The Crimson Dragon |ASOIAF/HOTD|

For most of his life, Pate had been told that he was a good-for-nothing waste of space, whose only redeeming quality would be that he was not born crippled or ill and thus had nothing that would impede his ability to work and do his duty as a son and take care of his parents in their old age.

But even this was not good enough for his father when he eventually found his calling as a ratcatcher of King's Landing and the Red Keep.

Although the Gods seemed to be shining down on Pate when a winter chill took both of his parents' lives shortly after he became a ratcatcher, freeing him from that financial and emotional burden.

Like others in his profession, like other peasants, Pate expected to live an ordinary life where he would work until he eventually died, buried in an unmarked grave, and quickly forgotten as the mundanity of life trudged on.

He never thought that the nobles who called the gilded walls of the Red Keep home would use him and his knowledge of the Keep's expansive tunnels to spy on their peers, paying him handsomely for every secret he delivered. But of all the nobles he had done such work for, only one was capable of inspiring fear, awe, and rapacity within Pate in equal measure.

Daemon Targaryen.

The Rogue Prince.

And in this moment, Pate wished that he had never been swayed by the man's promises and reassurances, had never allowed himself to draw that man's attention onto him.

If not that, then he wished that he had never allowed that worthless Gold Cloak to convince him that no one would ever find out what had been done to the Hand and the Commander.

Pate watched as the Gold Cloaks before him looked at him with malice, as if they were barely restraining their urge to brutalize him.

"You must be Pate, or should I call you Cheese?" The leader of the group asked, standing on the broken piece of what had once been his front door with a vicious grin.

His dog started to bark furiously, standing between its master and the danger before them. The men jeered at the mutt, one even stepping forward and kicking it aside, sending it yelping into a corner.

Pate's lips trembled as he stammered out a reply, "I-I don't know what you're talking about, Ser. I have never called myself Cheese or anything like that. I'm just a ratcatcher, I-I'm not who you're-"

The Knight laughed darkly, "Oh, we know exactly what you are. You and your friend thought yourselves clever, skulking through the Tower of the Hand like vermin, but vermin always leave droppings behind."

Pate's knees buckled, and he pressed himself against the far wall as though the stones could swallow him whole. His eyes darted to the window, to the door, looking for any viable place to try to escape, but the Gold Cloaks were like wolves circling their prey, surrounding him quickly.

One of the men grabbed Pate, lifting him to his feet before punching him in the face, knocking two of his teeth out of his mouth.

"Ugh!" Pate cried and was punched in the stomach next, which would have doubled him over if the Gold Cloak was not holding him up.

"Don't rough him up too badly." The leader said, "We don't want him to not be capable of experiencing what the Black Cells have to offer."

Pate could do nothing but struggle weakly as he was dragged out of his hovel, his arms were tied behind his back, before he was thrown into a wooden cage that sat on top of a cart.

His arrest was made into a spectacle, drawing attention to him as people stared at him, wondering what the fool had done as he was wheeled towards the Red Keep.

The ratcatcher could do nothing but shake in his cage, blood dripping down his chin as he was pulled closer to what he knew would be his torture.

The Red Keep looked far more terrifying than it ever had before as he was dragged through its halls and towards the stairs that led to the four levels of the Keep's dungeon.

The stench of the Black Cells was the first thing to hit Pate when they reached the bottommost level of the dungeon; the air was damp and foul, with the tang of urine, feces, and old blood. Rats scurried across the stones; the only sources of light came from a few scattered torches, and it was bitterly cold within its depths, which only added to the dread that this infamous and terrifying place inspired within him.

When they reached a large cell, the Gold Cloaks forced Pate to the ground and shackled him there, the iron biting into his wrists and ankles as they fixed him in place before they exited the cell and stood along the walls, watching him in stark silence.

Across from him, chained in much the same fashion, was a mountain of a man with a shaven head and a face that had been battered by a lifetime of fights. His arms bulged against the restraints like ropes straining at a post. Despite this, he looked shaken, his eyes darting to Pate with a flicker of recognition.

He did not know his name, nor did he know Pate's, but he would have been a fool not to recognize the other man whom he was paid to sabotage the Hand's balcony with.

Soon enough, the chamber doors creaked open, and the scraping of boots on stone filled the silence as the seven captains of the City Watch filed inside. Behind them came the gaolers and torturers of the Black Cells, their faces hidden beneath hoods, the iron tools of their trade rattling at their belts.

And last of all came Prince Daemon, his purple eyes scanning the chamber, falling on the two men shackled to the floor, and a cold smile curving across his lips.

Blood struggled up onto his knees as far as the chains would allow, his voice cracking as he spoke, "My prince! I've always been

loyal to you. This is a mistake, I swear it, I had no part in this, none at all!"

Daemon's gaze lingered on the larger of the two men, an unreadable expression resting on his face, until a laugh broke from his chest, low and cruel.

He then quickly strode forward, and without a word, he drove his fist square into Blood's face. The crack of breaking bone echoed louder than Daemon's laughter had. The Gold Cloak howled as blood gushed down over his lips, his nose bent sideways like soft wax.

"Innocent?" Daemon asked as he crouched low, close enough that the torchlight carved sharp shadows across his face. "Tell me, Wat, since when do innocent men go out of their way to murder the Hand of the King and their own Lord Commander?"

Daemon's knuckles dripped crimson, his lips curling into something between amusement and disgust as if savoring their fear.

"How disappointing," He said mockingly, "Once, you served me well enough in the shadows of this city, and I thought you had sense. But instead, you take another's coin, do another's bidding, and in doing so, murder the Hand of the King and the Lord Commander of the City Watch. You should have known better."

Pate's whole body trembled as he pressed himself against the cold stone at his back, his lips moved before he even realized he was speaking, desperation forcing the words free. "It wasn't us-not truly, not by choice! We were forced by Perkin! It was Perkin who made us! He paid us, ordered us to do it. Gods, I swear it on my life! He's working for someone else, I don't know who, but it wasn't just us!"

Wat turned his bloodied face toward him, eyes widening in shock that his smaller partner had broken down so quickly.

Daemon cocked his head, violet eyes never leaving Pate's quivering form. And then he smirked, "Perkin, you say? I already know, my dear niece already whispered that little truth in my ear. And you needn't worry, he will pay for his crimes as well. But did you truly think that would spare you?"

Pate and Wat both felt a terror unlike any other as Daemon's smile widened.

"Oh no, you little rat. You've already done far too much; there will be no mercy here." Daemon then stood, turning his back on them as though they were beneath him, and looked to the hooded gaolers and torturers. "I am not yet convinced they've told us everything. I imagine they'll be… more receptive to your talents."

The men moved forward at once, chains rattling, their iron tools gleaming dully in the torchlight as they stepped into the cell, and soon the sounds of Pate and Wat's whimpering and pleading began to echo off the walls.

Daemon ignored it as he strode to the line of Gold Cloak captains and stopped before them, his hands clasped lightly behind his back as though they were discussing troop movements rather than watching men be broken.

"Perkin?" Daemon asked coldly.

One of the captains stepped forward, his face tight, "We have not yet found him, my prince. We believe that he knows we are hunting him and is hiding somewhere in the city."

Daemon's expression did not change. "Then drag him from whatever hole he's crawled into. Search every street, every tavern, every whorehouse, every midden heap, lock down the Seven Gates if you must. I want him to be found alive; he will need to answer for what he has done, and I refuse to have him be given such a peaceful release."

A muffled scream rang out behind him, cut short by a wet crack, and Daemon did not so much as flinch. He then turned slightly, just enough to watch as Wat and Pate writhed under the torturers' hands, their cries reverberating through the Black Cells, swallowed whole by the darkness.

This just continues to grow more interesting. Daemon thought, his smirk deepened at the sight, wondering if Pate was telling the truth about Perkin not being the true mastermind of this plot and was instead working for another.

---

"Perkin, you still haven't told me where we're going." Trystane whined as the Gold Cloak pulled him by the arm, discreetly leading them through the city streets.

"I'll tell you when we get there. Now stop talking." Perkin hissed, using his other hand to pull the hood of Trystane's cloak further over his head to cover the boy's face.

When Perkin had caught sight of Cheese being carried off by the Gold Cloaks, he knew it would only be a matter of time before the ratcatcher or Blood broke under the weight of the Black Cells. Even the most hardened of men would bend under such torture and duress, so he held little hope that either would fare any differently, especially not with a man like Daemon Targaryen seeing their punishment through.

So, he did the only thing he could; run back to his home as quickly as he could, telling the boy to grab as much of their belongings as he could carry, and trying to get out of King's Landing before his part in the plot could be revealed and the Gold Cloaks began to hunt him down.

I can't rely on that damn Clubfoot to protect me; he'll throw me to the dragons for sure if it means keeping his own ass safe. But if I can get out of the city with Trystane, he won't be able to discard me so easily, and if he still decides to, then at least I can disappear, maybe sell the boy to a pillow house or some other greedy noble for some gold. Perkin thought.

