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Alicent closed her eyes as the carriage took another hop on the cobblestone road. She stroked the hair of Aemond who was hugging her, and kissed his forehead. Talia was in front of them and next to Healena, her daughter was showing the servant one of her favorite insect books. She could notice how the maid was not very happy with the reading, but she was hiding it for the princess. Alicent had to hide a smile, maybe the only one she had on this trip. Her husband, the beloved King Viserys, had the excellent idea that in order to unite the two branches of their house, smooth out the differences and for the children to bond, she and Rhaenyra should take a little trip to the Kingswood with the children. Curiously, her eldest son, Aegon, had misbehaved just before this little trip, being left without it. Viserys might think he had punished him, but Alicent knew her son better, he had done it on purpose to get rid of it. She wished she could have done something like that.

Rhaenyra sighed inside her carriage, her children looked as disgusted as she was. In truth, none of them were looking forward to this excursion. All three would have preferred a trip to Dragonstone on the backs of their dragons, even if only she had the adult dragon capable of such a flight. They would have set the proper saddle to take them with her, and would have fled at the slightest opportunity. But that would not have pleased her father, who had organized this "trip" with all his hopes, even though he had stayed on the sidelines. Rationally, she understood why he insisted on a rapprochement between her and Alicent, but in her heart... She couldn't forgive the Queen's rudeness, and how she believed her children were above her own. And the worst part of the whole trip was that Her Majest y had insisted on bringing his sworn shield, Ser Criston Cole, as a guard. So Rhaenyra couldn't wait to spend the afternoon with the two people who hated her the most in the whole world. Though to counterbalance that, she had brought along her favorite maid, and as a guard, Ser Harrold Westerling, he would know how to keep Ser Criston at bay.

The carriages finally stopped in the area of the forest that led to the coast, so the young princes could enjoy the beach. In fact, the first thing little Lucerys did as soon as he got out of the carriage was to ignore everyone and go to make sand castles. Jacaerys and his mother shared a look of complicity at that. Both Ser Criston and Ser Harrold went to explore the perimeters to check that all was in order, and that there was no apparent danger while the maids set up the picnic area.

“Princess Rhaenyra.” Queen Alicent greeted Rhaenyra as if they never saw each other around the castle.

“My Queen.” Rhaenyra bowed accordingly. She knew Alicent had done it on purpose to get that from her. Helaena found the whole thing very amusing.

“Prince Jacaerys.” Helaena greeted Jace with a bow, Jace couldn't control the smile, and returned the bow. They both seemed to be making fun of their mothers' stuffy behavior.

“Princess Helaena.” Jace even kissed her knuckles, and the girl burst out laughing. “Prince Aemond.” Jace wanted to include the little prince.

“I’m not doing this.” Aemond said with a frown.

“Why don't you go to keep Luke company?” Rhaenyra suggested. Jace was the first to nod, and Helaena seemed ready to follow, but Aemond looked at his mother first.

“Making castles in the sand is for small children.” Aemond complained.

“And what are we?” Helaena asked, confused.

“Maybe it is not good to force children to do something they do not want to do.” Alicent said defensively.

“Perhaps it is best to have all the children together to have better control over them.” Rhaenyra tried to speak as calmly as possible so as not to sound like she was arguing with Alicent in front of the children. This was not supposed to be the purpose of the trip. In the end she crouched down to be at Aemond's level. “The thing is, you're right. But I could use someone older to keep an eye on Luke, he tends to wander off, and I wouldn't want him to get lost. Would you do me that favor?” Aemond looked at Alicent and she nodded.

“I guess.” Aemond replied with a shrug. He finally followed Jace and Helaena to the shore of the beach. Rhaenyra was going to say something to Alicent but Ser Criston showed up, so she decided to wait.

“My Queen, everything seems in order.” Ser Criston Cole spoke as if Rhaenyra was invisible, luckily Ser Harrold was behind him.

“My Queen, Princess. We have been scouting the terrain, we have thought to place ourselves at one of the ends, so we can react if someone approaches.” The White Cloak Commander informed them both, which Rhaenyra appreciated.

“I don't see it wrong, but I don't think anyone will come the way we have taken, as that comes straight from the Red Keep.” Rhaenyra said to Ser Harrold. She could play that game with Ser Criston too. “I think the Queen and I would be more at ease if one of you would stay near the children.”

“For once we agree.” Alicent admitted, but before Rhaenyra could add anything else she beat her to it. “Ser Criston, stay with the children.”

“As you wish, my Queen.” Ser Criston said. And with a nod of his head he obeyed instantly before Rhaenyra could reply. Ser Harrold also left to do his duty, so the women were left alone.

“Well, shall we?” Rhaenyra invited Alicent to follow to the picnic area with a forced smile. She was holding out as long as she could for the sake of peace, especially her father's peace of mind. It was what she had to remind herself over and over again. He wasn't doing it for her, he was doing it for Viserys.

To seem like childish things to him, Aemond joined in the building of sand castles. Helaena soon tired of it, as she found the little insects she found in the sand more interesting than the silly architectural discussions the boys were having. They were trying to recreate the Red Keep... Without much success.

“Maegor's Tower is bigger.” Aemond complained, pointing out the flaws in Luke's construction.

“I am trying.” Luke whined. “Sand does not stay in place, it falls off.” 

“I have found some twigs that can be used as stakes for the moat.” Jace encouraged them to stop arguing. “We may need the sand to be wetter so that it stays fixed.”

“I got it!” Aemond said and ran off. Luke and Jace looked at each other, and shrugged.

Silence had grown between them from the moment they sat down on the blanket the maids had prepared, like an indivisible wall between them. The tension was such that it could be cut with a knife. That is why the maids, once their ladies were served, excused themselves to fetch something from the carriages, but in reality they wanted to be as far away as possible. And as if Ser Criston Cole sensed it, he gradually moved away from the children's side to get closer to his Queen. All in all, to his mind, the children seemed quite calm playing in the sand, it did not seem that nothing bad could happen to them. Alicent drank wine for doing something. Rhaenyra was really thinking about whether to say something or not. She was a little tired of always being the first to give in. She didn't understand why Alicent was being like this with her, when she was the one who betrayed their friendship first by marrying her father. But well, for his sake she would make the effort.

“It looks like we are going to have good weather today.” Rhaenyra said, literally to say anything. And Alicent looked at her with a face like, are you really talking to me about the weather?

“Yes, it’s nice.” Alicent replied simply and took another sip from her cup.

“You know? I'm trying here.” Rhaenyra told her without patience.

“Maybe that's the problem, you try too hard.” Alicent told her without facing her, she was looking towards the beach. She was trying to spot her children, but from her position she couldn't see them, she should have told them to stand in her sight, or ordered the maids to put the things closer to them.

“What does this mean? We are supposed to do this for my father.” Rhaenyra said, confused.

“Do we? I think you are trying to fix something that is hopelessly broken.” Alicent stated.

“Me? I'm just trying to be nice and have a pleasant trip, and maybe give my father peace in his last years.” Rhaenyra began to speak in a louder tone than she intended, but she was fed up.

“Can you stop using your father? You don't do it for him at all.” Alicent scolded her while smirking wryly.

“And who do I do it for? I don't give a damn about you anymore. I don't care what you think of me.” Rhaenyra said, facing her, and quite close. Without realizing it both women had been moving closer to each other in their discussion, and basically their mouths were within inches of each other.

“You're lying.” Alicent reproached her, not taking her eyes off hers. Rhaenyra was bolder and looked at her lips.

“Am I the one who is lying?” Rhaenyra smirked, because she might be lying, but she wasn't the only one with lies there. And she could prove it if she just got a few inches closer to Alicent. In fact, the Queen's breathing was becoming agitated. “And what are you doing? Living in denial?”

“I..” Alicent started to say, but was unable to finish. She had closed her eyes, and had moved closer to Rhaenyra.

“MOTHER!!” Aemond shouted from a distance as he ran towards them. That woke Alicent from her trance. She moved as far away from Rhaenyra as she could without leaving the blanket where they were sitting, and drank wine to lower the heat in her cheeks.

“Yes, my love?” Alicent asked him when the boy arrived next to them.

“We need something to take water from the sea, to wet the sand.” Aemond told her as he caught his breath from the run he had just made.

“That sounds dangerous.” Alicent said to him with a frown.

“Oh come on, I'm not even going to jump in the water for it. I'll just grab some from the shore.” Aemond whined and whimpered a little hoping to get his mother to soften up. While the two of them had been talking, Rhaenyra had finished her glass of wine.

“Why don't you take my wine glass?” Rhaenyra offered, holding out her arm for the boy to take the object. “But let Jace be in charge of getting the water, He needs to learn responsibility if he ever wants to be a good king.” Rhaenyra said this not because she thought it, but so that Alicent could rest assured that it would not be her son who would go near the sea.

“But you're not going to drink anymore, Rhaenyra?” Aemond asked her, thinking that if he took his sister's cup, she wouldn't be able to drink anymore.

“Don't worry, I can share your mother’s cup. When we were young we used to share a lot of things, you know?” Rhaenyra replied with a smile, but both Aemond and Alicent's eyes widened in surprise at her words.

“Really?” Aemond was surprised that his mother could share anything, especially with Rhaenyra.

