"Lizzie!" Tommy shouted.
"I dont like this." Aislynn murmured
"Hello, Lizzie?" Tommy said stopping the carriage beside her. "That bag looks heavy. Jump in!"
"It is." Lizzie agreed.
"Hi, I'm Aislynn, This is my nephew Aemond and this is Larys." She introduced. Lizzie smiled back at them. "You like kids?"
"Yeah." Lizzie agreed, Aemond smiled back at her, but Aemond smiled at everyone.
"Good, because John's got four of them." Aislynn reminded her.
"It's all right, I'm not going to try to talk you out of it. I just want to talk." Tommy added. Larys looked between them silently. Old town wasnt so far away but it was- at the least the Hightower siblings were very different from other families in power. Larys loved it.
"Then you're against us?" Lizzie questioned.
"John is his own man. And you're your own woman." Aislynn assured as she danced Aemond's little legs on her lap.
"Now, Lizzie, since I came back from Dorne, I've come to you on many occasions." Tommy remarked and Aislynn scrunched her face up.
"You are too pretty for whores." Aislynn assured him.
"Tommy, you didn't tell him?" Lizzie questioned nervously, she clutched her bag closer to her.
"No, I didn't tell him. Just like you didn't tell him." Tommy assured. "Now, why didn't you tell him, Lizzie? Why didn't you tell him that you've been serving his brother for the past two years?"
"Because the past is the past. I don't want to lose him. He's a good man." Lizzie told them.
"That was the answer I was hoping you'd give. The past is the past." Aislynn agreed. "Everyone gets a second chance."
"You see, our john says you've changed. And I believe him, and that's good." Tommy agreed. "Change is good. These are new times I'm told. So I wish you both every happiness. And I want you to see that as my wedding gift to you and our farewell to pleasures gone by."
"You mean... One last time?" Lizzie questioned glancing to Aislynn and Larys.
"One last time." Tommy agreed and Aislynn knew it was a test. "You and me. It's eight bloody pounds. So where should we go? After I drop them back off that is." Tommy remarked nodding to Aislynn as he handed off the coin.
"Tommy, should we go to my lodging?" Lizzie offered.
"So the past is not the past." Tommy mused and Lizzie tensed. "You can keep the money, Lizzie, just get out of the carriage."
"Tommy, please!" Lizzie begged as he pulled the horses to a stop. Aemond babbled out.
" Just get out."
"I love him, Tommy, really. Really." Lizzie whimpered.
"John will make his own decision. But he will have the facts." Aislynn added.
"Your brother is ten times the man you are." Lizzie shouted at Tommy.
"Of that I have no doubt." Tommy agreed as he slapped the reigns.
+
"I want to borrow the carriage. I want to take Lizzie for a ride in the country with the kids. I'm going to celebrate getting the license." John remarked. Aislynn looked to her father as he held Aemond to him.
"Not a problem, john." Tommy assured. "But... Look, john, you're my brother. There's something I have to tell you." John nodded sitting beside Alicent. "Yesterday, in the front seat of that carriage, I offered Lizzie some money..." John stared back at Tommy. "And, john, she said yes. Now that's a fact. You do with it what you want."
John blinked back at him as Aislynn leaned into Criston slightly on the couch, it felt so normal having him here, as though they were part of this family. Aislyn hated to admit it but she hadnt thought about Harwin once. It was a blessing and an annoyance.
"You can take the carriage, take Lizzie to the country. Marry her, if you want. But you have to know... She said yes."
"She did." Aislynn confirmed. "I'm sorry John."
+
"Bloody hell, john." Aislynn muttered.
"I couldn't get it lit. Couldn't even do that." John hissed.
"What do you want to be smoking that for?" Tommy countered.
"Same reason as you. Pain in the head." John offered.
"What is that?" Larys questioned.
"My brothers make em." Aislynn remarked. "I havent done it since my last visit here but they like it. I could get you one." Aislynn snapped her fingers and John held his joint out. She put it over the candle sucking in a breath as it lite, Criston watched the smoke as she blow it out in rings over her head.
"I spoke to Lizzie. Told her what you told me. She said, Your brother Tommy is a dirty liar. And then I spoke to her sister and her cousin. I bought them a couple of drinks." John remarked through gritted teeth.
