Chapter 22 - A thought..

(Otto Pov)

My mind stood still when the unexpected happened, step by step I've planned, moved myself and placed my words carefully, yet here I stand, looking at my own daughter. Less than a day, and somehow she had forgotten what was expected of her. How I had raised her, and fell into this madman's bed. I had not known for some time, hoping that Alicent had merely woken up early in normal fashion to be with Rhaenyra, yet the princess seemed just as confused as I, as his grace, king Viserys yelled at the man sitting within this unfinished part of the keep.

"What is it, you wish me to say brother, that you would believe.." Words fell from the man's lips, not ones of defense, but merely stating what was known without dragging Alicent's virtue through the mud in front of all these men.

'Ser Erin, Alicent's personal guard has been removed, is inability to do his fucking job, and allowing her to roam about the castle, in search of this madman was ridiculous.' My eyes shifted to take in the room, Prince Maliketh leaned against his claymore, threatening my guards.

'This is why you are not fit to be king, Viserys, you indulge your brothers too much, and yet try to accommodate everyone's needs.' I watched Viserys try and mediate between my guards, his king's guard, and a man with a reputation for extreme violence.

"Enough Maliketh, this situation was caused by your inability to control yourself, and here you are, wishing to shovel more shit on top of it.." Viserys once again pointed out a key problem but shifted blame from himself, and left room for Prince Maliketh to worm through the cracks, when it was he alone who allowed this man into the city, without regard to any of the small council.

My eyes shifted many times to the man's bed, and as much as I was disappointed, my heart hurt at how my little girl, my daughter had cut me so deep with her actions. Yet I remained the same, the man Maliketh, just like his brother, were men who wished to provoke you, if I spoke out of turn and acted rashly nothing would be done. No matter how he may place his words, Viserys will never execute, or severely punish his brothers, not anymore.

'A man who wishes for peace, must also take the blame of having a soft heart.' I watched on as Viserys asked for the guards to leave, It was clear to me that he wished to handle this between both parties, not making a spectacle of it in front of every would-be eye.

"Lord Otto, it is not like you to keep silent, especially on a matter such as this.." Amid my thoughts, which started to blur from the headache of this unexpected, and fickle situation. Only to be brought out by prince Maliketh's words of question, yet his eyes looked amused by my silence.

"While angry, it will do nothing to help this situation, what you took from my girl is unforgivable.." My face remained the same, yet I truly was angry, my hands at my back trembled, after such a long time, I wanted so much so to yell, and demand an explanation from my daughter yet I held my tongue.

Still the answer I had received was a myriad of words that angered my calm heart, I did not know how this all truly came to be, but even as she had come to his room of her own accord, his words made it seem as if she was a sheep delivering her self to the wolves den to be devoured. Frustration filled my heart, I have molded my daughter from young, guided her grown, and placed us within the keep in an advantageous position but here I am in this situation.

"He is right lord Otto, but in the same fashion, you took my hands, lord Otto's daughters innocence, while you could seek lust anywhere, the whores of the pleasure houses all around this city for you to indulge in, yet you slake your lust on Rhaenyra's closest friend.." Viserys again placated me and Maliketh alike, still not understanding the weight of this getting out, that it could undermined his authority in the keep.

"What other reason would Alicent find herself here? Unless coerced by prince Maliketh.." The words that left my mouth had little weight, especially from what had yet to grace my eyes.

Even still, the greatest wave to my heart had yet to come, watching the interactions of Alicent and Maliketh I was not blind to not understand. A heat traveled down my hands like fire, only to cool so fast as if ice filled small parts of my veins as I looked at Alicent.

"Alicent, in your mother's dress? I truly do not know what to say." My words left my mouth before I truly thought, my calm face shaken as I looked at the figure standing in a green dress, painting a image just like her mother's that shook my heart.

'I need to think, the time is growing near and I am running out of time. Being swallowed in this situation will leave me in the same position I was in before, with nothing at all. I set on this path, a second son who will inherit nothing, to be remembered as only the King's hand.' I put the world around me outside of my mind, words a blur to me from my daughter that I did not listen to.

I did not think anything otherwise from that point, she had chosen to lay with the prince, that was clear enough for even a fool to see, but just as I have known before, good things can come from misfortune.

"Your grace, if i could ask to be allowed to speak openly?" I said, getting a nod from the king as a plan formed in my mind.

"Seeing as they both desired one another, and seeing as your brother has never married nor has he had any children, why not join them?" I continued, knowing this to be true as the man was all but banished from the keep, yet it did not change one fact.

'If everything goes to plan, Mellos only needs to do as he is told. Prince Maliketh maybe mad, but Viserys, without any heirs, a wife to bed, or even a woman willing to bare his children. The next in line for the throne is Maliketh, it is his birthright, and even if I can not control the situation as with Viserys, his heir born from my daughter would be the next king.' A thought formed, taking shape in my mind, no matter how weary he was of me, if he wished to spare his brother the ridicule of his court and the people, he would accept.

"Very well, lord Otto, I'd gladly accept your daughter's hand.." Prince Maliketh's words fell, causing my uneasy mind to relax, not knowing if he would do something out of what I expected.

'Even then, if something were to happen, I could always find fault with him.. but only time may tell.."