You requested your father hire you a music instructor, making some pretense that learning music would help sharpen your mind. It didn't matter though. Your father approved it without question and by the end of the day, you already had number of court musicians testing your skills and ability.
You quickly learned that you just didn't have the voice to sing at this time, too low but not low enough your instructor explained, much to your confusion. He said once you were older you might be able to try again. In truth, singing didn't hold particular interest for you anyways, so you were quite glad to move on from that. Next, they tested your talent with a variety of instruments over the course of a few days. You played the flute with a woman from Braavos, practiced the lyre with a man from Highgarden, and even spent some time with the court fool Mushroom as you learned the drums. By the end you were quite exhausted and your hands ached.
Eventually, your prospective teachers were able to narrow the options down to the instruments you showed some real promise with. The lute, the harp, and the flute.
You honestly weren't sure which one to pick, since you had enjoyed playing all of them. Indeed, it was even quite relaxing, but you could also tell all three could pose a challenge to really master.
On a romantic level, the harp certainly played into the idea of the dashing knight the most. There were countless tales of chivalrous knights serenading fair maidens from afar with harps, their music causing tears to fall down their ladies face as they reflected on a love that could never be. For the kind of knightly romance that Alicent desired, few things worked better than a harp.
You could absolutely make both the flute and lute work as well though. It would not be quite as good a fit to the bards tales, particularly the lute, but you were quite certain you would have looked quite dashing dressed as a wandering minstrel. They also had the added advantage of being more portable.
You'd be happy with all three of them, but regretfully you simply did not have the time to take on learning two of them, let alone all three. Maybe once you were comfortable with one, you could reconsider, but for now, you had to pick one to start with.
Which Instrument Do You Pick?
[] [Music] Harp
[] [Music] Lute
[] [Music] Flute
Alicent hummed as she brushed your long silver hair. It was an unfamilar tune, something she seemed to be making up as she went, but that did little to detract from how lovely it sounded. You watched her through a polished silver mirror as she worked on smoothing out your hair.
After seeing her picking at her fingers at the Eyrie, it was nice to see her so happy, and so comfortable with herself.
"What dress do you think I should wear to dinner this evening?" you asked, mostly just to make some conversation.
"I think you should wear your yellow one, my dear knight," she added warmly. "I know it's an older dress, but it will be seen as supporting the Queen. It would do well for you to be seen as supporting her and your new siblings."
In truth, you were barely listening to what she said, instead grinning openly at her affections. No longer an aspiring knight, but simply her dear knight. So lovely.
Alicent suddenly giggled in amusement.
"What's so funny?" you asked in bemusement, one eyebrow raised.
"Oh, nothing," Alicent smirked. "I just realized you're probably the first knight to ever have to worry about what dress they wear to dinner."
"Most of them couldn't pull it off. Don't have the legs for it." The quip rolled out of your mouth almost instantly, earning a stifled laugh of approval from Alicent.
"Oh my," she said, a bit taken aback by your words. "That's quite the mental image."
You found yourself giggling at the thought of someone like Unwin Peake dressed up like some Tyrell lady.
"It would make tourneys rather interesting if everyone had to fight in a dress," you mused. "A lot more dangerous."
"No, no, that wouldn't do at all," Alicent gently disagreed. "If everyone was in dresses, I wouldn't get to see my knight cut such a dashing figure as they rode in the lists."
"Dashing?" your surprise was earnest. "My armor was mismatched and barely fit."
"I think it fit quite well." You were not used to seeing Alicent with such an alluring look in her eyes. "But it's more how you held yourself. You looked confident, yet not so much as to seem full of yourself. When you faced off against Ser Borros? I could tell you never doubted you could win, but you weren't acting like you had already won either."
"I wish I could say I felt that confident during my fight with Ser Criston," you remarked. "I spent most of that fight terrified."
"As did I," Alicent admitted quietly. "I was so scared when you took that second hit and you were barely holding onto your horse. The bout was thrilling, but I'm quite grateful I won't have to experince that again."
"Really? And here I was thinking you could use another crown, my Queen of Love and Beauty," you teased and flirted at the same time.
Alicent began turning red in the cheeks.
"I still can't believe we did that," Alicent said with quiet disbelief. "I've never done something so bold and so selfish in my life."
