CHAPTER SEVEN
TW: OTTO ( he deserves his own tw)
IT had been a year since Roseva had departed from Daemon and much had changed. Rhaenyra had gotten older and grew more resentful toward her father, especially with Alicent who had married Viserys swiftly — leaving the Princess to spend all her time with Roseva.
The two had become closer than before if that was even possible, they often slept in the same bed after spending hours talking of nothing and everything — it hasn't taken Roseva long to tell Rhaenyra what had occurred between herself and Daemon. The princess had been surprised but comforted her nonetheless, promising not to tell a soul.
Roseva remembered the day that started her own personal hell, a day she wished she could forget.
"Good morrow, my lords", Viserys walked toward them in the council room, Rhaenyra and Roseva being summoned as well as Alicent who stood beside her father as Roseva stood beside the princess. "I have decided to take a new wife".
Roseva clutched Rhaenyra's hand in hers and swallowed at the news. She watched as Rhaenyra nodded to her father who seemed hesitant, a small smile on her face in encouragement — she knew duty and she knew he needed to do it.
"I intend to marry", he spoke and looked toward Otto and Alicent, Roseva furrowing her brows and turned her head as well, Rhaenyra doing the same when the pieces fit together when Alicent looked to the pair ashamed.
Roseva blinked multiple times with a look of confusion towards Viserys, who looked back at her before looking down for a moment before speaking again, "The Lady Alicent Hightower, before springs end".
The women looked back to Otto's smug face and Alicent's pensive one, her hands picking at each other due to her nerves, Roseva knew what had happened and she knew Otto was responsible.
She felt Rhaenyra hold her hand together and so she brought her other hand to rub her back gently, feeling the princess' back shake like her dragon had when they flew to Dragonstone the day before.
Lord Corlys stood from his chair, that being the only noise anyone could hear after moments of silence, "This is an absurdity. My house is Valyrian, the greatest power in the realm".
"And I am your king".
Corlys straightened at his tone and looked to the Hand who sat with a small smile, his plan working full motion but knew one part of his plan was missing, but it wouldn't be long before he hatched it as he looked to Roseva for a moment before looking away.
The man left quickly, leaving Rhaenyra to continue staring at Alicent with a look of betrayal that the Hightower girl couldn't meet. "Rhaenyra".
Roseva watched the princess leave after her father's words, the king watched as she left with a sad gaze before looking at his daughters friend. "Roseva".
The woman looked back at him with a blank expression, "Don't", she muttered before casting a sympathetic look to Alicent before glaring at Otto and storming off after Rhaenyra.
Roseva remembered how the princess collapsed into her arms when she found her in the gardens and held her as she sobbed — the memories that the three had here only left tears and betrayal now.
"Do you think I'm being too harsh?", Rhaenyra asked as they laid by the fireplace with Roseva writing a letter to her cousin, Steffon Baratheon who she was extremely close with — he was slightly older than Rhaenyra now and had been sending letters over the years.
Roseva sealed the envelope and tutted to the Princess, "You are allowed to feel however you feel, no point in faking it for her sake".
Rhaenyra sighed deeply and rolled over to her back, staring at the roses and stars painted on Roseva's chamber ceiling, "I'm just so angry, sooner or later she's going to be popping children out that may be a son, everything he's ever wanted".
The Baratheon women rolled her eyes at the truth, "You are his first child, that will always mean something and your mother was his truest and deepest love, wouldn't worry your pretty little head about matters that won't matter to you until you are of age and even then, Viserys will have to go through me before matching you with some fat lord who can't tell the difference between a rose and a tulip".
Rhaenyra laughed, it always came down to flowers with Roseva but she appreciated the gesture of kind words and turned her head to the woman attaching her letter to a black crow, "I love you".
Roseva watched the crow fly away before turning and smiling down at the princess, "I love you more".
"Not possible".
The two laughed shortly, Roseva brought some heavy books over and placed them on the floor by the fire, the light shining brightly on the worn pages. She laid flat on her stomach and skimmed through the content until she stopped on one page in particular, "Look". Rhaenyra shifted over and looked down to the page.
"What does it mean?", Rhaenyra asked, her eyes skimming over the page of Baratheon history.
Roseva hummed, "My mother's distant relative by marriage is Rhaenys' uncle, making you and me somewhat related but not by blood". Rhaenyra smiled at that, "No matter what, I will always be there for you because you are my family and I always take care of my family".
"Is Daemon your family?", the question was innocent but Roseva frowned nonetheless. The Princess regretted asking at the look on the women's face but shifted when she began speaking.
"Daemon is very complicated, I will always love him very much but sometimes you have to let things go to grow as a person. One day I am going to be wed and part of me wishes that it was to Daemon but he does as he pleases so chances are higher that I will marry some lord far away".
Rhaenyra furrowed her brows, "Does that mean leaving me?". She watched as Roseva swallowed and sat up, her doing the same and looked down to their now clutched hands, "I do not want you to leave".
"You will be leaving yourself, Princess. But either way, we will always make it back to each other and besides neither one of us are leaving just yet. I have a duty to fulfil to you until you are wed, so until then, I am not going anywhere".
The Targaryen suck back in her tears and hugged the women, Roseva bringing her closer and rubbed her back as she laid on her chest.
Some hours later, Roseva and Rhaenyra decided to venture outside until the Princess was called away to see her father — only leaving when the woman she looked up to told her to.
