The Crimson Dragon |ASOIAF/HOTD|

Eventually Lilyanna pushed herself to her feet, swaying as she did so, her head throbbing as she leaned against Nyx's head.

"Lilyanna!" The princess turned her head and saw that she was not just surrounded by her dragons, but that her Targaryen ancestors now stood before her, staring at her with worry and fear.

"Visenya," Lilyanna said, ignoring the others. "Can you…. Can you teach me how to track someone?"

Rhaenys stepped forward, her hands hovering over Lilyanna's shoulders. "Lilyanna, you need to get back to the castle and-"

Lilyanna ignored the woman, looking at her sister over her shoulder. "Visenya."

The woman in question stared at Lilyanna for a moment. "The best way would be to use a glass candle; there are a few on Dragonstone, but-"

"T-Then I'll go to Dragonstone and get one, and I-I can use it to find them, so that this fucking cas-castle can't screw with me any longer. I'll finally be able to ke-keep them to one place and-"

"Lilyanna!" Rhaenys shouted this time, trying to grab the princess, only for her hands to go through her shoulder. She kept her limbs there, ignoring them as she stared Lilyanna down. "You are not flying off to Dragonstone for a glass candle! You were just beaten within an inch of your life; you can barely walk, and you have a brand on your shoulder that ties your fate to those Ironborn! Whatever plans you have can wait until you've been taken to a maester and my sister can look at your shoulder."

"No, n-no one can see me yet, not until I find Larys and Alys," Lilyanna said, leaning more of her body against Nyx's head. "I-I n-need to get rid of those two finally, and I can't wait and let them slip through my fingers again."

Aegon stepped forward this time, guilt shining in his eyes as he took in Lilyanna's bruised and bloody appearance. He looked older than Lilyanna had ever seen him, and she hated the way he was looking at her. "Lilyanna-"

"No!" Lilyanna growled, glaring at the spirits. "D-Don't you get it? I keep… I keep screwing up, I… I didn't want to draw too much attention to myself, so I let this all happen, because I'm still too…"

I'm still scared of messing up and being seen as a reckless fool, that I am hindering everything I've worked for. I should have just let Nyx eat Larys back in Maidenpool, and I should have known that Alys would try something after she purposely engaged my brothers, and I allowed my guard to falter when she sought me out afterwards. This wouldn't have happened if I didn't stick my head up my ass. Lilyanna thought but could not bring herself to say out loud.

"Killing Larys would not have prevented what happened today," Visenya said.

"It wouldn't, but at least I would only have one Strong to deal with instead of two," Lilyanna said. "If I had left when Aegon said that I should've, instead of staying in this castle, then Alys would not have been able to trick me because I was too stupid to see that I was the one she was after and not Aemond, and now look at me."

Lilyanna could still feel the burn of her new mark on her shoulder, each agonizing pulse reminding her of her failure, and she pressed her forehead harder against Nyx's scales as though the dragon's warmth could somehow burn the feeling out of her.

"This isn't your fault," Rhaenys whispered. "You could not have known that this would happen, and running off to Dragonstone is not going to do anything but put you in more danger. You can barely stand upright; how do you expect to ride your dragon and traverse the castle like this? You're letting your emotions get the better of you and are acting foolishly."

They don't get it. Lilyanna shook her head. "I just need to fix this, I need to fix this now, before it gets worse, before they take someone else, before-"

"Lilyanna." The girl in question turned her head and found Alyssa Targaryen standing closer to her than she had been a moment ago, her expression softer than usual.

Lilyanna had not spoken to her grandmother much, finding the woman's boisterous and spirited personality to be grating at times, especially as the woman liked to make comments about her and Helaena's relationship, insisting that the twins were bound to end just like herself and Baelon, enjoying how Lilyanna had always brushed off her remarks.

But Alyssa's usual playfulness was gone, replaced with a look that made Lilyanna's chest tighten. "You need to calm down. I know better than most the urge to push forward in the face of disaster, to convince yourself that if you just keep moving, then you can outrun the fear."

Lilyanna frowned. "I'm not afraid! I just-"

"You can rely on all of us; just tell us what you wish to do, and we can give you suggestions that don't involve you putting yourself in more pain. We won't stop you from pursuing those wretched creatures, not after what they have done."

Baelon stepped forward when it became clear that his wife was not trying to deter Lilyanna from her path. "Alyssa-"

"I need to know exactly where Alys and Larys are in this moment, and I can't have my injuries treated yet," Lilyanna said, cutting Baelon off and continuing to speak when she saw Rhaenys was about to interject. "I will go, eventually, but I need to look as shitty as possible to make my plan work. And I'm also going to need Helaena."

Lilyanna tried to push herself off Nyx, but the dragon immediately blew hot air into her face and shifted their massive head, forcing the princess to stumble backward onto them.

"Nyx," Lilyanna complained, but the dragon answered her with a low growl, which in turn led the other dragons around her to let out growls of their own.

