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The king is dead.
Her father is dead. Rhaenyra squeezes her eyes shut as the news washes over her.
Lyonel stands before her, hands clasped and head bowed. He calls her queen and her eyes snap open.
"Alicent," Rhaenyra asks him, throat bobbing, "Has she been informed?" Her heart aches and her voice shakes, "Where is she?"
"It was Queen Alicent who... discovered him, your grace, when she went to break her fast with him," Lyonel informs her and Rhaenyra takes a shuddering breath.
She does not wait another moment.
"My queen!" Lyonel and Ser Harrold are both following after her as Rhaenyra rushes through the halls of the Holdfast. She hears Alicent before she reaches the doors of the queen's chamber. Dowager queen. Rhaenyra shakes herself.
"Where is your brother?!" Alicent shrieks, her voice half a sob. Rhaenyra's heart clenches. She slows to a walk as she approaches the door.
It is wide open. Her younger sister is sat on the floor, huddled beneath a cloak and holding a centipede. Her gaze does not lift from the creature as Rhaenyra stands in the doorway, but her whole body stiffens.
"Alicent?" Rhaenyra calls out, waiting just outside the chamber.
The woman in question spins around. Her eyes are wide, tears shimmer, making the dark color shiny like polished wood. She yanks Aemond behind her.
Still more boy than man, he stumbles at the sudden move. Aemond is not stiff like his sister, or wide-eyed like his mother. No, her little brother is pale, and frightened as she has never seen him. Shaking.
"Are you alright?" Rhaenyra asks, throat bobbing. She tilts her head.
Her gaze surveys the room. There's open chests and a few bags. Things have been tossed in to them frantically. Nothing folded, everything simply shoved inside. Both her siblings are wearing cloaks. There's riding leathers just peaking out from beneath Heleana's.
"Lord Strong said you were the one to discover my father," Rhaenyra cleares her throat and forces her eyes back to Alicent. She clasps her hands in front of her, still outside the room, "I wanted to check on you, see that you are well before..."
Alicent is breathing heavily. Her chest rises rapidly and one of her hands is clinging to Aemond's as she blocks him from view with her whole body.
"...before I attend to my duties." Rhaenyra's brow furrows. She takes a step inside and Alicent's breath hitches. A sob escapes her lips. The hand clutching Aemond's tightens and the boy whinces.
"I... I can't find Aegon," Alicent finally stutters out the words. Tears stream down her face. Her voice cracks.
Rhaenyra nods slowly, "We'll find him." Alicent gasps out. She's shaking properly now. Lips pursing, Rhaenyra adds, "Hopefully before he hears the news elsewhere."
"Yes," Alicent croaks. She bows suddenly, head ducking low, "Thank you, my queen." Rhaenyra's lashes flutter as she watches the movement.
Stiff. Forced. Alicent's eyes flicker over the room, over her daughter. Her free hand fists in her skirts before moving to lay over her stomach, fingers splayed.
"Are you... going somewhere?" Rhaenyra asks, gesturing towards the half-packed luggage. Alicent's throat bobs and her gaze falls to the floor. Another sob echoes through the room.
"Oldtown," Aemond speaks up, voice sharp as he raises his chin, "To get Daeron." Alicent winces, her eyes squeeze shut.
Nodding, Rhaenyra meets his gaze, "Of course." She takes another step towards them, hands going wide, "Perhaps we can go together, bring him home-"
"He'll be no challenge to you," Alicent raises her head, breath gasping as she releases Aemond and reaches for Rhaenyra. She grabs her shoulders, stopping her movement, "I swear to you, he's just a boy. We will get him and leave."
Rhaenyra startles. She takes hold of Alicent's hands as the woman sobs. Her words are wet and desperate. Her fingers dig into Rhaenyra's arms through her dress.
"You'll never hear from us again, please," Alicent begs, her eyes squeeze shut again as her tears fall quicker. Her chin falls to her chest, her next words hysterical as she sobs, "I just have to find Aegon and we'll go!"
"I... I do not want you to go, Alicent," Rhaenyra's mouth falls open as Alicent falls to her knees. She fists her hands in Rhaenyra's skirts.
"There will be no challenge, I swear!" Alicent shrieks and Rhaenyra looks up.
Her gaze sweeps over Aemond. He is hunched over and eyeing the door behind her. And then Helaena, curling in on herself and refusing to look up, though tears have streaked down her cheeks.
"Please!" Alicent begs, sobbing as she clings to Rhaenyra's skirts. "Please spare them," her voice cracks even as she whispers, "Please, for me, I swear my boys will be no threat to you. On my life, to the Seven, whatever you require-"
"Stop." Rhaenyra commands her. Her voice catches in her throat. Alicent purses her lips. Her sobs continue, echoing in Rhaenyra's ears.
