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On a whim, Rhaenyra decided to visit her Father in the middle of the night. She was expecting bewilderment but still a warm acceptance. Father had tried talking to her once, but she was so angry that she couldn't stand looking at him. So she fearlessly barges into his bed chambers despite the protests of the guards stationed outside.
The sight that welcomed her threatened that same anger to flood her again. And she did not hold back.
“How dare you? How Dare You? HOW. DARE. YOU!!!”
She was shouting at this point. And in all fairness, she deserved at least that. Not much time has passed since Mother and her brother burned on the funeral pyre, and these two people couldn't wait to fuck each other for a few more months! They were her father and best friend, for goodness sake! Didn't they hold any amount of respect for her and her dead mother?
They sprang apart from the bed, panicking at her sudden appearance. Both tried to selvage their modesty; she scoffed at the back of her mind. As if they had any shame. So she let all of it out. Screaming and shouting at her best friend turned betrayer. Accusing her of seducing her father and breaking her family.
"I bet you were so happy when my mother died in pain, right? How else could you convince everyone else that you are nothing but a lowly whore, a wench who seduces men older than her for power and money if she was alive? But I would have your head for this disrespect to the Queen!"
Alicent stood there, pale, clutching her robe with shaking hands. Viserys tried stopping her at some point in her tirade when she had given more death threats. However, all the grief she held since her mother's death turned into vengeance toward her father. Was it not enough that he allowed his wife to be murdered in such a gruesome manner? He also had to disrespect her by bringing a whore into his bed so soon after his wife's death?
"And you! I should have realized something must have been going on! I was wrong to assume that you are different than other men. No, all of you are the same. You butchered my mother for a son, and now you have disrespected her so thoroughly by fucking a whore in the same bed you used to sleep with her. Can you not go without fucking someone for some months at least?”
Later, when she calmed down, Rhaenyra realized that her father would have ordered her to be punished for such an insult. As it was, Viserys was more focused on soothing her and trying to send the Hightower whore away quietly. But the damage was done, so many maids and servants have awoken at that point, standing in the corridor leading to the King's chambers, some lords of the court also mixed up. It was a free for all entertainment for most, having been summoned by the Princess' loud voice.
Her father succeeded in sending Rhaenyra away to her bed chambers with the guards stationed outside her door. But he didn't have the same success with his other endeavor because the following day, the entire court was whispering about the daughter of the Hand. It’s not like the matter could be swept under the rug, no matter how much Otto Hightower tried, as the walk of shame occurred in front of many people.
Rhaenyra still raged, cursing her former best friend. Her anger had not diminished in the slightest. She didn’t bother to inform anyone and snuck a ride on Syrax to get her mind off things for a while. The entire week was spent in the same routine. Her father sent many summonses, but she refused to see his face, preferring to spend the entire day on her dragon without pause.
By the sixth day since the incident, Rhaenyra had calmed down a bit, not feeling threatened by the overwhelming urge to cry at any given moment. Hence, she returned to the Red Keep earlier that day to indulge in some sweet food. She gave the order to bring all of the delicacies to one of her mother's favorite gardens. She didn't like going there too much because it wasn't very private, but she hated going to her favorite spot as the traitor's memories tainted it.
Alas, she was not allowed to have her moment of peace, as the aforementioned woman was standing in front of her. That thoroughly ruined her mode, but she still kept some control. After a week, she had no wish to make a spectacle of herself, no matter how much she wanted to tear Alicent apart.
So she remained civil. In an overtly polite but frigid tone, she asked Lady Hightower if there was any reason she was disturbing her. The traitor stammered that she wanted to talk to her privately, but Rhaenyra refused. She had nothing to hide, so why bother? The traitor was starting to become red with anger or shame; the Princess did not care. So she stayed quiet and waited for the girl to say something to defend herself.
She was not disappointed. Alicent Hightower truly outdid her expectations. Instead of apologizing, she stated that she had no other choice. Her father wanted her to do this, but Alicent had no such desire. Rhaenyra scoffed at her, stating that if she wanted to be a whore, she should not pin it on her father. Alicent rebutted that she genuinely had no choice. She had a duty to her father and family. She was to be obedient to her Lord Father, no matter how much she hated it. Women in their world had a duty given to them by the Gods and their families. Rhaenyra shot back at that with a vicious jab.
"Isn't it the Seven that teaches a woman to be pious? To protect her purity and virtue, which shall only be given to their lawful husband after marriage? Yet you fucked my father without any legitimate relationship between you? And so soon after, my mother died. Does that make you pious in the eyes of the Gods or a sinner? Do you expect to not be punished by the same faith and gods you oh so love preaching about for this sin? Stop being a hypocrite!"
