Alicent x Rhaenyra | Forbidden

Chapter 6

Alicent:

Shock seeped into my bones, rendering me numb. I could only stare at Rhaenyra with complete terror. Viserys, her own father lay in a pool of crimson blood at her feet. She and Daemon had planned this. I dreaded to think if she could do this to her family, what would she do to me for the throne?

I knew she had changed, something in her eyes had hardened and become vicious since I last saw her. I wanted to blame it on Daemon, but I wondered if she enjoyed it, the killing, the glory after the battle. The lifeless king proved it all to me, Rhaenyra no longer cared what it took to get what she wanted.

Daemon crossed over to my father and me, "neither of you will speak or call for help, if you do, we will kill you where you stand. If you comply, both you and your daughter Aemma will have a chance of survival."

Daemon's mention of Aemma brought me out of my numbness. My voice shook with each word, "if you lay a hand on her Daemon I will..."

Rhaenyra's voice silenced me, "Alicent has a daughter? Daemon you knew this and didn't tell me?"

She didn't know. I remembered my promise from the day she left, fearing the rage that would follow. "You didn't need to know Rhaenyra, it wasn't part of the plan." Daemon brushed it off smugly. Rage seemed to consume Rhaenyra and she spoke hotly, "I'll deal with you later."

She turned back to me. "You promised. You promised you wouldn't do this!" She was beginning to become vehement, hurt filling her voice. "I came back Alicent, for you, because I..."

Daemon put a hand on my father's shoulder speaking over her, "can we save this for later? We don't have much time on our hands." He pulled Otto close, "now, your part in this is simple, there's a boat to Pentos arriving at the next moon and if you comply we'll let you go. As the King's most trusted advisor, you will tell the small council that the king reinstated Rhaenyra's title as heir upon seeing her."

He continued, this time Rhaenyra drew near to me, extracting a knife concealed in her armour. I tried to evade her grip but she easily grabbed me with one arm, placing the knife at my throat. "What are you?..." She placed my mouth by her ear, whilst Daemon continued to threaten my father. She whispered gently, "stay quiet, it will be over soon."

Daemon continued, gesturing towards me. "Lady Hightower, you and your father will swear fealty to Rhaenyra. You will both tell the small council that you witnessed the commander of the Kingsguard murder the King. He will be brought in momentarily and dealt with, and you will tell them of how Rhaenyra valiantly brought justice to her father's killer."

"Traitor!" Otto spat into Daemon's face, "we would never do such a thing. You really think we'd follow the demands of a madman and his dog?" Daemon only chuckled, nodding towards Rhaenyra. I felt the pressure of her knife deepen into my throat, her breath hot against my neck. Did I trust Rhaneyra? Or was she about to kill me, just as part of her plan?

"Rhaenyra, please. I still..." I wanted to say it, I did still love her but I couldn't get the words out. I wanted to tell her everything then and there about the page I still kept, how every night I thought about her. But the knife pressed against me made me doubt everything I'd ever known about her.

My father started to laugh. He turned to Rhaenyra, "do you think I am stupid, little girl? I know why you're here, I know you corrupted my daughter." He spat out those final words with pure venom. "You expect me to believe you would kill her, just like that? You are more foolish than I expected." He continued to laugh.

"I have changed Otto Hightower, and I see you for what you are. I am not afraid of you, nor am I afraid to take what is mine. Even if that means killing her before you." A sharp pain began where her knife was pressed, and I felt hot liquid begin to dribble down my neck.

Fear flooded through me, I was about to die.

Rhaenyra really had chosen the throne above everything, above us.

My father must have noticed the fear in my eyes and the smile faded from his face. His lip trembled, his eyes turning downwards. "I will agree to your terms, just don't hurt her." The knife released from my throat and I gasped for air, falling to the ground in pure disbelief.

Daemon grinned, "excellent. I'll bring our 'murderer' in now." He strode over to the doors, opening them just wide enough for him to jerk Ser Criston Cole through the door. Cole gasped as the door slammed shut behind him, shouting for the guards upon seeing the King on the ground, drawing Dark Sister from its sheath. "This one is all yours Rhaenyra."

Rhaenyra closed in, with nothing but her knife still in hand. A chill ran through me as she began to smile. Surely she wasn't about to beat the commander of the kingsguard with a knife? Ser Criston's first swing was fast, I was certain it would kill her.

But Rhaenyra was faster, she whirled around him quicker than I could blink. She could have easily killed him there, but she allowed Cole to turn and swing again. Was she enjoying this? I stood bewildered. None of his blows even came close to her, she was spinning and blocking Dark Sister with only a knife.

"I am bored of this Rhaenyra," Daemon spoke up, I noticed Rhaenyra roll her eyes, twirling around a red and sweating Criston Cole. Her knife drove up into a crevice in his armour, causing him to drop Dark Sister. She deftly swept the Valyrian steel from the ground and sliced off his head in one movement.

Her face dropped to a bored look, wiping the blood from Dark Sister with her arm, jerking the scabbard from Cole's lifeless body and sheathing it into place by her side. "Such a poor opponent." My stomach churned and I heaved onto the floor, my head becoming light and dizzy.

This was not the Rhaenyra I fell in love with.

"Are we clear on the terms of your loyalty to your new queen Otto Hightower?" Rhaenyra finally spoke. My father nodded silently, in pure shock.

"And you, Alicent? Do you swear loyalty to me, your queen?" I looked up at her with pure hatred, remaining silent. "I'm going to need an answer Alicent."

She neared me with Dark Sister, something menacing in her gaze made me turn away. My voice was barely a whisper, shaking as I spoke, "I swear."

Rhaenyra dragged Dark Sister along my face, placing its tip under my chin and guiding my face upwards to her. "What exactly do you swear?"

She was enjoying this now, I wondered if this was a punishment for what I had done, for not coming with her all those years ago. For going back on my promise, now that I had a daughter. Or was she so filled with hatred and rage for her father, that she had become blinded by her desire for retribution?

I felt the point dig into my chin slightly as I stared up at her. "I swear loyalty to my queen, Rhaenyra Targaryen, and I acknowledge that she is the rightful ruler of the seven kingdoms."

She withdrew the sword from my face. "Good girl."

Something inside me burned as she smirked down at me, turning to my father. "Otto, I suggest you send for the small council we have much to attend to."

I decided then and there I would do anything I possibly could to kill her. I had to protect my daughter and Westeros from the tyrant she was to become.