Familiarity ||| Jacaerys Velaryon

twenty-three

Alyssa was kept in her chambers while the preparations for Aegon's coronation were made. It was hard to tell time, how many days had passed. Two, she thought. Between when Alicent came to her and his coronation.

She was fed at different times, food slipped in carefully. And there were always two guards stationed outside her door. They never talked loud enough for Alyssa to know what was going on.

Unfortunately, not many knew Alyssa was in the Holdfast. Rhaenys didn't know when she was smuggled out by Ser Erryk. He felt like he could only choose one to save and Rhaenys had fewer protections. Since she was older, they deemed her less of a threat.

While Rhaenys was escaping, Alyssa was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled to her chest. She'd had much time to think. And there was sure to be more of it. On how to get the guards away from the door.

The only joy she got in that Holdfast was the hope that Aegon knew she was captive. Knew she was captive and would rather have stayed a prisoner than agree to marry him. That's how much she didn't care for him.

***

Rhaenys escaped on Dragonback from King's Landing. And out of loyalty to her House, she flew first to Dragonstone. She still didn't know who she'd left behind.

So when Rhaenys landed and was given an audience with Rhaenyra and Daemon, she delivered the terrible news swiftly.

"Viserys is dead."

Air sucked from the room. Wide eyes, quivering lip. Rhaenyra's father was dead, Daemon's brother. He turned from where he stood next to the fireplace.

"I grieve this loss with you, Rhaenyra. My cousin, your father... possessed a kind heart. There is more." The blows were devastating but necessary. "Aegon has been crowned as his successor."

Rhaenyra groaned, clutching her stomach. "They crowned him?" She asked, almost sounding like a broken-hearted child. The day had finally come. And they stole it from her.

"How did Viserys die?" Daemon asked, his mind still reeling.

"I could not say." They hadn't let her see the body.

"How long ago?"

"A day passed, perhaps two. I was made prisoner in my quarters while the Queen made her preparations."

Alyssa.

"Where is Alyssa?"

Rhaenyra glanced back at Daemon when he asked. She had graciously offered to stay.

"Alyssa?" Rhaenys asked. "There is no way for me to know where she resides on this island—"

"She's not on this island. She stayed behind. To offer comfort for the King. You did not take her with you?"

Rhaenys shook her head. "I... did not know she was also in the Holdfast. No mention of her was made."

Daemon was seething then, hardly able to hear Rhaenys describe Aegon being crowned in the Dragonpit. The Greens had his daughter. His Alyssa, his firstborn, imprisoned in the Holdfast.