King's Landing Summer always brings a touch of warmth.
In the sacred tree garden of Red Keep, the marigolds planted by Queen Alicent are full of fragrance.
Alicent·Hightower Queen was reclining on a velvet-cushioned lounge chair, with her green dress spread out.
Her hands gently covered her swollen belly, which was pregnant with new life. It was heavier and fuller than when she was pregnant with Aegon, Aemond, and Helaena.
After Archmaester Meuros confirmed it last week, he gave Queen a diagnosis. "It's a sign of twins, Seven's blessing."
Twins.
This conclusion makes Viserys ecstatic.
The king, who was in his fifties, dragged his sick body to her palace, held Queen's hand and said many words.
Those words brought Alicent back to the time when she was first married eighteen years ago.
At that time, Viserys would read poems to her, hold her hand for a walk in the garden at dusk, and look at her young face and say: My Alicent is like a blooming rose in spring.
Three months ago at night, Viserys leaned against her, with long-lost tenderness and hesitation, maybe we should reconsider the issue of heirs...
Queen Alicent did not answer the question at that time, but gently touched the back of the king's skinny hand.
But her heart was beating wildly.
How many years has it been?
From the day she gave birth to Aegon, her father Otto told her over and over again: Your son is the legal heir, and primogeniture is the cornerstone of Seven Kingdoms.
But Viserys only has Rhaenyra in his eyes, only the eldest daughter who looks like his first wife Emma Queen.
Now, will everything finally get back on track?
"Queen His Majesty."
A soft voice interrupted her thoughts.
Alicent looked up and saw Aelin·Velaryon standing at the end of the garden path, with silver hair like flowing mercury in the summer sun, and blue eyes as clear as midsummer, shining brightly.
Aelin is wearing Rhysian style's pale gold dress, with tiny pearls on the neckline and cuffs.
"Aelin," Queen Alicent smiled and waved, "Come and sit, don't just stand there stupidly."
Aelin curtsied gracefully before sitting down on the chair brought by the maid next to him.
Her eyes fell on Alicent's abdomen, and she exclaimed in her eyes, "His Majesty, your belly... please forgive me, it looks like there is more than one child in it."
Alicent's smile deepened, "The bachelor said they are twins."
"Seven bless you!" Aelin folded his hands on his chest in a pious posture.
After she came to Westeros, she chose to convert to Faith of the Seven.
"This must be a good sign. House Targaryen will usher in a new bloodline."
These words touched Alicent's heart.
She looked at the girl who was about to become her daughter-in-law, with silver hair and blue eyes, standard Valyrians features, decent manners, well-spoken words, generous and beautiful.
Although House Velaryon is not directly related to Dragonlord, the forty family of Old Valyria, it has been operating in Lys for several generations, owns a bank, and has strong financial resources. The patriarch Lissang Zhuo is the governor of Lys, one of the three major rulers of Triarchy.
And Aelin is Lissandra's younger sister.
This is a perfect political marriage. She can bring funds to Aegon and Greens as well as military support from the East.
"Where is Aegon?" Alicent suddenly asked, "Why didn't he come with you?"
Aelin The smile on his face froze for a moment.
But she quickly adjusted and said softly, "His Highness Prince said that he has some government affairs that need to be dealt with, and will come to greet you later."
Government affairs?
Alicent knows his eldest son too well.
Aegon What I am most impatient about in my life is government affairs.
What he calls government affairs at the moment is probably hanging out with a certain maid in a certain tower room.
Anxiety welled up in my heart.
The exchange of reserves is at a critical stage, and Viserys has already relented, but with Viserys's hesitant character, he may change his mind at any time.
At this time, any scandal in Aegon may become the king's opinion of Aegon.
"His Majesty?" Aelin called softly.
Alicent came back to his senses and smiled reluctantly, "It's okay. I'm just... a little tired."
Aelin stood up immediately. "His Majesty, then I won't disturb your rest."
"May Seven keep you and the Princes in your belly healthy."
Queen Alicent nodded and watched her leave. Aelin's back was straight and elegant.
Alicent seemed to see his younger self.
It's so fake... This girl is too perfect.
About a quarter of an hour later, Aegon arrived late.
His silver curly hair was a little messy, and his face looked like he had just woken up. The collar of his white robe was slightly open, and the folds of the shirt underneath could be seen.
Seeing his mother, he saluted lazily. "Mother, Aelin said you were looking for me?"
Alicent didn't answer immediately. She looked at her eldest son carefully. He was eighteen years old and should have been a vigorous age, but Aegon only saw laziness and indulgence in his eyes.
His appearance inherited the handsomeness of the Targaryen family, but his indulgent temperament compromised his handsomeness.
"Aelin just left." Alicent said calmly.
"Oh." Aegon sat down on the chair where Aelin had just sat, picked up the grapes on the table and stuffed them into his mouth.
"What did she come to tell you? Is it Lys's perfume? Or is it Myr's new fabric?"
Alicent stared at him.
"She's caring about me and my unborn child."
"And you, my son, what do you care about?"
Aegon's chewing movement slowed down, and he raised his eyes to look at his mother.
"I also have a lot of things to worry about, mother." He shrugged, "Father often summons me to the meeting hall recently to listen to the complaints in the duke's letters. Hand of the King people are noisy."
"Some Riverlands harvests, the North's Wildlings, the lord's disputes, Iron Islands's harassment... it's annoying to death."
