The Green Flame

Chapter 11. Time Flies

Alicent walked in wearing a green V-neck dress with a matching cape and a silver and pearl tiara on her head, her russet brunette hair down up, but a long ponytail sat on her left shoulder. Her cleavage was faintly showing, but four golden chains hung between the V-neck of her gown, giving Alicent some distraction from her bosom, which had grown large with her two pregnancies.

Daemon wore a black tunic with red sleeves and black breeches. His hair remained short thanks to regular cuts from the barber, and his short hair reminded people of Maegor the Cruel.

Once Alicent made her way to the King and curtseyed while Daemon bowed, she glared at Rhaenyra. "Congratulations, niece. What a blessing this is for you."

Daemon hid his proud smirk. His wife wasn't the shy little maiden he thought she was. She was a dragon that breathed green fire.

Rhaenyra looked at the doors leading out of the feast. Perhaps a dance with Laenor could distract her?

As Daemon pulled his wife's chair for her and pushed it in, he pecked his wife's cheek and whispered. "You're showing your fire, issa ābrazȳrys."

"Kirimvose issa valzȳrys."

Rhaenyra yanked Laenor onto the dance floor, and various couples joined the newlyweds on the dance floor.

Laena approached Alicent and offered a hug. "Alicent! It has been so long!"

"We saw each other five moons ago." Alicent smiled at her Velaryon sister.

Laena returned her friend's smile. "That was before the babe was born! Perhaps tomorrow I can meet the little girl?"

"I'm sure Helaena would love that."

"Helaena? You named her after me?"

Alicent nodded. "Of course. You have been so wonderful to me, and you are like a sister to me, so it's fair I name my daughter after my sister."

Laena jumped for joy as she hugged Alicent tight, her infectious laughter shared with Alicent. Rhaenys smiled as she watched her daughters together. She, too, had learnt of Helaena's name and celebrated the Princess' birth by flying to Dragonstone to deliver an egg to Helaena's crib.

Daemon had been with Corlys and Viserys, chatting about baby Helaena's smooth travels and that she hardly ever cried, making her the easiest baby the couple had.

Sometime during the evening, Alicent saw Joffrey Lonsmouth walk to Ser Criston and whisper in the knight's ear, which drove the Dornish knight to attack and beat the man to death. Daemon noticed Ser Harwin lift the Princess over his shoulder and carry her away while the Kingsguard moved Criston off of the newly deceased Joffrey, and a distressed Laenor was holding his dead lover in his arms and wailing.

Alicent decided to follow Criston, who had walked off and found him in the Godswood, with his blade pointed at his stomach, preparing to end his own life when she spoke. "Ser Criston?"

The knight opened his eyes to see Princess Alicent standing there with a worried look as she slowly and calmly approached the knight. As she kneeled on the grass, she could see tears had fallen from his eyes, and he placed the sword on the ground as he collapsed into her arms and cried into the Princess' emerald green skirt.

Alicent stroked his hair and began to silence the knight. "There, there, Ser Criston. Everything is going to be alright. I saw what happened. He provoked you to attack."

"I-It was me."

"What?" Alicent asked, pulling his head up to look into his dark eyes.

Ser Criston elaborated. "I was the one the Princess had been intimate with before your wedding. I know I have broken my vows, and I begged her to marry me to restore some honour, but she rejected me and asked me to be her whore. I refused, and now I have killed her husband's lover. The King will send me to the Wall if not have me killed."