"Take a breath, hold it and then let it out." Aislynn instructed. Larys did as she did as she brought it to his lips. Criston watched her intently. Larys choked on the first breath which made Aislynn chuckle. "Happens to everyone at first." Aislynn assured.
"Just a few regulars, they said. That's all. To keep the wolf from the door she still sees a couple of regulars. You must think I'm an idiot!" John shouted and Aislynn looked to him.
"I think you're the first Hightower in history to have a legal license for anything besides myself." Otto corrected.
"What would our grandad say, eh? He'd be turning in his grave." John shouted out. "Honest bloody money!" he groaned running his hands over his face as Alicent ran a hand over his back.
"Come on, go to bed. Get some sleep." Alicent suggested.
"I got the kids tonight." Aislynn assured.
"We've got a big day tomorrow." Otto declared.
"We have?" John countered.
"Tomorrow, we finish the war with the Lees for once and for all." Tommy agreed.
"Since when?" John countered
"Since just now." Otto agreed.
"Ten o'clock, tomorrow. Be ready for anything." Tommy agreed.
"He's gonna be pissed." Aislynn murmured once he was gone.
+
"Eh, ready?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." John agreed.
"Have a drink." Aislynn suggested.
"What? What are you all staring at me for? What?" John spat as Aislynn fixed his shirt.
"Good. Let's go." Aislynn declared.
"What? Tommy, what are you playing at?" John spat. "Why do you look so pretty for war?" John added looking Aislynn over.
"Thank you, its new." Aislynn agreed running her hands over the bodice of the dress.
"It takes if looks could kill to a new level." Criston added smiling back at her and Aislynn couldnt hide her blush.
"John, before you go into battle, there's something you're going to need." Tommy added.
"What are you bloody doing, Tommy?"
"Smile, john. It's a wedding." Aislynn declared.
"Whose bloody wedding?" John countered as Aislynn forced the ale to his lips.
"Now, if we told you, you wouldn't have come." Arthur remarked with a laugh and John paled trying to push back but Criston and Otto held him put.
"There's a girl in the Lee family who's gone a bit wild and she needs marrying off." Tommy remarked.
"Ah, fuck!" John shouted struggling.
"John, boy!" Otto begged. "John!"
"You have no bloody right!" John shouted.
"Shh. Shh. Listen to me! Listen to me! A girl who needs a husband, a man who needs a wife isnt that what every man ever says... you will be a wonderful husband to her." Aislynn reminded him putting her hands on his face trying to calm him down.
"Amorett, I'm not bloody marrying some fucking mushroom picker." John whined.
"Shh, john sweetie. Come on, listen. Father already betrothed you. So if you back out now, there's going to be one fucking mighty war breaking out here that's going to make the dornish marches look like a fucking tea party." Aislynn remarked.
"But if you marry her, our family and the Lee family will be united forever and this war will be over." Otto added.
"Now, it's up to you, john. war or peace?" Tommy agreed.
"Let go of me!" John hissed glaring back at Criston.
"Right... You should see the size of her dowry." Aislynn offered as she turned around.
"Her what?" John questioned as she stopped fighting.
"Her dad's giving you a carriage and a stallion." Aislynn remarked innocently.
"Fix me up." John agreed as Aislynn fixed his shirt and hair as he took another shot.
"Perfect." Aislynn assured.
"She'd better be under 50." John griped.
"Go on." Otto encouraged and Criston offered his arm to Aislynn as he led her to her seat beside Alicent.
"We're here today to join in matrimony, this man and this woman... And harmony and togetherness which is sanctioned and honored by the presence and the power of these two families around us."
"Do you, john Michael Hightower, take Esme Martha Lee to be your beautiful young wife?"
"Thanks for being here." Aislynn whispered to Criston and Larys. "It means a lot."
"You are family." Larys reminded her. "No place I would rather be."
"I wish your brother had a similar mind set." Aislynn mumbled.
"There remains one more part of the ceremony. It's the mingling of the two bloods. So the two families become the one family."
"Very Targaryen." Finn whispered. "They do that at Targaryen weddings, mixing blood." He recalled.
"I didnt do that." Alicent muttered. "Never want to mix blood with Viserys."
"I now pronounce you man and wife!"
"Well, john, kiss the bride, will you?" Aislynn declared as Esme smiled back at John.
"Congratulations.'' Aislynn declared standing up. "Now... Lets get drunk!"