“Oh yes, we used to share many things, books, dresses... The bed. We were close friends, so sometimes we even shared the same bedroom and slept in the same bed.” Rhaenyra shared with the boy.

“Rhaenyra!” Alicent interrupted her.

“Is that true, Mother?” Aemond wanted to know.

“Yeah, Alicent, am I lying?” Rhaenyra asked amused.

“No, you are not.” Alicent responded to Rhaenyra by looking at her with reproachful eyes. “We were childhood companions.” She explained to Aemond.

“I thought you always hated each other.” Aemond said so sincerely and matter-of-factly that the two women were shocked.

“Why don't you go back to your sister, Lucerys and Jacaerys? They will be waiting for you.” Alicent encouraged her son, he remembered what he had come for and with a nod turned back the way he had come, leaving his mother and Rhaenyra once again immersed into the silence.

Ser Criston Cole was the Queen's sworn shield, and as such, he was to stand by her side and protect her from all evil. And yet, they had him in the nursemaid's assignment. He snorted in boredom watching as Prince Aemond made a sand castle with the Strong boys. He was alone, and it was no affront to think the truth. The Princess... Well, she was innocently strolling along the beach, looking for her strange bugs. I didn't quite understand how such a child had come from someone as special as the Queen, really. It seemed to him that the children were fine, and he doubted that anything could happen to them being quite a distance from the sea. So he finally gave in to his temptation and walked a few steps to where his Queen was with that spoiled cunt.

As he suspected, the Queen was arguing with the Princess . That got on his nerves, he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, tempted to commit something reckless in the name of protecting his queen. But then something strange happened. The women were still arguing, yes, but their body language was... Different. For them to be fighting their bodies were too close, so close that they looked as if they were going to.... No, that was impossible. Their Queen was the embodiment of purity, she would never demean herself to such lownesses. Whatever was going to happen, Prince Aemond interrupted them, but Ser Criston could no longer look away.

When Aemond returned to the Red Keep of sand, it looked a bit better, but very little. Lucerys was making the moat, and just Jacaerys was coming back with his hands in the shape of a bowl, apparently that was how they had been bringing water from the sea, of course by the time he got to his brother there was hardly any water left in his hands, so there was little they could do.

“Well, at least we have a moat.” Aemond said kindly so as not to hurt the boys' feelings. “But don't worry, I have the solution.” He told them proudly as he showed them the cup Rhaenyra had given him. 

“Good thinking.” Jace complimented Aemond with a pat on the back.

“Your mother says you should be the one to get the water.” Aemond said to Jace, holding out the glass to him. “Something about being king or I don't know what.”

“Okay, I don't mind doing it, my boots are wet anyway.” Jace responded with a shrug. “You stay with Luke finishing the moat.”

With the new "tool" the boys made further progress in building their Red Keep of sand. They finished the moat, and filled it with twigs as if they were the iron stakes. Because they were now using wet sand, the towers did not collapse and they could make them as tall as the towers of the Keep. They made the doors and bridges, it was almost finished, only small details were missing. But Jace began to feel a little uncomfortable.

“Uh, so... Aemond... Shouldn't we invite your sister Helaena to play with us?” Rhaenyra's eldest son finally dared to say.

“I suppose.” Aemond replied with a shrug.

“She has been walking along the shore looking for something, maybe she has found shells that we can use to put details like windows and things like that.” Luke informed them.

“Well, that's a good idea.” Aemond agreed and stood up to face where his sister was. But Helaena was nowhere to be found. “Helaena?” Her brother called out to her, which drew the attention of Luke and Jace who looked up from the sandcastle, and found that they too couldn't see Helaena.

“Princess Helaena!?” Jace called out to her in a louder tone moving toward the last place he had seen her the last time he noticed her.

“We are going to be in trouble.” Luke whimpered in a whispering voice, and so Aemond nudged him.

“Is that what you're worried about?” Aemond pointed the finger at him. “My sister might be missing, we have to tell my mother.”

“No, not your mother, she scares me.” Luke said.

“It's normal, when she’ll find out she is going to be very scary.”

This time it should be Alicent who said something. Rhaenyra couldn't always be the one to initiate the conversation, but it had made her so nervous to have her speak that way, and more so to her son. And now on top of that they were sharing the drinking cup, she hated the smile she gave her every time Alicent handed her the cup and Rhaenyra drank. Why did she have to put her lips right where she had put them? Of course, she did it on purpose to get under her skin. Without realizing it, Alicent had begun to peel the skin off her fingers as she did whenever she was nervous. Rhaenyra interrupted her by holding her hand, and making her look into her eyes.

“Ok, I’ll stop, if you stop.” Rhaenyra told her.

“So you admit you're doing something.” Alicent folded her arms so that her hands were not available to anyone. Rhaenyra smirked mischievously at her.

“I admit, it's a lot of fun teasing you.” Rhaenyra put her two hands up as if she accepted the blame. 

“And why do you do it?” Alicent wanted to know.

“Because you fall easily, look how you blush.” Rhaenyra tried to touch Alicent's cheek with her index finger, but Alicent brushed it away as if it were a fly. “I imagine it's because you've never been properly courted.”

“Why would you say something like that?” Alicent exclaimed, becoming even more embarrassed, and thus causing the blush on her cheeks to become even redder. At this Rhaenyra laughed.

“Perhaps that's what you need.” Rhaenyra told her as she leaned over her suggestively.

“I remind you that the both of us are married.” Alicent whispered to her as if someone could hear them.

“Happily?” Rhaenyra asked her, and it was the first time she was serious. Alicent opened and closed her mouth a couple of times not knowing what to answer her, finally she was about to do so when some screams interrupted her.

“Mother!” Aemond shouted as he ran towards them.

“MOTHER!!” Luke was shouting the loudest, only a few steps behind Aemond and his brother, but he was certainly the most dramatic of the three. As soon as they saw them running like that, both Rhaenyra and Alicent stood up to receive them.

“What’s wrong?” Rhaenyra asked.

“Where’s Helaena?” It was the first question Alicent asked as if she somehow knew. Although she knew that if something had happened her daughter wouldn't come running like that, not seeing her there in a way let her know that something was going on with her.

“That’s the thing…” Aemond started to say, but didn't dare continue when he had his mother in front of him.

“We cannot find her.” Luke said, taking Aemond's hand to encourage him.

“She didn't want to play with us, she was looking for shells on the beach or something like that... And when we realized… She was gone.” Jake was the last to take responsibility. He squared his shoulders and looked the Queen in the eyes as he told her that. He clenched his fists to keep from shaking, and waited for her scolding.

“You didn't look after your sister!?” Alicent shouted, grabbing Aemond by the shoulders.

“I'm sorry, I didn't notice.” Aemond apologized in a trembling voice, unable to look his mother in the eye.

“It wasn't his fault.” Jace intervened. “Surely when it happened Aemond was with Her Majesty and my mother, it was my fault, I'm sorry Your Majesty.” Alicent looked at Jace and then at Rhaenyra.

“It is very noble of you to take responsibility, Jacaerys. But Helaena is the blood of Aemond, it is he who must answer.” Alicent replied, glancing sideways at her son.

“She is our blood too.” Luke responded timidly. Alicent was so taken by surprise that she calmed down for a moment, which gave her a moment of clarity. The woman reached up her hand and stroked the little boy's cheek.

“Thank you, Lucerys.” 

“They are children, Alicent.” Rhaenyra told her by placing her hand on the Queen's shoulder. “They were being children, they should not be burdened with the responsibility of an adult.”

“You're right.” Alicent said taking a breath to try to stay calm, losing her temper wasn't going to help her find her daughter. “Where is Ser Criston?” She asked the children.

“I don’t know.” Aemond was the first to reply. “He wasn't with us.”

“WHAT?” Alicent shouted again.

“I seem to remember that at the beginning he was by our side, but he seemed more and more distant from us, and closer to the settlement.” Jace explained. Then Alicent looked up, and indeed, from where they stood they could see perfectly, Ser Criston Cole's billowing white cloak. Alicent thought she was going to boil with rage. The Queen advanced among the children, and took a few steps forward to where the knight was standing.

“SER CRISTON.” The Queen called out to the knight with a shout. Such was the shriek that Ser Criston was startled. “Come here at once!” The knight moved a little stumbling, surprised by the attitude of his Queen.

“Yes, my Queen?” Ser Criston asked, slightly confused. Alicent had to make an act of restraint not to slap him.

“How many children do you see here?” Alicent asked calmly. Ser Criston's confusion continued, and Rhaenyra took the opportunity to approach Luke.

“Go in that direction, and find Ser Harrold, bring him here at once.” Rhaenyra ordered her son.

“Wait... Where is Princess Helaena?” Ser Criston finally realized what was happening, and asked the right question.

“Why did you send Luke? I would be faster.” Jace asked his mother.

“But he is the loudest.” Rhaenyra whispered to him, and just Luke proved her point.

“SER HARROLD.” They heard him shout as he ran away from them.

“You asked a good question, Ser Criston, where is my daughter!?” Alicent asked him, raising her voice again, recovering her anger. “You should know, since your place was next to the children. Those were your orders, to ensure that nothing bad happened to them.” She was so angry that she even shoved the knight by the shoulders, and Ser Criston was so astonished that she managed to move him from the spot. 

