HOTD: The Healer Prince SI Chapter 56 (Patreon)

Chapter 56

AENYS TARGARYEN

Aenys Targaryen sat in his solar, waiting for the upcoming meeting as he played around with a letter opener, as the castle entered the final phase of preparations for the upcoming nuptials of its heir and Princess.

The wedding had been pushed forward by two weeks to accommodate the lords, who were reaching the capital from all corners of the continent and hence had been brought to quite near the date of Daemon’s prospective marriage.

And this was all by design, his design, to be more precise. He had now forced the lords to make their choice, for all those who would attend both of the marriages would simply be classified as enemies, and he would begin dealing with them as soon as possible.

But before bringing down the hammer, he wished to give them a warning, and the issue was that while Aenys wielded substantial power both inside and outside the court at the moment, he lacked the time and patience for it. He had little patience to shake hands, smile, and whisper in the ears of the lords, for they didn’t deserve it.

And so he was set to meet a man quite well versed in this specific art.

And so when there was a small knock on the door of his solar, he stopped playing with the letter opener as he spoke up.

“Come in,” and the door opened to reveal the form of the recently let go Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower.

Aenys had little desire to meet with the man he detested, yet even he wouldn’t deny the usefulness of the man and hence had decided that it was time for him to convey a message.

“Come sit down,” he said as he welcomed the older man and motioned for him to take the seat. He could tell from the man's expression that he was surprised by this whole setup.

The man sat down, and both of them stared at each other, eyes boring into each other until it was he who decided to break the silence.

“I believe you must be surprised by this rather sudden call,” he began, and the man nodded.

“Indeed, I am,” he replied with a frown, his lips thin as he continued.

“After all, both of us have rather long memories,” he finished, and Aenys nodded. It was good enough that the man was a realist and held little hope of reconciliation between them.

“Good, then I will cut straight to the point so that we can end this rather quickly,” he said, leaning forward. He looked the man in the eye.

“I know you were the one behind the support for me to take the throne instead of Rhaenyra,” he cut straight to the point. Yet, to the man’s credit, there was little shift in his countenance.

“There is no need to deny it,” Aenys continued as the man didn’t react at all.

“But I need you to stop that notion and nip that whole idea in the bud. I will not take the throne,” he declared, and for the first time, the man’s eyes shifted as his gaze narrowed.

“I was told rather recently that you had agreed to take the throne. What brings this change?” the man asked, not denying the earlier allegations, but what was there to deny he had done little but encourage the loose mouths of some nobles, which was hardly a crime, for he had only amplified the quiet voices slithering in court.

“I believe you have heard wrong then, and I can assure you I won’t be happy if such notions aren’t restrained; with the recent gatherings of the lord, they could get out of hand. So, put an end to them. Period!” Aenys ordered, and the man nodded, his eyes narrowed.

“I will see it done, though I assure you this idea will not die easily. Many a lord would much rather see a man sit on the throne, even if it be Daemon. If a council is called, this idea could cause much strife for the continent,” and Aenys smiled as he continued.

“And that is one more thing for you to do,” he began and saw the man frown as he finished.

“You are going to put an end to the notion that there even will be damned Council!” Aenys declared and saw the man’s eyes widen momentarily before he realized just what he meant.

“Rhaenyra is the heir apparent and shall remain so without question, and all those who question that, disregard that will face the consequences, dire consequences for their actions,” he finished and saw the man’s lips thin.

“And you can quote me on that,” he added with a smile as silence hung in the air until the man finally broke it.

“Many a lord will take offense to that, my Prince. Many. Compared to you, Prince Daemon boasts little to no support, but if it is against the Princess, I am afraid that the number rises considerably, not a majority per se, but it rises nonetheless,” he said, and Aenys shrugged.

“So be it, but remind those fools that it is the House of the Dragon that rules over them and not the other way around. Rhaenyra shall be the Queen, and the sooner they accept that, the better. Otherwise, they shall be responsible for what happens afterward,” he threatened them implicitly, believing the am to realize that there was no room for negotiations.

The man continued to look at him, a question in his gaze, until he finally worded it out.

“Why? I know that of a thousand men in your position, all thosuand would fo for the throne, yet you won’t, why?” he finally asked and there was little need to say anymore.

Aenys leaned back in his chair as he looked the man in the eye.

“Because I am not those men. I am Aenys, son of Baelon, son Jaehaerys, and I need no throne or Crown to write my legacy!”

0000

RHAENYRA TARGARYEN

Rhaenyra Targaryen found herself back in the capital. The flight back had been uneventful, though halfway through her journey, she had been joined by Aenys, who had flown back to accompany her.

