Violent Tides - Chapter 2: A New Position

Rhaenyra and Laenor discuss how she has grown beyond her position as her father's cupbearer. While Alicent, comes to her own realizations.

Four Moons Later  

Various castle servants and nobles could be seen moving out of the way as the Crown Princess stalked through the halls of the Red Keep. They were all trying to stay out of Rhaenyra’s path after seeing the furious anger strewn across her face.

Eventually, Rhaenyra reached her bedchamber and ripped the door open, glad to be in a secluded area where she could release her emotions. After closing the door, Rhaenyra stopped and stared at the sight in front of her.

“Come on, Lora. Come to papa.” Laenor was laying on the floor with Aelora sitting a few feet away from him. The infant stared at her father as the man continued to call out to her while reaching his arms out.

“Laenor, what are you doing?” Rhaenyra asked.

Laenor turned his head. “I am encouraging our daughter to walk.”

Rhaenyra raised an eyebrow. “Laenor, she is only four moons old. I do not think she is suddenly going to stand on her legs and walk to you.”

“Honestly, Rhaenyra, you have no faith in our daughter. She has already stared sitting up by herself and rocking back and forth, I am telling you our little genius is going to start walking soon,” Laenor stated, he was proud of Aelora’s accomplishments despite how insignificant they appeared to everyone else. This amplified when Aelora’s wetnurse told him that most infants did not start doing what Aelora has until at least six or seven moons old.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself; she hasn’t even started crawling yet,” Rhaenyra retorted.

“Fine, you may be right,” Laenor agreed as he rose to his feet. “So, are you going to tell me what had happened to cause you to storm in here like you were ready to burn the Keep to the ground?”

Rhaenyra groaned, feeling her anger returning. “It is the small council, specifically the Queen.”

Laenor pushed himself off the floor and led his wife to the chairs in the corner of the room. “What did they all do?”

“You know about the issue in the North, do you?” Rhaenyra asked.

Laenor thought about the question for a moment. “Oh! Yes, there have been reports of increased attacks by the wildlings, so Lord Stark asked for the Crown’s assistance.”

Rhaenyra nodded. “Yes, during the small council meeting this morning this issue was brought forward and the council and my father’s solution was to ignore it! And when I tried to give my opinion on the matter, Alicent told me ‘Only the voices of the council will be heard today,’ can you fucking believe it?! Who is that cunt to tell me my opinion does not matter?! If it were not for my father, she would not even be sitting in on those meetings!”

Laenor digested what his wife had told him. “Well, she is not wrong.”

Rhaenyra’s head snapped towards her husband. “What. Did. You. Just. Say?”

If looks could kill, the one Rhaenyra was giving would have caused Laenor to immediately burst into flames.

Laenor raised his hands up in surrender. “Not like that, Nyra. I meant that you are not an actual member of the small council, you are still a cupbearer.”

Rhaenyra crossed her arms. “So that means that I should just keep quiet, especially when matters of the realm are of concern? I am the heir to the throne!”

“I know you are, and you should have a voice in matters such as this, but just being the heir isn’t enough. The small council still sees you as the little girl your father had made heir just to keep Daemon from the throne. You must show them that you will not be ignored and that you have just as much to contribute,” Laenor explained.

Rhaenyra sighed. “You are right. But how do I do that if I keep getting busy work from my father or subtly being told to be quiet from the Queen?”

“Quit your job as cupbearer,” Laenor answered.

“Really?” Rhaenyra asked as that was not what she was expecting Laenor to tell her.

It was not as if she loved her position, she hated filling the cups for the members of the council ever since she was a child, especially now that Alicent was there, smugly looking down on her every time she poured wine into her cup.

But then she remembered the conversation she had with Rhaenys years ago when Viserys was considering marrying Laena.

As much as I hate to admit it, Rhaenys was right. I will never get any respect from them if I remain as I always have. Rhaenyra thought.

“Yes, really. Quit and then go to your father and demand to be given a seat on the council, the same as the Queen was given. Tell him that as his heir you must have a voice on the council if you are to be at the head of it after him. How can you learn to govern the realm if you are not given the chance to?” Laenor said.

Rhaenyra stared at Laenor, shocked at his idea. “Has anyone told you how intelligent you are?”