"It was nothing less than a lady such as yourself deserved," you assured her. "And besides. You were right about the whole thing. As far as the Seven Kingdoms are concerned, I, the bold and defiant Crown Princess, simply gave the flower crown to my handmaiden and good friend because there was no way I could give it to a man, even if I had any affection for him, without causing massive insult. The only people who suspect otherwise are Ser Tarly and Rhea Royce, both of whom don't care and neither would tell."
"My brother does as well," Alicent admitted. "He hasn't said anything specifically, but he did tell me he wanted to speak with you, and soon."
"I've been meaning to speak with him as well," you noted, "so that's good."
"I was terrified my father would suspect something," Alicent said, a hint of fear in her voice, "but instead he just complained about you making me look silly in front of everyone."
"Silly?" You said in mock outrage. "That's absurd! My fair maiden, with that crown of flowers in your hair, you were nothing short of breathtaking."
Alicent descended into a fit of nervous giggling at your honeyed words.
"We did nothing wrong," you assured her. "We just had a bit of fun in the moment. Nothing wrong with that."
"You know, there was a time I would have been scandalized by your taking part in that tourney at all," Alicent said as she leaned over to straighten out a bit of hair that was particularly unruly. "I would have thought this was an outrageous breech of custom and utter neglect of your duty as princess. But it wasn't. Quite the opposite in fact. You needed to take part in that tourney to get the men of the realm to take you seriously to have any chance at becoming a knight."
Part of you regretted that you had to settle for just giving Alicent the crown that day. You wanted to do more with her, and you could sense she wanted it as well, but knighthood demanded you present yourself to Lord Manderly.
"And as a knight, more people will see me as a true heir and not just dismiss me as my father's brash little girl," you added. "They know that I earned this title, through hard work and a refusal back down no matter how many people were against me."
Your words might have been more inspirational than truth in the moment, but you could tell some people were taking your title seriously. In time, more would do so. That you were sure about.
"As I've said, I can't help but find your sense of duty unusual to say the least," Alicent replied. "But you hold true to it, and that is probably one of the things I admire most about you, fair knight."
"Thank you. That means a lot to me," you said earnestly, before a sly smile appeared on your face. "Though I admit I had hoped such a fair maiden would admire some of my more physical assets a bit more," you flexed your arm as you spoke, showing off some of muscles you'd gained during the royal progress.
Alicent's blush turned and even deeper shade of red, but to your surprise she did not turn away in embarrassment, or start giggling nervously. Instead, she placed her hand on your arm and began to run her hand up and down, tracing your muscles admiringly.
"I admit as much as I enjoyed watching you train," Alicent said with hooded eyes. "I think I'm enjoying the results even more."
Now it was your turn to blush furiously. You were almost taken aback by her words, you had been so used to Alicent struggling with her own feelings or being shy and subdued about them that it was downright shocking to see her flirt so openly. Though shock didn't mean you disliked it, far from it.
"My. Someone's gotten quite...bold," you stumbled over your words, feeling more like a blushing princess standing before a suitor then an anointed knight of the realm.
"Well, I have been spending quite some time around quite the daring princess," Alicent replied.
The two of you were suddenly starring intently at each other, your eyes drawn to her lips. They were drawn in a tight, hungry expression, so close yet so far away.
Your mind raced back to the tourney, to your victory, when Unwin was on the ground and you had Alicent's crown in your hand. You thought of everything you had wanted to do in that moment, but had to deny yourself for the sake of duty. How you wanted to sweep her off her feet like a knight from the fables and ride off out of the city, riding until you could find a spot for just the two of you, and then spend the rest of the day just with her.
You wanted to tell her everything. Show her the depths of your passion. See what further boldness would stir within her. Another part of you wanted to be the bold one. To finally ravish your fair lady with dozens of kisses.
But you hesitated. You knew she was not ready for such a thing before, and you couldn't help but fear she still wasn't. Much had changed between the two of you since your relationship started. Alicent had changed in these months. But was it enough to do something so bold?
What Do You Do?
[] [Alicent] Tell Her of your Desires, How You Nearly Swept Her off Her Feet the Day of the Tourney
[] [Alicent] Kiss Her
[] [Alicent] Wait For Alicent to Make the First Move
You had been preparing for a few days to speak to Gwayne, trying to figure out just how to brouch the awkward subject of dicussing your relationship with Alicent with her brother. Even figuring out just where you could even talk about this in any decent sort of privacy was difficult. In the end, it would turn out your preparations were pointless. Gwayne came to you.
You were in your apartment, reading through letters sent to you while you were away, when Ser Tarly knocked at the door, announcing Gwayne wished to speak with you.
