The Grey Wolf & The Golden Dragon | Aegon Targaryen II

Crimson

Alysanne

Four days... It had been four blissful, exhausting days since the wedding, when Alysanne woke as the sun was rising. Aegon had only slept for a few hours at a time, trying to acclimate to his new surroundings, and so Alysanne let him sleep. Kissing him on the temple, she left their chambers to have breakfast in the Great Hall with her brother.

"Annie," he acknowledged as she pulled out her chair and fell into it. "Enjoying married life?"

"Very much so," she answered, reaching for a piece of ham and a sweet roll.

"At least something good came out of this headache you've caused me..." he muttered, opening a raven scroll...

Alysanne narrowed her eyes at him as she bit into her roll, bitterness resurfacing inside her. For a decade he'd taken on the role of her lord and yet he was nothing like her father, nor had he offered her the comfort she'd craved after losing her parents. He'd always been cold, distant, serious... It was as if the wall itself separated them...

Alysanne had tried to seek him out when her parents died. When he avoided her like the winter fever, she'd turned to fits of rage and troublemaking, only causing him frustration. Eventually, he'd stopped trying to punish her. Instead, he'd let her roam freely about Winterfell, ignoring her antics completely, if only so he didn't have to deal with her himself. His sour comments left her wondering why she had missed him so badly when she had been in the capital...

In truth, now that she was away from King's Landing, she realized she preferred Aemond as a brother over her own blood. At least Aemond had an affectionate side, no matter how twisted it was. At least Aemond and Daeron treated her as sister, rather than nuisance...

It struck her, as she ate in silence beside the man she called brother, that the Red Keep had become her home; that she missed the princes, and Helaena, and Elin.  She thought escaping with Aegon would bring them both peace and happiness; Alysanne had never expected the desire to return would come so soon.

Perhaps the Gods truly had made her for Aegon, so he could give her the family she needed, a family for Elin to be a part of, as well.

The remainder of breakfast was finished in uncomfortable silence and Cregan left, not even bothering to bid her goodbye. As she reached for an empty plate, loading it with food, Syra offered her assistance.

"No, thank you, Syra. Aegon and I can manage, as Elin and I normally would. I will send for you if I need anything." She carried the plate, piled high, back to their chambers, where Aegon was still fast asleep.

"My love..." she breathed, sitting beside him and pushing his hair back off his eyes.  "Wake up, husband..."

"What is it?" he asked in a graveled tone, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hand.

"Come on... I want to get you out of this room for a while. You need to eat." The room was quiet as Aegon ate and Alysanne got ready for the day, pulling on a dress with fur sleeves and wide, open skirts for riding.

"Where are we going?" Aegon inquired, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, his fingers stroking over the leather straps around her waist.

"I want to go riding with you, my love." Alysanne relief. "Hunting, mayhaps, if we're lucky..." Warmth spread through her, from the crown of her head to the tips of her toes as he pressed his lips to her neck, pushing her curls back off her shoulders.

"Aegon..." she chided, "not again... Come on, I want you to see more of my home than just these chambers!"

"Alright, fine..." her prince relented, releasing her with a peck on the cheek.