Chapter Text
“That one looks like a dragon” Rhaenyra said, lazily pointing to a faraway cloud.
“I think it looks more like a dog” Alicent cocked her head.
“No it’s a dragon! See the teeth? And that’s the tail” Rhaenyra gestured wildly.
“Do I really have to remind you that dogs *also* have teeth and a tail” Alicent laughed.
“Then I suppose we remain in disagreement. I’ll believe it’s a dragon, you believe it’s a dog”
“I’d prefer for it to be a dog” Alicent wrinkled her nose “Dogs are cute and friendly, Dragons are mean and scary”
“Syrax isn’t mean and scary!” Rhaenyra sat up, offended “Syrax is cute and friendly”
“Only a Targaryen could call a dragon cute and friendly” she laughed.
“You would see what I meant if you rode her” Rhaenyra said wistfully “I will take you riding sometimes, the dragonkeepers think she should be big enough to carry two by the end of the year”
“I think I am better off on the ground. Besides, I might not even be here that long”
“What are you talking about?” Rhaenyra said, suddenly turning somber
“My father thinks he has found a most advantageous match” Alicent said, turning away “Ser Harwin Strong, son of lord Lyonel Strong”
“The breakbones?” Rhaenyra said, surprised “I do not like him”
“You liked him well enough the last time we saw him at a tourney”
“Well I do not like him now!”
“He’s a good match Rhaenyra, the best my father could get as a second son”
“But do you love him?”
“He’s a good man, he’ll be easy to love”
“But you do not love him right now! Do you not want romance? Do you not want to be swept off your feet by someone who loves you so much, they would do anything to marry you”
“You are so very naive Rhaenyra” Alicent scoffed “Romance is short lived and irresponsible- it does not fill the stomach or put a roof over your head. Leave your ideas of *romance* to the storybook heroines; in the real world we must think of security and stability”
“I did not think you were so cynical”
“I am realistic”
“Your realism will leave you unhappy” Rhaenyra said quietly “when you’re raising a dozen children, while your husband reaps the rewards of your labour without even a thought of your happiness, you will remember my ideas of romance”
Alicent had laughed then, thinking of herself as so much smarter and more matured compared to Rhaenyra’s childishness. A decade later, she wasn’t laughing anymore. She hadn’t been smart, she had just been a puppet. And she did remember her ideas of romance.