"Nonsense, you've always been better at it. When you were going to embroider a dragon, it at least looked like one."
Alyssa and Helaena had finally done what they said they would and gone out when the sun was out. Spring had taken root in the cold regions and no one seemed to enjoy it more than the two princesses.
They sat on a bench in the godwood and talked about their childhood when they saw how much fun the little ones were having on the lawn. Jaeharys and Baelon played around with little dragon toys that they waved around in the air to make them fly.
Rhaella sat a piece of roach from the noisy boys with a bouquet of flowers she had picked, what she was going to do with them was still unclear but it was just as sweet no matter what.
"But I remember you managed a flower, you can't deny that" Helaena argued with a laugh.
"Yes, once upon a time, and it was you who helped me with them."
Helaena bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to think of something else. "Alright, alright. But you're good at other things. You were good at braiding, you still are."
"It reminds me of the time Aegon had fallen asleep under the godwood tree and we were both braiding his hair." Her words became more unclear to decipher as she began to giggle at the thought "And then when he woke up, he panicked"
They both started laughing at their shared childhood memories, Helaena was never as mischievous as Baela but they had somehow managed to joke with the boys around them.
"This house is full of men, it's a good thing we have Rhaella here" she stated. Helaena marched for a while and watched her daughter who sat tying and pulling on the the stem of the flowers.
"I remember how you were, there were times you climbed this tree to hide from your brothers. And the only way I could bring you down was if I brought something sweet." Helaena giggled.
"Yes, or you climbed up too. I remember when we both sat up there and ate caramelized lemons until the evening."
"Mother was furious at how dirty my dress was."
Alyssa nodded slowly with an apolegetic look on her face. "yes.... I remember"
Their conversation was interrupted when Baelon screamed it in happiness and began to run away from them. Alyssa's head snapped towards the boy and then her eyes lifted and she saw the reason for his happiness.
"Dada wook! Dwagon! " Exclaimed the boy to Aegon who chuckled as, crouched down to him and gave him a hug.
Baelon turned his head towards his mother "Mama, dada's here!"
She couldn't help but smile when she saw her son's happiness, no matter what disagreements she and Aegon might ever have, she would always rejoice in how happy he made their children.
"We'll play later, you and I, little dragon. Go hang out with Jaeharys in the meantime" He instructed and went to greet his wife and sister. Helaena stood up to give him a hug while Alyssa remained in her seat with her hands placed firmly in her lap. But she wasn't heartless no, so she offered her husband a smile.
But his fell when he felt that her smile contained the same falsehood as his mother's. Helaena sat back down and looked back and forth at Alyssa and Aegon, waiting for someone to say something.
He offered a similar smile like hers, The only difference was that he was overjoyed that he found her in the end. But she didn't seem to share his joy.
She shifted her gaze from her husband and to the children to get away from the rigid situation she was now in.
Baelon's name day celebration was the day before this one and the couple hadn't spoken to each other during that time. After all the time at the beginning of their marriage, the time when she felt lonely and unloved, unwanted and neglected, she didn't want him to go back to how he once was.
Aegon's voice pulled her out of her mind as she tore her gaze away from the children who were playing and to Aegon who was still standing.
"I've been looking for you, Aly," he said suddenly, breaking the silence. Alyssa raised her eyes to meet his violet purple eyes staring down at her.
From a distance, they heard Rhaella calling out to Helaena for help. Helaena got up and walked towards the girl to see what she needed help with.
As soon as she was a short distance away, Aegon sat down next to his wife in the place where Helaena had been sitting just a few seconds earlier. Alyssa heard Aegon's deep sigh as he sat down.
"I see you're still angry at me" He remarked and lifted his hand from his lap to touch hers. But it remained just as still and tight with the other.
"I understand that you're still not going to tell me why your behavior was the way it was during our son's celebration."
"It's neither the place nor the time for this argument now, Alyssa. I know my drinking has affected you negatively in the past but have you ever thought about how I feel-"
She pulled her hands away from his in a swift motion in a way to interrupt him. "I have. On so many occasions. Thought about it. But instead of talking to me about whatever problem you have, you go back to your disgusting habits. Back in the shell of a man I loathe more than anything." She spat.
She saw the hurt in his eyes and regretted her words immediately after they were released. But there was nothing she could do now. Before he could even utter a word, she quickly got to her feet and called Baelon. "Baelon, my dear, let's go inside now."
She had her back turned to Aegon and kept her eyes fixed on Baelon, who only looked sad at the mention of his lessons.
"Come on my dear, Mariah will take you to the room and we can play later, okay?"
You could tell from the little prince that he wanted to keep fight ing to stay, but it was useless when it came to his mother, and he knew it himself. So he just nodded and involuntarily followed her back into the castle.
_______________________________________
After dropping off the very bitter young prince at his room, she decided to go to the queen. Which had become a habit during the day to visit his mother by law at least once a day. Despite the fact that Aegon often tried to convince her not to go.
She climbed the grand staircase that led to the queen's chamber, meeting many people from the court on the way there. Henen's hands were held together in front of her stomach as she walked, feeling a hint of guilt for what she said to Aegon earlier. Even though she didn't want to.
Down the stairs her maid Tanya came down to meet her. Alyssa stretched and waited to hear what she had to say.
"Aly, Rhaegar has woken up and it seems like he's missed his mother" Tanya kept a small smile on her face as she spoke as she often did. The princess nodded and changed direction to her room instead of the queen's to spend time with her son.
"Is all well? He doesn't cry like yesterday?" Alyssa's tone was one of concern, after the boy had cried his guts out just the day before.
"No, princess. I just noticed that he was a little grumpy. So we concluded that he misses you."
