dancing with our hands tied | r. targaryen

xi.

111 A.C.
KING'S LANDING
•••

ALAYNE ENTERED HER FATHER'S CHAMBERS, THROWING THE DOOR OPEN AND NOT ALLOWING for herself to be introduced. Her father and sister both glanced over at her entrance, but Alayne ignored them, they must have known her by now.

"You're going to Dragonstone?" Alayne inquires, but her question is already answered by the armor that her father was wearing. She'd heard word that Prince Daemon had stolen a dragon egg and that her father was to retrieve it, but she'd expected her father to share the news with her and not her having to hear it as court gossip.

"I am," is all that her father replies, and Alayne scoffs as she looks at him.

"Were you not going to tell me?" Alayne asks.

"I was when I'd tell you goodbye," her father states.

"I am a member of this family," Alayne asserts as she looks between her father and her sister, "I know that the two of you share secrets and are perfect and married to duty, but I am a Hightower as well! And I am just as dutiful." 

"I know that you are," Otto says as he looks at his daughter's hands. He reaches out and grabs Alayne's hand along with Alicent's. He looks at their fingers, "You two are the most comely girls at court. Why do you destroy yourselves?"

Alicent attempts to yank her hand away, but their father's grip is strong.

"Perhaps we are trying to live up to your unreasonable expectations," Alayne says in a low voice, "You ask of us things no father should ever ask their daughters."

"Alayne hush," Alicent tells her and Alayne looks over at her sister.

"Are you truly defending him?" Alayne asks her sister, "It won't gain you any more favor, Alicent."

"That's enough," her father orders and Alayne grows quiet as she glares at her father. He looks over at Alicent, "Are you going to see the King tonight?"

Alayne's brows furrow as she looks over at her sister. Was that where Alicent had been disappearing off to? Her father had been sending her to the king? And Alicent was doing it? Viserys was her best friend's father and if Alicent didn't know what their father was doing then she was a fool.

"If you wish it," Alicent states timidly.

Ser Criston, the newest member of the Kingsguard stands in the doorway and Alayne bites her lip and looks at the ground to avoid saying anything.

"Good day, Ser Criston," Alicent greets.

"My lady," Criston says before diverting his attention to Otto, "I've assembled twenty of your best household guards, my Lord Hand. Ser Harrold will also join us."

Alicent looks at her father and then her sister before making her way toward the door. She stops in front of Ser Criston, "Please protect, the Lord Hand, Ser Criston."

He nods his head and Alicent makes her way out of the room. Alayne clenches her jaw as she looks at her father, "Mother would be disappointed to see the man you've become."

"You don't see the picture," Otto states.

"I see it clearly," Alayne responds, "You are so greedy that you would use your daughter to make a claim at the throne. What? Alicent will marry King Viserys? She'll give him a son and then you'll put him on the throne? That is treason, father!"

Otto reaches out and grabs Alayne's face, squeezing her jaw, "I said that's enough!" Alayne stares defiantly at her father, Otto is breathing heavily, "Enough."