“I am the Queen's sworn shield, my duty is to stand by you.” Ser Criston defended himself and looked at Rhaenyra. “Stand up for you.”

“Not when I order you otherwise.” Alicent exclaimed angrily, the look Ser Criston had given Rhaenyra had not gone unnoticed. So that's what it was all about? Her daughter was lost because of the knight's paranoia?

“I’m sorry, but my duty…” Ser Criston began to say.

“Don’t you dare to speak about your duty.” Alicent interrupted him by pointing her index finger at him. As Alicent scolded Ser Criston, Jace looked at his mother.

“Are you smiling?” He asked her with a scowl.

“What? No, no I’m not.” Rhaenyra said suddenly realizing that she may have been smirking at the sight of Ser Criston finally being humiliated by Alicent. “This is a very serious matter, hold me.” Rhaenyra said to her son, and she hugged him instantly realizing that she couldn't possibly hide the smile. Luckily for her, the commotion had attracted the handmaidens in the carriages, and in the distance Ser Harrold could be seen approaching on the back of his horse with Luke with him.

“My Queen, my Princess, what's wrong?” Ser Harrold asked as he got off his horse and put Luke down. “The young Prince has told me about Princess Helaena. Is she missing?”

“Yes, someone has lost it.” Alicent explained simply as she glanced at Ser Criston.

“Fortunately, she can't go very far.” The Commander of the White Cloaks tried to reassure the Queen. “She is probably still on the beach, and has simply moved out of sight.”

“But... What if she has entered the Woods?” The Queen pointed out with concern. “She may be lost.”

“Alright, then, Talia and Lidya will scour the beach looking for her in case she is still there.” Ser Harrold ordered the young women, who obeyed at once. He did not have time to say more, for he was interrupted.

“My Queen, let me go into the Woods in search of the Princess to make amends for my mistake.” Ser Criston said, drawing his sword to thrust it into the ground and kneeling in front of it, offering himself to Alicent. She received him with rolling eyes.

“You've done enough, stay with the children, but this time for real.” Alicent ordered him, but Rhaenyra objected.

“I do not plan to leave him in charge of my children again. He should ride back to the Red Keep as quickly as possible for reinforcements, and Ser Harrold should stay with the children. I will look for Helaena myself if necessary.” Rhaenyra gave her opinion, which not everyone liked.

“I do not receive orders from… You .” Ser Criston finally said, holding back the insult only because Ser Harrold was in front of him. The Commander again was about to say something, demanding respect from his comrade-in-arms, but he was beaten to it.

“She is your Princess, you will do as she commands. Now mount your horse, and go.” Alicent raised her voice, fed up with Ser Criston. “Come on Rhaenyra, let's go find my daughter.”

“My Queen, my Princess, I cannot allow you to go into the forest alone, you might get lost too.” Ser Harrold tried to sound more reasonable. But Alicent was determined. She was going to move heaven and earth to find her daughter.

“Try to stop me, Ser.” The Queen said to him in a threatening tone. She began to walk into the Woods. Rhaenyra looked at her children and Aemond, and finally followed her. Both women entered without knowing what those trees would hold for them.

Rhaenyra began to regret that going into the Kingswood alone was not a great idea. For one thing, they weren't wearing the most appropriate clothing. Their dresses kept getting caught on the low branches of the bushes, their shoes were not prepared for the terrain, and they stumbled a lot. But she wouldn't be the one to say anything, she didn't usually fear Alicent's wrath, but at this moment she was a mother looking for her daughter, and Rhaenyra wasn't going to get in the way.

At one point, Alicent stumbled so badly that she nearly fell, and Rhaenyra had to catch her by the arm. The Queen at once withdrew her arm roughly and continued walking. Not even thanking her for the help, but rather did the opposite.

“I don't need your help.” Alicent spluttered. And Rhaenyra had enough, she stopped as Alicent continued forward alone.

“Are you sure?” Rhaenyra said angrily. “Because from my point of view we are only going forward without even looking where we are going.” At that moment, Alicent stopped and turned toward her.

“Oh, and are you an expert who knows where we have to go?” The Queen asked her sarcastically.

“I may not be an expert, but maybe we should stop for a moment and look for some clues as to where Helaena might have gone. If our dresses get snagged, maybe hers does too, and maybe there's a piece of cloth somewhere that will show us the way.” 

“That's...! Not a bad idea, in fact.” Alicent eventually acknowledged, although at first it seemed that she was going to be against it.

They started looking for footprints, or bushes that had been moved. Branches that might harbor a piece of cloth detached from Princess Helaena's clothes, which was finally what they found. After that clue, Alicent seemed to harbor some hope, and her temper softened, and they ended up taking the direction where they found the trail. Curiously, that direction took them away from the thick woods, and they found themselves with trees spaced farther apart, so they could walk more easily.

“You know... I noticed that Jace and Luke were getting along very well with Aemond. Maybe, in spite of everything, they should spend more time together.” Rhaenyra began to say cautiously, and with that same caution tried to say the following. “Aegon may already be too old to be with them, perhaps if it is done, it should be activities for all three of them.”

“I see…” That was all Alicent said without looking at Rhaenyra. The Princess didn't know how to interpret it, she guessed that the Queen was too busy trying to find another clue that would lead them to Helaena's location.

“I wish I had a daughter so she could keep Helaena company. Maybe you should find her a little lady of her age to spend time with, I'm sure that would do her good.” Rhaenyra told her with all her good intentions. The truth was that she had always wanted a girl, and still hoped she could have one. Of course, Alicent did not receive those words as something positive. She stopped in her tracks, and gave Rhaenyra a stern look.

“I’m sorry, are you telling me how I should take care of my children?” Alicent asked in an icy voice.

“No, of course not, I was just…” Rhaenyra tried to justify herself, but Alicent wouldn't let her.

“You know very well that I have practically raised my children alone.” Alicent told her as she approached her, pointing her index finger at her.

“You were not the only one.” Rhaenyra muttered, turning her face to the side. Her irony was that her children had two fathers, but neither had served as full fathers, leaving her to raise them alone. 

“What did you say?” Alicent asked angrily, taking a step closer to Rhaenyra, causing Rhaenyra to have to take a step back. The Queen was almost certain of what she had heard, but she wanted Rhaenyra to tell her to her face.

“Nothing, Your Majesty .” Rhaenyra used that form of address by looking her in the eye because she knew that Alicent was annoyed by her calling her that. But Alicent was already fired up, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. She pushed Rhaenyra, who turned her back against a tree, and was totally shocked by Alicent's attitude. Normally she didn't lose her composure like that.

“That's the best you can do, say and do nothing.” Alicent told her with clenched fists. She knew she shouldn't have pushed Rhaenyra, so now she was trying to control her anger by any means possible. “Because all of this is really your fault.”

“In the name of the Seven, how is this my fault?” Rhaenyra was perplexed at such an accusation. “I was with you the whole time.”

“Precisely.” Alicente pointed an accusing index finger at her. “You were all the time distracting me with the nonsense of being courted and talking about my marriage. None of that was any of your business.” Rhaenyra was so shocked, she could do nothing, but let Alicent continue with her accusation. “But no, Rhaenyra always has to do and say whatever she pleases and the rest of us have to put up with it, and submit.” Alicent had approached Rhaenyra to hit her in the chest with her index finger. It was her controlled way of letting go of her anger, but in doing so she had shortened the distance with the princess. “When is it my turn to do as I please, what I really want?”

“For the Gods sake, stop blaming me for your life.” Rhaenyra shouted angrily at Alicent's accusations. She failed to accuse her of bad weather or bad harvests in the kingdom. “If you wish to do something, or want to do something, just do it, for all the seven hells.”

Alicent stood still for a moment, letting Rhaenyra's words echo in her mind. Was it really that simple? Just follow her impulses, but, she had spent a lifetime restraining them, burying them, that she basically felt dead in life. She may have felt that she was thinking many things at once, and that the world was therefore moving slowly as she weighed her moral dilemmas, and the real desire she really had to let herself go for once in her life. But the truth was, once Rhaenyra shouted those words at her, Alicent took her by the arms, pushed her against the tree and kissed her lips. Rhaenyra was surprised again at Alicent's reaction, but she would be fooling herself if she denied that she didn't desire her. So after those seconds, she closed her eyes to enjoy her Queen's kiss, and let her arms fall to either side of her body. She knew it couldn't have been easy for Alicent to get here, so she would let her set the pace, she would just enjoy the taste of her lips.

Ser Harrold Westerling stood nervously on the edge of the Kingswood. He was standing next to the young princes, who looked bored and wanted to return to their sand castle, they had promised him not to move from there, but he could not afford to lose sight of more royal members. Both Talia and Lidya were still scouring the beach, and Ser Criston had not returned with reinforcements either, so it was all up to him.

“What if we put ourselves in a spot where you can see us?” Lucerys insisted.

“No.” Ser Harrold replied flatly, as his gaze followed where the Queen and Princess Rhaenyra had left. 

“And what can we do to help?” Jacaerys at least tried to be helpful.

“Yeah, there's got to be something better to do than just sit here.” Aemond added to Jace's words.

“Well... You can line up with me at the edge of the woods, and look out for your mothers or Princess Helaena, that would help since I don't have a thousand eyes.” Ser Harrold had hardly finished telling them what to do when the children were already running to their positions.

