Bewitched {Being Rewritten}

Chapter Forty

The King panted below Darla, lost in the throes of pleasure her body brought. Her thighs ached, muscles growing tired from her position atop Viserys's lap. His hands gripped at her waist, damp palms sticking to Darla's cool skin. Darla's hips stilled with a final groan from Viserys's lips, disgust slithered through her veins at the familiar warmth seeping into her.

Darla slipped away from the King, standing on steady legs. The sky outside the chamber's windows lightened as the sun began its ascent, draping shadows over Darla's curves as she moved to a nearby table, pouring them wine.

She listened to Viserys's steady breathing, smiling softly to herself when a couch tore from his throat. She fiddled with one of the ornate rings she wore. A hidden notch clicked, the large gem lifting upwards to reveal a small recess. She flips her hand over, watching as the clear liquid leaked into one of the goblets.

The mistress returned to the King's bed carrying two chalices filled with wine, passing one of them to Viserys as she climbed onto his lap. Her knees bracketed his hips, resting her weight on the balls of her feet as she sipped at the wine.

Dark eyes tracked the cup's journey to Viserys's lips, waiting until he had taken a sip to speak. "My King, we need to speak about Aemond's injury and how Lucerys should be punished."

"Must we." Viserys groaned, around the rim of his goblet.

Darla greedily watched him swallow the tainted wine. "It is a matter of great importance."

"One that is finished."

"You do the realm a disservice by allowing one boy to be maimed and the other to go unpunished." She raised a hand stoking the sparse, thin strands of white hair covering Viserys's head.

"What would you have me do, Darla," Viserys bristled. "Cut out my grandson's eye?"

"Strip him of his titles and send him to the wall." Darla offered.

"He is a child, Darla." Viserys argued.

"He is no more a child than Aemond is." Darla reminded Viserys. "What would you do if someone had maimed Rhaemon?"

"I would have them hung for daring to harm my son."

"Then is it so difficult to send the boy to the wall? He needs only to serve for a few years." Darla promised. "You must show that not even House Targaryen can hurt each other, My King."

Viserys was silent as he thought over his options, weighing Darla's advice. Viserys sighed and Darla knew she had won. "I suppose you are right."

★・・・・・・★

Darla's steps slowed as she entered the room, her eyes darting around taking in the busy figures rushing around the space. Servants bustled around, packing away belongings. Dark eyes settled on the figure standing before the lit fireplace.

"Leave us," Dara commanded, causing the servants to flee from the room. The Hand to the King approached the Queen, arms slowly winding around the younger woman's waist and pulling her closer to Darla. "What troubles you, my beloved?"

"I've conducted myself in a manner... unbefitting my station," Alicent responded, still lost in contemplations as the flames danced before her eyes. "Or any other."

"Alicent-"

"I lost composure," Alicent turned in Darla's arms, gaze landing on the necklace of linked hands. "Assaulted the Princess. Already the word is spreading, the gossip speculating that I've gone mad."

"If this is true, I shall have such words stopped."

"I disgraced myself, Darla." Alicent argued, her fingers slipped under the heavy symbol of office, grasping at the delicate chain hidden underneath.

"There are whispers," Darla crooned, tightening her hold on Alicent's waist. "That paint you as the Mother Above. They claim you were fiercer than the Warrior in your need to protect your child."

"It was an ugly thing. I regret it."

"We know," Darla murmured, hand slipping from Alicent's waist to tug the amber pendant out of her bodice. "What we must do to survive."

Honey brown eyes glowed in the firelight, softening at the sight of her love worn proudly by Darla. "Have you?"

"Yes," Darla responded, knowing the question without Alicent even needing to ask it. "Lucerys will be punished."

"Did he-" Alicent's voice grew thick, shame and anger coursing through her veins. She was remorseful, never having thought she could harm another person in such a way. But then she recalled the helplessness she felt as her husband once more chose Rhaenyra over the children she had given him, and indignation sparked within. "What do we do now?"

"Now we return home. We plead the injury to Aemond, spread word of it through the small folk. The realm will hear us and not sit for such injustice," Darla's hand pressed against Alicent's cheek, framing the Queen's face. "You and I will prevail."

★・・・・・・★

The ship swayed back and forth as it sailed through the Blackwater Bay. Darla and Alicent stood against the side watching as five dragons flew overhead. Darla's hand laid over Alicent's atop the wooden railing, soothing the Queen and her worry. The tap of a cane against wooden floorboards alerted Darla of another presence. The mothers tore their eyes away from the sky, glancing at Lord Larys as he approached.

"A perversion of justice. The young Prince defiled." The weaselly man spoke, a sly look gleaming in his heavy gaze. "An outrage."

"Indeed." Alicent responded.

"If it's an eye you want to balance the scales, I am your servant." Larys offered.

"An eye alone will never be enough, Lord Larys." Darla retorted, her harsh gaze turning back towards Driftmark, High Tide now nothing but a speck.

"Just speak the words, my Lady Hand and I shall deliver."

"That is not necessary at this moment." Alicent turned to face the man. "But your devotion has not gone unnoticed."

"These are dangerous times. " Larys agreed.

"The day will doubtless come when I require such a friend," An unsettling grin spread across Larys's face at Alicent's words. "With not only skill but discretion as well."

"I shall await your call, my Queen."

"How far does your web spread, Lord Larys?" Darla asked, glancing at the conniving man. "The realm should know the injustice His Grace has allowed to happen to his own son."

AN: The plan all along was for Darla to start poisoning Viserys so kudos if you saw it coming

-ELE