hotmtlnovel Chapter 407: The Crumbling Greens
Chapter 407: The Crumbling Greens
Chapter 407: The Crumbling Greens
"Silence! You are in no position to squirm after being caught in the act!" Viserys rebuked angrily.
For the prince to molest with a nobleman's daughter was nothing less than a blatant affront to the dignity of the royal family.
Aegon felt an overwhelming sense of injustice. He wanted to cry; he hadn't even dared to lay a finger on the handmaidens, let alone a nobleman's daughter.
Meanwhile, Alicent stood by, watching her son with a look of self-reproach. She nervously picked at the nail of her index finger, her plan having been simple: allow Aegon to meet the eligible maidens and choose a fiancée befitting his status.
If no suitable candidate emerged, she would create an illusion—make it appear that Aegon shared a room with Selene, and let the deception unfold naturally.
But her plan was thrown into disarray when Harwin became involved in it.
And there was Unwin Peake, that scheming man, whose drug for Aegon turned out to be not a mere stimulant, but a potent medicine from Lys, almost leading to a disastrous error.
"I didn’t mean to touch Selene; she just bumped into me!" Aegon protested, his head throbbing with the urge to clear his name.
"How dare you! Now, who will you blame?" Viserys shot back, his voice laced with incredulity and anger.
He was genuinely enraged, believing his second son to be beyond redemption.
It was natural to be attracted to women, but a man should possess character, responsibility, and accountability.
While his eldest son's affair with the Lady of the Vale was beyond reproach, his second son's drunken misbehavior and harassment of a noble lady was utterly disgraceful.
Though not as heinous as Harwin’s assault on a maid, it was still a matter Viserys, as a father, could suppress.
Exasperated, his chest heaving with anger, Viserys glanced at the Hightower brothers in the hall.
Otto remained stoic and calm, not uttering a word.
Ormund was sullen and fidgety, pacing back and forth.
Yet, a closer look revealed something unusual.
Otto's eyes were deep, harboring a hint of shrewdness.
Ormund seemed agitated, with a hidden touch of excitement in his eyes.
Their intention was clear: they wanted the Hightowers to continue their ties with the next generation of the royal family, strengthening their bond with the Iron Throne.
Just like the Velaryons, Baratheons, and Arryns, they sought generations of marriages with the Targaryens.
Aegon’s incident with Selene, Otto’s niece, was precisely what they needed.
Viserys frowned, sensing something was amiss.
Despite his suspicions, he couldn’t pinpoint the exact issue.
Turning to Lyonel, he said, somewhat relieved, "Young people make mistakes. Let him go reflect for now."
Lyonel, sharp-minded, understood this as the king offering a way out for everyone involved.
Raising his head, he angrily rebuked his eldest son, "Get out of here and sober up!"
Afterward, he strode over to the kneeling and crying maid, assisting her personally. "Don't worry, I won’t let this go," he assured her solemnly.
Every word and action showcased the Hand of the King’s impartiality and strictness.
The maid nodded vigorously, her gratitude evident. "I won’t cause trouble. I’ll be obedient..."
"Don't be afraid. I will see to it that justice is done," Lyonel said with compassion, ordering the other maids to take her away. This occasion was not suitable for a mere maid.
A Kingsguard stepped forward, roughly lifting the disheveled Harwin and dragging him out the door.
Remarkably, this scandalous incident, which had caused such a stir, was deftly handled and set aside.
Lyonel secretly breathed a sigh of relief and gave a grateful look to the king.
As long as the crown did not pursue the matter further, his eldest son would be spared severe punishment.
He wouldn’t be imprisoned or stripped of his status and dignity.
Otto released his collar and admonished, "No candidate? Then be quiet."
Watching his second son being reprimanded, Viserys felt a deep sense of unease. He spoke in a muffled voice, "In that case, let’s proceed with the engagement."
"Good. I will inform Selene. The poor girl has been crying a lot," Alicent responded quickly, a weight lifted from her heart.
The marriage was hastily finalized.
Aegon stood frozen, almost in shock. He had only had a bit too much wine. How had things gone so wrong? Why was he being forced to marry a Hightower woman, someone he despised?
His chest tightened with resentment as he struggled to comprehend his fate.
Aegon gritted his teeth and stormed out of the hall.
"Where are you going?" Alicent asked, her voice urgent.
"I'm going back to the Twin Castles, my fiefdom," Aegon snapped, his steps brisk and his tone irritated.
"You have a betrothal to attend to. You’re not going anywhere," Alicent replied firmly.
Aegon pushed the door open with force, turning back with a disgruntled accusation. "You arranged the marriage, so you can handle it yourselves. No one cares what I think anyway."
With that, he left without looking back. In that moment of solitude, he felt a small sense of gratitude. At least his father had given him a fiefdom, and Rhaegar had built a castle for him. Otherwise, he’d be left to rot in a brothel.
Alicent watched her son leave in exasperation, calling his name in vain. The more she shouted, the faster he walked away.
"Mother, he’s afraid of you," Helaena observed calmly from the sidelines.
"What did you say?" Alicent was stunned, thinking she had misheard.
"You have excessive expectations of him," Helaena replied, her voice steady. As an introvert with a keen mind, she had her own penetrating view of the situation.
"Mother, I won’t attend the engagement banquet either," Helaena continued softly, breaking away from Alicent’s embrace.
Alicent looked at her daughter, feeling a sudden unfamiliarity. "You didn’t come to the party this afternoon," she said, trying to comprehend.
"I’m not of age yet. Let’s wait until I turn sixteen," Helaena said, her eyes clear. She glanced at her heavily pregnant elder sister, Rhaenyra, who stood silently watching the family drama unfold.
"I’m going back to rest," Helaena added, giving a curtsey before excusing herself.
She guessed that her brother wouldn’t return to King’s Landing anytime soon. Planning ahead, she intended to ride Dreamfyre to Harrenhal’s Castle the next morning to seek refuge, avoiding both her mother and her eldest sister.
"They are gone?" Viserys's brow furrowed deeply, and he nearly lost his balance.
"Your Grace," Erryk, standing guard, quickly stepped forward to assist the stricken king.
Rhaenyra's face tightened with concern as she moved to support her father. In Rhaegar's absence, the burden fell on her shoulders.
"I'm fine. The matter is settled. Everyone, go and rest," Viserys forced a smile, leaning on Erryk for support as he left the hall.
Rhaenyra's eyes were filled with complex emotions as she rubbed her swollen belly. She too sensed the undercurrents beneath the recent conflicts. Sighing softly, she resolved to return to Dragonstone once the matter was resolved.
Counting Rhaegar and Aemond, who were away, it seemed that of the six Targaryen children, only little Daeron had yet to consider leaving.
A good haven, but everyone seemed eager to escape.
Members of the royal family filed out of the hall, followed by the advisors.
By the end of the day, only the three Hightowers remained in the fireplace hall.
Ormund smiled, pleased with the prospect of another family marriage. Unless the Tyrells were ousted, the Hightower House would need to rely on marriage to the royal family to elevate their status.
Alicent stood frozen, disoriented by the realization that both her children had abandoned her. If she had known, perhaps she wouldn't have organized the festival or plotted this marriage alliance. Maybe it would have been better to set up Aegon and Helaena in a traditional match.
Otto sighed, stepping forward to pat his daughter's shoulder. "Don't be sad. The fledglings will grow up someday, and you'll still be their mother."
"Father, I want what's best for them," Alicent murmured.
"I know," Otto replied. "I used to think the same way. That's why you’re a queen."
"Is that so?" Alicent's heart tightened, her eyes glazing over as she pondered his words.