“Do we yell if we see something?” Luke asked, shouting because he was more secluded, and because well, that's just the way he was.

“Yes, you can yell at me what you see.” Ser Harrold replied with a smile, trying to keep from laughing. He had to be serious, they were in a serious situation. It was no longer about Princess Helaena, the Queen, and the Princess heiress had disappeared.

After a while, Luke was the first to leave his post. He didn't do it on purpose or because he didn't feel he owed it to the cause, it's just that nature called him. So without Ser Harrold noticing, he went a little way into the trees himself, but without ever losing sight of his brother's position. He found a place to relieve himself, and once he had finished he stood looking around, in case from his position closer to the thicket he might see his mother.

“What are we looking at?” Luke heard someone ask him.

“We hope to see Helaena appear, she is lost and we don't know where. Or the Queen and my mother who have gone in her search.” Luke gestured with his head where his mother had gone, then turned to see who he was talking to and was stunned. “HELAENA? HELAENA!! I FOUND HELAENA!! SER HARROLD, MOTHER, I FOUND HELAENA!! I FOUND HELANEA!!” Luke grabbed the girl by the wrist and took her running to where the Commander was, he was going to ask for a big medal for such an achievement.

Alicent couldn't believe what she was doing, but most of all, she couldn't believe what she was feeling. Somehow, those emotions compensated for everything that could go through her mind as to why that was wrong. Rhaenyra's lips were softer than she had imagined, as harsh as her words were at times. She could still taste the wine they had drunk together in her mouth. And her tongue... She didn't know it was possible to kiss that way, honestly. Her cheeks were on fire, and she didn't know if it was from embarrassment or from the excitement that all this was causing her. Alicent's breathing was so agitated that in a moment she feared she would lose all the air in her lungs, so unfortunately she had to break away to regain it. She looked Rhaenyra in the eyes. Her cheeks were burning too, her breathing was also short, but her eyes, in her eyes she could see pure fire, it was clear that she was not finished with her. Alicent was about to speak to her, but the echo of voices brought her out of her reverie.

“HELAENA… MOTHER… HELAENA… ” They heard in the distance.

“Helaena…” Alicent turned her head towards the source of the voices, and whispered her daughter's name. Had she been found? Without a second thought, The Queen rolled up her dress, and ran off in search of her.

“Alicent, wait!” Rhaenyra called her, and went out after her at once. 

But Alicent didn't listen to her. She ran, and ran without stopping for anything, not even to think. Alicent thought she was going the way they had come, or at any case where the voices were coming from, but sometimes the forest is tricky. Rhaenyra was trying to tell her as she called her name, but it was no use. The Queen was absolutely sure where she was going, she was sure that once she passed those trees they would come out onto the esplanade that led to the road that separated the woods from the beach and where she would meet with her beloved daughter. But then she went through the trees and finally stopped, but because she didn't find what she expected. Instead of the road she so longed to find, she came upon a clearing. She spun around, confused. Rhaenyra reached her, almost short of breath, when had Alicent ever been so athletic? Would it be mother power or something? The Queen looked into her eyes in terror, Rhaenyra looked around then back at her and nodded.

“We are lost.” The Princess admitted aloud what the Queen was thinking.

Night had fallen on the royal women, but Alicent was relentless in her efforts to find a way out. And again Rhaenyra found herself faced with the task of restraining the Queen and bringing her to reason, though her previous attempts had been unsuccessful. The Princess felt that they were beating around the bush, and that every step they took was one more to their demise, but what could she do? Sure, she could stand up and let Alicent fend for herself, but she didn't have the heart for it. Especially after she had kissed her like that, she wasn't going to run away without them talking about it, so even if she went to the Seven Hells, she would follow her.

Maybe she thought so, but when she stumbled over.... Well, she'd lost count by now, but she hurt herself this time when she tried to grab onto something to keep from falling. She cursed aloud, and this time she grabbed Alicent by the elbow.

“Alicent enough is enough, we're going to really hurt ourselves if we keep going like this.” Rhaenyra told her very seriously even though Alicent gave a tug to release her grip.

“I can't stop, I have to get to my daughter. Maybe you don't care, but I do.” Alicent also told her seriously, she tried to move forward, but Rhaenyra stopped her. She grabbed her by the arm, and pulling her back, she stood in front of her, pointing her index finger at her.

“Don't you dare say I don't care.” Rhaenyra had gone from serious to angry. She had been trying all day to be understanding with Alicent and give her space, but she had enough. “It's nighttime and we can't see anything, plus it will start to get colder and colder. We must stop and make a fire if we want to make it through the night.”

“Suddenly you're an explorer?” Alicent asked mockingly. “Is there anything the great Princess Rhaenyra doesn't know how to do?”

“As a matter of fact, I kinda am.” Rhaenyra raised her chin proudly, she wasn't going to let Alicent make fun of her. “It's not the first time I've spent the night in these woods, I think I can make us resist the night at least.”

“By the Seven Hells, when have you ever spent the night in these woods?” At first Alicent smirked as before, but then she remembered, and her smile suddenly faded. “On the second day of Aegon's name.” Alicent whispered. “You and Ser Criston…”

“Yes, he taught me how to make fire when we had no other choice.” Rhaenyra didn't give it any importance, or tried not to. She tried to move to a place where she could make a fire like that day. But Alicent had remained still.

“And did he teach you anything else?” Alicent asked bitingly.

“What?” Rhaenyra was confused.

“I just assume that's when you started your... Relationship. He confessed it to me soon after.” Alicent's voice sounded strange, as if they had gone back in time to those nights. Her eyes, if seen, would be blurred with tears she refused to shed.

“You sound fucking jealous.” Rhaenyra snapped at her, and decided that she was going to ignore all the bites she threw at her about it. She was going to build her fire, and Alicent could do whatever she wanted. It had been more than ten years since then, it was time to move on.

Finally Rhaenyra did everything by herself, gathered several dry branches of different sizes, and some dry moss and left them in a clear area. She also gathered some stones to put around them so that the fire would not spread. She even dragged a somewhat larger and thicker log so that she could lean on it once the fire was lit. Alicent, meanwhile, stood off to the side and had her back to her. The Princess was as prepared as she could be being the first time she was going to try something like this. She had made her circle of stones and left some of the dry moss inside, nearby she had left some dry twigs to throw in as soon as she had managed to get that moss lit, and next to it she had some larger ones to form the actual shape of the fire once there was a decent fire. Rhaenyra had taken a couple of rocks to be used to start the fire, as she had seen Ser Criston, she had to hit them with precision near the moss that she had left aside so that the sparks that jumped from those blows would ignite the moss.

Of course, seeing it done, and thinking about doing it was a different thing than actually doing it and getting it done. Rhaenyra started to hit the rocks, and at first nothing happened, then she started to get sparks, one of the times she stuck her finger and hurt herself. That was what caught Alicent's attention and finally she turned around to see what she was doing, she even took a few steps towards her.

“Where's a dragon when you need one?” Rhaenyra mumbled, complaining and sucking her injured finger.

“Maybe if you say "dracarys", it will work.” Alicent mocked her. “Aren't you Targaryens masters of fire?” She was mocking her because she was still hurting. But she was having a hard time too. She hugged herself to keep warm, her lip trembling from time to time from the cold. Rhaenyra noticed, but she was so angry, she still answered her with the same coin.

“Maybe you should say so. Haven't you had three dragons?” Rhaenyra shouted at her while she kept hitting the rocks. The argument with Alicent gave her the energy to hit them harder than before. This way she was hitting them against each other, and she didn't throw one at her.

“ Dracarys .” Alicent delivered in the same voice she had heard Rhaenyra pronounce on other occasions. At that moment an well-aimed spark jumped into the small pile of moss that Rhaenyra had in front of her, causing smoke to start coming out of it.

“By all Gods.” Rhaenyra whispered in surprise. She let go of the stones and stood still even though she wanted to scream in celebration, but she knew that anything could extinguish that little flame, and she had to be patient. As soon as the first flame came out she bent down to blow gently, and as quickly as she was sure that the moss wouldn't go out, she moved it next to the moss inside the circle, where she continued blowing until it caught fire with the rest. At once she began to throw in small twigs, and as fast as these caught fire, she was on the verge of tears.

“You made it.” Alicent whispered in surprise, but Rhaenyra didn't hear her, she was too busy finishing the bonfire with the biggest and fattest branches. When she finally succeeded, Rhaenyra cried, and Alicent stepped away.

The bonfire burned brightly and glowed in the middle of the night, each time its fire seemed to diminish, Rhaenyra threw in one more branch. She had laid down as close as possible, with a prudent distance so that if any ember jumped, she would not get burned. Her clothing went with a cape, so she had wrapped up in it, and was trying to fall asleep, trying not to think too much about Alicent's stubbornness keeping her away from the fire and probably freezing to death. Hunger was a problem, so the best thing to do was to sleep so as not to think about anything. Finally she sat up, looking towards where Alicent's figure was still standing.

“This is stupid, come to the fire before you freeze.” Rhaenyra said angrily. “It cost me a lot to do it, the least you could do is enjoy it.”

“I’m… Fine.” Alicent answered her, and her answer would have been effective had she not said it between shudders.

“Yes, I can tell.” Rhaenyra was sarcastic. “Don't make me come after you, come by the fucking fire.”

