"The Queen is truly a cunt, isn't she?" Elin offered the moment Alysanne's chamber door had closed. A snort of agreement left her lips before she could stop herself.
Each interaction she had with the Queen slowly turned her bitter toward the woman. Though she had been dead for nearly a decade, Alysanne's own mother had been warm and loving; the Queen's interactions with her children conveyed the complete opposite.
"It's disgusting the way she treats her children..." Alysanne mused, more to herself than to her friend. "What harm could have possibly been done in allowing Helaena to accompany us?" she huffed.
"Perhaps she thinks we're going to be a bad influence on the princess. The North is full of savage little sluts, haven't you heard?" Laughter broke out between them as Elin braided her lady's hair back; Alysanne returning the favor a moment later.
"Are you going to tell me what happened out on that balcony?" Elin asked, meeting Alysanne's eyes in the mirror as Lady Stark worked on her copper curls.
"No," she answered dryly, the corners of her mouth twitching in amusement, "but since you broached the subject... Why don't you tell me why you were about a moment from fucking Prince Aemond when I returned to the dining hall?" Elin merely smirked at her, eyes dancing with mirth.
Friends for long enough, Alysanne knew Elin well enough to know she couldn't stop her from doing as she pleased, still, a knowing sigh fell from her lips.
"What?" Elin asked, the single word laced with defensiveness.
"I didn't say anything..."
"You didn't have to, Annie! I know you!"
"Fine," she snapped, dropping the braid she had just tied off, "we both know you chew through men and spit them out. If you do the same thing with Prince Aemond, what is that going to do to my relationship with Prince Aegon, to my betrothal?" Elin's eyes narrowed at her in the mirror, an iciness forming in them that Alysanne was far too familiar with.
"The betrothal you weren't even keen on until we arrived yesterday..." the redhead sneered, crossing her arms over her chest. Alysanne's eyes widened at her friend's careless words.
"You must not say that ever again, Elin..." she breathed, gripping her around the shoulders, "You know that they say the Red Keep has eyes and ears." She continued to stare at Elin in the mirror, her eyes conveying an apology for her harsh words, before she squeezed her shoulders reassuringly and planted a kiss atop Elin's crown.
Neither of them ever apologized to one another; there was never a need. After more than five years and all they had been through together, they both understood each other, and always forgave one another for flared tempers.
"But you are keen on it now?" Elin asked, turning to look up into Alysanne's smokey eyes.
"I think so," Alysanne answered. "Aegon is different than I expected, kinder than I thought he would be... What about Aemond?" Elin shrugged.
"As you said, I chew through men," she replied with a dismissive raise of her hand. "Aemond is no different. He's attractive, of course, but there's nothing more." Alysanne hummed in response, but she knew her friend better than that, and she had seen the look on Aemond's face earlier that morning. There was something between them; only time would tell what exactly that was...
Aemond
"You can trust me..." Elin's words echoed in the prince's head as he helped make ready the horses for an afternoon of riding. Already it was becoming an entire affair. The Queen had demanded that food be prepared so they could lunch in the Kingswood and an entire detachment of guards were to accompany them for the day. It was far more than necessary.
Aemond guessed that Elin and Alysanne could defend themselves, should the need arise. Elin had proved that when he had attempted to scare her that morning; his own sword was more than enough protection. Being flanked by guards was a damn insult and the prince wondered just how much the Queen distrusted her own sons. Or, perhaps, it was merely Aegon she distrusted.
A few minutes later, Aegon appeared in the outer yard, sporting a faint red handprint across his cheek. Aemond made no remark on it, merely cocking his eyebrow at his brother. They were both familiar with the physical manifestations of their mother's ire, Aegon more so.
Wordlessly, the elder prince attached his waterskin to the back of his stallion's saddle. Aemond didn't have to ask to know that it was full of wine.
Even when Elin and Alysanne entered the yard, laughing and shoving one another good-naturedly, Aegon's somber mood did not brighten. As the girls joined Dorran, Alysanne patting her mare with a warm smile, Aemond felt a pang of sadness for his older sister. He would have much rather taken Helaena along than left her alone, embroidering in her rooms for the day.
Resentment coiled in his gut like a snake, constricting around his organs, brief and fleeting, as it always was; he quickly swallowed the feeling.
