𝒜𝓁𝒾𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑅𝒽𝒶𝑒𝓃𝓎𝓇𝒶~𝐿𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝒹𝑜

New escort.

Alicent

As soon as Alicent turned nine years of age she was examined to see if she was fit to escort the princess of the seven kingdoms. It was a year before anyone had intended for her to be ready but she was quite a fast learner and very good at following directions.

The examination began with table manners and proper etiquette followed. Then she was told to read a chapter from a long and intricate book the Septa had provided. She did not fumble her words once, mostly because her father made her read during all of her spare time.

When the examination was completed she was sent to her chambers where she spent most of her life. There was a beautiful canopied bed and next to that sat her desk with all of her books and embroidery. But her favorite thing in her chamber was beyond that; a giant window where she was able to see most of kings landing and the sea behind it. She spent most of her time sitting in that windowsill watching the commonwealth as they bustled along.

Her favorite thing to watch were the children. They ran so swiftly that she could often miss them, but if she looked close enough, they were always there. So many of them would work together to steal bread and then enjoy their achievement together, ripping the bread apart and then splitting it equally among themselves. She longed for her brother and when they used to split the bread their mother used to bake.

"You shall start escorting the princess tomorrow at sunrise, my daughter."

Alicent spun around to find her father standing in the doorway holding a dress. "Is that for me?"

"Yes, I got it for you as a gift, to celebrate your achievements." He said walking forward and handing it to her. "From the finest seamstress in Essos."

"Thank you, father."

Alicent walked over to the mirror stationed next to the door and draped the dress around her small frame. It was quite large but it would suffice. The dress was a beautiful light green with little lavender flowers embroidered all across it. She smiled "Lavender was mothers favorite."

Her father nodded and quickly left the room. He did not like to talk about her but he knew Alicent loved her mother and would like something new  to remember her by.

On the morrow, Alicent wore her new dress and carried the book that was given to her by the septa. She had to roll the sleeves of her dress and use a purple ribbon to tie the skirt up higher so that it did not drag on the ground. She met a kings guard knight right before crossing into the royal wing of the red keep. He led her up stairs and through hallways she had never been in before. He stopped in front of a big wooden door and knocked three times.

"Princess! Your new escort is here." He said firmly.

"No! I shall not be getting up to do stupid embroidery in the garden!" The princess screamed back.

"Princess! It is required by the septa." He said in response. The princess said nothing. "And your father. I'm sure he would not like to hear about your behavior this morning."

Five minutes later the princess strode out from her room. She stopped and stared at Alicent as she curtsied, then turned and began walking. "Let's start in the garden, shall we?"

Alicent almost had to run to keep up with the swift pace Rhaenyra walked at. By the time they had reached the garden she was exhausted. Rhaenyra then sat beneath the weirwood tree and motioned for Alicent to join her.

Alicent sat quite a bit away from the young Princess, she seemed to have a bad temperament at that moment and she did not want to provoke her in any way.

The garden was the beautiful place for serenity in the Red Keep. It was Alicent's favorite place there. And now she would be able to spend every day there.

"You we're instructed to bring activities for me do, correct?" The princess asked. Alicent nodded and opened the book that the septa had given her. She began to read.

The septa had instructed her to read a chapter on the mother. It was different than the one she had read during the examination, yet still easy to read aloud. Alicent enjoyed reading, mostly because her father enjoyed when she read to him but also because she loved getting trapped in the stories; which were often much better than reality. She would get lost in them as she read and loose track of reality. Her favorites being about romance. Even though she enjoyed reading, her father made her do it way too often and for the longest periods of time.

As she was reading she noticed a bit of blood had stained the page. She quickly looked at her fingers and groaned. Whenever Alicent thought about her father her hands seemed to grow a mind of their own. She often caught herself picking the skin circling finger nails off. This time she had gone too far and her right index finger was bleeding profusely, dripping on to the book the septa had provided.

"Fuck!" She whispered standing up and sending the book flying from her lap.

"What's wrong?" Rhaenyra asked standing to stare at her in confusion.

"I'm sorry my Princess. It seems I have cut my hand on the paper of the book. I must go fetch a rag." Alicent said shaking her hand slightly to get the excess blood off.

"There will be no need for that. I shall fetch a rag." Rhaenyra said walking away briskly. Alicent stood in shock at what she had just done. She had made the Princess fetch her something, there was sure to be considerable consequences. She began picking at her finger even more, cursing when she caught herself.

Raenyra returned with a small white rag and sat down in her original spot beneath the tree.

"Come, we must stop the bleeding if you are to continue the reading." She motioned for Alicent to sit next to her.

"I'm very sorry Princess, I did not mean for you to go get the rag-"

"No, I chose to." She said looking to the ground and fidgeting with a blade of grass. "I feel I have been rude to you today, with the comments I said earlier, and walking you around like a servant." She couldn't even look at Alicent. "What I wanted to say was, I'm sorry."

Alicents mouth dropped open. Never in her life had she heard of the headstrong princess apologizing to someone, especially for something so insignificant.

"Please sit down." She insisted.

Alicent listened and sat next to the Princess, still bewildered with what had just happened.

Rhaenyra took her hand and begun wiping the blood off. "This is such a peculiar place to get a paper cut." Rhaenyra mentioned.

"No, my princess! I get them all of the time." Alicent didn't know what to say to her. If anyone knew what she had been doing to herself than she would surely be locked away back in her chambers. "Why are you doing this, Princess?" Alicent asked eager to change the subject. Rhaenyra blushed and looked back at the ground.

"Because I don't have many friendships. Especially with girls my age." She said. Quicker than Alicent had ever heard anyone say anything. "And please don't call me that." Alicent glanced at her waiting for her to elaborate, she didn't.

"Call you princess?"

"Yes. I hate it. Almost everyone calls me it. It's too regal and it makes me seem better than everyone else."

"You are though." Alicent blurted.

"I am not." Rhaenyra turned and stared her escort in the eyes.

"The only thing that my family has that differentiates us from you, is our dragons. Without them we are just like everybody else."

"You also have your purple eyes and striking silver hair." Alicent giggled and then caught herself. Why was she being so friendly? This was not her friend.

Rhaenyra looked back at the ground and smiled. "Yes, at least we do have that."

"What would you like me to call you?" Alicent asked making sure she did not make any more questionable comments.

"Rhaenyra."

Alicent nodded, picked up the book and began reading again.

When a kings guard arrived to escort them back, they were both asleep, the book sprawled between them, the afternoon light glistening off of their silver and brown hair intertwined.