'✦ ˑ ִֶָ 𓂃⊹ ೃ༄ ✘ 🐉 ✘ ೃ༄ ✧ ͎. ｡˚ ° ͎.

❝BLACK WITH ENVY❞ ✧ ೃ༄
【CHAPTER TWO...! 】
✦˖*°࿐ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀꜱᴛᴀʀᴅ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇꜱꜱ
𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . . █▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

91 AC, Red Keep, Kings Landing

Aemma Arryn silently listened to the sound of the bells ringing throughout Kings Landing announcing to all who inhabit the city, the birth of Prince Viserys' second born child, a beautiful little girl who they decided to name Rhaenyra. As she looked down at her first child, she could feel the blossoming love she felt for her little dragon start to overwhelm her heart. She had never felt such love or devotion towards another human being until she set eyes on her newborn babe. The labor itself was fairly easy, she had pushed a maximum of 10 times until Rhaenyra made her presence known — her babe was strong, and no doubt would one day grow to be the most beautiful maiden in the seven kingdoms.

"She is beautiful, and I'm very proud of you," Viserys praised his second wife.

"Her birth was far easier than I initially thought it would be. She was well worth it," Aemma smiled, looking down at Rhaenyra who was looking between her two parents with the most beautiful lavender eyes Aemma had ever seen.

"She looks like you, she has my nose, but she definitely inherited your beauty," Viserys smirked.

"You flatter me, my prince," Aemma smiled sweetly.

"Her birth was far less eventful than Naeseryne was, but I prefer it this way," Viserys admitted.

"Our daughter may not be dragonborn like her elder sister, but she will make a name for herself, this I am sure of," Aemma insisted.

"I have no doubt that she will," Viserys agreed.

"We must talk before anyone else sees her, my love," Aemma whispered.

"Talk about what, my dear?" Viserys asked naively.

"Her birth status. Viserys, she was conceived a month before we even married. She's a bastard, we must protect her," Aemma implores, making Viserys eyes widened.

Viserys shushed his second wife, and laid a comforting hand on her arm, "No one shall know of our daughter's true status. To everyone, we married, and then conceived Rhaenyra — no one would know the wiser."

Aemma huffed in frustration, not fully believing what her dear husband was saying, but relented, "If you say so, my love. I just want her safe and protected. The Hightower-Targaryen's won't take kindly to it."

"They are of no trouble. You and Alicent seem to be getting along regardless of how awkward the situation is. That alone makes me very happy. A divided house is a vulnerable house," Viserys chided.

Aemma internally rolled her eyes, but smiled either way, "I am putting my best foot forth regardless of how hostile Princess Alicent can be."

Viserys narrowed his eyes, "Has my first wife been hostile to you? Did she make you uncomfortable?"

Aemma smiled sweetly, "No, not uncomfortable — she expressed her own worries about what our child's future would look like. She's worried our children will replace her in your heart and in court."

Viserys' eyes widened, "I shall love all my children equally. I won't be like King Aegon in that aspect."

"I think you should be reassured of that, and possibly go see Princess Naesernye while you are at it. The court cannot see you neglecting one child in the sake of another — like you said we must remain united," Aemma exclaimed falsely.

"I shall see my first wife and first born soon, but for now, we must bask in the birth of our little dragon. She's quite perfect, is she not?" Viserys asked, looking lovingly down at his second daughter.

Aemma sighed, and nodded, "Would you like to hold her?"

"Of course," Viserys agreed, taking little Rhaenyra into his arms, and cooing at her when she finally opened up her eyes. "She has your eyes Aemma, but my shade of hair coloring — a perfect mixture of us both, indeed."

Aemma looked down at her daughter in her husband's arms, and beamed when she noticed her little girl's eyes looking up at her, "She has my eyes, god bless you, my little dragon —  you'll be the most beautiful maiden in all of the kingdoms one day."

"Yes, she will be," Viserys hummed, rocking his daughter back and forth while Aemma basked in her little family.

━━━

Otto Hightower just left the room of Princess Aemma where he had just met Prince Visery' newest daughter, Princess Rhaenyra — and to say he was unhappy was an understatement. His daughter had been slighted yet again by the birth of the newest princess, even old king Jaehaerys looked uneasy around the newborn babe, as if he had seen something he did not. Of course, the Arryn's were over the moon that Princess Aemma had given birth to a healthy babe, and Rodrick Arryn had even went as far as to ask him personally when Alicent would give Viserys more children only for Viserys to say that he was giving Alicent's body a break to recover from the last miscarriage before they even try again — it was embarrassing beyond belief not only for himself, but for his beautiful daughter who has done nothing but be a dutiful and faithful wife to Viserys.

