"She turned you away..........?" Otto asked the uncomfortable looking woman, that stood nervously playing with the hem of her sleeve, in his rooms.

"Yes, milord. Well, in truth I didn't get to see the queen. A woman answered the door, and when I told her why I was there, she informed me that the lady would be nursing the child, herself............"

"Did you tell this woman that you had been sent by Lord Strong........."

"I did, milord. But................"

"But what...................!?" The Hand demanded to know. His sudden exclamation making the rather dower nursemaid, jump.

"I........I told her that Lord Strong had sent me, to help the queen, a-a-as you had said. Yet......yet she furrowed her brows and told me that she doubted that, as she had been sent herself by Lord Strong, and he had not informed her that another would be coming. I heard someone call out from the room, asking who I was; I......I didn't hear the woman's response, as she seemed to whisper. T-t-then the voice called out for me to leave, and the woman just closed the door............" The maid explained, occasionally tripping over her words, as she watched the lord, stare out of the window. Her heart almost stopping, as he suddenly banged his fist on the glass. The young woman sure that she could see a crack in more than one of the panes.

Again! But this time he had not only had he been thwarted by the queen, but also the Master of Laws. Lyonel cementing his good relations with the female dragon, by already having provided her with a maid to help her with her needs.

Otto had known that it was not a sure-fire plan. That the queen would query anyone that came to the door claiming to be there to help with the new prince; even if that person claimed to be from someone she trusted, far more than him.

All he had wanted, was to get a person into the queen's close circle; a person that would be able to keep him informed of the queen's movements, of anything that she might say, might confide. Of anything that may happen between the king and his sister behind closed doors. A little information, better than none; information that might mean he could find a way to worm his way into the lady's favour. But obviously, he would have to go back to the drawing board.

At first, he had thought about having Alicent use her old friendship with the princess Rhaenyra. Contemplated having his daughter try and persuade the king's oldest child, that she wanted nothing more than to help the queen, as the princess did. But for once, he had thought better of it. Admittedly he had never been above using his child to further his ends, in the past; and probably would use her again in the future. Yet he had realised that he would not be able to do that, if the queen were to set eyes on Alicent. (Y/n)'s continued dislike for the young Hightower, well known of around the Keep. The female dragon threatening on more than one occasion, to have Otto's daughter married off to the lowliest lord that she could find, if Alicent were ever to come near her, or the king, again. So, he had thought of this..........he had gone out into the villages and found a nursemaid that no one would recognise. He would use his gold, power and influence to get her to do as he wanted; she would be his spy, and with luck, bring with her news that he may use against the queen. An infidelity with a Kingsguard, perhaps; a betrayal of the king's trust, that he could hold over her head. But no, as frustratingly as always, the queen seemed to know him better than he knew himself.

Finally, Otto made his way over to his desk and opened a small box, that sat proudly atop the old wood. The Hand pulling out a few coins and handing them to the woman.

"You can go.............." Otto said dismissively, before making his way back to the window.

"Y-y-yes, milord. Thank you, milord............" She replied, before quickly scurrying from the room.

                                                      >>---------------------------------<<

"That's her................" A voice exclaimed. The nursemaid turning to see the lady that had answered the door of the queen's chambers, along with a rather large, slightly gruff looking bald headed man, dressed in the armour of a Kingsguard, making their way over to her.

"You were the one that came to the queen's rooms claiming to be from Lord Strong." The man said. His words sounding more like a statement of fact, than a question.

"Um..........I........yes................"

"Come with me............" These words now an order. The nursemaid finding herself being pulled though the corridors of the Keep. The trio only stopping, as they arrived at the door that the maid had knocked on earlier. The large man knocking, and then opening the door, as they heard a voice bid them enter. The scared woman curtsying deeply, as there before her, stood the white-haired female dragon.

"This is her.............?"

"Yes, my queen.........." The other woman replied. The maid suddenly finding a hand placed under her chin.

"Look at me.............." The nursemaid reluctantly raising her head and her eyes. The breath catching in her throat, as the queen looked into her teary orbs.

"There is no need to fear, my dear; not if you tell me the truth..........."

"Anything, your grace; I will tell you anything............"

"Excellent. Now, you will tell me who you really are, and why Lord Hightower told you to come here and say that you had been sent by Lord Strong." (Y/n) said, as she released the maid, and made her way back over to the chair. Listening as the woman dropped to her knees and told her everything.