Suburban Legends / Alicent Hightower / Criston Cole

24. Weirwood

Criston took Alicent's hand and pull her to her feet. She dropped her needlepoint and followed him. 

 "Let's go find something to eat and go to bed."

 "Criston, it's barely supper time."

 "Yeah, I know." He tugged her against his and slid his free hand down her spine to cup her ass. Alicent gasped glancing around  "I haven't had you naked in twelve hours. I'm going through withdrawals." Criston decided. 

 "You poor thing." She slid her hand up his chest and loops her arms around his neck. Alicent went up onto her toes and pressed her body against his.

 "If you're that deprived, I suppose we could have a little appetizer before the main course."

"Hehe," ara giggled when Alicent found her that night. She could get used to letting criston in but she knew she should push him away it was just so hard when she felt like a teenager in love again not a queen with no power and all this responsibility. Alicent smiled sitting beside Ara as she giggled. 

"What darling?" Alicent questioned

"I wish you could be inside my head". Ara answered. "The conversation is sparkling!"

"I bet it is." Alicent agreed she couldnt help but smile. Ara was the most unique little girl.

"Fine. I'll tell you!" Ara jumped up onto her lap.

"Oh goodie." Alicent agreed kissing her cheek. Ara tossed her vibrant auburn hair over her shoulder.

"I was thinking about unicorns and weirwood trees."

"Weirwood trees?"

"And unicorns." Ara added

"Why weirwood trees?"

" because they're said to have magic and I think magic cool." Ara answered

"Weirwood trees have white bark with five-pointed, blood-red leaves and sap. The heart trees are weirwood trees with faces carved on their barks found in the center of godswoods. The Children of the Forest are thought to have carved the faces that decorated the heart trees." Ara went on. "Heart leaves!"

"Heart leaves, thats right." Alicent agreed. 

"weirwoods are imbued with the spirits of ancient people, and their whispers can still be heard sometimes. or so the witches say." Ara declared spookily making alicent laugh. "weirwood trees live an extremely long time, and even when they die they do not rot." Ara went on. "And! Objects made of weirwood are as lasting as stone."

"Thats nice. When did you learn so much?"

"Criston gave this to me." She held up the little figurine. "He made it out of weirwood for me. Said theres a big magical weirwood in dorne. Maybe he can take me to see it one day!"

"That's a long way away." Alicent countered. 

"Well, you could come to of course."

She debated that could she just leave?

"And what of your siblings?"

"We could bring them with too. Except-"

"Ara-"

" no I'm coming. You can't leave me behind its my idea, Criston would never leave me!" Ara objected. "I was going to say-"

"Ara." Alicent warned

"Fine.". She grumbled. "Daeron can come too. "

Heading down to dorne they could get lost. They could decide that they don't want to come back and they could all be free.... But it was just a dream.

No one questioned it when Aranyani had darker hair like her mothers. Just as no one said anything about Rhaenyras bastards... to their faces. But what really kept the people from whispering was her twin brother Daeron. Daeron had silver hair like the rest of their family and Ara a dark auburn waves. But their hair wasn't the only thing that distinguished the twins.

Alicent had told her when she was born her eyes were the greenest of greens, the deepest of forests, vibrant and hypnotizing. So Alicent named her after the goddess of forests.

Aranyani, the goddess of forests. She was worthy of worship for being the guardian deity of sacred sanctuaries, woodlands and jungles. Forests were considered to be the home of female energy, or goddess Shakti.

Ara liked that she was a goddess. She liked that story often. She loved when her mama said she was named after a goddess it had come to her effortlessly when she was born.

That was probably what drew her to the weirwood, it was magical and she hoped she was magical too.