𝒜𝓁𝒾𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑅𝒽𝒶𝑒𝓃𝓎𝓇𝒶~𝐿𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝒹𝑜

New dress.

Rhaenyra

Rhaenyra woke, her head laying on Alicent's lap. She turned slightly and looked up at the dark haired girl. The light shone off her face, dancing with the shadows of the leaves. Alicent was braiding her hair and fastening the braids with little flowers. She began to remember what had happened earlier. She then sat up quickly causing the braid Alicent had been finishing to unravel.

"My mother?"

"She is doing well." Alicent answered yet she still had a solemn expression on her face.

"And the babe?" Rhaenyra already knew before Alicent shook her head. This happened frequently, Rhaenyra had grown accustomed to it, yet she never saw the pain her mother had endured before today. She began to tear up as she thought of her wails echoing through the hallways. She had always thought of her mother as an un breakable goddess; she still was, she had gotten through this and she would get through much more.

They sat in silence for a bit before Alicent stood and held her hand out. "We must prepare for the ball, the Lannisters have already arrived. We are expected to attend the ball despite the circumstances with the queen." She held out her hand and Rhaenyra took it following her out of the garden.

Alicent took Rhaenyra's braids tucking them in between the other forming a beautiful halo crown. She grabbed a rosy pink gown and began preparing it but Rhaenyra stopped her.

"I have one in mind." She said standing and sauntering over to a small package she had told a servant to fetch earlier. She undid the string and unfolded the wrapping, smiling she brought it out and showed it to Alicent.

"Rhaenyra." A look of disbelief crossed her face. "You cannot wear that, it'll look as if..." Alicent paused trying to gather herself. "as if you were-"

"Going into battle." She smiled smugly. It was exactly what she wanted. The dress was black, it had golden trim along the collar, the sleeves opened wide, there was little tiny dragons stitched in golden string covering most of the bodice and skirt. It was accompanied by a small golden hair clip shaped as a dragon. "Can you loosen my corset?"

"Rhaenyra this is a horrible idea, you father will be terribly irritated. Not only with you for disregarding his wishes for you to wear the pink dress, he will tell my father and you know where he will place the blame." Alicent stated looking at her and refusing to untie her corset. She groaned picking up the pin and crossing the room until their faces were but a fingertips length apart.

"You must live a little, Alicent." She whispered lifting her hand up and clipping the dragon pin in Alicent's hair. "Now untie my corset we must make haste if we are to attend this ball."

Both girls took turns lacing the others dress up. After an hour had passed they were prepared to go to the ball. Rhaenyra wore her black gown with the golden dragon stitching and Alicent wore a dark red dress with flowered fabric. Rhaenyra left the room and was escorted to the Throne room. They reached the enormous doors and Rhaenyra held her breath as she heard the hand announce her name, the doors opened slowly and all eyes turned to her.

She walked eyes forward as if she was immune to the stares and whispers. Her footing was strong, head held high, she felt powerful.

Yet when she arrived at the long table where the royal family was meant to sit, she found two empty seats and Otto Hightower, the hand, smiling at her motioning for her to take a seat next to him.