(Aerion's POV)
"How dare you." Otto said as I stood in front of him and The Queen, "You dare to cut down a member of House Velaryon before the King and his Queen?"
I was standing in front of Otto and Alicent, in the Small Council room. They had called for a private meeting, like they usually do. I don't know why I just accept them, but I just do.
This time, I had an apathetic look on my face the entire time Otto Hightower opened his mouth.
"Is your age getting to you, Lord Hand?" I asked, "Did you not hear what he said? The insults thrown at my wife and her sons? Treason. You dare defend such acts? Mayhaps I ought to do something about that-"
"Enough, nephew." Queen Alicent said as she let out a sigh, "That was....a bit extreme....killing him. But...I'm not surprised. Ser Vaemond spoke treason, he should not have overstepped. But what my Lord Father meant is that justice would've been served to him through the King's words. His tongue would've been cut out, he would've been sent to the Wall, and live his life serving the Realm in that way."
"He's serving the realm well enough right now, dead as he is." I scoffed
"You impulsive boy." Otto spat with anger, "You are much like your Father."
My face hardened as I looked at him, "Listen here..." I said walking over to him slowly, looking down at him as he took a step back, "Say that one more time....I dare you. And let me remind you, Otto, that Rhaenyra is the Heir to the Throne....any insult to her is an insult to the Crown, and you know it. What your ambition does is blind you. Your judgment is clouded by your seat, your power....that you forget one thing about me; I don't let such things go easily."
"Aerion." Alicent said
"Step away from me." Otto warned
I narrowed my eyes, "Make me."
"Aerion, enough." Alicent said seriously, "Nephew, calm down."
I took a step back, "The two of you always do the same shit." I said, "I do something so unsightly to you, you call me forth to be scolded. I'm sick of it. This is the last time I answer your calls."
Alicent rolled her eyes, "Do not be like this, Aerion." She said, "All we do is try to look out for the reckless actions you perform. Nearly killing a Kingsguard was not just one of them. It has always been this way since you were young."
"I don't care." I said, "I'm no longer a boy."
"That, you will always be. A boy blinded by the allure of a woman." Otto said
Alicent scowled at him, "F-Father."
I raised an eyebrow, "What is that supposed to mean, Lord Hand?" I said adding sarcasm to the final part
"Rhaenyra knows well enough what the truth is." Otto spoke up seriously, "As do you, Aerion."
"What?" I said
"Vaemond's words, Aerion." Alicent said, "...You....well....."
"You've spent all these years defending her, protecting her from the slander that the entirety of the Realm speaks to her." Otto said, "And when someone vocally speaks it, you cut them down. How do you think they'll take it."
"They'll take it lying down, because they will not do anything about it." I scowled, "And that's fucking final."
"Her sons-" Alicent started
"Are hers!" I cut her off, "I will not hear anything else about it."
"Are you blinded by the love for her that you won't see the truth...." Otto said, "Aerion, this act will plunge the realm in disarray, the Discord caused by Vaemond's remark about her-"
I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer, giving him a glare, "Keep....your filthy mouth shut...." I growled, "I will not have you or anyone else humor those false and slimy words. What Vaemond said was nothing but an attempt to turn people against her. You, The Queen, The King, and everyone knows it!"
"Unhand me." Otto said shakily
I felt Alicent grab my arm, "Let him go, Aerion."
I let him go, slightly pushing him as I pulled away from Alicent's touch, "I've had enough of this." I said, "I'm taking my Family back to Dragonstone. I won't humor you and your farces."
"Aerion..." Alicent said, "Viserys-"
"I don't care." I cut her off and walked away
**************************
"Hey." I said walking through the doors to Rhaenyra's chambers
She stood up from the couch, placing her hands in front of her, "Aerion." She said softly
I noticed that there was nobody with her, which was strange. I reckon the children are either with the maids or with Helaena. Either way, I didn't think she would just be alone.
After the Trial and Vaemond's corpse was dragged away, Rhaenyra quickly went to take Jace and Luke to their chambers while I was called by the Lord Hand and Queen, while the King went back to bed.
I walked up to her, looking at how amazingly beautiful she looked in her dress, "My love..." I said as I grabbed her hand, "I cannot take my eyes off you..."
She looked at me, a serious look in her eyes, "You killed a man....in front of me..." She said
I raised her hand and kissed it, "For you."
