The awakening is abrupt, a guard returned at dawn to Alyssa and Aegon's room to announce Aemond's return.
He came back safe and sound...but according to what the guard said, not everything went as planned.
"What do you mean 'not everything went as planned?" Aegon replies grumpily.
"I don't know my king. The prince is asking to see you, he has asked that we fetch the small council."
"What?"
"What could have happened..." asks Alyssa, worried. "Let them in."
The guard nods and lets them in. The Queen Mother, Princess Rhaenys and the Hand are still in their dressing gowns.
Aemond, meanwhile, looks soggy, drops of water are still running down him.
"Aemond. You're soaked."
"Excuse me, sister...I had to talk to you as soon as possible."
"Why for?" Aegon replies "Did it go wrong with Lord Baratheon?"
"No, it went well and he even accepted our proposal and offered us his allegiance."
"Well then? Why do we wake up at dawn? It could wait for the council" grumbles Aegon
Alyssa looks at her brother, her face drawn, her mind racing against something. She knows him. "Keep going Aemond..."
Aemond hesitates, takes a breath and speaks. "Lucaerys was there."
Everyone looks at him surprised.
"Rhaenyra obviously wants to curry favor with the big houses. But she chose to send a child to negotiate. Strategy is not her thing." sneers Otto
"What happened?" asks Alyssa who wants to know what is troubling her brother.
"I provoked him...Seeing him there, posing as a non-violent emissary...after what he did to me...I couldn't... I got crazy." He looks at his sister who does not take her eyes off him, encouraging him to continue.
"Lord Baratheon forbade us to fight and Lucaerys rode away on his dragon."
"And...?"
"I chased him with Vhagar, to scare him once and for all. To show him that I was stronger than him...and..." he looks at Princess Rhaenys "His dragon attacked Vhagar who reacted...and killed them with a single bite."
No one is breathing. Nobody knows what to say. Nobody knows how to react.It is Rhaenys who breaks the silence. "He is dead?"
Aemond nods.
Rhaenys looks like she didn't know how to react. Of course, it wasn't biologically her grandson...she watched this child grow up.
"Rhaenys." the call Alyssa.
"You swear to me it was an accident."
"Yes." answers Aemond
"Ok..." she takes a deep breath. "I'll see you at the council." She quickly left the room.
Aegon gets up from the bed. "You finally eliminated that bastard! Well done brother!" he comes and pats his brother on the shoulder.
"Aegon!" scolds the Queen-Mother "It's about your nephew."
"This is about the bastard who insulted and disfigured my brother, mother."He smiles at Aemond. "We're going to celebrate!"
"There is no question!" Answers the Queen
"It's my decision! We must celebrate the justice that has been served after years of waiting."
"Your mother is right. Rhaenyra's son was killed and whether it was accidental or not, a party will make the situation worse." Says the Hand
Aegon turns to his wife, she looks doubtful. "Alyssa? Support me."
"I don't know...As a big sister, I'm glad the gods' justice has finally been served and Aemond is finally avenged. As Queen, I know a party will only make matters worse. the situation, already tense. As a mother...well, almost..."
"Don't tell me you feel sorry for Rhaenyra. After all she's done." Aegon told him.
"No...it's just...I'm not giving good advice...I can't help but think about if it was our child..." She starts to cry.
"My love..." Aegon said stepping closer.
"Hormones hits hard at the end of pregnancy." Their mother told him.
"I tell myself it was only a child...but every time I think that...I relive Aemond's pain..."
Aemond also approaches her."Forgive me, sister."
"No...don't apologize. It's me. I'm ashamed to find excuses or sympathy after what he did to you."
Aemond strokes her face "If you didn't have compassion, it wouldn't be you anymore. My sweet sister"
"It's up to you what you want to do. It's you who was mutilated and humiliated. I'm with you."
He nods. "I just want a simple, family dinner. Nothing fancy. I just want to celebrate this moment with the people that matter."
"Sounds perfect." answer Alyssa
"That's a decent middle ground." said the Hand. "I didn't expect less from you Aemond."
"And after this dinner, I don't want any politics to bother my sister until the end of her pregnancy. Do you agree Aegon?"
"I couldn't have said it better." agrees Aegon
"But I want to help you..."
"No, you are going to rest my love. No stubbornness"
"Ok..."
