The Rogue Princess

Chapter 20

"Ahh, well if it isn't the Queen of Love and Beauty." Qoren smiled widely as he found Aerea practicing with a bow and arrow in the training yard. "Or should be queen. I was not allowed the honor of bestowing such a title upon you yesterday, princess."

"Forgive me, Prince Qoren. I find tourneys to be utterly dull." She said, never breaking her attention from her aim at the target.

"What a shame. I had hoped the realm would admire such a fierce beauty." He stood beside her, trying to fix the way her arms were positioned. She stiffened as his fingers closed over hers and she felt his breath in her ear. It didn't feel right to her to have him this close to her. Not after the life he had taken from her. Not after...

She released the arrow immediately, missing the target completely and shuffling to the side from him. "If that is any indication of your fighting, I can't say I'm disappointed to have missed it."

He laughed properly, smiling down at her as she shifted uncomfortably in front of him.

"Arry! Arry, come quick!" Luke panted as he joined them in the yard.

"What is it, brother?" She rushed instantly to his side. "What's happened?"

"The Queen has called for you and Ser Leo to the throne room. It's urgent." He leaned close to her ear and whispered. "They know the truth."

Her face was ghostly white at her brother's words. She turned back to Qoren with a panic in her eyes and he instantly took her arm and they all three made their way to the throne room. Otto stood from throne when they entered, everyone's heads turning towards them.

"Disarm the princess, guards." Otto commanded and the kingsguard quickly snatched the daggers and sword from her belt.

"What is the meaning of this?!" She demanded as she stormed forward towards Otto, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Ser Maelon held beside the Queen and her children. She looked at Aemond for answers, but he kept his head down trying to avoid her gaze. "Why am I being summoned before the court?"

Luke caught up to her, along with her mother and father gathering at her side.

"It has come to our attention there is another legitimacy to be put into question. The legitimacy of your marriage, princess." Alicent announced and the whole court whispered and gasped at the accusation. Aerea forced a tight smile and tilted her head.

"And what of the legitimacy of my marriage?" Aerea spat.

"You will address the Queen formally." Otto chimed in and Aerea turned to look up at him.

"I will do so when the Queen I serve takes the throne. Now, what is this nonsense about my marriage to Ser Leo?" Aerea was bold. She didn't care to pay them any respect for what they were about to her and her family. Daemon's grin grew as he took his daughter's side.

"We have witnesses who swear to seeing you and Ser Maelon engaging in...intimate behaviors." Otto declared and Aerea thought she was going to fall over from laughing so hard. They knew absolutely nothing yet still took one last chance to tear down her family.

"Ser Maelon is a friend to my wife and I. Nothing more, Lord Hightower." Leo explained, though he couldn't help but feel a sense of panic in him as he saw the fear in his lover's eyes. Maelon was physically shaken with fear under Aegon's grasp.

"Then why were the two of them spotted leaving the tourney together, Ser Leo?" Aegon smirked, tightening his hold on the man's shoulder.

"My daughter was in the dragonpits alone as reported by the dragonkeepers this morning." Rhaenyra spoke up, stepping to the other side of her daughter. Neither one removed their eyes from Otto, but they held each other's hands in support. Rhaenyra wouldn't let her daughter go through the same fate she had suffered from endless spoken battles of accusations.