TWENTY-EIGHT —— FALLING FEELS LIKE FLYING UNTIL THE BONE CRUSH

109 AC, KING'S LANDING.

Morrigan is on her way to the Godswood, trying not to rub her temple, trying not to look as exhausted as she feels. She's never had so many issues with when she'd carried Deran— she'd felt like throwing up nearly all the time, yes, but it'd never been like this. Now, she feels like something has shifted in her body and nothing quite fits anymore. Like it might just fall apart at the slightest wind. Like the slightest resistance might make it all crumble— a swaying ship, a flying dragon is all it takes for her to be nearly crippled with nausea. She feels like her brain is boiling in the straight sun. She just genuinely hopes that like with her issues with Deran's pregnancy, these will fade the further she gets into it all.

She'd even relented and seen Grand Maester Mellos with Rodrik earlier this morning— barely past dawn— while Deran had still been asleep. Against her better judgment, she relented to admit her symptoms to him, to divulge a suspicion she'd already known he would easily confirm during her visit. She'd hated herself for the weakness, had felt every nerve in her body fighting the mere presence of being in his chambers, but at the end of it all— she'd hoped he would have some suggestions that might relieve her of her pains.

So far, Mellos had not given her anything, had placated her with the same words she'd been placating Rodrik for days now. It might just as likely pass once she'd settled into her pregnancy.

Morrigan had to curl her fingertips into fists to keep herself from strangling Mellos at the tone and thought she could understand Rodrik a little more for his frustration with her antics, as he'd liked to point out.

Now, Morrigan is making her way inside the Godswood, trying to ignore the familiarity of the scenery, the memories boiling up in her mind— she'd spend so many hours in this place once, it'd felt like a small sanctuary in the Red Keep to her— now, it's just another place with history.

She takes in a deep breath as she spots Alicent, making her way over to the Queen.

There's something in her posture, in her expression that immediately sets Morrigan on edge— a sense of uneasiness and looming threat she tries her best to ignore as she comes to a stop.

"What's wrong?" Morrigan asks softly, a frown pulling her eyebrows together in worry as she takes Alicent's face in a little more— something torn between worry and anger and desperation. Something like dread and something like contempt and something like all-encompassing worry beneath it all. She's never seen her friend look like this and it's that knowledge more than anything that makes her instincts scream. "What happened?"

Alicent takes in an unsteady breath. "I do not know yet," she admits quietly and Morrigan's frown deepens as Alicent reaches out to clutch at her hands. "But— please stay. I fear without you, it would only end in a fight." Her eyes are wide— almost like prey backed into a corner and, like a wolf scenting blood of its own, the ugly thing in Morrigan rouses a little. "I fear I cannot do this without you." Alicent whispers. "Not the way I hope it to go."

Morrigan stares at her. "Alicent, what happened?" She asks quietly, taking her friend's hands in her own. "You're starting to scare me."

"I—" Alicent breaks off as her eyes catch on something behind Morrigan. She releases her grip on the other woman, straightening a little and when Morrigan turns to see what caught her attention, she finds Rhaenyra making their way over to them.

As soon as Rhaenyra is close enough, Alicent fixes her with a look. "What happened last night?"

Morrigan frowns, still painfully aware she misses some sort of vital information that both of her friends are privy to.

Rhaenyra stops in her tracks. "What do you mean?"

"My father has made some worrying allegations about you. Were you with your uncle?"

Morrigan forces herself to not react to the mention of Daemon, keeping her expression the same and her shoulders from tensing up as she glances from Rhaenyra to Alicent and back to Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra gives her a smile Morrigan knows is just for show and not because she means it. "Oh, I— I haven't seen him in years. He took me into the city for some fun."

Morrigan's frown deepens as she thinks back to the conversation she'd had with Daemon yesterday. I'm obliged elsewhere tonight.

Before she can think more of it, Alicent takes a few steps towards the princess. "Tell me the whole of it, Rhaenyra."

Rhaenyra's eyebrows draw up— just a little. "Your father accused me of something. That I drank wine? Left the castle after dark?"

"That you fսckеd Daemon in a pleasure house."

Morrigan stares at Alicent and for a moment, she feels like she cannot move. Feels like the world has turned to ice and gone still. For a moment, she feels like something inside her is dying, mind tumbling over itself.