They quickly ducked into a nearby alley when Perkin caught sight of two Gold Cloaks from the corner of his eye; luckily, neither man noticed them as they walked past.

"How are we supposed to find this scraggly fucker when everyone is treating us like we fucked their mother?" One of the men spat, having long since grown annoyed by their lack of progress.

"Apparently, word spread about what Prince Daemon did to Princess Lilyanna on Dragonstone, so now everyone is taking it out on us." The other said, "I got a damn fish thrown at me earlier, it's damn madness out here! Let's just hope that the gates being closed will make this shit easier."

"Seven fucking hells!" Perkin growled once the two men disappeared.

Trystane frowned as they started moving again, "Why are we-"

Perkin, having grown tired of hearing Trystane's voice and becoming overwhelmed by his anxiety, exploded on the boy. "Shut your fucking mouth, Trystane!"

Trystane flinched, staring at the back of the man's head, shocked. Perkin had never raised his voice to him before, making the boy realize just how scared the Gold Cloak truly was, which only served to confuse him even more.

What is going on? Trystane thought, whimpering when Perkin tightened his grip on his arm.

He wanted to know why they were running and hiding from the Gold Cloaks, and why they were trying to leave King's Landing, especially because, from what Trystane knew, Perkin was supposed to be a high-ranking officer, and the city was their home.

The man's secretiveness and sporadic behavior only made Trystane think that something terrible had happened and that Perkin was involved in this.

Perkin did not care about hurting Trystane's feelings as he forced them to turn around, no longer heading towards the Dragon Gate, now knowing that the gates would be swarming with Gold Cloaks.

The River Gate! If we can get through it and reach the harbor, we should be able to board a ship. It'll be far harder for them to close the harbor so quickly, and there will still be ships that will be preparing to leave the city. Perkin had come too far, struggled and debased himself far too much to simply roll over and die now.

As they ran through the city, moving closer towards the River Gate, Perkin felt his paranoia gnawing at him with every step he

took, feeling as if the net that Daemon and the Gold Cloaks had cast was growing tighter around him.

When they finally reached the River Gate, every face looked hostile to Perkin, every glance thrown their way seemed to linger too long, and every laugh sounded as though it were aimed at him.

"Keep your head down." Perkin hissed at Trystane, shoving him into the press of bodies. "We're almost there."

Trystane obeyed, though his small hands trembled as he clutched at the bundle of belongings strapped to his chest.

As they rounded another corner and the gate came fully into view, Perkin and Trystane caught sight of someone a few feet away from them who made the man's blood run cold and who made the boy's heart lurch, happily surprised.

"Lily? What are you doing here?" Trystane asked.

It had been some time since he had seen the Targaryen princess, as she had not been in the city, but when he did see her, it was usually because the princess had gone to his home to visit him. Now it seemed as if she had been waiting here for him and Perkin.

Lilyanna did not greet Trystane or answer his question, ignoring him as she looked at Perkin, "Did you think that you would just be able to abscond with Trystane, Perkin? Did you think that no one else would realize that a boat would be the best way to escape the city?"

She then drew one of her swords and held it pointed at Perkin's chest. Perkin's eyes fell onto the sword, his heart feeling as if it had just dropped into his stomach.

Why?! Why now of all times?! Perkin thought.

"Trystane," Lilyanna said in a softer tone as she finally looked at him, "Come here."

The boy hesitated, Perkin's jaw tightened, and he stepped between them, grabbing Trystane's arm hard enough that the boy gasped.

"No." Perkin said, low and furious, "He's staying with me."

Lilyanna's eyes narrowed, "All you're doing is making things worse for yourself, flea."

Perkin gritted his teeth as this interaction had drawn the attention of four nearby Gold Cloaks. They looked at the three with suspicion, their hands placed on their weapons, but one of them recognized both the princess and Perkin, and fixed Perkin with a sour look.

"Ser Perkin." He said, voice flat, "By order of Prince Daemon, you are to be taken for your crimes. Step away from the child and-"

With a quick motion, Perkin threw an arm around Trystane, unsheathed his sword, and pressed the sharp edge of the blade against the boy's throat.

"Take another step and I will slit his throat!" Perkin exclaimed, his eyes watching the men wildly.

The Gold Cloaks were undeterred by the threat to Trystane's life and slowly advanced, flanking Perkin and Trystane, forming a ring around them.

"I said, stay back!" Perkin pressed his sword firmly against Trystane's neck, making the boy cry out in pain as a trickle of blood escaped from the shallow cut Perkin made.

The Gold Cloaks' and Lilyanna's presence and Perkin's screaming started to draw more attention, and soon enough, a small crowd started to gather, murmuring as they watched the scene before them with bated breath.

"Stop!" Lilyanna yelled, forcing the Gold Cloaks to freeze in place, "Do not move closer to them, don't you see that he has a hostage?"

The leader of the group tightened his jaw as he looked at Lilyanna, "Princess, Prince Daemon has ordered-"

"Prince Daemon is not here." Lilyanna said, sneering at the Gold Cloak, "His orders mean nothing when I stand before you. So, I'm telling you that if any harm comes to that boy under your watch, you will answer to me first, not your precious Commander."

The four Gold Cloaks looked at each other, trying to decide which royal would come with more of a risk if they were disobeyed.

Before they could come to a decision, Perkin tightened his grip on Trystane to remind them his threat was real, "You're going to let us board a boat and leave the harbor."

"Using a child to buy your cowardice a moment's mercy? How pathetic." Lilyanna stared at the man coldly, "Trystane is not the great pawn you think he is, you've played your hand far too early for that to be the case, and the only reason you haven't been arrested yet is because I have ordered you not to be. My uncle and the Gold Cloaks will not suddenly decide you were above the law because you threatened some random boy's life, no matter what lies you may tell them about him."

Perkin's breath quickened, his panic rising, "Y-you're lying! They may not care about Trystane, but you do, you fucking bitch! And that's all I need!"

Lilyanna kept her voice low, "If you hurt him, I will make sure your suffering is worse than anything the Black Cells can devise. Do you understand me? So, lower your sword, and give Trystane to me."

Perkin thought of his options, and every path to him looked as if it would lead to a narrowing end. His hands started to tremble, and as he lowered his blade slightly.

No! She's lying, I can still salvage this, I can still salvage this!

Seeing that Perkin was distracted, Lilyanna met Trystane's gaze, mouthing to him soundlessly.

Move now.

Trystane did not hesitate, and he folded his arm and slammed his elbow into Perkin's crotch with as much strength as he could muster.

When Trystane struck him, Perkin's knees instantly buckled, a sharp hiss escaping his lips, and his sword slipping from his fingers. As Perkin fell forward, Trystane twisted free from Perkin's grasp, throwing himself aside as Perkin lunged to clutch at him, his sword falling uselessly onto the cobblestone.

Seeing this, the four Gold Cloaks surged forward, two of them wrenching Perkin's arms behind him. He fought against them, but this proved to be useless, especially as the other two cuffed his wrists.

It was like watching a rabid dog facing off against a much larger animal and trying desperately to cling to its last moments of life.

"Go to the gate and get us a cart to take this bastard to the Keep." One of the Gold Cloaks said to another as he and the others held Perkin down.

Lilyanna walked over to Trystane, kneeling in front of him, "Are you well, Trystane?"

The boy trembled when Lilyanna spoke, tears beginning to fall down his face as he raised a shaky hand to his neck, feeling the small cut that Perkin had given him. "W-Why w-would he-he..."

"I don't know." Lilyanna said softly, placing a hand on Trystane's shoulder, "But I know that he was not the man you believed him to be."

"D-did he do something bad?" Trystane asked, looking up at Lilyanna with watery eyes, "I-Is that why h-he w-wanted us to run? A-And why he's being a-arrested?"

Lilyanna did not mince words, "Yes, yes, he did."

Trystane was even further heartbroken, for years, Perkin had been his caretaker, his closest friend, and the person who he admired most, a hero who had been there for him when he needed help the most and who had always done right by him.

How could Perkin... I thought... I thought he loved me... Trystane thought, crying harder than before.

Lilyanna wrapped her arms around the boy, allowing him to bury his face against her chest. She watched as the Gold Cloaks threw Perkin onto the horse-drawn cart they acquired.

"Your Grace, will you be accompanying us to the Keep?" One of the men asked as they prepared to leave.

Lilyanna shook her head, "Just make sure he doesn't escape, he's a slippery one."

The Gold Cloak nodded his head before joining the others and riding away with their prisoner.

The crowd that had been watching them still remained on the street, watching the princess and the crying dragonseed.

"Trystane, we need to leave." Lilyanna whispered, brushing his hair away from his face.

"I-I can't."

"Why not?"

