Chapter 46: Ultimatum
"Rhaenyra, it has been alleged that you snuck out of the Red Keep with your Uncle Daemon last night and visited an inappropriate establishment. Do you have any explanation for that?" Viserys inquired cautiously, a sense of unease gnawing at him.
Rhaenyra tapped her chin thoughtfully and offered a contrite apology. "I did leave the Red Keep with Daemon last night, but we only ventured to Silk Street to see a play."
"Is that all?" Viserys pressed, looking for any hint of deception.
"Absolutely," Rhaenyra assured him confidently.
Satisfied with her answer, Viserys' mood lifted and he turned the conversation to Lyonel, the Hand of the King.
Rhaenyra glanced sideways at Lyonel, awaiting his question. "What is it, my lord?"
With measured words, Lyonel broached the delicate subject. "Princess, there have been reports of you and Prince Daemon entering a brothel last night..."
"However, in the absence of hard evidence, I would like to hear your account," he added, his tone neutral.
Rhaenyra's denial was quick and firm. "Since there is no evidence, it is undoubtedly false. Someone is attempting to besmirch my reputation, an act tantamount to treason."
Acknowledging her position, Lyonel nodded solemnly. "I will investigate the source of these rumors and see that justice is done for the princess."
At this point, the truth mattered little. Even if there was evidence that Rhaenyra and Daemon had left the Red Keep, all other accusations had been consumed by the fire.
As long as Rhaenyra maintained her innocence regarding the brothel visit, her virtue remained unassailable.
With a final nod to Viserys, Lyonel left, determined to put the unfounded rumors to rest.
The father-daughter duo exchanged incredulous glances and Viserys, unable to contain his excitement, spoke first.
"Rhaenyra, were you aware of the massive fire that engulfed Silk Street last night?" he asked, his tone laced with urgency.
"Thanks to the fire, I was able to avoid the lurking shadows," Rhaenyra replied calmly.
"You knew?" Viserys' astonishment was palpable.
"Rhaegar informed me. He received a tip-off and orchestrated the fire to get me to safety," Rhaenyra confessed truthfully.
Viserys was stunned by his son's cunning, his disbelief giving way to pride. After a moment, he smiled proudly. "Rhaegar is indeed a remarkable young man and a loyal brother."
"No doubt," Rhaenyra agreed, her smile reflecting her father's relief.
She had arrived early in the morning to accept Rhaegar's offer, knowing that the best defense against conspiracy was preemption. Confident in her innocence, she knew that no one could tarnish her reputation by standing firm.
Observing his daughter's delighted expression, Viserys shifted the conversation. "What do you think about it?"
"About what?" Rhaenyra asked, caught off guard for a moment.
"On considering Rhaegar's help in the future, as he did last night," Viserys clarified.
"Rhaegar is still quite young," Rhaenyra hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"That is of no consequence. He'll grow into a fine young man in time," Viserys insisted.
"But I only see him as... I haven't considered..." Rhaenyra trailed off, her mind still reeling from last night's events.
Viserys frowned, his tone grave. "Then who do you have in mind? Surely not some shameless scoundrel?"
"No, of course not," Rhaenyra denied hastily. "I confess that I once harbored a fleeting infatuation with Daemon because of his bold demeanor, but last night's revelation exposed his true nature."
"You have rejected all the suitors I have proposed, and now you reject Rhaegar. What do you expect your father to do about your marriage?" Viserys' disappointment was palpable.
The memory of Daemon's nefarious intentions almost succeeding sent a shiver down his spine and filled him with a sense of urgency.
With a heavy heart, Viserys issued an ultimatum:
"Lyonel has suggested Ser Laenor, son of the sea serpent Corlys, as a possible match for you, and I agree that he would be a suitable candidate."
"Marriage to him would heal the rift between House Targaryen and House Velaryon and solidify your power in the future," Viserys explained, his voice carrying the weight of authority.
After a pause, Viserys fixed his daughter with a commanding gaze, his demeanor regal. "Rhaegar? Laenor? You must choose between them!"
"Can I have some time to think?" Rhaenyra pleaded, her voice trembling slightly in the face of her father's determination.
When Viserys was determined, there was little room for negotiation. But his love and guilt for his daughter softened his resolve and he agreed to give her some time.
But he stressed the urgency of the situation. "The rumors will not disappear overnight. In the meantime, I will move our family temporarily to Dragonstone Island."
"On Dragonstone there are young dragons ready for taming, and both Rhaegar and Aegon have one each," Viserys continued, outlining his plan.
"After they have tamed their dragons, I will travel to the Driftmark. It may be to propose to Laenor on your behalf, or to extend an invitation to the Sea Serpent for your betrothal to Rhaegar."
"Regardless, you must give me an explanation!" Viserys concluded, his words leaving no room for argument as he gestured for Rhaenyra to leave.
Feeling suffocated by the weight of her father's expectations, Rhaenyra bit her lip tightly and hurried to leave the oppressive confines of the room.
Her mind raced as she searched for an escape, desperate to find solace outside the suffocating walls.
After Rhaenyra left, a slender figure emerged from the shadows of the room and wrapped her arms around Viserys from behind.
"You heard everything?" Viserys asked, sensing her presence.
"I had nowhere else to go," Alicent replied quietly.
"Rhaenyra's union with Rhaegar is long overdue. Their marriage would strengthen the stability of the throne," Viserys remarked, his tone tinged with resignation.
"But Rhaenyra still clings to her romantic notions," Alicent observed.
"The heir to the Iron Throne cannot afford to be a naive maiden," Viserys acknowledged, stopping Alicent's attempt at further persuasion and instead kissing her cheek gently.
Dressed under Alicent's watchful eye, Viserys gripped the hilt of the Blackfyre Sword with determination.
"Well, I must tend to my dear brother," Viserys declared before leaving.
At the end of the day, Alicent, dressed in a light gauze dress, remained alone in the room.
She took small, incoherent bites of the bread left on the table and gazed out the window with a distant expression in her eyes.
...
As the morning light filtered through the cloth curtain, it cast delicate shadows on Daemon's face, disturbed by a lingering hangover from the night before. He groaned at his thirst and felt the room spin.
A vision in white, Mysaria entered and pulled back the light-blocking curtains, flooding the room with blinding sunlight and jolting Daemon awake. Cursing under his breath, he shielded his eyes from the glare.
Crouching beside him, Mysaria offered a bowl of water, which Daemon gulped down greedily as if it were a life-saving elixir. His voice gravelly, he asked, "Any news?"
"Unfortunately, my informant was seriously injured, and it appears that last night's fire was a deliberate act," Mysaria replied in her rough, exotic accent, her expression tinged with grief for her informant.
Daemon rubbed his face wearily, a hint of anger in his tone. "It seems my brother never trusted me enough to neglect watching my every move."
"Would you dare seduce your own niece without someone intervening?" Mysaria's voice remained flat, devoid of emotion.
"I cannot say for certain. Power has always been a seductive poison," Daemon admitted, stretching his limbs before pulling Mysaria close, his affectionate gesture contrasting with the seriousness of the situation.
"At a time like this, you're still in the mood?" Mysaria asked, her tone neutral.
"Not particularly. I got a good thrashing last night. Let's see if it still works," Daemon replied, his confidence unshakable as he released Mysaria and began to dress.
Expressionless, Mysaria reminded him, "Don't forget to settle the bill before you leave."
(Word count: 1320)