Through their bond, Lilyanna could feel Nyx's anger and fear and could see the way that the dragon was now looking at her, their large eyes focused on Lilyanna's shoulder.

"Were you even listening, you oversized lizard? I swear that I will patch myself-that I will see a master," Lilyanna quickly said when Nyx's growling grew louder, and her eyes narrowed as she glared at the human. "I promise you that I will, but right now-"

Nyx ignored her rider, looking at Visenya over the girl's shoulder and shoving her in the ghost's direction.

"What the hell, Nyx?!" Lilyanna exclaimed, tripping over her own feet and almost falling to the ground before Sunfyre moved to catch her, allowing her to rest against their left wing.

"Let me look at your shoulder, Lilyanna," Visenya said, keeping her gaze on that part of Lilyanna's body.

Lilyanna huffed. "Visenya, I-"

"Teaching you a locator spell will take some time regardless; while I'm doing that, I can make sure that there is nothing else nefarious to this mark. Well, as best I can without being able to touch you," Visenya explained.

Lilyanna hesitated, not wanting to waste any more time but knew that she would just receive more resistance from the others if she did not allow Visenya to look.

"Fine," She muttered as relief flickered across several faces. She then turned around and plopped down onto the ground, hiding the way her body relaxed now that she was no longer forcing herself to stand, and some of her physical pain ebbed.

"At least her hardheadedness has not completely won out this day," Rhaenys whispered to Aegon.

"Do not sound so pleased," Lilyanna grumbled before addressing the woman's sister. "What do I have to do?"

"Take some of your blood and use it to draw a nine-pointed star on the ground in front of you and then close your eyes," Visenya said, kneeling behind Lilyanna.

Lilyanna did as she was told, wiping some blood off her face and carefully tracing the symbol into the damp earth.

"Close your eyes," Visenya repeated. "Place your hand over the star and envision them in your mind; think about what they look like, what they sound like, what they smell like-"

Lilyanna let out a snort, keeping her eyes closed. "What do they smell like? What kind of spell is this supposed to be?"

"The kind that works. Now stop talking and concentrate. Ignore everything going on around you and think only of Larys Strong and Alys Rivers."

Lilyanna took a deep breath and began to think about every physical trait the two siblings had, and every interaction she shared with them, finding herself in a trance.

As this was happening, Visenya began to examine the golden longboat that now marked Lilyanna's flesh; her expression growing steadily darker the longer she studied it.

"What is it?" Aegon asked.

"It looks like a mere binding sigil," Visenya muttered.

"But you don't believe that is all it is?" Aegon asked; his jaw clenched.

"It's possible that Alys could have added something else to it when she created the pact, but as of right now, it does not look to be causing Lilyanna any ill effects."

She had seen similar magical markings when she was alive, her father having wanted her to be well-rounded in her education when he had taught her magic, so that she would not one day find herself caught unprepared, but the mark that lay on Lilyanna's shoulder blade felt different than others she had encountered.

Is it because of the circumstances that made it? The mark has wrapped itself around her soul like a parasite; it will not be easy or even possible to remove, not without causing serious damage to Lilyanna. Visenya thought.

"Are we not going to talk about everything that happened?" Aerea suddenly asked, no longer able to keep her thoughts to herself.

"Aerea," Rhaella hissed as everyone turned their attention to her twin sister.

"Don't look at me like that, Rhaella," Aerea shot back. "We were held captive by hundreds of ghosts, nearly watched Lilyanna get beaten to death, and Alys Rivers arranged an insane bargain with Harren Hoare, all so that Lilyanna can go on a foolish quest to restore Harrenhal? I don't think all of us are having the appropriate reactions to this!"

"She is not wrong," Aemon said grimly. "Could Alys have truly done this for a simple favor?"

"Of course not," Jaehaerys said. "If she is willing to go through all of this, then whatever she gains from it must be worth more to her than the risk of having exposed herself."

"But what could Lilyanna give her that would require such a plot to obtain it?" Rhaena asked.

Silence followed Rhaena's question, and the only sounds that could be heard were the distant cries of gulls over the Gods Eye, the steady breathing of the dragons gathered around them.

"Mother," Maegor said gruffly. "Can you not remove it?"

Every eye turned toward Visenya, and the eldest Targaryen kept her attention on the mark branded into Lilyanna's shoulder.

As this was going on, beneath Lilyanna's palm, the blood she had used to draw the nine-pointed star had begun to glow a faint, reddish light that pulsed in time with her own heartbeat, and the trance she had fallen into deepened.

In her head, it was as if she was experiencing vertigo as she could see the inside of Harrenhal, her mind's eye quickly traveling through various hallways before plunging deep beneath the castle itself. Lilyanna saw flooded tunnels carved into the bedrock beneath Harrenhal.

Thick and ancient roots snaked through the darkness, twisting around collapsed chambers and crypts, and the further the vision carried her, the colder she felt.

