Editing Alicent Hightower (section)

===Marriage===
In the years that followed, Alicent caught the eye of King [[Viserys I Targaryen]], whose first wife, Queen [[Aemma Arryn]], had died, and whose [[small council]] was urging him to wed again. Ignoring all advice from his council, Viserys choose Alicent as his wife. They [[Marriage|married]] in {{Date|106}}, despite the whispers of people who believed that the [[Hand of the King|Hand]] had risen above himself. Some doubted Alicent's virtue, as rumors began circling that she had slept with King Viserys while Queen Aemma was still alive; moreover, the notorious [[court fool]] [[Mushroom]] mischievously suggested that Alicent had been more than an aide to the late Jaehaerys. Nonetheless, Alicent was wed to Viserys. While this forestalled other potential marriage-alliances Viserys's small council would have preferred, it was not a completely unwise choice, as the Hightowers were still one of the leading families in [[Westeros]], with close ties to the [[Faith of the Seven]] (whose leadership were still based at the [[Starry Sept]] in [[Oldtown]] at the time).{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

[[File:The birth of the blacks and the greens by Jota Saraiva.jpg|thumb|left|The birth of the [[blacks]] and the [[greens]]. Art by Jota Saraiva ©]]
Originally, Queen Alicent had a good relationship with her step-daughter, Princess [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]]. But when Alicent gave birth to a son, Prince [[Aegon II Targaryen|Aegon]], a daughter, Princess [[Helaena Targaryen|Helaena]], and another son, Prince [[Aemond Targaryen|Aemond]], in rapid succession, and Rhaenyra remained Viserys's heir, those feelings started to change. Both women wanted to be the first lady of the realm, but there could only be one. One example of their growing enmity was when Alicent noticed that Rhaenyra paid much attention to Ser [[Criston Cole]] of the [[Kingsguard]], she publicly asked the court who was protecting the princess from her knight.{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

Alicent's biggest supporter was her own father, Ser [[Otto Hightower]]. He eventually pushed too far on the matter, and was stripped of his position as Hand. Having no place at court anymore, Otto returned to Oldtown. However, a "queen's party" remained, a group of powerful [[lord]]s who were friends with Queen Alicent, who supported the rights of Alicent's sons.{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

In {{Date|111}}, a great [[tourney]] was held at [[King's Landing]] on the fifth anniversary of the king’s marriage to Queen Alicent. At the opening feast, Alicent wore a green gown, whilst Princess Rhaenyra dressed in [[House Targaryen|Targaryen]] red and black. Note was taken, and thereafter it became the custom to refer to "[[greens]]" and "[[blacks]]" when talking of the queen's party and the party of the princess, respectively. In the tourney itself, the greens were defeated by the blacks, when Ser Criston Cole, wearing Rhaenyra's favor, unhorsed all of the queen's champions, including two of her cousins and her youngest brother, Ser [[Gwayne Hightower]].{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

Prince Daemon Targaryen was opposed to Alicent and her sons, and after his return to King's Landing, he made fun of Alicent, Aegon and Aemond, and the other greens, to entertain Princess Rhaenyra. It is said he acted cool towards the princes Aegon and Aemond, because they had pushed him even lower in the line of succession.{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

When Rhaenyra turned sixteen, the small council started looking for a suitable husband. Alicent had her own choice: her eldest son, Prince Aegon, who was only six years old. Viserys argued that the siblings had never gotten along, but Alicent urged her husband that was all the more reason to wed the two. Viserys refused, believing that Alicent only made the suggestion to get her own blood on the throne.{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

By the time Princess Rhaenyra got married, in {{Date|114}}, Queen Alicent had found a new member for her greens: Ser Criston Cole, former companion to Princess Rhaenyra, who had broken from her for an unspecified reason. Criston fought in the tourney for Rhaenyra's wedding with Alicent's favor, and was named Alicent's personal [[sworn shield]] soon thereafter.{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

