The tragic love story of Prince Aerys of House Targaryen and Lady Alicent of House Hightower was a well known tale told by mothers to their children and to their grandchildren for centuries to come. The story had been heard from so many mouths that...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Aerys had not had time to speak to his wife about his conversation with the Queen, both parents busy with their children. It wasn't until Aerys had finished putting the two youngest to bed and he entered his old chambers that he was finally alone with his wife. Rhaenyra sat before a lit fireplace, the light cast by the flames caused her hair to glow.
The heir placed a hand on his wife's shoulder as he passed her, settling into the armchair beside hers. Aerys waited a moment wanting to see if Rhaenyra would speak first. When she only continued gazing into the fire did Aerys speak.
"My light-" Aerys began before Rhaenyra cut him off.
"My father is going to die."
"We don't know that to be sure, I have already sent for Maester Gerardys. He will find something."
"No, no he wont." Rhaenyra spoke, a sense of finality in her voice. "My father has been sick for a long time, his health has been declining since my mother's death. The Stranger will take him soon."
"He could still have years, Rhaenyra." Aerys argued, not wanting to even consider his brother's death.
"No Aerys, he is going to die and you will be crowned." Rhaenyra finally turned from the flames, staring into Aerys' brown eyes. "Alicent is going to try and crown Aegon."
"No she will not, Rhaenyra this is madness." Aerys leapt from his seat and began pacing before the fireplace. "I am heir to the Iron Throne, Alicent knows that, she recognizes it."
"It doesn't matter if she does, Otto will push for Aegon to be made King."
"That would be treason, he is not so stupid as to start a war." Aerys reasoned. The Prince stopped his pacing, leaning his weight on the mantle as he stared into the flames. "Alicent would not allow it, she wouldn't. I know she has attempted to harm our family in the past, but she regrets it. She is still the same girl under the weirwood tree."
Rhaenyra approached her husband, carefully placing a hand on his back. "But there is a way to avoid it."
Aerys ears burned as he listened to Rhaenyra's plan. Could he really do such a thing, I mean, yes he would do anything for his family. But this? This was madness. And there's no saying how the people of the realm would react.
Having heard enough, Aerys turned from the flames and left the room. Not even glancing at his wife as he passed.
...
The room was dark when Aerys entered. The only sound was the rain falling outside and the thunder rumbling above. Incense still burned in the corners of the room, filling the room with the smell of burning herbs. Curtains parted around Aerys as he approached the bed.
The mattress sank as Aerys sat on the side of the bed, staring at the decrepit figure before him.. Aerys wanted to be angry at his brother. Angry at him for naming him heir, for marrying Alicent, for becoming ill, for not sending for Aerys in the past eight years, for dying.
But Aerys couldn't bring himself to feel any real rage as he stared at Viserys laid on the bed, wheezing as he struggled to Viserys. The King laid on the bed, wheezing as he struggled to breathe.
"Alicent?" Viserys wheezed. "Alicent?"
"No, Viserys. It's Aerys, your brother."
"Aerys," Viserys muttered as thunder rumbled overhead. "My brother."
"The Song of Ice and Fire. Do you believe it to be true?"
"Aegon's dream."
"Yes, Aegon's dream." Aerys answered, leaning closer to his brother. "You told me it was our duty to hold the realm united against a common foe. As heir I would one day sit the Iron Throne. But I didn't want this. I still don't."
Aerys waited for any sort of response, when he didn't receive one he sat back. "You have your son, the one you always wanted. Why didn't you name him heir instead. I wouldn't be upset."
"You... you are my heir." Viserys wheezed. "I chose you."
"Because you had no son and you couldn't let Daemon have the throne."
"No... no..." Viserys breathed heavily as he struggled to speak. "The Prince... who was... promised."
"Yes, Aegon's dream. What of it?"
"You..." Viserys shakily raised his hand, pointing a bony finger at Aerys. "Rhaenyra."
"You believe the Prince who was promised will come from our bloodline."
Viserys coughed in response as his hand dropped onto the bed.
"Alright brother," Aerys spoke, taking his brother's weak hand in his strong one. "I think I understand."
Aerys watched his brother for a moment, trying to connect this Viserys to the one from his childhood. It was difficult, but Aerys focused on the sparse strands of white hair still left on Viserys' head. The prince smiled as he recalled stories from his youth that whenever Viserys would hold him as a babe, he would wrap the strands in his fist and refuse to let go. Their father had had to cut a section of Viserys' hair one time because of how tightly it was wrapped around Aerys' tiny fist.
"I love you." Aerys whispered as he stood from the bed and left the room.
AN: I listened to Daylight by David Kushner on repeat while writing this chapter.
