Kingdom Fall : Aegon II Targaryen

A Gilded Cage.

Alicent is discussing her absent son with her loyal guard and her son when the Maester announces his own presence in her room.

"Your Highness." The Maester curtsies.

"Yes, Maester?" The Queen asks.

"Princess Annerys has bore Prince Aegon a son and heir."

Aemond had just become the heir only to be knocked back down by a squealing infant born from a bastard. His mother holds onto his arms and tells no one in particular "this is good, very good, Aegon must be found and told then brought back to me. He isn't to see her not until after he is crowned."

"I'll go, I will do this for you Mother." Aemond declares eager to keep his position as the favoured son as Aegon is about to so easily be handed ultimate power, power that he does not deserve.

*

Annerys sits on the velvet covered sofa in her chambers rocking her newborn son in her arms as her daughter, now calmed, is playing with her toy building blocks. Anne takes deep breaths attempting to find some courage and calm, failing miserably to find either as she attempts to hold back sobs. She wipes the tears away from her cheeks as they fall but she cannot manage to stop them before they fall from her eyes. All she can do is try and prevent her children from seeing them. She must be strong when the Greens show up to her room. She cannot seem weak, a war will be fought over this treason and she means to take a stand and she cannot do that whilst crying.

She hears one of the Goldcloaks stationed outside of her room call "halt where you are." Annerys gasps in fright, she understands that this means that a fight is about to begin and that she will very likely lose her children. She cradles her still unnamed son in one arm and gathers Rhaella into her other and she shakily stands. She can hear the clattering of metal. She has no idea what is happening on the other side of her door, she can hear men dying but she has no idea which men, her men or husband's.

The moment seems to pass on for hours whilst simultaneously it takes no time at all until the clanging of metal stops. Her wooden door shakes on its hinges as boots loudly thud against the frame, Annerys quickly figures out that they are attempting to kick the door open.

Rhaella has begun to scream as loudly as her small lungs will allow. Her cheeks bright red and tear stained as she screeches. "It's alright, my love, you're alright." Annerys soothes as she holds back tears of her own. Her newborn wakes up from his slumber and joins in with his sister's wails.

Annerys can't stand the noise, the sound of it all, the foreboding sound of the king's Guard's heavy boots bashing against her door and her frightened children's screams all melding into one abhorrent noise that will haunt Anne's dreams for as long as she lives. She has never been so afraid in all her life, not even when she had married Aegon or the Queen had charged at her younger brother with a dagger. Fear entirely consumes her, she had hoped it would make her strong, that her fear would push her forward but all Annerys wants to do is find a corner to hide in.

But she is a mother, she has no choice other than to fight. Although perhaps she should give in, be Aegon's Queen and take the path of least resistance. Maybe her being Queen would be enough of a consolation for her Mother. Annerys is sure it would be, her Mother has no desire for war. But it wouldn't be right. Not to Annerys. Her mother is the heir and the rightful monarch and no amount of love Annerys might have for Aegon changes that. So war it is.

The doors finally give in to the King's Guard and swing open. Annerys takes a deep breath, straightens her back and stands tall, if she cannot convince her brain then she can at least force her body into submission and feign strength that way.