Chapter 52: Pick It Up!

"Rhaenyra, enough!"

Viserys' voice cut through the tension and turned his attention to Aegon.

"Have you been bullying Helaena?" he asked sternly.

Aegon's answer was tentative, his fear palpable in the air as he admitted, "Yes."

"And did Rhaegar punish you for it?"

"Yes," Aegon replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Viserys' eyes narrowed, his concern evident as he asked further, "Did he hurt you with the heated bracelet?"

Aegon hesitated for a moment before answering, "No."

Viserys shifted his attention to Aegon's injured side, his touch gentle yet probing as he assessed the damage.

As Viserys spoke, his tone carried a sense of authority and understanding, directed at both Aegon and Alicent.

"Alicent, while Rhaegar's actions may have been overly forceful, they did no lasting damage to Aegon."

Alicent bristled at Viserys' assessment, her frustration evident in her response.

"But what if things had escalated further? What if no one had intervened?"

"There were no signs of injury on Aegon; Rhaegar could not have caused them." Viserys' expression hardened, his voice firm as he countered her concerns.

"We cannot always shield our children from every conflict, Alicent. Sibling disagreements are part of growing up, and they must learn to deal with them."

Alicent opened her mouth to protest, but Viserys cut her off with a pointed comment.

"I understand your concern, Alicent, but let us not forget that even I had my disagreements with Daemon in our youth."

Alicent's grip tightened around Aegon, her concern still evident as she sought reassurance from her husband.

"Have you ever seen Daemon in distress, crying out in fear and pain?"

Alicent hugged Aegon tightly, her gaze fixed on her husband.

Once, her father had warned her that when Rhaenyra took the throne, she would never leave her children unattended. At the time, she had dismissed it as mere speculation.

Now it seemed to be coming true.

Rhaenyra hadn't even begun her reign and yet Rhaegar had already acted impulsively.

Viserys furrowed his brow in irritation and lifted Alicent from the floor, trying to quell her temper as he gently intervened, "That's enough for tonight, dear."

"Rhaegar must apologize to Aegon and assure him there will be no further threats," Alicent insisted, seizing the opportunity to seek justice for her child.

After a brief moment of reflection, Viserys turned his gaze to Rhaegar and Rhaenyra.

With a sigh, he conceded, "Both children are to blame; they should apologize to each other."

"Aegon started the fight by bullying his sister, he should apologize first."

Alicent asserted, her attention shifting to Aegon in her arms.

Aegon's face bore the marks of his ordeal, and he timidly stole a glance at Rhaegar, finally summoning the courage to speak, "I'm sorry, big brother."

"All right, Rhaegar, it's your turn," Viserys urged, signaling for Rhaegar's cooperation.

Rhaegar's once hollow eyes suddenly brightened with a smile as he accepted the apology, "I accept your apology and I apologize for my aggressive behavior. I shouldn't have frightened you like that."

He didn't want to embarrass his father any further and saw no harm in complying with Alicent's wishes.

Viserys offered Alicent a forced smile and suggested, "It's getting late; let the children return to their rooms."

Alicent nodded, content that justice had been served, while Aegon, still reeling from the encounter, remained silent.

As they headed for the door, Rhaegar's sudden action took everyone by surprise.

"Aegon, don't you like the bracelet? Take it," Rhaegar said, his voice devoid of emotion as he dropped the heated steel bracelet to the ground in front of Aegon.

Aegon recoiled in fear, retreating into Alicent's embrace.

Viserys, furious, demanded, "Rhaegar, enough!"

But Rhaegar remained indifferent, insisting, "I know it's over, but Aegon wants the bracelet. I promised it to him."

With a firm stare, Rhaegar ordered, "Pick it up and take it."

"No... I can't," Aegon protested, shaking his head vigorously and backing away from Rhaegar.

"It's yours. You must take it," Rhaegar's tone turned icy, his patience wearing thin.

"I don't want it, ever," Aegon pleaded, his voice shaking.

Undeterred by Aegon's fear, Rhaegar's voice grew colder, "Pick it up, I'll let you."