--------------------------------------
The restricted council arrives very quickly.
Alyssa sits next to her husband.Topics are scanned very quickly but Alyssa senses that Rhaenys is somewhere else.
Before the end, Otto Hightower speaks.
"I would like to end this advice by announcing the tragic death of Prince Lucaerys Velaryon. Despite the tensions between the branches of our great Royal family, we do not wish any emotion of joy. violence perpetrated against our beloved Crown Prince, Aemond."
Everyone is in shock but nods.
"Well, I think we can close this advice to me that one subject has yet to be discussed."
Alyssa speaks up. "Indeed, there remains a subject."
"My queen, we are listening to you."
"I wanted to formalize a promise made to Princess Rhaenys."
Rhaenys looks up at her, surprised.
"When I proposed to the Pincess Rhaenys to become my hand, I swore to her that no harm would be done to her granddaughters Rhaena and Baela. And I want that promise to be kept. We are not only talking about the granddaughters of my Hand, but also rightful heiresses of Driftmark, through the late Princess Laena. Let it be noted that any harm done to these daughters will be severely punished."
She turns her head to Aegon who smiles at her, approving her speech.
"Well, the proclamation will be made my Queen and I wholeheartedly approve." Answers Otto bowing. "We will leave you."
Everyone retreats except Aegon, Alyssa, and Rhaenys, who has her head down.
"Cousin?" asks Alyssa."Thank you, for making your word official."
"I couldn't see doing otherwise. And I have no wish to lie."
"I fear for them...every day."
"I understand and I swear to you that if I have the opportunity to bring them back to you, I will."
"I hope they don't put themselves in danger but I know them. Baela is stubborn and Rhaena is eager to prove her worth to her father."
"I know little of them, I admit it. But I know that they have inherited your intelligence. They will be careful."
"My family is split up all over the world it seems...I still haven't heard from Lord Corlys..."
"It will come. I'm sure of it."
Aegon leans into her ear "Should we go?"
"Yes" She smiles. She gets up with Aegon's help."Come with us."
"Where?"
"You'll see" Aegon replies.
The three of them walks through the corridors of the Red Keep. Rhaenys knew this path, she recognizes the direction of the sacred wood."Why are we going there?"
"I want to show you something."
Once arrived at Sacred Wood they stop.Rhaenys observes the sacred tree.
This tree near which she prayed for many years until footsteps catch her hears.
"Mother..."She freezes before turning around.In front of her, a face she had dreamed of for years, and yet, almost forgotten.
"Laenor...?"
For a few moments, time freezes, everyone remains motionless.
Suddenly, Rhaenys begins to move, she almost runs in the direction of her son.She hugs him tightly.
Laenor is shocked at first but ends up responding strongly to the hug.After several minutes, she pulls away from him and cups his face in her hands, detailing every inch of his face. His face has matured, his hair is shaved but she reconize her little boy.
"My son....I thought I would never see your face again."
"Forgive me mother.."
"Why? Why did you do that?"
"I wanted to live free...After Laena's death, I wanted to go away...I wanted to forget and be able to love without limit."
"Making us live through hell..."
"I didn't think...Daemon and Rhaenyra offered me this solution...I didn't think, I accepted and left. I was also afraid that if I refused.."
"They would have really eliminated you"
"Yes." Leanor kneels before her mother. "Forgive me mother. I realize what I did to you and father. Even more so now that Lucaerys is dead."
She looks him in the eye. "A mother will always forgive her child."
He gets up and takes his mother in his arms.When they separate, Rhaenys turns her gaze to Alyssa and Aegon.They both stand at a distance. Aegon hugs Alyssa from behind, her head resting on his wife's shoulder.
They both smile at them."Thank you" Rhaenys told them.
"The thanks are only for my stubborn wife." said Aegon
"I'm glad you're reunited." She turns her gaze to Laenor. "Welcome cousin. My apologies for the conditions of your abduction."
Laenor bows. "I've been through worse. And I think I'm grateful to you for bringing us together."
"I'm glad to see you again. And I think Lord Corlys and your nieces will be too."
"I hope so...As for my sons?"
"I'm sorry for Lucaerys but I have hopes that Jacaerys and Joffrey will bend the knee and you can be reunited."
"Thank you...hope they won't be too disappointed to find me alive."
