Intermission 4: Could Have Been The Best Life

The King On The Iron Throne

When Alicent came to court at first, Viserys didn't think much of her.

Sure, she was pretty and capable, but he was a married man with a perfectly fine wife and a daughter. He respected and admired Aemma for who she was and never thought of another.

Until she died. And soon their son followed. Daemon didn't share his grief; he always had trouble in caring for others, but his jape was a step too far.

It wasn't a logical decision, but he decided that he would deny Daemon his satisfaction by proclaiming Rhaenyra his heir. The next day, Daemon left his court.

As usual, he ran away from what he didn't like and did not attempt to change himself. But at that point, Viserys didn't care. All he had was his grief and burning rage.

Then after a few days, he found Alicent crying in an empty room, huddling her knees.

"My lady?" He asked, wondering if he should interrupt. Alicent wasn't close to Aemma, and there's nothing wrong with Otto and the rest of the Hightowers, so he didn't know the cause of her sorrow.

"Your grace," She lifted her head and he saw that her face was riddled with tears, "My apologies. I must have disturbed you."

"No, please don't apologize. What has happened?"

"It's... Daemon," She sniffed, "He left me... he promised..."

"Daemon," His jaw clenched; with Daemon's reputation as a womanizer, it wasn't hard to guess the rest of it. "Had he... dishonored you?"

A short, hesitated nod. "And he had... he had..." She couldn't seem to continue her sentence, but with where she was placing her hands...

"...He had gotten you with a child?" From her expression, he knew he was right.

"When father knows, he'll send me back to Oldtown and banish me to the Starry Sept," She urgently whispered, "He already suspected me."

"Otto doesn't need to know anything," He tried to comfort her, "Have you drunk moontea?"

"...Not yet," She lowered her head, "I was afraid that father would know through the Grand Maester..."

"It won't be a problem if I'm the one who asks him."

"You?" She widened her eyes, "But your grace, if you do so, sooner or later there'll be rumors that it was you who..."

"Let there be rumors," He found himself saying, "I'm his elder brother, I should take responsibility for his wrongdoings."

At that point, it might have been pity and a sense of responsibility.

But when she first stared at him with disbelief, then bloomed into a tearful, grateful smile...

"I couldn't ever repay you, your grace," She said, her voice still hoarse from crying, but every bit full of joy.

He found himself hard to take his eyes away.

He hadn't, wouldn't consider anyone else when his advisors urged him to remarry. He wanted the girl with that smile. He wanted to protect and cherish her.

He wasn't expecting children from her because of her abortion, but she had defied his expectations once again. She gave him not one, but three children, one after another.

However, she desired more. Otto desired more. They would have him to change his decree, to go back on his words.

If he hadn't done that to spite Daemon, he would have gladly let Aegon succeed him. But he couldn't do that now; he couldn't betray Rhaenyra's expectation.

Just when he thought he couldn't mend the rift between his wife and his daughter—

She... changed.

—

"...Can't believe you chose her of all people," Daemon laughed, "I assume you know I was with her before? You always have a thing for... wreck women, after all."

"I do," Viserys drank deeply, ignoring his comment, "That's why I asked you to come to see me."

"You want to know if she remembers. She doesn't, fear not. She would never come with me if she knew our past together."

Would Daemon lie to him? He absolutely would, Viserys thought, but only if he had something to gain from it. Which meant... "You wouldn't provoke her?"

"Hmm," Daemon thoughtfully stroked the bottom of his goblet, "She's way more interesting this way. I won't move against her."

That's good, but it wasn't the promise he was looking for. "Swear that you won't touch her."

"You're serious? She's your wife. Have I ever touched Aemma when she's alive?"

"I don't want to hear Aemma's name from your mouth," Viserys squeezed his goblet tight, "And don't change the topic with questions. Promise me."

"Fine, I promise," He smirked, "Will you touch her, however?"

Viserys ground his teeth. Daemon knew best how to get under his skin. "She... doesn't want it." He knew that very well, every time he faced her, wanting to embrace her, he could feel her freezing up.

The current Alicent reminded him of Aemma whenever he touched her. That was the look of a child who wasn't ready to be wed or bed. He had no choice with Aemma, but he didn't want to force Alicent until her mind returned to a more mature state.

"You're being too passive. If you would just take her—"

"I do not need your advice, Daemon."

"Hmph," Daemon's gaze sharpened, "You want me to stay away from her yet make no attempt yourself. You call me immature and willful, but you're running from the reality here. She won't ever remember, brother, face the truth."

"Even if she never recovers completely, she'll grow to accept me in her heart." That's what supported Viserys nowadays. Didn't Aemma stop being afraid of him a while after their first child was conceived? Alicent would, certainly, do so too. With time.

"That's what you tell yourself to keep you sane?" Daemon crackled, "If that's your wish, I won't destroy your fantasy. But do remember that I've warned you."

She would love me, Viserys told himself, and we could have the best life together.

Soon.

—

"...She tried to seduce me, and when I refused, she stabbed me in the eye," Daemon said, his left eye covered in bandages. It'd recover even if not completely, Runciter had told him.

Viserys couldn't care less about Daemon's eye now. "You promised me to keep your hands from her!"

"I did, I refused her advances. Hence, she almost poked my eye off... she's most likely mad. You better annul—"

"This is the complete opposite of what happened! He tried to force himself on me." Alicent shouted.

