Twin size mattress by The Front Bottoms
"I wanna contribute to the chaos
I don't wanna watch and then complain
'Cause I am through finding blame
That is a decision that I have made. "

♤

episode 7
Driftmark

Alysanne sat on a stool with two measters behind her. They were still working on removing the blade without hitting a nerve and making sure the princess didn't pass out from blood loss.

She let out a sob as they finally started stiching the wound. She felt a shock going down her arm, and she could feel the blood coming out of the wound. Another measter ran towards them, quickly covering it with a cloth.

She felt the hand holding hers tightening its grip. She looked up at Aemond through her tears. He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it quickly turned to a grimace of pain caused by the measter who was stitching up his eye. Alysanne was sure he was in much more pain than her, but he hid it better.

Alicent stared at her two children worriedly. She kneeled down beside them, placing her hand on top of their interlocked hands. They tore their eyes away from each other to look at her. All she could do was smile and them and squeeze their hands.

She used her other hand to wipe the tears from the young girl's face. She leaned closer to kiss her cheek, giving the girl comfort as the measters finally stopped the bleeding and stitched the wound.

"How could you allow such a thing to happen? I will have answers." The King questions the Lord Commander from a few feet away.

"The children were supposed to be abed, My King." The Lord Commander answers the King.

Alysanne drowned out the yelling and arguing as she looked back to Aemond.

"It will heal, will it not, Measter?" She heard Alicent question from beside her.

"The flesh will heal. But the eye is lost, Your Grace." The measters tells her. Alicent let go of their hands in shock and walked away. She could hear her hitting Aegon, but she instead focused on Aemond.

He looked devastated, and she could see a tear roll down his good eye. She brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed his knuckles, trying to comfort both herself and the boy. He added pressure to the squeeze, but she was sure it was more for himself than reassurance this time.

"What is the meaning of this?" She heard Lord Corlys yell as he entered the room. She saw them run towards the sisters, though she held a little less hate towards them. Though she still despised the girls, she now had a reason, too. The wound on her eyebrow was no longer bleeding, but it would leave a permanent scar.

She then saw Rhaenerya and Daemon enter the room. Rhaenerya called out to her children and immediately ran to her kids. Inspecting their wounds, Alysanne knew she was being dramatic. Lucerys had a temporarily broken nose, while Aemond had permanently lost his eye.

"They attacked us!" Aemond yelled.

"He attacked Rheana!"
"She beat up Beala!"
"He broke Luke's nose!"
"He stabbed Alys!"
"They beat Aemond!"

The room filled with the screaming from all six children. The only thing the so-called adults did was stare and get annoyed.

"Enough." The King said in annoyance. But they ignored him.

"It should be my son telling the tale!" Queen Alicent entered the argument, as both her children retracted their screaming. If they weren't given the chance to defend themselves, she would.

"Silence!" The King yelled, finally getting everyone to stop. "Aemond. I will have the truth of what happened. Now."

"What else is there to hear? Your son has been maimed. Her son is responsible." Alicent says when she notices the nervous look the two children shared.

"It was a regrettable accident." Rhaenyra says, inserting herself into the conversation.

"Accident?" Alicent repeats in disbelief. "The Prince Lucerys brought a blade to the ambush. He meant to kill my children."

"It was my son's who were attacked and forced to defend themselves." Rheanyra yells, causing Alysanne to stare at her in utter disbelief. "Vile insults were levied against them."

"What insults?" The King immediately questioned them. Alysanne stared to Aemond with disbelief as he rolled his eyes at his so-called father. Certainly, insults were not important right now. She couldn't even remember what was said.

"The legitimacy of my sons' birth was put loudly to question." She says seriously, Alysanne let out a huff and rolled her eyes.

"What?" The King asked.

"He called us bastards." Jace says to his mother.

"Oh, please. Shut up." Alysanne says loudly, clearly tired. She was in pain, and their whining was really pissing her off. Everyone looked at the girl in shock, but she couldn't care less. She quickly glanced at Aemond and caught his smirk.