She turns her head to the door. Ser Harrold and Lord Lyonel Strong stand in the doorway, eyes averted.
"Ser Harrold," Rhaenyra forces her voice to remain level, her tone sharp, "Find Prince Aegon. Bring him here to his mother."
"Yes, my queen," he nods, bowing low.
"Wait." He pauses, half turned. She breathes, "I want it to be clear." Rhaenyra catches his eye, brows rising, "Any threat towards the prince is a threat to me. He is my brother, my blood. No harm is to come to him."
Alicent gasps out, crumbling at her feet as she cries in earnest. She wraps her arms around herself. Her head bowed nearly to the floor.
"That goes for all of my siblings," Rhaenyra tells him, gaze flicking to her father's Hand. Lord Strong straightens up, nodding. "I want that well-known to everyone in this castle and this city before our first Small Council meeting, in an hour."
"Thank you," Alicent whispers as Rhaenyra dismisses them. She looks up at Rhaenyra through her lashes.
Rhaenyra stares down at her. At the fingers, nails ripped raw and bleeding, clawing at the sleeves of her dress. At the eyes ringed red and the lips torn from gnawing teeth. Alicent is a shaking puddle of anxiety like Rhaenyra had never seen before, and she'd seen Alicent at her very worse.
"I am sorry that my position on the matter was not more clear to you before now," Rhaenyra clears her throat and crouches down to help Alicent to her feet. She wraps her arms around the woman, thin and shaking.
Aemond makes an aborted move forward, stepping back as Rhaenyra guides Alicent towards a chair. Her throat bobs as she realizes how light Alicent has become. Even with so much of her weight leaning on Rhaenyra, she is practically a feather, lighter than a child even.
"Aemond," Rhaenyra turns her head to her brother as Alicent curls up in the chair. Her quiet sobs fill the room.
Her brother straightens under her attention. Aemond's gaze is unflinching, unblinking. He does not shake anymore, but his hands are fisted in his cloak. His face still pale.
With a sigh, Rhaenyra tilts her head, "I do not know that it is worth much, given you thought me capable of kinslaying, but... You have my word I do not mean you, nor your brothers any harm." She turns her head a bit more and smiles sadly at Helaena, "Nor you, my sweet sister."
A hand grasps hers and Rhaenyra's head swings around. She kneels before the chair, holding Alicent's hand in both of hers. Dark curls have escaped the pins and braids of Alicent's hair and cascade around her face.
"You truly mean it?" Alicent's voice is sharp even as it shakes. Her gaze pointed. "You promise?"
"If they make no challenge, I have no issue, no quarrel, with you nor my siblings," Rhaenyra states plainly. She squeezes Alicent's hand.
The queen, the dowager queen, takes a deep breath. It is stuttering, but her sobs abate. Wide eyes continue to stare into Rhaenyra's, waiting.
"I promise, on my life," Rhaenyra vows. She brings Alicent's other hand to theirs and raises them both to her lips. "I swear to you, one mother to another, I will not harm your children Alicent."
Arms are flung wide and Rhaenyra holds Alicent tight as the other woman wraps around her. Alicent cries into her shoulder, gasping sobs continue, though now she is smiling. Rhaenyra hooks her chin over Alicent's head and laughs.
"Come, we must get you cleaned up," Rhaenyra hums, standing. She pulls Alicent with her, "It certainly wouldn't be proper for us to be late to my first Small Council meeting as queen."
Alicent's lips part and her eyes flutter, "I am to attend your Small Council?"
"I can think of no better person to offer me council," Rhaenyra smiles brightly. "We'll collect Daeron afterwards. Dragons are much quicker than ravens and he ought to hear about..." Rhaenyra pauses, lips twitching down as she forces the words out, "...about his father's death, from his mother, not a maester."
"Yes," Alicent swallows thickly and wipes the tears from her eyes. She collects herself quickly. Her dress is straightened, her hair fixed. Words are whispered to Aemond, to Helaena, and Rhaenyra steps away to give them privacy.
The door opens and Aegon stumbles in with Ser Criston's hand wrapped around his arm. His hair is matted and eyes glossy. His gaze lands immediately on Rhaenyra.
"What's happened?" Aegon asks when Rhaenyra looks sharply at Cole's hand. He releases Aegon and the boy walks swiftly to his mother.
"I will leave you then," Rhaenyra nods to Alicent, hands clasped in front of her body. Alicent's eyes widen once more and Rhaenyra forces a tight smile, "I need to speak with my boys still, before we meet."
A swift nod later and Rhaenyra exits. The door remains open behind her. She hears a loud chuckle before she takes more than a few steps away. Pausing, she looks back towards the room.
Aegon's voice drifts out and Rhaenyra can't help but laugh with him, "So, I was right all along then mother, wasn't I?"