"The flesh will heal. But the eye is lost, your grace" says the Maester.
Alicent's heart heaves in her throat. Her own son permanently maimed by Rhaenyra's bastard, Lucerys. She wheels around to Aegon, "Where were you?" she demands.
"Me?" asks the boy, stupidly, and she sees that he is drunk. The Queen slaps him across the face and he cries out in pain, "What was that for?"
"That was nothing," she sneers, "compared to the abuse your brother suffered while you were drowning in your cups, you fool."
Lord Corlys strides in from atop the stairs. "What is the meaning of this?" he booms.
"Rhaena, Baela, what happened?" asks Lady Rhaenys, trailing behind him and gathering the girls into her bosom as if they were her own. "What happened?" They weep in her arms.
The main entrance swings open and Rhaenyra rushes in followed by Daemon. "Jace?" she asks, "Luke?"
Her hair is touseled in the torchlight, her braids completely loose. There is a flush about her cheeks as if she had just –
Whore, Alicent thinks to herself, wretched whore, and rage floods through her. Rhaenyra was rolling about on the sand with her uncle whilst her bastard maimed my Aemond. The Queen pictures Daemon ripping open the back of Rhaenyra's gown as her son has his eye ripped from him.
Rhaenyra rushes to her children. "Show me. Show me," she demands as the boys weep pathetically. "Who did this?" she demands.
"They attacked me!" shouts a child.
"He attacked Baela!" shouts another.
"He broke Luke's nose!"
"He stole my mother's dragon!"
The children continue to scream at each other, but all Alicent can hear is the sound of her own heart pounding in her ears.
"Silence!" shouts the King, snapping her out of it. "Aemond," says Viserys finally. "I will have the truth of what happened. Now."
"What else is there to hear?" breathes the Queen, "Your son has been maimed. Her son is responsible," she says, pointing at the princess. Why must he always see nuance where there is none?
"It was a regrettable accident," says Rhaenyra, playing the part of an angel beside the fire.
Alicent laughs aloud. "Accident?" I can see you, Rhaenyra, she thinks to herself, I see beneath that pretty mask you wear. She sneers, "The prince Lucerys brought a blade to the conflict. He meant to kill my son."
"It was my sons," shouts Rhaenyra, "who were attacked! And forced to defend themselves."
Alicent sees her mask crack for a moment and smirks at her.
"Vile insults were levied against them," claims the princess, her voice wavering. It is happening, realizes Alicent, it shall all come out now. Her heart hammers in her chest.
"What insults?" demands the King.
Rhaenyra pauses as if for dramatic effect, and then she speaks: "The legitimacy of my sons' birth was put loudly to question." Alicent rolls her eyes.
"What?" asks Viserys.
"He called us bastards," says the young Jacerys.
"My sons," insists Rhaenyra, "are in line to inherit the Iron Throne, your grace. This is the highest of treasons. Prince Aemond must be sharply questioned so that we might learn where he heard such slanders."
Alicent feels a thrum of fear within her. She raises her eyebrows. "Over an insult?" she asks. "My son has lost an eye."
Rhaenyra merely watches her, her expression cavalier.
"You tell me, boy," demands the King, "Where did you hear this lie?"
"The insult was training yard bluster," Alicent pleads, "the lot of boys. It was nothing."
"Aemond," says Viserys, ignorning her entirely, "I asked you a question."
The Queen's blood runs cold. "Where is Ser Laenor, I wonder? The boys' father," she asks. "Perhaps he might have something to say in the matter."
"Yes, where is Ser Laenor?" asks the King.
Everyone turns to look at Rhaenyra.
"I do not know, your grace," replies the Princess, "I… I could not find sleep. I had gone out to walk."
Alicent rolls her eyes again at this. You are trapped, she thinks, and yet you still insist on committing to this lie. "Entertaining his young squires. I venture," she says mildly.
"Aemond," demands Viserys. "Look at me. Your king demands an answer. Who spoke these lies to you?"
The boy looks over at her, unsure of what to do. Alicent's heart stops. She holds her breath.
"It was Aegon."
The Queen lets out a quiet sigh.
"Me?" asks the boy.
"And you, boy?" demands the King, hobbling over to him, "Where did you hear such calumnies?"