A bright chuckle left her throat. The two continued walking towards the room a little faster as Alyssa didn't want to leave her son for too long.
"Good day, sir," she greeted Sir Noah who was standing outside her door. He nodded in respect and opened the door for her to enter, but froze when she saw the master of whispers in the chair next to Rhaegar's cradle. But her son in his arms.
"Princess" He adressed and brought his attention back to the calm boy in his arms "the young prince was crying. I took the liberty of trying to comfort him until you got here."
She stood in the same place completely still, she had never liked this man, never been able to be in a conversation with him when she knew he was a very cunning type. After a few seconds, reality came back to her and she went faster than intended to lift Rhaegar from his arms.
"It's not appropriate for a lord to be alone with the princess in her room, lord larys," she told him with a pointed look. She inspected her son to make sure nothing had happened, that nothing had been put on him. She didn't trust Lord Larys Strong one bit, which was a shame as he was her brothers' uncle, even though she would never say it out loud.
"That may be so, but I had very urgent news that just couldn't wait. And you're pretty hard to get hold of, my lady."
Alyssa swallowed and motioned for Mariah to get closer "Take the prince to another room, I'll be there soon."
The young lady seemed hesitant, but Alyssa slowly nodded for her to leave. With a curtsy for her and the clubfoot man in the chair, she left the room with the prince and all the other servants in the room.
Where the door closed, there were only the two of them left and Alyssa clapped her hands together again and went to fill up two glasses with wine, a little smaller for her so she didn't like wine very much but mostly drank it for show.
"So, Lord Larys. What is the urgent news you simply couldn't wait to share?" She held out one cup for him to take, Lord Larys raised it slightly to symbolize a toast and took a sip.
"Do you remember our meeting a few days after your and the prince's wedding?"
Alyssa nodded slowly with an annoyance bubbling up in her stomach because of the way he was beating around the bush instead of getting straight to the point.
"What's that got to do with it?"
"I said that my services will always be close at hand should you need it"
"You did" She agreed, recalling that time after the visit to the queen. But she had never wanted his help with anything. Why should she now?
"but I must know, what is it that you want for these services, Lord Larys?
She felt shivers down her spine as a small smirk spread across his face. She immediately regretted her question as she had an inkling of what a man with precious information wanted to give it to a woman.
"My princess, let me share my news with you first, then we can discuss payment."
Alyssa furrowed her brows in disgust, now he had made her curious about what he had to say, but was the price really worth it?
"Get out, I'm not interested" she demanded and went to open the door for him to leave.
"Not even if it's about our prince?" he called making her stop in her tracks. Alyssa turned around to be greeted by his satisfied smirk that just wouldn't go away. It made her even angrier.
"Which one of them, this house is full of princes" she said in a mocking manner, even though she already knew who he was talking about, she still tried to play dumb to soothe herself as her heart just drummed against her chest.
Lord larys didn't make an effort to play along with it and just kept going. "On the day of Prince Baelon's second name day, he is marched with Prince Aegon to the dragonpit, you were with the queen at the time."
Alyssa started to twirl her ring on her finger as she began to understand how much he actually knew about them, if he knew exactly where she was and Aegon at the same time what else does he know? What else is he hiding?
"How do you know this?" she asked, trying to hide her fear under a mask that would fall at any moment.
"All walls have ears, as well as all corners have eyes, princess." His tone was cold but his face held all the pride that existed.
"Like I said, he and your son were at the dragonpit before the celebratio-"
"Yes and? It can't be wrong to take your son on a flight on a dragon's back? It's harmless." she interrupted nervously, trying to tell herself that nothing was wrong.
"Of course not, princess. However, it is not as harmless when you know that the prince had a special guest with him."
Alyssa exhaled a shaky breath, irritation rose throughout her body, and the grip on her hands became tighter and tighter. "Speak plainly, Lord Larys, or Get out!" she snapped.
"I understand that news like this can be hard to hear, but you should know that he was with a well-known woman. Well-known between the two of you," the lord continued slowly, as he stood up from his chair and walked to the window with the support of his cane.
"One Miss Fallon was waiting for their visit to the Dragonpit," he finally announced.
Alyssa smiled a stiff smile at him and walked closer. She knew about the history between her husband and the little harlot which they called Fallon but she wasn't stupid enough to think that after almost three years without her, he would randomly go back.
"You've got it wrong, Lord Larys. Of course I know about their past history but he wouldn't be such fool to lower himself again with a common whore." She took a few more steps closer, her chin held high as she walked closer. And despite her burning anger inside her, she kept her composure.
A bitter laugh fell from her throat following a scoff.
"And even if that were the case, even if he were to go back to her, it doesn't change a simple detail. That I'm a princess by Targaryen blood and she's a filthy harlot from the streets. She will always be lower than me in station, pride, and status. Which wouldn't change even if it was the king she was fucking."
Larys nodded in understanding, his smirk still glued to his face, "Of course you know best, my lady. I'm just the messenger"
"So what is it that you want for this information?" she asked sternly, not wanting him in her room more than he already has.
"Let this time go without payment" He moved towards the door but before he opened it he turned to glance at the princess "If you ever need me, you know where to find me."
He bowed his head and left the room, leaving Alyssa alone with his thoughts.
She let out a long sigh after he left the room, when he was there she had to keep a straight face but as he left it fell. Aegon wasn't going to betray her, she knew. During their nearly three years of marriage, he has been careful to prove it to her.
But there was still a bitter feeling in her gut. And a burning need in her, Perhaps it was best to crush these dubious thoughts and get rid of that serpentine for good.
AT:
Sorry for the slow updates.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did and thank you for reading❤️