The Dragon's Wildfire

Chapter 13

"No, because it's been taken." Alicent countered.

"What would you have me do?" Viserys questioned.

"There is a debt to be paid. I shall have one of her son's eyes in return." Alicent answered, earning collective gasps from everyone.

"My dear wife." Viserys spoke.

"He is your son, Viserys. Your blood." Alicent stated, interrupting him.

"Do not... allow your temper to guide your judgment." Viserys muttered.

"If the King will not seek justice, the Queen will. Ser Criston... bring me the eye of Lucerys Velaryon." Alicent said, "He can choose which eye to keep, a privilege he did not grant my son." She added.

"You will do no such thing." Rhaenyra muttered.

"Stay your hand." Viserys ordered.

"No, you are sworn to me!" Alicent stated.

"As your protector, my queen." Ser Cole answered.

"Alicent, this matter... is finished. Do you understand? And let it be known, anyone whose tongue dares to question the birth of Princess Rhaenyra's sons should have it removed." Viserys ordered.

Rhaenyra mumbled a thank you to Viserys, faced and kneeled down to check her sons. Commotion broke out the moment Alicent lost her composure, took the Valyrian steel dagger from her husband's belt, Elaena cursed and pulled Aegon and Helaena closer to hers, protecting them. Daemon then walked towards Ser Cole and held him. Corlys stands in front of Rhaenys together with Baela, Rhaena, Jace, and Luke. While Rhaenyra was facing Alicent with the dagger on her hands, grasping the Queen's hand tightly.

"You've gone too far." Rhaenyra muttered.

"I? What have I done but what was expected of me? Forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law. While you flout it all to do as you please." Alicent replied, ignoring Viserys and even her own father, "Where is duty? Where is sacrifice? It's trampled under your pretty foot again. And now you take my son's eye, and to even that, you feel entitled." She added.

"Exhausting, wasn't it? Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness. But now they see you as you are." Rhaenyra replied, softly mumbling the last sentence to Alicent.

As Rhaenyra and Alicent pulled away from each other, grunting, Elaena swore she heard how the dagger sliced Rhaenyra's arm, blood dripping on the ground as Rhaenyra clutched her bleeding arm, preventing further blood loss. Alicent slowly lets the dagger go, colliding with the floor as soon as she realizes what she did, assaulting the princess.

"Do not mourn me, Mother. It was a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye... but I gained a dragon." Aemond stated, earning the attention of everyone.

"This proceeding is at an end." Viserys ordered as everyone moved.

Daemon glanced at Elaena who also did the same thing, Cole took the dagger and stood behind Alicent while Aemond approached his mother and slowly rested his head on her shoulders, his eyes averted to where his older siblings were hiding and to the woman who protected both of them. Daemon approached Rhaenyra while Elaena remained in the middle, heaving a sigh as everyone slowly dispersed retreating back to their own chambers.

That night, Helaena requested to sleep with Elaena to which she agreed for they will sail back to King's Landing the first thing in the morrow and will not know when Helaena will see her cousin once more. Aegon, who preferred to sleep in his, promised to write more letters to Elaena the same thing Helaena vowed.

Morning came and the sun rose to its glory when Rhaenyra and Daemon entered her chambers, raising her eyebrow, confused at the seriousness in their faces.