Silence reigned in the Hand of the King's solar during the day, broken only by the soft scratch of a quill against parchment.
Otto Hightower sat behind his desk, signing documents one after another.
After some time, he finished the last signature, pressed his seal into the wax, and looked up at his daughter.
"I remember Aemond's name day, of course," he said calmly.
"It's just that next week I am to meet an envoy of the Triarchy on the Stepstones, and I fear I won't be able to return in time to attend his name day."
"Pass along my apologies to him."
Alicent nodded in agreement and stepped toward the desk.
There was only one object upon it — a dark gray wooden box, plain and unadorned.
She lifted the lid and paused in faint surprise.
Inside lay a ring.
The band was dull gray, without ornamentation, rough and almost primitive in shape.
Yet engraved upon it, sharp and unmistakable, were words in High Valyrian:
"Blood is fire. The son of the true dragon."
"To be precise," Otto said behind her,
"it was Maegor's coming-of-age gift. Queen Visenya herself commissioned the smiths of Qohor to cast it from Valyrian steel."
Alicent turned, her green eyes fixed on her father.
"What do you mean?"
"Why use Maegor's life as an example?"
Otto did not answer directly. Instead, he asked quietly,
"Alicent, tell me — who was Visenya Targaryen?"
Alicent thought for a moment before answering,
"She was one of the founders of House Targaryen, and she conquered the Crownlands and the Vale for her husband, Aegon the Conqueror."
"The Kingsguard was also created by her, for Aegon."
She hesitated, then looked at Otto.
Otto spoke softly.
"In her later years, Queen Dowager Visenya chose to support her only son, Maegor…"
"Even if it meant standing against her family — and the realm itself."
"Without Visenya's approval and backing…"
"Without her riding Vhagar across the Seven Kingdoms to stand for Maegor…"
"Without her using her authority as queen to cow the wavering lords…"
"Even if Maegor had prevailed in his trial by the Faith, he could never have taken the throne from his nephew, Aegon."
He slowly returned to the desk, tapping his fingers against the wood as he looked at his daughter.
"Visenya was Aegon the Conqueror's sister-wife — the woman who ruled the Seven Kingdoms at his side."
"But Queen Rhaenys bore the elder son, Aenys, while Visenya had only one child — Maegor."
"And her prestige…"
"It could never rival the legacy left by Rhaenys's descendants."
"You mean Aemond?" Alicent asked quietly.
Otto did not answer directly.
"Visenya helped her son win the war against the Faith," he continued,
"and forced the High Septon to recognize the legitimacy of Targaryen incest and polygamy."
"Maegor's early supporters — much of the royal family and the nobility of the Vale —"
"were all men who had once submitted to Visenya during the Conquest."
"They were loyal to her first," Otto said,
"because they respected her strength."
"And second, because Visenya herself guaranteed order and justice."
He paused.
"Even though Maegor was infamous for his cruelty…
Even though he executed his nephews and slaughtered tens of thousands of the Faithful…"
"So long as Visenya lived, those lords remained loyal."
"Because loyalty to Maegor was, in truth, loyalty to Visenya."
Alicent lifted the steel ring.
"Maegor killed every possible rival — and every possible ally."
"The lords obeyed his commands, but no longer followed him in their hearts."
Otto stepped closer, his gaze fixed on the ring in her hand.
"Even the most loyal lord of the realm knelt before the Iron Throne in tears and begged Maegor to abdicate."
Alicent listened in silence.
"Maegor answered by cutting off his head."
"And after that night…"
"No one knows who killed him," Otto said quietly.
"Perhaps a guardsman. Perhaps an assassin sent by some lord.
Perhaps the Iron Throne itself rejected its cruel master."
He took the ring from Alicent's hand and held it up to the light of the window.
The steel gleamed coldly.
"Even though Maegor rode Balerion the Black Dread, the greatest dragon in the world…"
"Even though he was acknowledged as the most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms…"
"The songs say he was a warrior who could face a hundred men alone."
Otto placed the ring back into the box and closed the lid.
The soft click echoed sharply in the quiet chamber.
"Yet he died alone upon the Iron Throne — for no clear reason — with no one at his side."
"Alicent," Otto said,
"a Targaryen is a god only while mounted on a dragon. Once they dismount, they are no different from other men."
"So long as you are human, you can be wounded, betrayed — and killed."
"Dragonfire can burn castles and terrify the world, but it cannot burn loyalty… much less earn it."
He handed the wooden box back to his daughter.
"After Maegor's death, Visenya's bloodline was completely extinguished."
"Of Aegon the Conqueror's two queens — Visenya and Rhaenys — only Rhaenys's blood remains."
"Even if Maegor were as strong as Aegon himself," Otto continued,
"he could never truly rule all Seven Kingdoms."
"Do you know why?"
Alicent shook her head.
"Because the Targaryens are foreigners from the eastern continent," Otto said gravely.
"Without cooperation from the ancient noble houses of Westeros, they cannot rule — even with dragons."
Alicent clutched the wooden box and asked quietly,
"You fear that Aemond will become another Maegor… someone who ignores all restraint?"
"He has the potential," Otto admitted, leaning back and rubbing his brow.
"He is intelligent and composed — but also proud, vengeful, and extreme."
"I can feel that Aemond dislikes me."
Otto pointed at her.
"But you and Helaena can influence him."
"What is it you want me to do?" Alicent asked.
Otto met her gaze.
"Do what must be done, Alicent."