Camilla was nervous as she waited for her old friend under the weirwood tree, Alicent stood by her side, her green eyes rimmed with red. They stared at the tree they had been meant to meet under later that day. Camilla felt silly for having thought she could have her friendships back, for thinking she could act as if the past four years had never happened. Camilla and Alicent turned from the tree at the sound of footsteps, seeing Rhaenyra walking up the stone pathway.
"I thought we were meant to meet later today?" Rhaenyra joked, a large smile on her face as she glanced between her two friends.
"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, glancing to Camilla for help understanding what was happening.
"My father has made worrying allegations about you." Alicent began.
"Were you with Daemon last night?" Camilla asked finally looking at Rhaenyra,
"Oh, I-" Rhaenyra nervously chuckled. "I haven't seen him in years. He took me into the city for some fun."
"Tell us the whole of it, Rhaenyra." Alicent ordered, her heart had been slowly breaking in her chest since Camilla had shared what she had overheard..
"Your father accused me of something. That I drank wine? Left the castle after dark?"
"That you fucked Daemon in a pleasure house." Camilla answered, her voice absent of any emotions.
Rhaenyra was silent for a moment, looking between her two friends as she tried to find the words to say. "This is a vile accusation."
"Is it?" Alicent asked. "You Targaryens do have queer customs. And Daemon certainly knows no limit."
"Alicent, Camilla, sisters." Rhaenyra jolted forward, wanting to grab onto her friends and make them believe her. "You must know I would never do such things to hurt either of you. You cannot believe such gossip"
"My father is no gossip." Alicent dismissed Rhaenyra's words.
"Well certainly he's been misled. He could not have witnessed such a thing." Rhaenyra argued.
"Why not?"
"Because it did not happen." The Princess exclaimed.
"He was told that you-"
"Told?" Rhaenyra interrupted Alicent, 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-" Alicent answered, glancing at Camilla.
"What your father did not tell you?"
"He reported it to the King. Camilla overheard."
"So you are accusing me of slanders you overheard?" Rhaenyra asked her cousin.
"We only want the truth, Rhaenyra." Camilla answered, her shoulders sagging under the weight of this possible betrayal. "If I know what happened I could help you, cease these rumors."
"Okay," Rhaenyra sighed. "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?" Camilla turned from her friend, unable to look at Rhaenyra. Her stomach had begun turning as Rhaenyra spoke of her night.
"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." Silence passed as Rhaenyra let the word sink in, whispering to herself. "I should've known better."
"So you did not?" Alicent asked, her voice wavering.
"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 and Camilla's hands to get her point across.
"It was foolish of you to place yourself in a position where your virtue could even come into question." Alicent chided.
Camilla took a deep breath, straightening her shoulders. She did not know if she truly believed Rhaenyra, but she didn't want to believe the girl she had grown up with could hurt her so much. "The King has strived to find you a good match. And so have I. If any lord were to think that you had been sullied, it would ruin everything."
"I know, Your Grace. I regret it." Rhaenyra looked at the ground, shame clear on her face.
★・・・・・・★
The world swayed around Daemon as he finally stumbled into the walls of the Red Keep. He was to caught up by the feeling of his stomach turning and growling at the same time to realized several members of the King's Guard were walking towards him. He didn't notice until they grabbed him, pushing 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 throwing 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 bring 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 where his skin was still healing. 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. Daemon couldn't help the slight upwards tilt of his lips as his brother lifted his back off of the ground.
"You fucking- You have ruined her! What lord will wed her now? In this condition?" Viserys spat, too caught up in his anger to notice the proud look in Daemon's eyes. "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. He stood over his brother for a moment before leaving the Great hall, he feared what he might do if he stayed in his brother's presence. His fingers had been itching for his dagger since Daemon had been dragged into the room. His King's Guard were ordered to escort his brother to the Dragon Keep and send him away, to the Vale, to wherever. Viserys did not care, all he knew was he didn't wish to see his brother again.
★・・・・・・★
Thunder rumbled in the distance as Viserys stood on the balcony inside his chambers, watching as a dragon speck disappeared over the horizon. It seemed Viserys was destined to keep exiling his brother. The smell of rose and vanilla filled the air around him, as Camilla stepped up beside him, handing him a goblet of wine.
Camilla glanced between the City surrounding the Red Keep and her husband. "Have you spoken to her?"
"No." Viserys barely looked at his young wife, preferring to sip his wine.
"Perhaps you should."
"Daemon all but confessed to it."
"Do you believe him?"
"How would lying about such things serve him?" Viserys sighed, turning to face Camilla. "It does not matter what happened, only that Rhaenyra is not innocent."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Daemon and Rhaenyra share the blood of the dragon. They are restless and chaotic. Neither are fit for the throne."
"Do not say that," Camilla begged. "She is your heir, you chose her."
"A mistake."
"It wasn't!" Camilla yelled, grabbing onto Viserys' arm. "Do not doubt her over a rumor, when she swore to me that she remains a maiden."
Viserys stared at his wife for a moment, as if searching for any sign of deceit. "And you believe her?"
"Yes.
AN: This one feels hella dialogue heavy
-ELE