"You look upset husband," Princess Visenya commented from her seat by the hearth.

Otto huffed, pouring himself a goblet of wine, "I just had the pleasure of meeting the newest princess. Viserys is over the moon."

"Is the baby healthy?," Alicent asked, walking into her parents' audience chamber with a babbling Princess Naeseryne.

Otto smiled sadly at his daughter, "Yes, she was, and to not be rude, Viserys is besotted with his new daughter."

"So much that he would forget ours?" Alicent seethed, handing over her daughter to her mother's awaiting arms.

"I have my suspicions, but I will point out that the king seemed uncomfortable with the entire situation. He wouldn't even hold the babe much to Viserys and the Arryn's discontent," Otto explained with a small smirk.

"If he neglects Naesernye in favor of his newest child then that is his problem. You will give our little dragonborn all of the love and care she deserves," Visenya demanded.

Alicent allowed her daughter to grab her pinky, and smiled down at her beautiful babe, "And what did the new princess look like? The typical targaryen?"

"She did. Viserys wouldn't stop ranting and raving about how his new daughter inherited his golden-silver hair. Princess Aemma even had the gall to ask where Naesernye inherited her pure silver white hair?" Otto spat.

"My daughter has the rarest hair color in Valyrian history. Only one other person had it, and that was Queen Visenya," Alicent sneered, stroking her daughter's curls in comfort.

"That's what Queen Alysanne said, but Viserys ignored him and went back to paying attention to his newborn child. The King left after that interaction," Otto laughed, taking a quick sip of his wine.

"I wonder why he was so uncomfortable? He was jubilant and happy around Naeseryne," Visenya pointed out.

Otto shrugged, "We may never know, but I worry for Naesernye's place at court."

"And for good reason," Visenya spoke, now standing before the fire, looking deeply into the flames.

Alicent sighed, knowing exactly what her mother was doing, looking for answers in the flame. It was well known throughout the royal family of Visenya's magical prowess, and now that Naesernye was officially declared a dragonborn, people tended to look at the small babe as if she was Maelys, the goddess of love and fertility, herself.

"What do you see, my love?" Otto asked, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist.

Visenya looked harder into the flame, and gasped, "I saw nothing — what does that mean?"

"The 14 flames may not be ready to reveal it yet mother — like you've taught me, the gods can be fickle creatures," Alicent reminded her mother.

Visenya hummed, "That you are right, my daughter, but I worry, I fear, and I can't shake the feeling that the birth of the new princess could mean trouble for our little dragonborn."

Alicent looked warily at her mother, "What do you mean?"

"I share the same fears, my love," Otto interrupted the mother-daughter duo.

"You have feared ever since Viserys brought that Arryn whore home, lord husband, and yet, you haven't shared those fears with neither me nor your daughter," Visenya pointed out with an arched brow.

Otto exhaled, "I fear for the safety of not only our daughter, but for our granddaughter. Viserys has already shown a great amount of favoritism towards Aemma Arryn. He has been neglecting Alicent and his duties towards their marriage in favor of spending all of his time with his whore."

"And you have every right to have such a fear. We are now in a difficult situation, and I have a feeling that this is just the beginning for the Arryn's grasp for power," Visenya explained, putting a comforting hand on her husband's chest.

"The Arryn's are a wildcard. For all the talk of honor, they sure do have a way of being treasonous behind closed doors," Otto noted.

"Treasonous?" Alicent questioned, confusedly.

"Alicent," Otto addressed his daughter sternly. "Do you truly believe that the Arryns will allow any of your children to sit on the iron throne? Rodrick Arryn knows how to play this game, and he knows the way of the court just like I do. He will do whatever he can to solidify power for his daughter and granddaughter."

"Then we must solidify power of our own, so my daughter and I can be protected," Alicent insisted.

"And I will do whatever I can to protect you and my granddaughter," Otto elaborated, gabbing Alicent by the shoulder and looking her dead in the eye. "You must make sure the court is on your side. You were the one who was wronged and spited, the court must see you as the true wife of Viserys — Aemma cannot be seen in a good light."

"And how do you expect to make her look bad, lord husband?" Visenya sneered, completely frustrated over the situation they now found themselves in.

"I don't know, honestly, but she gives me the vibe that she has two different sides to her. One side where she seems like an innocent bystander and the other side where she's a manipulative witch who seduced Viserys into marrying her," Otto hissed.

"We all know that Aemma Arryn is far from an innocent bystander," Alicent scoffed.

"She seduced Viserys, that makes her far from innocent," Visenya quipped.

