Arianne was in the small council room with Viserys, Rhaenyra, Cregan Stark and other members of the small council. Arianne tried to ignore Rhaenyra's and Cregan's eyes that were burned into her face as the Princess looked at the bruise and spilt lip on the queen's face and the northern had a worried look.

" It is Lord Blackwood's contention, therefore, that the Brackens moved the boundary stones in the dead of night and put their horses to graze in his field " Lyonel said.

" And why wasn't this issue not brought up before Lord Grover? " Arianne asked " Has he grown so feeble, he cannot settle a quarrel over rocks? ".

" I've heard tale that Lord Grover's son now rules Riverrun in all but name ".

" Well, he is also a Tully and this remains a Tully problem " Arianne said.

" I would agree " Viserys added.

" If we may move on my lords—-" Tyland Lannister started but was interrupted by Rhaenyra.

" And yet, the Brackens and the Blackwoods will use any excuse to spill each others blood ' Rhaenyra said as she pulled her eyes away from Arianne and looked at the table as she fiddled with the stone ball in front of her, Arianne looked at Rhaenyra, who looked back before looking away again.

" So this dispute bears looking into " Rhaenyra said as she looked around the room " There will be countryfolk, who know where the lines have been draw for generations ".

" That is easy enough " Lyonel said.

" Of course " Arianne scoffed silently as she takes a sip of wine as Rhaenyra and Lyonel looked at her.

" Ser Tyland " Lyonel called out.

" We should address, the latest developments in the Stepstones, My Lords " Tyland announced.

" Will we ever be shut of that blasted place? " Viserys muttered as Arianne rolled her eyes.

" If you ask me, I think the Blackwoods have the upper hand " Lord Beesbury said.

" We've moved onto the Stepstones, Lord Beesbury ".

" And the Triarchy's new alliance with Dorne " Tyland said.

" I was hoping, our negotiations with Sunspear might persuade them to see reason " Viserys said before coughing into a handkerchief " To trust a Martell is to be disappointed ".

" And where, I wonder is our Prince Daemon? Or I suppose I should call him king as he styles himself....when he won a battle there......once ".

" That was a decade ago and he has since left the region undefended " Arianne added.

" We have left it undefended " Rhaenyra added causing Arianne to look at her " There should've been fortifications built.....watchtowers, a fleet of ships, a garrison of soldiers sent to hold our ground ".

" We can not afford it " Arianne interrupted  " Our coffers are great but not infinite, we must consider the cost to our subjects ".

" I must agree—" Lord Beesbury started.

" The cost of war is greater " Rhaenyra interrupted " But we have been lax and the old monster now lifts it's head....".

" Let us be finished " Arianne said as she sat up.

" Yes " Viserys nodded weakly as everyone but Rhaenyra got up.

" Wait......I wish to speak " Rhaenyra said.

" Be seated " Viserys ordered as everyone but Arianne sat down and Rhaenyra then stood up.

Rhaenyra looked at her ex-lover before speaking " I have.......felt the........strife.......between our families of late, my queen and for any offence given by mine, I apologise....but we are one house.......and long before that we were........great friends...." Arianne sighed looking down as she knew what Rhaenyra meant by great friends "..........My son Jaecaerys will Inherit the Iron Throne after me, I propose we betroth him to your daughter, Halaena " Arianne looked at her " Ally ourselves..........once and for all..........let them rule together".

" A most judicious proposition " Viserys smiled at Rhaenyra before looking at his wife.

Arianne scoffed as she shook her head causing everyone to look at her.

" Additionally, if Syrax brings forth another clutch of eggs, your son Aemond will have his choice of them " Arianne looked Rhaenyra's chest ".......uhh.....a symbol of our good will " Rhaenyra smiled.

" Rhaenyra " Arianne said softly as she nodded slightly at Rhaenyra chest.

Rhaenyra looked down and noticed her breast milk had leaked through her dress " Ohh seven hells " she cursed embarrassed she holds her hands in front of them and sat down.

