Otto made his way through the corridors. The guards and servants stopping and bowing, as the Hand walked briskly towards his destination. He had seen the lady's dragon return to the capital a short time ago. Otto giving it just enough time to allow her to change before he would go and call on her. Hoping that this time, she would look more favourably on his advances.

It was true that when his wife had died, he thought that he would not take another. But then the princess had returned to the capital, still unwed. So, what better way to cement the power of House Hightower in the kingdom, than to have the younger sister of the king. The twin of Prince Daemon, as his new bride.

Normally, the princess (Y/n) would have been married off to her older brother. Yet she had managed to avoid that, and marriage to her own twin, it would appear, had been a little too close even for the Targaryens. So, thanks to Viserys love for his younger sister, (Y/n) had been allowed more freedom than any other lady. Never forced to marry Vaemond Velaryon, as many believed she would be. The princess instead allowed to be as wild as her dragon, Ormr. The pair leaving for long periods of time. Never heard from, until her great pale beast would fly once more over the heads of the inhabitants of the city. The princess always causing quite a stir, just like her twin, when she made an appearance. Yet the last time that she had arrived, she had decided to stay for a while. Otto's plans quickly formulating in his mind.

It was true to say that (Y/n) was beautiful. Beyond simply beautiful. Yet it was not that beauty that had attracted him. It was her intelligence that he wanted. The Hand sure that if he could persuade her to be his bride, they would be quite the most formidable partnership. But that intelligence was also the thing that was causing him all his problems. She was sharp, cunning and quick. A lady that was not blind to all the scheming in the castle. Not blind to his scheming. Otto sure that he would have to go about things a completely different way if he wanted to have any success with the princess.

Quickly, he found himself outside the lady's apartments. Otto readjusting his Hand pin, before raising his hand to knock on the door. A young woman opening the ingress and looking at him.

"I would like to see the Princess (Y/n)." Otto informed the maid. The girl nodding before quickly closing the door again. Leaving the Hand of the King to stand in the corridor.

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

(Y/n) cooed softly over her great dragon. The princess chuckling to herself as Ormr let out a deep purring sound. Her gloved hand firmly patting the side of her beast's neck before turning to the dragon wranglers.

"Make sure that you look after him. And give him something extra to eat tonight. He is getting a little restless." The princess told the two men. The wranglers bowing deeply, as she made her way past them. Her feet carrying her quickly back up to the Keep. Her maids scurrying around like startled mice, as she made her way into her rooms. The lady allowing them to remove her rider clothes. (Y/n) sighing happily as they cleaned her heated skin with cloths drenched in cold water. The servants managing to replace her shirt and breeches, with a gown before the Targaryen moved over to her desk. Taking a seat and looking over the vast array of messages that had been sent to her by raven.

Unlike her older brother, Viserys, (Y/n) didn't like leaving her business to others. Didn't like the idea of men such as those that sat on the king's small council, sticking their nose into things that were of no concern of theirs. The princess preferring to keep all that she had, and knew, to herself. Quite aware that knowledge was power. And that her knowledge, if used at the right time, could be exceptionally powerful.

(Y/n) sighed, as she heard a knock at her chamber door. The princess pouring herself a glass of wine, as one of her maids went to answer the knock. The lady sighing again, as she heard the all too familiar voice from the other side of the door.

"It's the Lord Hand, my lady. He would like to speak to you................"

"Yes, Nira. I heard. Please show Lord Hightower in and then all of you can leave us." (Y/n) told the maid. Leaning back in her chair, as Nira opened the door for Otto. She and the other young women curtsying, before quickly leaving the room.

"Lord Hand. How can I help you............? But please, if you have come to do more scheming, I am really not in the mood. Ormr is becoming restless and so am I. And your constant attempts at trying to increase your stranglehold over my brother's reign are just pushing me more and more towards leaving Kings Landing again." (Y/n) said, as she looked up at the man on the other side of the desk.

"Scheming my lady? Stranglehold.............? I only do what I do for the good of the kingdom and your brother................"

"No, Otto. You do what you do for the good of yourself. To increase the power and position of House Hightower. I know that you send Alicent to my brother's rooms to "console" him. To help him get over the loss of Aemma and his son. To give him a pretty shoulder to cry on. I know that you do that in hopes that when you and the rest of the small council force Viserys to take another wife, his eye will fall on your poor daughter. And I also know that you come to my rooms in hopes that I will be as big an idiot as my brother is, and will believe that you are actually interested in me. That you really care. That you see more when you look at me than just another way to get you and your family closer to the throne. But I don't, Otto. I don't believe it for one moment." (Y/n) said, as she slowly got up from her chair and made her way around the desk to where the older man stood. Her hand reaching up to straighten his Hand pin, as she smiled at him. The lady moving back, as a knock came to her door.

"Come.................."

"My lady. They have need of you at the dragon pit. Ormr won't rest." A young man informed her, as he stepped into the room.

"Thank you. I will go now............" (Y/n) replied. The young man bowing before leaving the room.

"Well, Otto. As you have just heard, I have to go. But........better luck next time. I mean, I doubt that what I have said with change any of your plans." (Y/n) chuckled, before kissing the Hand on the cheek and making her way out of the door. Otto sure that he was going to have to come up with a completely different approach, if he was going to make the princess, his.