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Published:2022-11-20Updated:2024-09-01Words:328,865Chapters:61/?Comments:5,091Kudos:6,170Bookmarks:2,718Hits:367,838
(Restricted) A Stranger in a Strange Land
A_Strange_Twist_of_Fate
Chapter 7: Dittany and Driftmark
Chapter Text
Alicent #1
"You can't seriously accept this request. He is just seven! And we just sent word to Father about getting Daeron back!" Alicent snapped.
Aemond's outburst had been distressing. She knew that he loved the stories of Old Valyria just as his father did, that he read and re-read the stories of dragons and dragon riders and what the land had been like before its Doom.
But she did not expect him to request to foster with the Princess Rhaenys and Lord Corlys just so that he could spend more time learning magic. Magic! Of all of the useless things -- she was going to get her family back together, her youngest son brought back to her arms and then Aemond requests to leave with this Sorceress and her husband agrees!
"Alicent," Viserys started, rubbing his forehead and sighing. "This is an opportunity that we cannot pass up. Aemond has the opportunity to learn so much of our history, and to learn skills forgotten through the passages of time -- and the opportunity to mend our houses ever more. I will not let this slip by us. If my cousin accepts then we will not stand in the way. Besides, Driftmark is only a few hours away, and many a boy has gone to squire at seven or eight."
Alicent wanted to scream at him. He wasn't even trying to see things from her perspective! Her son, away from home, in the clutches of the Queen That Never was, whose very son was married to the Heir Apparent and who was threatened by the very existence of their children! Alicent did not care if he was only a few hours away, or days away, or on the moon itself -- she did not want him to go!
But Viserys would not budge. Why, why was he always ignoring her and her voice and yet falling over himself to appease his baseless, brazen, selfish daughter! Alicent had the audacity to say that Viserys should wait before he consumes these potions -- they could be anything! Blood Replenishing Potion, the idea was completely unrealistic -- and Viserys gets so angry he looked ready to slap her, and yet Rhaenyra could say the same thing and he…simply agreed to compromise? Accepted that Rhaenrya said it out of care and love, but not that she said it out of the very same thing?
Alicent had given everything to him! Her youth, her hand, her body -- had given him four trueborn children, stayed by his side while his health deteriorated, learned High Valyrian so that she could converse with their children and teach them from their own birth the language of their land. Yet her husband could not even pretend like her opinion mattered.
It gladdened her heart, truly, that Rhaenyra had chosen her side in that argument, that Rhaenyra saw the truth in Alicent's request, even if they did not see eye to eye all the time. Yet it frustrated her to no end that Rhaenyra still held her father's ear in ways that neither Alicent nor their children shared.
What was the point in being Queen when everything one said was ignored?
Viserys sighed, deeply, and winced as he did so and Alicent moved forward in concern. He looked tired, and she hoped that he had not strained himself too much today. He was always doing that -- pushing his body to the limits, pretending as if he was not getting sicker.
"Wife," he started. "Alicent. My cousin will not see Aemond harmed, and he has the chance to learn so much, to be so much." He said, softly, and Alicent found that she could not keep the edge of her anger as sharp as it had been.
Her son, their son -- he would learn much, wouldn't he? And he would be one of the first, aside from Rhaenys who had already started. And Alicent had never seen Viserys so openly fond of their son, so generous with his affection.
What her husband said was true, too. Her son, her blood, had so much potential, so much he could live up to if given the chance. Yet he was overlooked by Viserys because he was not Rhaenyra, by her own Father for not being the trueborn first son and Heir to the Iron Throne, and even by herself, she admitted, as she focused more on Aegon and preparing him to rule. Learning this would delight him more than anything.
She did not want him to go.
She did not want to see him leave, to wake every morning without seeing his sweet face, to go to bed every night without hearing his sweet voice as he talked endless of dragons, or whatever else he had been reading about. Her Father had insisted that Daeron go to the halls of their ancestors, to be fostered within the walls of Oldtown and become accustomed to the other half of his blood -- and that had nearly destroyed her. Now that Alicent finally had good cause to write to her father and demand her son back -- would her Father really deny Daeron this gift that could establish their blood even more? -- Aemond was close to being taken.
