Dance of The Dragonwolf

Hightower

Hello Drinor Here, If you like to become a patron and get access to these chapters earlier, head on over to Patreon and search 'Drinor.'

Write 'www.Patreon.com/Drinor' in the Websearch.

The Following 15 Chapters are available for Patrons.

Chapter 26 (The Council of 101), Chapter 27 (Jaehaerys and Alysanne), Chapter 28 (A Last Talk), Chapter 29 (Set Your Wings Free), Chapter 30 (The Young Dragon), Chapter 31 (A Song for A Lady), Chapter 32 (The Calm Before), Chapter 33 (Lady Hightower), Chapter 34 (The Storm), Chapter 35 (A Dance Under The Full Moon), Chapter 36 (Magic is Dark and Full of  Lies), Chapter 37 (A Prince and A Princess), Chapter 38 (A Tourney of Sacrifice), Chapter 39 (Words are like an Arrow), and Chapter 40 (Viserys's Decision) are already available for Patrons.

The Link is in my Profile

With nimble fingers and a tender touch, the devoted mother diligently weaves her artistic magic, skillfully entwining her daughter's luscious tresses into intricate braids. Once unassuming and drab, the chestnut strands now radiate a warm glow, resembling the very essence of the mother herself. While the resemblance to her father is undeniable in the countenances of Gwayne, Gareth, and Alester, it is in this delicate act of hairstyling that the daughter finds solace, a precious reminder of her unique connection to her nurturing mother. As the sun casts its golden rays upon the room, reflecting off the daughter's cascading braids, her eyes meet her mother's gaze, revealing a shared depth of chocolate brown.

Mother had said once that she'd fallen those eyes that reminded her of cinnamon. There were no brown flowers in Highgarden, which had always made her so upset.

"I always thought it was so strange that we Tyrells had brown hair if there were no flowers like that." Mother pressed a warm hand against her cheek. "Brown eyes, too. Luckily, you were born with my grandfather's green eyes, like a stem. It seems so strange, you know? Lannisters have their golden mane and the Starks have the grey eyes of a wolf's coat. We have nothing. My House, Tyrell, has a golden rose, and we don't even have yellow hair. We aren't flowers."

"But we're growing strong, aren't we?" Alicent asks cheerfully. "You and I can be any flower we wish to be, Mother. Roses are so pretty. I should think that's why gowns were made-- you know, so we can be anything we wish to be."

Mother stands and turns to her very slowly. She kneels beside her daughter, brown eyes shining in hidden grief. Father often neglected her for the library or his solar or sometimes to travel to King's Landing. Alicent often heard her cry when Father left, and she supposed it was because Mother loved him so deeply. However, Otto Hightower was not so moved. Sometimes, she wondered if he had loved Helaena Tyrell or if he had loved her dowry.

"I could have married above my station. I could have been the bride of a Targaryen or a Redwyne or a Baratheon." She says hauntingly as if she were speaking to someone else, and it sounds more like a eulogy. "I could have been anything, my sweet girl. Helaena Baratheon. Helaena Targaryen. Now, I am nothing. I am not a rose. I am not happy. I was in love, and now I am not happy."

Alicent doesn't mean to say it. "I don't make you happy, Mother?"

Mother blinked away tears, flinching back as if her daughter had struck her as hard as she could. She smiled widely, though it didn't look genuine to her daughter.

"Of course you do, sweetling. Gwayne, Gareth, you, and Alester are my life's greatest joy. Especially you. You're a sweet girl, Alice, but remember at all times that you're more than any man that wants you. You can love and love and love, but sometimes love leaves you defenseless against great pain. Sometimes it strips you bare and takes away from you...takes the parts you that did not know could be taken. It takes the warmth from your sheets and the kindness from your soul. It picks you dry like a crow to a corpse. In the end, your greatest love will be your children, but for their sake, choose their father wisely. For your own sake, choose a man wisely."