“Al…right.” Alicent agreed, sitting down near the bonfire. 

“What are you doing?” Rhaenyra asked her oddly, but Alicent gave her an even stranger look.

“Sit by the fire as you asked me to, what more do you want?” Alicent asked in confusion.

“You're supposed to lie down next to me, so we'll keep warm better, plus I can cover you with my cape.” Rhaenyra explained as if it was something obvious.

“You're teasing me, right?” Alicent couldn't believe what Rhaenyra was asking her. “This is what you wanted all along.”

“Oh, right, it was me who got impulsive and lost us in the woods just to have you near me. Oh... Wait…” Rhaenyra rolled her eyes, and lay back down without waiting for Alicent. However, at her words, the Queen finally moved and lay down her back to her. So finally Rhaenyra covered them both with the cape as best she could.  That's when she hugged her around the waist and whispered in her ear. “And it definitely wasn't me who kissed you furiously against a tree.”

“Rhaenyra.” Alicent exclaimed in complaint and tried to stir, but Rhaenyra held her tightly in place.

“Don't worry, My Queen . Your secret is safe with me. Don't move, or you'll slip out of the cloak and we must keep warm, now try to sleep.”

But sleep eluded Alicent. It wasn't easy to sleep when she felt Rhaenyra's breath on her neck, that alone gave her goosebumps. Alicent could feel the warmth of her body on her back, and not only that, but her... Well, the shape of her body pressed against her clothes. She was in the middle of the woods, wrapped only in a thin cape and with only a fire to keep her warm, by logic she should be cold, but nevertheless she could feel the burning of her cheeks, and how her breathing became more agitated every time images of the kiss she had shared with Rhaenyra a few hours ago went through her head. There came a moment when she could not bear it anymore, she needed a distraction.

“Rhaenyra... Are you awake?” Alicent waited for a response, a second later she turned her head to look and met the lilac eyes of the Princess staring back at her.

“Yes, my Queen .” Rhaenyra smirked at her, and Alicent turned again. “Don't you like it when I call you that?”

“Not when you say it like this .” Alicent grumbled. “Like teasing me.”

“Well, you've been teasing me too.” Rhaenyra answered her amusedly, it suited her that Alicent had her back to her, for then she couldn't see her smirk.

“Me? I did no such thing.” Alicent said with as much dignity as she could muster, even turning once more so that Rhaenyra could see her dignified face.

“And what do you call kissing me in the woods and refusing to talk about it? I call it teasing, at the very least.” Rhaenyra blurted that out so suddenly, Alicent gasped in response, and turned around again. Then Rhaenyra laughed. “See?”

“Allright, maybe I'm the Queen, but you are the Queen of Teasing.” Alicent continued with her grumbling. “Is this how you do your courting, or have you just been courted?”

“Why? Are you interested?” Rhaenyra asked her, as Alicent had rightly said, teasing her. She even dared to caress her waist at the height where she was holding her.

“Curious perhaps.” Alicent admitted. “You who know everything, how would you do my courtship properly?”

“You have to face me for it.” Rhaenyra whispered into Alicent's neck, beginning the courtship, or seduction, without her noticing. Alicent tingled slightly, and silently turned around to stand face to face with Rhaenyra.

“Now what?” She asked and felt a little inhibited, she hadn't realized how close her mouth was to Rhaenyra's in this position. That was pure temptation.

“So, the key to a successful courtship is to make the other party crave for you.” Rhaenyra explained to her. “That's why all that long string of gentlemen failed to win my favor.”

“And how does someone achieve that?” Alicent wanted to know. She raised an eyebrow, doubting that was the only reason the knights failed to win Rhaenyra's hand in marriage.

“You have to make them believe that they are in control of the situation, when you are the one pulling their strings.” Rhaenyra whispered as she settled her body at Alicent's. “Show them a small taste of what they can have, so they want more, and won't let you go.” The Princess breathed these words against the Queen's lips, withdrawing her mouth just in time to prevent the kiss. Alicent had closed her eyes, letting herself be carried away by the words.

“I see…” She herself whispered, as if they were not alone in the woods and someone could hear them, or perhaps it was so as the magic of the moment wouldn't be broken. “But if I've already had that little taste, don't I deserve to have it all.” Alicent repeated the same tactic as Rhaenyra, brushing her lips as she spoke. 

“Then, take it.” Rhaenyra provoked her.

This time she didn't plan to wait for Alicent to make the first move, she was sick and tired of so much waiting, so much concealing all her feelings all day long. With the hand she had around Alicent's waist, she pushed her body against hers, and sought her lips at the first attempt. The day had left her with no patience for being delicate, and after the way Alicent had slammed her against that tree, she didn't think she couldn't handle a little roughness.

She devoured Alicent's lips as if they were her last meal on earth, bit her lower lip, and moaned from it. She was surprised to feel Alicent's tongue against hers, her Queen was learning fast no doubt. And when Rhaenyra heard her moan, she thought she was melting.

But Rhaenyra had not realized that she had fallen into her own trap. She had tasted Alicent, and now she wanted more of her. She could no longer be satisfied with just her lips, she wanted everything from her. In the position they were in it was difficult to access her breasts, and it wasn't because she didn't try to reach between their bodies. So she settled for slipping her hand up under her skirts. She caressed her smooth leg as she moved up it, brushed her thigh, she was about to reach what she was looking for. She wanted more than anything to touch Alicent's intimacy, to be united with her more than ever. But when she touched her there, Alicent froze, and grabbed her arm roughly, going so far as to break the kiss.

“No…I can’t… I…” Alicent said, looking Rhaenyra in the eye. She looked scared. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok.” Rhaenyra said, sticking out her hand to show her, to make her see that she wasn't going to continue. “I'm the one who's sorry, I shouldn't have done it without your permission.” She said, kissing her forehead and hugging her. 

“It was a good courtship, though.” Alicent had also hugged Rhaenyra, resting her head on her chest, and said that to let her know that she was okay despite the small mishap.

“Alicent... You never got around to answering my question.” Rhaenyra said to her while stroking her hair.

“What question?” Alicent pretended to be absent-minded in order to gain time.

“Are you happy, happily married?” Rhaenyra repeated the question she had asked her at the beach but got no answer to because Aemond interrupted them.

“Rhaenyra… He is your father…” Alicent was trying to avoid answering.

“And you are… You. ” Rhaenyra said without knowing how to explain herself.

“He treats me well and has given me three children.” Alicent replied as she separated from Rhaenyra and remained seated on the floor. Suddenly neither the cold nor the other elements mattered.

“And that's it? That's not an answer” Rhaenyra insisted. “Are you happily married? Because ... Because... I am... I am not. And yes, Laenor treats me well and has given me two children, but I'm not happy, Alicent.”

“I’m sorry, Rhaenyra.” Alicent tried to show her support by putting her hand on her shoulder, but Rhaenyra turned her down.

“I don't need your pity, I need your truth.” Rhaenyra had also sat down, but she did feel cold, though hers came from inside her body. She hugged her legs to try to quell it.

“I… Well... As I said, your father is not a bad husband, he has never treated me badly, and that is more than many women can say.” Alicent said, because deep down she didn't want to speak poorly of Viserys, she felt it wasn't his fault somehow. “I could be a better father to my children, as he has been to you.” Maybe that was one of the things she could claim from him. “But of course I'm not happy Rhaenyra, you should know, or I thought you knew that I never wanted that marriage. My father forced me, and how could I refuse? The king chose me.”

“So, if you're not happy, and I'm not happy, why not run away?” Rhaenyra took Alicent's hands between hers and kissed them. “Remember? We will fly on dragon back, see the great wonders across the Narrow Sea, and eat only cake.”

“I should have listened to you back then.” Alicent let go of one of her hands to caress Rhaenyra's cheek with her knuckles. Her eyes glistened with tears she didn't want to shed. “But we can't leave now... We have the children.”

“My children… I can’t leave them…” Rhaenyra whispered as if she was waking from a dream. Tears began to spill from her eyes, Alicent tried to wipe them away with her fingers, and with kisses. Finally she realized that her own cheeks were wet with her own tears, so she could only hug Rhaenyra and cry with her.

The women didn't know how long they had been hugging, or when they had stopped crying, but they had stayed even though their tears dried, it was all they needed. How long had it been since they had simply held each other? That they just hug each other? Somehow, despite the situation they found themselves in, they felt at peace. 

However, from one moment to the next, they noticed that the air began to rise, and they felt as if something huge had passed over them. Rhaenyra stood up and helped Alicent do the same, sniffed the air and couldn't believe it.

“Stand back.” She ordered Alicent, taking her by the hand, to move away from the bonfire area.

“What's going on?” Alicent asked, disconcerted.

“I think rescue is coming.” Rhaenyra said, smiling as she looked up at the sky.

A deafening roar like thunder flooded the air, a blaze of fire scorched the area where they had been a moment ago. A strong wind extinguished any flames the flame might have ignited, and with a resounding crash a golden dragon landed in the area, roaring as it stretched its long neck.

“Syrax, you've found me! Good girl!” Rhaenyra exclaimed in contentment at the sight of her dragoness. She ran to her side to nuzzle her neck, while Alicent hung back, still a bit surprised by the dragoness' display of power.

