Familiarity ||| Jacaerys Velaryon

eighteen

Alyssa left Winterfell single and contented. She'd been fulfilled in... other ways. And she still had that crown from the tourney. A parting gift.

She accepted her fate, really. If she truly was destined to be married off to a troll and subjected to the worst bedding of her life. At least she'd been able to enjoy what the Lord of Winterfell had to offer.

And having taken notes from the last time Alyssa returned, when she landed Cannibal on the Dragonmont Daemon was waiting.

With a smile, Alyssa threw her leg over the saddle and climbed down, satchel with her things over her shoulder.

"Father," Alyssa breathed, sighing happily when she was in his embrace. Once more she'd been away from him for a number of weeks. Flying across the realm to reject every suitor placed in front of her.

"Little dragon," Daemon said fondly. There was a reason he'd agreed to the betrothal so quickly apart from every advantage. He couldn't stand his daughter being far from home. "Was it as dreadful as you imagined?"

"Particularly in Storm's End and White Harbour if you can imagine it," Alyssa replied, pulling away to smile at her father. "Though Lady Jeyne was quite lovely. And Winterfell was a terrific last stop."

Daemon raised a brow. "And why is that?"

With a little mischievous smile, Alyssa reached into her satchel. "Because Lord Cregan held a tourney while I was there. He won it, of course. And..." Alyssa delicately pulled the crown of roses out of her bag. "...he named me the Queen of Love and Beauty. Now I am double royalty."

She was extremely proud of herself. For many reasons. Daemon shook his head and grabbed the crown, turning it over in his hands. "Careful," he said, handing it back to her. "Your head might outgrow it."

Alyssa opened her mouth in offence and lightly punched her father's arm. "Hey! You should be happy. You can call your daughter a Queen and it technically won't be incorrect."

He hummed and wrapped his arm around Alyssa's shoulders, leading her back to the castle.

***

After reuniting with the members of her family, and sharing a particularly long hug with Jace, Alyssa recounted her tour for them all in great detail.

Many laughs as Alyssa remembered the men who placed themselves before her. Stories of things they said, laughing about the men who thought they had the right to ask Alyssa if she was still a maiden.

"Winterfell was lovely, however. Lord Cregan was quite... welcoming. And a formidable fighter."

Welcoming was the word she decided to use. Instead of explaining that Lord Cregan fucked her until she couldn't think.

After all, it wasn't like she wanted to marry him and discard all of her father's plans. Lord Cregan was nice, he was attractive and honourable and formidable. But he wasn't truly a husband Alyssa wanted.

He already had an heir, anyway. Had already had a wife. Alyssa had no care to take over a dead woman's role. It had been a one-time thing, truly.

"Of course," Daemon said, raising his cup of wine. "My daughter Alyssa, Queen of Love and Beauty."

Queen Alyssa had a nice ring to it.