Her hands brushed over her roses as she sat on her knees, hair pushed out of her face. Roseva brushed her fingers over the dirt as she tended to them but stopped when quiet footsteps were heard behind her — making her turn her head.
Otto Hightower stood over her, basking the sunset from her eyes due to his tall, skinny figure. His face was pushed into a small smile as she looked at him confused. "Greetings?", she spoke in more of a question that was met with a gruff chuckle that made her skin crawl.
"Greetings indeed, Lady Roseva", he sat on the bench beside the rose bush, his body reacting to the way she looked up at him with an innocent gaze — not knowing what looks like that gave certain main who couldn't contain themselves — men like him.
"May I ask why you have joined my company?", the lady asked, looking back at her roses as she didn't like the way he was looking at her.
Otto hummed and cupped his hands together, "You seemed upset", he hasn't lied, her mind did look elsewhere but that wasn't the only reason he greeted her with his presence.
"I just have a lot on my mind, wouldn't want to bother you with my nonsense", Roseva shifted on her knees and dusted her hands on the white apron covering her dress from the dirt that one of the maids insisted she wear as her dresses were always caked in dirt which was hard to get out.
The Hand nodded before gesturing to the seat next to him, Roseva looked to the empty space for a moment then looked at him, when she saw the hard look on his face that she was about to defy him, she got up and sat beside him.
The sunset rested on her skin, her eyes shining as she looked at her roses, anywhere but at him. "I have a proposal". That had caught her attention and she looked toward him with a curious look.
"What may that be?".
"I have been thinking I should remarry".
As soon as the words left his mouth, a cold chill ran down her spine and her mouth went dry. Roseva nodded hesitantly, pretending to be confused by his words, it was not hard to notice the way his eyes always landed on her, more particularly, certain body parts. "How come, Lord Hand?", her fake politeness didn't seem to reach him as he looked at her softly but she knew his intentions were anything but.
"Alicent is wed to the King, my son is off doing his business but I only have one son", Otto raised his eyebrows in suggestion to which Roseva nodded sheepishly with a quiet, "I see".
"As you know my wife passed recently".
"I do and I'm very sorry, Lord Hand".
Otto placed his hand on hers that were clutching the skirt of her dress harshly, "Do I make you nervous?". Roseva stopped herself from rolling her eyes, of course he'd think such a thing, no I'm revolted by you, fool.
"No, I'm just confused on how this concerns me", Otto's face fell into a hard look again and he clutched her hand tighter, making her falter.
"I have spoken with your father and he has agreed to wed us".
Words fell flat as she stood quickly, the apron falling from her waist at the hastiness. Otto watched calmly as the woman in front of him eyes went wide, "Excuse me?".
"I do not wish to repeat myself, Lady Roseva", he stood and gawked over her, her body stilling at the height difference. "If you refuse, I will make sure everyone knows what happened in your chambers with Prince Daemon".
Silence filled the hair as her mouth opened, no words falling. His face contorted to success that she so deeply wished she could punch off but lords and lady's were still venturing out, "I will give you until tomorrow to make your decision, don't be silly, little one", the nickname made her want to vomit.
Roseva stood in her place as she watched his move past her and leave the gardens, her eyes burned and she realised she was crying. She was confused on how he knew about her and Daemon but then again, Otto had spies everywhere.
But the Lady Rose knew one thing, by the look on Otto's face, he was serious and he would tarnish her family name and reputation if this got out, nobody was there to back the story but it wouldn't matter because nobody was there to say that it didn't happen either, which left her with one thing.
Roseva loved her family, they would be heartbroken to hear her daughter had done something so unlady like, it would ruin relationships between them and she couldn't let that happen.
The sun had now set and the moon peered over them, "Rose?", the woman wiped her tears quickly and turned to see Viserys standing there with a glum expression, his time with Rhaenyra must have not gone well but he also looked at her with concern. "Are you well?".
"He knows", she whispered into the cold nights air. Viserys walked forward and grasped her hands tightly, not like Otto had done, the King's were more soft.
"Knows what?".
Roseva gulped as looked up at him as a tear fell down her red cheek, "About me and Daemon. Otto knows Viserys".
The King studied her for a moment before looking back to make sure they were alone, "Knows what, Rose? What have you done?".
She didn't know what to say, how to say it and what it would mean. But she knew that he had to know so he could protect her when she announced her decision.
"Before Daemon left for Dragonstone, we—", Viserys nodded with a flush when she raised her eyebrows, "I see", his words were timid but he didn't sound surprised.
"Otto spoke with Father, he has proposed a marriage, if I do not accept, he will out me to the court".
Viserys scratched his chin, "I can speak with him, surely he must not be serious".
"I believe he is, he's planning something, Viserys. He wants more sons", Roseva pleaded for him to understand, "I have no choice but to accept. If you tell him no, he will find a way, he always does".
Her sobs grew and his face fell, his hands left hers and he pulled her to him, hand running through her as he whispered how she would okay in her ear, but things didn't feel okay, not now and soon not ever.
And so, that night, under the moons and stars, Viserys Targaryen vowed to her that if she accepted Otto's proposal, he'd protect her as best as he could. But most of all, he would not tell Daemon who was currently at war. But little did the two know that Daemon would be home in a matter of two years but it would be too late.
Lady Roseva Baratheon would have already suffered for the consequences of their actions, and a part of her would always resent Daemon for being part of the situation that got her there.