Chapter 460: The Realm’s Delight
The bickering in the council hall could be heard halfway up the Red Keep. The servants kept their heads down, silently going about their tasks. The marble floor was polished until it shone.
...
The Princess's Bedroom.
Rhaenyra was taking a nap and heard a murmur outside the door. First, she frowned, then opened her eyes, blinking in confusion.
"Sara, what's going on?" Rhaenyra struggled to sit up, her voice hoarse and soft.
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At the sound of her voice, the door was pushed open. Sara, with no expression on her face, came quickly to help, worried. "Watch your stomach. The Maester said not to push it."
"I will." Rhaenyra smiled and stroked her belly through her nightgown. She was eight months pregnant and her belly was quite impressive.
Sara was worried that she wasn't taking it seriously, so she advised, "The Maester said to eat less and walk more. Twins are not born easily."
With one baby in one womb and one in the other, there are still cases of difficult births. With two babies in one womb, the risk increases exponentially. According to the Maester, starving the babies a little would reduce the chance of a difficult birth.
"Don't always listen to what the Maester says." Rhaenyra looked distressed. "I walk around a lot, but I'm really hungry. I've never been that hungry since I was a child."
Sara sighed. "As you wish."
Rhaenyra took her hand and gave her a sweet smile. "Don't be angry. What's going on outside?"
After all the years they had spent together, she still had a lot of affection for her servant-friend who protected her.
Sara told her the truth. "The Queen has called a Small Council to impeach Prince Rhaegar..." She rambled on, telling Rhaenyra all the information she had gathered.
Rhaenyra was shocked and couldn't believe her ears. "Did Alicent ask about the Faith of the Seven because she wants to recall Rhaegar?"
She was afraid Alicent was crazy!
Since the succession of Aerys I, the Faith of the Seven has been openly and secretly opposing the Iron Throne and restricting the rights that the House Targaryen should have. Aegon and Rhaena, the children of Aerys I, followed the family tradition and were almost beaten to death in the streets by the nobles and commoners incited by the High Septon.
When Jaehaerys, their great-grandfather, came to power, he was forced to sign a peace treaty with the Faith of the Seven in exchange for peace. The unspoken rules of those terms were almost enough to make the Targaryens abandon their ancient Valyrian traditions and assimilate into Westeros.
Sara simply said, "The Queen accused the Prince of selfishness."
"Bastard!" Rhaenyra cursed under her breath, her anger boiling over. She knew who was selfish.
She gritted her teeth and got up from the bed. "Help me get dressed."
She was the Princess of Dragonstone, and the Small Council could not bypass her. Rhaegar may have had selfish motives, but the purpose of suppressing the Faith of the Seven was more than just a trivial joke. As long as the Faith of the Seven defied the crown, the Targaryens would be constrained. Rhaegar had conquered the Triarchy and Dorne, and he had finally gained the opportunity he had been waiting for.
Sara helped her out of bed and quickly fetched a long, sleeveless dress. She said casually, "You don't need to show your face. It will disturb the baby."
"I'm Rhaegar's sister!" Rhaenyra retorted. "Alicent is a foolish woman. Only I can keep her in check in King's Landing. She won't be able to cause any trouble for my brother."
After getting dressed, she was ready to go out. As she was about to step out of the bedroom, she caught a glimpse of a sword hanging on the wall. There, hanging on the wall, was a delicate one-handed sword. A Valyrian steel sword—The Realm's Delight.
Rhaenyra's eyes narrowed, and she turned back with her pregnant belly, taking down the exclusive house sword from the wall.
Swish!
The blade of the sword was unsheathed, and the silver-white blade reflected the refracted light of the water ripples. The hilt was in the shape of a cross, with a brilliant sun and a full moon engraved on the front and back, respectively.
Pat-ta-ta.
Rhaenyra was satisfied and swung her hand to put the sword back in its sheath. She turned around and strode out of the door. The sword had not yet seen blood.
If Alicent dares to make a fuss, Rhaegar may be unable to kill her. But as his sister, she will let that evil stepmother see if The Realm's Delight is as good as it is made out to be.
...
The Council Hall.
Rhaenyra entered with a determined look and a threatening air about her.
The two Kingsguard at the door hesitated, unsure if they should stop the princess. They glanced at each other in confusion until Rhaenyra's fierce glare caused them to bow their heads and step aside.
Meanwhile, a heated argument raged inside.
Alicent, no longer calm, rose from her chair, her voice raised, "I will not allow anyone to disrupt the harmonious relationship between the royal family and the Faith of the Seven. If Viserys were sober, he would never allow it!"
As his wife for many years, she knew Viserys well. A man who often sought lessons from history books, he was cautious. The ancient Valyrians had used dragons to conquer the world but were ultimately destroyed by a cataclysmic disaster. After losing Balerion, Viserys had grown wary of dragons and resisted using them to disrupt peace.
Maegor I's brutal attacks on the Faith of the Seven had left a dark legacy. Viserys followed his grandfather Jaehaerys' political path, maintaining good relations with the Faith of the Seven and often granting their requests. Alicent was confident that her husband would support her stance.
"Gulp..."
She raised the wine goblet to her lips and took a sip, unconsciously trying to cover her inexplicable guilt. Viserys would support her. They were husband and wife. Though she had asked Maester Munkun to give her sleeping husband some milk of the poppy, it wasn't because she feared he would wake up and oppose her.
That dim-witted husband who favored their eldest son. Alicent clenched her teeth, her fingers going white with tension.
Bang!
The hall door was abruptly pushed open. Alicent was startled and looked up.