Trystane looked at the ground, ashamed, "Our-Perkin's house, it didn't belong to him, he paid rent for us to stay there. He's been arrested, and if he is guilty-"

"Then the owners will kick you out and offer it to someone else who can afford it." Lilyanna said, "Then I can just give you-"

"No!" Trystane exclaimed, his eyes widening as he stared at Lilyanna incredulously, "You-You can't do that!"

Lilyanna frowned, "Why not? I can't imagine that your home would cost that much to rent."

To a princess, the hovel he lived in did not cost much, but that was beside the point; to Trystane, the idea of having to be reliant on Lilyanna in such a way mortified him beyond belief.

"It wouldn't be right." Trystane muttered.

Lilyanna shook her head, standing up and pulling Trystane to his feet, "We can speak of this another time, for now, let me take you to someone who can look out for you."

"Who?" Trystane asked, his cheeks turning red as he finally took notice of the people watching them as they began to walk.

"An annoying worm." Was all Lilyanna said, which did nothing to lessen Trystane's curiosity and apprehension.

---

The Next Day

The throne room was as rowdy as a group of privileged, pompous, and fake nobles could be, as everyone waited for the King to arrive.

The news of Ser Perkin, Ser Wat, and Pate's arrest and their role in the deaths of Lyonel and Harwin Strong had spread through the Red Keep and the city like wildfire. And now, countless courtiers awaited to see the faces of these guilty men and to hear the punishment that would befall them.

Lilyanna stood alongside most of her family at the base of the Iron Throne, but unlike the rest of them, she was thinking about one man in particular.

Where is Larys? Lilyanna thought, not seeing the lord anywhere in the chamber.

There was no talk of Larys being implicated in this plot, and even amongst the few nobles who had been accused of using Blood and Cheese's services in the past, Larys' name was never brought forward.

Did Perkin not squeal? What reason would he have not to throw Larys under the bus? And what reason would Larys have to not show up today? And wouldn't being here be beneficial to trying to prove his innocence if Perkin does decide to turn on him, or has he run off without anyone noticing?

"Lily, Lilyanna!" Aegon whispered harshly as he started to shake Lilyanna's arm, "I hate it when she gets like this."

"Is she well?" Rhaena asked, staring at Lilyanna, who was too lost in her thoughts to pay attention to anything going on around her, including Aegon, who was still shaking her.

Aemond let out a snort, "Yes, this is normal for her. When this happens, mother says that Lilyanna simply has her head in the clouds."

"How long will she be like this?" Baela asked, leaning over her sister's shoulder to poke Lilyanna's cheek, giggling when Lilyanna did not react and was continuing to scowl as she stared off into the distance.

"I've seen her do it for almost an hour." Helaena answered as she lifted one of her hands, "I know how to wake her up."

Alicent immediately grabbed Helaena's wrist, pulling her daughter half a step back, "What have I told you about hitting your sister?"

Helaena sighed, "Not to, and certainly not in public."

Laena could not stop the confused and shocked expression that formed on her face as she watched the exchange.

Laenor, seeing this expression on his sister's face, snickered and leaned his head closer to hers, loudly whispering to her. "I told you they were strange."

"I think what you told me in our letters pales in the face of reality." Laena drawled, inwardly thankful that Baela and Rhaena were not nearly as lively as their cousins seemed to be.

Soon enough, Lilyanna blinked, and her face relaxed, "Who is shaking me?"

"Lily! You're awake." Daeron playfully cheered.

"I wasn't asleep, and that doesn't answer my question." Lilyanna said.

Aegon stopped shaking his sister and leaned over her shoulder to look her in the eyes, smirking at her as he did so. "You know, I think Uncle Daemon's strike did more damage to your head than we thought; you're even stranger than usual. Is it possible to make brain damage worse?"

Lilyanna stared at him blankly, "And yet, even with my brain damage, I'm still smarter than you. Funny how that works, although you didn't have much in your own head to begin with."

Aegon stared at Lilyanna for a few seconds before lifting his hand and hitting the part of Lilyanna's head that was still covered in bandages, right where her injury sat.

"You son of a bitch!" Lilyanna growled, holding her head.

"Aegon, Lilyanna!" Alicent exclaimed, annoyed both at their behavior and the stares they were now getting.

"I'm sorry, mother, that was offensive." Lilyanna said, giving Alicent a remorseful look before glaring at Aegon again. "You bitch!"

Before Alicent could reprimand them further, the doors of the throne room opened, and all noise in the hall died as the King entered, surrounded by his Kingsguard.

"King Viserys of House Targaryen, the first of his name, King of the Andals, and the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and protector of the realm." The herald announced to the room.

A frown marred Viserys' face as he walked down the aisle and towards the throne, not making eye contact with anyone as he moved.

The King tried to carry himself authoritatively, but everyone could see how frail and tired he looked, especially as he sat on the Iron Throne with a weary sigh.

Viserys' voice carried across the hall, surveying everything grimly, "As you all know, my Hand, Lord Lyonel Strong, and the Commander of the Gold Cloaks, Ser Harwin Strong, had died in what we had thought was a terrible accident. But today, thanks to the effort of the new Commander, my brother, Prince Daemon, we know that it was no accident that took their lives, but an orchestrated murder."

The nobles murmured; they all knew this, but the anticipation amongst them was building as Viserys paused.

"We have gathered here so that judgment can be passed on to those who have conspired against the Crown." Viserys lifted his hand, and the great doors of the throne room were opened by the guards standing in front of them and all eyes turned as Daemon and a few of his Gold Cloaks entered, dragging the three accused men behind them.

Each man was bloodied and bruised, their eyes wide with fear, and their bodies shook so violently that the chains around their wrists and ankles rattled with every step they took. Gasps, whispers, and sneers followed them as they were forced to their knees before the Iron Throne.

Daemon stepped forward smoothly, his voice cold and steady, "These men betrayed the realm and struck down two of the King's most loyal servants; their guilt is beyond doubt."

Pate lifted his head, desperation twisting his battered face as he hoped that the King would be more forgiving than his brother. "Mercy, Your Grace, I beg of you! I was commanded to this; Perkin gave me no choice!"

"It's true!" Wat cried out afterwards, "Perkin swore that his master-"

Daemon's smirk deepened, "Yes, Perkin swore to end your lives after he gave you more gold than you fools knew what to do with?"

Wat stuttered, "W-We-Well, h-h-h-he-"

"And just who is this elusive master? Perkin spoke of no such man when the gaolers spent the night having the loveliest conversations with him." Daemon asked, his gaze shifting towards the man in question.

Perkin took a moment to respond, and when he did, his voice was eerily calm, his eyes glossy, and his body became riddled with tremors as sweat dripped down his face. "There is no master, my prince. Only me. I simply told these idiots that, so they would ask fewer questions about what I wanted them to do if they believed that there was a higher authority who would protect them and ensure that they would be able to get away with what I asked them to do."

What the hell? Lilyanna's eyes widened as she looked at Perkin, confused by how different the man was acting compared to yesterday, especially as she knew that he had just been tortured overnight.

"I grew tired of having to t-take orders from a bunch of pompous, undeserving fools such as yourselves." Perkin smirked when his words drew the ire of most of the nobility, "The Strongs were just the first in what should have been a glorious culling."

Perkin started to laugh, unnerving many until the Gold Cloak behind him slammed his fist onto the back of Perkin's head, silencing him with a grunt.

Pate and Wat looked at Perkin, horrified, as the room exploded with cries for their heads. Pate leaned forward, trying to get Perkin to rescind his words, "Why would you-"

"Enough!" Viserys exclaimed before glaring at the men below him, "Your evil knows no bounds, and for the murders of my Hand and my Lord Commander, for the dishonor you have brought upon this realm, you each will have your hands and feet cut off, and by the morrow, you will be whipped one hundred times before you are hanged and your bodies put on display outside the walls of the Red Keep."

Gasps, cheers, and shouts of agreement rippled through the court; some smirked at the swift justice, others muttered nervously, the spectacle both frightening and satisfying.

"Take them to the Black Cells." Viserys said, his voice quivering but firm, "And see that their punishment is carried out at once."

Pate and Wat cried and begged, thrashing about as they were dragged away, but Perkin put up no resistance, causing a shiver to race down Lilyanna's spine when he turned his head to look at her, grinning brightly, his expression never faltering as he disappeared behind the hall's doors.

"Why was he looking at you like that?" Aegon whispered to Lilyanna.

Lilyanna did not respond, her eyes fixed on the doors long after they had closed, her stomach twisting with unease.

Perkin's behavior sent alarms ringing in her mind. From what she knew of him, Perkin was not the kind of man who could stare death in the face and laugh. He should have been acting like Pate and Wat, begging and pleading for his life.

He refuted the claims that he was working for someone, and he even made up some bullshit about wanting to get rid of other nobles. Did Larys get to him and convince him to do this? But how? What could Larys give him or use against him when he's about to be executed? Lilyanna thought.

While everyone else was putting this matter to rest, satisfied with the upcoming bloodshed, Lilyanna could not let go of how dubious this all felt.

