Chapter 7: Sympathy For The Devil
It's a few hours past midnight when I was woken up by someone arguing outside my room.
"Her grace is sleeping..."
"She'll be happy if she knows it's me." No, I wouldn't, Rhaenyra, shut up.
"You're doing your job well, but it's of utmost importance that you let us see the queen now." Who's that...
...Oh, damn you Daemon!
"What the heck are you two doing here?" I hissed as soon as I stepped out of the door, "Do you know what time it's now?"
"The sun will soon rise," The annoying prince said freshly, "Wakey wakey, we're off for a trip."
"...I've got a lot of questions," I looked around and saw Cole standing behind Rhaenyra, his expression as dark as mine, and felt slightly better, "But first: Why invite me of all people to your bloody trip?"
"I realized my crassness yesterday has upset you," He mocking bowed, "As such, I'd properly apologize with this trip."
"Uh-huh," Let's hope this wasn't a plan to have me die in a tragic accident, "And this trip requires me to go out at this hour?"
"How else can you watch the sunrise?"
"Please," Rhaenyra said, a smirk on her lips, "It'll be great for you."
...Okay, they're planning something. I wondered what Daemon had told her.
"Fine," I sighed, "Where're we going?"
They exchanged a glance, "Wear your travel clothes and I'll bring you there."
"Can't tell me?"
"It's a surprise!" Rhaenyra winked.
"...Give me a few minutes." I retreated into my room, searching. Should I bring a weapon just in case? My kingsguard would follow me but I wasn't sure how well he would fare against Daemon...
"Wait, calm down," I told myself. Daemon wouldn't attack me in front of Rhaenyra, that would be suicidal of him. If he wanted to pretend it to be an accident, then he would have to, say, push me off a cliff or something.
Okay, no need to find a weapon then. I put on the most comfortable pairs of trousers and went out to meet them.
Here goes nothing.
—
"No," I stood firmly on the ground, my arms crossed, "No, I'm not going in."
"We haven't even told you what we're doing yet," Rhaenyra said.
"I don't care what you're planning," I pointed at the dragon pit, "But I'm not going inside again. Not in a thousand years."
"Alicent, dear, have you ever thought about it?" Daemon put a hand on my shoulders and explained, "You lost your memories because of a dragon. If you overcome your fear of dragons, your memories might come back."
"I have faced Syrax before," I pushed him away, "Nothing came back. I'll pass."
"I've heard your story. You've faced a dragon... but you haven't tried riding one."
"Excuse me? Do I look like I have a drop of dragon blood in me?" If you planned to have me killed trying to tame a dragon, then you couldn't be more stupid.
"No, but you're with me. I'll take you on Caraxes for a sunrise you've never seen, then come back here safe and swift." He smiled smugly, "You have no reason to refuse now."
"..." I was out of words. I couldn't judge this was a genuine offer to help me, a badly disguised prank, or an attempt of murder. If he pushed me down his dragon midair, Viserys wouldn't forgive him even if he claimed it to be an accident...
"Before I answer... who's idea is this?" If this was Rhaenyra's idea, then I would be more comfortable to go along with it.
"Rhaenyra mentioned your phobia of dragons, I devised the whole plan," Daemon said.
"...Thought so," I sighed. I didn't have much choice, now did I? If I refused, Daemon and Rhaenyra would be alone. "Okay, I'm in."
It couldn't be worse than... I dunno, Bungy jump?
—
"Ahhhhhh!" I screamed, "Help! Papa! Mama! Anyone!"
"Stop shouting into my ears and hold on!" Daemon forcefully grabbed my arms across his waist, "Do you want to die?!"
"How am I supposed to... ahhhh!" A sudden gust of wind almost threw me off the dragon's back, and I was forced to hold on tight to Daemon as he demanded.
"Better?" He asked after a moment of silence, "If you had done as I said in the first place..."
"Shut up." This was still no better than Bungy jump. I hated to have any physical contact with him, and it wasn't comfortable on the dragon's back even if I no longer felt I would fall anytime.
However, I now had the mental energy to look for Rhaenyra. It's still dark, so I couldn't see her face, but I could see her waving at us on the back of Syrax. At least she's around...
"Alright, we're here," Daemon suddenly said, "Look."
"...?" I didn't know what he wanted me to see. He turned to glance at me, "Do you not recall what we're here for? Here," Seeing my confused look, he guided my head with his hand, and—
"Ohh..." The sun was dawning upon us, the first line of light coloring the sky into yellow. The whole Red Keep and King's Landing was illuminated, revitalizing the city.
"Breathtaking, wasn't it?" Daemon whispered, "Only the sunlight would have given its shine equally to the slums and the castle. But it can only be seen at this height."
"Changing the perspective, huh. I can't believe you can be so thoughtful."