"Yes..." She said with a strange look of bliss in her eyes forming, "For me...."
I noticed she began to sweat slightly and her breathing got slightly faster. It's almost as if she was getting nervous.
"Rhaenyra?" I said as I patted her cheek, "Something the matter?"
She eyed me up and down, placing her hand on my chest, "I..." she said, "I've had many men fight for my favor when I was a girl.....but...none of them....none of them carried themselves with such grace and intensity like you...and I doubt anyone ever will....."
I smiled, "Hm." I said, "You are my Wife. Any insults to you will be punished with my blade. I care not for who the person is. Nobody gets away with slandering you nor my children, your boys included."
"You...every time you fight for me..." She said softly, "It makes me feel...strange....I...I don't know, Aerion, is it wrong of me?.... I'm...I'm not young anymore but you make me feel like a maiden..."
I leaned into her, "Rhaenyra..."
"Yes?" She asked
"I love the way you look in this dress." I said with a chuckle, "It arouses me."
I ran my hand along her clavicle, feeling her smooth skin. This dress of her, it drove me crazy how beautiful my wife looked.
"What?" She said with surprise
"We both know what you're going for in this conversation." I wrapped my arms around her waist, "You get hot by watching me fight for you. It's always been like this, my love. And you know what? It's not wrong of you."
She blushed, "I..." She started
I placed my hand on her chin and ran my thumb gently against her lips, her beautiful eyes looking deep into my soul.
"I want you." I said softly, "Like you want me. I can see it in your eyes, you want these clothes off me, right? You want me to lay you in bed and make you forget of the stress you felt during the petition, right?"
"A-Aerion...." she said as she pressed herself against me
"Hm." I smiled, "Yes....I know you do."
I leaned in and kissed her briefly on the lips as I ran my hand down to her behind. Rhaenyra's eyes were full of bliss as she merely stared into space, allowing me to hold her rear.
I heard someone clear their throat, "Am I interrupting?"
We both jumped up in surprise, turning to see Daemon leaning against the doorway.
"D-Daemon!" Rhaenyra exclaimed as she pulled away from me
I frowned, "What do you want?"
I then saw Ser Lorent run into view, "M-My Princess, My Lord!" He exclaimed, "I apologize, he snuck past me..."
Daemon chuckled, "Yes, well, that's what I went for." He said straightening up and walking towards us, "You two getting intimate, I see. I'll make it quick."
I stepped in front of Rhaenyra and held my hand up, signaling him to stop, "What is it, Daemon?" I asked
He stopped and frowned, "I don't like that you call me that." He said as he pointed at me and then sat down on the chair next to him, "But you ought to thank me, Aerion."
"Why?" Rhaenyra sked
"Who do you think is the reason Vaemond so recklessly demanded a Trial?" He asked
I rolled my eyes, "I should've known."
"That's right." He smirked, "I served him up to you on a silver plate, my son. As my apology for everything I've done up to that point. I know you've wanted to do that for so long."
"I only did it because he insulted Rhaenyra." I said seriously
"Ah yes, the whole bastard and whore thing." Daemon said, "Look, when he came to me, insinuated that Rhaenyra was cuckolding you with me, for whatever reason. Which is insane, I rarely interacted with her ever since her wedding with Laenor."
"Mind your tongue, Daemon." Rhaenyra warned
He looked at his nails, "I did not like that one bit. For one, Rhaenyra here is my niece." He said, "And you're married to my son, Princess. Why would I allow such slanders?"
"You made him believe you were going to fight me?" I asked him
"Oh yes." He said with a chuckle, "I am not fighting you again, oh no. That would result in a bloody mess and I'll probably die. I don't want to subject my beloved son with an accursed fate."
"Beloved?" I asked with a raised eyebrow
"You're making me proud, Aerion." He said with a sly smirk, "Every action you're taking, it's the exact opposite of what I'd do. You're a good man. Something I'm trying to be. I know this won't exactly make you forgive me and everything, for the Dragonstone debacle, but at least it's one step towards a peaceful relationship between us."
"Hm...." I said as I looked at his scar, "Nice Scar."
"Ah yes." He said running his thumb along it, "It throbs once in a while, when I think of her. Your Mother."
"You think of her?" I asked, "Why?"
He looked at me, "She gave me something I never thought I would come to appreciate." He said,
"You."