No, would be taken away. Why would Princess Rhaenys refuse this? It would be an honor to foster the son of a King, and an insult for her to refuse them. Viserys, now firmly on his son's side -- and that it could be for anything but this -- would not see it denied. No, Daeron would come back and Aemond would leave and Alicent hated it.
"We will visit often, as well." Viserys continued and winced. "That ointment that Hariel has given me, I would try some -- on my shoulder, I fear I cannot sleep because of the pain."
Of course the goodwill that Alicent had been fostering had to be killed, now. Alicent had hoped that Viserys would forget about the plant and the ointment given to them by the Sorceress, and not been pleased when his concession had been to only set aside some of the potions for study instead of them all -- and then had insisted that the Maesters would not use all of it to study, only some as he still intended to consume the rest.
Of course he did not, though. Old Valyria and her magic was something that Viserys spoke to her often about. Sometimes Alicent even had dreams of what Viserys spoke of, feared that she knew more about the magic of old than she knew about her own husband despite having four children by him.
Still, he would not hear her argument and would not listen to her complaints -- he had made that clear -- so she removed it from the leather pouch that the Sorceress had given to them and set the ointment down on the bed that she could help her husband remove his top.
His skin was dry, despite all of the creams and lotions they put on it, and his shoulder and joints pained him ever so. Even now, two years after it's removal Alicent had to strengthen her stomach to not flinch at the sight where his arm had been, now a stump that was still plagued with black, or the hard skin of his two fingers on his only remaining hand that festered still. There had been talk by the Maesters of removing a third finger that had started to fester with rot, although Viserys had hoped to keep it.
Viserys winced as his shirt was removed and breathed deeply, and shakily, and as Alicent watched him her chest ached. She did not like to see him in so much pain, did not like to see him struggle to do mundane things like hold a pen, stand, or remove his own sleeping shirt.
She took back the ointment and hesitated before she opened the tin lid. The ointment was a very light green color, and when Alicent brought it briefly up to her nose it smelled vague of the sea. She rubbed it between two of her fingers and was startled when it was cool, then warm, then cool again.
Viserys sighed, deeply, as she rubbed it into his shoulder and his shoulder seemed to sag forward.
"Oh, but that feels splendid." He groaned. "I can feel the pain just easing away, it feels as if a tightness in my shoulder has finally relaxed after too many years."
Alicent felt nothing on her hands as she rubbed in the ointment, other than the way it changed from warm to cool and then back again, but her hands also remained unharmed. Perhaps it only worked when one was in pain?
Viserys loved it so much, though, that he wanted it on his hands -- on his fingers. Alicent had to fight harder to hide her disgust at the state of his hands under the bandages, at the state of his remaining fingers -- one of which had started to blacken and fester. She rubbed the ointment in obediently, and did not know what to say or feel when Viserys groaned again and his hand relaxed as she rubbed the ointment in. He wiggled his fingers after she had rubbed the ointment on, and Alicent could not help but marvel at the way his expression had relaxed, as if the pain had melted away from him.
She wrapped his hand in the cloth again, and helped him get into bed laying on his stomach so that the ointment on his shoulder would not be rubbed off by the blanket, but could instead air dry, and then made her way back to her own chambers to rest.
She doubted that she would sleep much -- but she would try.
She awoke the next morning, still a little drowsy and having just drifted off to sleep, when Viserys entered her chambers with more liveliness in his step than Alicent had seen in a good while. He walked much easier, the tension in his shoulder gone, and he beamed at her.
"My wife, my Queen, my Alicent -- it is a beautiful morning, is it not?" He beamed at her, and sat on a chair next to her bed as she slowly sat up.
For a moment Alicent fussed at the idea of him seeing her as her hair was a mess, as she was still in her bed clothes -- and then she shoved that aside. Had she not lain with this man, had she not given him four children? No, she would not be embarrassed.