When he lost his eye, his mother remained at his side while he recovered, even sleeping on the sofa in his rooms for a length of time. The Queen had many faults but, under them all, she loved her children deeply. At least she tried; Viserys never bothered, only having eyes for his precious Rhaenyra. The thought made Aemond's blood boil, heat rising in his cheeks as he considered the man bedridden in the castle above them.
As Ser Dorran helped the ladies mount their mares, Aemond couldn't keep his eye from settling on Elin, enjoying the way her riding leathers hugged the ample curve of her buttocks; effectively distracting the prince from his putrid thoughts. Fuck... His cock was growing hard just watching her; Aemond knew he would be fucking her before the week's end.
Averting his gaze, the prince let out a long breath, forcing himself to focus on something else, lest his cock dig uncomfortably against the saddle for the entire ride.
Every so often, the girls would glance back, Alysanne and Aegon and Elin at Aemond. A mere day had passed, and yet, Aemond could see the look in Lady Stark's eyes. She already harbored affection for his brother; the Queen would be pleased when Aemond informed her. The closer Alysanne grew to Aegon, the better their chances of forming a true alliance with the North.
His violet eye met a pair of deep, cerulean ones, making his pulse quicken, though he would never admit it. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, her mouth curling up into a smirk before she faced forward once again.
Leaving the city gates, there as a palpable shift in the energy of the party, save for Aegon, who was still staring sullenly ahead. Aemond wondered what in the seven hells had occurred with their mother between breakfast and the yard that had him so dour.
Letting out a whoop, Alysanne kicked at her mare's sides, breaking into a gallop; Elin following immediately behind. The look in Aegon's eyes brightened slightly and a smile finally tugged at the corners of his mouth as his own horse broke into a run.
In minutes, they were crossing Blackwater Rush and entering the Kingswood, the rustling of leaves and melodic sound of birdsong greeting them. The shady Kingswood was cool and green; a relief from the heat that he had grown accustomed to. The party slowed to a crawling pace and Elin joined Aemond, allowing Aegon and Alysanne to ride side-by-side.
"A shame your sister could not join us," Elin offered, "I get the feeling it isn't very often that she is able to leave the keep."
"No, it isn't," he agreed.
"You're mother puts her in a cage... Why is that?" Aemond stiffened at the mention of the Queen, but yet, he couldn't find fault in the assessment.
"Helaena is her only daughter..." Aemond replied simply, as if that was explanation enough. When Elin snorted and cocked an eyebrow, Aemond continued, "My mother's youth was stolen from her. Married and bred at fifteen... She and the princess, my half-sister, were friends before that."
Elin blinked in surprise at the information as the prince explained on, despite the fact that he ought not reveal so much of his family's information.
"While she has stood loyally by his side, and she may have grown to care for him, there was never truly any love there. Honestly, I think that's why she decided to betroth my brother to your good lady."
Another raise of Elin's eyebrows as the prince admitted the marriage offer had not been sent by the King, as Cregan had been led to believe. Aemond realized he had given away too much and wondered if Elin was going to immediately tell Alysanne what she had learned. "Initially, my mother wanted to betroth Aegon to Helaena..." A surprised snort fell from her lips and Aemond couldn't help but smile at her. "Mother's biggest hope is to keep Helaena safe from anyone that would harm her. I think she realized that Aegon's indifference and displeasure would seep into the marriage and ruin Helaena..."
Aemond had never said such a thing out loud; he found it odd how easily the words poured from his lips and into her ears.
"I think your mother made the right choice." Elin offered, "Alysanne can be... difficult at times, but she is good hearted; the best of them, in fact. And loyal to a fault to those she cares for. And... I do believe they are smitten."
As if the Gods needed to contradict her, Aegon's voice was raised in front of them and Alysanne's back stiffened. Aemond watched as the concerned look on her face turned cold, an icy wall of indifference erected in her eyes in an instant.
"No, thank you, my prince." Alysanne declared coldly, turning away from her betrothed. Aemond didn't have to know what was said between them; whatever it was, Aegon had completely fucked up and ruined the rest of the day in the Kingswood...
Alysanne
As their horses slowed to a walk, Elin abandoned Alysanne's side for Aemond's, leaving a space for Aegon to join her. The shift in Aegon's demeanor after breakfast had been noticeable, as was the mark on his cheek, and she wasn't sure whether she should address it or not.
