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Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warnings:
Graphic Depictions Of ViolenceMajor Character Death
Category:
Gen
Fandoms:
House of the Dragon (TV)Warhammer Fantasy
Characters:
Ikit ClawRhaenyra TargaryenJacaerys VelaryonLucerys Velaryon (Son of Rhaenyra)Baela TargaryenRhaena Targaryen (Daughter of Daemon)Daemon TargaryenCorlys "The Sea Snake" VelaryonHelaena TargaryenAddam VelaryonBackground & Cameo CharactersSilverwing | Alysanne Targaryen's DragonOriginal CharactersJoffrey Velaryon
Additional Tags:
Crack Treated SeriouslyCanon-Typical ViolenceThe Dance of the Dragons | Aegon II Targaryen v. Rhaenyra Targaryen EraAlternate Universe - Canon DivergenceCanonical Character DeathCharacter Turned Into a HumanIkit got isekai'd as Jace's twinSkaven Species (Warhammer Fantasy)Death to all GreensHuman ExperimentationScience ExperimentsIkit is his own warningSilverwing still has shit taste in male ridersPOV MultipleBackground RelationshipsBackground Character Deathshow canon onlyDragon RidersAnimal AbuseIkit is an abusive dragonriderTho he's fairly mellow compared to his SkavenselfGood Parent Rhaenyra TargaryenNo beta we die like LucerysDysfunctional FamilyCannibalismBlood and TortureCanon-Typical BehaviorBAMF Helaena Targaryen
Language:
English
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Published:2026-02-26Completed:2026-04-22Words:181,492Chapters:55/55Comments:1,270Kudos:749Bookmarks:160Hits:33,669
The Rat Prince of Westeros
SkilledWarriorKiwi
Chapter 28: Alicent
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Where is Aegon?" Alicent asked as she burst into the room, quickly followed by her father. The perilous times did not give her leave to be polite even when intruding upon her daughter's room.
Helaena blinked at them, an embroidery loop in hand and clad in red. Sunlight streamed in through the windows behind her, the room wide and warm. Upon a rug some feet away from her were Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, with a maid playing with them.
"He's not here," Helaena finally answered, seemingly baffled they were even asking her in the first place.
"He's not in his rooms," Otto said.
Helaena just stared at them before looking back down at her stitching.
After a moment Otto left to continue the search for the wayward prince. At a glance from Alicent the maid quickly gathered the children, Alicent tense and nervous as the trio left. Even the click of the door sliding shut did not ease her tension.
The king is dead and he named Aegon as his successor. The prince who would unite the realm.
Already it was marred by death. She could still see Lord Beesbury's glassy eyes and the expanding pool of blood around his head.
'She and her family will be given the opportunity to publicly swear obeisance to the new King.'
Her father's words reverberated through her mind, even as Helaena asked, "What happened?"
Alicent hesitated before sitting down next to her. Helaena had always been sensitive and gorging herself sick the previous day from excitement proved it. It had been a slice of unexpected luck however, as it meant Rhaenyra and, more importantly, Daemon were not present during such a sensitive time as they had left so soon after.
She looked at Helaena's embroidery, only to see a twisted mass of red threads that took up most of the cloth.
After moment Alicent reached out for her, "Helaena, your father-"
"Conflict is necessary for peace to reign," Helaena hissed at her, snapping around so sharp it made Alicent jump. "Only slaughter gives the promise of life any meaning. Love is nothing unless tempered by the blackest of hatreds. That's what you hold true, isn't it?"
"My dearest love, we seek to-"
"Liar. You cling to a love you have so entwined in hate you can't tell which is which. You will cause a war. That's why you want Aegon, isn't it? Father is dead and you will bring in a slaughter with picking him."
"We will reach out to Rhaenyra," Alicent said, trying to take Helaena's arm only for her violently wrench it away. "We will not rule through cruelty and callousness. There is no conflict necessary for this. She will be given a fair, true terms that she can accept without shame. She's never shown desire for the Iron Throne in her later years as a mother, she may yet listen."
Helaena giggled, as if she found Alicent's words the height of mirth, before her features twisted into a sneer Alicent had never seen from her, "You think she will? You think Daemon will? Ikit?"
Alicent faltered, even as Helaena got up and threw her embroidery on the couch. "I- Prince Ikit is not a concern. He is not in Westeros, he has left back to Essos and word would say to Asshai of the Shadow. If the gods are good the issue of succession will be solved without him even becoming aware of it."
They had spoke at length, in the shadowy council after the king's death. Prince Daemon was the greatest concern then Princess Rhaenys. Yet both dragons were small by draconic standards, not even a century of age. Dreamfyre was larger and then there was Vhagar, the Conquest beast loomed over them all. Only Vermithor came close to Vhagar's size, while from what Alicent knew Silverwing was petite for a dragon and smaller than her age would demand. Still, she would be the largest of Rhaenyra's dragons.
But as Tyland said, Prince Ikit spent near a decade ignoring Westeros. While he had chosen to attack the Stepstones to aid the Sea Snake, he had swiftly left again to Essos. The Green council were of the opinion Prince Ikit did not possess much affection for his wayward family considering he ignored them yet again despite being so close. It was even suggested he had been banished by Princess Rhaenyra, which she had tried to hide by instead declaring he was simply traveling freely.
'The princess would not want to advertise her child is following in King Maegor's footsteps,' Jasper Wylde had said. 'We have all heard the horrific rumours from across the narrow sea. It's highly likely the boy would not even care if his mother and kin do, unfortunately, perish.'