Aegon says nothing.
"AEGON" shouts Viserys, "Tell me the truth of it!"
"We know, Father," replies the prince, catching his mother's eye. "Everyone knows. Just look at them."
The Queen breathes quickly now.
Rhaenyra gathers her boys to her chest.
Viserys meets Alicent's gaze and she is forced to look away. The accusatory look she sees in his eyes is too much for her to bear.
"This interminable infighting must cease!" demands the King, slamming his staff to the ground. "All of you! We are family. Now make your apologies and show good will to one another. Your father, your grandsire, your King demands it!" He hobbles past her as if he means to walk from the room.
"That is insufficient," breathes the Queen. He turns back to face her then. "Aemond has been damaged permanently, my King. 'Good will' cannot make him whole."
"I know, Alicent," says her lord husband, "but I cannot restore his eye."
"No, because it's been taken!"
"What would you have me do?" he demands.
"There is a debt to be paid," the Queen hears herself say.
The King stares at her.
"I shall have one of her son's eyes in return," says Alicent, her strength returning to her.
"My dear wife," breathes her husband.
"He is your son, Viserys," she says, a lump forming in her throat as tears flow from her eyes, "Your blood…"
"Do not," replies the King, "allow your temper to guide your judgement," and turns away from her.
Alicent catches Daemon's eye and he smirks at her, lighting the fire once again inside her veins. "If the King will not seek justice, the Queen will," she declares, "Sir Criston. Bring me the eye of Lucerys Valeryon."
"Mother!" shouts Lucerys as he moves to hide behind Rhaenyra.
"He can choose which eye to keep," orders the Queen, a privilege he did not grant my son."
"You will do no such thing," says Rhaenyra, her pretty face twisting into mirthless sneer.
"Stay your hand," commands Viserys to Ser Criston, who appears unsure of which crown he should obey.
"No, you are sworn to me!" insists Alicent.
"As your protector, my Queen," replies the knight with a reluctant resolve.
"Alicent," says Viserys, "this matter is finished. Do you understand?"
She searches his eyes for evidence of loyalty, any of it, but there is none. He turns from her again.
"And let it be known," continues the King, "anyone. Whose tongue dares to question the birth of Princess Rhaenyra's sons should have it removed."
"Thank you, Father," says Rhaenyra, a tear falling to her cheek. She is the portrait of loveliness.
It sets Alicent's stone heart ablaze.
The Queen grabs the dagger Viserys wears aside his hip and runs at her. She will hurt her, maim her if she must – to make her understand. She knows not whom she means to cut nor does she care so long as Rhaenyra never recovers. And yet the princess is strong. She grabs Alicent's wrists and stays her hand. Her other hand grasps Alicent's shoulder. The Queen shudders in her grip.
"You've gone too far," breathes Rhaenyra as Alicent struggles against her.
"I –" gasps the Queen, "What have I done but what was expected of me?" as she searches Rhaenyra's eyes, "forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law," she hears her own voice waiver as she continues, "while you flout all to do as you please!" Her blood rushes in her ears. "Where is sacrifice? Where is duty?" she demands. Where are you, Rhaenyra? Where did you go?
The princess' eyes are cold as she stares back at her once dearest friend.
"It's trampled under your pretty foot again!" cries Alicent. "And now you take my son's eye. And to even that, you feel entitled!"
"Exhausting, wasn't it?" sneers Rhaenyra, "Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness."
Just look at me, Rhaenyra, begs the Queen in her mind, just see me as I stand here before you, but Rhaenyra's face is a mask she cannot decipher. There is no life behind those beautiful eyes as they look at her. Any familiarity that once lived there is dead. Alicent reels back in horror.
"Now they see you as you are," whispers the princess.
The Queen shrieks and lunges at her, the blade cutting flesh before she is thrown back.
Blood leaks down Rhaenyra's arm and falls to the floor in thick droplets. A maiden once more, Rhaenyra looks down, her brow furrowing in confusion as she clutches at her wrist. Alicent's own mouth parts as she watches red pool over the stone. Rhaenyra's eyes meet hers and she is there. Alicent releases a sob, reaching for her, before she is pulled from the room by her guards.
"Rhaenyra!" cries the Queen.
But she is gone.