"So you choose to use women to relieve your troubles?" Alicent's voice turned cold.
Aegon's expression changed. He put down the grapes and sat up straight. "Who told you? Hand of the King? Or Ser Criston?"
"No one needs to say anything." Alicent finally stood up. Although her belly was heavy, her movements still carried Queen's majesty.
She walked up to Aegon and stared into his eyes, "Aegon, look at me."
Aegon raised his eyes reluctantly.
The next second, a crisp slap sounded in the garden.
Aegon turned his head sharply, covering his cheeks with his hands, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Mother?! You!"
"This slap is to wake you up." Alicent's voice was trembling, but not because of weakness, but because of anger.
"What time is it now? Your father is considering changing savings!"
"How many years? Aegon, so many years to wait for this opportunity! And what about you?"
"Are you still out there messing around with women and not caring about it at all?"
Aegon's lips moved, and finally turned into a sneer, "So?"
"Because maybe, just maybe, my father could change his mind and make me his heir, and I would have to become a different person?"
"Become the Prince you and Otto want?"
Alicent persuaded softly:
"You should at least learn to respect your fiancée!"
"You shouldn't go to those women in front of her."
"Aelin·Velaryon, his family is prominent, his dowry is enough to arm an army!"
"The person is beautiful and charming."
"How is she not worthy of you? Where are your maids?"
"Are these women more noble than Aelin?!"
Aegon's face turned completely pale. He stood up suddenly. "You know? You have always known?"
"Of course I know!" Alicent closed his eyes.
"Three illegitimate children, two girls and one boy, were all sent to Riverlands distant relatives for foster care."
"You think it was handled cleanly?"
"If Otto hadn't helped you cover it up, the scandal about these illegitimate children would have spread throughout Seven Kingdoms."
"At least Rhaenyra acknowledges her children!" Aegon shouted, "At least she dares to take them with her!"
"And what about me? I can't even look at my own children!"
"I never wanted to be a king, I just wanted to live a good life."
As soon as the words were spoken, the garden fell into dead silence.
Alicent looked at his son's red eyes and realized that Aegon maybe never cared about that Iron Throne.
This realization made her feel an unfamiliar panic.
After a long time, Queen spoke softly, with a sense of fatigue. "Aegon, listen to me, I never loved your father either."
Aegon was silent.
"When I married Viserys, I was only fifteen years old and he was thirty-nine."
"He is the king, and I am the daughter of House Tall."
"Our marriage was political from the beginning. It was arranged by our father Otto in order to consolidate the family's status."
"Did I love him? Maybe, when I was very, very young."
"But that kind of love has long been worn away by time, by Rhaenyra, and by disappointment again and again."
She turned around and looked at her son. "But I still did his Queen, and gave birth to four of you, and now there will be six soon."
"I have fulfilled my duties Queen and maintained the dignity of the royal family. No matter how painful my heart is, I will smile at your father in public and stay by his bedside when he is seriously ill."
"Because this is my responsibility, it is my destiny as the daughter of Hightower and as Targaryen Queen."
Aegon was silent.
"Aelin Maybe I don't like you." Alicent smiled bitterly.
"You are not stupid, my son."
"Of course she doesn't like you. This marriage is also a political investment for her and House Velaryon."
"But she will play the role of a good princess, maintain your dignity in public, and give birth to a legal heir for you. That is enough."
Aegon shook his head.
"Not enough."
"If I could ride on Iron Throne, I would want more than just enough."
"Then what do you want?" Alicent walked towards him and touched his face.
"Want love? Want sincerity?"
"Aegon, you were born into a royal family, these things have always been luxuries."
"Your father loves Rhaenyra so much that he can ignore laws, traditions, and the opposition of all nobles."
"What's the result? The result is this situation."
"Now the royal family's prestige is declining, the family is in conflict, and all the nobles are watching Targaryen's internal fighting."
Alicent held Aegon's face with both hands and softened his voice.
"Listen."
"Now, at this very moment, your father is wavering. This is the first time he has seriously considered making you his heir."
"This is the opportunity we've been waiting for for years."
"So, I beg you."
"Even if you are pretending, just pretend."
"Be nice to Aelin, be serious when attending Small Council, and stop flirting with women and getting those maids pregnant."
"When the day Iron Throne truly belongs to you, I don't care how many lovers you want to find, but not now."
Aegon lowered his head, his silver hair covering his expression.
Just when Alicent thought he finally listened, Aegon raised his head and showed a sarcastic smile, "Mother, do you really think your father will change his mind?"
"He--"
"He won't." Aegon interrupted her.
"I am the substitute he has to accept. I am the second best choice after Rhaenyra messed up everything."
"But as long as Rhaenyra repents, as long as she is willing to bow her head, her father will forgive her."
"He will. Because in his heart, Rhaenyra will always come first."
"He had eighteen years to name me his heir, but he never did..."
"Why are you considering exchanging savings now? Mother, think about it carefully."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Alicent stood there with his hand on his abdomen, feeling the little life inside.
The garden became quiet again.
She remembered what Viserys said a few months ago, and the rare hesitation and wavering in his eyes.
I also think of these years, every time the king chose Rhaenyra between Rhaenyra and her.
"Seven." Queen prayed softly, whether to God or to the child in his belly. "Let this time... be different."