"It is, husband." Alicent started, and watched him carefully -- at the way the tightness in his shoulder was lessened, at the way he carried his remaining hand not as if it was a pain to do so but as if he wanted to show it to the world. "It would appear that the ointment gifted to you has worked."
"Worked, oh yes -- it has worked miracles, my wife. Look, look!" He quickly removed the bandages from his hands and Alicent prepared herself for the grizzly sight.
But his fingers were a pink-ish red. The black fester had completely gone, the flesh returned healthy -- only reddish, as if it was a wound that was weeks healed. Alicent could not stop herself from reaching out and touching it, the skin on his hand, and found it mostly smooth with only a few bumps here and there.
"My shoulder, help me with my bed clothes." Viserys ordered, and turned around so that Alicent could help remove his shirt.
His shoulder was much the same. The skin around where the arm had been removed was clean, was whole, did not even have the pinkish red that his fingers did. The black spots that had started to fester on his shoulder were gone, and in its place was smooth, healthy skin.
Alicent brought a hand to her mouth and stared. How would this be? The best Maesters, straight from the Citadel, had been unable to do much but slow the progress -- and even then not by much -- and dull the pain. But this ointment…it was like a blessing from the Seven themselves.
She brought her hands up to examine and found them unchanged. Then, truly, it only worked on someone who was injured.
"I will be taking the potions back from the Maesters, regardless of what they have discovered." Viserys told her eagerly, and Alicent found herself nodding in agreement as she stared at the healthy flesh on her husband's body.
She had thought this sorceress, this witch, a novelty at first. Growing flowers in the Throne room had been an annoyance to clean up. Turning the flower into a bird, a splendid trick -- but of what use? If Alicent wanted flowers she would order them to be brought in, if she wanted a bird she would order one to be given to her -- and she could have one from any part of the world, should she desire. She could have a bird from the lands of Yi Ti if her heart desired it!
But this proved to her that magic was much more than she had given credit to. She was a bit ashamed at having been so blind to its usefulness -- she still did not fully trust this Sorceress, this woman that Alicent did not know. But she would not deny that the power that this woman held had its uses.
Alicent took a deep breath. "I do believe it will be great for Aemond to learn this. I will speak with Princess Rhaenys about accepting our request."
She would visit often, with Viserys as she knew he would come when his duties permitted to learn himself, and she still did not like the idea of her son leaving. But she could no longer fight that idea that this would be a great opportunity -- her son, a sorcerer. It would prove his blood, it would prove his heritage, and it would prove his worth.
Privately, quietly, Alicent wondered if the children of Rhaenyra would be able to learn magic. The Sorceress had declared it something one must be born with -- Rhaenyra's children were bastards, their blood tainted with the blood of House Strong. Would that make them unable to wield? It could be a way to prove that her children were more worthy of the throne, that their blood and claim to the throne stronger.
By the Seven, she wished that Aegon had desired to learn even half as much as Aemond. Yet her son showed no interest in anything that wasn't wine, sleeping, or women -- all of which troubled Alicent to no end. Even her sweet Helaena had shown some interest in the woman, had started some embroidery as a gift, even if it was one of the weirdest things Alicent had ever seen -- a horse with wings and the head of a bird. At least it wasn't a spider, or an insect. Alicent had been uncertain at first, her daughter -- a Princess -- making a gift for a stranger come to visit them, but now she was pleased with it.
But Aegon had as much interest in learning magic as a fish had in learning how to ride a horse. Alicent would need to speak with him, would need to lay upon him the importance of claiming their inheritance and staking their claim while their heads were still securely on their shoulders.
Alicent was brought out of her thoughts when Viserys hugged her, tightly. "I knew you would see the light! This is such a blessing for us all, for Aemond especially." He beamed.
Alicent swallowed and nodded. "Yes. It is."
-
Rhaenys #2
-
Rhaenys was expecting to see Queen Alicent early in the morning, before they were to depart back to Driftmark, but she had not expected her request.