Tension spread like winterfrost through your body. You knew there was only one thing he wanted to talk about.
"Send him in," you ordered.
Gwayne stepped into the room, his face tense. The man could do little to hide how awkward he felt as he approached you.
At least you weren't alone in that.
"Princess," he began as Ser Tarly left the room, "there are matters I wish to speak with you about and I apologize, I need to be completely honest and unhindered with you as I speak."
"When people say that, it usually means they're planning on insulting me or yelling at me," you observed. "But it's fine. Speak plainly, Ser Gwayne."
"When we first spoke, you agreed to protect my sister," Gwayne recalled, "you swore an oath in fact."
"An oath I treat quite seriously and uphold still," you replied.
"How in the S
even Hells was anything you did at tourney protecting her!?" He said in a sudden burst of anger. "Do you have any idea how much danger Alicent is in if people realize what is happening between the two of you?"
You sat there impassively for a moment, quitely relieved he wasn't more furious.
"Alicent wanted that crown," you defended yourself. "And as far as the realm was concerned, that was nothing more than a gesture of friendship. No one, not even my father, suspects differently."
It would have done you no good to mention Rhea at this moment.
"For now," Gwayne said flatly, "but people will see how affectionate the two of you are and look back at this and any moments like it and wonder."
"Or, more likely, they'll barely even notice our affection and forget about in a matter of moments," you argued. "And my crowning of Alicent will be overlooked as most attention is given to my rather dramatic reveal."
Gwayne rubbed his hand through his hair, clutching at it for a moment.
"You are an anointed knight now," he threw your own title at you like an accusation. "Someone of your status should know to honor a lady like Alicent better."
You gaze narrowed as you glared at him.
"In what way have I dishonored your sister?" you growled. "I have done nothing more than share my affection with a lady I hold quite dear. And even if we did more, it's not like I could shame her with a bastard."
Gwayne began to pace in fustration.
"You told me of her feelings," you pointed accusingly at him. "You told me she saw me as more than a friend. You cannot be angry at me for returning her affection."
"I thought it would be over by now!" he shouted. "I thought after a brief spark, you would grow bored and move on and things would return to normal."
"Grow bored?!" Now it was your turn to get angry as you rose to your feet. "Did you really think I would treat Alicent like some toy to be cast aside?!"
"No, not like that," Gwayne recoiled, suddenly on the defensive. "It's just my experience with these kinds of relationships. There is a brief moment of intense passion that usually cools off quickly and both move on with their lives."
"In your experince?" you were bewildered. "What possible experience could you have..." you trailed off in sudden realization.
Gwayne looked at you with a mix of shame and embrassment, realizing he said far too much.
"Tell me, Ser Gwayne. Do you prefer goose or duck?" you asked, as tactifully as you could.
"I have partaken in both on occasion and found them agreeable," Gwayne's reply was hesitant, but not ashamed.
Part of you wondered just how scandalized Alicent would be right now, had she heard him say this out loud.
"Ah. Then we share that in common," you replied with a nod.
"Listen," Gwayne sighed, "I know you do not mean my sister harm, but your affection for her is dangerous."
"And I swore to protect her," you reminded him.
"You can't protect her from everything!" he said urgently. "You don't have that power."
Alicent's brother turned away for the moment, trying to regain his composure.
"It's clear to the whole realm now that whatever you do, your father will defend you," Gwayne declared. "Alicent doesn't have that luxury. If your relationship is exposed, you will be fine, but the scandal may force my father to marry her off to some distant lord, or worse, my uncle will put her in a sept to remove the stain on our family's honor."
"I wouldn't allow that!" you defiantly declared. "I would never let them send Alicent away."
"You are the heir, not the queen!" Gwayne retorted. "You can't just force everyone to do what you want."
He paused again, his face an unreadable mask.
"There is a solution here, though," Gwayne stated. "An resolution that would protect Alicent and allow you to keep up your relationship."
You had suspected this moment was coming. You knew there was more than just concern for Alicent fueling this meeting.
"Ser Tarly was right," you said evenly. "You do want to marry me. Did your father send you by chance?"
"My father's confidence in you as heir wavers for the moment," he said earnestly. "This my plan, which is why I am being forthright with you."
Now, that was curious. You suspected Otto would try to pull something similar to what he nearly did with your father and Alicent, but you didn't expect Gwayne to come up with such an idea.
"Think about it, princess," he said diplomatically. "Alicent wouldn't be just your handmaiden, she would be your sister-in-law. Less people would question your affection, and she would be much more protected thanks to her connection to the royal family."
