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“Stop! No, please, I swear, I don’t- NO PLEASE!”
Screams woke Alicent that night, blood-curdling shrieks of terror that had her running to the Princess’s rooms before she could truly comprehend waking.
“I’m sorry, I swear I don’t know, please stop!”
Ser Harwin got there seconds beforehand, and Alicent barked out at him, “Fetch the maester!”
She pushed her way past him into the room, and saw Rhaenyra on the ground, curled up in a corner, trembling like a leaf in a maelstrom.
“Please,” she begged, eyes wide and unseeing, fire dancing behind her glassy stare. “Please, I swear, I don’t know anything!”
“Rhaenyra,” Alicent said, making to move towards her. those violet eyes locked onto her own, and she froze at the sheer terror within them.
“No,” she rasped out, somehow making herself even smaller. “I dont know anything, I swear, I don’t, please dont hurt me.”
The words left Alicent reeling, utterly frozen at the sight of her oldest friend so utterly terrified of her.
“I-please,” Rhaenyra kept mumbling, hands tangling in her short silver hair. “I can’t, I dont know, please just stop.”
The door was shoved open again, this time Ser Harwin and Maester Mellos storming in.
“Ser Harwin, please escort the Lady Alicent from here at once!” He barked. “This is no place for you, my Lady.”
Harwin took her by the arm, but Rhaenyra shouted when Mellos drew closer.
“No! Don’t, please, I swear I know nothing, PLEASE!”
“Ser Harwin! Remove her!” Mellos snapped, and he forced Alicent from the room. Another scream came from the room, and this time Mellos called for Harwin.
The knight shut the door as he entered, but Alicent saw the maester holding a vial, holding Rhaenyra down, before her sight was barred. Her ears, however, were left uncovered.
She heard Rhaenyra’s scream, her begging, how it gradually faded in volume until it was replaced by weak sobs, then nothing.
Alicent’s ears were ringing as she stared at the door, until Harwin emerged from it to escort her to her rooms.