"You're quiet, Aegon..." she offered softly, thinking the comment innocent enough, "Is everything—"
"Everything is fine, I assure you." Aegon replied before she could finish, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
His guarded expression alone conveyed that everything was not, in fact, fine. Despite knowing it was not her place to say more, worry nagged at the back of her mind, gnawing incessantly, like an itch she just had to scratch.
"But the mark on—"
"Wine, my lady?" he asked loudly, once again interrupting her before she could finish. Whatever had happened between breakfast and the yard, he did not want to discuss it. Still, the snub made her stiffen and the warmth that had grown between them the night before dissipated.
"No, thank you, my prince," she replied, straightening in the saddle and resuming a tight hold on the reigns. Fighting with her betrothed was the last thing she desired, but only the night before, Aegon had insisted they be honest with one another. That familiar feeling surged through her, white hot; the feeling of anger Cregan had been reprimanding her about for years.
A single glance back told Alysanne that Elin already recognized the look in her lady's eyes. A moment later, Alysanne Stark's mare was galloping at full speed, weaving through the trees and leaving the rest of the party behind. Her skin was burning, cheeks flaming as she rode at full speed through the Kingswood; the wind on her face doing little to calm her ire.
Countless times, Cregan, Elin, Septa Priyah, and even Maester Colwell, had scolded her over her temper. When Alysanne was angered, the entirety of Winterfell knew it; it had been that way ever since the night Elin became her lady in waiting.
Today was no different as she rode off without warning, leaving Aegon and their entire party far behind. She knew she shouldn't be so angry; Alysanne and Aegon had only just met. But if they were to be man and wife, the prince should be able to be honest with her; he had said that much only the night before...
Alysanne knew it was Otto or Alicent who was responsible for the faint handprint on Aegon's cheek. The way he sulked during their ride and then silenced her prodding, she had to assume it was the Queen. Every interaction she had seen between Alicent and her son had been awful.
She was no stranger to such abuse; Alysanne's uncle had been the same way, when he had been the Lord of Winterfell, constantly taking his anger out on the children, Alysanne and Cregan as well. While the loss of her cousins to the winter fever had been a hard blow, the death of Brandyn had been a relief to her and her brother, leaving them the Lord and Lady of Winterfell at young ages.
With the wind in her hair, Alysanne rode and rode, not stopping until she came to the edge of the river, nearly an hour later. Unbothered by the likelihood that the entire party was searching for her, she dismounted haphazardly, her boots slipping on the muddy bank. Landing on her ass, her trousers were immediately soaked through and covered in mud, a chill creeping up her spine.
"Fuck..." she huffed, attempting to stand without slipping a second time. By the time Alysanne was standing upright, her hands, forearms and thighs were covered in mud. Remaining on the edge of the river, she stared out over the water, enjoying the slight breeze that blessed her.
"My lady," Dorran was the first to find her, immediately dropping from the saddle and hurrying to assess her for injuries. "Are you trying to send me to an early grave?" Alysanne's arms remained crossed, but she smirked at him, realizing he must have been frantic.
"I would have thought you'd grown used to my antics by now, Dorran." The knight shook his head but chuckled at her.
"Four years, and you still manage to surprise me, my lady," he responded. "You're filthy..." He added, noticing the muck Alysanne was layered with.
"I slipped," she admitted, her smirk widening into a grin. The ride and the view had helped; the anger that had been consuming her before had slowly dissipated. Hot on Dorran's tail, Elin's mare, Mayne, skidded to a halt just before her hooves hit the muddy bank.
"Fucking hells, Annie!" she exclaimed, not bothering to dismount. "Needing a moment is one thing; did you have to take us on a fucking hunt through the Kingswood?"
"Mm," Alysanne answered simply, finding her way up the shallow embankment, nearly slipping a third time. Dorran caught her by the elbow, grimacing and wiping his dirty hand on the back of her tunic once her feet were securely planted again.
Laughing, Alysanne smacked his hand away. Then Aemond and Aegon, as well as their guards, broke through the tree line and the smile fell from her face. Reminded of why she had been angry in the first place, Alysanne grimaced.