[[File:The greens by Fkaluis.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Alicent and her four children, [[Aegon II Targaryen|Aegon]], [[Helaena Targaryen|Helaena]], [[Aemond Targaryen|Aemond]], and [[Daeron Targaryen (son of Viserys I)|Daeron]]. Art by [https://fkaluis.tumblr.com/ Fkaluis] ©]]
By {{Date|115}}, the enmity between the greens and the blacks had grown deep. While Alicent had given birth in {{Date|114}} to Prince [[Daeron Targaryen (son of Viserys I)|Daeron]], who unmistakably shared the Targaryen looks like his brothers and sister, Princess Rhaenyra had given birth to Princes [[Jacaerys Velaryon|Jacaerys]] and [[Lucerys Velaryon]], who both looked nothing like either Rhaenyra or her husband, Ser [[Laenor Velaryon]]. Alicent was convinced the children had actually been fathered by Ser [[Harwin Strong]], but King Viserys did not share these feelings. He had even ordered that Daeron and Jacaerys share a [[wet nurse]] until they were weaned, hoping that them being [[milk brother]]s would ease the enmity between Alicent and Rhaenyra.{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

In {{Date|120}}, Alicent's second son became involved in an incident at [[Driftmark]] where he fought with Rhaenyra's three sons over his claiming of the [[dragon]] [[Vhagar]]. In the fight, Lucerys took out Aemond's right eye with his dagger after he mocked the three boys as "Strongs". Alicent, angered, demanded that the same would be done to Lucerys. After King Viserys refused, Princess Rhaenyra demanded that Aemond should be questioned "sharply" until he revealed where he heard her sons described as "Strongs" — as naming them such suggested they were [[bastard]]s, and therefore that Rhaenyra was guilty of high [[treason]] by sleeping with Ser Harwin Strong. Pressured by his father, Aemond eventually admitted hearing the name from his brother, Prince Aegon. After this incident, King Viserys decreed that anyone who mocked his grandsons as "Strongs" again would have their [[tongue mutilation|tongues pulled out with hot pincers]]. Viserys further declared that Alicent and her children would remain at court in King's Landing, whilst Rhaenyra and her family remained at [[Dragonstone]]. Later that year, as Rhaenyra gave birth to her first son by Prince Daemon, Alicent grew wroth upon learning the child had been named [[Aegon III Targaryen|Aegon]], believing it to be a slight against her own firstborn, who had also been named Aegon.{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

In {{Date|122}}, Prince Aegon the Elder and Princess Helaena were married per the Targaryen tradition of [[incest|sibling marriage]], and within a year they welcomed twins, Prince [[Jaehaerys Targaryen (son of Aegon II)|Jaehaerys]] and Princess [[Jaehaera Targaryen|Jaehaera]], Alicent's first grandchildren. According to the scurrilous ''[[The Testimony of Mushroom|Testimony]]'' of the [[fool]] [[Mushroom]], Aegon also fathered two [[bastard]]s in {{Date|123}}, including a girl by one of Alicent's maidservants. When Alicent's youngest son, Daeron, turned twelve in {{Date|126}}, he was sent to serve as a [[cupbearer]] and [[squire]] to Lord [[Ormund Hightower]], Alicent's cousin, in [[Oldtown]].{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

In {{Date|126}}, King Viserys's hand became infected after he cut it on the [[Iron Throne]], and it was feared that he might die. However, he recovered, and on the first day of {{Date|127}}, the king held a feast to celebrate the return of his health. Alicent and Rhaenyra made a show of amity and love, each wearing the other's colors. Their families greeted each other with kisses and toasts, to Viserys's pleasure. However, after the king left the feast to rest, Aemond toasted his three Velaryon nephews, speaking in mock admiration of their brown hair, brown eyes, and strength, calling them "three strong boys". Aegon also became offended when Jacaerys asked Helaena to dance, and a fight between the princes was prevented by the intervention of the Kingsguard.{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}

After the death of [[Grand Maester]] [[Mellos]], Rhaenyra recommended that [[Gerardys]] take his place. However, Alicent wanted Maester [[Alfador]], who served [[House Hightower]], named to the office. Beset from both sides, Viserys chose neither, reminding both his wife and daughter that the [[Citadel]] would decide; in the end, they chose [[Orwyle]].{{Ref|FAB|Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}}