𝖇𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖉𝖞𝖓𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖞, 𝐚. 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐞𝐧¹

𝟎𝟎𝟓. A TOURNEY

        ALYSANNE WAS still reeling from that night as she prepared for the start of tourney with Aenora, who sat behind Alysanne and hummed as she braided her long golden hair into several plaits that she would later wrap around her head.

        They were nineteen years old today and excitement pulsed in the air. A lot had happened since that private dinner with Aemond and their parents. Prince Lucerys had contested his inheritance of Driftmark against Ser Vaemond Velaryon, who had lost his head for openly accusing Princess Rhaenyra of infidelity and for calling her boys bastards. Well, he lost most of his head, if the stories were to be believed. Alysanne was grateful that she had not attended that meeting, for if she had, she certainly would have lost her lunch.

         Along with the gossip regarding Daemon's execution of Vaemond, though the news of Aemond and Alysanne's betrothal had yet to be announced, it was already being whispered about around the castle.

          "You still have not told me what you think about this betrothal," Aenora murmured as she peeked around Alysanne's body and met her gaze in the mirror. "Aemond certainly had a lot to say."

          Alysanne jerked in surprise, her eyes widening. "I beg your pardon?"

         Aenora smiled softly as she began sliding pins into her hair to pin her braids in place. "Mm, indeed, though not quite as much as he had to say about our potential arrangement."

          Alysanne frowned, her eyes falling to her lap. "He's upset, isn't he?" she murmured. She didn't blame him, it wasn't like she was ecstatic to marry him either, but it still stung to know how he felt about it.

          "What gave you the impression that he's upset?" Aenora murmured, her silver brows furrowing. "He may not be thrilled, but I would not say that he is upset, Alys."

          That did not make anything any clearer. She spun around the moment Aenora placed the final pin, her arms crossing over her extravagantly dressed chest. Today, for the first day of the tournament, Alysanne wore a vibrant golden gown accented with threads of crimson. She looked as much the lioness that she was, and her extravagant updo only accentuated that.

         Before Alysanne could chastise Aenor for her intentional vagueness, the princess reached out and brushed her hands along Alysanne's jaw with a soft smile on her face. "You look beautiful, Alys. Aemond will be the luckiest prince in the entire realm."

         A blush crept up Alysanne's neck and across her cheeks. "You are too kind, Princess." She shied away from the princess's intense gaze and stood up, her worries about Aemond and his feelings lost as the girls finished getting ready. It wasn't long before they found themselves in the royal spectator platform as the tournament began.