---

Lilyanna walked out of the secret door, quietly closing it before turning a corner, hiding behind it as a guard walked past her.

Once the guard disappeared down the hall, Lilyanna continued her path through the dungeon.

"These tunnels really do go everywhere, don't they?" Lilyanna rolled her eyes when she suddenly heard the voice of her paternal grandfather behind her.

Can't they just stay inside my head like they have been doing? Lilyanna thought, annoyed, ignoring what the ghosts were doing and saying to each other.

The princess had made sure to wait a few hours before sneaking out of her room and making the trek to the bottom of the Keep, wanting to see if she could get anything out of Perkin.

"Were you so paranoid that you needed to carve into this castle with your little rat holes?" Aylssa Velaryon asked Aegon's second's son with a sneer on her face.

Maegor returned the look, "My rat holes have proven themselves to be quite useful, unlike the sow standing before me."

Lilyanna walked faster, trying to delude herself into thinking she could leave them behind, as if she could be more than a few yards away from any of them.

"Do you truly believe that you are going to be able to get anything from the man you're looking for?" Visenya asked as she, Aegon, and Rhaenys formed around Lilyanna.

"I thought you three were keeping your descendants in check so they wouldn't keep bothering me?" Lilyanna asked, keeping her voice low to not attract attention.

"If Daemon and the torturers couldn't get anything from him, it's doubtful you will be able to." Aegon said, ignoring Lilyanna's attempt at deflection.

Lilyanna turned her head to look at the former King, "Did you not see what I did in the throne room? Perkin wasn't acting right."

"A night in the Black Cells would do that to a man." Visenya drawled, "But Aegon is right, it's doubtful that he will tell you anything valuable."

"I should at least try." Lilyanna muttered.

"Lilyanna should try to speak with Perkin." Rhaenys said, a smirk appearing on her face, "If she can get through to him, it would be interesting to learn what Larys Strong's role in all of this is."

"Don't speak to my wife like that!" Aenys exclaimed, drawing the four's attention to the group.

Lilyanna sighed, she understood why most of the Targaryens were fighting with each other, but that did not make it any less annoying to have to deal with them whenever they chose to make themselves known.

Aegon turned his head, staring his descendants down, "That is enough. We have more important things to focus on than any inconveniences you may have with each other."

"Inconveniences?" Alyssa asked incredulously.

"We're here, everyone shut up." Lilyanna said as they reached the stairs leading to the Black Cells.

The Velaryon Queen huffed at being told this by a child, but did not speak again, instead giving Maegor another glare.

When she entered the lowest level of the dungeon, Lilyanna grabbed a torch that was hanging nearby to help light her way.

Ugh, I can understand why people call this place hell. Lilyanna resisted the urge to cover her nose as she was confronted by the smell of the Black Cells.

From the corner of her eye, Lilyanna saw two rats fighting over a piece of rotting flesh, and while a part of her hoped that it was from an animal, it looked far too human-like in its appearance for her to think otherwise.

"This shithole has gotten even worse since I was last here." Rhaena muttered under her breath.

Her brother, Aegon, who was standing next to her, was about to respond when he suddenly felt someone run into him, wrapping their arms around him, their body shaking as they did so.

"Viserys?" Aegon asked, looking down at the top of his brother's head, "What's wrong?"

The younger prince did not answer him, and his body shook harder, his breath catching in his throat.

The last time Viserys was in the Black Cells was when Maegor had given him over to his third wife, Tyanna, and he had spent nine terrible days here with her and the other gaolers and confessors.

Seeing Maegor again had already been bad enough, but at least he always had the rest of his family there to put space between himself and the older man. But being back here brought back memories of his torture, especially as to him, the experience felt as if it happened only a few short weeks ago.

"Hey." Viserys opened his eyes and saw the red-haired princess, his and his family's souls had been attached to standing before him, looking at him with concern in her eyes.

"I'm not going to pretend that I can relate to even a quarter of what you went through, but no one's going to hurt you again." Lilyanna said softly.

"She's right, Viserys." The younger Aegon quickly said, rubbing his hand along his brother's back.

Viserys was not sure if he believed Lilyanna and Aegon; he knew that logically they were right, as a ghost, there was nothing that could physically hurt him anymore.

But it was hard to reconcile with this new reality when the last time he believed that no one would hurt him, Maegor and Tyanna turned their eyes upon him as retribution for his mother and siblings' defiance, and when he dared to believe that someone would rescue him, no one ever came for him.

"Do you want to go back inside?" Lilyanna asked, tapping the side of her head, "You don't have to be here if it is too much for you."

Viserys squirmed under Lilyanna's gaze, his heart aching, "I-I-I-I d-d-don't w-wan-want to be alone."

The boy's voice came out as a stuttering, hoarse whisper, and everyone else was surprised, as this was the first time the Viserys had spoken since dying.

A small smile crossed Lilyanna's lips, "Do you want to stand with me, under the torch?"

Viserys stared at Lilyanna for a moment before slowly letting go of his older brother and moving towards Lilyanna, standing by her side. He wanted to reach for her arm, but his hand glided through it, sending a shiver down Lilyanna's spine.

But this did not stop Lilyanna from holding out her arm, allowing him to place his hand above it and give the illusion of being able to touch her.

As Viserys stood next to her, hunching over, his hair falling over his large, sad eyes, staring at the floor to avoid looking at anyone, Lilyanna thought Viserys looked like a traumatized kitten, which only made her feel more sympathetic.

Lilyanna ignored the others once again as she started walking again, making sure not to walk too fast so that Viserys could keep up with her.

She was glad that the cell Perkin was locked inside of was not that far away, as she certainly did not want to hear anything that the other Targaryens would have to say about what just happened.

The former Gold Cloak already had his hands and feet cut off as per Viserys' order, the ends of his arms and legs showing clear signs of being cauterized to keep the man from bleeding out.

Perkin's eyes were wide, and he started breathing heavily as the light of the torch revealed Lilyanna to him. "Y-You…"

"Perkin." Lilyanna said, reaching for the hook that was hanging on the wall next to the cell and grabbing the keys there, and using them to unlock the door, walking inside.

Perkin tried to crawl back, not wanting to be anywhere near the princess, and ignoring the pain that such movement created in his extremities, but the chains holding him down did not allow him to get far.

"Help! Somebody, help me!" Perkin screamed as he continued to thrash about.

His screaming made Viserys flinch, and in response to scaring the boy and to silence Perkin, Lilyanna lifted her leg and kicked Perkin in the face twice before using her foot to press Perkin's face against the floor, standing above him.

Maegelle frowned at the display, "Is hitting him so truly necessary?"

Lilyanna ignored the Septa as she stared at Perkin, pressing her foot down harder, "Now you're scared? You seemed so confident and fearless when you were facing the King earlier, so what has changed? Other than you being short a few body parts."

"Leave me, please! I-If h-he knows that you're here, he'll take me again!" Perkin yelled, shaking under Lilyanna's boot.

Lilyanna's eyes narrowed. "He? Do you mean Larys?"

Perkin's shaking grew worse when she said the new Lord of Harrenhal's name, tears falling down his face.

"What did Larys do to you? What is he planning?"

Perkin tried to speak, but his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he started to thrash so much that Lilyanna nearly lost her footing. Sweat dotted his forehead, and Perkin began to cough up blood, making Lilyanna think that he may have bitten down on his own tongue.

"What is wrong with him?! Is he dying?" Lilyanna did not know who asked that, but she was thinking the same thing.

Then suddenly, Perkin stopped moving, going completely still under Lilyanna as his eyes rolled back. A smirk quickly appeared on Perkin's face, and the way he was now looking at her made Lilyanna want to kick him again.

"Princess." Perkin purred, a raspy chuckle leaving his lips, "A valiant effort, but you are not going to get anything out of Perkin."

Lilyanna scoffed, "So, it seems that your torture was so much that it has broken your mind and you have started to speak in the third person."

"It seems so. But if you wish to spend the rest of my short life trying to pick my brain a part, you're more than welcome to." Perkin's smirk grew, irritating the princess further.

"Why didn't you tell anyone that you're working for Larys Strong?" Lilyanna asked.

Perkin licked his lips, "I had a change of heart, princess. Why would I want to implicate an innocent man in such evil as this?"

"What does he have on you? What other reason could you-" Lilyanna could not finish her sentence as Perkin's expression changed from smug playfulness to pained terror.

"No! Get out of me! Get out of my head!" Perkin screamed as he flailed around, "It hurts! It hurts so much!"

Lilyanna quickly dropped down and covered Perkin's mouth with her hand, muffling his screams.

Lilyanna's heart raced in her chest when she heard the sound of a door closing nearby, but after a few moments, when there was no sign of anyone coming to investigate, Lilyanna removed her hand, staring at the man before her in shock.

It started to become clear to her now: Perkin's behavior in the throne room, why Larys had not been there, why Perkin was so afraid when she entered the cell.