Laenor puffed out his chest. “Yes, they have. But I am a little insulted that it has taken you so long to realize this widely known fact, lady wife.”

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, yes, I should appreciate your type of genius more often, lord husband.”

“Rude,” Laenor grumbled. “But seriously, you are a woman grown with a husband and a child of your own, Rhaenyra. Your father cannot continue to treat you like you are not capable of doing things on your own.”

Rhaenyra placed her head in her palm. “As a woman I'm going to have to...”

Laenor raised an eyebrow when he heard Rhaenyra’s sentence trail off and her eyes left his own. “What is wrong? You just stopped talking.”

Rhaenyra did not speak, instead reaching over and grabbing Laenor’s face in her hands and turning his head so he could look behind them.

Both parents were in awe as they watched Aelora crawling on the ground. Her movements were unsteady, her arms and legs wobbling under her weight and her body almost tipping over but righting itself before she could fall on her face.

After a few minutes, Aelora grew tried on rolled onto her back, lying on the floor, and letting out small whimpers. Rhaenyra jumped to her feet and walked over to Aelora, carrying the infant in her arms, the whimpers ceased and Aelora soon fell asleep.

Laenor wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter. “Haha! See what I told you, our little sea dragon is a genius!”

Rhaenyra smiled. “She is. But I still believe it will be a while before she starts walking.”

“Ah, ye of little faith. Should we wager on when Aelora will start walking?” Laenor asked.

“I’m not betting on our daughter’s development, Laenor,” Rhaenyra responded.

Laenor smirked. “That’s just because you know you will lose, and I will end up with all of your coin.”

Rhaenyra did not dignify Laenor with another response as she walked out of the room, wanting to take Aelora to the nursery. The princess could hear the sounds of Laenor’s laughter even as she made her way down the hallway.

~X~

“The Princess Rhaenyra, Your Grace,” Ser Harrold Westerling announced from his position in front of the King’s chambers.

“Let her in please,” Viserys answered, putting down the stone tower in his hand. “Rhaenyra, I have been expecting you.”

Rhaenyra entered her father’s bedchamber and was unsurprised to see him working on his large-scale model of Old Valyria. “You requested my presence, father?”

Viserys cleared his throat. “Yes, I did. Lord Lyonel has informed me that you refuse to continue your job as my cupbearer and I want to know why.”

“Being cupbearer is no longer a fitting position for me, father,” Rhaenyra said.

“No longer fitting? Rhaenyra, I made you my cupbearer so that you can learn from the small council, to see how the realm is governed and to give input,” Viserys replied, growing agitated by his daughter’s carelessness. “You cannot quit because you do not want to continue. Honestly, I thought becoming a mother would show you that you must be more responsible and do your duty.”

Rhaenyra clenched her fists to keep herself from exploding after hearing what her father said and the princess took a breath before she continued. “I know that is why you originally made me cupbearer, but now it is too limiting for me.”

“Limiting?” Viserys asked.

“Yes, limiting. It is as you said, I am supposed to give input and learn, but how can I do that when I am not seen as an actual member? Everyone there, including you, continues to see me as the same little girl filling their cups. That is why I want to be given a seat in the council,” Rhaenyra explained.

“I do not see you as a little girl, Rhaenyra,” Viserys sighed. “But, I do not know if you are ready for such a role yet.”

“Father, both you and grandfather Baelon sat in on council meetings when you were Jaehaerys’ heirs, grandfather had even become Hand of the King! How will you know if I am ready if you will not give me the chance to prove myself?” Rhaenyra pleaded, hoping Viserys would understand the point she was trying to make.

Viserys looked at Rhaenyra for a moment and saw the resolve within her gaze, he knew that his daughter would not give up and continue to fight. As much as he wanted to say no, Viserys knew that Rhaenyra was right, as his heir she had a right to sit on the council, whether as an official member or with an honorary seat.

Viserys could remember when his Uncle Aemon died, and the Old King had chosen his father, Baelon, as his heir and the next ruler of Westeros after him. Baelon was chosen even though Aemon’s daughter, his cousin, Rhaenys, had the superior claim. This was due to her immature age, lack of children at the time, and most importantly, her gender.

