𝐁𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 ¹ ✔︎ ━ 𝖧𝖮𝖴𝖲𝖤 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖣𝖱𝖠𝖦𝖮𝖭

𝐓𝐄𝐍 ♛ 𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄

"In this bowl, is fire water. Water that has been scorched by Caraxes himself. One drop would burn the skin completely off. The whole bowl? Death. A slow, painful, burning death." He says with a smirk. I look at Sermond. His eyes are wide. He tries to speak, but the gag in his mouth holds back any and all words. I try to squirm, but my attempt is unsuccessful.

"Tell me, Desmara, will you join me?" He asks, stepping closer to Sermond. He is making me choose between the life of my sister and the life of my lover, who stands before me chained and facing death. Daemon tips the bowl to his shoulder. A single drop comes out. Sermond screams with agony, trying to get away from it. The single drop burns the layers of the skin that it touches. Tears cling to my eyes.

"Stop!" I bite out. My words come out as a jumble. It feels unnatural to speak and the pain that it brings is unthinkable. "Do not!" I scream again. My words can be made out slightly more this time. Daemon places the bowl back down on the table and turns to me with a chipper look on his face. He walks toward me and crouches next to me. His face is unbearably close.

"She speaks." He says, delighted. I narrow my eyes at him and blink back the tears that threaten to drops from my eyes.

"Do not hurt him." I say through gritted teeth. He turns his head to the side and smiles. He extends his hand and brushes my cheek with his thumb. His touch makes me want to wail.

"I only did it because I need you, my sweet niece. The only way I could get you to listen is by force. Now, tell me that you will help me kill Rhaenyra, give me your word." He says. I nod.

"I will help you." I manage to say. He stands up and walks back over to Sermond. He reaches up to the ceiling and unclips the chains from the hooks. The moment he is released, he falls to the ground. I follow him with my eyes. He looks defeated and broken, like a carriage horse that has been whipped too many times.

"You will do as I say or I will kill him." Daemon walks back to me and unclips my chains from their hooks. My arms fall to my sides. I cannot even move them. I can barely feel them. Daemon bends down and picks me up, one arm below my back and one under my knees. As we pass Sermond, I look down at him, his eyes blink heavily at me.

We go up a few stairs then Daemon pushes open a door. A flood of light threatens to blind me. I look around through squinted eyes. We're in the sea, parked on the coast, near the southern peninsula. I cannot see the Red Keep, but I know we must be just out of view from it.

Daemon pushes open another door with his leg and we're in a cabin. I see Lord Corlys and his wife, Rhaenys that I had met at the tourney. The two of them sit at a short, wooden table. Daemon slides me into the seat at the side, across from Rhaenys, then he takes his seat at the opposite head of the table.

          I slink down in the chair, unable to hold my head up. I stare down at the floor.

          "Desmara has agreed to help me. We will continue to use the original plan-" Daemon snaps his fingers to get my attention. I move my head slightly to tell him I'm listening. "You will take me to Rhaenyra and request a private audience, claiming that I want to make a deal." Daemon explains. My eyes stay on the ground.

          "Rhaenyra will never believe you want to make a deal." I mutter. I see his feet shift under the table.

          "Maybe not usually, but her resources are becoming exhausted. My army is taking hers down. She'll think I'm cutting her a deal because I feel bad." He explains. I mumble something inaudibly in response. Daemon extends his hand to me and pushes my chin up, forcing me to look at him. I hate looking at him.