She found Larys first, seeing the man sitting in a circular chamber lit only by candles, his cane resting across his lap. In an instant, her vision split into two, leaving Larys on one side and allowing her to see Alys standing in front of a weirwood tree; her arms crossed behind her back and her own eyes closed.

At first, the two seemed to be unaware that Lilyanna was watching them, but after a few seconds, Alys opened her eyes and turned to face the direction that Lilyanna was looking at her from.

"Visenya," Lilyanna muttered, her tongue feeling heavy in her mouth as she tried to focus on what she was seeing. "I... I can see them, what do I-"

"Focus on what you are feeling right now, don't let go of it," Visenya instructed. "Let it wash over you and do not try to fight against it."

Lilyanna obeyed, and it felt as if she was standing in the center of a river while the current tried to drag her away in a dozen different directions at once, every instinct screaming at her to pull back as the images sharpened.

Suddenly Lilyanna's eyes snapped open; the glowing star beneath her palm sputtering out as the connection severed. Her body felt even more tired than it did before, but Lilyanna ignored this as she found that she could now simultaneously see the God's Eye before her and Larys and Alys in their respective locations.

"What the fuck?" Lilyanna muttered.

"You will get used to the feeling the more you use the spell," Visenya said, knowing what Lilyanna was currently experiencing. "Although I suppose the exhaustion you're feeling must be worse for you given your current condition."

Lilyanna barely heard her, focusing on Alys. The woman was still staring at her but was now giving her a mocking smile.

I'm going to kill this worthless hag! Lilyanna thought.

"Now are you going to tell us what your plan for Larys and Alys is? And why does it involve knowing their exact location?"

Lilyanna lifted her head, allowing the others to see the wide and vicious grin that now rested on her face; this, combined with her injures making her look like a feral animal that had found some prey to devour.

---

Larys did not know what to think when he walked into his bedchamber and found his least favorite sister sitting on his bed, looking as smug as ever.

"Alys," Larys said, greeting the woman and resisting the urge to scowl at her presence. "What are you doing here?"

Alys tilted her head to the side, her smirk deepening as she looked at her half-brother. "I cannot come to visit my sole remaining brother? After a loss like the one we have suffered, it is more important than ever that family remain close."

"Then you should go find solace in Avelley or Camyla," Larys said. "I'm sure that they would greatly appreciate your presence, more than I ever would."

Despite being raised in their household, much to their mother, Jelissa Mallister's irritation, Lyonel had never encouraged his trueborn children to interact with their bastard-born elder sister, especially as he himself was oft to look past her, beyond the bare responsibilities he felt he had to perform as her father.

Harwin would always try to be pleasant to Alys whenever their paths crossed, never the kind of person who could bring himself to be cruel to anyone, while Avelley and Camyla were content to ignore Alys' presence entirely, treating her more as a piece of furniture than a person.

As a result, whatever affection was supposed to exist between siblings had never truly formed. But with Larys, things had always been different, for he and Alys knew what the other was and what they were capable of.

"Now, are you going to tell me what you are doing here? Because we both know that you are not here to chat about our dead father and brother," Larys added.

"I could be, but you are right; I'm not here for that. I'm here for our favorite little princess. You can come out now, princess; there is no point in hiding any longer, not from someone like me." Alys said, turning her head to face the other side of her brother's fireplace.

Larys frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Alys only smiled, and for several seconds, nothing happened. But eventually, Lilyanna Targaryen stepped out from the shadows, looking as if she had been run over several times by a carriage.

"I believe your half-sister was speaking about me, Larys," Lilyanna said, staring at the siblings.

Larys went very still; his eyes moved slowly over Lilyanna's condition, her bruises, her swollen eye, the dried blood, the split lip, and he could see the way she held herself against the wall as if she would fall on her face if she did not.

"Was she the one who did this to you? I've never known Alys to be the violent type, at least not physically," Larys said calmly, his eyes still tracing over her body, sending a shiver of disgust down Lilyanna's spine.

"Why did you come here if you knew I was watching you?" Lilyanna asked, ignoring Larys for the time being and addressing his sister.

Alys leaned back, pushing her chest out as she crossed one leg over the other. It might have been seductive if it were not for the knowing gleam in her eyes. "I wanted to see what you would do. If perhaps you had been left so broken by our talk with Harren that you sought to cut my brother and me down to try and free yourself from the torment."

Larys' eyes widened a bit as he looked between Alys and Lilyanna. "You took her to meet Harren Hoare?"

Alys smiled wider. "I did."

"What if those glorified pirates killed her?!" Larys exclaimed, tightly gripping the top of his cane. "Do you even understand what you have done?!"

It was the first time Lilyanna had ever seen the man look truly angry, and she could see the calm composure he usually wore cracking at the edges.

"Your pet is fine, Larys," Alys said, waving a hand dismissively, utterly unbothered by her brother's reaction. "A little worse for wear, perhaps, but fine. Harren had no real interest in killing her after a while; she is far more useful to him alive, and besides, your plans for the princess remain entirely intact. Nothing has changed."