"No, I don't want it," Aegon insisted, shrinking back into Alicent's arms, eyes wide with fear.

Rhaegar stood firm, his voice unyielding, "You must. I won't ask again."

As Aegon trembled with fear, Alicent's expression crumbled, her gaze turned to Viserys, silently pleading for intervention.

Her tear-filled eyes seemed to plead, "You see? Even your favorite son would persecute Aegon before you."

As the situation escalated, Rhaenyra stepped in, soaking a handkerchief in water and wrapping it around the bracelet before handing it to Aegon.

Then, with concern etched on her face, she approached Rhaegar: "Stop this, Rhaegar."

Seeing his sister's concern, Rhaegar relented, his icy demeanor thawing as he teased, "It's an easy task. How could Aegon struggle with it?"

With the tension eased by the siblings' exchange, the atmosphere in the room relaxed slightly.

But beneath the surface, it was clear that the family's balance had been upset.

Viserys gave Rhaegar a complex look before leaving the room alone.

Alicent snatched the damp cloth from Aegon's hand, tears welling in her eyes as she left, her voice choked with emotion, "Remember your promise. I'll keep Aegon away from you."

Rhaegar watched her leave, his eyes widening with realization.

Alicent had preconceived notions about him, and no amount of explanation would change her mind.

With nothing more to say, Rhaegar remained silent.

After the others had left, only Rhaegar and Rhaenyra remained in the cabin.

Rhaenyra closed the door behind them and leaned against it with her arms crossed over her chest, sighing, "What got into you to cause such a scene?"

"I just wanted to scare Aegon," Rhaegar replied helplessly.

"It's not that simple in Alicent's eyes," Rhaenyra observed.

"But what could I do? She bumped into me and immediately accused me of plotting against Aegon," Rhaegar lamented.

Seeing her brother's tired expression, Rhaenyra's heart softened and she moved closer to embrace him.

Stroking his silver hair, she comforted him, "In the future, mind your own business. Alicent is very protective of her children."

"So are we less because we lack a mother?" Rhaegar asked bitterly.

"You know I didn't mean that," Rhaenyra reassured him.

"It doesn't matter. A cub without the protection of a lioness must learn to grow sharp teeth and claws quickly," Rhaegar remarked, falling back onto the bed in frustration.

His original plan had been to take out his frustration on behalf of Helaena, but Alicent's accusations had painted him as a villain, all based on the notion of "motherly love".

Wasn't he just being picked on because he didn't have a mother?

If he hadn't resented Alicent's overprotective nature, he wouldn't have taken it out on Aegon again.

"Well, don't dwell on it. I'll sleep with you tonight," Rhaenyra offered, understanding her brother's feelings. She rubbed his right hand lovingly, noticing that it showed no signs of having touched hot steel.

"You really are different, Rhaegar," she remarked quietly.

With little desire for further conversation, Rhaegar undressed and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over himself.

Rhaenyra didn't press the matter any further, simply patting him on the shoulder and humming a soothing tune, much as she had when Rhaegar was a child, as she drifted off to sleep beside him.

...

As the night passed, the sailboat continued its journey, navigating the waves until it reached the Throat Range.

On deck, Rhaenyra held Rhaegar's hand as they looked out over the sea and took in the sights.

"The waters under King's Landing's jurisdiction are known as Blackwater Bay. After sailing for a day and a night, we are now approaching the Gullet area," Rhaenyra explained.

"Do you know the significance of the Gullet?" Rhaenyra inquired.

Stepping out on deck to feel the wind, Rhaegar replied, "The Gullet serves as both the entrance and exit to Blackwater Bay, making it as vital to it as a throat in the body."

"Indeed," Rhaenyra confirmed, "the Gullet is protected by three strongholds: Dragonstone, Driftmark, and Sharp Point. Together they form a formidable line of sea defense, capable of withstanding even the strongest of foes."

Pointing to a massive island in the distance, Rhaenyra continued, "That island you see over there is Driftmark, the ancestral domain of Lord Sea Serpent Corlys."

(Word count: 1399)