"Aemma Arryn is far more capable than we give her credit for. We must not underestimate her — I can see her manipulating Viserys into things going in her favor, she now has Viserys ear and that is a disadvantage to us," Otto made known.

"I fear she will always have his ear. He has specifically told me that he will not risk me carrying another child. He said he was dedicated to making sure Aemma gives him his much needed male heir," Alicent spat.

"He still believes he needs a male heir? Why? He is to inherit nothing," Otto remarked, looking skeptically at his daughter who shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"What do you know, Alicent?" Visenya persisted, giving her daughter a pointed look.

"I overheard Viserys talking with the king about having certain dreams, but I didn't hear what these dreams were practically about," Alicent answered.

"Viserys is not a dragon dreamer? Has he lost his mind?" Visenya grunted.

Alicent shrugged, "Like I said mother, I only heard him admit to the king that he had certain dreams, not the description of the dreams themselves."

Visenya exhaled in frustration, "I don't believe that Viserys is a dragon dreamer."

"Neither do I," Otto agreed.

"What are you going to do with protecting my daughter?" Alicent snapped.

"I have plans in place, but we must first have you establish your household. We need to make alliances with the major houses of Westeros — Baratheon, Tyrell, Stark, Tully, Lannister, we must have each of those houses to allow a lady of their house to come and serve as a lady-in-waiting for you," Otto explained.

Alicent gulped, and looked to her mother, "Will you help me with that? I feel so unprepared for this."

"You'll learn and grow into your role, but until then you have your father and I to lean on," Visenya reassured her daughter, stroking her cheek in comfort.

Alicent sighed, "I'm glad that I have your support, but I still worry for my daughter. Viserys barely spends time with her as it is, and the court is starting to gossip."

"I've heard the gossip, and my spies are working on trying to figure out exactly who is starting this rumors," Otto retorted.

"Viserys not spending time with our granddaughter is not a simple rumor, Otto, it's fact," Visenya grumbled.

"The court doesn't need to know that," Otto rasped before turning to face his daughter. "You need to act like the dutiful wife before the court, but behind closed doors is another thing. I believe trying to persuade Viserys to continue his lordly husband duties towards you will backfire, so acting accordingly in court is what we must work with for now."

"And what about Rodrick Arryn? Anytime he sees my daughter out amongst the court he looks at her as if he could consume her with fire — his hatred towards me and Naesernye is evident in his eyes," Alicent bleated.

"Let me worry about Lord Arryn. You just worry about Naesernye and solidifying your position in court with the help from your mother," Otto persisted.

"Do you think we can seek help and support from Aunt Rhaenys?" Alicent questioned her mother.

Visenya pursed her lips, "No, my sister and I are estranged. As much as I love Rhaenys, her loyalty lies within her husband and children."

Alicent huffed, "So, we are on our own?"

"As much as it is daunting, we must stand united as a family. Do you understand? This is life or death," Otto declared.

"I understand," Alicent gulped.

Before anyone could say a thing further, there was a knock on the chamber door.

"Come in," Visenya demanded.

Viserys poked his head into his first wife's audience chamber to find her standing with her parents, "Alicent, would you please come and meet my new daughter?"

Alicent seethed internally, but nodded stiffly, "Of course, Lord Husband. I hope Lady Aemma's labor was short and swift like the morning breeze."

Viserys sighed, "It's princess Aemma, Alicent. We have been over this — you both will address each other properly. We cannot have the court believing that we are not a united front."

"Of course Lord Husband, I apologize. It will take some getting used to. You understand don't you?" Alicent smiled sweetly, kissing Viserys on the cheek.

"Of course. Aemma is also struggling to adapt to our new normal, but I have no doubt that you two will get along and run this court as my mother once did alongside my grandmother," Viserys swaggered.

Alicent held back a sneer, "I'm sure we will one day soon. I believe we need time to adapt, this is a new environment for everyone involved."

Viserys nodded and held out his arm, "Shall we go? I will escort you. Are you coming as well, good-father and good-mother?"

Visenya wanted to scoff at Viserys' audacity, but bit her tongue, "Of course."

Alicent followed her lord husband into Princess Aemma's bed chambers to find Viserys' second wife coddling a small bundle while sitting up on her four poster bed. Alicent felt the bile creeping up her throat, but she kept it down and held her composure. She would not allow her husband's invalid wife to see her break nor see her cry, no matter how much she wanted to break down at that very moment. Just thinking about her own daughter keeps her grounded, knowing that her little dragonborn would not want her mother to allow their enemies to see any sign of weakness — No, Alicent had to remain strong, and strong she would be.

