Ready For It ✸ House of the Dragon ✓

[ 005 ] eldest son against eldest son

Even when he acted so cold she continued to be nice to him. 

But who knows how long that'll last? 

She was the first to pull away from his gaze and return to the scene

"They'll certainly form a lifelong bond, wouldn't you agree Alyssa?" Viserys brought her back to reality. 

"Of course, grandfather." Alyssa formed a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. She knew that her brothers and uncles had their moments.

"That is the hope, Your Grace." Lyonel nodded. 

Jace had stuck his sword into a training dummy until Aemond showed up and came to knock his sword down with his own. 

Aemond resisted smirking at the angry look on Jace's face and peered up once again at Alyssa as if he was seeking some positive reaction but instead received an unimpressed look. 

The sound of Aegon's grunts made Alyssa turn in his direction to see her older Uncle furiously attacking the training dummy. 

"What an idiot," muttered Alyssa.

The King didn't hear but the Hand did. 

He gave a little smile at the young Princess making her respond with a small laugh. 

A smile appeared on Aegon's face and it made Alyssa shiver in disgust at how he was looking at the two maids passing by. They weren't smiling but picking up their pace and avoiding eye contact. 

"Dear niece I've seen you've come to watch." he always seems to stare at her weirdly, hungrily. 

Of course, Rhaenyra was quick to pick it up and seem to coddle her daughter more to her side. The last thing she wanted was for her daughter to marry a cunt like him.

Alyssa leaned back against Viserys and resisted sneering at him or saying anything. 

"Aegon." Ser Criston called sharply. 

Aegon turned to him distastefully, "I've won my first bout, Ser Criston. My opponent sues for Mercy," 

"You'll have a new opponent then, My lord of the Straw. Let's see if you can touch me," Ser Criston walked over to the weapons. "You and your brother."

"For once maybe I'd like Ser Crispen to win." Alyssa sets down her book. 

Lyonel looked ready to open his mouth at the Princess' words but was silenced by Viserys with the wave of his hand. 

Aemond and Aegon failed in their duel with Ser Criston Cole. She watched Ser Harwin and raised a brow and smirked. 

"Ouch..." Alyssa winced when Aemond fell to the ground. She would've laughed if her grandsire wasn't present. 

The sound of laughter from a distance made Aemond turn his head around and see Alyssa laughing. He got up despite the pain and glared at her. 

"Nicely done Uncle. Not so cocky now are you?" 

"Shut up Princess," he uttered but he didn't mean it. The embarrassment ran deep for him to care about her remarks. 

Harwin frowned at the exchange and looked at the two boys in front of him, "Weapons up, boys. Give your enemies no quarter." 

Ser Criston looked at him coldly.

"It seems the younger boys could do better with a bit of your attention, Ser Criston," Harwin suggested while walking around the training grounds. 

Ser Criston's jaw clenched, "You question my method f instruction, ser?"

"Is he jesting? He is the worst trainer I've seen." Alyssa spoke earning some snickers from some of the other knights that were also training.