" My dear, a dragon egg is a handsome gift " Viserys smiled.

Rhaenyra smiled at him shyly still highly embarrassed.

" The king and I thank you for your offer and we will consider it duly " Arianne said to Rhaenyra before looking at her husband " You must rest now, husband ".

Arianne walked over to Viserys and rubbed his shoulder.

" Yes " Viserys said before getting up as he and Arianne as well as the other lords walked out the room.

⎯

" How sweetly the fox speaks, when it's cornered by the hounds " Arianne said as she and Viserys walked to his chambers.

" She is sincere " Viserys defended.

" She is desperate " Arianne said bitterly as they walked up the stairs " She feels the earth washing away beneath her feet and now she expects us to ignore her transgressions and for me to marry my only daughter to one of her.........plain featured sons ".

" The proposal is a good one, My Queen " Viserys said as they stopped " We're a family.........let us put aside theses childish quarrels........join hands and be stronger for it ".

" You may do as you wish husband...........when I am cold in my grave " Arianne snapped before storming away with Ser Criston behind her.

" Arianne " Viserys called " Arianne ".

Arianne knew it was a good proposal but she didn't want Rhaenyra's son to marry because Halaena had begged her mother to not let her get married because she did not like boys in the way she should and Arianne had promised her sweet girl she postpone any marriage proposals as long as she could.

⎯

Arianne stormed into Viserys's chambers and grabbed a blanket. Viserys walked in the room with a cough, he looked at his wife before sitting down as Arianne helped him.

" I do not need the blanket—" Viserys said but Arianne ignored him as she put the blanket on him causing Viserys to sigh.

" The Hand, your grace " Ser Criston announced.

" The king is resting " Arianne said to Lyonel.

" I will see him " Viserys demanded loudly looking at his wife With annoyance.

" Lean forward " Arianne said as she fluffed the kings pillow.

" I'm being endlessly fussed over, Lyonel " Viserys smiled " It's a wonder, I can visit the privy alone ".

" Your grace " Lyonel greeted.

" What might this errand be about, Lord Lynoel? " Arianne asked.

" Your grace, I feel.........." Lyonel started and sighed before continuing " I have come to resign my position as Hand of the King ".

Viserys looked at his hand in confusion.

" The episode in the yard this morning, my son Harwin has disgraced himself and every fishwife in Kings Landing will soon be telling the tale " Lyonel said.

" Young Harwin's outburst was unfortunate, It's true " Viserys said " But he's been expelled from the city watch, that seems punishment enough ".

" Forgive me, your grace, it is not " Lyonel said.

Viserys stood up and walked to Lyonel " You have served me faithfully for many years, 10 as hand.............your advice has been sage, unmarked by self-interest........" Arianne looked down knowing he was speaking of her father, whom she missed dearly " Which stands in contrast to all others..........".

" You speak kind words........but there is a shadow over my house and it grows....ever darker and I can no longer serve you with integrity " Lyonel said.

" What is this shadow? " Viserys asked as Arianne looked at her husband " Name it if it casts such a gloom ".

" Yes.......we must have your reasoning in plain language " Arianne said to Lyonel.
Even if she knew Rhaenyra and her children where his reasoning for wanting to resign.

Viserys and Lyonel looked at Arianne.

" I cannot " Lyonel said.

" Then I cannot except this " Viserys said.

" My dear husband " Arianne started.

" I said no " Viserys shouted causing Arianne to flinch.

" If you insist, my king " Lyonel said.

" I do......you will continue in your service to the crown " Viserys commanded.

" I will then ask leave to take my son from court and take him back to the family seat at Harrenhal " Lyonel said " He is my heir ".

Arianne turned away from the men.

" And will be Lord of Harren's castle one day " Lyonel said " It is time, he assumed his duties there ".

" Do it " Viserys said as Arianne turned back around.

