Bad Idea Right? / Otto Hightower / Larys Strong (2)

10. Flaunt it

If being a second born son was not easy, being a cripple second born son was almost impossible. Or, at least, that was how Larys had always seen it.

Since the very first moment his father and the realms acknowledged his condition of clubfoot Larys was constantly casted in Harwin's shadow. There was no cure and he would forever be deformed. Alaric felt the same way but he had aelsa to look out for him to treat him right.

Larys could have been the most handsome man. The smartest man in all the realms but all anyone would ever see was his deformity. Alaric was a handsome man and all women saw was his brace and cane and over looked all his wonderful features and kindness for something he couldnt change and had no say in.

Firstborn sons inherit titles and lands, they get married and carry on the family name; second born sons, any son born after the first, so the third, fourth, fifth, all under the same boat of second sons, so instead of titles and lands these second born sons instead, usually become knights and prove their value serving the king or winning battles. Yet his second born son, Atticus had skills and the confidence Larys had lacked.

Maybe if Larys had been a firstborn, his disability would have been neglected, ignored, a different story told. A lie perhaps saying he was wounded in battle at a young age. But since he was not the first born his condition was simply unforgettable.

Not that his father ever said that explicitly but Larys could see it. Harwin tended towards his fathers dislike, his silent treatment to Larys and Larys wondered if he were whole, if Harwin was not, if he would do the same.

When Larys met Aelsa, she was this fearless and confident woman, and she didnt sway away from his cane. She asked him about it, opened up about herself and her brother. Over the years after she proposed Larys thought she would change her mind. But Aelsa Didnt care for the whispers of she can do better because she saw something more in him.

Larys unlike his brother spoke little, smiled even less it seemed for what was there to smile about until Aelsa came that is, and he read he loved learning. At every social occasion for as long as he remembered, he was simply ignored and the only thing he obtained was, if lucky, a look of pity for his disability. Usually from an old lady that just wanted his seat at the gathering.

Another young man with his deformity would have probably suffered in his place among the high born lords and ladies, but not Larys. He tried to make the best of his situation. He had learned how to vanish in Harwin's blinding light, fade into the shadows pretended not to notice the pitiful looks in his direction or the not so discreet looks of disgust. They knew who he was and accepted his position in court even if they didnt like it without asking to know more because larys had deduced that everyone was self conceited and only cared about their egotistical lives.

But in truth Larys did not hate his father, did not envy his brother entirely, did not blame gods he did not believe in that made him this way. He had accepted a long time ago that he would never be what the world wanted him to be.

Larys did not feel anything at all on that front for a long, long time, except for an idle curiosity for the natural world, the flowers, the herbs, the elements, that could have made him perhaps a good maester, one day. But then he met Aelsa.

Larys had watched and listened in silence for moons, as soon as she made her way to the capital he knew she was coming, figured she wanted the crown but she surprised everyone with her need for more power, when she became the hand. Larys admired her drive. Thought she would be the woman to change the world.

Larys paid good attention to everyone and everything around him and he was content, he accepted that but then Aelsa came. She looked him in the eye and had real conversations with him. She didnt give him that pitying look, didnt ask about harwin, she wanted to know about him.  Larys wouldnt be silent and yet she still made him speechless.

Larys always thought that his father and brother thought that he wouldnt amount to anything. He was a crippled second born. And yet here he was the golden son.

"Why?" Lila questioned.

"Because he is your grandsire." Aelsa answered.

"We never eat with them." Atticus agreed.

"Well harwin and lyonel asked and your daddy agreed." Aelsa rematked.

"Why?" Lila questioned.

"Ask daddy," aelsa insturcted

"Why?" Ollivander teased. Aelsa glanced back at him as she finished getting ready.

"Because they are jealous of how awesome your daddy is and how awesome and amazing and spectacularly wonderful you three are-" she pointed a finger at each of her children. "-and they want to feed us. It's a win-win I don't have to cook."

Larys smiled back at aelsa as she slipped on her shoes. She sat beside him kissing his cheek. He used to feel so alone. He told himself that he liked being alone. He told himself that he didn't need anyone. But man was he wrong.

Larys leaned in kiss Lannister red lips before she offered him a hand up.

"Larys. You are the man others inspire to be." Aelsa informed him honestly. Larys believed her when she said it. " now flaunt it to your hooligan brother, because you are clearly the best strong."