“Alright, she found us, now what?” Alicent asked as she slowly approached. She had a lot of respect for those beasts. “Is she going to warn someone?”

“What are you saying, now we're getting out of here on her.” Rhaenyra answered her by patting her dragoness' back. Alicent opened her eyes wide at those words.

"I'd almost rather you go to get help." Alicent folded her arms as in this way she declared her position.

"Get on the dragon, Alicent." Rhaenyra ordered, and to make the order more implicit, Syrax snorted through her nostrils.

"What if she doesn't like me?" Alicent finished approaching, but didn't make it to where Rhaenyra was, so it had to be the Princess who went to the Queen and held her hand.

"Alicent, Syrax has known you forever, she's not going to do anything to you, come." Rhaenyra was telling her as she led her to the dragoness' head to put her hand on the beast's snout.

"Can't I pet her on her back, it has to be where her teeth are?" Alicent asked nervously, and Rhaenyra laughed.

Syrax sniffed Alicent's hand, and focused her eyes on the woman. The Queen held her breath for a moment, and then Syrax rested her muzzle on Alicent's hand. She let out all the air and smiled. She gently caressed her, never imagining that the touch of the scales would be soft. She looked at Rhaenyra excitedly, and she smirked back at her.

"You see? She remembers you, and she knows how important you are to me." Rhaenyra said as she scratched Syrax under her jaw.

"I admit I wasn't sure." Alicent said, pulling her hand away slowly.

"That she remembered you?" Rhaenyra asked in confusion.

"That I was important to you." Alicent confessed to her.

Rhaenyra said nothing, after all, words are carried by the wind. She thought it was better to show with actions what one felt, and then Alicent would be sure of how much she was important to Rhaenyra. The Princess grabbed the Queen by the front of her dress and pulled her to herself as much as she could. She rested her forehead against Alicent's, and closed her eyes for a moment as their lips simply caressed. Then she opened her mouth to receive Alicent's mouth fully, her breath, her tongue, all of her. She slid her hands down her body to wrap them around her waist and pull her tighter into her arms, as if she never wanted to let her go. Which was actually a feeling that had been taking hold of her for the past few hours.

Syrax sensed her owner's feelings, and turned to give them privacy. Looking away, she even sat down on the floor to wait for them to finish. The dragoness had witnessed the birth of those feelings when she was very young, and felt a certain joy at seeing that they were finally being fulfilled.

“Already convinced?” Rhaenyra caressed Alicent's cheek as they broke the kiss.

“A little.” Alicent responded with a smile and joy in her eyes. She was about to leave towards Syrax because it was time to return to their reality, but Rhaenyra held her by the arm for a moment.

“I mean it.” Rhaenyra was serious at the time. However she seemed to be short of breath, or was it a lack of words? “I… I love you, Alicent.”

“Rhaenyra…” Alicent pronounced the Princess's name as a plea. She couldn't do that to her, couldn't say those words to her, not now that they were about to leave for a world where they couldn't do anything about it.

“Fuck…” Rhaenyra whispered at Alicent's reaction to her confession. She hadn't said the same words back to her, so her eyes began to mist over with tears and heartbreak. “You don’t love me.”

“Are you joking?” Alicent took Rhaenyra's hands between hers. “I adore you, I love you with my whole soul.” She said, now holding her face in her hands. “But what good those words can do us when we can't act upon them”

“Why not?” Rhaenyra asked in a trembling voice.

“You are married, I am married. And we owe it to our children. We have a duty to fulfill, and this is a sacrifice we must endure.” Alicent said with all the pain in her heart. “We cannot stumble over it with our pretty feet.”

“But we are not happy, it is not fair.” Rhaenyra complained.

“Life is not fair, and even less so for women. You more than anyone else know it, it has cost you a lot to be the heir to the throne, don't throw it all away.” Alicent stroked Rhaenyra's hair as she tried to convince her. It was a job she was doing for both of them, for she herself wished to disappear with the Princess and leave their world behind, but she simply could not.

“The Seven Hells can take the Iron Throne.” Rhaenyra cursed and Syrax roared.

“And what about Jacaerys, will you take away his right just to fulfill your wishes?” Alicent used her last trump card, and the one she knew to be most effective. If there was one thing she and Rhaenyra had in common, it was their love for their children. The Princess would never do anything to endanger her heirs. For the first time, Rhaenyra looked her in the eye, understanding the situation.

“Jace.” Rhaenyra whispered, and finally closed her eyes to let out a long sigh. “Let’s go back.” Holding hands, both women approached Syrax, who understood the situation instantly and got into position so that they could climb onto her back. Rhaenyra helped Alicent get on, and she positioned herself behind the Queen. “ Sōvemagon. ” Rhaenyra pronounced in Valyrian, and the dragon took flight.

On the Dragoness' back they left the trees and the depths of the woods behind them very quickly, and in no time they reached the beach. They could see where the men who were probably waiting for them were, but Rhaenyra was not going to stop there. She flew a little lower so they could see them on Syrax's back to make sure they were both safe, but she wasn't going to stop until they reached the Dragonpit. Rhaenyra made Syrax take flight again, and soar high into the sky. She tilted her head to see how Alicent was holding it in front of her, and smirked as she saw that the woman's eyes were closed, and she was holding onto the chair with all her might.

“What are you doing? You're missing the most fun, open your eyes.” Rhaenyra recommended.

“I'm doing quite well, thank you.” Alicent didn't turn her head to answer her, she didn't even open her eyes. Her face was all frightened. 

“Trust me.” Rhaenyra brought her body together with Alicent's, and gripped her waist tightly with one hand to make her feel more secure, while holding the reins with the other. Then she rested her chin on Alicent's shoulder and whispered in her ear. “Open your eyes, and see the world as I do.”

“By the Gods.” Alicent whispered as she finally dared to open her eyes, and discovered the wonderful sight before her. Now she finally understood why Rhaenyra loved flying so much, the world looked truly beautiful from up here. She managed to thrill at such magnificence. Though she was cut off from the feeling when Rhaenyra made Syrax rise higher up and hover in the air, they seemed not to move at all. She turned cautiously, and looked at her in intrigue.

“This is it, Alicent.” Rhaenyra told her tearfully. “It is now or never. I can make her change course and fly to Essos, never to return. I know my father will forgive us, and perhaps keep Jace as his heir, or name Aegon. One of our sons would gain anyway.”

“And what would we do in Essos? Eat cake?” Alicent also had tears in her eyes as she allowed herself to follow that dangerous dream for an instant.

“Be Happy. Isn’t that something?” Despite the tears, Rhaenyra was smiling because Alicent was living her fantasy with her for a few moments.

“It's the best proposal I've ever had.” Alicent caressed Rhaenyra's cheek. “I love you, Rhaenyra Targaryen. I would tell you in Valyrian if I knew how.”

“ Avy jorrāelan. ” Rhaenyra told her with a smile. Alicent was adorable, she had forgotten it after all these years of tares between them.

“ Aby yoraelan. ” Alicent pronounced as best she could, Rhaenyra didn't care that it wasn't perfect, to her it sounded beautiful. “With all my heart. No one, or anything is ever going to change that, no matter how much time passes, that I swear to you.”

“There is a but coming…” Rhaenyra predicted.

“I'm not worried about my sons, Maybe a little bit for Aemond, though I know he's a clever boy. Aegon will devote himself to noble life and survive. It's Helaena who worries me. Rhaenyra, I can't leave her.” Alicent tried to justify herself, tried to make Rhaenyra understand why she couldn't just run away with her. “You have raised your sons so well, they have turned out good boys, and Viserys would protect them anyway. But my children? How can I take such a risk when I have failed to care for them when I have been with them.”

“Don't say that. You've been a wonderful mother. If my brothers have turned out a bit... Different, it's because they are aware of their father's failings, not their mother's.” Rhaenyra defended Alicent from her own words. She would not allow her to say that about herself. Aemond and Helaena were good children, it was Aegon who had to show more respect for Alicent and the house he belonged to, little rat.

“Rhaenyra... This is the first time I hear you refer to my children as your siblings.” Alicent was touched by her words.

“Well, they are, aren't they?” Rhaenyra said to play it down. “You're right, I've raised strong boys, they are capable of overcoming any adversity thrown at them, but that doesn't mean they have to live through it alone.” 

“I’m glad you see it that way.” Alicent responded. She had noticed perfectly well the words Rhaenyra had used. She knew well that she was referring to the lineage of her children, but she would not say anything, not today.

“I would never be the one to take you away from your children.” Rhaenyra signaled her to look forward. She had been distracting her with her chatter the whole time so Alicent wouldn't panic about flying, and they had arrived in King's Landing. They were just past the Red Keep, and it wouldn't be long before they reached the Dragonpit. “I just want to make you happy, and if your wishes are to be with your children, that's what we will do.”

“ Aby yoraelan , Rhaenyra.” Alicent repeated again in her particular Valyrian, and embraced Rhaenyra as best she could given their positions. “We may not have made the best decision, but we will have made the wisest.”

“I hope you're right.” Rhaenyra sighed. “Now hold on tight, we're going to descend.”

“Do it gently.” Alicent asked her as she gripped the chair so tightly with both hands that her knuckles paled. 

“I do everything gently.” Rhaenyra teased. “Screaming is helpful.”

