Ruin Me

Chapter Seven

Daenyra hated the number two. It was the number that divided her and her sister and decided their fate. It was the number of wives King Viserys had had in his lifetime. And now it had been the number of years that had past since he had taken that second wife. How quickly things had changed in that time.

After the announcement of the King's betrothal, Rhaenyra and Alicent had a huge row that could be heard from every end of the castle once the council meeting came to an end. And in another touch of cruelty, she was also forced to prepare Alicent for her wedding ceremony.

Now, Alicent had dutifully taken her place as Queen and already produced a son who was celebrating his second Nameday, not to mention that she was already pregnant with her second child. Another reason to hate the number two.

Her belly was bloated at the age of seven and ten as she entered the Godswood where Rhaenyra was reading beneath the great tree as the squire played a tune.

"Your Grace," he greeted as he stood.

"Did I say to stop?" Rhaenyra asked as she didn't even look up from her book. "From the beginning," she ordered in the awkward silence as the squire sank back down and began playing.

"Rhaenyra?" Alicent called.

"Yes, my Queen?" she answered dully.

"Your presence is wanted in the outer courtyard. The royal hunt readies to depart," she informed her as she rubbed her belly draped in red velvet.

"I've decided to remain here and read instead," she replied as she turned another page.

"You may go, Samwell," the Queen said to the quire.

"You are to stay by order of the princess," Rhaenyra countered as she lifted her head.

"The Queen commands you to leave the Godswood at once," Alicent said smugly, knowing that she'd won.

"Princess," Samwell bowed before he left. "Your Grace."

"The King wishes you to join us," Alicent said.

"The King has much to celebrate. He does not need me."

"He wants for us all to be together. Us, you and Daenyra –"

Rhaenyra let out a mocking laugh. "Good luck persuading Dae to join us. She'd sooner stick her sword through her chest or...march to war in the Stepstones as a foot soldier than be stuck in a wheelhouse with you."

"Rhaenyra, please. Perhaps the hunt could be...fun," she said painfully.

"Is it the King's command?"

"Yes, but it-"

"Then, at once, Your Grace," Rhaenyra said as she stood, closing her book and setting it aside.

"But it needn't be. None of it needs be this way in truth, Rhaenyra," but the Queen got no more time to say anything as the Princess departed.

********************************

If Rhaenyra had to suffer through this, then her sister would as well. She dragged Daenyra out of her rooms and into the wheelhouse that would take the royal family to the camp where the royal hunt would depart.

Daenyra could never say no to her sister. So, the two sisters clung to each other like a lifeline as they were forced to mingle with nosy court ladies and men who would see them both as nothing more than trophies to be wed to the most eligible lord.

They had both laughed themselves silly when Jason Lannister eyed Rhaenyra like a piece of meat before suggesting that she could become his lady wife. Rhaenyra was ever the dutiful lady as she simply handed back his wineglass whilst Daenyra eyed him back in disgust and said, "Should you try and lay a hand on my sister, I will take great pleasure in cutting off that hand. And should you try and lay a hand on me, it would be your life that you lose."