To accept Aemond's request to be fostered. Rhaenys had expected Queen Alicent to request that she deny it, she had expected the Queen to weave some lie about it not being, truly, an insult as it was a request from a child, a boy, and not the family itself. That they could pretend that it did not happen and Alicent would speak with her husband and child about how silly it had been.
Instead, the Queen had given the request the blessing of her and the King.
"I must confess that this request startles me. I had thought you'd come to recant it." Rhaenys confessed as she studied the Queen.
She was immaculate as always, dark auburn hair swept up and away from her face, her dress the boldest of greens. She had entered Rhaenys chambers without question, her stance and body almost rigid as she glided in.
"It was something I considered during the night. I have been rude -- to you and this Sorceress, who has come a long way and offered much to my house. But my husband is correct -- Driftmark is close and you and your husband have been nothing but an ally to my house. It would be an honor for you to take Aemond."
"Aemond, not Aegon?" Rhaenys asked, and she could not help the amusement that slipped into her words.
Alicent stiffened, and her smile became tighter. "Aegon has little interest in learning magic, I am afraid. It would be better for him to stay here, that I may keep an eye on his tutelage."
A non-existent one, Rhaenys wanted to say, though she held her tongue. She had heard the rumors of the first born son of her cousin -- that he skipped his lessons, was more fond of wine than he should be, and that he slept more often than not. A handful of a son, if there ever was one.
Instead, she nodded. There was no point in starting an argument, not this early and not with the Queen -- especially when her cousin had been so delighted with everything she had presented to the court already. No, it was better to leave on a strong note.
"Alright. My husband and I discussed this matter in the night -- we accept."
They had discussed it long into the night, in fact. It had been a startling request, from a boy so young. If they denied it outright it would be an insult -- Viserys was her cousin, her King, and it would be an honor to foster a Prince.
Yet, it came with so many complications Rhaenys did not know where to start unraveling them. If Aemond's education was not properly given, they would be accused of treason. If he became sick, that would be a problem as well -- not with Viserys, who would not believe them capable of hurting his son, but the Hightowers who saw enemies in everyone not blood.
It would also take time away from Rhaenys studies. Dragonspeech had proven itself to be more difficult than Rhaenys had expected, although she was proud with what she had managed to accomplish -- even if her dragon was more excited to speak of dreams and sleeping than anything else.
Yes, Lady Hariel had informed them that she had no problem teaching young Aemond. It had annoyed Rhaenys at first, but had that not been a part of their agreement? Rhaenys had no specified only a part of the family, so Hariel was only keeping to her word.
Really, they should have been more exact with their wording. Rhaenys would not make that mistake again.
Rhaenys was also certain she would not be able to deny the request when Viserys was so eager to go forth with it. Despite his pains and ailments, Viserys had proven to be more jubilant about this discover than he'd been even at the birth of his first-born son, Aegon.
They did not have a choice, really, although they could save face and pretend as if they did.
Alicent smiled, her hands clasped in front of herself. "Good. I will see you at breakfast then."
Breakfast was a quick affair. Aemond had seated himself, almost challengingly so, next to Hariel and spent the entire meal asking questions. Hariel had seemed a little peeved at her breakfast being forgotten until Aegon made another jab at his brother, to which she switched almost exclusively to answering his questions. It had almost made Rhaenys chuckle -- the annoyance that had finally started to show in the young Sorceress.
Despite her earlier request, Queen Alicent still looked despondent as they sailed away on Laena's Delight. Aemond waved enthusiastically as they departed before he turned back to them.
"When we get back to Driftmark, Lady Hariel, may I see your dragons? I have heard that they are like no dragons ever seen before." Aemond asked, and he bounced on the tips of his toes as he did.
"That'll be best. I need to speak with Artemis after being away for so long, anyway, and to make sure the hatchlings are doing alright." Hariel answered, then paused and turned to them ."Ah, assuming that is alright, Princess Rhaenys?"
"I have been on a ship for far too long. When we return to Driftmark, my first stop will be to Meleys that I may taste the sky again."
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