"Nothing has changed?" Larys's voice rose. "Look at her, Alys! What did you do?"

"You have your agenda, and I have mine, so I did what was necessary to complete it."

"You handed her to Harren Hoare-"

"You worry too much, brother; it is unbecoming. Although, I suppose I shouldn't expect bravery from a rat."

Lilyanna had been watching the two of them argue with a strange, distant detachment, unfazed as Larys took a step toward his sister, his cane striking the floor, and her gaze drifted past both and toward the door.

"It doesn't matter," She said softly, making the siblings look at her.

"What doesn't matter?" Larys asked, his irritation momentarily redirected.

"Whatever either of you have planned," Lilyanna pushed herself a little straighter against the wall, smiling brightly. "Because neither of you are going to live long enough to see it through."

Larys stared at her for a moment before laughing. "Forgive me, princess, but how exactly do you intend to manage that?"

He gestured at her with his free hand, taking in the full scope of her condition.

"Your previous attempts have failed, and you can barely stand, while I have six guardsmen stationed outside this door. Even if you were at full strength, I do not think you would fare particularly well against them. In your current state, I think we both know how that would end."

Lilyanna glanced at the door again, walking toward Larys and stopping in front of him. Her smile grew wider as she saw how unbothered the man was by her proximity to him, knowing that he did not see her as a threat. She then reached for his hands, wiping her blood on both of them as she maintained eye contact. "No, I have something better in mind."

And then she let her legs give out and threw herself to the floor. For a moment, neither Larys nor Alys moved; both simply stared down at the princess sprawled across the floorboards with confused expressions. Alys's smile faltered for the first time since Lilyanna had stepped out from the shadows as she wondered what the princess was planning.

Then from the corridor outside, they could hear shouting, the heavy tread of boots, and the rattle of armor growing closer.

"What in the Seven-" Larys started, being cut off by the door to his bedchamber bursting open.

Ser Criston stood in the doorway, his eyes wide as he took in the scene before him. Behind him stood the other six Kingsguard, swords already drawn, filling the corridor, along with Helaena, Alicent, and Viserys.

"There!" Helaena cried, pointing past Criston and toward where Lyanna lay motionless on the floor. "I told you! I told you Lord Larys and that maid were attacking my sister; you must believe me now!"

"H-Helae-Helaena? M-Mother?" Lilyanna said weakly, making herself look even more pathetic as her fingers curled slightly against the floorboards.

Criston immediately raised his blade high, glaring at Larys and Alys as the other Kingsguard surged forward, armor clashing as they poured into the room, wanting nothing more than to run the pair through.

"Stand down!" Harrold barked.

Larys' composure cracked once more. "That is not what this looks like-"

"Then what does it look like, my lord?" Harrold asked, his voice cold as he leveled his sword steadily at Larys' chest. "Because from where I am standing, I see a beaten princess on the floor of your bedchamber, and the two of you standing over her looking remarkably unbothered by that fact."

"I have not laid a single hand on her, Ser; this is all but a misunderstanding."

Alys did not respond at all, still staring at Lilyanna as the pieces of Lilyanna's plan fell into place.

Oh, so this is what you meant? Alys thought, seeing the small smirk that Lilyanna had given her before she got rid of it.

"Lilyanna!" Alicent had waited long enough, and rushed into the chamber and froze. The sight in front of her was exactly what Helaena had described: Lilyanna lying on the floor, bloodied, trembling, and with one eye barely open.

"Seize them!" Alicent shouted once she regained her composure.

Criston was the first to move, heading directly for the Lord of Harrenhal and pulling the man away from Lilyanna and wrenching his hands behind his back while the Cargyll twins did the same to Alys.

Larys took an instinctive step back, his cane scraping hard against the floor as he looked at Lilyanna again, and Lilyanna felt a deep sense of satisfaction when she saw that slight fear in his eyes.

I can never grow tired of seeing such a look on this asshole's face. Lilyanna thought.

Alys, however, smiled, not at all panicked, even looking pleased with everything.

"Wait!" Larys snapped, raising a hand. "This is a misunderstanding, my Queen; you cannot possibly think that I would-"

"I think," Alicent cut in coldly, standing protectively in front of Lilyanna, blocking the man from view. "That my daughter is on the floor bleeding in your bedchamber and that my other daughter has claimed you responsible for this."

"Your Grace," The Lord Commander said, turning to look at the King. "What should we do with them?"

Viserys blinked, finally walking into the room, and found himself staring at Lilyanna, wide-eyed.

At first, when Helaena had come seeking out her parents, claiming that Lilyanna was being attacked by Larys and his bastard sister, Viserys had thought she had been exaggerating the extent of Lilyanna's injuries.

