Not All Men Dance With Dragons

They Ring For Horror

Times had never been tenser than the point after Daemon's sudden leaving and before the King was meant to return from Driftmark, hopefully with a betrothal assured. Nyla had no idea why but probably had something to do with the Lord Hand's dismissal.

Otto Hightower was 'a conniving little cunt' if you asked Borin and no one else had any kinder words for the man. He did his job, he played his cards, and he lost. That was how games were played in King's Landing but there were some who didn't consider it a game.

Nyla stepped out into the godswood to find that head of red hair beneath the white branches. Standing beside Alicent however was Lord Larys Strong, hand clenched around his cane as he whispered to the queen. Her face looked tense before she saw Nyla approach and curtsy to the both of them. "Lord Larys. My Queen."

"Lady Nyla." The curly-haired man bowed as best he could but his tone wasn't polite. It wasn't much of anything.

Her attention stayed on the tightness of Alicent's shoulders, however, looking more out of place than ever even somewhere so familiar. "If you pardon me, my lord, I would like to talk to Her Grace alone."

Something changed in Larys' face that Nyla couldn't understand. It was something like when you tell a dog to drop the bone it was chewing on. With one more hungry look to his bone in question, Larys tipped his head again. "Of course, my lady."

The man used his cane to limp out of sight and the two women were left again in the quiet of a holy place. They were alone yet it didn't feel like privacy. It felt like the sun itself was glaring down at them as Nyla moved forward to stand before the young queen. "I am so sorry about your father, Alicent."

"Thank you for your sympathies, my lady." Clipped and to the point with no room for warmth. As though she was reading from a script instead of addressing someone that's been her friend for years.

Nyla was taken aback by the response. She was left staring even though Alicent kept her eyes firmly on the ground by her feet. "If... If you ever feel alone-"

"Is that all, my lady?"

"Well, I-"

"I apologize." Alicent took up her skirts and started off without so much as a goodbye. "There is just much to do."

In the quiet of the godswood, Nyla was left wondering just how fragile this whole system had become.

~*~

The long-awaited royal wedding ceremonies finally began once the king and princess returned. First, a grand feast in the Red Keep, to be followed by seven days of tournaments and spectacle, culminating with the marriage ceremony. The Velaryons arrived by way of sea and dragons and the bells rang out across the city to greet them.

The feast is held in the throne room itself with the royals' table, made up of Viserys, Rhaenyra, the new Lord Hand, Maerys, and Nyla, seated before the Iron Throne. Envoys from all the major noble houses of the realm flooded the city and were announced in turn by Ser Harrold Westerling as they entered. There was only one family that made Maerys sit up in his chair though.

"House Belaerys with their lord, Baenar Belaerys." Ser Harrold announced. His words echoed off the walls as the family wrapped in cobalt blue and black stepped into the throne room. "Lord Paramount of the Reach, Warden of the South, and Master of Highgarden."

The family, a husband and lady wife with four children on their tails crossed the stone floor and approached the table to greet the king but Viserys was already standing. Already holding a hand out to grasp the father's with a smile on his face. "Lord Baenar, what pleasure it brings me to host your family once more. How exciting to have the last blood of Old Valyria under one roof again."