"You're just going to be a cunt all day, then?" Elin asked, glaring at her. "Food was prepared, and we have wine and—"
"That's well enough," Alysanne interjected, climbing up into the saddle, "I don't need to talk to him while we eat, do I?" Elin snorted and shook her head, but her eyes were shining with amusement...
Elin
"How long are they going to keep this up, do you think?" Elin whispered, leaning toward Aemond; watching as Aegon and Alysanne's horses walked side by side.
The couple might as well have been miles apart; The Wall paling in comparison to Alysanne's icy, guarded expression. The entirety of the afternoon had been spent the same way; tension thick in the air. Aemond smirked and shook his head.
"Aegon is the master of brooding; he's had years to perfect it."
"Annie is the Queen of holding grudges. She can be kind and delicate, but she has the temper of a fucking viper. Like nightshade berries... Sweet to the palette, deadly to ingest." Aemond chuckled as Elin continued to watch her mistress, waiting for a sign she was going to relent.
In the yard, Alysanne gave Berra a loving pat and offered her an apple, before bidding the princes a cold goodbye and storming into the keep. Elin shared a look with Aemond, the pair grinning at one another.
"A gold dragon says your brother caves first," she offered in a low voice, ensuring Aegon didn't hear her.
"I'll take that wager," Aemond replied, watching his brother take another gulp of wine from the waterskin. "See you at supper?" Elin's grin widened as she closed the distance between them.
"That entirely depends on whether my mistress has forgiven her betrothed by then..." Then she lifted Aemond's hand and planted a lingering kiss on the back if it.
"I must admit, I would gladly lose our bet if it means I have the pleasure of spending another evening in your presence." Aemond teased. She smiled playfully at him, remembering the way he had touched her the night before. Gods, Elin wanted to fuck him. She wanted to see that cracked armor fall and watch Aemond lose all self-control, the way he nearly had at supper; the way he had that morning.
"Goodbye, my prince..." She curtsied and then followed her mistress into the keep, preparing herself for the earful she would receive the moment she made it to Alysanne's rooms...
Aegon
Aegon watched Alysanne march away without so much as a glance in his direction, Elin following only a moment later. His shoulders sagged and he dropped his head against the saddle, letting out a long sigh. What should have been a fun afternoon ended up a disaster and he was feeling miserable after spending the day being glared at.
"What did you do?" Aemond asked, his words dripping amusement as he leaned against one of the wooden posts his arms crossed over his chest. Aegon pounded his fist against the leather of the saddle, startling Myros, and the horse shifted uncomfortably letting out a snort of disapproval.
"Fuck!" Aegon shouted, rubbing his temples with the heels of his hand before combing his fingers through his hair in exasperation.
Shame welled in his chest, a feeling he was more than familiar with. The last thing he wanted to do was fight with Alysanne, but how could he have answered her question without sounding like the pathetic piece of shit he was? How could he ever tell Alysanne that it was his mother who had struck him; had struck him dozens of times, and ever face her again?
Instead, he responded with cold indifference, ruining whatever connection they seemed to have made the night before. Aegon had watched as her expression grew cold and her posture stiffened, his heart falling into his stomach, and still, it didn't feel as awful as admitting the deplorable truth, as awful as watching her eyes fill with disappointment, as everyone else's did.
If only Alicent could accept him as he was. If only she had ever given him the attention he desperately craved. If only his own mother didn't hate him... A familiar wave of sadness coursed through him, threatening to wrap around him and drag him below the surface.
Gritting his teeth, Aegon swallowed the lump in his throat and blinked away the tears, refusing to let Aemond see how fucking weak he was. "Fucking hells..." Aegon breathed, knowing he had completely fucked up as he always did.
"What happened?" Aemond asked, closing the distance between them.
"I was an idiot, what else?" Aegon answered, yanking the waterskin from the saddle and finishing the remaining wine inside in one long gulp.
"Are you going to apologize?" The younger prince prodded, smirking at his brother. The question was a valid one; a simple solution to fix his fuck up, and yet... Aemond's words made his blood boil.
"Fuck off, Aemond!" Aegon snarled, throwing the waterskin on the ground with all his force and storming into the keep.
The moment he stepped into his apartments, Aegon was reaching for another jug of wine, Dornish Red this time, strong and rich. With every cup he drank, he felt better, the weight of his mother's expectations finally melting away as if they were nothing more than candle wax.