He could not fathom that a crippled man and one woman could have been capable of doing this to his daughter. But as he watched his wife and Helaena kneeling on either side of Lilyanna's beaten form, he felt a rage unlike any he had felt in quite some time.

"Put them in the castle's dungeons until this matter is resolved. And bring me the man's great-uncle and sisters; given Larys' status, they will need to be informed about this."

Larys's jaw tightened. "Your Grace, I assure you-"

"Quiet your tongue!" Viserys uncharacteristically shouted before he stepped forward, staring directly at the Lord of Harrenhal. "I welcomed you into my court."

Larys swallowed.

"I trusted you."

"Your Grace-"

"And now my daughter is lying broken, a weeping mess on the floor of your bedchamber, and you expect me to believe that this is a misunderstanding?" Viserys finished, his voice becoming softer with each word.

Viserys then looked back at Harrold. "Take them."

Lilyanna was still pretending to cry as her mother fussed over her, inwardly delighted as Larys and Alys were taken from the room.

Now I just need to wait and see if this is enough. Lilyanna thought.

---

Viserys found himself completely lost as he now sat in the castle's Great Hall.

How did this happen? The King thought, staring at members of House Strong before the chair that had been placed for him at the end of the Hall of a Hundred Hearths.

Despite the castle's large size, word had spread quickly about Lilyanna's condition, especially as eyes had seen Lilyanna being carried out of Larys' bedchamber by one of the Kingsguard, and Larys and Alys being arrested.

The first thought to come to mind had been that the lord had forcibly taken the girl's maidenhead and his bastard half-sister had helped him do it, and that the injuries she sustained were proof of her struggle to try to, and failing to, escape from her tormentors.

Others speculated that the pair had found the princess's behavior, deeds, and her body to be such an affront to nature that they decided to try and kill her but were stopped by the arrival of the King, Queen, and Princess Helaena.

A few even whispered that the pair had intended to kidnap and ransom a princess, using her to blackmail the Crown.

The stories grew more absurd within a short amount of time, and as the room filled with people, Viserys rubbed his head and felt a headache coming on as he watched his eldest daughter, his brother, and the Velaryons enter the hall.

Rhaenyra walked through the chamber with purpose, her gaze flickering between Viserys and Alicent, who stood to the man's right.

"Please tell me the rumors I have been hearing are not true, father," Rhaenyra asked as she stepped past the Strongs, stopping on the left side of his body.

She had been with her ladies-in-waiting, including Avelley and Camyla, when a servant had burst into the room demanding that the two present themselves alongside the rest of their family and the reason why.

Viserys looked down at the floor for a moment, exhaustion settling over him. "We do not know the whole truth, only that Helaena led us to Larys Strong's chambers, and we found Lilyanna lying upon the floor while Larys and Alys Rivers were standing over her."

"Are we truly to believe that a cripple and a woman were responsible for beating your daughter within an inch of her life?" Daemon asked, crossing his arms and staring at his brother coldly.

It made little sense to the prince, as he was aware from what he had seen on Dragonstone that Lilyanna was not the kind of person to be overpowered so easily. And that even if two untrained people had managed to beat her, she would have made sure to leave them just as battered.

Alicent's expression darkened. "What other belief is there to be had? My daughter was found beaten bloody in Lord Larys' chambers while he and his sister stood over her. What possible explanation could justify such a sight?"

From nearby, Jasper drew attention to himself and, as Master of Laws, gave his own insight. "My Queen, while the guilt of Lord Larys and his sister looks to be evident, there could still be the possibility that someone else could have attacked Princess Lilyanna."

"Do you truly believe that?" Rhaenyra spat.

Jasper turned to look at the princess. "The possibility exists, princess, and given Lord Larys' status-"

Rhaenyra scoffed. "His status? If he is guilty then he is guilty, and if he is innocent, then he is innocent. Why should his being lord of his house change anything?"

"Because accusations and appearances are not the same thing, Princess," Jasper replied evenly. "And because Lord Larys is not merely a hedge knight or lesser son. He is the Lord of Harrenhal; if we are to condemn him, it must be based upon more than outrage."

"Outrage?" Alicent repeated sharply. "My daughter was carried from his chambers barely conscious."

"And yet none of us witnessed how she came to be there," Jasper countered.

Laenor rolled his eyes. "Gods, listen to yourself. A princess disappears, and she is later found half-dead in the chambers of a man. Forgive me if any of us find the possibility of his innocence difficult to swallow."

"Enough," Viserys said before Jasper could respond, gripping the arm of his chair. "Bring Lord Larys Strong and Alys Rivers to this hall at once. As is Larys' right, a trial shall be held this day to determine the truth as soon as the Gods intend."

Several guards moved at the King's word, disappearing through the massive doors of the hall.

In what felt like an eternity, the occupants of the hall waited with bated breath. Viserys almost regretted calling for a public hearing, but soon the doors of the hall reopened, and the King had something else to focus on other than the audience of nobles before him.