How long had they been doing this? Rhaenyra thought her father loved her mother, but now, she doubted that. Maybe all of that was a lie. Aemma Targaryen died horribly, right? By the permission of the King, no less. If she was telling the truth that her father had forced her to do this, wouldn't it make sense that the father and daughter had a hand in the death of the beloved Queen? The Maester was from Old Town, so it might not be that far from reality. Slowly, Rhaenyra was convinced that this pair of wretched snakes had whispered poison in her father's ears. Well, not anymore. She would now be very cautious of them and root them out if her suspicions proved true.
The traitor made a few more attempts at spinning this entire affair as a duty, but Rhaenyra also answered tit for tat. She aired out the same suspicions she was having right now. If Alicent is telling the truth about Otto Hightower making her do this, who knows how long she has been seducing the King? They might have planned to murder her mother at some point. Lady Hightower truly became horrified at this, shouting at the Princess that she had no right to make such vile accusations. She knew nothing of how their world works, surrounding herself with men. Thus she cannot tell such disgusting lies.
It was now that Rhaenyra had lost her temper again. Many ladies and maids had been observing them by this point, but who was he to care? She was a dragon, and this lowly whore insulted her in such a manner. It was Alicent herself who had whored, but was now accusing her of such shameful acts? She would not let such slights against her honor go unpunished.
"I think that I have given you too much freedom in the guise of friendship. But worry not. Today, you will learn what your station is. Guards, grab her."
They immediately obeyed her. They grabbed Lady Hightower and took her to the dungeons, Rhaenyra trailing behind. Alicent shouted, protesting her through treatment by stating that she was a highborn lady and they would not go unpunished if they laid a hand on her. But the Princess was not afraid. If she didn't go overboard, no one would care. The reputation of nobility and highborn ladies was precious currency in the Seven Kingdom. People were already whispering of the loose lady Hightower. She would open her legs to anyone, even if they were old or married. That Alicent Hightower was a whore and seducer who wouldn't care who was fucking her as long as they had money or power. Many men from the court were now claiming to have fucked her. Otto Hightower had taken to clenching his jaw, gnashing his teeth all the time he was in public. People jested, mocking the looseness of his daughter and other times in his reach. He had punished many servants and low-ranking lords by now, but he had no power over members of the court who held more power. Rhaenyra would know. Her uncle's spies have constantly been giving her the word about the going on in the Red Keep.
So by now, if Rhaenyra did something to Alicent, people would delight in her misery instead of condemning the Princess. Indeed, Alicent should be thankful to her at this point for such an insult; Rhaenyra ought to have her whipped. But she didn’t have anything horrific to punish Lady Hightower with. A few slaps to her face, a few threats, and she would let her go.
And that was exactly what happened. After the guards were done with her, the Princess scanned her critically. Her cheeks were bruised, and hair was coming undone from the braids, but other than that, she was harmed.
She stepped up to her and whispered in her ear. "Take this as a warning, my friend. Next time you appear near me or the King, I will truly make a whore out of you. I will send you to the city's filthiest, most despicable brothel, where you can fuck men to all your heart’s content. And don't try being smart with me and begging the King because if you do, I will have you killed on the spot."
Humiliated, Lady Hightower seemed cowed at her threats. Rhaenyra was aware that she would not let this go, having seduced her father for who knows how long. If there was any opening, she would take it. Which woman would let go of the idea of being a queen after having come so close to their dream? So Rhaenyra went to her father. The King was visibly relieved upon seeing her, which made this easy for the Princess. She steamrolled all of his attempts at defending his actions and told him quite clearly that if he didn't send Alicent Hightower away, she would flee to her uncle or towards Driftmark with Rheanys. Or she would just go to Essos if that was not enough. He sputtered at her demands, but Rhaenyra refused to be swayed. It was either her or Alicent; he had to decide right now.
Against that, the King had no defense. And so it was a few days later that Lady Alicent Hightower was sent back to her maternal home at the order of the King. Her reputation was ruined beyond tatters; she had no hope of securing any suitable match. Rhaenyra would have liked to rip her apart and feed her to Syrax, but she supposed this was enough. Reputation mattered in the Seven Kingdoms. A lady with a ruined reputation had nothing to look forward to, especially if they were as pious as Alicent claimed. Her life from now on would be nothing but a long-suffering punishment, and Rhaenyra was content with that.