By the time one of the serving girls came to fetch him for supper, Aegon was drunk, so drunk he stumbled into the dining hall.
Alicent was glaring at him, the same venomous look she always wore when he misbehaved. Often times, Aegon wondered if she hated him merely for being her first son. Viserys had desired a son for years before their wedding; he had married Alicent with the sole desire of having more children. The Queen had given the King the one thing he had always desired, and Viserys still only saw Rhaenyra...
"For the God's sake, Aegon!" the Queen hissed, "Can you not abstain for a single fucking day?"
"As I recall, Mother," Aegon slurred, leaning forward, his elbows propped up on the table, "it has been a full day." Looking to her father for help, Otto merely shook his head at his daughter, disappointment evident on his face. More disappointment; it was all Aegon knew. It made its home inside him like a nest of rats, feasting on every horrible decision that took him from bad to worse. Wine was the only thing that eased the ache he constantly felt.
Minutes ticked by and neither of their guests entered the hall; eventually Alicent suggested that they eat without the girls. Aegon picked at his food; his mother forbidding the maids serve him wine; insisting that he drink water for the duration of the meal. By the time supper concluded, Aegon was fractionally more sober and vividly aware of how badly he had fucked up, as Alysanne and Elin still hadn't joined them.
Before the Queen could offer another scathing criticism, Aegon pushed off from the table and left the hall, not bothering to bid anyone goodnight in the process.
"Stay," Aegon snapped at Ser Erryk, "I can make it to my quarters on my own." But Aegon didn't return to his quarters, walking the corridors of the keep instead.
Before the betrothal, the prince might have hunted down Merilde or Arnette, or a number of other maids who enjoyed sucking his cock like it was their last day living, making him forget his problems for a short time. Instead, thoughts of Alysanne, only a few corridors away, filled his mind.
Eventually, Aegon groaned and turned heel, making his way to Alysanne's rooms, despite the impropriety of the action. Holding his breath, he rapped gently on her door, praying his decision to see her wouldn't become another regret.
Alysanne
Elin seemed to have expected the earful Alysanne gave her the moment the door closed behind them. Ranting as she paced, she choked down a cup full of wine, despite knowing it would make her mind foggy; pouring her frustrations out to her friend.
"What?" Alysanne snapped when she noticed Elin smirking at her.
"You like him..." her friend offered, her grin widening.
"What difference does that make?!" Alysanne demanded, rolling her eyes.
"If you didn't like him, his reaction wouldn't have bothered you." Elin replied, quirking an eyebrow at her. "It angers you because you want him to confide in you, to seek comfort from you."
"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, heat rising in her cheeks. "I'm to be his wife! I came here with the intention of making the most of this betrothal and it's all for nothing if my husband—"
"But he's not your husband; not yet. He owes you nothing, Annie." Elin interjected. Alysanne scoffed, annoyed that Elin didn't agree with her. "If he had asked you about your parents, about Brandyn, about Roahn, would you have poured your heart out to him?"
Alysanne shook her head and rolled her eye at Elin's comparison. Her situation was completely different...
"Of course not, but it's not—"
"It's not the same, Annie? Is that because you don't want it to be? Whatever Aegon is dealing with is private and you have only just met. You can't just expect him to offer you his all after a single day..."
Elin just didn't understand. She saw the world differently than Alysanne did. Her lady in waiting only saw the brief moments of pleasure she could capture and relish, before letting them slip away. Alysanne knew why Elin saw the world that way, but Aegon was different. She could feel it in the way he looked at her. Well, she thought he was different. And now she wasn't sure what to think...
With warm, comforting hands, Elin helped her into the steaming bathtub and washed Alysanne's hair, humming the tune of Silver Winds as she worked. Before she knew it, Alysanne was singing along to her friends melodic voice.
"The emerald hills pale with snow and sing on the silver winds..." Elin kissed the top of her head, and then offered her a towel, before helping her out of the bath. "Thank you..." Alysanne smiled, clasping her friend's hands.
"Always," Elin replied, echoing the word Alysanne had used that night, all those years ago. The word she used nearly every day since. Kissing the back of Ein's hand, her mistress bid her goodnight and the lady-in-waiting crept out of the door.