Lyonel nodded at Viserys and looked at Arianne before walking out.

Arianne looked at Viserys.

" Aren't you going to help me? " Viserys asked as he sat down.

Arianne stormed out as Viserys sighed.

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

Arianne walked down the hall looking around before stopping and took a shaky deep breath, before entering her chambers that she had stopped in front of.

Larys stood up as Arianne walked in, she walked over to the day bed and sat down and began to take off her shoes as Larys sat back down.

" I took the liberty of beginning without you, your grace " Larys said " It seemed a sin to let such a pie grow cold ".

" You did wisely, Lord Larys " Arianne said as she walked over to him and grabbed a cup " Though you had no such worry for the wine, surely ".

" Meat without wine is also a sin " Larys said as he poured Arianne some wine and Arianne then sat down with a sigh " It's been my duty to tell you of happenings about the castle, but tonight, you know and I do not........The king had an audience with my father? ".

" He attempted to resign his post " Arianne said.

" I thought as much " Larys nodded as he swallowed his food " His honours always been a millstone about his esteemed neck....interesting you said ' attempted ' ".

" My lord husband refused to accept " Arianne said.

" Then he fell short of confessing my brother's.........transgressions " Larys said.

" With his eruption in the yard, your brother all but confessed the truth himself " Arianne said.

" Truth has many flavours, your grace " Larys reassured " Do you expect the king to doom his dear daughter to exile, or even—"

Larys stopped his sentence putting own his cutlery when Talya entered.

" Talyam not now please " Arianne said kindly to her handmaiden.

She nodded looking at Larys before walking out.

" It's a willful blindness, the king " Larys said as he picked his cutlery back up " I mean, you'd surely suffer the same affliction, if it came to it ".

" I would not " Arianne denied causing Larys to look at her " Lord Lyonel is to escort, Ser Harwin back to Harrenhal to watch over his seat, whilst he continues to serve as hand ".

" But the hand is compromised by the acts of his son " Larys said and Arianne nodded " My father cannot give unbiased counsel to the king ".

" It is now that I most rue the absence of my own father " Arianne sighed " He wouldn't hesitate to speak to truth to the king, If Otto Hightower were still hand—".

" You cannot say, my queen that your father would be impartial in this matter " Larys said.

" No, but he would be partial to me " Arianne snapped loudly before saying softly " I'm sorry for yelling " Arianne then sighed rubbing her face before asking " In all of Kings Landing, is there no one to take my side? ".

Arianne then grabbed her glass of wine and drank it.

Larys leaned forward and looked at her.

⎯

" What are children but....a weakness?......A folly?.......A futility?.........Through them you imagine, you cheat the great darkness of it's victory........you will persist forever, in some form or another............as if they keep you from the dust.......but for them, you surrender what you should not...you may know what is the right thing to be done, but....love stands hand.......love.........is a downfall " Larys said as he sat on Arianne's couch touching her flowers " Best to make your way though life......unencumbered............if you ask me ".

Larys pulled away from the flowers and looked at Arianne looked at him shocked.

" They're dead " Arianne said.

" You've heard the stories of Harrenhal, Your grace " Larys said " It was built in hubris by Harren the Black as a monument to his own greatness " Arianne puts her hand around her neck as she listened to Larys, who picked up his cane and placed his hands on top of it as he put rested his head on top of them " Blood mixed into the mortar...........it is said to be a cursed place..........that it passes judgment on all who pass beneath it's gates ".

" You—you passed judgment " Arianne said shakily.

" The queen makes a wish " Larys shrugged as Arianne shook her head " What servant of the realm would not strive to fulfill it?...........I assume you will write to your father now? ".

Arianne takes her hand away from her neck.

" Larys.........I did not......I did not wish for this " Arianne said with a shaky voice.

" I feel certain you will reward me..........." Larys said as he picked off a flower " When the time is right ".

Larys smiled at Arianne as she tried to keep her tears in.