The Girl of Salt and Fire | HOTD

Chapter 6: Shadows of Betrayal

The sun had begun its descent, casting long, mournful shadows across the stone halls of the Red Keep. For Alysanne Velaryon, the day had started with the warmth of her father's affection. Laenor Velaryon had taken her on a leisurely ride around the castle grounds, his eyes sparkling with a rare tenderness as he recounted tales of their ancestors. The ride had been a bright spot in Alysanne's life, a beacon of love and stability in a world fraught with whispered scandals and dark rumors. But now, as the sun dipped lower, the illusion of familial warmth seemed to unravel.

Alysanne's restlessness had driven her to wander the dimly lit corridors of the Red Keep. Her mind was troubled by the dark whispers of illegitimacy and scandal that seemed to follow her family like an unrelenting shadow. As she walked, her footsteps silent on the cold stone floors, she was drawn to the sounds of raucous laughter and off-key singing that grew louder as she approached her mother's chambers.

She hesitated at the heavy wooden door, her hand trembling as she pushed it open just a crack. The scene inside made her heart sink. Laenor, her father, was at the center of the room, drunkenly laughing and singing with Ser Qarl Correy. The usually composed and dignified man she admired was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a man lost in the haze of ale, his behavior unrecognizable and disheartening.

Her mother, Rhaenyra, entered the room with an air of controlled calm, though Alysanne could see the tension in her clenched fists. Rhaenyra exchanged a few curt words with Qarl before signaling for him to leave. As the knight exited, Rhaenyra's gaze was sharp, filled with an intensity Alysanne had rarely seen.

Alysanne, feeling a surge of anxiety, pressed herself into the shadows as the door closed behind Qarl. She knew she shouldn't be here, but the air was thick with unspoken words, and she could not bring herself to leave. The confrontation that followed was an ordeal she felt compelled to witness.

Rhaenyra's voice, though controlled, was laced with frustration. "Where have you been, Laenor? Out with Qarl, wasting time? I made it clear that your place is here with us."

Laenor, his speech slurred, swayed slightly. "Just out, Rhaenyra. Talking about the Stepstones, perhaps had a bit too much ale."

Rhaenyra's eyes flashed with irritation. "While you've been indulging yourself, dark rumors have been spreading. Questions about our sons' parentage. Vile and disgusting insinuations."

Laenor's gaze momentarily sharpened but lacked real conviction. "Rumors, are they? It's just talk. What does it matter?"

Alysanne's heart ached at her father's dismissive attitude. She had heard the whispers, seen the way people looked at her brothers. The pain of her father's indifference was a sharp cut to her heart. Her hands clenched into small fists as she struggled to contain her growing distress.

Rhaenyra's voice rose with a fierce protectiveness. "They are our sons! Yours and mine. Their true father will not abandon them to drown in ale and folly."

The confrontation reached a fever pitch, and Laenor's response was weak. "I am a knight and a warrior. I've fulfilled my duties."

"You are owed nothing!" Rhaenyra's voice was a lash of anger. "For years, you've indulged yourself at court, bought the finest horses, drunk the rarest wines. I have borne the burden of our family alone. You cannot simply desert your post when it suits you."

Laenor's face twisted with a mix of anger and hurt. "The wise sailor flees the storm as it gathers."

"And what of our children, Laenor?" Rhaenyra's voice trembled with restrained fury. "What of Jacaerys, Lucerys, and... Alysanne?"

Laenor, swaying slightly from the effects of too much ale, sneered at her words. "Need me? Oh, come now, Rhaenyra. You think I don't see what's really happening here? I'm nothing more than a pawn in this charade. They're not even my true-born children, not really. Not like you pretend they are."