Suburban Legends / Alicent Hightower / Criston Cole

10. Just like That

Waves/ Corlys Velaryon / Alyn of hull out now!

Viserys loved throwing parties so of course he was ready to throw the most glorious and extravagant party for the twins first day. Odds are they wouldn't remember thing about this in the future but everyone else in the realm would.

" this is ridiculous. He's going to parade them around as if he cares."

" I heard him singing to the twins last night." Criston hated to admit it, but the king did sometimes on occasion care for the children. The reason he hated to admit it was because he loved ara like she was his own. so the fact that another man got to call her daughter and one day she would call someone else Dad made him sad. There was no other word for it. He just felt a great sadness at the thought of never being her father.

"Ara does like his songs." Alicent admitted softly. Criston nodded. Both liked to pretend that viserys wasnt part of aranyanis life but both failed when viserys decided to step up from time to time.

They shared a look before pushing the thought from their minds.

Aegon was bored when the attention wasnt on him, he looked to his mother and then to his father, both were focused on Ara and Daeron. Boring.

Aegon wasnt a fan of babies, they didnt really do anything. He liked them enough but they were boring just like this party. He grabbed a few cookies from the table and headed off. Helaena and Aemond both looked to him but he didnt stop he kept going shoving a cookie in his mouth.

"Could you-" Alicent began seeing Aegon run off.

"Of course." Criston agreed. Alicent smiled as he headed off, he had such a nice ass. Criston glanced over his shoulder at her as if he knew she was staring, she blushed turning back to Daeron.

"Go away ser. I'm in no mood for a shadow only cookies." Aegon declared. Criston chuckled aegon turned sharply to him. " what's going on with you and my mother?"

" I am her sworn sword." He answered

"And?" he prodded.

" I am her sworn sword I protect her and you and your siblings." Criston answered confused what could the boy know?

"Fine." Aegon agreed. " since you serve me now you will serve me some chilled milk and another cookie." Criston nodded.

" right away my prince."

Alicent quickly group board of parties and festivities the king like to have them so frequently that it took the magic out of them. After the twins were put to bed for the night and the guests have gone home, she walked about the castle. She liked it at night. Listening to the old Castle creek settling into the Earth.

She could hear noises that she hadn't heard before, but maybe her ears were playing tricks on her or maybe they were ghosts in the castle.

Glancing around, she still saw no one, but she heard music playing turning the corner. She found a room to be empty. It was just her ears playing tricks on her. Perhaps it was coming from the courtyard. She continued to walk, not hearing the footsteps behind her.

She jumped as a hand reached out and touched her   Criston rose his hands showing he wasn't going to hurt her. It was just him.

" I'm sorry, my queen I thought you heard me."

" I thought you were a ghost." She admitted.

" do you believe in ghosts?" He questioned as she took his hand

" I do. It's hard not to believe in the unseen when they're so many monsters that look in the darkness.... When you look around this castle, what do you see?" she pondered as they moved to her chambers.

" I see walls. I see tapestries. I see statues and stained glass." he chuckled. "I don't know what you want me to say."

" I see death and pain and misery." She admitted. "I see the queen dying on the birthing bed. I see king jaehaerys withering away as i tended to him. I see viserys. The ghost of the man he used to be lingering."

"Literally?" Criston whispered worried for alicents sanity.

" don't you hear them? The cries of those that came before."

" I really hope you're joking because that's some scary shit." Criston countered. Alicent smiled softly back at him.

"Of course." She agreed. "Just... when you stop and listen, it's easy to hear the sounds noises and create a story. To let your mind wander and let goosebumps rise on your flesh."

" I suppose my mind doesn't wander that way too frequently." he countered getting to her door. Ser harrold waiting to shift guard. " good night, my queen."

Alicent hated the night that he wasn't in her bed. It wasn't just the craving touch.  It was the company she missed. Someone that cared about her holding her close. So she would let her mind wander tonight as it always did without him. 

" good night ser."

And just like that, they were nothing more than a queen and her sworn sword