would've could've should've | the dance of the dragons

the abdication

"Yes you are right.", Criston nodded. "Your parents' relationship was strained and Alicent always cared about him more. But still, he is your father, you should remember him in a good light."

"No one wants to do that.", Aegon pressed every word.

"No they don't, but they do nevertheless because of your mother. To make her happy. Why can't you?"

"Cole?", Aegon asked when Criston turned to leave. "How did you know about these?"

"What do you mean?"

"The whores and servants?"

"Everybody in the Keep knows t-", Criston tried to explain.

"No, not everyone.", Aegon looked at him with intense eyes. "I keep the girls away from Helaena deliberately, and my 'mistreatment' of servants and squires is definitely not public information. I yell at them only when I'm alone. So I repeat how did you know it?"

Criston kept his silence and Aegon understood who he was protecting.

"Tell my brother that if he ever pays people for information, I'll speak in a langue that he understands."

*

"You are late.", Aemon said when Aegon finally entered to the dining room. Alicent was sitting on the head of the table, Aemond and Daeron were on her left, the first chair on her right was left for Aegon and Helaena was sitting next to it.

"You should be grateful that I came in the first place.", Aegon huffed and sat in his place. "Tell your husband that if he crosses his line one more time, then his punishment will be severe."

"What's that mean?", Alicent froze. "Did you have a quarrel?"

"The context is unimportant, just warn him."

Alicent looked very tired like she had no energy to fight with anyone. She just closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Let's pray."

Everybody crossed their hands, Alicent, Aemond and Aegon closed their eyes while Helaena and Daeron shared a look.

"May the Mother smile down on this gathering with love. May the Smith mend the bones that have been broken for far too long. And to Viserys Targaryen, may the Gods give him peace and happiness in his rest.", the prayer ended and she looked to all of her children one by one. "We are gathered here to reminisce about your father, my husband. It has been 15 years since the day he passed. Viserys-", she looked very emotional and was a loss for words. "-was many things-"

"Yes, incompetent, neglectful, abusive and unfair."

"Aegon!", Alicent warned her son with sadness. "Let's not remember the dead with sorrow-"

"Why?", Aegon laughed and Aemond kicked him under the table. "He was a bad person, a bad father and a bad husband. Dying didn't fix any of these. He never treated us right, why would we treat his memory right?"

"His sins had been erased with his death, we had talked about this-"

"I just don't understand why we must lie to ourselves about him just to portray him in a good light.", he deadpanned. "He spent his entire life with defending Rhaenyra's mistakes and her bastards' rights, they don't even mention his name ever since he died. He treated all of us poorly, you yourself had to endure him for years-"

"I had loved your father.", Alicent's eyes were filled with tears.

"Loving your captor wasn't some blessing, mother. You had to."

Alicent looked so heartbroken. "He wasn't my captor. He loved me too-"

"Yes, of course, he loved you. But I am not sure when did he love you more. When did he threaten to cut off your tongue when you tried to defend Aemond? Or when he called you Aemma? Or when he touched you without your permission?", Aegon's words were harsh and they caused utter silence in the room.