Just as suddenly as Baelon became heir, Viserys was recognized as Baelon’s heir. Suddenly, Viserys was second in line to the throne instead of the eldest son of a second son. No longer was he just a prince of the realm, but the prince.

Viserys had a lot of responsibility placed upon him from that moment forward and it never stopped. He was a couple of years younger than Rhaenyra was now when Baelon became Prince of Dragonstone, just a year short of being considered a man grown, he had not yet even married Aemma at the time.

For Viserys, his entire world changed, and people had started expecting more from him. And in Viserys’ opinion, if it were not for the support of his wife, brother, and father, the weight of it all would have crushed him.

The King did not want Rhaenyra to experience the same thing he did, so he had always been reluctant to give Rhaenyra too much responsibility ever since he became King, but his deception was now at its end.

Viserys sighed. “You are right, Rhaenyra. I cannot make you my heir and expect you to continue with small tasks.”

“So...” Rhaenyra trailed off hopefully.

“You can have a seat in the small council, Rhaenyra.” 

“And be given a say during discussions?”

“And be given a say during discussions.”

Rhaenyra grinned, rushing to hug her father. Viserys’ laughs filled the room as he was swept into Rhaenyra’s arms.

“Thank you, father,” Rhaenyra mumbled into her father’s shoulder. 

Viserys rubbed the back of Rhaenyra’s head. “You are welcome.”

~X~

Queen Alicent Hightower was the image of a composed, kind, and devoted woman as she walked down the halls of the Red Keep. Her dark emerald dress flowing across the floor and her sworn protector, Ser Criston Cole, walked only a few paces behind her.

Despite her outward appearance, on the inside Alicent was angry and annoyed, these feelings stemmed from the small council meeting that she had just attended.

Alicent had entered the council chamber alongside Viserys, the small council members had been sitting at the long table waiting for their arrival.

Once the chamber door had closed and Alicent took her seat on the King's left, she had noticed two things; first was that Rhaenyra was not present, and second, was that there was an extra chair at the table across from her and on Viserys’ right.

“Wh-” Before Alicent could ask her question, Viserys stood up and addressed the small council.

“Before we begin, I would like to inform you that I have decided to add an additional advisor to the small council,” Viserys spoke.

The members of the council looked at the King and then each other, the only ones who did not look surprised by the news were the Hand, Lord Lyonel Strong and the Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Harrold Westerling.

It was at that moment that the chamber doors once again opened, and Rhaenyra walked into the room, the princess ignored the stares as she confidently made her way to her father’s side.

“Princess Rhaenyra, you are late. The King’s cupbearer should be here before the King himself,” Alicent said to her stepdaughter, her tone was kind, but her eyes were condescending.

Rhaenyra said nothing in response, she did not even glance at Alicent nor turn in her direction as she stared at the rest of the small council.

“My eldest child and heir, the Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen shall assume her new role as an advisor on my small council,” Viserys declared.

The room was silent but after a few seconds, the men in the room broke out into applause. Alicent’s eyes widened in shock as she looked between Rhaenyra and Viserys, eventually she gave her own, very muted applause for the princess.

Rhaenyra gave Viserys a large smile as she took her seat, it was then that she faced Alicent and gave her former friend a smug look as she reached into the marble dish at the center of the table, Rhaenyra grabbed the last of the colored stones and placed it in the small plate in front of her.

Alicent pulled her hands under the table and clenched her fists. Despite the anger she felt, Alicent refused to give Rhaenyra the satisfaction of knowing that she had gotten to her.

The rest of the meeting was spent with Rhaenyra and Alicent opposing the other every time one would share their opinion.

Alicent tightened her hold on her dress when she remembered how often Viserys would agree with Rhaenyra during the meeting. The only thing that sooth her was that the other members of the council would explain why the princess’ suggestions either would not work or provided a better one.

It did not take long before Alicent had reached the nursery within Meagor’s Holdfast. When she entered, the nursemaids bowed and exited the room, leaving Alicent and Criston alone in the room with the children.

The Queen saw that Helaena was standing upright in her crib, while Aegon was watching Aelora crawl on the floor. Every time Aelora would crawl in one direction, Aegon would lift her up and place her in a new spot in the room, laughing as he saw the confused look on his niece's face before she would start crawling again.

“Aegon, what are you doing with your niece?” Alicent asked her son.