Larys Strong entered first; his hands were bound before him as he tried to maintain as much dignity as he could as he hobbled forward.

Alys Rivers walked beside him, and unlike her lordly brother, she looked entirely unconcerned; instead, she appeared amused.

The sight irritated many who saw it, leaving them to question the woman's sanity and her gall.

"Lord Larys Strong, Alys Rivers," Viserys said heavily. "You both stand accused of harming my daughter, Princess Lilyanna Targaryen, and making an attempt on her life."

"We are innocent of that accusation, Your Grace," Larys said while bowing his head. "Neither of us laid a hand to her, nor do we know how she entered my chambers."

The Great Hall immediately erupted into conversation, and Viserys was forced to raise his hand to silence them.

"Do you? My other daughter, Princess Helaena, claims that she saw you and this woman dragging Lilyanna away, and she led us to your chambers because she believed her sister was in danger."

"Princess Helaena is a child, Your Grace, and a frightened one at that; perhaps she has mistaken me for someone else," Larys said, remaining visibly calm in the eyes of the court. "And if Princess Helaena did truly see myself and my sister committing such an act, why has no one else stepped forward and made the same accusation?"

Alicent clasped her hands together, offended at the notion that either of her daughters would lie about something as grave as this. But most of all, Alicent felt overcome by a terrible sense of guilt, feeling as though this was happening because of her actions.

Larys is not the type of man to act with such reckless abandon; he would not dare to draw so much attention to himself. Could he have grown tired of our... alliance? No, that would not make sense; he was desperate enough to kill for it. He would not risk everything, so why do this? Alicent thought to herself.

The King's eyes moved slowly over the assembled court and then settled on a point near the doors. "Bring forward Lady Sabitha Vypren and Lady Marna Darry."

A ripple of confusion moved through the hall, and Larys' skin tightened around his eyes before he smoothed it away.

The two girls were escorted forward through the parting crowd and dropped into matching curtsies before the King.

"Your Grace," Sabitha said.

"You came to me this day with an account regarding Princess Lilyanna. I would have you repeat it now, before this court."

Sabitha straightened, speaking for both her and Marna. "Yesterday afternoon, Lady Marna and I came upon Princess Lilyanna near the base of one of the castle's towers. She was... in a state of considerable distress, Your Grace. There was blood on her face and in her hair. We offered to help her, but she declined and asked that we say nothing of having seen her in such a condition."

"And after that?" Viserys prompted.

"We did not leave immediately," Sabitha continued. "From a distance, we saw the princess speaking with a woman. I did not know her name at the time, but I have since been told it was Alys Rivers."

Her eyes flicked, briefly, toward where Alys stood, still wearing that same faint and unbothered smile.

When Princess Helaena had come to them, bringing a message from her sister, Sabitha did not know how to react to being asked to present herself to the King as a witness to a crime against his daughter.

And as she looked at both Larys and Alys, she had more questions than ever before about the strangeness that was Lilyanna Targaryen. "The princess did not appear to be speaking with her willingly, Your Grace."

"That is but one account," Larys said quickly. "A single sighting, a full day before what you believe happened in my-"

"It is not a single account, Lord Larys," Viserys said, and there was something almost weary in the way he said it, as though he had been hoping, even now, that it would not come to this. "In the hour since your arrest, no fewer than seven others have come forward, all describing the same thing. My daughter, covered in blood, deeply shaken, wandering the castle grounds yesterday afternoon. Several of them describe seeing her speak with Alys Rivers in the same manner Lady Sabitha has described."

Alys's smile did not waver, which in turn led to more comments being made against her.

"And that is not all," Viserys continued, his gaze having moved to Larys directly, hardening with every word. "Three separate servants recall seeing my daughter in this very hall this morning, watching you and your sister with particular attention, attention that several of them found unusual enough to remark upon to each other. And all three recall that Princess Lilyanna disappeared from this hall shortly before the two of you took your leave of it."

"That proves nothing," Larys said, though his voice had lost much of its earlier confidence. "The princess is oft to disappear, as she does whenever she goes. That doesn't mean-"

"No one," Viserys said, cutting him off. "Has come forward claiming to have seen my daughter enter your chambers, Lord Larys. Not a single soul in this entire castle saw her walk through that door. And yet several people did see you and your sister enter those chambers, and several more can attest that you had six men stationed outside that door. Men who, when I arrived with my wife, daughter, and Kingsguard, did not stand aside for us. Men who had to be forcibly removed before anyone could reach Lilyanna. Tell me, Lord Larys, if you and your sister are as innocent as you claim, if neither of you has any notion of how my daughter came to be in your chambers, then why did your men feel the need to bar that door against your King and his men? And why did you have blood on your hands despite carrying no wound on your flesh?"

Larys opened his mouth, but no sound came out, and the Lord of Harrenhal had nothing to say.

This cannot be... Think, Larys, think! I have come too far to have all this slip through my fingers! Larys thought, clenching his fists.