"I'm no mindless brute if you could remember that. Anything that comes up?"
"No. But..." It wasn't the first time I had seen a sunrise. But in the sky of King's Landing... "Thank you. You can be nice when you want to."
"I'm nice, you say? The first time someone said that." He was strangely… cheerful?
"That sounds like a very sad thing to say?" Even I had been called nice before.
"This isn't what people would usually use to describe me," He said, his voice wistful, "The world isn't a nice place. I simply adapt to the working of this world."
"I thought you're the kind of guy to say 'the world is my playground'."
"Both are true. The world is my playground, just not a nice playground," He paused to muse, then said, "This was a world where we compete against each other with blood and fire, and I thrive in it. But it isn't a nice environment."
"…Does that mean you would rather live in a less… deadly world?" I couldn't believe Daemon Targaryen of all people was telling me that he disliked Westeros.
"This is the only world that I've ever been to, so who knows?" he shrugged.
"Well, I've been—" Shit! I almost covered my mouth with my hands, but that would be even more suspicious. Daemon stared at me, and I quickly said, "I… I've been thinking, maybe in the future… we wouldn't need to compete with dragons at all?"
"Then what will people compete with?"
"Umm, I dunno, board games?"
"The one you made?" He laughed, "Sure, that'd be a world I don't mind being in. I'd beat everyone the same. Including you."
"...Two seconds and you're back to being an ass." This man couldn't be praised at all.
"I prefer you to say 'a handsome rogue', but thanks for the compliment."
"You're a narcissistic asshole." During our bickering, the sun had gone all the way up and the sky had turned blue. We slowly descended to the ground.
After we landed, I found several people waiting for us: the two knights, the Hightowers...
...And Viserys.
"Father?" It's Rhaenyra who leaped off first. I tried to dismount as quickly as possible, seeing how Otto was glaring at me, but Daemon ignored my wish and grabbed me by my waist as he jumped off. I wanted to dig a hole and hide.
"Ser Criston has informed me of your little adventure." Viserys said, "I'm glad that you've returned safely. Alicent..." Daemon playfully shoved me forward, "Do you remember anything new?"
"No," I apprehensively approached him, "Nothing at all."
His gaze wandered to Daemon first before meeting mine. "Did you at least have a good time?"
"...I guess so."
"If Balerion was still alive," He said with a bitter laugh, "I could have gone with you. But never mind, let's go back, you must be hungry."
"Yeah, I'm starving." I nodded eagerly.
He took my hand— with a surprising, almost hurting strength— and pulled me along, walking out of the dragon pit. Rhaenyra and Daemon were chatting behind our backs, and I could still feel Otto's glare burning holes into my skull, but Viserys paid them no mind.
"Umm, are you... angry?" I was quite frankly scared; he had never treated me so roughly before. He was staring straight forward, a smile fixated on his face. I couldn't read his expression.
"Why would I? You did nothing wrong." His tone was near acidic, and with his words, his grip tightened.
"It hurts," I complained, and he immediately let go and stared at me with horror.
"Sorry, I'm just... worried." He said, his tone softened, "We all heard you screaming..."
"Ahaha, that's so embarrassing," I forced out a laugh, "Did I wake you up?"
"The whole city, mayhaps."
"Oh no!" We shared a laugh, and so closed the issue.
It wasn't the end of that, however. As soon as Viserys was gone, Otto pulled me aside and hissed, "What are you thinking, going out with him?"
"I don't want to go either! It's only because of Rhaenyra. And it ended well, didn't it?" The breakfast had gone swimmingly and Viserys didn't seem to be mad anymore.
"It's my mistake that I haven't warned you yet, so here: I don't want that man to get near you. In no circumstances I would see him touch a finger of yours again. Clear?"
"...I know you hate him, and I hold no love for him as well, but ahh... I don't think you need to worry about me if that's what you're afraid of? His target isn't me."
Hmm, when I thought about it, there were rumors that Daemon had bedded Alicent before she married Viserys. I suppose this was what Otto was worried about, my reputation.
"You better remember, he's our greatest enemy."
"I know. That's why I need to observe him closely." If I could insert myself between him and Rhaenyra every time like today, then I'd consider my mission a success.
He let out a long-suffering sigh, "Starting today, I want Myles with you wherever you go. I'll tell Gwayne to accompany you whenever he's available too."
"Poor Myles," I joked, and he glared at me again, "Fine, fine, I've no objection."
"Take care of ourselves, we cannot always be on your side."
"Of course, father." I yawned, "I'll take a nap first... if you're going to send for Myles, please tell him to meet me no earlier than afternoon."
"I swear, you'll be the death of me." This had slowly become his mantra whenever he couldn't convince me of something.
He should get used to it, I wasn't going to change. Now, to have a sweet dream...