Left alone, Alysanne slipped into her silk dressing gown, one of the few precious items her mother had left behind for her, and tied it around the waist. Then, she sank her chair and filled her cup with wine for a third time, the drink warming her insides and settling her nerves.
Ale was more commonly sampled in the North, and the wine her brother often drank could not hold a candle to the wines she had sampled in the keep in only a single day. Alysanne thought she could grow used to the buzzing feeling beneath her skin.
A sudden knock on her door startled Alysanne and she nearly knocked the cup over, cursing under her breath. Wondering what on earth Elin had forgotten, Alysanne yanked the door open, startled to find herself staring into a pair of violet eyes.
"Prince Aegon..." she breathed, opening the door a few inches, nearly forgetting that she was angry with him. Clutching the dressing gown tightly closed, Alysanne flushed, suddenly realizing how little she was wearing as she stood only a pace from her betrothed.
"I'm sorry," Aegon spilled out before she could say anything else. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you today. It's a rather sensitive subject and I was not prepared for your questions." Alysanne swallowed thickly, debating her next move.
A small part of her wanted to hold onto her anger; to make him regret the way he had spoken to her, but the look on his face assured her he already did.
"I'll forgive you..." Aegon's face brightened hopefully, like a child who'd been offered a gift, and it made her chest tighten. "...if you answer me now." That hopeful look fell but the prince nodded, chewing on his bottom lip nervously.
"Your mother is the one who hit you?" she asked bluntly, pulling the door open another few inches.
"Yes," he admitted, his eyes looking everywhere but into hers.
"Many times?" she questioned.
"Yes," Aegon answered again.
"Why did you not want to tell me?" she asked.
"It's not a subject fit for conversation, especially in front of a party of guards." Aegon replied. Alysanne sucked in a long, steadying breath, realizing that she may have overreacted; Aegon's reasoning was more than understandable.
"I must admit, I overreacted... You don't have to tell me everything, Aegon. In understand that we've only just met, and you don't trust me. I also understand that there are conversations that may need to happen in private. But you are the one who said you wished for us to be honest with one another..."
"And I do," Aegon offered, "I'm not..." There was a long silence and then a heavy sigh as he pushed his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I'm not used to any of this. I'm not used to having someone to share things with..."
"I understand..." she finally offered in a small voice, realizing she also had her own family history she was not yet ready to share. "I only want you to know that you can share these things with me." Alysanne released the edge of the door and stepped out into the corridor, stepping toward him until they were only inches apart, and cupped his cheek with her hand.
Letting out what Alysanne could only describe as a tiny whimper, Aegon's eyes fell closed at her touch; his reaction setting off a storm of emotions inside her. "I'm sorry your mother did that to you, Aegon..." she offered, her insides tightening. When his eyes opened again, they were shiny with unshed tears and Alysanne thought her heart might shatter at the sight.
Then Ser Dorran approached, clearing his throat and making it clear that Aegon standing alone at her door at a late hour was not acceptable. The prince's vulnerable expression vanished as Alysanne dropped her hand, taking a step back through the doorway.
Separated, Aegon suddenly had a full view of Alysanne, his gaze darkening as his eyes raked slowly over her silk-clad form, making her heart pound.
"Fucking hells," he breathed softly, "are you na—" Again, the knight cleared his throat pointedly and Alysanne took another step backward.
"Goodnight, my prince..." she offered with a small smile, before closing the door between them.
Leaning back against the heavy wood of the door, Alysanne found herself panting for air, her skin blazing hot, as if she'd just run the entire distance of the keep.
Fuck... She'd touched him and Aegon whimpered, leaning into her touch like a love-starved babe. The thought gave her conflicting feelings: sadness for the kind of life he'd been forced to live, and something else entirely, a feeling she couldn't fully describe but left her shifting uncomfortably, desperate to cool herself.
And the way he looked at her only a moment later, like a wolf advancing on its next meal... The memory of his gaze made her shiver, and she pressed her thighs together. Alysanne knew what desire was; she'd touched herself a handful of times when she was alone beneath the blankets and furs at Winterfell.
But Aegon... What she felt when he looked at her, that was different; fire coursing through her veins, threatening to consume her if she didn't take care.
Alysanne was certain she needed three things. She needed another cup of wine, a good night's sleep, and a long conversation with Elin...