Come Back To Me

Chapter 38

Alicent sat in the carriage next to her daughter with a grim look on her face. There was only so much manipulation she was capable of when it came to her eldest son. He was a drunken fool, crueler than she could ever imagine.

She tried everything to talk him out of his plans for today, at least until Aemond had returned. But Aegon was impatient. He wanted his niece to suffer as much as she could for what she took from him.

But unfortunately for the former queen, just before her father vanished from the capital, he'd managed to sink his claws once more into her son. A plan so cruel, when Alicent tried to urge him out of it, he stuck his mother. Hard. Her left cheek had a red mark across it, but her other cheek was pinched enough to try to at least make it look less obvious.

He wasn't even going to be in attendance for today's event. What people didn't know was the excruciating pain he was in every day. His arm was covered in slashes from swords and several burns that went from his knuckles all the way up to his shoulder. And to make it worse, it was broken, causing him to constantly wear a sling.

He hid it so well from the court, but he was in agony every second. He drank even more now, sometimes even while on milk of the poppy. Only making his rage a thousand times worse for those around.

The maester had to tend to him all morning, so he sent his wife instead to represent the victory. After all, Helaena did rescue him from the battle. She deserved some credit in this war, Aegon thought.

"I want my niece to join me and the children for supper this evening. Just us and the children." Helaena finally spoke to Alicent after so many weeks of her walls being up. Her voice was so soft and delicate it almost brought a tear from Alicent. "You may join as well, though I'd imagine you'll want to speak with Aemond when he returns."

"Has...where is your brother, my dear? Do you know?" Alicent tried to keep her composure, fearing she'd scare her sweet daughter off with one wrong move.

"The viper, the firefly, the dragon. All little presents." Helaena glanced ahead at the cart in front of them with a cloth covering its massive contents. "The sky will clear when the dragon awakens."

The hairs on Alicent's arms stood up at the eerie tone of her daughter's voice as she looked at the contents ahead. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be. No. She was being paranoid.

"My Queen, the prisoner." One of Aegon's favored knights shoved Daena towards their carriage. She scowled and jerked away from the guard. Her hands were tied together with rope around her wrists, where bruises hid underneath.

"I am not some dog to be summoned for a walk, you know." Daena huffed as she straightened up. Then her eyes went to Helaena, who was still staring ahead with a vacant look in her eyes. Meanwhile, Daena's eyes actually softened for her aunt. Her voice was small compared to her consistent arrogance. "Helaena, please...I need to speak with you."

"Keep your eyes down." Helaena's voice was just low enough for Daena to hear, but the two never made eye contact. The false queen kept her eyes straight ahead. Lifeless and empty.

"Keep walking, bastard. The king wants his people to see his victory up close." The guard shoved her forward and the carriages started to roll on. Into the streets of Flea Bottom. They all stopped just in front of the crowd of people gathered at each side of the pathway. "Behold! The kinslayer, Princess Daena Velaryon, and her traitor dragon, Vermithor!"

Daena's eyes went wide with terror when she realized what was about to be revealed underneath in the cart beside her and she quickly shut her eyes and kept her head bowed.

The cloth was yanked in one swift motion, revealing the severed head of Vermithor resting on top of a cart. His eyes were closed while his teeth still poked through his jaw. The cart was massive, carried by several horses ahead.