"You're not Perkin, are you?" Lilyanna asked when Perkin quickly calmed down, returning to his previous state.

'Perkin' grinned, showing off his twisted and broken smile, "Have you finally figured it out, princess? Or do you need another hint?"

Lilyanna jumped to her feet, taking a step back, "So Larys Strong really is a skinchanger?"

"So, you have had your suspicions about even this?" Larys laughed brightly, "I knew you were hiding more than you let people believe."

"How is this even possible?" Rhaenys asked, disgusted at the sight of Larys essentially wearing Perkin's skin against Perkin's will.

"It wouldn't be an impossibility if he is one of First Men's blood." Visenya said, studying the skinchanger like one might do with a science experiment.

Lilyanna shook her head, "What is that supposed mean?"

Larys laughed again, "Oh, princess, are you not aware of just how strange you are? Everyone else in this castle, in this city, may be willing to look the other way and just attribute your actions to being more intelligent than most, but I am not a simpleton like the rest. Just as you have been aware of my secrets, I am aware of yours."

I doubt that. "I'm the strange one? You're the one who ordered the murders of your own brother and father, who is perfectly fine throwing away the very tools you used to orchestrate those murders now that they are no longer useful, who has been blackmailing my mother for years, and is currently using another person like a meat suit, all for what? For some convoluted plan to get Otto back here as Hand of the King? To get more power for yourself? To fuck my mother?"

Again, Larys' laughter echoed from Perkin's throat, low and grating, carrying the same oily smoothness that she was starting to loathe. "You truly are something else, Lilyanna. Ever since you started to make yourself known, I've wondered sometimes if you even belong on the board at all. Can you feel it as I do? The beautiful magic in your blood?"

"Enough riddles, Larys. What are you planning? This can't be it."

"So, you won't tell me your secret, Lilyanna, even after I allowed you to learn mine? That's quite mean, you know."

Lilyanna sneered at the man, "Why would I tell you shit, you fucking waste of space?"

"Because you and I are quite alike."

Lilyanna let out a laugh of her own, "In what ways?"

Larys leaned forward, making Perkin's shine under the torchlight, "We're both younger, overlooked children of important men, two people who have had to make our own way because the old will always treat us as if we are beneath them for what the Gods sought to curse us with. And two people who will do anything necessary to get what we want."

"If you believe that, then you don't know me as well as you fucking think." Lilyanna spat.

Before Larys could say anything else, Perkin's body started to shake, coughing up more blood.

"I-I-It a-appears I-I have to l-leave no-now." Though strained, Larys' voice still held its mocking cadence, "W-we'll have t-to con-continue t-this conversation an-another time."

Lilyanna clenched her fists as she watched Larys leave Perkin's body, his body sagging against the chains, his chest heaving, and when his head finally dropping forward as he started to cry again.

Lilyanna turned away, leaving the broken man alone as she walked out of the cell. There was nothing else to be gained by trying to interrogate someone who clearly had nothing to offer.

"Where are you going?" Visenya asked as Lilyanna started to walk up the dungeon stairs.

"I'm going to Larys' room so I can kill him." Lilyanna said plainly.

"You're not going to do that." Aegon immediately said, "Lilyanna, don't allow your emotions to get the better of you."

Lilyanna glared at the man, "This isn't me being emotional, you all saw and heard the same thing I did, how you just expect me not to do anything? He's too dangerous to be left alone!"

"And so, you're just going to what? Strangle him in his bed and expect to get away with it?" Aegon asked, "Do you think that you'll be able to get close enough to him now? That he will allow you to?"

Lilyanna did not answer the former King; she wanted to spill Larys' blood, to make the man ever regret thinking that he could ever manipulate the people around her, and for insinuating that they were in any way similar.

But she also knew that Aegon was right; Larys would most likely expect her to immediately come running, eager to kill him. It would not surprise her if Larys knew about the castle's secret tunnels and that she frequently used them.

What am I supposed to do then? Lilyanna thought, still feeling quite wrathful.

Rhaenys moved past her brother to stand in front of Lilyanna, "Larys Strong will die, he must, but you should have a plan for it instead of just trying to instantly attack the next time you see him."

"Would it not be easier to simply tell Viserys about the Clubfoot?" Jaehaerys asked, drawing everyone's attention to him. "From what you four told us, he already knows that your sister is a dreamer, surely this will not be hard for him to believe."

Lilyanna frowned, "Viserys only believed Helaena and me because we gave him proof of her visions being real. What am I supposed to tell him? That the man who is morning the brutal killings of his brother and father is actually the one who orchestrated said killings, but that the only man who knows Larys did it can't testify against him because not only is he a blubbering mess, but if he tries Larys, who is also a body stealing freak, will simply mind rape him before he can get the chance? And that I have no other evidence other than my words? Do you want me to be treated like a crazed idiot? Because that's what will happen if I do something dumb like that."

"Then what about Helaena herself?" Alysanne spoke out before her husband could respond to Lilyanna's retort. "Would Viserys not take the musings of a dreamer more seriously?"

Lilyanna opened her mouth to refute the idea, but as she thought more of it, she realized that it could work.

"Viserys has been nipping at my sister's heels for more prophecies ever since we told him he would be desperate enough to think it true if we made this one believable enough." Lilyanna said, a sharp grin appeared on her face as she looked at the former Queen. "Thank you."

Lilyanna turned on her heel and began running, already brainstorming what she and Helaena would tell their father when they spoke to him.

"The future truly rests on that girl's shoulders? Our dynasty is doomed." Viserra muttered, wincing when her older sister Alyssa elbowed her in the arm harshly.

"Don't be a little shit, Viserra." Alyssa grinned, and Viserra realized that it looked eerily like the one Lilyanna had on her face. "Besides, my granddaughter is making things interesting."

Aemon sighed wearily as they all began to follow Lilyanna, "I don't think we should be referring to any of this as interesting."

"Especially after what we just saw." Jocelyn added, looking back in the direction of Perkin's cell, still able to hear the man's distressed sobbing.

Since they had found themselves tied to Lilyanna, the glimpses she had seen of her daughter, grandchildren, and grandchildren through Lilyanna's eyes, made Jocelyn feel a myriad of things, happy at the life her daughter had managed to build for herself, saddened that he had missed most of it, and fearful of what was coming next as she was sure that whatever Larys had in store would undoubtedly affect them as well.

There is nothing about this that can be seen as entertaining. Jocelyn thought solemnly.

---

Viserys had been sitting in front of his stone model, adjusting some of the figures' placements, when he heard a knock at the doors of his bedchamber.

"Your Grace, Princess Helaena is requesting an audience with you." Viserys heard Ser Harrold announce from the other. "She says that she must speak with you urgently."

"Allow her to enter, Ser Harrold." Viserys answered, wondering what could have brought his middle daughter to his door at this time.

"Father." Helaena's soft voice carried across the room when she entered. She purposely kept her distance, shifting her body and twisting her hands together nervously. "I-I you told me to come to you i-if I had another dream."

Helaena hated the way her voice sounded, and she hated that Lilyanna was not with her, adamant that Viserys would be more willing to listen to her if she was not there and would be more susceptible to what Lilyanna called her sister's innocent charm, recounting how things went the first time they went to Viserys about Helaena's powers.

If Lily weren't so confrontational with father, then she would be able to be here with me. She knows that I'm not good at lying! Helaena thought, annoyed at her sister.

But Lilyanna was confident that Viserys would be so focused on the dream itself to see that Helaena was lying through her teeth, and that any nervousness that she would exhibit would simply be attributed to the horrifying act that she had borne witness to in her dreams.

In these types of situations, Helaena had always been more than happy standing back and allowing Lilyanna's silver tongue to do the talking.

While she knew that a lot of what Lilyanna does is necessary, and that she had told Lilyanna years ago that she could always rely on her, sometimes Helaena wished that they did not need to dirty their hands in such a way, especially not where their family was concerned.

"A dream?" Viserys asked, his knotted hand tightening on the edge of the table, hope flickering across his face. "Tell me, my sweet girl, what did you see?"

Helaena nodded slowly, forcing herself to cry when she met her father's eyes, making her own shimmer with tears. "There was… a man with a twisted foot. He walked through shadows, and rats followed him wherever he went. In his hand, he carried a leash, and at the end of it was that man, Perkin, from the trial… but he was blind in both eyes, and his body was broken. The man tightened the leash until the beast choked, and all the while he smiled. Behind him, father, I saw Lord Lyonel and Ser Harwin, and they were... they were long dead, and their bodies ruined."

"The Clubfoot…" Viserys murmured, his lips parting slightly as if the breath had been stolen from him, and his face paling. "Larys…"

Helaena twisted her fingers harder, her voice breaking as she continued, "The rats feasted, Father. They feasted on blood. He fed them. And when the hound fell dead, he turned and looked at me. He said-" She hesitated, her throat constricting, the words Lilyanna had told her to say sitting heavy on her tongue. "He said, 'All this for the crown.'"