The two Kingsguard, who had been bribed by Alicent, opened the door quickly and forcefully with their heads bowed. Alicent was stunned, unable to react.
"Alicent, you have no right to represent my father!" Rhaenyra declared, her head held high as she entered the hall with great momentum. Her appearance shocked everyone.
Tormund and Orwyle stood up at once, greeting her in unison, "Princess."
They were the two advisers Rhaegar had helped to rise to power, so they quickly responded to Rhaenyra's entrance. The queen's position was powerful, so there was no point in arguing, but now, the Princess had arrived, and the balance of power had shifted.
Rhaenyra graciously waved the two men to sit down and walked straight to her former friend, demanding, "Why wasn’t I informed of the Small Council meeting?"
"Rhaenyra, you..." Alicent stammered, looking her up and down.
Rhaenyra’s long, silky, silver-blonde hair was loose and unkempt. Her beautiful face was free of makeup, and she wore no other jewelry. It was obvious she had rushed over. She held a silver sword in one hand and her big belly in the other.
Alicent's pupils constricted, and she exclaimed in alarm, "Rhaenyra, you're a pregnant woman, about to give birth, and you're running around with a weapon? Have you forgotten all about your noble upbringing!?"
This was a stereotype of Westeros. Noble girls were expected to receive a lady's education, learn to spin and weave, and be taught to read and count. Girls were not allowed to hold swords, and their most powerful influence was limited to managing the household affairs of their husbands' castles.
Rhaenyra had served as the king’s wine steward and learned to govern at the Small Council, all out of special favor as the heir to the Iron Throne.
"I don't want to discuss trivial matters. Answer my questions!"
Rhaenyra slammed her sword down on the table, the sound echoing through the room. Then she calmly sat down in Rhaegar's former place, her voice steady and stern. "What authority do you have to bypass the Small Council and convoke it in my place? By what right do you accuse the heir to the throne?"
Her words were sharp, her accusations precise.
Alicent, taken aback by Rhaenyra's boldness, struggled to find a rebuttal.
By the laws of the realm,
The Queen has no right to assume the role of regent or to accuse the heir prince without a cause.
Conversely, Rhaenyra, as the Princess of Dragonstone, retains her right to participate in the Small Council despite her altered succession status.
Alicent, trembling with anger, whispered through clenched teeth, "Rhaenyra, the Maester said you are in labor. You should return to your chambers and rest."
The complications of carrying twins differ greatly from a normal pregnancy.
Ignoring Alicent's concerns, Rhaenyra retorted sharply, "The peace treaty signed by my great-grandfather was intended to quell rebellion, not to elevate the Faith of the Seven above the king. As Queen, it is your duty to remain rational."
The room fell silent, shocked by her open defiance of both the queen and the Faith of the Seven, sentiments many had secretly harbored.
Alicent, near a breaking point, shouted toward the doorway, "Kingsguard, the Princess is pregnant. Escort her to her quarters!"
Prepared for opposition, Alicent had already stationed guards nearby.
Two Kingsguard stood at the ready, and at her command, they entered with heads held high, though visibly uneasy.
Rhaenyra’s glare bore into them.
Ser Rickard Thorne of House Thorne in the Crownlands, a lesser noble’s second son.
And Ser Willis Fell of House Fell in the Stormlands, from an unimportant branch of the family.
The brothers Erryk and Arryk, protectors of the king, were still recovering from their injuries.
Cole had returned to the Kingsguard but he's in Dorne.
Loyalists Lorent and Steffon vigilantly guarded the royal chambers.
Rhaenyra, confident no one would dare defy her, commanded, "Leave the Council Hall, Sers. I will overlook this breach of protocol."
The two Kingsguard exchanged glances before responding in unison, "The King has instructed us to protect the Queen. Forgive us, Princess."
Rhaenyra’s expression hardened.
Alicent sneered, "Save your breath. They know their allegiance lies with the true mistress of the Red Keep. Now, tend to your condition."
"Utter nonsense!" Rhaenyra snapped, her temper flaring.
Stunned, Alicent briefly wondered if she had misheard.
Rhaenyra, ignoring further provocations, signaled to Tormund across the table.
She had previously secured the loyalty of two Kingsguard under the guise of friendship.
With the City Watch, the Dragonpit Knights, and the Kingsguard under her sway, she commanded significant power—even in Rhaegar’s absence.
Tormund caught her glance and nodded silently.
Outside, a white falcon soared from the hall, a signal understood by all.
Alicent, aware of the Skinchangers' mysterious ways, ordered hastily, "Secure the Princess immediately and do not disrupt the Small Council further."
Exhausted by the ongoing resistance, she hoped to seize the moment to solidify her sons' claim to the throne while King Viserys slumbered, unaware of the unfolding chaos.
The two conflicted Kingsguard advanced, murmuring regretfully, "Princess, please make this easy for us."
Despite their remorse, they were compelled by duty.
The Kingsguard, a revered order, often found redemption unless charged with treason.
Rhaenyra remained seated, defiantly pushing The Realm’s Delight across the table, and asked calmly, "Do you truly dare?"
The two hesitated, turning to the Queen for guidance.
Alicent, anxious, covered her face with one hand while gesturing with the other, "Just don't hurt her."
As they reached out, the atmosphere tensed, the implications of their actions dawning on everyone present.
Rhaenyra recoiled instinctively, her dignity affronted.
If the Kingsguard forcibly removed a Princess from the Council Hall, it would scandalize the realm for decades.
Just as Rhaenyra prepared to lash out, a frail voice pierced the tense silence from outside, "Insolent! Leave her alone!"
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