness to her voice. Her acquisition of Cole was one of her greatest victories and she enjoyed shoving it in my face at every conceivable moment.
"Has Ser Criston forbidden him to speak?" I asked her archly, my temper coming to the fore for a moment.
"Rhaenyra!" barked Viserys, warning in his tone. Beside him, Laenor looked like he'd rather be informing The Cannibal that he was, in fact, a very delicious baby dragon and Alicent looked triumphant. Aemond laid a hand on his brother's arm, looking ready to leap at me and start biting.
"I apologise. That was ill-done of me," I answered, forcing the anger down. It would not do to pull a Daemon and try to punch a seven-year old child. A traumatised seven-ear old child who was terrified enough, I reminded myself.
"You shouldn't apologise, Aegon was being rude," came Helaena's pouted response.
"No, he wasn't!" Aemond all but screeched and Helaena glared at him with such ferocity I suddenly wanted to laugh.
"No, Helaena is right. I was being rude. I apologise, Sister."
Oh, that was bad. Aegon had finally found his voice and I could see Ser Criston's polished and precise manner in it. Aemond shot me a look of pure venom even as Aegon struggled to keep his polite smile up even as he shook in fear. It was hard to be angry with him when he looked like he was about to faint. I clapped my hands together and gestured the forgotten gifts forward.
Aegon looked as if his soul was about to leave his body when he saw the dagger. I made sure to give it too him hilt first, it may have a fancy sheath but given the way the boy was eyeing it anyone would think I was seconds away from stabbing him with it. His bow was polite enough and I was somewhat amused to see that his first instinct was to unsheathe it and poke it to see if it was sharp. It was and he made his finger bleed. He didn't tahnk me but I let it go because Alicent was making such a fuss you'd think he'd just cut his thumb off.
After that, I presented Helaena with her thread. She was fond of sewing and she was good at it too. She thanked me happily and her bow was sloppy but genuine. Aemond took his gifts with a pout and a bow so shallow that had it come from anyone else would have been breathtakingly rude. Still he was four and convinced I was going to murder him and his siblings at some point so I overlooked it.
Daeron wasn't old enough to do anything more than gurgle and wiggle so Alicent thanked me for his gifts with such an icy tone that I came close to calling her on it. Our impromptu staring match was interrupted by Viserys clapping his hands together loudly.
"Perhaps we should all sit down," he said after Alicent and I recovered from our simultaneous heart attacks.
Laenor seized the King's interruption like a drowning man spotting dry land and all but threw himself into his seat. I took a seat at his side at a much more sedate pace after favouring Helaena with a smile and wink. Helaena took the chair to my other side and stuck her tongue out at Aemond when Viserys and Alicent weren't looking. Daeron was handed off to his nursemaids and whisked away as the food was laid out.
"I have heard you've been busy on Driftmark, Ser Laenor," said Alicent after a period of silence as we dug in. Laenor gave a her a smile and nodded.
"Father had me overseeing the ongoing construction at High Tide and working to ensure Spicetown's growth is well managed," he replied. "But he's made other arrangements after speaking with Rhaenyra,"
Before Alicent could spring whatever nasty remark she'd been setting up, Viserys interrupted.
"Speaking with? He has been on Dragonstone?" The question was directed at me more than Laenor.
"Yes, Lord Corlys travelled back recently. Although he'll be leaving again soon for the Stepstones once more." I said, leaving out the fact that he'd only come back to yell at Laenor for not producing an heir fast enough and his reduction of Laenor's duties being directly related to that.
"Is there any news of Daemon?" asked Viserys and I briefly had a vision of him wearing my soup bowl. Judging from the brief look of utter distaste that flashed across Alicent's face, we were still united in our feelings on Daemon. As Laenor explained to situation on the islands, I allowed myself to tune out, whilst massaging my suddenly aching fingers.
Then again, Daemon was usually the only topic that we did agree on. The rumours about their supposed affair were true and had been the basis for Otto's complete and utter loathing of the man. Daemon's antics had also been the basis for the rift in the friendship I had been cultivating with Alicent given that she perceived him abandoning her to shower me with attention. That I very much didn't want it hadn't meant much to her.
Still, whaling on Daemon (or his reputation when he wasn't present) was a good wholesome activity both the Blacks and the Greens used as a point of unity. I thought it was nice that we could all put aside our differences every now and again but Viserys apparently didn't see it that way. Even when Daemon had… Even when I had told him about Daemon he hadn't cared to listen.
Instead, he'd scolded me for turning against family. Told me my grandfather would be ashamed to see me using court politics to so shame my own Uncle. I suppressed the old rage. I knew Viserys was wrong, Prince Baelon would have cracked both their heads together had he been informed about Daemon's behaviour. It was in Viserys' nature though to seek the easy path, to ignore problems and allow them escalate until they exploded in his face.
My fingers were proof enough.
The Dance of Dragons was proof enough.
I tuned back in to discover Laenor and Viserys discussing what could be done about the Dornish potentially allying with the Triarchy. As much as I didn't wish to do anything that would help Daemon, I figured it wouldn't hurt to score some brownie points with Viserys for at least trying.
"The Dornish follow the Seven, do they not?" I asked.
"Hmmm, yes. It's belief is stronger to the west but those on the coast do follow it," he replied, stroking his moustache. I hated that stupid moustache so much.
"Perhaps we can send some singers into the western part of Dorne to sing about the evils of slavery," I suggested.
"It couldn't hurt and at best it could cause a rift in Dornish unity. I will put the idea to the Master of Whispers." Oh good. It'll never get done then. Honestly, Viserys why did you even appoint Jaremy Corbray. He thinks any kind of sneaking around is beneath anyone with 'honour' and certainly beneath a Knight like himself.
Oh who am I kidding? Incompetence is entirely in character for you.
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