Viserys then looked at both branches of House Strong, his gaze falling upon the castle's castellan. "Ser Simon."

Simon Strong immediately stepped forward and lowered himself to one knee. "Your Grace."

Viserys regarded the older man for a long moment. "You have served this castle for many years and watched your nephew, niece, and their father and siblings grow."

"I have."

Viserys folded his hands together. "Then tell me plainly. Do you believe your nephew and niece to be innocent?"

Simon hesitated for a moment, glancing at Larys and Alys before looking at the rest of his family.

"Your Grace, I do not know what has transpired between my nephew, my niece, and Princess Lilyanna," Simon said carefully. "But I swear before Gods and men that House Strong had no part in any plot against the royal family."

"I appreciate your loyalty, Ser Simon, but that is not what I asked you. I am asking you to attest to their character."

"Larys," Simon said quietly, "Has always been... careful, more so than most men I have known. Both he and Alys are quite secretive, and insular in their behavior. Your Grace, if my niece and nephew did have a hand in what happened to the princess, then they believed, with absolute certainty, that they would not be caught."

While furious, Larys could not fault the older man for throwing him to the wolves, knowing that he too would have done the same.

"I have heard enough," The King said. "The accounts presented corroborate that my daughter was seen in a state of distress in the presence of Alys Rivers the day before this attack occurred. No witness can account for how Princess Lilyanna entered Lord Larys's chambers, while multiple witnesses, including myself, can confirm that Lord Larys, his sister, and six-armed men barred that door against me when I came seeking her. And that Lord Larys and Alys Rivers were standing over my daughter threateningly once we were able to make our way inside the room, and Larys himself was found to have my daughter's blood on his hands."

Viserys slowly rose from his seat, coughing into his hand. "Larys Strong, Alys Rivers, I find you both guilty of the attempted murder of Princess Lilyanna Targaryen."

Gasps and murmurs traveled through the large hall; no one could have predicted at the start of the day that they would soon be witnessing the death of a newly risen lord.

"The punishment for an attempt upon the life of a member of the royal family is death. Lord Larys Strong is hereby stripped of his title, and House Strong of Harrenhal's holdings shall pass to his next closest relative, his sister, Avelley Strong. Both Larys Strong and Alys Rivers shall be executed at dawn tomorrow, by beheading, for their crimes against the Crown."

Larys' jaw clenched, and he could feel blood beginning to pool in his mouth while Alys simply closed her eyes, having known the outcome of the trial before it even started.

"Take them away, give them leave to seek forgiveness from a Septon and to bequeath their last words to their loved ones," Viserys ordered.

The guards moved immediately, and neither sibling resisted as they were removed from the hall. Larys walked with stiff, measured steps, glaring at Alys as she began to laugh to herself, serving to diminish them further in the eyes of everyone watching.

Viserys remained standing for a long moment, his hand still gripping the arm of his chair as he looked at the crowd, making sure not to look in the direction of the Strong.

Larys' younger sisters had both been brought to tears by his decree, and Viserys hated how the first thought to come to his mind had been how uncomfortable the rest of the progress would be if the two of them remained Rhaenyra's ladies-in-waiting.

"This matter is concluded; let there be no further dispute," Viserys said as he quickly moved to leave the chamber, flinching when he felt Alicent place her hand on his arm.

He could see the relief in his wife's eyes, and he felt even worse as he knew that his wife more than likely assumed the worst of him and feared that he would not do what was necessary for their daughter.

---

Hours Later

Daemon ignored the looks Arryk and Erryk were giving him as they opened the doors for him, smirking as he watched some blood drip off Dark Sister's blade.

"You can wipe that look off your face, niece. Watching you pretend to be a scared little brat is downright disgusting to me," Daemon said bluntly as he stepped into Lilyanna's bedchamber.

Orwyle frowned as he heard the prince's words while the girl's brothers openly glared at the man.

Helaena tilted her head as she stared at Daemon blankly. "Why is there blood on your sword, uncle?"

Everyone now took note of the blood-stained weapon, unsettling everyone in the room except for Helaena and Lilyanna who knew that Daemon would not use the sword on any of them, at least in this moment.

"Larys Strong is dead," Daemon said simply, grabbing a nearby towel and cleaning Dark Sister with it, sheathing the sword with a practiced motion.

Aemond's eyes widened. "What? What do you mean he's dead? He was sentenced to be executed at dawn-"

"He decided he did not care to wait that long," Daemon said, shrugging his shoulders and sitting himself down in a chair near the foot of Lilyanna's bed, propping one boot up against the bedframe. "Somehow, he convinced one of the dungeon guards to open his cell. But I happened to be in the area, so they did not get very far."

In an instant, Lilyanna's expression changed, and she stared blankly at her uncle, giving no reaction to the way Daemon's lips curled into a cruel smirk.

He must have used his powers on the guard; he had nothing left to lose after all.

"And Alys?" Lilyanna asked.

