Chapter 384: Alicent’s Resentment


    In the evening, after dinner


    Viserys returned to his residence in a low mood after reviewing the medals.


    "Your Grace."


    Inside the room, Alicent had been preparing for a long time. Two romantic red candles were lit on the round table.


    "Still not resting?"


    Viserys forced out a smile, noticing his wife in full dress and the romantic atmosphere. A slight stirring in his lower body quickly subsided.


    With the war, the pressure on him increased with each passing day. The good news of Rhaegar''s capture of Myr and Lys and Hena''s swift aid to Gulltown never ceased. The daily surprise and joy stimted his already fragile nerves.


    Bedtime with Alicent had be a rare, once-a-month respite. Despite his wife''s beauty, his already injured body was overwhelmed.


    Standing still, Viserys felt slightly embarrassed.


    Alicent''s fine eyebrows raised slightly as she smiled, "Quickly sit down. I specially prepared snake soup for you. The maester said it is very good for the body."


    "Luckily, I have you."


    Viserys made a perfunctory remark, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles.


    "You are the king, your health is important. Rest well tonight."


    Alicent served a bowl of soup herself, subtly easing her husband''s worries. She wasn''t a lustful woman; her husband''s affection was dispensable, and too much of it often backfired.


    "That''s good. I couldn''t resist tasting it."


    Viserys sighed in relief, picked up the soup, and slurped it down.


    Alicent sat down next to him, ruffled a strand of hair, and asked softly, "Is Aemond going to war too?"


    Viserys sipped his soup and remembered the annoyance of being rejected by the council. He replied in a clipped voice, "That boy is eager for war, and I, his father, can''t stop him."


    One by one, his children were very productive, making him feel mediocre as the father who stayed at home. He also wanted to fly out of King''s Landing on Vermithor, recreating the upstart father-son rtionship from the time of the King of JaehaerysI.


    Alicent heard the dissatisfaction in his words and pretended to be pitiful, "Aemond is still very young. He just wants to defend the kingdom for his father and gain your attention."


    "Uh..."


    Viserys was speechless, unable to think of a word in defense. It was true that he didn''t care enough for his second sons and daughters, and it was understandable that Aemond wanted to follow Hena''s example.


    Alicent''s eyes emptied as she said ruefully, "With the exception of little Daeron, all my children have appeared on the battlefield."


    The unintentionalmentation was full of worry.


    Viserys put down his spoon at that, no longer able to drink the fragrant soup. He put his arm around his despondent wife and gently persuaded her, "The children have grown up and have their own ideas."


    "Viserys, I am their mother. How can a mother not worry about her children?"


    Alicent broke away from her husband''s embrace and said seriously, "Don''t you understand? They went to war for you, for Rhaegar, whom you have entrusted everything to."


    She had wanted to put on a show to win her husband''s sympathy, but her husband was a master at feigning confusion. She couldn''tmunicate without being blunt. She had to make him understand that their children were in danger because of his decisions.


    Viserys'' face stiffened and he said sullenly, "Rhaegar is your child, too."


    Alicent''s eyes were full of aggression as she asked, "When has he ever considered me his mother?"


    "Have you ever thought of Rhaegar as your own?"


    Viserys felt the conversation turning ridiculous and asked bluntly in return.


    "I... at least did my duty."


    Alicent''s eyes reddened and her hands unconsciously clenched into fists. They say stepmothers are evil, but who knows how hard it is to be a stepmother? Rhaenyra hated her, and Rhaegar, raised by her, was distant.


    Compared to them, who were indifferent to her, she, the stepmother, was always tolerant, for the Hightower House taught honor, sacrifice, and nurturing.


    Viserys sighed at her words and covered his forehead. "It seems that when the war is over, it''s time for us to hold a family meeting."


    People with weak personalities tended to be more sensitive to emotions. The conflict between his eldest son and daughter and his wife Alicent had been umting over time, and sooner orter, it would erupt.


    Fortunately, his eldest son was powerfull enough to overpower his half-siblings. Even if the issue was brought out into the open, there was no need to worry about a major conflict.


    Alicent was worried and angry, gritting her teeth. "What can be discussed? It''s just another form of favoritism."


    "I''m doing my best to level the ying field," Viserys said, physically and mentally exhausted, in an aggravated tone. "Until then, stop arguing."


    Alicent pursed her lips, took a deep breath and looked away. Arguing was pointless, and her husband wasn''t the type to be swayed by a fight.


    The bedroom fell into a brief silence.


    By the time the soup stopped steaming, Viserys'' stiff face had loosened and he reassured, "Look on the bright side. The war is going well and our children are safe."


    He emphasized the word "our."


    Alicent scoffed inwardly, but outwardly she maintained her gentle image and said, "The Dornish are treacherous and cunning, and they once shot down a giant dragon. Aemond is not safe."


    "That was an unforeseen ident when Meraxes flew too low."


    Viserys, quite speechless, affirmed, "Dorne invaded the Stornds. The battlefield is t, and the dragons are invincible there."


    In the War of Conquest, 100,000 allied troops from the Rivends and the Wesnds were incinerated in the fury of a battle on the ins. On the unprotected ins, Viserys had full faith in the dragons.


    "Viserys, do you still not understand what I''m saying?"


    Alicent pped her forehead and said helplessly, "My child serves the realm for you, for... forget it."


    Her eyes met Viserys'' and she insisted, "I''m just saying, don''t always focus on your two children. Love my children more."


    "They are also sacrificing!"


    Viserys'' eyes wereplicated and silent. He seemed to understand Alicent''s thoughts. With the defeat of the Triarchy, the kingdom''s territory had expanded, and rewards would be a matter of great urgency. Alicent asked for recognition and rewards for "her children."


