DIFFERENT FLOWERS, SAME GARDEN

ALYSSA II

Everyone was in the Small Council chambers, awaiting the King and his Hand. To everyone’s surprise, Daemon showed up.

Still in his armor and covered in blood. He wore the smell of death like perfume and looked like a creature of Old Valyria. Even in his worst, Alyssa couldn’t deny that her uncle was beautiful. The blood of the dragon.

“...they needed a two-horse cart to haul away the resulting dismemberments when it was done.” The Lord Hand was saying as he and the king made their way into the meeting. Alyssa and the lords stood in respect while Daemon continued sitting. Ever defiant.

“Gods be good.” Viserys sighed. She figured her father was already forming a headache on how to handle this particular matter. More like this particular person.

“The prince can not be allowed to act with this kind of unchecked impunity.” Otto stopped as he and the king rounded the table to see the prince in question. Her father seemed as shocked as everyone did.

“Brother.”

“Daemon.”

Her uncle’s eyes narrowed when they landed on Otto Hightower. “Carry on.” He snarked. “You were saying something about my impunity.” Alyssa rolled her eyes. She couldn’t believe he would start his dramatics today.

The Hand didn’t look deterred. He placed his marble down and said, “You are to explain your doings with the City Watch.”

While the princess didn’t like the man’s tone, she wondered the same thing. Servants and maids were acting like she would spit fire on them if they breathed in her direction wrong. Then, she heard of Daemon's actions and suddenly, things made sense.

The prince remained silent.

“Your new “gold cloaks” made quite the impression last night, didn’t they?” Her father asked. He sounded too cheerful for Alyssa’s taste.

“Did they?” Daemon replied, ever stoic.

“The City Watch is not a sword to be wielded at your whim.” Otto cuts in. It’s a sword you gave him, Alyssa wanted to say. She kept that to herself. But what did they truly expect to happen? The council practically gave the most volatile person in the Seven Kingdoms a miniature army, fully under his command. That was a recipe for disaster that Alyssa would have never cooked up. “They are an extension of the crown.”

“The Watch was enforcing the crown’s laws.” Daemon stated. “Wouldn’t you agree, Lord Strong?”

The Master of Laws looked uncomfortable being put on the spot. “My Prince, I don’t think–” Lord Strong stuttered out before the Hand cut him off.

“Making a public spectacle of wanton brutality is hardly in line with our laws.” He’s got a point. Otto wasn’t wrong. He didn’t have to spill blood in every street on the capital to prove the crown’s strength. Alyssa felt Lord Corlys bristle at her side.

Daemon seemed to be annoyed at the Hand’s interrogation. “Nobles from every corner of the realm are right now descending upon King’s Landing for my brother’s tourney.” He said. The heir’s tourney, Alyssa corrected in her mind. Her uncle spoke like the King was hosting this tournament for his own pleasure.

“Do you want them mugged, raped, or murdered?” He asked sarcastically. “You mightn’t know this unless you left the safety of the Red Keep, but much of King’s Landing is seen by the smallfolk as lawless and terrifying.” He finished as if he was talking to a child.

Otto just glared. Daemon also made a good point. The prince looked to his brother and said, “Our city should be safe for all its people.” Alyssa scoffed, drawing the eyes of the lords, her uncle, and her father. As if he, of all people, cared for anyone’s safety other than his own.