dancing with our hands tied | r. targaryen

xxii.

115 A.C.
KING'S LANDING
•••

"YOU SAY THAT THE EYE CAN BE SAVED?" VISERYS ASKS AS HE WATCHED MELLOS STITCH ALAYNE'S FACE UP. The maester nods his head and Alayne winces as he sticks the needle into her skin. Otto stands there with a frown.

"How did this happen?" he demands as he turns and looks at Brandon, Borros, and Rhaenyra. They all look at one another, none of them speaking a word. Otto's mouth twitches and he slams his hand down on a table, "How did this happen!"

The three of them jump and it's Borros who begins divulging information.

"The Princess-"

"It was an accident," Alayne says as she looks at her father, "We were messing around, and the Princess mishandled a sword."

"That isn't-"

Borros is cut off by an aggressive hit from his brother.

Otto stares at her and she knows that he can tell that she's lying, but he doesn't push it.

"Very well," her father says.

"We'll have to put a bandage on it for the time being. It will be weeks before the wound heals, but her sight should be fine," Mellos says as he wraps the bandage around her eye, "The scar should also heal quite nicely."

"A scar is unbecoming on a lady," Alayne states. Rhaenyra looks at the ground, knowing it was her actions that got them here. Alayne looks at Rhaenyra before looking over at her father, "It's quite late, I think I should get some rest."

"Yes," her father agrees as he looks over at everyone else, "All of you should get rest."

"My lady, would you like Milk of the Poppy for the pain?" Mellos asks.

"No," Alayne responds as she stands, looking over at Rhaenyra, "I'm quite fine without it."

•••

True to his promise, Viserys removes Otto Hightower from his post as Hand of the King, and replaced with Lyonel Strong the former Master of Laws. Alayne remains in King's Landing at the request of the King, not for Rhaenyra, but for her sister. She would never leave her sister alone. Even if it meant enduring Rhaenyra.

The former lovers were no longer and were something akin to strangers. There were no more nights in Alayne's room. No moments in the Godswood. Nothing. Alayne could not stand to look at Rhaenyra and Rhaenyra could not look at what she'd done to Alayne.

Ser Criston Cole was no longer the Princess's personal guard and instead was the Queen's which truly meant that he was Alayne's guard. Alayne and Borros's engagement had been made official and the two were to be wed after Rhaenyra's wedding to Laenor Velaryon.

Alayne sat in front of her sister's vanity as Alicent began to remove the bandages that cover her eye.

"It isn't so bad," Alicent tells her softly.

"You needn't lie to me," Alayne responds, "It is grotesque."

"It is not," Alicent says as she grabs a cloth and rings out the soapy water, "You are still beautiful. Besides, it hasn't completely healed. And you are lucky that Rhaenyra missed the eye-"

"Do not speak her name," Alayne states. Alicent sighs but nods her head. She grabs her sister's chin, gently tilting her face.

"Hold still," Alicent instructs as she begins to clean the wound. Alayne winces slightly at her sister's touch and Alicent pulls away.

"No," Alayne says, "Keep going."

Alicent looks at Alayne before resuming, "It still hurts?"

"Only a little," Alayne responds. She was trying to grow used to the cut on her face. She'd stare at herself in the mirror for countless hours, but she couldn't see the beauty she once had. She was a woman marked.