Part Two - News From Westeros (2)
King’s Landing
Otto Hightower wanted to scream.
This was the 7th dragon egg given to Aegon and like the others, had turned into stones days after he touched it. Even the newest egg in Aemond’s cot had hardened, making the total of fossilized dragon eggs 12 out of the 23 eggs that they had taken from Dragonstone.
Even bringing the prince down to the dragon pit to bond with Dreamfyre ended up to be a failure as the she-dragon had set five guards and two dragon keepers ablaze with its fire.
And with what scant information he can gather from his spies, the thrice damned princess has dragon hatchlings now, ripe for her army the moment she turns her attention to Westeros.
“Why are your children unable to bond with the dragons?!” He roared at Alicent, who cringed in fear.
“I don’t know Father! B-But isn’t that a good thing? We don’t need those abominations now we have the crown.”
“Foolish girl!” Alicent cried out loud as her father grabbed her and shook her hard. “You really think we can keep the throne without those creatures?! Do we need those dragons or is your blood so weak that my own grandchildren are failing to be dragon riders?”
“And what’s these reports I’m getting from Aegon’s tutors of you coddling that foolish boy?! He is our future king and yet he could barely read or write?!”
Alicent cried again as Otto turned away from the puppet Queen and began throwing the ornaments in his office.
Driftmark
Corlys stared at Laena feeding her daughter some fruit. He had regretted marrying off his only daughter to the Sealord’s heir. The marriage had turned out to be a ruinous choice as the man had bought nothing advantageous to the family, especially when the Sealord’s died and the privileges House Velaryon enjoyed during the brief partnership had disappeared along with the wealth the Sealord had inherited to his son, gambled and drank away.
The only good thing his daughter got from that disastrous marriage was her only daughter, Rhaena. Thankfully the fool died before he could beget more children in his daughter but now he has to figure out his next move for Laena.
And with Laenor resisting all effort to marry him off and to make the next Driftmark heir, Corlys feels like pulling his dreadlocks out.
Leaving Laena and his granddaughter, he walked around the castle, finally stopping to watch his son at the practice yard, in the middle of a practice bout with that thrice damned squire he had taken to his bed and heart. If it wasn’t for the boy’s infatuation with that Lonmouth boy, he could have been able to persuade his son to get married.
He stomped to his office where he worked his way through his paperwork for the day, trying to plan a new route to Basilisk Isle as the rumors about the pirate activities there were getting louder when his steward came in with new reports and letters for him to read.
It was then, while reading through Daemion’s letter bragging about Stepstone’s latest achievement in securing a trade concession between Morosh, Santh and Stepstone, that Corlys was suddenly hit with a great idea.
Laenor was furious.
How dare his father do this to him?!!
After what he did to Laena?!
“Laena is my heir!” Laenor spat loudly. “And after her, Rhaena. I don’t need to marry at all.”
“Do you think they would accept Laena and Rhaena as your heirs?! Especially what they did to your mother and Princess Rhaenyra?!” Corlys thundered. “And have you forgotten that Vaemond is waiting for you to slip up and steal the driftwood throne from you?!”
“No, Laenor, you will be married by the end of this year or I will have to make Laena marry your cousin Rhogar for the sake of this family.” Laenor glared at him, and couldn't believe his father would sacrifice Laena again for the family.
“Fine! Leave Laena alone, I’ll do it!” Laenor had to look away from his father or he might be tempted to strangle him, kinslaying be damned. “Which poor lady are you trying to hoist onto me now?”
Corlys smiled, his eyes glinting. “Lady Paramount of Stepstone and the Narrow Seas, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.”
Winterfell
Cregan looked furiously at his uncle, little Sara clinging to his side in fear.
He had barely remembered his father, Lord Rickon Stark, Warden of the North and could only remember his mother, Gilianne Glover’s sweet laughter. She had passed away when he was five years old, giving birth to his stillborn brother. Sara, his natural-born sister was born out of grief his father had but Cregan, having longing for siblings of his own and hated his much older cousins, had doted on her since the day his governess and Sara’s mother put her in his arms before passing away.
Rickon Stark had faded away when Gilianne Glover breathed her last, had tried to cling to life long enough for his son to claim his birthright, passed away due to Winter Fever a year ago.
Leaving his brother, Bennard Stark to take his place as temporary Lord Warden of the North.
He knew his uncle was a greedy cunt but he had thought he was a greedy cunt with principals.
But it seems he had ambitions of his own ever since he became Cregan’s regent after his father’s passing.
The eight year old heir mentally lamented how he wasn’t old enough to wrest control from his uncle and imprison them for their treachery.
“The king had granted my petition and named me as the new Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell.” Bennard looked down coldly at his nephew and bastard niece. “Benjen,” his eldest son smirked as he played with his knife, “will be my heir.”
“As for you, nephew, if it was up to me, I would send you to the Wall for it is both an honor and tradition for a Stark to serve at the Wall and defend us from the Wildlings but even I am not blind to the North’s loyalty to my late brother and his heir.”
“No, you shall leave the North completely.” Cregan wanted to rage, HOW DARE HE?!
“I will send you to Stepstone as the Princess’s new ward. Maybe she can straighten you up.” Bennard smiled with a dark smile and the little boy can feel shivers up his spine. “As for your bastard sister,” Sara suddenly screeched as his second cousin, Brandon Stark ripped the toddler from his arms, “she would be fostered with the Boltons. Perhaps she would be even betrothed to Lord Bolton’s bastard nephew.”
“No!” Cregan tried to reach for his sister, horrified for her life when someone else grabbed him and whisked him away from the hall and into a carriage, taking away from his home.
King’s Landing
With Bennard Stark now the new Lord of Winterfell and his heir betrothed to his grandniece, Bethany Hightower, the North will support Aegon’s ascendance to the Throne. Otto thought in satisfaction, reading the letter from his new Northern ally. Arranging the man to be the new warden was easy, thanks to his control over Viserys, whispering how the North needed a strong leader.
In fact the hardest thing to do in that particular affair was to persuade Hobert to give up his eldest granddaughter to the North but he had reminded him with the future Lady of Winterfell a Hightower, the Seven will have a stronger foothold in the heathen lands.
He toyed with the idea of betrothing Aegon with Cassandra Baratheon to cement their hold over the Stormlands but with Boremund still alive, there is no way the House of Baratheon would ally with them.
And yet, they still need a strong alliance to counteract the exiled Targaryen Princess.
Judging from the letters they had copied from the Master of Law and the Master of Coins respectively (he had toyed stealing their correspondents outright like what he did with Viserys but he didn't want to tip his hands just yet) the Princess was gaining allies and power day by day.
No, she must be dealt with one way or another before she can jeopardize their plans.
Reading the latest letter his spy in Tyrosh sent him, Otto thinks.
After pondering for a while, he finally came to a decision.
He quickly writes a letter, summoning his second son, Gwayne, to return to King’s Landing immediately.
It was time for the young man to do his part for the family.