CHAPTER TEN

TW: ABUSE & OTTO

two years later . . .

IT HAD BEEN two years since Roseva Baratheon became Roseva Hightower — wife of the Hand of the King. Two years of hell and torture and she was sure the Gods were punishing her.

Within those two years, Roseva had birthed a son called Robert Hightower and Otto could have been happier but he cared not for the child, he only had plans to wed him to Rhaenyra if Viserys refused Aegon — these plans were not shared with his wife because he could not trust her with such information.

Roseva looked into the small mirror adorning her chambers, Otto had his own and she had hers but he would come for her in the night and if she refused she would wake up in the morrow with fresh bruises after he took what he came for anyway.

The woman cupped her face, pale fingers brushed over the bruise under her eyes and flinched slightly when he ached under her touch. She looked down at the mixture she had made and applied it to her face to cover the bruise — something she had grown used to over the two years.

Steffon knew of what Otto was doing as more often than not Roseva would come into his chambers and hold her as she cried. He was angry and had been angry for two whole years and would continue to be angry until Roseva told him he could kill Otto — but every time he tried to, she begged him not to.

He was the Hand of the King and Viserys wouldn't hesitate to cut off the man's head if he killed Otto and Roseva had lost enough already.

It was Aegon's second name day and the whole city was rejoicing to their Prince. Once Roseva arrived at the celebration she noticed her husband straight away but he hadn't noticed her. She took her opportunity to walk over to Rhaenyra and Steffon over by the table — Rhaenyra noticed her and smiled lightly as passed Robert over to his mother.

"Hello, little love", her son babbled with a smile and Roseva reciprocated the move with her own — she only smiled around her son these days, not even Rhaenyra could make the woman feel anymore. Otto broke her.

"Roseva", Rhaenyra gently called and the woman looked up, "Your face". Rhaenyra too also knew of what her husband was doing to her and had pleaded with her father to annul their marriage but Viserys refused every time.

Roseva pulled her long hair over her face to cover it, she had hoped the painted mixture would be enough but apparently not, "I'm okay", words she had spoken all too much, words she never meant.

Rhaenyra frowned but said nothing, arguing with Roseva was like arguing with a wall — she had made her choice when she realised nobody was coming to save her without their consequences for it.

A shadow suddenly loomed over them, Steffon turned and stood straighter — to outsider eyes it would seem as though the knight was simply doing his duty by guarding Roseva and her child but the insiders knew it was Steffon Baratheon protecting his cousin and her son, protecting his family from Otto Hightower — the man who swore vows to protect his wife and child when they married but broke them the same night.

Otto stood behind Roseva, placing a hand on her back that made her stiff, she clutched her son to her chest, "Wife".

"Husband", her voice was quiet. Rhaenyra watched their interaction and it made her angry and upset to see the once fiery Baratheon woman become so cold and scared.

"The carriages are leaving, as should we. Princess, you are to ride with my wife and son with your father. I will be on horseback", he told them before planting a wet kiss to his wife's head and gave her a stern look that made her look away before he left.

The carriage began moving once they had all settled, "Well isn't this splendid?", Viserys spoke, "The whole of our family off to celebration and adventure in the Kingswood", everyone looked at him but said nothing.

Rhaenyra and Roseva looked to the Queen when the carriage jilted and she clutched her growing stomach — another prince or princess to add to the ever growing litter of heirs. "Should you be travelling in such condition, step daughter?", Roseva asked with clear concern.

Alicent smiled gracefully at her, she liked it when Roseva called her that but despite their new positions in the family neither could say that they had grown closer. "The maesters said that being out in nature would do me well".

"Maesters don't understand our bodies like we do, little dove, if you need anything don't hesitate to find me. I had a difficult time with my Robert, I understand", Roseva spoke as she looked to the nurse with Aegon.

She could tell that Alicent didn't know what to do with her child, Roseva had a more motherly bond to the point where she carried him everywhere, he had no wet nurse, she learnt everything herself. It made her feel closer to her son, they had a significantly better bond.

Alicent wasn't a bad mother, Roseva knew that, but it was hard raising a child while you're still one yourself. "Thank you, stepmother, you honour me".

Roseva nodded with a smile but it soon faded when Viserys spoke, "Well, you will be with your own child sooner or later and make me a proud grandsire", she hadn't forgiven him for not trying harder to stop Otto from ruining her family name and forcing her hand to wed Otto and she didn't think she ever could.

Rhaenyra frowned but Alicent spoke up, "It's not so bad. The days are long, but Aegon came quickly and without fuss", the carriage went silent as awkward looks were exchanged.

"You should ride out with me today", Viserys spoke after a moment of silence. Roseva looked down when a piece of her long hair was being tugged to see her child looking at her with fascination — her heart melted at the sight. "Join in the chase".

"I'd rather not. The boars squeal like children when they're being slaughtered. I find it discomforting".

"It's a hunt, Rhaenyra".

"She could also get hurt", Roseva intervened, not trusting Rhaenyra's safety in the hands of men on a hunt, they don't take things seriously in that sort of environment. Viserys looked at her for a moment before sighing.

"How would you like to participate?", he thought of a different idea and waited for her response but he didn't like it of course, Rhaenyra was stubborn.

"I'm not sure why I must".

"Because you are my daughter . . . The Princess. And you have duties".