Rhaenyra recoils a little. "This is a vile accusation." She huffs quietly.

Morrigan can barely hear her over the screaming in her head.

"Is it?" Alicent replies. "You Targaryens do have queer customs. And Daemon certainly knows no limit."

Morrigan wants to scream.

The seams of her very being feel like they fall apart and, as if she has no control of herself, as if she cannot stop herself, her eyes move to Rhaenyra as the princess closes the distance between herself and the queen. "Alicent— Your Grace— sister, you must know I would— I would never. You cannot believe such gossip."

"My father is no gossip."

"Well, certainly he's been misled. He could not have witnessed such a thing."

"Why not?"

"Because it did not happen."

"He was told that you—"

"Told?" Rhaenyra leans back a little, something in her expression shifting. "Who made these claims to your father?" When Alicent doesn't answer Rhaenyra lets out a quiet scoff, moving past her and closer to Morrigan. "I am the Princess. To question my virtue is an act of treason." She turns back to Alicent.

Alicent looks almost defeated for a moment as she turns to look at Rhaenyra. "" I do not know specifically—"

"Your father did not tell you? He reported it to the King. I overheard."

There's a long moment of silence in the Godswood. "So you are accusing me of slanders... you overheard?"

Alicent walks over to Rhaenyra, a tone of desperation in her voice. "I only want to help you, Rhaenyra."

Rhaenyra's shoulders sink a little, almost as if in surrender. "Okay," she lets out a sigh under her breath. "We— we drank in a tavern. Several— taverns. It was getting late and I asked to go home. But Daemon wished to continue. As he was my escort, I had no real choice."

"Continue," Alicent echoes, looking down for a moment before she looks back at Rhaenyra. "In a brоthеl?"

"He took me to a show. I...," she trails off and Alicent huffs for a moment, turning to Morrigan as if for guidance, for advice. Morrigan has none to give. "I was only a spectator. I didn't do anything." Rhaenyra continues, voice rising a little. She pauses for a moment. "And then Daemon sank into his cups and— abandoned me for some whοre."

Something in Morrigan has withered and rotten away, leaving only an ugly, blackened gaping thing in her chest as Rhaenyra falls silent, shaking her head a little. "I should've known better."

Almost as if unable to bear the sight, Alicent doesn't look at Rhaenyra as she asks, "So you did not?"

"Must I truly refute that?" Rhaenyra whispers.

"Yes." Morrigan chokes out for a moment, before she can stop herself— even if she knows better.

Rhaenyra looks between them. "Daemon never touched me. I swear this to you two upon the memory of my mother."

Alicent stares at Rhaenyra for a moment, before she nods, eyes anguished. "It was foolish of you to place yourself in a position where your virtue could even come into question." As she speaks, she begins to ground herself, her voice becoming steadier. "The King has strived to find you a good match— and so have I. If that lord were to think that you had been— sullied," the word catches in her throat, "It would ruin everything."

"I know," Rhaenyra whispers, looking down for a moment, before she adds, "Your Grace. I regret it."

After a long moment, Alicent lets out a breath, nodding at Rhaenyra before looking away and Morrigan can see in her eyes that she's achieved what she'd hoped to— had desperately needed to when she'd called Rhaenyra to the Godswood, Morrigan thinks. Between her father and Rhaenyra, Alicent believes Rhaenyra's retelling and Morrigan knows without even looking at her that there's a sense of all-encompassing relief at the retelling spreading through Alicent's chest.

In all the long years she'd known the two, feeling like a lifetime, really, to her, Morrigan had never thought she knew Rhaenyra better than Alicent. Not really, anyways.

But she knows at this very moment, she'd been wrong. As plain as day, she'd seen it on the princess's face when she'd recounted last night in defense of herself— Rhaenyra had been lying.

And just like that— the wind had blown. Inside her chest, she can feel it all falling apart.

AUTHOR'S NOTE,
not me updating these two chapters within less thant 24 hours after a straight week of nothing. we're in it now and we're gonna go through it like the champs we are!!!

*laughs through the pain* ep 4 huh?? 🥲 just one more chapter (i'm NOT ready to write that one) and then we're done with the episode and officially in the ~final stretch~ of stormbringer / book 1! only took almost 30 chapters oops—