-Chapter 190-
-POV Rhaenys Targaryen-
As I entered the throne room, I observed the number of nobles gathered there, and I asked Laena, who was cautiously holding my arm, subtly trying to reassure me.
It was so subtle it felt fake.
"Do you know why we have to go to the Throne Room?"
Laena said nothing for a moment, preferring to remain silent before finally saying:
"Aemon found the culprit?"
"His squire, Qarl?"
"No," said Laena, shaking her head.
She hesitated again, which irritated me somewhat, before I widened my eyes, realizing that the person who had ordered it had been found.
I asked, in a surprised tone, if Aemon had managed to go that far:
"The one who gave the order?"
Laena nodded, silently admitting what she had hidden from me until now, for a reason I didn't care about, because all I wanted now was revenge:
"Who is it?"
Laena didn't even have time to say anything before I heard the voice of a man I knew all too well shouting: "LET ME GO!"
A shiver ran down my spine as I watched, horrified, the culprit being roughly dragged in by two knights wearing the sigils of House Hightower.
I immediately understood what was happening, and I didn't agree.
I didn't agree at all with what was going on.
'They all have to die' I thought, taking a step forward.
But what I never could have imagined was that my own daughter would pull my arm back.
I tried to control my breathing as well as the tone of my voice while staring at Laena wide-eyed.
"Laenor was your brother too."
"I know, mother. But he's dead. Justice will be served, that's all that matters."
'That's all that matters?!'
I couldn't answer her because the Queen had raised her hand, demanding silence in the room, and everyone obeyed, even me, waiting to hear the explanation she was going to give House Velaryon.
'The explanation she was going to give me personally'
The only one who hadn't had the decency to shut up was the dog who had been forced to kneel at the foot of the stairs leading to the Iron Throne, where the Queen was seated: her own brother.
"ALICENT, TELL THEM TO UNTIE ME!" screamed the dishonorable man who had stripped my son of his life by using his heart against him.
The Queen flinched slightly but did nothing, turning instead to her cousin.
She clearly needed support for the ordeal ahead, but I had no heart to pity her.
Not after what her brother had done to my son.
'They should all pay' I thought, wondering what was keeping me from mounting Meleys and burning House Hightower to the ground.
'But deep down, I knew exactly what was holding me back from doing such a thing'
'What's stopping me from avenging Laenor in Fire and Blood, is him' I silently admitted, watching my son-in-law, who was observing me with a complicated look.
He was keeping a cool head, because he didn't like Laenor, and he was trying to please everyone.
I was perfectly aware of that. But that didn't mean I accepted it.
In life, sacrifices had to be made, and I had made many… far too many.
'Soon, it will be time for him to pick a side'
Crack
I frowned at the sound of a crack, and what I saw when I turned toward it made my eyes widen in surprise.
Bryndon Hightower, who had still been full of energy and swearing like a rabid dog, was now staring at the floor blankly, both hands on the first two steps of the throne, dazed by the blow he had just received, bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth.
He coughed and spat out a few teeth, then looked up, staring at his cousin in disbelief, unable to understand what had just happened to him.
In fact, he did understand.
But he couldn't understand why he was experiencing this.
'Just like my son' I thought, furious, not thinking it was enough.
The punishment had to be much, much harsher. And the sentence… unjust.
I didn't want justice.
I didn't want justice for Laenor either.
All I wanted now was long, heavy vengeance.
'And I will have it' I told myself silently, because no matter what Aemon thought, he was not the only one deciding the direction the realm should take.
'I had a say in the matter'
---
-POV Bryndon Hightower-
"Ali… Ali… Alichent…" I mumbled, struggling to pronounce my sister's name, unable to speak properly due to the pommel blow my cousin had struck to my face.
My sister turned her gaze away from mine the moment our eyes met.
And just as I was about to make a last desperate attempt to get her to save me, Ormund kicked me with all his strength, knocking the wind out of me.
"Cough… cough… cough… You filthy… cough… dog…" I muttered, looking at my cousin, who stared back at me with a hatred I never imagined seeing in his eyes.
"Filthy traitor," he replied.
Hearing his words, I closed my eyes, understanding that Alicent had decided to abandon me and that he wouldn't let me speak to defend myself.
'I'm being publicly sacrificed' I thought, noticing out of the corner of my eye a chopping block being brought in by several servants.
I felt a hard-to-describe emotion overwhelm my chest, a coldness that spread before vanishing, taking with it all the hope I had left of getting out of this.
With every push that brought the block closer to me, my heart beat faster and louder.
"BRYNDON HIGHTOWER HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF HIGH TREASON, A CRIME HE HIMSELF CONFESSED TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, BELIEVING SHE WOULD BETRAY THE CROWN FOR HIM!"
'NO' I screamed internally, realizing he was about to reveal what I had done in front of everyone to wash his hands of the matter.
"I—"
"SHUT UP, TRAITOR!" roared my cousin, kicking me in the jaw, disorienting me completely for a few seconds.
I saw the world spinning around me, and I heard his distant but powerful voice shouting:
"BRYNDON HIGHTOWER PLANNED AND ORCHESTRATED THE DEATH OF PRINCE LAENOR VELARYON!"
Gasps and whispers exploded, and within seconds, everyone was looking at me, this time with a mix of shock and pronounced disgust.
"Death!" shouted a noble, and I wanted to insult him, curse him with all my might. But I knew perfectly well it would do no good now.
'Alicent and Ormund have already killed me' I thought, trying to find my sister with my eyes, because I didn't understand what was happening to her.
'Why had she betrayed me? She had nothing to gain by doing something like that'
I glanced at Aemon, but his reaction was such that any lingering doubts I had about him vanished: it was Alicent.
Alicent had betrayed me.
And I didn't even know why.
Two guards grabbed me by the shoulders and forced my head down.
And as I felt my cheek press against the block, I couldn't hold back anymore.
I seized the moment and screamed as quickly as I could, so I wouldn't be cut off, and as loudly as possible, so that Alicent would hear me:
"WHY?! WHY ARE YOU BETRAYING ME, ALICENT?! I DID THIS FOR US, I—"
I stopped as I felt my jaw crack once more from the blow my cousin Ormund had just delivered for the second time.
And I could see in his eyes that he was terrified by what I had just said, glancing toward that dog Aemon Targaryen, watching his reaction closely.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…"
Seeing that terrified look on my cousin's face, I laughed maniacally, finding their actions pathetic.
They had just sacrificed me to please the Crown.
But after today, the Crown would hate our House until the end of time.
Meanwhile, Ormund, furious, drew his sword and placed it against my neck.
'If only you had known how to shut your mouths' I thought, closing my eyes, awaiting the final blow.
As soon as I felt the cold steel lift from my skin, I opened my eyes to see Aemon Targaryen's face one last time, and I smiled provocatively.
'Even if I die… I still managed to hurt you' I concluded internally, as the world spun before I sank into darkness forever.
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