The silence in the room was unbearable. Everyone was thinking their own thoughts and did not dare to say anything.

The great secret in the room hung over the heads of those present, but no one spoke it out, because after all it was a secret.

Everyone had gathered in the queen's chambers to stand by the grieving mother. Alicent sat almost motionless in an armchair in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames.

She had wept bitterly after Aegon fell over in the dining hall and was pronounced dead. Her eyes were red and her cheeks still shone a little, although she had stopped crying some time ago when the shock had set in.
Her whole plan was ruined with the death of her firstborn and she had strong feelings of guilt towards her late husband, King Viserys. On his deathbed, he had expressed to her his wish to have his true heir, his son, succeed him on the throne.

But now Aegon was gone and Alicent's promise was broken.

All her efforts had been in vain, although she had known that Aegon was unfit for the throne. She did not know what to do now and her own father was no help.

Otto had almost stormed out of the dining hall and since then no one had seen the king's hand.

Two deaths in the royal family and the death of old Maester Ludwig within a week were just too much, even for Alicent Hightower.

Next to her on another armchair sat her youngest son Daeron. He was still shocked by what had happened, but he did not grieve as much as his mother. He and Aegon had never acted like brothers, so why should he grieve like a brother now?

Helaena, Aemond and Edith were the only ones in the family who knew it was all for show. But they also mourned the loss that Aegon's disappearance had left behind.

While Aemond looked out the window into the darkness, Helaena sat quietly on the sofa without doing anything. Helaena always had something in her hand, but now her hands were empty.

Edith, on the other hand, was behind Helaena's sofa, half sitting on the backrest and stroking her friend's silver hair soothingly. Helaena would never admit it, but of course she missed her brother and husband too.

"This is all silly..." muttered Daeron, getting up from his chair to go to the table at the side of the room and grab a drink.

"Daeron." Aemond admonished his younger brother when he noticed the look on his mother's face.

Alicent ran her hands over her face and then wearily closed her eyes. She had no strength to admonish her son.

"What, Aegon had a job to do, and even this he failed to do!" Daeron drank his goblet empty and poured himself new wine, looking much more like his eldest brother than he wanted to.

"Daeron, Aegon is dead." Edith reminded her brother-in-law, though this was not true, but he did not know that. She hated having to lie to everyone, but this time it was for everyone's safety. "He choked, and I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose," she said.

"It would be typical of him, though." Said the dark haired one rolling his eyes.

"You shouldn't express such thoughts in front of your mother and sister. It's disrespectful." Replied Edith tensely, risking her good connection with her cousin.

"Forgive me." Daeron showed no further reaction and said nothing more about Edith's statement. He then just took his goblet and sat down again on his armchair next to his mother's.

Just at that moment Otto Hightower came rushing into the room. Without looking at anyone he went to the bar like Daeron before and took something to drink, then he turned around and looked at his daughter. However, she did not look at him.

"The council is waiting." He said without emotion.

It was incredible how he acted. He had been the hand of the king, whom he had lost. He had lost his firstborn grandson today and he still had to solve a murder of the old Maester. Of course Otto had a lot to do, but that was no reason to behave so inhumanly.

Pityingly, Edith looked at Alicent, who did not move. The queen had never been a good mother, but still she had the right to mourn now, but she did not have the time.

"Is it possible to postpone this until tomorrow? The queen is visibly in mourning." Daeron said to his grandfather. By now he was feeling guilty about how he had acted just now and how he had spoken about his supposedly dead brother.

Otto looked at Daeron almost annoyed. "There is no time for mourning. People are already talking about the prince's death in the Red Keep. It is only a matter of time before they learn of the death from the king. It's surprising how well we've been able to hide it so far." He replied.

Edith wondered if Otto Hightower had any feelings at all or could feel anything like compassion. She was personally to blame for many of them, but that did not give the Hand reason to disrespectfully disturb his daughter in her grief.

But somehow the hand was right, Edith thought. And at the same time she could hardly wait to be appointed queen herself. It was only logical that Aemond would now be the alternative and that was exactly what they had hoped for and taken into consideration in their planning.

Aemond had been silent since they arrived in this room, because he didn't want to seem too pleased. After all, everything was going according to plan and soon he would ascend to the throne, that which he had worked for all his life but had never seen a chance for - until now.

"The hand is right." Alicent's voice sounded rough and hoarse, so she reached for Daeron's goblet and drank his wine. "We shouldn't keep the council waiting any longer." She opined as she finished her drink and stood up, then looked at her father seriously before looking to Aemond. Her son returned the look, but neither said a word until Alicent left the room with Otto.

She had had no choice, but the situation exhausted her. Alicent had lost more than anyone else in this room without looking at the current situation. The still young woman had been tired for a long time, but she had to stay strong for everything and everyone.
As always.

Aemond stayed behind in the room with his wife and his two remaining siblings, feeling a little overwhelmed inside. He had believed that Alicent would pray him to come along, but she had not. Edith realized that, too, and she had to swallow hard.

"I'm glad I don't have to be a queen." Helaena whispered softly to Edith. The princess had turned to her friend and looked at her with some relief.

The young woman with the brownish hair forced herself to smile softly and continued stroking Helaena's silver hair. She didn't know what to say to that, because Edith saw it quite differently, as she was eager to become queen for her own revenge.

Then she realized that she had saved not only Aegon, but also Helaena from this heavy fate. And somehow it gave Edith a bit of inner peace.