"Princess Alicent, I thank you for coming. I can't imagine how awkward this is for you," Aemma simpered, smiling falsely at Viserys' first wife.

Alicent hummed, and stepped to stand next to her husband, "We will eventually adapt. It will take time, but I'm sure we can be cordial for the sake of Viserys."

"We are not going to discuss the matter of our marriages in front of your parents," Viserys ordered his wives.

"Yes, Lord Husband," Alicent and Aemma agreed, although both women looked at one another warily.

"Now, Alicent I would like you to meet Princess Rhaenyra, my second born," Viserys beamed. "Would you like to hold her?"

Alicent gulped and nodded as Viserys carefully handed over his daughter to his first wife. He continued to beamed down at Rhaenyra while Alicent examined the child — the babe was beautiful that was sure, but her hair didn't shine as brightly as her daughter's hair and her purple eyes were more lackluster compared to Naesernye bright amethyst eyes that she inherited from her great-grandfather, King Jahaerys. Overall, Alicent wasn't that impressed with Aemma's daughter, but she kept her thoughts to herself and smiled over at Aemma who was looking back at her with a tight lipped smile.

"She's beautiful, Viserys. I'm sure our daughter will be the best for friends," Alicent announced.

Aemma internally scoffed at what Alicent just said. Her daughter would never befriend or get on with the daughter of the woman who has everything that should belong to her. Her daughter will no doubt be seen as second best to Viserys first born, but if things went accordingly to her father's plans then Princess Naesernye and Princess Alicent shouldn't be a problem in the future — no one would want to marry a disgraced mother and daughter who fell out of favor with the royal family. If she had it her way, Alicent Hightower and Naesernye Targaryen would be ruined, leaving her and Rhaenyra as the desired and revered Targaryen princesses they were both destined to be — just Iike the woods witch said.

"You'll never wed a prince, but you'll wed a king. You won't be queen, but you'll have the king's devotion, love and favor for a time, until there comes another — younger, stronger, more beautiful to take you and your daughter down. The king will have 5 children, and you will give him his most favorite, gold will be her crowns, gold her shrouds. When you have failed to give the king his desired heir, when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall dig his hands into your tired womb and cut the life from you."

Aemma knew that the prophecy was true, and she was going to make sure she survived and that Princess Alicent never gave Viserys his long awaited son — no, she would birth him an heir, no matter the cost, even if the cost was her very own life.

"I hope we can move past the awkwardness and become friends, Alicent, for the sake of our daughters," Aemma smiled falsely.

Alicent gulped, "Of course. Moving forward will be for the betterment of our family — a house divided is a weak house, so we must show a united front for the nobles."

"I'm glad both of my wives are finally seeing the light, and trying to get along," Viserys beamed.

Alicent grimaced but smiled falsely at Aemma who was doing the same exact thing to her self appointed nemesis. Both women knew from that point on that they needed to tread carefully and act accordingly in front of their husband who seemed to ignore the apparent hostility between his two wives — something that one day would lead both of their daughter's to wage war against one another.

"Will there be a celebration to honor our little dragon Viserys?" Aemma asked slyly, making eye contact with Alicent who only looked at her with hidden hostility.

"Will that make you happy, my love?" Viserys smiled warmly.

"It would. Our little dragon deserves the absolute best — all of the lords of the seven kingdoms will grow to love her, and revere her," Aemma gushed, stroking her child's delicate cheek.

"Where is the king? He should be here by now?" Alicent asked, sharing a wary look with her father who was trying to contain his fury.

"He should be here soon, Ali. Don't fret," Visenya cooed while rocking her granddaughter who had just woken up.

"Can I introduce Naeseryne to Rhaenyra?" Viserys asked Aemma.

Aemma nodded hesitantly.

Viserys took his firstborn daughter from her grandmother, and made his way over to his second wife who was looking at the young babe warily.

As soon as Naeseryne was inches away from Aemma, she started to wail and flail around in her fathers arm. Unaware and uncomfortable, Viserys looks back at Alicent with a look of pleading. Rushing over to her Lord Husband, she quickly relieved the Targaryen prince of his first daughter and started to rock the distraught babe back and forth in order to calm her down.

"Your daughter is a beast. Why did she suddenly become so upset when she was in the presence of my newborn daughter?" Aemma asked, a sneer ever present on her comely face.

"Excuse me?" Alicent asked, looking at Aemma in astonishment. "Did you just insult my daughter? Viserys, did you hear what she called Naeseryne?"

"Yes, I heard it loud and clear, and quite frankly Aemma is clearly stressed and her emotions have gotten the best of her. Isn't that right, my love?" Viserys cooed.

