"Ser, do you have anyone you can trust completely?"
An idea came to Rhaegar, and he decided to bring someone in on it.
Illyric answered without hesitation. "My brother Arryk. We trust each other."
"Bring him along. We need his help."
"Prince, he's serving as Prince Aegon's guard right now. If the Queen finds out..."
"Then be careful. Don't let her find out."
There was no time to waste with the situation so urgent.
"Ser, take me to Rhaenyra's room. Then go find Arryk."
"Yes, Prince."
Though he had no idea what Rhaegar was up to, Illyric chose to support him.
Cole was on watch outside Rhaenyra's room.
Seeing Illyric approaching with Rhaegar on his back, Cole asked in confusion, "Your Highness, why have you come here in the middle of the night?"
"I had a nightmare and wanted to talk to my sister."
Rhaegar pretended to look shaken, making up a story.
Cole hesitated. "The Princess has just gone to bed. I'm afraid..."
"Ser Cole, Rhaenyra is my sister. She'll want to see me."
Rhaegar's tone abruptly hardened, catching Cole off guard.
"Open the door. Let me in."
He wasn't speaking to Cole, but to Illyric beneath him.
Illyric stepped forward and opened the door. Cole tried to stop him, but Illyric shoved him aside.
Rhaegar's status spoke for itself.
If he insisted on seeing Rhaenyra, Cole couldn't stop him.
The moment they stepped inside, before Cole could get a proper look, the door slammed shut.
Illyric carried Rhaegar to the empty bed and gently set him down.
As he passed the table, he picked up an empty bundle and a sheet of paper with a map drawn on it.
Rhaegar looked around carefully. He glanced at the formal gown strewn carelessly across the carpet and confirmed that Rhaenyra really had snuck out.
Handing the paper to Illyric, Rhaegar instructed him, "Follow the plan I gave you. If you find Rhaenyra, come back through this Secret Passage."
"Following the plan could have a serious impact, couldn't it?"
After hearing the plan Rhaegar had laid out on the way, Illyric was somewhat uncertain.
"Ser, my sister is the heir to the Iron Throne. To protect her reputation, a little damage is nothing to worry about."
Rhaegar placed one hand against his chest and said solemnly, "As I said, whatever the consequences, I'll take full responsibility."
Remembering his chance encounter with the White Hart, Illyric's gaze gradually firmed. "I promise I'll bring the Princess back safely!"
Under Rhaegar's watchful gaze, Illyric turned and left the room.
Before closing the door, he blocked Cole's view and stressed, "Don't disturb the Prince and Princess during their late-night talk. Stay at your post."
As a newly appointed White Knight, Cole respected Illyric. He nodded to show he understood.
Illyric strode away.
Silk Street.
Rhaenyra ran through the crowds under the cover of night, savoring a rare moment of peace.
Now and then, she knocked over some unlucky vendor's goods and laughed as if she were playing a game.
Daemon stayed close behind her, dealing with the fools who gave chase.
Bang—
Rhaenyra dashed into a dark alley and collided head-on with a Gold Cloak, not watching where she was going.
The Gold Cloak grabbed her by the forearm and said sternly, "What did you do that you're in such a hurry to run away?"
Seeing the Gold Cloak's face through his helmet, Rhaenyra called out his name.
"Ser Harwin!"
"Princess?"
Harwin Strong was startled, but discreetly glanced toward the mouth of the alley.
Daemon was approaching from there.
Rhaenyra spotted her uncle too and pleaded with Harwin, "Please don't."
Harwin thought for a moment and guessed that the uncle and niece had sneaked out to have some fun.
He released Rhaenyra's hand and pretended not to recognize her. "Watch yourself, boy. You might not be so lucky next time."
With that, he continued his patrol as if nothing had happened, passing Daemon as they met.
Daemon smiled knowingly. He didn't give a little Gold Cloak a second thought.
Before he'd been dismissed from his post as Commander of the City Watch, every Gold Cloak had been his subordinate, loyal to a fault.
"Running around and making a scene—you're enjoying yourself?"
Their game of chase was over, and Daemon walked alongside Rhaenyra.
"Who knows when I'll get to taste freedom again?"
Rhaenyra panted softly. Clearly, the reckless outing had eased her stress.
The uncle and niece chatted as they walked.
Before long, Rhaenyra sensed something was off.
The street vendors and performers had dwindled, replaced by the languid sounds of men and women making love.
Daemon had led her into a stone building she'd never visited before, and those arousing sounds came from inside.
As soon as they stepped through the entrance, a stench of liquor and debauchery washed over them.
Men drank and caroused, their language vile.
Scantily clad women wandered freely through the hall.
They threaded among the men, letting one pair of hands after another touch them while men ogled them, laughing seductively.
Rhaenyra was stunned. She let Daemon lead her farther inside, staring around at the debauchery in the hall.
She had never seen anything like it in her life.
"What is this place?"
Rhaenyra warily surveyed her surroundings.
Daemon's voice was flat. "A place where people come to satisfy their needs."
"Have you lost your mind? How dare you bring me here?"
Rhaenyra's face stiffened. The shocking scene unnerved her, and she instinctively recoiled.
She looked at her uncle and his eyes, brimming with desire.
Her heart lurched, and a bad feeling came over her.
Rhaenyra's expression shifted. She stole a glance back at the entrance.
If she ran now, she might still make it.
Meanwhile, in a corner by the brothel wall.
Two black-cloaked men with identical faces stood side by side, watching Daemon lead Rhaenyra into the brothel.
"Go on. I'll take care of things here."
One of the black-cloaked men spoke first. Beneath his hood was a stern face.
"Remember what I said. The bigger the commotion, the better. This concerns the Princess's reputation, so we can't afford to be careless."
The face beneath the other hood was exactly the same. It was Illyric, who had rushed here at once.
"Don't worry. I won't let the Prince down."
Arryk clapped his brother on the shoulder, then took a torch and set fire to a nearby pile of dry grass.
The grass caught at once, and thick smoke surged with the flames.
Illyric said no more. He pulled up his hood and headed for the brothel's entrance.
Arryk moved quickly, climbing over the wall into the brothel's kitchen and stables to set more fires.
The brothers split up and worked together with perfect coordination.
Inside the brothel's hall, Illyric said nothing. He avoided the women gathered around him and headed straight for a private room.
He lifted a gauzy curtain that did nothing to conceal what lay beyond and immediately spotted his target for the night.
Daemon had Rhaenyra backed into a corner, looking over his prey with a predatory gaze.
Rhaenyra pushed at him, her face filled with fear.
Illyric arrived just in time. He rushed forward, grabbed Daemon by the shoulder and yanked him around, then drove a hard left hook into his face.
"Ugh..."
The sudden attack left Daemon no chance to fight back. He hit the floor with a thud, stars flashing in his eyes.
It had happened so fast that Rhaenyra didn't realize she'd escaped his grasp until she heard Daemon cry out.
"Princess, please come with me at once."
Illyric picked up the black cloak Daemon had taken off and tossed it to Rhaenyra, then dragged her away without waiting for an answer.
As they left, Illyric glanced at Daemon with contempt.
Then he kicked him between the legs.
With a thump, Daemon let out a piercing scream and clutched his crotch with both hands, doubled over like a shrimp.
Tomorrow, I'll be posting an extra-long update ahead of schedule. I hope you'll show your support!
Thanks to Yingyu Feifei for the 1,500 site coins.
Thanks to Dragon Emperor Nidhogg for the 500 site coins.
Thanks to Balgruuf and Shisanku for donating 100 site coins each.
Before you continue