"Made no such attempt," Daemon said. "Last I that I saw her, she was still sitting quite comfortably in her cell, in considerably better spirits than one might expect from a woman set to lose her head tomorrow morning."

Lilyanna rolled her eyes, pushing herself up against her pillows, wincing as the movement pulled at the bandages wrapped around her ribs.

Just what is that witch planning? Alys' behavior had long since unnerved the princess, and she was sure that Alys had to be planning some kind of escape or retaliation against her, and loathed to think that she could be once again caught off guard by her.

"Now, dearest niece, are you going to explain the truth of what happened today?" Daemon asked.

Lilyanna exhaled slowly, leaning back against her pillows. "I told my father the truth. I was dragged into Larys' bedchamber by him and his sister, and they assaulted me. What else is there to know?"

"Helaena," Daemon said, looking at Lilyanna's twin. "Did you dream of this? Any of it, Larys, the cell, your sister's so-called attack?"

Helaena turned, her pale eyes settling on her uncle as her expression gave away nothing. "No, I did not foresee any of this, Uncle Daemon."

Daemon's mouth twitched, amused, and he gave a small nod.

"Why do you care if Helaena dreamed of this?" Lilyanna asked, studying her uncle with suspicion of her own.

"Contrary to what you may believe-"

"Don't act like a concerned uncle, Daemon; we both know that you do not care about me and my siblings. To you, we are just our grandfather's brood."

"That is true, but unfortunately, you all are Targaryens, and you are my brother's daughter. I wouldn't allow anyone outside of our family to harm us. Despite how diluted it is, you are all the blood of the dragon,

"How sweet of you to say," Aegon muttered.

Lilyanna let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "How comforting. I'm honored to be your property now, to play with as you see fit."

Daemon's smirk did not fade. "Call it what you like. But if the two of you had information that could-"

"If we did, we would share it," Lilyanna spat, glaring at the man. "We know nothing, and the only people who might have had answers are either dead or waiting for the headsman."

For several moments, the room was silent, and Daemon studied her; his violet eyes were fixed upon her face with an intensity that made her siblings visibly uncomfortable.

"You know, I had thought that after we found Lyonel and Harwin Strong's killers that we would have a more trusting relationship, Lilyanna," Daemon finally said, smiling cheekily.

"You believe that, and I like to think of myself as Aegon the bloody Conqueror; I guess we both have delusional fantasies floating about our heads," Lilyanna said, crossing her arms.

She knows that Daemon had believed her when it came to Laena and Aethan, and with Blood, Cheese, and Perkin, with great reluctance in both instances, but she still could not bring herself to trust the man, especially because of how she had failed to convince people the first time of Larys being the true mastermind of his father and brother's deaths.

And it did not help that Daemon was the kind of man to act first and think of the consequences after the fact, so she could have only imagined what Daemon's reaction would have been if she had even told him a quarter of the truth. And while his attack on her on Dragonstone had only resulted in a small scar that now sat on the upper edges of her forehead, she was still reminded of Daemon's wrathfulness every time she looked at it.

Eventually, Orwyle cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "My prince, I do not mean offense, but my patient has many severe injuries, including several broken ribs, lacerations, and deep bruising. I believe that perhaps this conversation should be left for another time, and that she should be left alone to rest."

"Yes, exactly that," Lilyanna said, nodding her head seriously.

Aegon snorted while Daeron giggled into his hand, seeing the excuse for what it was. They all knew how much Lilyanna hated being told what to do by a maester, even one that she was comfortable with, like Orwyle, given her belief that she knew better than all of them and could take care of herself.

Daemon pursed his lips, keeping his gaze on Lilyanna for a moment longer before slowly standing and leaving the room.

"Why is he so obsessed with you?" Aegon asked, staring at the now open door. "It can't be because he wants to fuck you, right? You do not seem to be his type, Lily, and I thought that Rhaenyra was the only-"

"Aegon!" Aemond hissed, shoving his brother's shoulder. "Do not speak about either of our sisters like that."

"What?" Aegon asked defensively. "I was only asking a question."

"It was a stupid question," Helaena said flatly.

Daeron immediately covered his mouth to hide another laugh.

Aegon looked at them all, betrayed. "I cannot believe all of you have turned against me. Why am I the evil one here? Daemon was the one who came in here like he owned the place to accost us and call us half-breeds! I'm merely trying to understand the enigma that is our roguish uncle!"

Lilyanna rolled her eyes as Orywle tried and failed to get her siblings to leave the room as they argued with each other, lying back down on the bed as she stared up at the ceiling.

The princess looked down when she felt Helaena quietly reaching for and holding her hand, making sure not to hold it too tightly due to the bandages wrapped around it. Helaena did not look at her, keeping her head forward as she watched their brothers.

Lilyanna tried to ignore the dull ache she could still feel coming from her shoulder, wondering if tomorrow would truly be the end of Alys Rivers and what she was going to do about the mark.