Chapter 31.2- The Seadragon's Roar

“Yes, but circumstances have changed since then”

“You mean that we succeeded where you expected us to fail and now you expect us to reward you for betting against us.”

“I have little idea of what you speak Lady Velaryon. I was speaking of the fact that the King has now lost a brother in the conquest of the Stepstones. A Prince of the Blood lays dead, and the Crown will seek compensation”

“I can have the head of the one who did the killing shipped to you post haste.” She said glibly.

“If only that could suffice. But the crown lost blood in taking those islands. Not just a Prince, but a Dragonlord. Those aren’t very replaceable”

“And like I said, we did not kill him”

“No one accused you of doing so, but you must understand how the…balance of things might have been affected.”

“Speak plainly, Hightower” She said.

“I think Lord Hand would be the correct means of address” Ser Redwyne said, bristling. And Runciter could see the urge to facepalm on the Hand’s face. He hadn’t wanted to bring it up for some reason. Probably to avoid being pushed into referring to the Princess as such.

“And I myself think that a Princess of the House Targaryen should be referred to as such” Laenor Velaryon spoke with a timber and clarity that was beyond his age.

“Is she not also the Lady Velaryon? Is that not the respect in which she appears before this council?” Redwyne contested.

“And is he not Otto of the House Hightower? I would have sought to include the title Lord in there, but unless my grasp of the situation is outdated, then dear Otto here has not been enfeifed.” He said. Runciter watched the debate develop, and there was no doubt about it— Laenor Velaryon was far from a man grown in body, but he was similarly far Redwyne’s better in wits.

“As the Hand of the King, a certain respect is due” He added, digging the whole deeper.

“And is no respect due to a Princess? The daughter of a Prince? Granddaughter of a King? Cousin to another King? Rider to the dragon, Meleys?” He parried the attempt handily.

“Ser Redwyne, I think we can debate without bothering ourselves with trivialities” The Hand said, chastening his man and ending the debate. Of course, if he expected the gesture to be returned by his Opposition then he was sorely mistaken. Rhaenys Targaryen watched it happen without so much as a twitch on her face, and did nothing to chide her son.

“Now shall we go back to the subject at hand, Princess?” Another peace offering. That was new. The Hand most definitely wanted something from House Velaryon then. And Runciter would bet his chain that it had something to do with the King’s firstborn son who the King still steadfastly refused to name his heir. The Queen was pregnant again, and the question would be even more dire if she birthed another son.