The sun rose over King's landing as life began to stir within the city. Prince Daemon awoke in a strange room to the sound of pots clanging. The stone walls were covered in mildew and grime and straw was thrown across the floor. The blankets on the straw mattress were rough and scratchy against the Prince's skin.
"Am I your prisoner?" Daemon spoke, alerting the other person in the room that he was awake.
Mysaria, Daemon's former paramour, stood at a table mixing something in a bowl. "As I was once yours?" Her accent filled the room reminding Daemon of their time spent at Dragonstone.
A bell tolled in the distance seven times, as Mysaria rounded the bed Daemon still laid on, a silver goblet dangling from her fingertips.
"I'm your protector, lucky for you." The former whore knelt down, pressing the goblet into Daemon's hand. "This will cut the fog."
Daemon let the goblet slip from his grasp, the contents spilling onto the floor. "I don't need protection from a common whore."
"I am not so common."
"A not so common whore then."
"I've left that life behind. I learned that skin trade could only take me so far in this life." A young boy entered the room, meeting Mysaria at the foot of Daemon's bed and handing the woman a handful of coins. Mysaria smiled at the boy as he left the room and she began counting the money.
"You never were one to stay idle."
"Hard lessons are not welcomed but suffered as I'm sure your Lady Tully will soon learn." Mysaria looked down at her former lover with a sense of pity before turning to the stairs leading out of the room.
"Mysar-" Daemon attempted to call out.
"You can pay for the room on your way out."
Guilty flooded Daemon's senses at his actions from the night prior. Camilla had already forgiven him once, surely she would not be so stupid to do so again.
...
Alicent was nervous as she waited for her old friend under the Weirwood tree. The same tree that Rhaenyra, Camilla and her had sat under years ago, how those days felt so far from her touch. And Camilla. Poor Camilla. Her heart had already been broken once and now Rhaenyra had betrayed her in the worst way possible. Alicent turned from the tree to face Rhaenyra at the sound of her footsteps.
"What happened last night?" Alicent asked, getting straight to the point. Her fingers picked at the skin of her thumb, hoping to alleviate her anxieties.
"What do you mean?" The smile on Rhaenyra's face fell, at Alicent's tone.
"My father has made worrying allegations about you. Were you with your uncle?"
"Oh, I-" Rhaenyra chuckled. "I haven't seen him in years. He took me into the city for some fun."
"Tell me the whole of it, Rhaenyra." Alicent ordered.
"Your father accused me of something. That I drank wine? Left the castle after dark?"
"That you fucked Daemon in a pleasure house." Alicent hissed.
"This is a vile accusation."
"Is it? I saw how upset you were that Daemon would pay you no attention yesterday. Could you really be so cruel as to betray Camilla, who has done nothing but defend you, like this."
"Alicent. Your Grace, sister, you must know I would never do such things to hurt either of you. You cannot believe such gossip"
"My father is no gossip"
"Well certainly he's been misled. He could not have witnessed such a thing."
"Why not?"
"Because it did not happen."
"He was told that you-"
"Told?" Rhaenyra interrupted, her anger rising. "Who made these claims to your father? I am the princess. To question my virtue is an act of treason."
"I do not know specifically-"
"What your father did not tell you?"
"He reported it to the King. I overheard."
"So you are accusing me of slanders you overheard?"
"I only want to help you, Rhaenyra. I needed to speak to you before Camilla heard."
"Okay, we... We drank in a tavern. Several taverns. 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."
"Continue in a brothel?" Alicent turned from her friend, unable to look at Rhaenyra.
"He took me to a show. I was only a spectator. I didn't do anything. And then Daemon sank into his cups and uh, abandoned me rambling on about Camilla." Silence passed as Rhaenyra let the word sin in, whispering to herself. "I should've known better."
"So you did not?"
"Must I truly refute that? Daemon never touched me. I swear this to you upon the memory of my mother." Rhaenyra rushed forward, grabbing Alicent's wrists to get her point across.
"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. And not to mention how Camilla's heart would break, you remember how she acted when Daemon was banished. How despondent she became."
"I know, Your Grace. I regret it."
...
As Daemon finally stumbled into the walls of the Red Keep he was met by several members of the King's Guard grabbing him and pulling him to his knees.
"The King demands an audience, my Prince."
"Take your fucking hands off me." Daemon grumbled, though he was too sick to truly be of any threat.
The knights led Daemon into the Great hall, dragging him all the way to the throne before dropping him onto the ground. The stone floor was nice and cold against Daemon's overheated skin. At least that is what the prince told himself, when he could not force himself to stand up.
"My daughter." Viserys spoke, alerting his brother of his presence.
Daemon groaned as he tried to roll onto his side in order to look up at his brother.
"Won't you even deny it?"
"I need to understand the charge before I can attempt to discredit it."
"You defiled her." Viserys boot struck Daemon's back, the blow landing to the right of his spine. Daemon groaned in pain as he finally rolled over onto his back. "Still you say nothing."
"Oh what does it matter, brother? When we were Rhaenyra's age, we fucked our way through most of the brothels on the Street of Silk."
"We were young men. She is just a girl. Your Niece!"
"Rhaenyra's a woman grown. Better her first experience be with me than some whore."
At his brother's words, the King launched himself forward grabbing Daemon by the shirt. "You fucking- You have ruined her! Is it not enough I have allowed you to sully my ward now you go after my own daughter. What lord will wed her now? In this condition?"
"Who gives a fuck what some lord thinks? You are the Dragon. Your word is truth and law."
"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." Viserys threw Daemon back onto the ground, and stood over his brother.
"Wed her to me. 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.
"And what of my ward? Should I just allow you to make a mockery of Camilla?"
"I shall have two wives, just as Aegon the conqueror did."
Viserys ripped his knife from its sheath and pressed the blade to Daemon's throat. "You are no conqueror. You are a plague sent to destroy me.
"Camilla does not matter, wed Rhaenyra to me and I will take her as she is and we will return the House of the Dragon to its proper glory."
"Of course. It's not my daughter you lust for, is it? It's my throne." Viserys removed his knife from Daemon's throat and stood up. "I will not be the cause of Camilla's broken heart. You will marry her or be stripped of your titles and exiled."
As Viserys walked away, Daemon let out the breath he had been holding. "As you wish brother."
AN: Bruh I feel so bad for Camilla.
-ELE