“Mama!” Aegon cheered, he placed Aelora on the floor and ran into his mother’s legs. “I’m teaching Lora to follow me!”

“To follow you?” Alicent asked, her confusion was evident as she waited for Aegon to explain himself.

Aegon vigorously nodded his head. “Yes! So, she can play with me more!”

Aegon was waiting for the day that his niece would start walking, in his mind when Aelora was able to walk he would finally have someone that would not only like him, but would always have time to spend with him.

As mother and son were talking, both failed to notice that Aelora had started crawling towards the door. The young princess would have made her great escape, if it were not for Criston Cole, who quickly picked her up off the floor.

Cristion held his arms out as he carried Aelora in his hands, the Kingsguard stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Criston had never been around small children until Alicent became Queen and even then, he kept his distance as he was Rhaenyra’s protector at the time.

Even now Criston never made any moves to hold Aegon and Helaena, not only because of the lack of experience, but also because of his much lower status and position.

Aelora stared at the Kingsguard and suddenly started to giggle, wiggling around in Criston’s hands, seeing this made Criston keenly aware of just how small the infant princess really was.

After a few moments, Criston pulled his arms inward and held the princess to his chest. Aelora latched onto the man, grabbing at Criston’s armor with her pudgy little hands, eventually putting his white cloak in her mouth.

“It seems the princess is quite taken with you,” Criston turned around and saw that Alicent was staring at him. Aegon had left his mother’s side and was now swinging a toy sword in the air, pretending to be a knight fighting off his enemies.

“Excuse my doubts, Your Grace,” Criston replied as he made his way over to the Queen.

Once he was standing next to Alicent, Criston tried to put Aelora in Helaena’s crib, but the infant tightened her hold on his cloak and started to whimper, causing Criston to stand upright again.

Aelora’s cries quickly tapered off once she realized that the Knight was not going to put her down and she resumed her efforts of trying to eat Criston’s white cloak.

Alicent smiled at her step granddaughter. “No, it would seem that I was right, the princess is very much taken with you, Ser Criston.”

Criston did not reply as he focused on the infant in his arms, he could not wrap his head around the fact that he was carrying Rhaenyra Targaryen’s child.

Ever since their returning trip from Driftmark, ever since the wedding, ever since becoming Alicent’s protector, Criston had no longer been able to side with the Targaryen princess, he had seen her true nature, the selfish, spoiled, and sinful child that Rhaenyra really was.

After this reveal, Criston wanted nothing to do with Rhaenyra, his admiration of her soon turning to hatred. He now understood why so many were opposed to Rhaenyra's ascension to the Iron Throne, in Criston’s opinion if Rhaenyra ever became Queen, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros would burn to the ground.

I wonder if this one will turn out like her mother? Will Aelora be different, or will she be just another Rhaenyra? Criston thought.

“Hopefully, she will turn out to be a proper princess of the realm. Well, just as much as she can be,” Alicent spoke aloud as she trailed her fingers down Aelora’s cheeks.

“That is all we can hope for, Your Grace. Although, I suppose it also depends on how she is raised and who teaches her,” Criston said.

Alicent gave her knight a confused look. “What do you mean, Ser Criston?”

Criston turned to face the Queen. “I simply meant that we are all shaped by our environment, the experiences we have and the people in our lives can have a profound impact on how we turn out, Your Grace. At least that is what I believe.”

Criston failed to notice the contemplative expression that formed on Alicent’s face along with the fact that this look was directed at Aelora.

“Let us hope then that Princess Aelora does not turn out to be like another princess that grew up here in the Red Keep,” Alicent whispered.

Yes, let us hope that she does not. Hopefully, the Gods would not allow a travesty such as Aelora becoming just like her whore of a mother from occurring. Criston thought to himself.

From the outside looking in, the Kingsguard, the Queen, and the children could have been mistaken for a normal family. A strange and mismatched one, but there was a sense of peace as the five in the room interacted with each other.

This peace was shattered when the door of the nursery swung open, and Rhaenyra and Laenor entered the room. The two were in the middle of their own conversation but immediately ceased talking when they saw Alicent and Criston.

“Is there a reason why you are touching my daughter, Ser? Laenor asked, his jaw and fists clenched as he glared at Criston.

