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Daella watched Aemond peek his head to look at their mother. "Over an insult?" Queen Alicent questions. "My son has lost an eye."
"You tell me, boy. Where did you hear this lie?" King Viserys asks as he leans down to Aemond. "The insult was training yard bluster. The lot of boys. It was nothing." Queen Alicent said, trying to put the attention on herself.
"Aemond..." Daella moved forward next to her mother, as did Jace. "I asked you a question."
"Where is Ser Laenor, I wonder? The children's father? Perhaps he might have something to say in the matter." The Queen said, making Daella feel uneasy. She felt a reassuring hand on her arm belonging to Jace.
"Yes. Where is Ser Laenor?" The King asks as everyone looks around. "I do not know, Your Grace. I... could not find sleep. I had gone out to walk." Their mother explains.
"Entertaining his young squares, I would venture." The Queen said, making Daella move forward but was held back by Jace. She hated anyone who disrespected her father.
Even if he wasn't indeed her father, he treated her as if he was. She would protect him with everything she had as he would for her.
"Aemond... Look at me. Your King demands an answer. Who spoke these lies to you?" She watched in silence as she waited for the answer.
"It was Aegon," Aemond tells the King after a moment making her head snap to Aegon. "Me?" Aegon asked in disbelief as The King hobbled to him.
"And you, boy? Where did you hear such calumnies?" He asked as Aegon stared straight at the floor. Daella felt a semblance of what was assumed sadness. Their mother held Luke in her arms again.
"Aegon! Tell me the truth of it!" The King shouted, causing Aegon to flinch. "We know, Father. Everyone knows. Just look at them." Aegon said, making Jace step in front of Daella.
"Thus interminable infighting must cease! All of you! We are family!" The shouts at them make Daella look at the floor. "Now, make your apologies and show goodwill to one another."
"I'm not apologizing." She mutters as the King shouts, "Your father, your grandsire, your King demands it!" He makes his way back toward the throne.
"That is insufficient. Aemond has been damaged permanently, My King. 'Good will' cannot make him whole." Alicent tried to reason, making Daella look at her and then at Viserys.
"I know, Alicent, but I cannot restore his eye." She looked again at Alicent and replied, "No, because it's been taken." "What would you have me do?"
"There is a debt to be paid. I shall have one of her children's eyes in return." Jace grabbed Daella's arm pulling her closer to him as he looked at their mother. "My dear wife."
"He is your son, Viserys. Your blood." Alicent said, sounding as if she was about to cry. "Do not... allow your temper to guide your judgment."
"If the King will not seek justice, the Queen will. Ser Criston." Daella's head turned to the knight as her eyes widened. She knew he hated her family, and that made her afraid.
"Bring me the eye of Lucerys Velaryon." "Mother!" Luke said as he hid behind their mother, who covered him. "He can choose which eye to keep, a privilege he did not grant my son."
Daella stood beside her mother with her arms around her brother. If they came for him, they would go through her.
"You will do no such thing." Their mother said with anger in her voice. "Stay your hand," Viserys told Ser Criston.
"No, you are sworn to me!" The Queen demanded, holding her hand up. "As your protector, my Queen." Daella held on to Luke tighter.
"Alicent, this matter... is finished. Do you understand?" Viserys asked, getting closer to Alicent. Luke peeked from behind Rhaenyra to see what was happening, causing Daella to loosen her grip.
"And let it be known: anyone whose tongue does to question the birth of Princess Rhaenyra's children should have it removed," Viserys said as he hit his cane to the ground.
"Thank you, Father," Rhaenyra said before turning back to Luke. "Your Grace. Stay with the King!" "Alicent!" It happened quickly as she and her brothers were pulled away by Lord Corlys.
Daella saw her mother grab the Queen's arm that was holding a knife to her. She grabbed Luke close to her as he screamed. Their mother used her strength to hold Alicent back.
"You've gone too far!" Rhaenyra tells Alicent, who looks sorrowful. "I? What have I done, but what was expected of me? Forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law." Daella looked over to see Helaena frozen in a corner.
"While you flout all to do as you please." Daella is held in place by her brothers as well as Corlys. "Alicent, let her go!" The King shouts.
"Where is duty? Where is sacrifice? Is trampled under your pretty foot again." Ancient says with a shaky voice as Daella peeks from behind Corlys.
"Release the blade, Alicent," Otto says as he watches from afar. "And now you take my son's eye, and to even that, you feel entitled."
"Exhausting, wasn't it? Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness." Rhaenyra says before whispering to Alicent.
The blade comes down as Alicent's arm falls. Her eyes widen as she sees blood dripping on the floor as the knife clangs to the ground.
"Do not mourn me, Mother. It was a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye... but I gained a dragon." Aemond says, looking at Alicent. "This proceeding is at an end."
As the King walks away, the siblings rush to their mother. Luke grabs her arm, inspecting it while Jace and Daella stand behind him. Daemon walks over, standing beside her behind Luke.
