would've could've should've | the dance of the dragons

prologue

"Alicent!", Viserys entered the room as quickly as he could. "Calm down!"

"Calm down?", Alicent turned to him with tears in her eyes. "Her boy took my son's eye, and you did nothing. Nobody did anything."

"And the best option you could choose was to attack Rhaenyra?"

"She owed me blood, you weren't willing to take it. So I did.", she looked at him with confidence that covered her fear.

It was an ugly thing and she regret it. Hurting her childhood friend like this was something she could never see herself doing it. She never imagined that she could hurt anybody like this. But the loss her son had to suffer woke something vile in her, something she despite it, something she feared it. She wished to unrealize it but it was too late now and she was not going to bend under Viserys' rather angry gaze again.

"She is my daughter."

"And Aemond is your son. I don't see you seeking justice for him this passionately."

"Why do you refuse to see the state I am in? I can barely walk these days, I am in constant agony and all I need is silence and peace. Love from my family, tell me, my queen, do I wish too much for an old man."

"Yes.", she swallowed a cry. "Yes, Viserys you wish too much. You wish for impossible things."

"Aren't you willing to let go of your unreasonable hatred towards her for your husband?"

"Unreasonable?", she questioned. Searched for some sympathy or at least empathy on her husband's face. "She lied to my face for years, she lied to your face for years. Humiliated herself and this family and while you were willing to close an eye to every law she broke you didn't hold yourself back and punished my boys for every single thing they did."

"Those boys-"

"They are your boys!", she screamed with agony. "Your boys Viserys, our boys! The boys that you butchered your first wife for!", Viserys visibly shaken by those words. "I gave you what you wished all those years ago and in return, all I get was pushing into the sidelines in favour of Rhaenyra! 14 years we were married and not even once you showed love to me and now you expect me to do it? Wasn't I a dutiful wife? Didn't I obey your every wish? Didn't I give you the children you longed for? Didn't I take care of you while everyone around you chose to ignore you? Wasn't I a loyal wife to you and queen to this realm? What must I possibly have done wrong that I and my children deserve such torment? There was nothing dishonourable between us! I didn't sully my name or yours. I never went against Rhaenyra for once, I defended her when no one did, and I stood by her side when people whispered about her! And what did she do in return? Caused my father's exile through manipulations, all while smiling my face and pretending like my friend!"

"Your nerves-"

"My nerves are quite fine, your grace!", she snapped. Viserys was looking small like he was hardly even breathing and yet he could keep continuing to blame her in this situation. Lyonel was in the door with Criston and Alicent saw the way Corlys and Rhaenys approached them. No one saw this side of Alicent before, no one saw her yelling let alone raising her voice. She never lost her composure before. "It's yours that is broken. Yours and your daughter's."

"Alicent,", Viserys took a deep breath. "Aemond said something he shouldn't have. He is lucky that I will sideline this, and let him keep his tongue. Blaming the crown princess with infidelity and questioning her heir's legitimacy is punishable by death."

The world lost its meaning in Alicent's eyes. She gave her youth to this wretched man, she gave him children while she herself was a child. She supported his daughter. She kept her mouth shut, suppressed her emotions, and played the fool. And all she ever wanted was a little love. Not much, just a little.

"Alicent.", Rhaenys entered the room with a dry voice. "There is blood on your hand."

Alicent smiled with pain, she thought Rhaenys meant what she did to Rhaenyra but then realized the actual pain. Probably happened when the knife fell from her hand. Her emotional pain was too much that she didn't even feel the physical one.

"Let's wash it and then the Maester can look at it.", Rhaenys approached her with small steps. She was almost scared to scare her. She slowly touched her arm. "Valyrian steel cuts deep, we must take care of it.", Alicent jumped slightly and shake her touch but Rhaenys tried again, this time more softly. "We wouldn't want it to get infected."

"Does Maester take care of Rhaenyra?", Viserys asked and even Lyonel sent him a look. His wife was bleeding Gods knows how long and he didn't even realize it.

Rhaenys didn't answer him. "Come on Alicent, kids are scared you must go to them. But not like this."

"Kids?", Alicent whispered with closed eyes.

"Yes, kids. Aemond is still with Maester, and Aegon and Helaena are with him. Don't even leave his side for a second."

"Is Luke alright? Aemond punched him badly, he was bleeding.", Viserys threw himself to Alicent's bed, he was muttering at this point. Lyonel looked to the Queen and then approached him, trying to answer his questions with whispers.

"Aemond is strong as always but Helaena is scared, Alicent, she needs her mother.", Rhaenys tried again. Alicent's eyes were still closed and the blood was still dropping from her hand. She was looking out of this world.

"Baela and Rhaena must be very scared and heartbroken. Vhagar was their mother's dragon."

"The girls are in their bed, your grace.", Corlys said with a rather annoyed tone.

"You shouldn't have left them alone."

"Vaemond is with them."

"They must be scared."

"Your children are also scared, your grace. Would you rather see them before you went to bed?", Lyonel tried but Viserys didn't answer. He never would.

Alicent started to laugh, Lyonel bowed his head while Rhaenys and Corlys shared a look. Criston was just watching his queen.

"Fourteen years.", she finally whispered after her laughs stopped. "Fourteen years and this is all I get in return."

A few tears dropped but she wiped her face with her other hand and looked to Rhaenys. "You can go to your granddaughters Princess Rhaenys, I would take care of my children."

"I am only trying to help."

"Why?", she asked. "Why would you try to help me when your granddaughters are scared and covered in blood? Their mother has just died, aren't you supposed to be with them right now? Why are you with me?"

"The girls will be fine. Aemond won't."

"What has happened,", Corlys took a step inside the room. "was an accident that we all wish wouldn't have happened. But it did, and it was partly on girls to blame. A misunderstanding caused all this and we are terribly sorry your grace."

"Sorry will not bring my son's eye back."

"No it won't.", Corlys said. "But this incident doesn't have to be an era-defining moment. I am sure that once she calms down Princess Rhaenyra and her children will also realize that what has happened was unfair on their part and you will see goodwill from them."

"Four children misunderstood something and my son lost his eye permanently.", she said. "What would you do if it wouldn't be Aemond and one of your granddaughters who lost an eye? What would you do if Aemond would take Baela or Rhaena's eye? Or what would your little princess do if it would be one of her kids who lost an eye and not mine?"

"I would do the exact same thing you did.", Rhaenys answered while looking directly into her eyes. "And she would do the same, that's why we must sleep on it and talk about it on the morrow. When everybody is calmed down and reasonable enough to think."

"She proposed my son be tortured."

"She wasn't in her right mind but I assure you she will in the morning."

The morning came and no one had the time to be on their right minds. King Viserys Targaryen was found dead on his bed and everything changed.