The hatred Laenor had for Criston Cole continued to grow even after a year had past, and he would never forgive the Kingsguard for what he did to his beloved Joffrey. Seeing the same man who killed his lover holding his daughter, all Laenor could imagine was Criston doing the same to Aelora.

It was bad enough that he would have to tolerate Alicent’s presence around his daughter due to the woman’s higher status, but he would be damned if he allowed Aelora anywhere near such a deplorable man.

Alicent stepped forward. “Aelora was trying to crawl out of the room, Ser Laenor. Ser Criston had kept her from escaping.”

“Then he could have easily put her down in her cradle instead of continuing to hold her,” Rhaenyra retorted as her husband went to retrieve Aelora.

The princess was sure that if it she were not their daughter, Laenor would have yanked Aelora out of Criston’s hands. Aelora started whimpering at the sudden change of hands, but just as quickly quieted when Laenor began to gently rub her back and whispering calming words onto the crown of her head.

“I believe you are blowing this out of portion, princess,” Alicent said, incensed by the chipped tone in Rhaenyra’s voice.

Rhaenyra scoffed. “Excuse me, for not wanting a man such as Criston Cole to touch my child.”

It was Alicent’s turn to scoff. “A man such as Criston Cole? You mean an honorable one?”

“A murderer,” Laenor hissed, his hatful glare directed at the Queen before returning to the knight standing behind her.

Criston returned the look just as fiercely, knowing that it was all he could do, hating that someone like Laenor was judging him. A sword swallower that was getting cuckolded by his wife had no right to look down on him, to act as if he was better than the Stormlander.

“Ser Criston did what was necessary pto protect the guests at your wedding. Joffrey Lonmouth would not have died if he had not been acting so treacherously,” Alicent said, not allowing Rhaenyra and Laenor to continue tarnishing her protector’s reputation.

After Criston beat Joffrey Lonmouth to death the previous year, Alicent defended his actions to the King. Viserys said that since Criston had been an exceptional member of the Kingsguard ever since his installation, that he was acting in defense of the Crown and was released from all charges relating to Joffrey’s death.

It was then that Viserys had also removed Criston from Rhaenyra’s service and placed him in Alicent’s, not wanting any ‘incidents’ to occur between the Kingsguard and his daughter and her husband.

Alicent believed that Laenor’s anger was unjustified and over-exaggerated as love between two men was unnatural and went against the teachings of the Faith. Even the queerness of the Targaryens that the Doctrine of Exceptionalism defended, did not support such relations.

If Laenor was truly as heartbroken, he would not have moved on as quickly as he did. Just like his wife, Laenor failed to hide his obvious dalliances, Alicent had seen and heard of Laenor’s closeness with various squires and knights that resided in King’s Landing. Alicent doubted that the relationship between Laenor and Joffrey could have been a fulfilling and genuinely loving one if Laenor was able to jump into bed with so many other men so quickly after Joffrey’s death.

Laenor’s glare intensified with Alicent’s words, the Lord was about to respond when Rhaenyra grabbed his arm gave her husband a look, silently telling him that the two were not worth it. Laenor released a deep breath and left the room with Aelora, Rhaenyra gave Alicent and Criston a hard stare before going after her husband and daughter.

When the door slammed shut, Alicent let out a sharp breath. “How dare they?”

“People like that will always be ignorant of their own failings,” Criston gritted out; his gaze still focused on the door.

“Honestly, where do they get off?” Alicent asked aloud. “Accusing us of trying to harm Aelora, an infant child!”

Alicent was enraged that Rhaenyra of all people was trying to take the moral high ground over her. With how easily the princess lies and manipulates, she and her supporters would be more capable of harming innocents than she or Criston.

Alicent looked between her two children with a worried expression on her face. War was coming, the day Aegon was born, it became inevitable. So long as the King has a male heir and Rhaenyra lacks viable heirs of her own, her children’s lives would always be in danger.

The Queen remembered the words her father had told her before he was forced to leave King’s Landing. She wondered when or if Rhaenyra would become the monster capable of killing children, her own siblings, to secure her rise and to protect her own family.

Alicent shuddered at the thought, feeling as though she was waiting for this inevitability, for the destruction of her family at the hands of her once dearest and closest friend.