Rhaenyra glares at the girl as she holds Jace back.

"My sons are in line to inherit the Iron Throne, Your Grace. This is the highest of treasons." She says to her father. Further aggravating Alys, but to she felt Alicent's hand on her shoulder. She knew not to speak again. "Prince Aemond and Princess Alysanne must be sharply questioned, so we might learn where he heard such slanders."

Aemond turned around in his seat to stare at Rhaenyra, and Alysanne let's out yet another huff of annoyance as she laid her head down on their intertwined hands.

"Over an insult? My son has lost an eye. And Alysanne nearly bled to death." Alicent says as she squeezes her shoulder before removing her hand. Alys was given the clear to speak again, and she was going to.

"You tell me, children. Where did you hear this lie?" The King questions the two.

"I never said anything to them," Alysanne spits out as she looks at the boys. "And even if I had," she continues turning her attention to the King and staring him straight in the eyes. "I don't think it is of much importance seeing as our life-threatening wounds are not fully treated. So why fuss over an insult everyone speaks of."

Alysanne sounded just like the Queen. The same tone, the same expression, all of it. And it didn't sit right with Daemon. His daughter had spent so much time with the Hightower cunt that she was becoming like her. He couldn't allow it.

"An insult against my heir is of importance, girl." The King says leaning down, uncomfortably close to her face. Alicent had to resist the urge to push him away. Aemond moved in his seat, causing the King to turn his attention to him. "Then it was you. Where did you hear it, boy?"

"The insult was training bluster. The lot of boys. It was nothing." Alicent said, desperately trying to save her son, and also herself.

"Aemond, I asked you a question." The king said now towering above Aemond instead.

"Where is Ser Leanor, I wonder? The boys' father? Perhaps he might have something to say in the matter." Alicent once again tried to divert the attention. This caused Alys to look around. She had not seen him since earlier. She wondered if he would see her side, even if it was technically his sons she was against.

"Yes where is Ser Leanor?" The King questions also looking around.

"I do not know, Your Grace. I could not find sleep. I had gone out to sleep." Rhaenyra mutters. Not alone I would assume. Alysanne thought, remembering who she saw on the beach earlier.

"Entertaining his young squires, I would venture." Alicent muttered. This caused Alys to frown. She knew of Leanor's preferences, and she knew it was frowned upon. She herself disagreed with him, especially seeing as he was married to a woman. But she didn't see the need to bring Leanor into this.

"Aemond, look at me. Your King demands an answer. Who spoke these lies to you?" The King says not leaving the insult story alone.

Aemond stared at his mother for a long time. Causing everyone to also look at her. Alicent knew she couldn't help Aemond now. Aemond then looked down at Alys. She had to help him.

And in a moment of desperation, she decided the only two people who mattered in this room was the two of them.

Alys motioned to the side with her eyes, seeing as the King was behind her. Aemond didn't need to look to the side to know what she was trying to say.

"It was Aegon." Aemond finally said, not breaking eye contact with her. Alysanne didn't turn around to watch the King yell at Aegon.

She felt bad. She was one of the only people who still believed in Aegon. She believed he could still be a good person. She was suppose to be a trustworthy person to him. And here she was outing him to the King, to protect Aemond.

Alys and Aemond turned to look at Alicent as the King yelled at Aemond. She looked at the two, with a tears in her eyes and slight relief.

The two kids had heard it from countless people in the halls, when they hid. But mostly from Alicent.

"We know, father. Everyone knows. Just look at them." Aegon says to the King.

"This interminable infighting must cease! All of you! We are family!" The King yells looking at all the members of the supposed family. "Now make your apologies and show good will to one another. Your father, your uncle, your grandsire, your king demands it!"

It was silent for a few seconds. Alysanne sat staring at the King. She was dissapointed, but not surprised.

"That is insufficient." Alicent says softly to the King, holding in her tears. "They have been damaged permanently, My King." She continues motioning to the two silent kids. "Good will cannot fix that."

"I know, Alicent, but I cannot restore his eye." He says to her.