Daeron took his empty goblet, which Alicent had drained, in his hand and put it back on the counter. He let his gaze wander around the room and had to sigh, for he did not know what to say or do. And of all things, his biological father, Ser Adrik, was not here to help him. So he decided to do nothing but leave the room.

"What are you going to do?" asked Aemond, thus stopping his brother, who was already standing outside the door.
"There were no instructions to stay here." Daeron shrugged his shoulders.

"You should-"

"Let him go, Aemond. We should all go and rest...it's been a long day." Edith interrupted her husband and extended her hand to him. "Come."

Aemond looked at Edith motionless for a moment until he finally reached for her hand.

Daeron took advantage of this moment where Aemond was distracted and disappeared from the queen's chambers to go to his own, at least that's what the remaining three in the room thought.

"I don't want to go." Said Helaena so quietly that Edith almost overheard her friend if she hadn't seen Helaena's lips move.

"You should rest as well, dear sister." Aemond advised her affectionately, but Helaena seemed unconvinced. "The children are with their wet nurses and Aegon is gone. I don't want to go to my chambers." Explained the older princess to herself, almost ashamed.

Edith's features softened and her tense posture disappeared. She felt sorry for her sister-in-law, who was now alone, and the guilty conscience once again scratched at her poor heart.

Without waiting for a reaction from her husband, Edith held out her free hand to Helaena and smiled encouragingly at her. "Then please come with us."

"With you two? Are you sure?" Helaena's eyes widened at Edith's request.

"But of course. Tonight you'll sleep with us and tomorrow we'll see, okay?" smiled Edith and took Helaena's hand to help her get up. "Come on, it's getting late."

Slightly confused, the silver-haired one squeezed Edith's hand, but she followed her and her brother. "Aemond?" asked Helaena.

"It's a good idea, don't worry about it, Hel." Reassured Aemond his older sister, he also smiled at her and immediately Helaena relaxed.

Many hours had passed and much more had happened when Edith had left her chamber that morning and somehow it felt strange to be back now.

She had hoped for it, but she had inwardly doubted her plan, just like Aemond. But despite all the doubts, the first part of the plan had worked and they were in the middle of writing their own story.

Edith lent Helaena one of her own nightgowns and together the two women got ready for the night in the adjoining room, while remaining silent. It was kind of strange, but that was certainly due to the situation, as the two had already slept in the same bed more than once.

"Your belly is getting bigger." Helaena remarked as Edith put on her nightgown. The light fabric was perfect against her body and was a little tighter around her belly, which was really getting bigger.

Her heart warmed and intuitively she put her hands on her belly. "Yes, that's right. I'm afraid I'll burst soon." Joked Edith laughing as the two walked back into the adjoining bedroom. "Not so unlikely, since I have a big husband."

Curious, Aemond looked at the two women. He was already in bed ready for the night, having slid all the way to the edge to give the other two more space. Edith lay down in bed with him, while Helaena sat on the edge of the bed.

"What are you talking about?" asked Aemond.

Edith leaned her back against the headboard of the bed and stroked her belly. "Helaena just remarked that my belly is getting bigger." She answered her husband.

"Yes, and soon Edith will burst." Joked Helaena innocently, hiding her laughter behind her hand.

Aemond turned his head to Edith and eyed her carefully. "Can this really happen?" he wanted to know unknowingly, looking as innocent as a little boy.

Now Edith had to laugh, too. She had asked her mother exactly the same question back when she was pregnant with her younger brother Cassian.

"No, of course not." she assured him quickly, reassuring him somewhat.

Still, Aemond remained skeptical.

The three talked for a while longer until Helaena finally settled properly into bed and Aemond extinguished the candles. The tiredness had already made itself felt in Edith when she had exchanged her tight dress for her nightgown and she was glad to finally be able to sleep.

"Do you think Aegon is safe?" Helaena wanted to know after a while of silence.

Aemond's and also Edith's heart became heavy and both of them almost wide awake again. They hoped for Aegon's safety, of course, but they didn't know if this was really true.

Was Aegon safe?
How is he doing right now?
Was he missing his family, too?

"As long as he doesn't provoke Ser Harwin, the latter won't throw Aegon overboard either." Aemond answered his sister. He deliberately tried to tell this fact jokingly, to reassure Helaena. He understood her concern all too well.

"I have checked all the supplies more than four times and packed enough blankets. Only, unfortunately, we don't know where exactly they are going... and whether Aegon will behave." Edith took Helaena's hand firmly in hers and squeezed it tightly, even breathing a light kiss on the back of her hand. "But Aegon knows what it's all about and Harwin is the best companion for him I can imagine. They both have the will to make it and they are going to."

Helaena snuggled into Edith's side and rested her head on her shoulder. "I am so grateful that you saved us from ruin. We wouldn't have survived." Murmured the silver-haired one.

"It's not the time to thank us yet, we have to wait and see what happens now." Sighed Aemond. He snuggled up to Edith's other side and put his hand on Helaena's, stroking her reassuringly. "It will be all right."

"It will be all right." Edith repeated softly. "I firmly believe so."

She closed her eyes and thought about her future. Soon she would get her revenge and be queen and when that was all done, all would be well. She would finally be able to see her family again and most importantly, she would soon be holding her own child in her arms.

Edith could hardly wait.

And with these thoughts she fell asleep cuddled up to Aemond and Helaena, dreaming of a better future.

***

Sorry for this late update, but I broke my hand a few weeks ago and have not been able to write...
It's still painful, but I'm doing my best for you ;) Therefore also a somewhat shorter filling chapter

I would be very happy about your vote and a comment !! :)

See you in the next chapter♡
xx