“Don’t you dare.” Alicent threatened her, but all she got in response from the Princess was a mischievous smirk. With a simple word in Valyrian to Syrax, the dragon began to dive downward, as if to crash to the ground. “Rhaenyraaaa!”

“That's it, scream, bring out everything you have inside you. It's more fun that way.” Rhaenyra encouraged Alicent, and tried to hold her well when she noticed that she moved out of the chair. She herself screamed to get out all the anger she felt towards her duty and obligations that had always made her so unhappy.

The dragoness took flight just before reaching the ground, and flew high until she reached Rhaenys Hill. She circled a couple of times until she found the most suitable way to land in front of the great dome where the rest of the dragons rested. Rhaenyra hoped that by making changes in plans, and landing neither on the Kingswood beach, nor at the Red Keep, she and Alicent would have some more private time. But when she saw a large carriage waiting for them guarded by her least favorite White Cloak, her illusions evaporated. She hadn't finished helping Alicent down when the knight in shining armor was already on top of her.

“My Queen, I was so worried when I was informed that you were lost in the Kingswood.” Ser Criston went at once to take the Queen's hand to escort her to the carriage. Had Rhaenyra just noticed a push? She glanced at the dragons' keepers, who were laughing at the knight as they tried to pull Syrax inside the premises.

“You did very well, girl.” Rhaenyra complimented her dragoness as she scratched her chin. Though Syrax was also looking at Ser Criston, and not warmly. “Not for now, I'm afraid, perhaps someday.” Rhaenyra joked, more or less. And with a final pat on the neck she dismissed Syrax, heading for the carriage at last.

“The Queen shouldn't have to wait, she's been through enough to spend one more second outside the Red Keep.” Ser Criston scolded Rhaenyra when she finally arrived next to him and Alicent. The Princess looked directly at the Queen and she shrugged her shoulders.

“You know I've been lost too, right?” Rhaenyra asked him. “But surely you would have liked that, that I would have stayed there, wouldn't you?”

“I only wish that my Queen would be reunited with her children as soon as possible.” Ser Criston tried not to take Rhaenyra's bait.

“Children that you neglected.” Rhaenyra reminded him. “Next to mine, but I also know that you care less about them.”

“How dare you.” Ser Criston took a few menacing steps toward Rhaenyra.

“Ser Criston! She hasn't said anything that isn't true, and you know it.” Alicent finally came to Rhaenyra's defense upon seeing the knight so angry. “Now, as you rightly say, we must go. Mount your horse and escort us to the palace.”

“Yes, my Queen.” Ser Criston obeyed but not before giving Rhaenyra a look of hatred.

“And you get in the damn carriage.” She ordered Rhaenyra as she herself entered.

“Yes, my Queen .” Rhaenyra said imitating Ser Criston, but her voice sounded much more seductive. 

When she climbed inside and the door closed behind her, Rhaenyra made sure that the curtains were tightly closed, that no one on the outside could see what was going on inside. She hadn't just finished closing the last one when the carriage gave a jerk as it began to move and made Rhaenyra stagger. Alicent, seeing that she might fall, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto her lap.

“Hello.” Alicent hugged Rhaenyra's waist, not thinking of letting go anytime soon.

“Hi, I seem to have found the most comfortable spot on the whole wagon.” Rhaenyra joked, and ended up lying down completely, her nose being level with Alicent's jaw when she lifted her head, which was how she was.

“I want to be close to you as much as I can.” Alicent lowered her head to brush her lips against Rhaenyra's, and placed a soft kiss on them. She should be kissing her with more passion and wildness, but she was so tired. Rhaenyra herself was also finding it hard to keep her eyes open. “We shouldn't fall asleep.”

“I'm awake.” Rhaenyra said with her eyes closed, but finally managed to open them to look into Alicent's. “ Avy jorrāelan. ” Rhaenyra whispered that she loved her in Valyrio.

“ Aby yoraelan. ” Alicent answered her back by resting her forehead on Rhaenyra's.

King Viserys and his Hand, Otto Hightower, stood at the foot of the steps at the entrance to the Red Keep, they had been announced that the carriage carrying the Queen and Princess to safety was on its way, almost to the castle gates. Even though it was late in the morning and the sun would soon rise, the monarch and his advisor had wanted to go out in person to receive their daughters. The gate of the small wall opened, and behind Ser Criston the carriage entered. When it stopped a few moments passed without the door being opened and no one from inside it came out. Disconcerted, the King gestured to Ser Criston to take care of the matter.

Ser Criston got off his horse and went to open the carriage door. What he saw inside perplexed him, for it was something he never thought he would see. Queen Alicent was holding Princess Rhaenyra in her arms, holding her almost cradled in them. Their faces were so close to each other that they could almost have been.... No, that could not have happened. He stood with his back to the opening, and cleared his throat loudly to get the women's attention.

“We have arrived, Your Grace.” Ser Criston said it in a loud enough tone to wake them up, which worked. At that, and the light that suddenly hit her face, Alicent was startled. She pushed Rhaenyra off her lap, which made her fall to the bottom.

“Really?” Rhaenyra groaned from the ground, and immediately stood up rubbing her bottom. “If you are going to be mean Ali again, let me know.” 

“I’m sorry.” Alicent whispered to her as Rhaenyra got out of the carriage, to follow her steps at once, helped down by Ser Criston who didn't look at her, and yet he did look at Rhaenyra with a deeper hatred than before. Had he seen them?

“Dear daughter, wife.” Viserys exclaimed when they arrived to meet him. He embraced them both, and Otto bowed to them. “Are you alright?”

“We have been very worried.” Otto looked harshly at Alicent. She stood next to Viserys, who slipped an arm around her shoulders. Rhaenyra took a step back, feeling her heart shrink. Her fantasy was left behind and they had returned to reality. For while Alicent was being held by her husband, where the fuck was hers?

“We're fine, beyond the scare.” Alicent replied, and then looked at the Princess. “Rhaenyra has kept us safe.”

“Well done, my child.” Viserys congratulated her very proudly, Otto kept smiling, although he did not like his daughter's words of affection.

“The Queen was very brave herself, father.” Rhaenyra looked at Alicent. “She would have moved heaven and earth to find her daughter.” Alicent smiled at Rhaenyra, and her in return. For an instant no one else existed, until Alicent thought properly about Rhaenyra's words.

“Helaena, how is she?” Alicent asked her father directly.

“The Princess is…” Otto could not finish his sentence, for as if they had been summoned, Alicent and Rhaenyra's children came storming out of the castle gates and ran to their mothers. Except Aegon, who was going at his own pace.

“MOTHER YOU ARE ALIVE!” Lucerys was the most scandalous.

“Mother! I was so worried.” Aemond hugged his mother tightly when he reached her. She hugged him back, and kissed his forehead, but had to let him go, because she only had eyes for one person at that moment.

“My darling.” Alicent hugged Helaena who looked a little overwhelmed, luckily it didn't last long. Though then her mother grabbed her face. “Where did you go? Were you hurt?”

“I saw a butterfly that I would have liked to have for my collection, so I went after it.” Helaena said it in a way, which she really believed justified her leaving without saying anything to anyone. “I didn't get hurt, not physically. I was sad when I couldn't catch the butterfly, although I did catch a ladybug. Wasn't she pretty, Luke?”

“The most beautiful.” Luke wanted to help Helaena by corroborating her words to the Queen. Alicent looked at Rhaenyra not knowing what to say to all this.

“We are just glad you are safe.” Rhaenyra stroked Helaena's shoulder affectionately, then turned to her father. “One thing, how could Syrax find me?” Viserys and Otto looked at each other with a guilty look on their faces.

“Oh, Oh, that was Jace!” Luke exclaimed. “Jace saved you.”

“What does he mean?” Rhaenyra tried again to speak to her father, but as he was slow to answer, Aegon took control of the conversation.

“These two morons escaped to the Dragonpit, and Jace freed Syrax.” Aegon replied with a smile as if he had expected the dragoness to have eaten them.

“YOU DID WHAT?” Rhaenyra raised her voice.

“Mother, Syrax knows me, I knew she wouldn't hurt me, I gave her a token from you and ordered her to search for you. And she did.” Jace tried to explain himself so his mother wouldn't be angry. He felt that he had done nothing wrong because everything had gone well.

“Can't anyone control you?” Alicent asked, referring to all the children, for she passed her gaze over all of them, including Aegon.

“I think we're going to have to get down to it ourselves personally from now on... together.” Rhaenyra proposed to Alicent with just a glance, and the Queen smirked in satisfaction.

“I think it's an excellent idea, from now on all activities will be done together, and Rhaenyra and I will supervise you, like hawks.” She put great emphasis on that last word as she looked at her son Aegon.

“What have I done? I didn't even go on the stupid excursion.” Aegon grumbled.

“Don't even get me started.” Alicent pointed her index finger at him in a threatening manner.

“Your Grace, I understand your good intentions. For this purpose there are Maesters and other types of people who serve for the education of your children.” Otto began to say, because he didn't like the idea of his daughter spending so much time with Rhaenyra. He wanted her as much against the Princess as possible if he hoped to put Aegon on the Throne someday. “Your duties as Queen are more important.” Rhaenyra and Alicent looked at each other again.

“And what do you think, Father?” Rhaenyra had used her best asset, her regal father. Both Alicent and she knew that Viserys would be delighted that the family was united, and Otto would have to put up with it.

