THE SOUL'S EXCHANGE

Dragon Meet Dragon

As Viserys left the chamber, Daemon’s gaze fell upon his beloved, his secret wife, Alicent. Her devious smirk immediately caught his attention, and with one glance, he knew she had orchestrated whatever had just transpired. Knowing they were in a public setting, he suppressed any immediate reaction, yet his curiosity flared.

“Such an incident, my queen,” he said, raising an eyebrow, his tone cool yet laced with intrigue. “However would it have come to unfold?”

Alicent’s smirk deepened. “How am I to know, my prince?” she replied coyly. Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, “But I have something to show you.”

Daemon’s interest was piqued. “Of course, my queen. Lead the way,” he responded smoothly, his eyes keenly observant. Alicent, flanked by Hermione and Emily, turned and left the hall with heads held high, embodying the full dignity and elegance of queens. Daemon shook his head in quiet admiration; she truly was a queen in every sense of the word, perfectly capable of wielding charm and manipulation alike.

As he followed her, expecting a path towards her chambers, he noticed Alicent suddenly veer into a hidden corridor, quickly navigating the secret passageways known only to a select few. Hermione shot Alicent a confused look, her brow furrowing.

“What is going on here, Tara? I’m not getting it,” she whispered.

Alicent, in her usual composed manner, chuckled softly. “Have a bit of patience, Hermione. This is a surprise.”

Hermione looked even more bewildered. “What?”

“Indeed,” Alicent replied in a sing-song voice before grabbing Daemon’s hand, her excitement unmistakable as she led him onward, glancing back only to give him a reassuring smile. Her grip was firm, guiding him deeper into the corridors until they reached the secluded area leading to her chambers.

Meanwhile, their little boys, Aegon and Sirion, eagerly raced behind them. Hermione held little Helaena in her arms, her eyes darting between the children and Alicent with mounting curiosity. Teddy, whose small hand she had been holding, wriggled free, dashing after Aegon and Sirion with a protective shout, “Please don’t run, brothers!” As the eldest of their trio, Teddy took his role as their self-appointed protector quite seriously, though he couldn’t resist their pace.

Upon reaching the chambers, Hermione looked around, visibly confused. “What is going on?”

Daemon, his gaze fixated on someone inside the room, looked even more perplexed. His face reflected shock and disbelief as he observed the figure before him, as though questioning the very existence of the person standing there. Hermione, still behind Daemon, had yet to see this mystery figure.

Alicent stood at the entrance, her smirk turning into a knowing smile, the mischief in her eyes as clear as day. Hermione finally moved forward, peering around Daemon’s shoulder, her eyes widening in shock at the sight of the man.

Before anyone could speak, Daemon managed to voice his question, his tone half incredulous, half suspicious. “Who the hell are you?”

The man, who had been standing with his back turned, turned around slowly, his expression calm yet slightly amused. “Draconis Qoherys, at your service, my prince.”

Daemon’s reaction was one of mild shock, but before he could respond, Hermione let out a furious yell, her eyes blazing with fury and disbelief. “You foul, evil, loathsome little cockroach!”

Handing Helaena to Emily in a swift motion, she stormed forward, throwing herself into Draconis’s arms, her anger melting into joy as she embraced him tightly. The man’s expression softened, his arms circling protectively around her as he murmured, “Hello, my little bookworm.” His voice was warm, carrying the faintest hint of a smile as he held her close, his embrace a mix of affection and pride.