The King's shoulders sagged, his hand trembling as he gripped the model tower before him, "You are sure this is what you saw, Helaena?"

"I am sure."

The idea of a man being able to do such a thing to his own father and brother disgusted Viserys to his very core. From what he had seen of the man, Larys seemed so grief-stricken, as though the murders of his family had truly destroyed him, so to think that Larys could have been faking this behavior seemed impossible to Viserys.

How could Larys do this? But if Helaena has dreamed it, then it must be true. Viserys thought as he sat back in his chair.

Helaena walked closer to the table, standing next to Viserys, "Father?"

For a long moment, Viserys only stared at his daughter, then he nodded once, slow and heavy. "Thank you, Helaena, for bringing this to me. You may go, rest now, child."

Helaena bobbed her head quickly, relief rushing through her as she hurried toward the door, desperate to be free of his gaze.

Only when she was gone did Viserys sink into his chair, his hands covering his face, and he questioned what he was going to do now.

With Perkin, Wate, and Pate, there was evidence that proved their part in Lyonel and Harwin's murders, and even if there was no evidence, they were peasants, no one important would draw up too much if any fuss over their wellbeing or if their lives were taken.

But Larys was not just a noble but he was now a ruling lord of a powerful and rich seat. Could he truly punish the man with only his daughter's word as evidence against him? And could he do so without facing massive backlash for it from the rest of the continent's nobility?

The candlelight threw deep shadows across the stone model of his dreamt city, shadows that seemed to crawl like rats across the miniature streets as he turned to look at it.

Larys is a cripple; perhaps that will be enough to keep tongues from wagging, I know that Larys is not the most popular of men because of this. But, this could lead people to believe that I could start accusing anyone of crimes simply because I felt like it or because Helaena had a dream.

While he knew that his family believed in Helaena's gift, Viserys knew that the rest of Westeros would be skeptical about Helaena's ability to see the future. There was also the prospect that Helaena could be interpreting her dream wrong as Viserys had done when it came to having a son with Aemma.

"It's as if the Gods have decided they wished to see me suffer." Viserys whispered to himself, huffing as he rubbed his hand against the side of his head, swearing that he could feel a headache forming.

---

The Next Day

Larys had a devilish smile on his face as he stood on the battlement of the Red Keep, looking down at where the three men who were hanged above the Keep's gates.

Just after sunrise, Perkin, Wat, and Pate were carried out of the Black Cells, their backs raw and weeping blood as they had just received their lashings. Now they dangled like broken puppets, faces bloated and purple as they were hung for their crimes, a warning to all who dared conspire against the Crown.

Larys was the last person left watching the gruesome sight as the few who had watched had returned inside, finally able to shed the mask of a grieving man who was taking satisfaction in justice being served and revealing the delight burned bright within him as every piece had moved exactly as he wished.

I'm surprised that Lilyanna did nothing to try and oust me. I was sure she would have tried to take my head after our talk. Larys thought, having not seen or heard from the princess since last night.

Over the years, Larys had seen much of Lilyanna's stubborn resolve and recklessness, so if she had calmed down enough to keep herself from attacking him, Larys was sure that Lilyanna must be planning something to get rid of him.

As Larys was thinking about his and Lilyanna's newly established game, he heard the sounds of footsteps approaching him.

"Lord Larys." Ser Steffon Darklyn said as a greeting, staring at Larys stone-faced.

"Sers, what can I do for you?" Larys asked as he looked at the two Kingsguard.

Behind Steffon, Ser Rickard Thorne spoke, wearing a similar expression as his sworn brother, "The King demands that you present yourself to him in the small council chamber. Now."

Larys tightened his grip on his cane, "May I ask why the King sought fit to send two of his Kingsguard to fetch me instead of a page?"

Steffon's eyes darkened, "You may not."

Larys said nothing else as the two men stood on either side of him, leading him away from the battlement and into the Red Keep, his cane tapped lightly on the stone as he walked, though his pulse quickened, and his smile was gone. He ignored the stares he was now getting from curious courtiers and servants as they walked.

What have you put into motion, princess? Larys was sure that Lilyanna must have whispered something into her father's ear and was the cause of his current predicament. The King might be frail, might be slow to act, but even Viserys would not drag him before the Small Council without just cause.

I should have spied on her when I realized that she was not going to come for me straight away.

For the first time in years, he felt the faintest curl of unease, but it was not enough to truly terrify him because if Lilyanna thought she could corner him so easily, then she was surely mistaken.

Larys forced his expression into one of placid calmness as the doors to the small council chamber came into view.

One of the Cargyll twins, who was standing guard, barely glanced at the three men before announcing their presence and

allowing them to enter.

Viserys' face was the first one Larys saw from across the table, seeing the grim and serious expression on the King's face.

The rest of the small council had similar expressions, although Larys especially took notice of how Alicent was fully looking at him, instead of keeping her gaze on the part of the wall just above his head or down towards the table as she had been doing for the past few days.

Her uneasiness around him was always a source of endless amusement for him, but right now, all Larys could think about was what was Alicent giving her the strength to finally look him in the eye.

"Larys Strong." Viserys said coolly.

"Your Grace." Larys bowed as low as he could, continuing to keep his face placid, "You have summoned-"

Viserys clenched his fist, cutting the man off, "An accusation was lobbied at your feet, proclaiming that you masterminded the murders of Lyonel and Harwin Strong."

Larys pretended to be shocked and appalled by this statement, "My King, I would never! To kill my own father, my own brother? Who dares to call me a Kinslayer?!"

"The man who we thought to be the leader of the trio, Perkin, admitted that you were the one who hired him shortly before he was executed." Viserys answered.

Larys knew that Viserys was lying, he had been watching over his tools in their cells until they were brought out to be hanged from a rat that he had taken control of. And even then, he had made sure to thoroughly break Perkin's mind by fighting back against Perkin during his conversation with Lilyanna, Perkin would have been in no position to divulge anything.

Larys lowered his head, purposely making himself look small and less assuming, "Your Grace, after what that foul man said yesterday during his trial, I am sure that he has done this to sow division, as one last act of weaking your court before he was sent to his grave. You mustn't believe the words of a lying and manipulative murderer. I loved my family dearly, I would never lay a hand against them, let alone conspire with others to do so."

Larys heard a mocking chuckle from the table, "Then why have I found witnesses who have claimed to have seen you speaking with Perkin over the years?"

Larys looked up, seeing the smirk that graced Daemon's lips, "My prince?"

Daemon leaned forward, his eyes never leaving Larys', "To ensure that Perkin was not lying through his crooked teeth, my brother commanded me to find evidence to prove Perkin true. It did not take me long to find several citizens who have sworn on their lives that they have seen you two together, usually outside of the shithole Perkin lived in, close as can be. And there is even a witness who said they saw you speaking with Perkin the night before the murder occurred."

Just how did Lilyanna and that worm unearth such witnesses? Larys thought, knowing that Daemon could not have found any credible sources without the involvement of those two. "And such witnesses have proven to be trustworthy?"

"Of course, Lord Strong." Daemon drawled, "Do you think I would make things up to see a man such as yourself punished unjustly?"

Larys turned away from the prince, looking back at Viserys with solemnness, "Your Grace, I must admit that I did meet with Perkin a few times leading up to him and the others murdering my father and brother."

"Did you not tell us that Perkin was a liar and a manipulator? Now you are telling us that you were not only meeting Perkin, but doing so in secret? And you expect us all to believe your innocence now?" Rhaenyra spat, glaring at the man standing at the end of the table.

"Your Highness," Larys began as he looked at Rhaenyra, still forcing himself to look pitiful, "The truth of the matter is that I was not meeting Perkin to plan in the dark to murder my family, but because of rumors I had heard that greatly pertained to the royal family."

Rhaenyra scoffed, "And what such rumors would involve you and this corrupt Gold Cloak?"

"Rumors that Perkin had taken in and was living with a dragonseed, Your Highness."

"The city is full of dragonseeds. Why should it matter that Perkin was living with one?" Jasper asked.

Larys looked at everyone at the table before his eyes fell upon Viserys, "Because the rumors were not just about Perkin living with him, but that the boy is not any ordinary dragonseed, but is directly descended from royal blood."

The room fell into silence, everyone staring at Larys with various amounts of shock, skepticism, and anger.

Viserys stiffened, his gaze sharpening, "What are you implying?"

"People have spoken of why a man like Perkin would decide to take a young boy into his care and rescue him from homelessness. Which has led a few more courageous tongues to wag that the boy is the son of a bastard that you had, Your Grace." Larys said smoothly, bowing his head in submission.

Daemon scoffed, leaning over the table to look at Larys derisively, "A neat tale, Lord Strong. Do you think insinuating that my brother has a gaggle of bastards that men are tripping over themselves to find will save you from the headsman?"

