Fetish / Larys Strong

21. Love Is Not Nothing

"What?" Otto hissed. 

"Lord Hightower, I wish to ask for Blyana's hand in marriage." Larys repeated.

"No." Otto answered sternly. Larys gripped his cane tight as he took a step closer.

"Lord Hightower, I have gotten to know Lady Blyana over the past few years and-"

"And you tainted her? You are holding something over her? Did you force yourself upon her?" Otto rattled off and that took Larys aback. He would never hurt her.

"No, no my lord." Larys corrected. "I love your daughter."

"Love." Otto scoffed.

"She... I would never... I- I would never hurt her, I love your daughter very much. I would never do anything to jeopardize her purity... her innocence. I-" he didn't know how to convince Otto when it was clear Otto already had his mind set. Lyonel was right, Larys wasn't good enough for Blyana.

"I saw you in her bed this morning." Otto went on. "My Bylana wouldnt sully herself for the likes of you."

"We didn't. I wouldnt. We-"

"Daddy?" Blyana questioned peering in. "What's wrong?"

"Lord Larys is going home. He doesn't feel well." Otto offered.

"Oh, I will get my-"

"No Blyana love. He is going alone." Otto corrected and Blyana looked to Larys confused but he remained quiet.

"Larys can you give me a moment with my father? Don't leave." Blyana instructed. Larys nodded silently as he headed out.

"What did he do?" Otto demanded before the door was even closed.

"Do?" Blyana countered. "Father did he not ask-"

"He had the audacity to ask for your hand." Otto agreed.

"Audacity? Daddy no. I love him." Blyana corrected.

"Honey, what is he holding over you? You don't have to lie to me. I will protect you." Otto assured. 

"Protect me? From Larys?" Blyana questioned confused.

"What did he do? Did he touch you? He did he hurt you? I will kill him." Otto declared. 

"Daddy stop!" Blyana begged. "He didn't hurt, he wouldnt do that. I love him. He loves me. Why would you say such things?" 

"Blyana." Otto said through an exasperated breath.

"Father!" Blyana countered sternly. "I do, I love him. You were gone and he was a really good friend."

"He was in your bed." Otto hissed.

"I invited him." Blyana agreed. "I wanted him to stay with me."

"Why?"

"Because I love him and he loves me." Blyana remarked.

"Did he..." Otto gave her a pointed look

"I wanted to. He said no." Blyana informed him. "He said he wanted to do things right and ask for my hand."

"Bly-"

"Father he understands me. He is so smart. He's funny. He makes me laugh. I feel safe with him." Blyana declared and Larys listened silently outside the door. She felt safe with him. Lyonel was wrong. Otto was wrong too. Larys knew they were meant to be.

"Just because he understands he was not a good reason to marry him." Otto corrected. 

"Did you not hear me father I love him! I love Larys." she shouted back.

"I heard you but I don't think you understand. You do not... Do not close yourself off from wonderful men wonderful opportunities-" Otto tried again.

"You don't get it." Blyana corrected "I love him and I want him. Should that not be enough?" Blyana countered. "He's good to me and treats me right. Alicents kids love him too, Ali likes him. I love him. He takes care of me. He sees me as I am and he still loves me." Blyana declared. 

"Ending up in your bed- staying in your bed thats how he is treating you right?" He countered staring back at his daughter.

"I invited him I wanted him to stay me. I basically begged him too stay, he worried what you might think but I convinced him to stay and sleep, we slept," Blyana declared. "I wanted more but he wanted to do things right which I respect and I thought you would too. He did not want to taint me or corrupt me." Blyana remarked.

"He is deformed he will never be whole."

"Is that what you think of me too?" Blyana rasped

"No my dearest you are perfect-"

"I am sick. I have an inner deformity within me. I don't feel whole. Do you see me as broken too?" Blyana pondered.

"No my dear I don't. Blyana, love, you're perfect." Otto declared reaching out for her. 

"I have been sick for years the only difference is my illness is internal and his is external. People can see something he was born with that no one can change.  People see him and they judge him off of that without ever getting to know him as I have." Blyana remarked. "People see me and they judge me. They judge me differently because I am the queen sister but they judge me still. I don't care that he has clubfoot. Just as he does not care about whatever the hell is wrong with me."

"He is a second born son marrying him will get you nothing!" Otto reminded her.

"Love is not nothing."

"Blyana-"

"Love. Father love is worth more than lands and titles. Titles dont keep you warm. Land doesn't hold you close. Do you know who the most powerful man Westeros is? It is the king and his queen hates him." Blyana informed her father honestly. "Marrying him made her the queen yet she is hurting. So I don't care that he's a second born son. Because I'd rather have him someone I love as opposed to having the world and no one that loves me back."