The Court had been reasonably surprised by the announcement of the Royal Support for Vale’s campaign against piracy, with many lords understanding it for what it was.

A slap to the Velaryons, or more specifically, the Sea Snake, who had wished to haggle with the Crown using his naval prowess, yet in his rage and pride, the man had forgotten that he was not the only one with ships in this continent.

Still, the play had been made, and the wedding preparations had entered their final stage. Word about her pregnancy was being kept mum, and she had been able to hide it all perfectly under the cover of the news about Alicent’s pregnancy.

She had also learned of the alteration between Aenys and Daemon and how the city was being purged from Daemon’s loyalists, as the Rogue Prince had flown to his own lands of Stepstones, and she could hear the court whisper about the Rogue Prince as she would move past them.

Yet the biggest change she had noticed was the way the lords would look at her. The change had been gradual, for initially, they would see her as a child, a placeholder for the real heir, yet now it seemed as if word about Aenys’s decision had permeated throughout the court and now they bowed to her rather enthusiastically as they walked past her in the halls and the corridors of the Red Keep.

Their gazes were humbled as they looked up to her, paying attention to her every move. And now, as the wedding finally approached, she found herself with some semblance of peace for the first time in weeks as she lay there in the Godswood beneath the Heart tree as she would as a child, with her childhood friend.

The same friend who sat beside her today as well, much older and changed, just as her flame-like hair let loose, as both of them basked in the Sun, just like old times.

“I cannot believe how time has passed,” she began as she noticed the changes in Alicent’s face, the childishness of it now gone, adopting a much more regal and mature look.

Had her face changed as well, she thought as Alicent nodded.

“Yes, sometimes it all feels so fleeting, for just a few years ago we both sat here...”she began, a small smile bubbling on her face as she pointed at her lap.

“....your head in my lap as we lamented about our lessons with the Septa and the Maester,” she replied, and Rhaenyra nodded, the memories of those times still fresh in her mind.

“Indeed, I still recall that, and now you have a son, and I am set to marry in a few days,” she replied, and Alicent’s gaze softened.

“And then one day you shall sit on the Iron Throne as the first Queen to ever ascend the throne, for a person who only wished to fly on her dragon and eat cake, I believe that is quite a big achievement,” she said reminding her of the heavy duty that now rested on her soldiers.

“I still

“The Iron Throne...” she whispered as she pushed raised her hand and saw it for how small it was, yet she knew the sheer amount of power she wielded through it. With each passing day the notion of her ascension had become clearer and clearer, as she was involved more and more in the day to day running of the realm, attending Council Meetings, making decisions as her father tried to rest.

Despite Aenys’s efforts, his disease had refused to stop its progress and continued to eat away at him, though much of it was also because of her father’s refusal to follow Aenys’s commands, yet still, the affliction had now spread to his face, eating away at his skin slowly.

Sometimes, it seemed to her father had reigned himself to his fate, realizing that death was the eventuality, and it was much evident through his decisions as well, as he let her partake in the Council meetings and speak her mind, unlike he had ever done so before.

Her life had changed much over the years.

“When is Aenys set to return?” she questioned. Her uncle had flown to Braavos a week ago, citing how he had to take care of some things there.

“I don't know, but I believe he should be back by tonight, if not tomorrow,” Alicent replied.

“Do you have any idea why he went there,” she questioned, and she shook her head.

“Not much, he didn’t elaborate, though it could be a number of reasons. There is so much to manage; after all, his whole empire is based in Braavos,” she replied.

“And what of Daemon?” she asked, and the atmosphere shifted as the redhead’s lips thinned, for that was the taboo word of the Red Keep, the treasonous Prince.

“Aenys has assured me that the wedding between Daemon and Laena will not happen, and he has refused to say more. I do not know what he is planning,” she replied.

“Have there been any lords who have shown their true colors?” she questioned, for Alicent was more involved with this whole process than herself.

The redhead gave her a small nod.

“Yes, a few, no one major yet, though. We will have to see,” she replied. Indeed, we will have to.

0000

Back in Driftmark days later, in the middle of the night as the docks would be filled with ships readying to leave for the Stepstones for the upcoming nuptials of Lady Laena, a man with a very simple face slid into the castle, his hair red and white, his eyes nondescript, as he vanished behind a tower only to emerge as Velaryon guard, with a changed face and eyes.

He would roam through the castle, which had been hollowed out as much of the men had departed for the Stepstones, and he roamed the Halls until he found himself infront of a very large door, behind which sat none other than the Queen who never was.

As the other guard joining him let his eyes shut, the man took out an envelope from his pocket and slid it down the door.

‘Valar Morghulis’

0000