"What about your uncle?" you questioned.
"My uncle would be made to understand that your affections for Alicent are the only reason the marriage was even possible," Gwayne assured. "Even if he somehow objects, my father would be able to placate him."
"You just said your father has lost confidence in me," you pointed out sharply.
"And having you as a daughter-in-law, and myself as your consort and advisor, would do much to reassure him," he replied. "My father is powerful as Hand, but he is a second son who stands to inherit very little, and his power only exists as long as the King grants it. Our marriage would give him a much more secure position."
It was true. With your father remarried, you were the only chance the Hightowers had of marrying into your family for a generation or more. And a marriage would take Otto from simply a well respected King's Hand to the future grandfather of a ruling monarch.
"You know what my father tried to do with Alicent," Gwayne said in shocking honesty. "I don't approve of what he did anymore than you, but it revealed much about him. If I told him about your relationship with Alicent and said it was key to an alliance, he would be more than willing to negotiate with you. Offer you a chance to dictate when and who Alicent marries. Ensure she remains close by as long as you wish."
You stared at Gwayne with increasing disdain.
"I thought this was about protecting Alicent," your voice turned cold. "It sounds to me like your using our relationship to your advantage."
"My primary concern is Alicent," Gwayne insisted. "She is my sister, and I care deeply for her."
"So this purely for the sake of Alicent and your family?" you asked skeptically. "You don't seek personal gain out of this marriage?"
"I'm not gonna stand here and pretend that I'm doing this for purely selfless reasons," Gwayne confessed. "Yes, I am here right now in part because I see a chance to one day be the king-consort of the Seven Kingdoms and have my children rule outright in turn, something a man of my status rarely could even dream of, let alone grasp for. But I firmly and honestly believe a marriage between the two of us is what's best for all three of us. You need firm allies at court and I offer the best chance of that."
"Do I?" You raised an eyebrow. "As it stands, the only man in line for inheriting the Iron Throne is Daemon, and your father hates my uncle with great passion."
"Johanna will give your father a son one day," Gwayne replied bluntly. "And when that happens, things will become a great deal more complicated for you. My father could do a lot to strengthen your position when that day comes."
"What does Alicent think of all this?" you asked.
That was fundmentally the most important question in all this. Marrying Gwayne would make Alicent your sister by marriage. To you, that meant nothing, but you also knew it could make things very uncomfortable for her. If Alicent objected, there was no point in even considering this.
"I haven't said it directly, but shes know this is a possibility and has not voiced any objections" Gwayne replied. "And rest assured, if you consider my offer we will speak to her together. I want to protect Alicent, not treat her like a child."
"Good," you nodded.
He was offering quite a lot here. A consort who could provide you with a lot of power and influence without worrying about being dominated by their family, the hand of the King as a firm ally no matter what lay ahead, and assurances for you and Alicent. Indeed, with both Otto and your father on your side, you would be quite well protected even if you were exposed. Johanna would be enraged of course and likely bar access to her daughters, but that hardly mattered.
But did it really have to be this way? This couldn't be the only way to protect Alicent.
"I've done a lot for your family already," you observed. "I gave you a position in the city watch after all. Surely I could convince your father I have your family's best interests at heart even without a marriage?"
"I am grateful for what you've given me, princess, make no mistake, and I consider you a friend regardless of your choice," Gwayne assured you, "but if you marry another house, they will push for influence in the Small council, and the Westerlings have taken a chunk of it already. And your husband would likely ask you set Alicent aside."
"Do you think that little of me?" you asked in a sudden flare of fustration. "Do you really think I would be foolish enough to marry someone who would not approve of someone I not only hold a great deal of affection for but also consider to be my dearest friend?"
Gwayne turned away for a moment, a look of shame written on his face.
"No, that was of wrong of me, I apologize," he said quickly. "And perhaps you are correct, but there are few ways better of securing an alliance than through marriage."
On that point, you could not argue.
"You know I can't promise you anything right now," you said. "I need time to think if nothing else."
"Of course. I just urge you to keep what I said today in mind as you consider your options," Gwayne replied.
Gwayne Hightower Has Given You Much To Think About
QM's Note: So decided to cover the more Alicent romance related actions and conversations today. Give you both the ideal and the reality at once. So to be clear since the Alicent section is before Gwayne's section, none of the options with Alicent would ruin your relationship with her. It's at point now where one misstep is not going to end things unless it's a really massive one.