"I am only repeating what I have heard, my prince. My father had trusted me deeply to bring anything that I had heard that could be dangerous to the Crown to him, as many on this council know. And when I heard such treasonous whispers, I told them to my father, who gave me his leave to investigate the matter. Perkin wished to use these rumors for his own gain, and I tried to get close to Perkin to see if there was any validity in the rumor, which is why your witnesses had seen me meeting with him."

"And you told no one else of what you were doing?" Lyman asked, "I find it odd that Lyonel would just allow his son to do something so potentially dangerous and would not inform the King or this council about this gossip."

"He did not wish for the rumor to spread further if it was proven to be a lie, and he did not wish for me to scare Perkin off if he heard from one place or another the true reason why I was meeting him."

"And this rumor? Have you proven its validity?" Rhaenyra asked before anything else could be said.

Viserys sputtered, "R-Rhaenyra! Of course, this isn't-how could you believe?! This is obviously a lie that Gods forsaken fool made in his quest for anarchy! He even said so yesterday!"

Rhaenyra did not look at Viserys, keeping her eyes on Larys.

Larys cleared his throat, "I have spoken to the boy, Trystane is his name, Your Highness. He told me that he remembered little of his father, a blacksmith who died when he was still quite young, his mother, a seamstress who died a few years prior from the shivers, and his grandmother, who died a year before her daughter, a former whore who once worked in the defunct brothel, the Southern Spoils."

No one recognized the name of the establishment except the King and his brother, which became apparent to everyone else as Viserys looked as if his soul had just left his body, while Daemon's lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile, one that made several of the councilors shift uncomfortably in their seats.

"I suppose you and Daemon spent quite a bit of time at the Southern Spoils, sowing your wild oats in your youth, Your Grace?" Rhaenyra asked sharply.

Corlys could barely stop himself from snorting as he watched Viserys struggle to answer his eldest daughter, only able to sit there blowing air out of his mouth.

"That is not what is important, princess." Alicent said, unmoved by the anger that was growing within Rhaenyra as the other woman turned her head to look at her. "Men across Westeros go to such... establishments, it does not mean that my husband has fathered an illegitimate child with a whore. All this shows is that Perkin was a man who sought to use a false belief to his advantage for some unknown reason."

You can say the word whore, but not brothel? Rhaenyra thought with a huff, finding the woman's piousness more irritating in this moment than ever before.

Of course, Rhaenyra knew that men were given the freedom to sleep with whoever they wished with little consequence, unlike women, who were expected to remain chaste and pure and were shamed if they were found not to be.

It was why her younger brother, Aegon, could begin going to brothels at the young age of twelve and received little damnation for it from everyone besides Alicent. It was why she was made to marry Laenor after the rumors of her and Daemon had spread.

She knew that her father was not different from most other men, he too desired for a son, even at the risk of his wife's life and could be ruled by his carnal desires as shown in his marriage to Alicent and his wish to have even more children, but knowing that he too could not resist the allure of the Street of Silk, burned her deeply.

"Then what is so special about this particular brothel that your husband looks as if he is going to drop dead from shame?" Rhaenyra asked the Queen before looking at both her father and uncle.

Unlike his brother, Daemon had no qualms about answering Rhaenyra's question. "If you must know, Rhaenyra, the Southern Spoils was not like most brothels; it was a place you were only allowed to enter if you knew someone else, and it was known for being far more particular with the service it offered. Isn't that right, brother?"

"Enough!" Viserys roared, his voice breaking as his hand slammed down against the armrest of his chair. His face was red, his body trembling, and his eyes burning with rage as he looked at Daemon. "I will not be slandered in my own hall! These lies; these baseless lies will not be tolerated!"

"Your Grace, I would never bring such knowledge to you if I knew it to be false-"

"And yet all you seem to be doing is spewing lies from your mouth!" Viserys spat as he glared at Larys, "Do you expect anyone to believe such a tale? Do you think throwing such accusations at me will be enough to change the fact that you are under suspicion for murder?"

Larys lowered his head further as he looked away from the King, "If you do not believe me, Your Grace, you can speak to the boy, to Trystane, and he will tell you what I have, or the former madam of the Southern Spoils, whom I also found during my investigation. You can even ask Princess Lilyanna to bring forth what she has discovered."

"What would Lilyanna know about any of this?" Alicent immediately asked, her voice sharp, eyes narrowing as she looked at the lord.

Larys tilted his head slightly, pretending to be confused by the Queen's question and her outrage. "My Queen, do you not know?"

Alicent forced herself to remain calm, for the first time feeling disgusted hearing her daughter's name come out of another's mouth. "Clearly, I do not."

"I only assumed because of how many people bore witness to the scene and claimed that the princess was there and had been the one to find him. In the words of many, Perkin was attempting to use Trystane to board a ship to escape the city and even threatened to kill Trystane when he was not getting the reaction he wanted. I had thought that Price Daemon would have said something once the Gold Cloaks who had arrested Perkin had explained how they had captured him."

"Daemon, you said that your men were the ones to find Perkin, you made no mention of my daughter being there. Why did you not say anything?" Viserys asked his brother.

"My men only told me that they had seen Lilyanna in the city, and I saw no reason as to why that would need to be discussed." Daemon said, lying through his teeth.

If he explained to Viserys and the council why Lilyanna had been looking for Perkin and had been the one to find him, he would then have to explain how his investigation had borne nothing of substance until Lilyanna had pointed him in the right direction, and he would have to explain both his and Lilyanna's connection to Mysaria and the woman's entire operation.

The prideful part of Daemon would never want to admit that he needed Lilyanna's assistance with anything, and the small part of him that still remembered what he once had with Mysaria did not want to see her persecuted by the Crown.

"Nothing to be discussed?" Viserys asked, unconvinced, "You thought it unimportant to tell me that Lilyanna was not only traversing the city by herself, but had come across a dangerous madman?

Daemon shrugged, "No, I did not. In the short time that I have been back in Westeros, I have seen countless instances of your child walking about as she pleased. Why is it my fault that you and your wife do not know where children are and what they are up to?"

With that, Viserys' face turned red with anger, "Daemon-"

"Your Grace, I must also say that witnesses saw Princess Lilyanna leave with Trystane after Perkin was taken away." Larys said before Viserys could say anything else to Daemon, "Whether the princess has learned the same truths that I have, or if she simply took pity on poor and innocent little boy, I do not know."

"Why would my sister know anything about this?" Rhaenyra asked, still distrustful of the man.

"Perhaps the princess went looking for her own answers after the meeting where we discovered the sabotage of my father's balcony, or perhaps she felt that Prince Daemon's effort would not be enough. I cannot say for certain, I can only speculate on what I have seen from her, what she may know or feel." Larys answered, a sense of satisfaction filling him as he had succeeded in diverting attention away from himself and onto Lilyanna.

Rhaenyra, Alicent, and Viserys could not deny that Lilyanna going out of her way like this and telling no one what she was up to was something that she would do.

"You mentioned, Strong, that you apparently discovered that my brother has a bastard grandson and a bastard daughter, so just who is this mysterious woman you keep dancing around?" Daemon asked, staring at Larys.

Larys glanced at the prince, still maintaining his facade, "I learned from her former madam that her name was Bryna, although when she worked and was with customers, she went by Iris."

Once again, everyone looked at the King, and once again, Viserys was unable to hide his reaction, his face quickly paling and his eyes widening as the chamber went utterly still.

When he was still a young, foolish prince, Viserys had once believed that he loved Iris and the two of them could have had a grand love story like that of his parents and grandparents. He could still picture her rich, honey blonde hair, her large blue eyes, and the coy smile she always had whenever they met.

Iris had made Viserys feel like a man and was the only person who he thought did not see him as the future King of Westeros. And this belief stayed with him even after he married Aemma, until he further got to know her and realized that what he had with Iris would never compare to what he had found with his wife.

He had not thought about his former lover since, and Viserys' knuckles whitened around the armrest of his chair. "You tread a dangerous path, Lord Strong."

Larys' tone was meek but measured, "Forgive me, Your Grace. I only bring to light what may help explain why Perkin acted as he did. If he and the boy truly believe that he and his mother are descended from royal blood, it could have given Perkin dangerous ideas. You have seen how men can often twist truth into madness."

"Hold old is this boy's mother? And what was her name?" Everyone turned to look at the Crown Princess, her face expressionless as she stared only at Larys.

Larys cleared his throat, glancing at Rhaenyra and Viserys, "Her name was Taylor, Your Highness, and she died about three years ago from the shivers at the age of eight and twenty."

Viserys tried to avoid looking at anyone, and especially Rhaenyra. A part of him still could not believe that he fathered a daughter with Iris, let alone that he had a grandson walking about somewhere in the city.

"If Perkin could think such a lie to be the truth, then perhaps he was madder than we thought." Viserys said quietly.

"Your Grace." Orwyle said softly, his voice hesitant, "Should we not find the boy or the brothel madam and confirm whether there is any truth to these claims?"