Alicent had shouted at him then, threatening to send him to the Wall if he continued such talk. Orwyle more diplomatically suggested that the rumours about Prince Ikit meant it was even more important to not let Rhaenyra ascend. If she had raised a boy who could act with half the debauchery he was accused of then who knew what ruin she would bring to the realm?
It was something that Alicent bore the weight of, wishing Viserys had named Aegon his heir beforehand. To declare it publicly, to the court. When Aegon had first been born, even. Instead he had tasked her with such a thankless duty with his dying breath and Alicent felt a deep terror at what awaited her. The sheer consequences if she failed, if Rhaenyra reacted with violence.
Alicent had heard of which lords they would have to reach out to, who would support the order of things. The Reach, the most fertile and rich of all the kingdoms, would fully support them she knew. Her son Daeron was at Oldtown with his dragon, her cousins and uncles and various kin of Hightower. The Westerlands would support them and already Tyland Lannister was making plans to safely divide up the crown's gold. The Iron Islands would support Aegon no doubt, they had no love for women in rule. The rest of the kingdoms were less sure, but as it was mentioned Lord Baratheon had numerous daughters with empty hands and the rider of the largest dragon in the world would be a fit offer.
Alicent was wringing her hands, struggling to maintain her composure even as Helaena paced back and forth in front of her.
"We will prevail," Alicent tried to reassure her. "There is no need for blood to be spilled. Rhaenyra has no love for violence, for putting her children in danger. She may accept the terms and we can be led into a new age of prosperity-"
"I don't want Him looking at me, you will bring it!" Helaena hissed at her, before turning and storming from the room.
"I- we haven't found Aegon, we..." Alicent fell silent as the door slammed shut after Helaena.
Alicent sat there alone and still until she finally, eventually went to where the king lay upon his bed. Only then did she summon the Silent Sisters to see to him, as the king's death had been firmly silenced and his remains had been left to rot.
The body was moved and carefully wrapped, candles and incense smoulder yet even it could not remove the stench of death that hung over the room. Next to the body was a small table, where a crown and dagger sat. The Silent Sister's bound his body as it was custom for those of House Targaryen to be burned at a pyre.
She remained standing there, thinking with immense dread of the looming war. She prayed to the Seven that Rhaenyra would heed wisdom, that she would allow this final wish of her father to bloom forth. Aegon would unite the realm, he was the prince who was promised.
But while Rhaenyra may listen she knew not what Daemon or Ikit would do. Daemon was a violent man and had hated her for as long as she had known him. No doubt he would think they had slain Viserys in his sleep, for he believed everyone was as dishonourable as he. And as for Ikit...the boy was mad, twisted and vile. It wasn't a child. A child didn't have eyes like that, nor teeth.
Her hand was wrapped around her arm, over the scar where Ikit had mauled her so long ago at Driftmark. That thing had maimed Aemond, attacked her. And Rhaenyra defended it.
Alicent swallowed through the stench of death, already running through the terms they would offer Rhaenyra. She would be happy remaining the lady of Dragonstone. She could keep the ancestral home of House Targaryen, which Jacaerys could inherit after her. Same as Prince Lucerys, he would remain in place to inherit Driftmark. Rhaenyra and Daemon's two sons could be invited to court, given positions of honour. All lords who swore to her would be forgiven if they gave loyalty to Aegon. They could resolve this without bloodshed. They could.
The image of Lord Beesbury's glassy eyes were transfixed in her mind.
Then there was a clatter of tools being set down firmly and as Alicent looked over the Silent Sisters bowed before leaving the room without a backwards glance. Their work here was done and there was always more.
She felt frozen for a long moment, thin wisps of smoke coiling about the room.
It was only when she stood over the wrapped body, holding the crown of Old King Jaehaerys in her hand, did Alicent start to sob.
It's too much, a part of her wanted to scream. To steer away a looming war, how many would die if she failed? They had spent so long in a blessed peace yet now they teetered upon the edge of war and she struggled to see through the darkness.
The ring of metal was cool against her brow as Alicent struggled to control her wet gasps, eyes squeezed shut as several bitter tears slid down her cheeks.
She was the queen. And even a dowager queen had much to do. She must make sure King Viserys's dying wish was honoured. They had to find Aegon, they had to crown him before the masses and then send terms to Rhaenyra that were fair and true. It could stop the war in its tracks. She did not have time to grieve and cry.
Slowly Alicent controlled her breathing, keeping the crown pressed against her brow until finally, eventually, her shuddering stopped and her tears dried.
With a deep breath she lowered the crown, looking down at King Viserys's bound body only to recoiled with a shriek when she saw it swarmed by hundreds of rats. Gnawing, squeaking, eyes crimson.
Alicent fell over as she stumbled backwards, the crown bouncing off the ground with a clang of metal, yet when Alicent blinked the rats were gone and she was alone on the ground.
Cold sweat dotted her brown even as Alicent got to her feet, looking about the room intently but spotting no vermin. She was alone, had been since the Silent Sisters left.
With a groan she rubbed her temple, reasoning it was stress that assailed her with strange visions. The fear of the 'Rat Prince' of overseas, the words of a madman who cannibalized innocents.
Daemon is the threat, he is the one who will led Rhaenyra astray. Not some boy who abandoned his family for years and never visited them since, Alicent told herself, placing the crown back upon the table. Aegon would wear the Conqueror's own crown, the circlet with rubies. But she took the dagger, which Viserys always wore upon his person. Aegon needed to inherit it, as his right.
Before Alicent left the room she glanced back to where Viserys's body lay and half expected it to be swarming with rats again. Instead it was the golden shrouded corpse alone upon the altar, the fabric gleaming faintly in the candlelight.
"I will not fail you, my king," Alicent said quietly before she shut the door behind her. There was much to be done.
Notes:
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