Alicent shared looks of disbelief with her parents. Leave it to her husband to deny Aemma's wrong doings and make excuses for her. Alicent had a horrible feeling that this wouldn't be the last time something like this would happen between her and Viserys' second wife.

"I'm very sorry Alicent. I didn't mean any harm, my pregnancy has clearly taken an emotional toil on me and my mind," Aemma smiled falsely.

"I hear that I have a second great-grandchild," King Jaehaerys commented dryly, not even looking interested in meeting the newest Targaryen princess.

"Yes, Aemma has given me another beautiful daughter," Viserys gushed excitedly.

"That's great," Jaehaerys said nonchalantly, turning his attention to his first great-grandchild.

"Do you wish to meet her, my king?" Aemma asked, feeling a bit slighted at the fact that the old king was not paying any attention to her little dragon.

"Meet who?" Jaehaerys asked as he took Naeseryne into his aging arms.

"Your new grandchild!" Viserys shouted unexpectedly.

"Oh? Yes, of course. Let me see the little lady," Jaehaerys remarked absentmindedly.

"She's a princess, my king," Aemma retorted calmly.

"What did you say?" Jaehaerys asked, looking away from his first great-grandchild.

"She said she was a princess, you're grace. Our daughter is a princess of the seven kingdoms," Viserys gritted through his teeth, clearly frustrated with his grandsire..

Jaehaerys shrugged, "I'm getting up there in age, Viserys, don't mind me, I tend to forget more than not."

"It's alright your grace — we just don't want Rhaenyra to grow up feeling resentful or neglected. She's as much a princess as Princess Naeseryne is," Aemma said sweetly.

"You're right, and I apologize for my mishap," Jaehaerys smiled firmly.

"Apology accepted — now, grandfather, we would like to hold a celebration in honor of Rhaenyra's birth in a moon's time with a tourney and feast," Viserys gushed.

"And what about Naeseryne?" Alicent scoffed.

"What about her?" Aemma asked mockingly, earning a look of confusion from Jaehaerys.

"She didn't have a huge celebration for her birth. We could celebrate her upcoming name day and Princess Rhaenyra's birth simultaneously," Alicent suggested.

"That would take away the celebration of Rhaenyra's birth. Surely you can see reason that Naeseryne's name day can be celebrated at the end of the year," Aemma reasoned.

Alicent scrunched up her nose in distaste at the blatant disrespect and dismissal of her daughter, "What do you think, Your Grace?"

Jaehaerys looked between his family members, and sighed, "Alicent, allow Aemma and Viserys the honor to celebrate Rhaenyra's birth separately — you can plan for Naeseryne's name day celebration for the end of the month, the lords will have to stay if they wish to celebrate both Targaryen princesses."

Aemma smirked internally, but gave her grandsire and king a nod of gratitude while Alicent hesitatingly followed right after her with a nod of her own much to the annoyance of her parents.

"Thank you for the compromise, your grace," Princess Viseny commented through gritted.

"I hear I have a new granddaughter?" Rodrick Arryn questioned with a huge smile on his face as he walked into his daughters bed chambers, feeling slightly alarmed at the presence of the Targaryen-Hightower branch.

"Yes father, and we have named her Rhaenyra. Isn't that such a beautiful name?" Aemma slightly smirked from the queen size bed situated in the center of the  massive ornate room.

"Rhaenyra? That's a very Targaryen name much less foreign than Princess Naeseryne's name, don't you think, Prince Viserys?" Rodrick commented slyly, earning a few harsh glares from both Alicent and Otto.

"Naeseryne is a very unique name — don't you think, Viserys?" Alicent asked unabashedly, still glaring hardly at Lord Rodrick.

Viserys hummed, not even looking at his first wife," "Yes, it's a very unique name."

Alicent looked away and rolled her eyes as Viserys continued to dote over his second born daughter.  She knew that things would become difficult for her and her daughter, but that would not stop her from protecting her daughter from those who wish nothing but to replace her, or harm her in any way, shape, or form — she who had given birth to a dragonborn and is blessed by the fourteen flames. Alicent would allow the Arryns their victory just this once, and would act as the perfect wife, but in the shadow she would work to ensure that her daughter's future was secure — she would remain humble and reverent until it was time to unleash her inner fire.

✦˖*°࿐Authors Note: Hi, yes, hello, it's been awhile! Sorry for the lack of updates, I was lacking motivation and going through major writers block! I hope that I can put more updates out, but I'm not promising anything! I would also like to know what you liked most in this chapter? And what you wish to see in the next! Leave your opinions and suggestions the comments below! Until next time!!