— The next day —
In one of the Red Keep's entrances, Otto Hightower was preparing to leave King's Landing after being removed from his post as the Hand of the King and ordered to leave the city.
"A moment," Alicent called out, spotting her father about to depart.
She looked at him with the sad eyes of a puppy, while Otto studied her silently for a moment as he pulled on his leather gloves. She spoke first: "I do not wish to see you go."
After slipping them on, he sighed and addressed his daughter. "Such is the King's decision."
"A decision I most bitterly regret," Alicent spat, rejecting Viserys' choice to send her father away.
"And yet, you made it possible." Otto stepped closer, scrutinizing her face. "You chose Rhaenyra."
"It's not like that—I tried to help her, but... His Grace had already made his decision. My words carried no weight in this."
"You must believe me, Father."
"It does not matter." His jaw clenched briefly before he composed himself. "You wanted to ease her burden, and the King seemed determined to bury this matter and protect her."
"You were wrong to involve yourself in the first place!" Alicent shot back, voice edging toward hysteria. "Now look what's happened to you!"
"An honest mistake, perhaps, but I did not foresee this." Otto sighed, rueful over his failed maneuver against Rhaenyra. He turned to leave, resigned to his exile.
"You should have!" Alicent yelled. "If you hadn't been so relentless in pushing Aegon as heir!"
Otto froze at her words, pivoting back to stand unnervingly close. "Listen to me, daughter," he murmured, low and deadly serious. "The King will die. Months, years—he won't live to be an old man. And if Rhaenyra succeeds him, war will follow. Do you understand?"
"The realm will not accept her. To secure her claim, she'll have no choice but to put your children to the sword."
Alicent stood petrified, crumbling at the thought of her closest friend slaughtering her sons. Soft sobs escaped her.
"You know it." Otto pressed, willing her to face the truth she refused to see. "You're no fool, and yet you choose blindness. The time is coming, Alicent."
"Either you prepare Aegon to rule, or you bind in uncertainty yourself to Rhaenyra and beg for her mercy."
Tears streamed down her face. Otto exhaled, pulled her into his chest, and held her as she broke.
.....
After seeing her father leave with a heavy heart, Alicent ran away to the only place in the Red Keep where she could feel secure and calm: the little garden where she and Rhaenyra had passed so much time beside the weirwood tree. She tried to calm the runaway emotions and turmoil inside her as her father's words repeated constantly in her mind, assaulting her, making her doubt more and more her choices... her feeble and already weak friendship with the woman she'd grown up with and considered a sister—Rhaenyra. She doubted the uncertain future and what would become of it... her growing fear for her children and the inevitable turmoil around the crown...
As she lost herself in her thoughts, a man's voice broke the peaceful silence surrounding Alicent.
"An outsider..." a man spoke, making his presence known. "Among the natives."
Alicent turned at the unexpected guest disturbing her peace. "Lord Larys," she called out with a small smile—one of courtesy, after recognizing the man.
Larys Strong looked at Alicent, then nodded, pointing to the flowers beside him as he steadied himself with his baton, his weak and limp leg—defective from birth—supporting him poorly. "Malvales. A rare bloom," he introduced to Alicent. "Indigenous to Braavos. By all rights, it shouldn't be thriving here." He continued, curiosity and intrigue lacing his tone. "Nature... such mystery."
Alicent, not wanting to discuss useless things at that moment with a man she knew little of, prepared to leave, her words making it clear she had no intention of continuing the conversation or entertaining his remarks. "The weather has been lovely."
"Indeed," Larys Strong replied quickly, watching her go. He limped closer as she moved away. "And yet, it is a dark day for the realm. Your father was a good man."
His words made Alicent stop in her tracks. She hesitated before replying. "As is yours, who took his place."
Larys smiled inwardly at catching her attention. "Yet still, the manner of your father's departure... it feels something of an injustice."
"What do you know of the matter of his leaving?" Alicent's smile was laced with disdain.
"When one is never invited to speak, one learns instead to... observe," Larys replied, unfazed by her expression. "You're perhaps in need of an ally?"
"I'm the Queen," Alicent said, her face amused. "I have no shortage of allies."
"Naturally." Larys nodded, his tone ridiculous. "Princess Rhaenyra, for example."
Alicent's smile vanished, her expression turning stoic. "State your purpose, my lord."
"Uh... I did wonder if she could be relied upon now that she would need to take care of her matters more than ever..."
"Her matters? What matters press her? I haven't heard anything." Alicent feigned ignorance of his meaning.
"Begging your pardon, Your Grace, I may be mistaken," Larys said, his tone hesitant. "It's just that on the very same night your father was dismissed, the Grand Maester delivered a specific healthy soup to the Princess's chambers."
"A soup?"
"Yes." Larys nodded. "One that is... well... to ensure that nature takes its course, as it does with the Malvales." He glanced at her belly, leaving the rest unsaid.
"That the Grand Maester himself brought?" Alicent grew thoughtful. So this is Viserys' answer to the matter, as she thought and her father said... He isn't going to blame Rhaenyra somehow...and even wants this potential child from their mishap to be born....
"At the direction of the King, as I understand it. I do hope she's going to have a healthy and easy next year of taking care of herself." Larys suggested, a hint of irony in his voice. "Perhaps a new boy's laughter will soon resound in this castle."
"A new prince for the realm. What a joy."
"I don't know your meaning of why you are saying this, Lord Larys. But be careful with what you speak. Rhaenyra sailed with the King to Driftmark," Alicent composed herself, her gaze neutral and cool. "Yesterday at daybreak."
"Oh, what good news. His Grace must be happy, then. I must've been in error with my wrongful thoughts." Larys exhaled softly, a smile of irony playing on his lips. "Oh, a relief. See, I thought for Grand Maester Mellos himself to act in her well-being... well... her condition must have been something...A very serious and concerning matter of attention for Your Grace, that it would be able to take your sleep away."
"What happiness it is to have been wrong."
Alicent gave him one final look before leaving without another word.