"Why? Even though you are not biologically related, you are their father. You raised Jacaerys. As for Joffrey, I'm sure he will be delighted to know you."
"I hope you are right."
"You'll learn that she's often right. And I'm not only saying that because I'm married to her," laughs Aegon.
"What do you mean by 'not only'?"
"Ooops..."Everyone is laughing."I want to believe you, she was right about me."
"We'll let you find yourselves. We've set up Laenor's room next to yours."
"Thank you, Alyssa." She takes her son's hand and walks towards the Red Keep before turning around.
"Your Graces?" Aegon and Alyssa watch her.
"You have my allegiance and my trust. And I believe so will Lord Corlys."
"Thanks cousin." Thank her Alyssa
Rhaenys and Laenor bow and leave, smiling. Aegon kisses his wife's cheek.
"You are a real magician, you know that?"
"Really?" She smiles
"Yes. You take a situation and make it better. You work miracles."
"Hmm, do you have any examples?"
"Hundreds. But look at Rhaenys, you managed to reunite her with her son who was thought to be dead and bring her to our cause. And look at me..."
"You?"
"You made me better."
"You are wrong."
"And why, sweet wife?"
"I didn't need to make you better." She turns to face him. "I just showed the world the part of you that you were hiding."
"And you healed the part that was destroyed."
"Maybe..."
"See, you work miracles. And you see the best in all of us."
"I see what is hidden."
"Will you ever let me right?"
"Never." She laughs and kisses him.
In a single movement, Aegon carries her in his arms."What are you doing ?"
"I'm taking my stubborn wife where she belongs: in our bed."
"Hey! No! I still have until tomorrow."
"Bad luck my love. As far as my wife is concerned, I'm more stubborn than her."
"Put me down." He tickles her "Aegooonn!"
The guards watch them pass and can't help but smile at the sight of their king and queen's joy.
-----------------------------------------
The family dinner takes place peacefully. Everyone laughs heartily. Alyssa can't remember having had such a good dinner. No tension, no precautions to take. It's peaceful, it's natural.
Aegon plays with Jaehearys. Alyssa loves seeing him with their nephew, it gives her an idea of how he will be with their child.
He who did not like children in his youth... today he is natural with his nephew.
Jahaera tugs on her aunt's dress.
"Auntie..."
"Yes Sweetheart ?" Alyssa carries her on her knees.
"When the baby will be born, could I play with her?"
Alyssa smile at her. "Of course, but for the first months, the baby will be to small to play."
Jaeheara nods and put her head on her aunt's stomach.
"Heyo! Hope you'll grow quick, quick. I can't wait to play with you."
The baby kicks, causing Jaeheara to laugh. "I think she's also looking forward to playing with you."
"She's as impatient as you were." Alicent said.
"Oh really?"said Alyssa stroking her niece's hair
"Yes, you couldn't sit still. Even at two years old you stuck to me waiting for Aegon."
"And 20 years later, she still hasn't come off of him." laughs Aemond
"For Heleana, you were protecting me from everything and everyone. You were telling everyone that you wanted to protect your 'mama and baby sister"
"I didn't even had access to my own daughter." recalls Otto
"You knew I was a girl." Helena is surprised
"I guess, I don't remember."
"And for Aemond."
"There I remember." She covers her face with her hands.
"Tell us mother." Aemond encourages him
"She was sure that you would be a girl too. She prepared lots of little dresses for you and chose lots of names for you. When you were born, she sulked for a week."
Everyone laughs loudly.
Alyssa hides in shame."I was so sure!" she says.
"I had to surprise you, sister." laughs Aemond
"Sorry."
"It's okay! I hope I made up for your disappointment."
"You are a thousand times better than I could have imagined, brother."
"Perfect."
"But suddenly, it happens, we find ourselves on the sex of the baby." Said Helena
"Hey, oh! It's Alyssa who can't predict. I'm good at it!"
"You? You said Aemond would be cake!" Alicent laughs
"That's true!" laughs Alyssa
"Why was nobody predicting me, weirdly?" asks Aemond
"Even today, no one can predict you, brother-cake." laughs Aegon
Everyone laughs heartily.
Alyssa watches her family laugh and talk, stroking her niece's hair as she begins to fall asleep against her.
She said to herself "No matter what this baby is, he or she will be loved."