-Chapter 54-

-Chapter 54-

-POV Alicent Hightower-

Ever since Viserys had isolated himself to meet Aemon, I couldn’t stop pacing around my room while cradling Helaena, despite my condition.

I was waiting to receive Ser Criston’s report on what Viserys and Aemon had discussed, hoping it wasn’t anything serious, when suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked, hoping it was Ser Criston.

"It’s me, your Grace," came the voice of a man behind the door, which I immediately recognized as belonging to my master of whispers, Larys Strong.

"Come in," I said, disappointed that it wasn’t Ser Criston coming to report what Aemon and his nephew had said.

Larys Strong entered my chambers, limping as usual, tapping his cane on the floor with every step, while inspecting the room’s interior, which he had seen a hundred times already due to the frequent "meetings" we held in secrecy.

I handed Helaena to the nurse, who moved away to let her play, and said, "What do you want?"

"To serve you, as always," replied Larys, though I didn’t believe him for a second.

‘He’s a worm who only serves his own interests,’ I thought, paying no attention to his previous words.

"Spare me your flattery, Larys, I’m not in the mood to trust a member of your House," I said sharply.

"Even if I offer you the key to bringing Prince Aemon to your side?" he said, dropping his fake servile demeanor for a more condescending attitude, pretending to leave.

I frowned, surprised by his proposal, but I hadn’t forgotten who I was dealing with and asked:

"What do you want in return?"

"Nothing more than your trust, as well as a favor from you," Larys replied, playing with the handle of his cane, a slight, smug smile at the corner of his lips.

"What kind of favor?" I asked, suspicious.

"The kind of favor that has no limits," he said, his indescribable expression causing me slight unease.

I frowned, refusing to be unsettled, and asked him:

"What is this secret you’ve discovered that could secure me the Prince of the Vale’s services?"

"Prince Aemon is about to start a war in the Vale, and he has no interest in having this matter exposed," said Larys.

"He’s going to attack his cousin?!" I asked, surprised that Prince Aemon would target his cousin, because even though he obviously didn’t hold her in high regard, he had little to keep him in the capital.

‘Even less reason to start a rebellion.’

"Prince Aemon isn’t that foolish," said Larys, tacitly insulting me in the process.

I narrowed my eyes, waiting for him to explain, and he finally said:

"He has made an alliance with the mountain clansmen."

‘If this were to come to light, he would lose many supporters, as the nobles of the Vale consider the clansmen a scourge. But the question remains: how do we prove this information?’

"How can we prove that?" I asked Larys Strong, who shrugged.

"Why do you want to prove it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What good is information I can’t prove?" I said, looking at him as if he were an idiot.

"You don’t need to. You just need to threaten to reveal this information before he returns to the Vale to give the signal to the mountain clans to attack Jeyne Arryn’s loyal vassals. A simple rumor will be enough to ruin his plan because Jeyne Arryn’s vassals will be prepared," said Larys.

"Sure, but that would make him my enemy," I said, not entirely convinced of the effectiveness of this plan.

"If you don’t want to threaten him, then just invite him right now. Try to make a good impression on him and gauge where his loyalties lie. See if you can buy him off in some way or offer him something to temporarily gain his support," suggested Larys Strong.

I nodded, finding this idea much easier to execute and much safer, and said:

"I’ll see what I can do. You may go."

Larys bowed before leaving, and just as he was about to exit, the door swung open wide, and Ser Criston finally arrived.

"You took your time," I said, looking at my champion.

"I’ve just come from the council. His Majesty the King didn’t want to release me from his service sooner," he said by way of apology.

"Very well, now tell me what you were able to hear," I said, impatient to know what Viserys was plotting behind my back.

"I couldn’t hear much, but what I’m certain of is that he was talking about you and about ward placements. I think Prince Aemon wants your children as wards," said Ser Criston.

‘If he wants to take my children as wards to Runestone, that must mean he hasn’t gotten as close to the Velaryons and Rhaenyra as he seemed to yesterday. I still have a chance to win him over to my side.’

"Invite the Prince to have tea with me. I need to speak with him," I said, determined to bring Aemon Targaryen, Prince of the Vale and Lord of Runestone, to my side.

‘Let’s see how you plan to anticipate this, Rhaenyra.’