''What is it that could not have waited an hour? Was Dorne invaded?" Tyland mused as they gathered around the council table.
''The King is dead.'' Otto told them all. Alicent sat at the kings seat silently. Tears in her eyes her hands clasped on the table. ''We grieve for Viserys the Peaceful... our sovereign... our friend. But he has left us a gift.'' Otto went on calmly. ''With his last breath, he impressed upon the Queen his final wish: that his son, Aegon... should succeed him as Lord of the Seven Kingdoms." There was a small sigh of relief as the council was eager to get this started for Aegons rule. Aislynn smirked, she looked to her father, she had ravened her brothers and already hopefully were sending out their peaky's declaring to all the realms of this new transition, new declarations, getting a count of who was with them and who was dead meat.
''Then we may proceed now with the full assurance of his blessing on our long-laid plans."
''Yes. There is much to be done, as we've previously discussed." Otto agreed. Alicent stared at them in disbelief she looked to Aislynn and of course Aislynn had been in on this but the whole council? This is why she could never be a peaky like her siblings.
''Now, there are two among the captains of the City Watch that remain loyal to Daemon.''
"Let us replace them... Lord Lannister." Otto encouraged
''The Treasury is well in hand. The gold will be divided for safekeeping." Tyland assured. Alicent stared confused and speechlessly
''Let ravens be sent to our allies, Riverrun and Highgarden." Otto went on.
"Boys are on it too." Aislynn assured.
" Am I to understand that members of the small council have been planning secretly to install my son without me?" Alicent finally spoke up.
''My Queen, there was no need to sully you with darkling schemes." Otto assured.
"Soft heart Ali, you let me handle the mischief and the chaos." Aislynn assured. Criston smirked back at her.
''I will not have this.'' Beesbury declared standing up in outrage. ''To hear that you are plotting to replace the King's chosen heir with an imposter!''
''His firstborn son is hardly an imposter." Aislynn reminded him
''Hundreds of lords and landed knights swore fealty to the Princess." Beesbury countered defensively.
''That was some 20 years ago. Most of them now dead." Tyland added smugly.
"And the son is not the father, so.. I think we are fine." Aislynn assured.
''You heard the Lord Hand. Plot or no, the King changed his mind." Jasper Wylde told them.
"He changed his mind. Good and True. Aegon. He declared it, are you calling my sister, the queen!" Aislynn reminded them. "A liar? Is that what you doing?" Beesbury scoffed.
''I am six-and-seventy years old. I have known Viserys longer than any who sit at this table." Beesbury reminded them. ''And I will not believe that he said this on his deathbed, alone, with only the, the boy's mother as a witness. This is seizure! It is theft! It is treason! At the least, it is..." Beesbury went on.
''Mind your tongue, Lyman.'' Otto warned.
''The King was well last night... by all accounts. Which of you here can swear that he died of his own accord?" Beesbury glared around the table.
''Which of us are you accusing of regicide, Bumblebee?'' Aislynn pondered.
''Whether it was one of you, or all of you, I care not." Beesbury yelled. ''I will have no part...'' he moved to leave but Criston slammed him back down.
''Sit down!' Criston demanded and Beesubury screamed out before his head was slammed into the stone. His blood oozing on the table as he slumped lifeless before them.
"Ohh!" Aislynn fanned a hand in front of her face. "That was..." sexy, damn sexy she thought as her face heated. Criston glanced back at her.
'' Ser Criston.'' Alicent warned.
''Throw down your sword and remove your cloak, Ser Criston.'' The commander, Ser harrold demanded pointing his blade at Criston's armored chest. Criston pulled his blade free but didn't put it down. He held it out pointing his own blade at the commander. ''I am your Lord Commander, Ser Criston. Cast down your sword.'' Aislynn didnt like that one bit.
''I will not suffer insults to Her Grace the Queen.'' Criston warned.
''There was no insult to me, Ser Criston.'' Alicent said weakly as she sat back down. ''Put aside your blade.' She requested ''Has it come to this? Lord Commander, enough.''
"Point your blade at my husband a moment longer and I will kill you myself." Aislynn warned Harrold. He hesitated but the challenge in Aislynns gaze told him she was dead serious. He lowered his blade. "Good dog." She growled.
'' Let us have Lord Beesbury removed.'' The grand maester Orwyle requested
''No.' Otto corrected immediately as the grand maester sat back down. ''The door remains shut until we finish our business. Storm's End is of concern.''
''We may not assume the loyalty of Lord Borros.''
''But he has four daughters, all of them unmarried. The right proposal...''
"Daeron is not going to like that, he's a picky butt like me." Aislynn corrected.
''What of Rhaenyra?''
''The former heir cannot, of course, be allowed to remain free and draw support to her claim.'' They all nodded in agreement, Rhaenyra had to go.
"Yes." Aislynn agreed nodding along. Bye bitch, once and for all.
''You mean to imprison her.'' Alicent corrected confused.
''She and her family will be given the opportunity to publicly swear obeisance to the new King." Otto told her gently.
"Ha!" Aislynn countered. "Yeah right. She is not going to bend." Alicent looked back at her. "Execution, sorry Ali. She needs to go." Aislynn remarked and Alicent sighed.
''She will never bend the knee. Nor will Daemon, which you know." Alicent whispered.
"I think I can get Daemon to bend." Aislynn corrected.
''You plan to kill them.... And all here accede to this.'' She asked incredulously.
''Your father is correct, Your Grace." The grand maester informed her ''A living challenger invites battle and bloodshed."
"It is unsavory, yes. But a sacrifice we must make to secure Aegon's succession.'' Otto agreed.
"Not unsavory, I will get my hands dirty. I will make an acceptation for her head." Aislynn declared.
''And then there is Daemon to consider.'' Otto told her calmly. 'The King wouldn't wish for any unsavory...''
''But the King did not wish for the murder of his daughter!" Alicent reminded them. ''He loved her. I will not have you deny this.''
'' And yet...'' Tyland began. ''What do you suggest, Your Grace?' Tyland offered.
''Time is of the essence.'' Otto remarked and Alicent stayed silent. ''Lord Commander Westerling... take your knights to Dragonstone. Be quick and be clean.' Otto told him but he pulled his white cloaks off laying it before them.
''I am Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. I recognize no authority but the King's. And until there is one... I have no place here.'' Harrold told them.
"So you will run from the crown, and to the traitor." Aislynn declared pulling the blade from Otto's side.
"The kings chosen heir-"
"He chose Aegon." Aislynn corrected. "He saw past Rhaenyras bullshit a bit late, he was a lower learner but he learned." Aislynn took confident steps towards him. "So what will it be? Us or them?"
"I swore to Princess Rhaenyra." Harrold declared.
"Wrong choice." Aislynn countered and with a quick slash he was bleeding out. Grasping at his neck and stumbling to the ground. "Great." Aislynn declared. "Now open a window it seems like death in here."
"I wonder why."