'✦ ˑ ִֶָ 𓂃⊹ ೃ༄ ✘ 🐉 ✘ ೃ༄ ✧ ͎. ｡˚ ° ͎.

❝BLACK WITH ENVY❞ ✧ ೃ༄
【CHAPTER ONE...! 】
✦˖*°࿐ ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ
𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . . █▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

90 AC, Kings Landing

Betrayal.

That was the feeling Princess Alicent Hightower felt as she watched her husband of over 4 years walk into the Red Keep with a plain looking woman on his arm. Sure, the young woman had the silver hair and purple eyes of a typical Targaryen, but the shades were very lackluster, leaving much to be desired by those expecting her to be a great beauty like Viserys first wife. When word had spread of Viserys second marriage, the entire royal family was up in arms especially Princess Visenya's branch of the family — they were all appalled and disgusted that the good, kind, and patient Viserys would do such a thing as forsake his vows with Alicent and take a second wife. No, Alicent knew why her husband was doing this which only made the betrayal burn deeper.

He wanted a son — a son that Alicent could not give him.

"I believe this matter is best discussed in a more private setting," Baelon offered while trying to keep his temper at bay.

"Rodrick you may join us as well," Jaehaerys seethed as he led everyone to the king's solar, not even sparing the Lord Hand a single glance.

Alicent sent her husband and his new wife a scathing look before she was pulled along into a tight embrace by her father who looked as if he could murder someone any second — her mother looked no different.

"What were you thinking?! A second wife?" Jaehaerys screamed at his grandson.

Viserys stood proudly and stoicly, "I did what I had to do grandsire. I know that I can't annul my marriage to Alicent, so taking a second wife was the next best thing. Besides, Aemma and I fell in love which leads me to announce that she is officially pregnant with my second child!"

Alicent wanted to rage, scream, shout, cry, and throw things at her lord husband for humiliating her in such a way. To take someone as a second wife was beyond anything she ever thought he could or would do, but to know that this woman was now pregnant when she has suffered numerous miscarriages and stillbirths made her heart harden for the man she once thought as the love of her life.

"And what about Alicent? Did you ever think that this would humiliate her? Hmm?" Baelon asked with an arch brow.

"No. Alicent and I have grown apart. Of course I'll still do my duty towards my first wife, but I'm positive that Aemma will give me the son and heir I so desire," Viserys replied cooly.

"I'm standing right here and you are talking as if I'm not," Alicent sneered.

Viserys looked over at his first wife with no emotions visible on his face, "I apologize if this took you for surprise, but I assure you I will not neglect our marital bed, or my duty as your lord husband. If Aegon the conqueror could have two wives and make it work, I'm sure I can as well."

Princess Visenya quietly scoffed and grumbled under breath. You shall never be Aegon come again, good-son, she thought to herself.

"I have no words to say. Did you marry in the old ways like you did with Alicent?" Jaehaerys asked impatiently.

Viserys looked down at Aemma uncomfortably, "No we didn't marry in the ways of the Valyrians, we married in the eyes of the seven — to marry thus way was very important to my Aemma."

Alicent looked heartbrokenly at the way Viserys looked at the plain woman standing beside him. He looked at her as if she was his entire world, and that fact alone made her hate Aemma Arryn with a burning passion.

"And what about your firstborn? I hope you keep your duty to her as well," Otto Hightower commented coldly.

Viserys avoided making eye contact with his old friend, "Of course, my little dragon will always have my love."

"There's nothing you can do to stop this?" Alicent asked.

Jaehaerys looked at his granddaughter with nothing but pity. "I could annul it, but with her being pregnant I'm sure the Vale will not take the annulment lightly."

"No, we would not," Rodrick Arryn huffed, but inside he was feeling nothing but triumphant. "I understand how bad this looks, but you can understand your grace that I do not wish to have my daughter ruined — this was clearly the only way to handle the situation we now find ourselves in."

Otto scoffed internally. He knew what this meant for his daughter and granddaughter, their positions at court were now threatened by a new player in the game. The Arryn's of the Vale clearly had an endgame by the look on Lord Rodrick Arryn's face — a look he did not like one bit. 

"And what about my daughter? Did you not think of her when you were sleeping with her husband or marrying him? What about her daughter or any future children she has? Don't you remember what happened between Aenys and Maegor Targaryen? I thought we learned by now that two marriages for one royal family member was a bad idea?" Visenya ranted, looking directly at Aemma Arryn who avoided all eye contact.

"We can't help that we fell in love, cousin," Viserys hissed in defense of his new wife.

"And like my wife said, what about your first wife? Is my Alicent not enough for you?" Otto asked firmly.

"Your daughter has been a dutiful and wonderful wife but she can't give me what I truly want and need," Viserys answered, looking down at Aemma's bulging stomach.

"What? A son? A son is not required when we follow the Valyrian succession customs," Otto spoke.

Viserys shook his head, "I love my daughter, but every man desires a son. Why can't I desire one?"

Alicent scoffs, "Did you ever think I could still give you a son? What's the point of taking a second wife if I can still give you heirs!?"

"I love her alicent," Viserys yelled.

Alicent's heart sank at her husband's words — Viserys Targaryen loved Aemma Arryn, and suddenly she realized how utterly and truly alone she was. In that moment she knew she had lost him, but that didn't mean she was gonna give up on him or their marriage. She was a Hightower and a Targaryen, no, she would not yet declare defeat.

Viserys waited for his first wife to respond only to watch her walk away with her head held high. He could only sigh as he designated himself to his fate — he made the choice, so he would live with it, no matter how much he truly regretted hurting Alicent.

"Viserys and I truly did not mean to upset anyone — it sort of just happened," Aemma spoke up for the first time.

Princess Visenya scoffed at the young woman's audacity to finally speak up after her granddaughter left the premises, "I'm sure you didn't, my dear."

King Jaehaerys cleared his throat, hoping to cut the tension rising between his family. He sent Visenya a stern look before turning back to the Arryn's who were all looking at the wild princess with a calculating gaze, "I'm sure your journey here was strenuous especially with Lady Aemma being pregnant. Our servants will make sure to get you situated and I expect to see you all in the morning to break our fasts together."

Viserys went to correct his grandfather only to stop when his father gave him a warning look. He looked down at Aemma who looked a little upset at being addressed as a simple noble lady when she was now a princess, but he was sure it was just his grandfather's old age that made him address her as such.

"Escort your new good-family to their wing in Maegor's holdfast, son," Baelon demanded before he left to catch up with his father.

Viserys turned to his first good-family, but they all refused to look at him as they followed after his father.

"They'll eventually come around, my prince," Lord Arryn soothed.

"My father is right, my love, just give them time to adjust," Aemma agreed as she rubbed his arm up and down in a soothing manner.

Viserys smiled fondly down at his second wife, and nodded — he knew things were going to be okay, weren't they?