Suburban Legends / Alicent Hightower / Criston Cole

6. Jumping

Rhaenyra watched as ara and jace played and played until they were both so tired they tipped over falling asleep on each other . Aranyani was the perfect little angel rhaenyra wanted for her son.... With an unfortunate mother.

But ara loved alicent more than anyone. So rhaenyra had to tolerate alicent when she wanted to see little ara.

"Hello sweetie," rhaenyra desperately wanted a daughter of her own one day and hoped that she would be like ara. Ara beamed up at her before looking for Jace

"J? J?" Ara questioned eagerly

"Just me." She countered. Ara shrugged not as good as jace but she was easy to please.

Criston watched as Rhaenyra knelt beside ara. Hi perfect little girl. Rhaenyras jaw clenched when she saw criston

"What do you want ser?"

"The queen asked i watch over little Aranyani while she is meetings." Criston answered. He loved that alicent let him have left from council meetings to dote upon his little girl. Ara crawled over to criston trying to pull herself up using his pant leg. Criston reached down scooping her up. Once in his arms ara started babbling. Criston nodded kissing her cheek as he turned away from rhaenyra.

"Outside?"

"Ohh!" Ara agreed nodding as she ran a hand over the stubble on his jaw. "Ow!"

"Scratchy?" Criston questioned ara nodded but kept playing with his stubble with a laugh. "Come on princess, lets go play outside."  Ara continued to babble in his arms until they got outside and she silenced taking a deep breath.

She was certainly one with nature. She found every leaf every cloud every little twig laying broken on the forest floor fascinating.  She squealed with delight when a butterfly came fluttering towards them before flying off. Criston continued to smile a proud father down at little ara. She clapped her hands before reaching for the butterfly.

"Hey petal." Aegon called out. Aras head snapped to him. Criston put her down as she wiggled to get free and crawled at the speed of light in her little mind to aegon. "Hi petal." She babbled up at him. Aegon looked to criston "when is going to start making sense?"

"Well how long did it take for you to understand your siblings?" Criston pondered

"I still dont understand helaena." Aegon informed him.

Good point.

"Shes a baby. Still learning to talk." Criston offered.

"Im Aegon. Best brother ever petal." Aegon told her as she lifted a stick for him. "Me. Best brother ever. Say it with me petal."

"Ahhhggg!" Ara squealed out laughing her little head off

"Close enough." He agreed.

Alicent couldnt focus. She stared down at the green marble in her saucer and imagined bashing her head in it.

"I think thats all for today." Viserys remarked getting up. Lyonel was quick to follow as he rose up. Alicent remained sitting as the council room cleared out.

The thought of jumping from the balcony had been on her mind pre Aranyani. Alicent didnt have a purpose, she was a smart young woman, otto's favorite, he trained her a molded her to be his perfect little weapon. Her mind was perfection, built to play the game but she was sat here like a trophy and her voice wasnt heard or valued. 

Sometimes she thought about jumping, off a very tall something, to see if anyone would come running. And do the one thing that she wanted but no. Aranyani needed her, the children needed her. Viserys acted like they didnt exist. They didnt matter. But they did. They mattered to her. To Criston. They mattered. She had to try harder with the others. 

Ara was her baby but the other children deserved her love. 

"MAMA!" Ara smiled reaching for her. "Oh mama!"  but Ara's little smile, her little green eyes, her beautiful auburn hair, it made Alicent want to steal her away and forget the rest of the world. Just melt into those little green eyes. "Mama!" 

"Ara." Alicent cooed. 

"MAmA!" ara squealed kissing her cheek as Criston handed off Ara. "Ouu idee!" 

"You play outside?" Alicent deciphered. Ara nodded. "You have so much fun with Criston?" Ara nodded again.  "Thank you." 

"Always."