“I think it's an excellent idea.” Viserys was as proud as if the idea was his own. “I knew this trip would be good for you.”

“You always know what's best, husband.” Alicent helped him a little with his ego, and then turned to the children. “You've heard it, haven't you? From tomorrow, things will be very different.”

“Yes, you have to think that you are going to be raised by both of us together. No more us and them.” Rhaenyra added to Alicent's words. Both now only looked at the children, completely ignoring their parents who were now looking at each other.

“Exactly, a sort of co-parenting.” Alicent smiled happily at Rhaenyra, but turned a serious look at the children. “Now everyone go to your quarters, you shouldn't be up.”

“Come on, you've heard, Mama Alicent.” Rhaenyra said, pushing her children up the stairs. Eventually the adults were left alone again. Though practically the two men had been left speechless. “Do you know what I'm fancying right now? A nice hot bath.”

“Oh, yes, I'm dying for one. I'll have Talia set it up.” Alicent offered Rhaenyra her arm to enter the castle, and they left her parents open-mouthed at the entrance.

“By the Seven Hells, what has happened to them in those Woods?” Otto growled. 

Alicent didn't know how really tired she was until her body touched the mattress of her bed. Only a few seconds passed before she fell asleep. She had probably accumulated tension without knowing it, and even though some of it was gone in the bath, she must have still had a lot of it left to release because as soon as she relaxed the slightest bit, she fell into a deep sleep. But even though she was tired, noises outside her door woke her up. She was startled, and realized that someone was arguing outside. She got up to see what was going on, and as she got closer to the door she could make out that the voices were a woman and a man. One had to be Ser Criston, the knight was always at her door, watching and protecting her. And the other... Rhaenyra? Alicent opened the door a little to observe.

“I have to see the Queen.” Rhaenyra stood with her arms crossed in front of Ser Criston who was blocking the door with his whole body.  So Alicent could only see his back. “Let me through.”

“As I have already told you, I will not disturb Her Majesty at this late hour for someone like you.” Ser Criston kept his left hand on the pommel of his sword and held his helmet with his right. Both things he held tightly, as if he was ready to use them.

“Someone like me.” Rhaenyra repeated his words. “And what could that mean?”

“Someone unworthy.” Ser Criston took a threatening step toward her. “I won't let you ruin her the way you did to yourself.”

“What if it's too late?” Rhaenyra whispered with a mischievous smirk to Ser Criston just to provoke him. She didn't know that he had seen them before in the carriage, so she didn't know how dangerous it was. Nor did she notice that the knight had let go of the pommel of his sword to clench his hand into a fist.

“Ser Criston.” Alicent opened the door all the way, stopping the gentleman in whatever he was about to do. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Princess Rhaenyra will try to disturb you at this inconvenient hour.” Ser Criston tried to put it in the worst way to make Rhaenyra look bad. So the Princess and the Queen shared a glance. “I was trying to explain to her that she shouldn't bother you.” He finished, sounding very proud of his work.

“I needed to see you.” It was the only explanation Rhaenyra gave.

“Ser Criston, would you remind me of Rhaenyra's title?” Alicent tapped her fingers on the door frame patiently, she had a lesson to teach her sworn shield.

“She is the Princess, Your Grace…” Ser Criston answered confusedly, he did not understand what the question was about.

“And heiress to the Throne.” Alicent added, to which Ser Criston nodded. “And where is your respect for a member of the royal house, daughter of your king?” Alicent raised her tone of voice as if she were scolding one of her children. The gentleman cowered.

“I’m sorry, Your Grace.” Ser Criston said with a lowered gaze.

“Not, to me, to her.” Alicent pointed to Rhaenyra. 

“Sorry, Princess.” Ser Criston delivered through clenched teeth.

“All is forgiven.” Rhaenyra was enjoying that scene very much, and the smile she wasn't trying to hide was proof of it.

“From now on you will give me notice, and I will be the one to decide who will or will not enter my chambers. You, come in.” Alicent commanded Rhaenyra, then addressed Ser Criston. “And you're dismissed.”

“But your Grace.” Ser Criston tried to complain but Alicent slammed the door in his face.

“We must see if he really leaves.” Rhaenyra advised him by putting her ear to the door to wait until she heard Ser Criston's heavy boots walking away.

When she was sure there would be no one on the other side of the door she turned around to find Alicent close behind. The Queen placed both hands on either side of Rhaenyra's head, and pressed her body against hers to imprison her against the door. Without waiting a second for her reaction, Alicent launched herself against Rhaenyra's lips to devour them. It had been a few hours since their last kiss, but it had seemed like ages. When she had seen her behind the door her first impulse had been to get Ser Criston out of her way to savor her again, and now that she had her all to herself, she wasn't going to waste a moment.

“Hello…” Rhaenyra was trying to catch her breath after that kiss, and also her composure, for she had been caught quite off guard. Nothing could take away her smile, though.

“Hey…” Alicent smiled with her forehead resting on Rhaenyra's. “Do you want to come in?” Both women laughed as, holding hands, they walked across the room to sit at Alicent's table. “I'm afraid I don't have any wine.”

“Water is fine,” Rhaenyra replied, and Alicent poured them two glasses. In fact, the Princess only needed some liquid to regain the breath that her Queen had taken away from her. “You're getting better at it.”

“Stop it…” Alicent was embarrassed at those words, so she chose to find a topic to talk about. “So are we going to do it? Co-parenting our children.”

“I think it's for the best, our quarrels were beginning to take a toll on them. And if Jace is ever going to succeed me on the Throne, he's going to need your sons by his side.” Rhaenyra was quite sure of it, what she didn't understand was Alicent's reaction. Why did she seem so moved? “Have I said something?”

“All my life... All my life my father has put it in my head that if one day you came to the throne the first thing you would do would be to kill my children.” Alicent told her. She felt like crying, like screaming. How could she have been so blind? Her father had only sown tares inside her. And here was Rhaenyra, wanting her children in the court of her son.

“Your father has always wanted Aegon on the throne.” Rhaenyra was very serious. “But I would never hurt them. Not just because they are my blood, Alicent. But because to hurt them is to hurt you, and I would never be capable of such a thing.”

“I know.” Alicent sobbed, reaching across the table for Rhaenyra's hand.

“Do you!?” Rhaenyra felt quite hurt that, even though they had been separated, Alicent at some point was capable of thinking that she would commit such a terrible act. “And you, would you be able to hurt my children?”

“Of course not.” Alicent was surprised that I asked her that question.

“Even if you knew where they came from?” That question remained in the air because there was a silence afterwards that lasted a few seconds that seemed eternal.

“Rhaenyra, you don't have to do this.” That was all the answer Alicent gave her.

“But I have to, right? You're going to raise them. It's time you knew everything.” Rhaenyra was nervous, she had never uttered these words aloud before because of the implications they carried. But, if they really trusted each other as much as they said they did, she had to. “As you know, I am not happy in my marriage. Leanor doesn't treat me badly, but he doesn't love me, nor do I love him. Not the way two people should love each other.”

“Rhaenyra…” Alicent pronounced her name as a plea.

“And my children... Laenor is not…” Rhaenyra couldn't finish. Alicent had stood up and cut off Rhaenyra's words with a kiss. When she pulled away she caressed her face.

“Laenor is not the best father, but he is his father. He takes care of them, he looks out for them, and most importantly, he loves them. If that's not being their father, what is?” Alicent had to hug Rhaenyra in her lap because she had been so moved, a few tears had escaped her. 

“I love you.” Rhaenyra said when she stopped crying, and looked up to look at Alicent with a smile. 

“I love you too.” The Queen wiped away the Princess's tears, and held her face with her hands. Rhaenyra rose to be at Alicent's level, and the women melted into an embrace for a few minutes. “Well, I'd better get going. The sun will be fully up in no time and our children will be demanding attention.” Rhaenyra kissed Alicent on the cheek and started toward the door.

“Wait, why don't you spend the rest of the time with me? I wouldn't mind continuing to give you kisses until we are needed.” Alicent proposed following in her footsteps.

“Oh, my Queen. If I were to stay with you I would not be satisfied with just kisses.” Rhaenyra teased and grabbed the handle of the door.

“That would be fine with me.” Alicent answered him with cheeks somewhat flushed with embarrassment. Rhaenyra turned to look at her, smirked at her and shook her head.

“That is a dangerous game you want to play.” The Princess warned her. But the Queen, instead of cowering, grew taller, and raised her chin proudly.

“Many years ago my father dragged me into the Game of Thrones as his mere pawn, believing that he could manage me at his whim.” Alicent began to approach Rhaenyra slowly. It had been the Princess herself who had taught him this tactic in the Forest, it was time to put it into practice. When she was barely two steps away, she began to undo the knot of her nightgown to let the fabric fall down her shoulders.

“Alicent.” Rhaenyra whispered with barely another word. She was totally surprised at what her Queen was doing, and at the same time excited by it. When the nightgown finished sliding down her body to fall to the floor, Rhaenyra knew she was lost. She had only ever seen Alicent naked as a young girl, and never with the intention of.... She swallowed saliva as the woman took her hand to bring it to her neck, follow it down her collarbone, and let it rest on one of her breasts.

“Rhaenyra, let us win the game.”