    Viserys averted his eyes and said, "I''ve kept it all in mind."


    "Words not spoken, you will choose to forget," Alicent said quietly.


    Viserys shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Think what you will, I will not mistreat my children and Rhaegar will not mistreat his younger siblings."


    The words fell, and there was another moment of silence.


    After a good half hour, Alicent wiped the corners of her eyes, unable to pick out her blood-stained fingernails, and helped her husband to get up and go back to bed to rest.


    Before extinguishing the candles, she initiated a chat, "Hena wrote to me. Laena returned to Driftmark Ind, and Rhaegar transferred her back to Dragonstone Ind to keep Rhaenyrapany."


    "Are the sisters getting along well?"


    "Of course, Rhaenyra is pregnant, and her "servant" is very attentively."


    "..."


    ...


    Early the next morning.


    News of the Dornish invasion reached Lys, and the letternded on the table in the Magister''s mansion.


    "Roar..."


    Tyraxes bounced around carelessly, itsrge head bobbing, pping its wings as it slowly took off.


    Rhaegar read the letter and nonchntly pped Tyraxes'' head with his hand, subduing it instantly.


    Tyraxes''s hind feet iled about, and his mist-colored wings flopped down on the tabletop, chirping indignantly.


    "y aside."


    Rhaegar tossed out a handful of his tail, leaving the young dragon in midair, struggling to keep its bnce.


    Tyraxes opened its scarlet dragon''s maw, still trying to get back at Rhaegar.


    Rhaegar didn''t even raise his head, an inexplicable sense of oppression unconsciously released.


    Tyraxes was startled and unconsciously closed his mouth.


    Poof!


    The umted fine dragonfire exploded in its mouth, shaking the young dragon''s body.


    Tyraxes'' head swayed, ck smoke spewed from its mouth, and it snapped uncontrobly, falling to the ground.


    "Hee hee, this little one is so much fun."


    Johanna watched the whole thing from the sidelines, a pair of affectionate and amorous eyes flowing between Rhaegar and the dragon.


    Having defected to the Iron Throne, her position of power had risen step by step. From the former Magister''s lover and intelligence steward, she was promoted by the Iron Throne''s heir to Grand Steward of Lys.


    Rhaegar nced at her and said lightly, "Are you done with your work?"


    Johanna''s smile stalled, and her dignified demeanor barely held steady. More than a hundred thousand mouths were waiting for her to feed; how could she ever be idle?


    Rhaegarzily ignored her and took out a pen and paper to write a letter, one to King''s Landing and one to Storm’s End.


    The Dornish invasion was expected, just not at this point in time. It was thought that they would attack during the assault on Lys, thus triggering a two-front war. From this, it was clear that the so-called alliance between the Triarchy and Dornish was also each running towards their own interests.


    Johanna, realizing she had asked for trouble, decided to work diligently and inquired, "Prince, Tyrosh has been under siege for a long time, and Daemon has urged action several times."


    "Is the Archon of Tyrosh''s attitude still as stubborn as ever?" Rhaegar asked, not pausing from his writing.


    Johanna straightened up slightly, "Milov is a mercenary by trade, believes only in his sword, and will not surrender easily."


    "And the rich and grassroots of Tyrosh? How are they reacting?" Rhaegar considered another angle.


    The fleet blockaded the harbor, halting all trade. Whether it affected the wealthy or the anxious civilians and ves, there should have been some reaction.


    Throughout the sieges in Westeros, as well as various wars in Essos, it was always a matter of attacking the heart before attacking the city. He and Aunt Rhaenys sat in Lys and Myr, consuming and pressuring the Archon of Tyrosh.


    Johanna frowned slightly, "Milov has used the burning of two city-states to incite the civilians against the Iron Throne army, while the rich and ves are forced toply under his leadership."


    Civilians have been easily swayed in every age, believing whatever those in power say. However, a handful of wealthy individuals and ves with no rights were not so easily manipted and were directly suppressed by force.


    Upon hearing this, Rhaegar couldn''t help but snort, "Tyrosh relies on the rich to rule the city-state, and he''s dying a slow death by suppressing them."


    All generations of Tyrosh''s rulers had bribed the wealthy to get into the position. This bad habit was ingrained, and the people of Tyrosh saw no wrong in it. ording to them, a person who couldn''t even bribe was not qualified to lead them to prosperity.


    Johanna smiled and agreed wholeheartedly.


    Don''t underestimate the customs of a ce; that''s the key to rule.


    Rhaegar quickly finished writing the letter and instructed, "If Braavos doesn''t make a move, Tyrosh can''t hold out for long. Notify Daemon toy siege for another half month."


    This was probably the time limit for Tyrosh''s wealthy, who could not stand the blockade and would rebel against Milov''s tyranny.


    Rhaegar pondered, "The Dornish are tough, and their soldiers have a high fighting spirit. I fear that Aemond will not withstand the pressure."


    The Narrow Sea War had reached a critical moment, and it was prudent for his father and Hena to guard King''s Landing and Dragonstone Ind. Beyond the Narrow Sea, there were a total of five dragon riders.


    He and Aunt Rhaenys were guarding one castle each and could not be moved easily. Aegon guarded the Stepstones Inds and oversaw the transportation of supplies, ying a pivotal role. Daemon, needless to say, was constantly besieging Tyrosh and could not be distracted.


    Scratching his silver hair, Rhaegar thoughtfully said, "Write to the Sea Snake and transfer Laenor back to the Stornds. There''s no future in just patrolling the seas."


    Johanna''s eyes twinkled as she obediently replied, "Yes, Prince."


    She appreciated a smart partner, especially one like the prince, whose calm demeanor and strategic mind were far superior to her previous alliances.