Illicit Affairs // Harwin Strong // Criston Cole

27. Vicious lies

'Apologies for the late hour, my Lord."

"What is it?' Otto hissed

'A messenger brings word from the White Worm.'

+

'Am I your prisoner?' Daemon asked Mysaria

'As I was once yours?' she countered and Daemon chuckled 'I'm your protector, lucky for you. This will cut the fog.'

'I don't need protection from a common whοre.' Daemon corrected

'I am not so common.'

'A not-so-common whοre then.' He mused as he lay on a bed his head spinning, what had he done last night, his head was spinning.

'I've left that life behind. I learned that skin-trade could only take me so far in this life.'

'You never were one to stay idle.' Daemon remarked.

'Hard lessons are not welcomed but suffered.'

'Mysar... Mysar...'

'You can pay for the room on your way out.' Mysaria told him bitterly.

+

'Come. What is it?'

'I apologize for the early hour, Your Grace. I have, um... discomforting news. I thought it best shared discreetly before the council convenes.' Otto told Viserys. Viserys sighed but nodded 'The Sea Snake. I'm afraid it concerns the Princess, my King.'

'Vaera? Has she been harmed?'

"Princess Rhaenyra." Otto corrected.

"What's wrong? Is she hurt, tell me now." Viserys demanded.

'It is no easy thing to tell a father of his daughter's exploits. I had considered saying nothing, but...' Otto said hesitantly.

'What has she done?' Viserys demanded

'The Princess was spied last evening... beyond the walls of the Keep... in a pleasure house.' Otto told him.

'What of it?'

'She was carrying on with her uncle. They were engaged in behaviors unbecoming of a maiden... of a Princess.' Otto informed him.

'What behaviors?' Viserys questioned he silently thanked the Gods that Vaera was his good little girl.

'Well, must I say it, Your Grace?'

'You enter my bedchamber, accusing my daughter of something. Now speak it... plainly.' Viserys demanded. Alicent lay in bed motionless but her ears were keenly aware of their conversation.

'Daemon and Rhaenyra were seen together... in the bowels of a pleasure den.' Otto told him and Viserys sighed deeply, Daemon was a thorn in his side. 'Coupling.'

'This is a lie.' Viserys told him with a chuckle, Rhaenyra would never. 'You have been lied to.'

'I only wish that were true, Your Grace.'

'Who is responsible for this gossip? Have this rumormonger brought before me at once. And I will take their eyes.' Viserys told him confidently.

'As your Hand, I must maintain trusted sources of information. And this one, as yet, has never led me astray. And several of the servants have now admitted to seeing her, the Princess... creeping through the gates from King's Landing, disguised as a page during the hour of the owl.' Otto told him victoriously.

'Are you so sick with ambition that you would have my daughter stalked? Spied upon? Awaiting your best chance to destroy her reputation?' Viserys questioned defensively