Viserys' head lifted slightly, eyes still clouded with disbelief, "And what would that accomplish, Grand maester? To give weight to this slander?"

"But, Your Grace," Jasper interjected, "As we have seen, these rumors were enough to get one man to try and use this boy as a bargaining chip. It could prove dangerous to leave him unchecked, as there would be nothing to stop this from happening again."

"The future is not certain, Your Grace, and it would not be the first time a false heir could be used in moments of uncertainty. I for one remember all the pretenders that came from the furthest corners of Westeros when the Old King held the Great Council." Corlys said, a frown appearing on his face as he thought of what had become the most infuriating event in his life.

Viserys felt as if his heart was going to beat itself out of his chest when his councilors tried to sway him.

"I can have the boy brought here, Your Grace," Larys offered, bowing his head slightly. "Safely and discreetly. He will come to no harm, and no one outside of this room will know about his presence."

The King's fingers flexed, nails scraping against the wood of his chair. "That will not be necessary, Lord Larys. There is no need to bring anyone here because there is no truth to discover; this was all simply the ploy of an ungrateful and power-hungry rat who sought to supplant his betters."

Alicent tried to interject, "Viserys-"

"And it appears that the accusation I have thrown against you holds no merit." Viserys said in lieu of an apology.

Larys bowed again, his back and legs starting to hurt from having to repeat the action so many times. "I live only to serve, Your Grace, and I am relieved that my loyalty has been proven once more." He straightened slowly, eyes briefly flicking toward Alicent. "It pains me that my family's tragedy has caused such unrest within this council. I only hope that, in time, justice and truth may find their proper places."

"The traitors who murdered Lyonel and Harwin are dead. This matter is closed." Viserys said curtly, looking at the rest of the small council pointedly. "And this meeting is adjourned."

Rhaenyra clenched her fists before she stood, disgust plain on her face.

"Rhaenyra-" Viserys' voice trembled as he called out to her, but she had already stormed out of the chamber before he could stop her.

The rest of the small council slowly trickled out of the room, and Larys gave Alicent one last glance as he followed them. Unbeknownst to the pair, Daemon had noticed both the look and the disgust that said look sparked in the Queen's gaze as he too, left the room.

Alicent turned to her husband, but before she could speak, Viserys raised his hand in front of him, stopping her. "Wife, please, I do not wish to discuss anything at this moment. I just wish to be left alone."

Alicent stared at Viserys for a few moments before standing, "Of course, husband."

Alicent pressed her lips against Viserys' cheek before walking out of the small council chamber.

As the doors closed behind his wife, Viserys leaned forward, placing his forehead directly on top of the table and letting out a loud groan.

"It's as if the Gods are punishing me unjustly." Viserys muttered, feeling as if his entire world had just been knocked out from underneath his feet.

Viserys knew he was not a father, and that there would always come that moment when your children realized that their parents were flawed, that they were not invincible. And Viserys thought this moment had already passed for him and Rhaenyra after Aemma and Baelon's death, but now, after the way Rhaenyra looked at him before she left, he felt as if this was happening all over again.

Viserys did not want anything Larys revealed to be true, and he would continue to deny the possibility, but a part of him could not help but wonder. He did not know what was worse, the idea of having bastard progeny or the thought of this information leaking further than it already has and spreading across the Seven Kingdoms.

Do I wish to know, to see it with my own eyes? No, I mean, this should be... I couldn't have... Viserys thought miserably, wanting this day to be over.

---

In the hallway outside of the small council chamber, in a darkened corner, Lilyanna pushed herself flushed against the wall behind her as Her eldest sister, the small council members, her uncle, and her mother and her sworn protector exited the chamber and walked past her, unaware of her presence.

A sneer had graced her lips when she caught sight of Larys, knowing that her plan had failed as the man was walking freely with a smug look on his face instead of being led to the dungeons.

Just what happened in there? That fucker Larys is the only one who looks even remotely pleased. Lilyanna thought, remembering just how furious Rhaenyra looked as she stormed past her earlier.

Lilyanna was brought out of her thoughts when she heard crying behind her just before the gaggle of familiar spirits stepped out from the wall that led directly into the small council chamber.

Lilyanna immediately noticed that Aemma Arryn was the one who was bawling, seeing the woman standing in the arms of her mother, trying to wipe away the tears that were angrily falling down her face.

Unlike the others, Lilyanna had yet to speak to the woman, but looking at her and comparing her to Rhaenyra, a part of Lilyanna could understand why Viserys loved Rhaenyra so much compared to the rest of them. Rhaenyra truly was her mother's daughter, taking more after Aemma in appearance than Viserys.

"What-" Before Lilyanna could ask, Aemma had disappeared, retreating into the recesses of Lilyanna's mind, with Daella quickly following suit.

Lilyanna turned to the others, "What the fuck happened in there? And why was Aemma crying?"

"That is what our son is like as a King?" Alyssa asked her husband softly, although everyone had heard her, a stark contrast to how she usually carried herself.

The woman looked to be in complete disbelief, she did not wish to say it aloud, but a part of her could not help but think that her eldest son was weak and was refusing to deal with any of the problems before him, while also being entirely too trusting of those around him.

Baelon tried to reassure his wife, even as it was clear that he did not believe his own words, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"From what I remember, Viserys was not... he was never like...It must be his illness! Surely that is what is causing him to behave like this."

"Why can't you just admit that there is no excuse for your son's inherent weakness, Baelon?" Aemon asked with a scoff, looking at his younger brother from the corner of his eye.

He had already been furious when he learned that not only had their father chosen Baelon to be his heir instead of Rhaenys, but that when given the opportunity to rectify his mistake, Jaehaerys decided to give the lords of Westeros the illusion of choice by allowing them to vote for his new heir after Baelon's death.

It was hard enough hearing from Aegon, Visenya, and Rhaenys what Viserys' rule would lead to, but seeing this firsthand only exasperated his anger further.

Baelon turned away from his wife, his shock at his brother's words bleeding into rage as he stepped closer to him. "What did you just say?"

Alysanne quickly stood in between her two sons, "Stop it, both of you."

"Why?" Aemon spat, "Why should I have to hold my tongue after what we all saw?"

"Why don't you just say how you truly feel?" Baelon growled, "You are angry at me, at father, and my son because of what you believe to be theft."

"Believe to be theft? It was theft! My daughter's throne was taken and given to your clearly unsuitable son, and you allowed it to be done gleefully."

"Rhaenys was a child, the realm needed-"

Aemon laughed bitterly, "Just say that you wanted to be King and that's why you allowed our father to name you his heir after my death, Baelon, I'd rather you'd speak the truth than lie to my face so blatantly."

Jaehaerys stepped forward, standing next to his wife, "Aemon, enough. Viserys is not the fool you paint him to be. He is merely... tired. A tired king, trying to rule the realm as best he can."

The elder prince's jaw tightened as he glared at his father, "Do you truly believe what is coming out of your mouth, father?"

"I do." Jaehaerys said strongly, "The realm is still at peace, Viserys has done well in this regard. And we are here to ensure that things do not become as we know them to be and guide Lilyanna to do so."

Guide me? Pretty much all of you have been practically useless since you showed up. Lilyanna thought as she rolled her eyes at the former King.

"Of course, when it's your grandson making a mess of things, you have plenty of space for understanding." Viserra muttered under her breath.

A vein in Jaehaerys' forehead throbbed angrily as he turned to look at his daughter, "Excuse me?"

Viserra crossed her arms with a huff, "Your grandson sits the Iron Throne as a foolhardy puppet, I don't know why you are trying to act like he's some great King in the making. There isn't much that can't be salvaged from the corpse we saw."

"Viserra!" Maegelle exclaimed, watching as their father's face turned red from anger as she tried to pull the young girl back.

"Can someone tell me what happened already?" Lilyanna asked, not wanting yet another fight to break out amongst the family.

Visenya, who had been standing behind Lilyanna with her siblings, explained what happened during the meeting as bluntly as possible.

Lilyanna groaned as she placed her face in her hands, "He really is as slippery as a fucking rat."

While she was displeased that Larys had managed to escape from what Lilyanna thought was a foolproof trap she had set, a small part of her was impressed by how masterfully Larys did it.

And now the small council, mother, Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Viserys all know about Trystane, at least it doesn't seem like Viserys wants anything to do with him, but I'll have to speak with Mysaria about what we're going to do with him, just in case.

"I guess we'll just have to go with my original plan." Lilyanna sighed as she dropped her hands and began walking down the hallway.

Aegon pinched the bridge of his nose, "Lilyanna, you can't just run up to Larys and stab him."

Lilyanna huffed before a smirk appeared on her face, "I'm not going to do that. I have something else in store for that fucking cunt."

"She's definitely going to be arrested for treason." Rhaenys said dryly, making Aegon and Visenya snort and Lilyanna glare at her.