"No, because it has been taken."

"What would you have me do?"

"There is a debt to be paid." Alicent says as everyone looks at her. "I shall have one of her son's eyes in return."

"My dear wife" the King tries to calm her.

"He is your son, Viserys. Your blood." She begs him on the verge of tears.

"Do not allow your temper to guide your judgement." Says the man who had only minutes ago yelled at children.

"If the King will not seek justice, the Queen will." Alicent finally says. Alysanne could not help but admire Alicent in that moment. "Ser Criston, bring me the eye of Lucerys Velaryon. He can choose which eye to keep, a privilege he did not grant my son."

"You will do no such thing." Rhaenyra says as Lucerys hides behind her.

"Stay your hand." The Kind orders to Ser Criston.

"No, you are sworn to me!" Alicent yells.

"As your protector, my Queen." Cole says, stepping back.

"Alicent, this matter is finished." The King tells Alicent as she stands staring at him. "Do you understand?"

The room was silent for a while as the King slowly walked away from the Queen. Alysanne couldn't decide if she was happy it was over or not. On the one hand, she was tired and on the verge of passing out. On the other, she wanted justice for Aemond.

"And let it be known: anyone whose tongue dares to question the birth of Princess Rhaenyra's sons should have it removed." The King continues once he was in the center of the room. He stared at the Queen accusingly.

"Thank you, Father." Rhaenyra mutters before turning back to her children.

Just as Alysanne thought it was over, Alicent lunged at the King and ripped out his knife. Alys immediately shifted, noticing the blade, and clearly, Aemond felt the same way. He pulled her up from her seat and held her behind him.

Alicent threatenly walked towards Lucerys with the knife held high, but Rhaenyra quickly stopped her, grabbing her arms.

Aemond dragged Alysanne towards the front of the circle so that they could hear.

"You've gone too far." Rhaenyra tells the Queen.

"I? What have I done but what was expected of me?" Alicent asked, staring into Rhaenyra's eyes, who stared at the blade held in front of her. "Forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law. While you flout to do as you please." She continues as the King yells at her, but she continued. "Where is duty? Where is sacrifice? It's trampled under your pretty foot again. And now you take my son's eye, nearly my daughter's life, and to even that, you feel entitled."

"Exhausting, wasn't it?" Rhaenyra asked. "Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness. But now they see you as you are."

The Queen pushed the Princess away in anger, and the sound of the knife slashing skin echoed in the room. Rhaenerya backed up into Lord Corlys as blood dripped down her arm. The room was so quiet that you could hear the drops hit the floor. Alysanne looked to the Queen as she dropped the knife in shock.

"Do not mourn me, Mother." Aemond says, trying to turn the attention away from his mother. It caused everyone to look at him as Alys tugged on his arm. "It was a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon."

"This proceeding is at an end." The King says as everyone starts to leave.

Aemond let's go of Alysanne's hand and walks towards his mother, hugging her. Alysanne looked towards the other side where Rhaenyra and her family stood. She made eye contact with her father, and he stared at her with raised eyebrows, waiting to see where she went. She again glanced at the mother-son-duo and back to him.

Alys didn't know what to do. So she stood there in shock.

After a few seconds, when nobody was looking at her, she turned around and started walking away. The measter from earlier led her to a room where they cleaned her wounds.

A few minutes later, Aemond walked in as well and had the same done to him. But Alys refused to look up at him and continued staring out the window.

Aemond looked at her with her dirty hair and stitched up eyebrow. The part of her dress that went over her shoulder was cut open to work on the wound, and the bottom of her dress was torn. The cloak he had given her was laid over her lap, covering her fidgeting hands.

She still looked beautiful to him, maybe even more than usual.

But she never looked at him and he didn't understand why.

Alysanne knew she had to leave one family,  and she knew it would be a hard decision.

The family who raised her or the family who held more favor in the war.

She just hoped tomorrow would be a calmer day. But how wrong she would be.

(2515 words)
I was so team Alicent this whole episode, and I feel no shame