Labyrinth // Rhaenyra Targaryen (1)

43. Ruined

'Tell me the whole of it, Rhaenyra.' Alicent demanded

'Your father accused me of something. That I drank wine? Left the castle after dark?' Rhaenyra mused

'That you fսckеd Daemon in a pleasure house.' Alicent corrected

'This is a vile accusation.' Rhaenyra shouted back

'Is it? You Targaryen's do have queer customs. And Daemon certainly knows no limit.'

'Alicent... Your Grace, sister,-"

"I see the way you look at your brother, it makes sense you would want to go after Daemon too." ALicent spat back. 

"NO! You must know I would, I would never. You cannot believe such gossip.' Rhaenyra countered

'My father is no gossip.'

'Well, certainly he's been misled. He could not have witnessed such a thing.'

'Why not?' Alicent retorted.

'Because it did not happen.'

'He was told that you...'

'Told? Who made these claims to your father?' Rhaenyra asked her anger growing as Alicent scoffed 'I am the Princess. To... To question my virtue is an act of treason.' All of Taelon's warning about her virtue, keeping her untainted and she let this happen, with the wrong man.

'I do not know specifically...'

'What, your father did not tell you?' Rhaenyra spat.

'He reported it to the King. I overheard.' She admitted softly

'So you are accusing me of slanders... you overheard?'

'I only want to help you, Rhaenyra.' Alicent assured. They were friends once, she was trying to help why couldnt she see that?

'Okay, we... we drank in a tavern. Several... taverns.' Rhaenyra admitted 'It was getting late... and I asked to go home. But Daemon wished to continue. As he was my escort, I had no real choice.' Rhaenyra lied.

"Continue" Alicent shouted '... in a brоthеl?'

'He took me to a show. I... I was only a spectator. I didn't do anything.' Rhaenyra assured 'And then Daemon sank into his cups and, uh... abandoned me for some whοre. I should've known better.'

'So you did not?'

'Must I truly refute that? Daemon never touched me. Okay, I swear this to you upon the memory of my mother.' Rhaenyra told her defensively.

'It was foolish of you to place yourself in a position where your virtue could even come into question. The King has strived to find you a good match. And so have I. If that lord were to think that you had been... sullied... it would ruin everything.' Alicent reminded her. "Your brother would be furious as well, Daemon of all people. You know his loathing of your uncle."

'I know... Your Grace. I regret it.' Rhaenyra suddenly regret everything.

+

"No, no, no, no.' Taelon said defensively. "Nyra, my Nyra... not with Daemon." 

"Otto saw it." Viserys corrected. 

"Not with Daemon." Taelon couldnt believe his ears. Was she truly so desperate for a fuck that she went to Daemon? Taelon was only trying to protect her, and she went to a brothel with Daemon... Taelon couldnt breathe. 

'The King demands an audience, my Prince.'

'Take your fucking hands off me.' Daemon demanded as he was grabbed he grumbled the whole way to the throne room where he was thrown down. Daemon heard the door slam shut and Viserys shoes slapping aggressively against the ground, he looked up to his brother from the floor. His gaze shifted to Taelon and a smug smile appeared. 

'My daughter." Viserys shouted kicking daemon, he groaned from the ground in pain. 'Won't you even deny it?' Daemon coughed clearing his throat.

'I need to understand the charge before I can attempt to discredit it.' He said offering a charming smile.

'You defiled her.' Viserys shouted kicking him again, again Daemon groaned in pain clutching at his stomach. Taelon stood frozen. He couldnt believe this. He had to talk to Nyra. She would tell him it was lies and he would believe her because he wanted to believe it.

'Still, you say nothing.' Viserys shouted down at him.

'Oh, what does it matter, brother? When we were Rhaenyra's age, we fuckеd our way through most of the brоthеls on the Street of Silk.' Daemon countered. "This one fucked his way through his tour i'm sure." Daemon added. 

'We were young men. She is just a girl. Your niece!'

"Did you touch Nyra?" Taelon demanded. 

'Rhaenyra's a woman-grown. Better her first experience be with me than some whοre.' Daemon mused. Taelon grabbed him by the throat. 

''You have ruined her! What lord will wed her now? In this condition?' Viserys spat as Daemon choked for breath, Taelon shoved him back down. Daemon coughed out as he ran a hand over his throat. 

'Who gives a fuck what some lord thinks? You are the dragon. Your word is truth and law.' Daemon reminded him.

'I have spent a lifetime defending you. But your heart is even blacker than I thought. I should disinherit her as I already did you and be done with it.'

"Father." Taelon begged. 

'Wed her to me." Daemon suggested. 

"NEVER!" Taelon spat back. 

 'When I offered up my crown, you said I could have anything. I want Rhaenyra. I'll take her as she is, and wed her in the tradition of our house.' Daemon offered and Viserys couldn't help but chuckle, he was not that stupid.

'You are already wed.' Viserys reminded him

'That didn't stop Aegon the Conqueror from taking a second wife.' Daemon offered

'You are no conqueror. You are vermin." Taelon corrected.

"You are a plague... sent to destroy me.' Viserys agreed.

'Give me Rhaenyra to take to wife and we will return the House of the Dragon to its proper glory.' Daemon went on. 

"You cunt." Taelon spat kicking him again

'Of course. It's not my daughter you lust for, is it? It's my throne, Rhaenyra is not the heir, Taelon is. Everyone need get through their heads that Taelon is the heir, he will succeed me. Not You, not Aegon, not Rhaenyra. Taelon." Viserys declared. ''Go back to the Vale, Daemon, to your lawful wife. Strive to restore whatever scrap of honor remains in you. Or don't. Matters not to me. As long as you are gone from my sight for good.'

'As you wish, brother.' Daemon said getting up and heading out. Taelon couldnt breathe. 

"You... think he lied?" Taelon rasped. 

"i don't know." Viserys admitted. 

+

'Have you spoken to her?'

'No.'

'It is not in Rhaenyra's nature to be deceitful. I cannot say the same for your brother.' Alicent reminded him

'You believe he lied?'

'How often does he speak the pure truth? How does confessing to such things serve him? By reducing you.' Alicent offered and Viserys sighed.

'Whatever transpired, Rhaenyra is not innocent.' Viserys reminded her

'Only because Daemon tried to corrupt her.'

'Daemon and Rhaenyra share the blood of the dragon. They are restless and chaotic.' Viserys told her

'She swore to me that she remains a maiden. And I believe her.' Alicent offered hopefully.