"He laid a hand on his queen. He should be executed by all laws of Gods and men." Otto said, glowering at his biggest rival.

"Ser Otto, you're not a part of the small council and this trial, please remain silent." Lyonel, Viserys' Hand, was holding the trial, "We've heard both sides of the argument. Ser Myles, Ser Gwayne, please describe the situation you had found the queen."

Viserys was glad that someone could perform this role for him, otherwise, he'd cut off Daemon's head here and now. But he couldn't do that.

"Prince Daemon had taken our sister from us with a flimsy excuse," Myles Hightower said, his normally calm expression overridden with anger, "We didn't trust him, so we decided to follow them. However, we lost them on the way."

"That's when we met the Princess and Ser Criston," Gwayne said with a nod to Rhaenyra, "Princess Rhaenyra informed us where she had last seen them. After we went for the direction she pointed, we heard Alicent screaming for help."

"We broke down the door, and found him hitting my sister," Myles concluded.

"So, none of you saw that I tried to rape her as she claimed." Daemon snorted.

"No, but you're holding her arm and attacking her, what else could—"

"Ser, that's enough. I see how it is." Lyonel was busily writing notes and looking at a piece of paper he had in his hands, "Next, could we have Princess Rhaenyra say her words?"

Rhaenyra stood up, her gaze wavering, "It's just as Ser Myles and Ser Gwayne said. I had seen Uncle Daemon and Alicent walking past me, then later when Ser Gwayne said he's trying to find them I told him... I was curious about what they're doing, so I decided to follow them too."

"I heard Alicent claiming that Uncle Daemon tried to rape her, and he had darksister out against Ser Gwayne. I was afraid of Alicent and Ser Gwayne's safety, so I requested Criston, my loyal and able knight, to aid him."

"In other words, none of you have witnessed the happenings in that room," Lyonel frowned, still glaring at the paper he had in hand, "Thank you, princess. Next, the Grand Maester."

Runciter came up, "My apprentice and I had checked the Queen and Prince Daemon's wound," He looked at Alicent, "We couldn't find any evidence that the Prince had attempted to rape her. Instead, given the severity of the Prince's wound, it's more likely that she attacked him suddenly and unprovoked..."

"What? This is bullshit! He pushed me to the ground, climbed on me, and tried to silence me..." Alicent cried out, "Why are you helping him?"

Up until now, Daemon was calm and almost cold in his attitude. Now he laughed, "It seems the evidence isn't on your side, Alicent Hightower. Is it not enough that you had my brother? Your pride couldn't bear being rejected, and so you had to attack me, had to try to frame me... now the truth is out and you're on the chopping block. Nobody can save you now."

Alicent shivered, tears running down her cheeks, "This isn't... everything he said was a lie..." She looked at Viserys directly and begged, "Please... you won't believe him over me... I don't even like him! I... I..." She sniffed, "Please... trust me."

"Your grace, Runciter has fallen to old age and unsuited to the position of Grand Maester. We should discard his judgment and had Maester—"

"Ser Otto, what did I say about this trial?!" Lyonel barked. He glanced at his letter, then to Viserys, "Your Grace, I think—"

Viserys wasn't listening to him. His eyes were on Alicent.

Since she lost her memories, she wasn't acting like herself. If she had lied about her memories initially, could she lie about her feelings for Daemon?

If she had acted like her old self, who hated Daemon more than anything, he wouldn't have... no, actually he would.

He was always afraid. Afraid that he was Daemon's second best. Afraid that despite all her harsh words, Daemon weighted more heavily in her heart than he would ever be.

In the end, the trial, Daemon's words, none of them mattered.

All that mattered was whether he trusted her or not. Whether he trusted himself or not.

He peered into her eyes, gleaming with tears. She's who he wanted to spend the rest of life with...

The past year, she had changed from a strong, capable woman to a disheveled girl who left food stains on her clothes. Yet that only made him want to cherish her more.

Had she not smiled warmly to him, every time they talked? Had she not befriended Rhaenyra, as he always wished they could?

He couldn't let Daemon play into his insecurity, he decided. No matter what had been between them, he wouldn't lose her.

He would... trust her.

"The trial is inconclusive," He announced, "However, we cannot allow Prince Daemon to run around if Queen Alicent's claim is true. Therefore, Daemon Targaryen would be put in confinement until further judgment could be made."

An uproar. Daemon yelled, "Inconclusive? You'd have her ruin you further, brother? She's a wreck, I told you so! She would continue to deny you and find another, giving you horns—"

"Take him away!" Viserys ordered, and although Daemon was an extraordinary warrior, he was soon restrained without his sword.

Viserys ignored his curses and walked towards Alicent. "This is finished, my love. Let us return."

"You called me— I..." A smile arose from her tears-ridden face, "Thank you," Even though she tried to hide it, he could see her blushing, "Thank you."

That's what he wanted all along, he recalled, to see her smile. This was what made him fall in love with her in the first place, and he would have fallen in love again just now when he saw her.

Against all noise of uproar from the crowd, all looking eyes, he embraced her firmly. "I won't doubt you again," He promised, more to himself than all.

She stiffened, then relaxed immediately, "Thank you..." She continued to whisper, again and again.

He hoped so much that time could stop at that moment.

—

Just the next day, he received the news.

Daemon had escaped from King's Landing, darksister, and Caraxes with him.

"...Huh?"