My Father's Wife (GXG)

Chapter 28

"The execution is today, what did they do?" Caspain asked as she and the princess make their way to the scaffold, the execution field that will be held in public. 

"They stole taxes money and riches from the Hightowers. Actually, it was only one who did it, Halton, but Lord Arleys gave him the pass to enter the treasured chambers knowing his plans. I believe he was promised of silvers." Rhaenyra scoffed with a smirk as they pass through the people who surround the scaffold. Rhaenyra stood beside her mother at the very front with distance from the civilians who are watching from behind. She took a quick glance at Alicent, feeling awkward to stand beside her. There, Carlisle, Caspain, Rhaenyra, the queen and a few knight guards stands beside each other, all awaits for the prisoners of the Oldtown to be dragged up there. 

Alicent glanced at the two who appeared beside her from her peripheral vision. She slowly turned her head to take a good stare at her step-daughter beside her. The wave of emotions flooded right through her. Seeing the princess made her feel an indescribable feeling towards her, and she hated it. She hated how Rhaenyra makes her feel, she hated how the princess couldn't accept her as a mother, she hated how many admirers and suitors her step-daughter gets, she hated it, hated them all.  She then looks away after realizing that she's been staring too much at the Targaryen, and being caught was the last thing she wanted.

"That's punishable by death here already?" He whispered, leaning towards her side. 

Rhaenyra glanced at him, "They were council members, they're expected to be higher than the civilians based on their titles. To have a title is great; but those titles also carry a heavy and great responsibility, as well as a burden." She murmured.

Two muscular executioners stood beside each other with their face covered in cloth. One holds a massive sword, and one stood there with nothing but his hands on his front together, standing in front of a hanging rope. 

Sooner then, a grunt and yelling were heard from a cry of a man, "No, let me go- let me go!" He came into view when two knights were dragging him to climb up the stairs. Halton's eyes found Alicent's. 

 "Your grace!" He called, he fought back and tried to escape from the knights' grip. He was followed by Lord Arleys who was the exact opposite of him. He had his head hung low with chains on his wrists while one knight escorts him.

"Your grace! I beg your mercy!" Halton cried when he was being pushed up the stairs but his body was facing towards the public. He has his eyebrows furrowed and mouth wide open from shouting and calling out to the queen.

Alicent sighed through her nostrils and refused to give out any reaction. She watched as two were placed on the scaffold. One was crying and yelling aloud in front of a detached tree stump with its half middle carved lower than the sides while one stood there quietly before the hanging rope with tears streaming on his face. He has gotten skinnier and his cheekbones are very much more exposed. 

"Please, have mercy on my soul, my queen! I beg you make me a servant, a mere low life servant in exchange for my life!" He begged. He fell down onto his knees as he cries and weeps in front of the crowd.

Alicent sighed and raised her eyebrows in displeasure. Halton was harshly grabbed on his shoulders and shoved him to the tree stump. The executioner pinned his head down to the middle while Halton tried to fight back. He screamed in refusal.