Roseva rolled her eyes as Rhaenyra snarkly commented quietly, "As I am ceaselessly reminded".

"I'm sorry?".

"As I am ceaselessly reminded!".

"You wouldn't need to be reminded if you ever attended to them".

"No one is here for me".

Rhaenyra's final comment made her father go silent with an aggravated look, Alicent looked away and rubbed her belly as Roseva rubbed Rhaenyra's back softly with one hand and swaddled her own child with the other.

Cheers echoed across the land they were residing in for Aegon's name day, the King and Queen exited with smiles and everyone cheered louder. Rhaenyra stayed seated with a sad look, Roseva waited with her.

"I fear my husband is planning something, be careful today", Roseva spoke as she stood, holding Robert close to her. "Otto will do anything to ensure his children are in a high position so that his name will forever be mentioned throughout history. I don't know what he is planning but I know him and it won't be anything good".

Rhaenyra swallowed and nodded, "I won't let anything happen to you", she said, Roseva looked down at her with slight shock before her face softened, "And I you".

⸺

It was mid day when Roseva got word that Rhaenyra had left in a hurry on horseback — her cousin fleeing after her in haste to ensure she was protected and brought back safely. Roseva cursed whoever had put her in a foul mood to the point where she fled her own brother's name day.

Roseva walked into the tent to see her husband talking to Viserys, the King looked fed up with his Hand. She left Robert with a nurse quickly before manouvering around the tent so she could listen to their conversation behind the curtain — away from being caught.

It reminded her of when her and Daemon listened in on the council meeting when he first came home. She missed him terribly but she also hated him for leaving her, a burn filled her heart every time she thought of him — pure dragon fire lit her insides up but she didn't know if she was going to burn or thrive.

"There is another choice beyond Casterly Rock", she arrived in time to hear her husband say. "One perhaps you might be more comfortable with. One . . . closer to home". Roseva furrowed her brows in confusion before figuring out that they were discussing who Rhaenyra should wed.

"Who do you have in mind?", Viserys smiled sarcastically, sipping his wine.

Roseva heard rustling and guessed that her husband was moving closer to speak more discreetly, her husband was a fool because she was listening — she always listened to her husband. Minor things he would say before, during and after he beat her always stuck with her.

The way she had every child in the Keep under her protection as they listened in to his conversations amused her, he had no idea the power she had — her little doves whispering in her ear all the words they had heard over time.

She was scared of her husband, that was for sure but she was a Baratheon and if she was scared of him then she needed leverage to ensure that at some point he would be scared of her.

"Prince Aegon", he muttered and Roseva stilled. The air became silent before Viserys eventually spoke with clear disdain.

"The boy just turned two, Otto".

"Yes, but it would cease the endless proposals for Rhaenyra's hand. Or perhaps wed her to Robert. Either way you can be content knowing she married well". Roseva's face dropped at the mention of her son's name. She of course loved Rhaenyra but Robert was a baby being used as a bargaining chip so Otto gained more power. She was furious.

Viserys suddenly began laughing but Otto continued, "Betroth them".

"I came here to hunt . . .", he laughed again, "not to be suffocated by all this fucking politicking".

Otto bowed his head, "Let us speak no more of it", Roseva quickly walked away into a secluded room so she wouldn't be caught. Her mind raced with uncertainty as her sweet boy's fate lied in the hands of men who only cared about one thing — power.

The door opened making her look behind her to see her husbands angry face, her own falling as she knew that look all too well. "What's wrong, husband?", she asked trying to soothe his temper but he merely grabbed a hold of her and slapped her face hard, her body fell to the ground.

"Cover it up better", he scoffed as she held herself up with one hand and cupped her cheek with the other. Her lip was now cut causing it to bleed small droplets onto the floor. She watched from the corner of her eyes as his boots left the room, the tent door closing behind him.

Tears welled in her eyes as she wiped her lip, she didn't know how much more she could take. She thought back to the time before she found out she was pregnant with Robert — she stood on her balcony, the wind blew her hair out of her bruised and bloodied face.

She was going to jump but Rhaenyra and Steffon called her name — that was the first time either of them had seen what Otto was doing to her.

She was going to end her life and unknowingly her child's life because Viserys betrayed her, Daemon left her and there was no way her father was going to tarnish his family name — no matter how much he claimed that he loved his daughter.

Roseva sighed heavily before carefully standing up and sitting in the chair in the middle of the room, she poured herself a cup of wine and downed the contents, the mixture smoothly slid down her throat easing her.

In that moment she decided that Otto would pay for everything he had done to her, everything that he had planned for her son would be ruined because of her and she would smile as she watches his face fume with anger — but this time the thought didn't scare her. It only brought her peace.

That peace was solidified when in the next morning, Roseva exited the tent with Robert in her arms, his hands fiddling in her hair as always. The people were gathered around enjoying the rest of Aegon's name day when suddenly they all stopped making her look up.

From across the land she saw Rhaenyra and Steffon riding toward them slowly, Rhaenyra stopped first and got down from her horse — blood coated her face, hair and riding gear. She walked across the land without giving anyone a second glance not even her family who were looking at her with stoic or shocked expressions.

Roseva looked to Steffon who walked around to stand beside her and brushed his thumb over her split lip with dark eyes before Rhaenyra joined her other side with a matching expression — they both turned to Otto which made Viserys and Alicent do the same before simply turning away.

They chose their sides and only one would fall.