Forbidden Dreams (Gwayne Hightower AU)

4

In the next morning, Gwayne felt so light that he could float away.
He was happy because he was free.
It was totally worthy to stand up and fight for his future.

At breakfast he felt the heavy glances of his parents.
Georgina Hightower usually kept herself busy bossing around the maids in the castle, but this morning she was sitting unusually quite at the table.
Clearly her husband had updated about Gwayne's decision and disapproved it.
She had been overly excited to welcome the Lannister girl as a daughter.
She had been very busy with planning the engagement party and then the wedding. And now everything was ruined.
But she said nothing to reproach her son.
Her eyes already told everything.

Gwayne's parents hadn't married for love.
Georgina came from a middle class family and always submitted to the will of her husband's family.
Although love wasn't at the basis of their union, they always respected each other. Sort of.
Otto took the big decisions and Georgina adapted to them.

Gwayne could still recall the tears she hadn't been able to hold when they had watched Alicent marrying a man who could have been her father or even her grandfather.
That was the only time Georgina showed her disapproval to something.
Although few months later she was happily holding her first grandson and started spoiling him with her motherly attentions.

"Is it a new habit to wear like you're a peasant?" Otto asked glancing at his attire.

"You know how polluted the city is. I don't want to ruin my best clothes" Gwayne lied.

"This cursed fog" Georgina hissed, coughing quietly. She was usually forced to stay indoor because of her weak lungs.

"It's the working class that causes all this pollution" Otto spat.

"But without the working class we would have nothing. We would have to produce the things that we need ourselves" Gwayne reasoned, winning his parents matching glares.

"So we are all doomed" Otto sentenced.

"Or we can find better ways to produce what we need, avoiding to create this smoke".

His mother scoffed "Still dreaming of changing the world, aren't you?".

Gwayne sighed, finishing his meal and standing up "Let me dream. That's all I have. It's better than surrendering to the problems and just complaining about them without thinking of a solution".

His mother didn't like the allusion. But he meant that.
He had almost followed her example, surrendering to what seemed inevitable.
Instead now he was free to shaoe his own destiny.

"Be careful of what you do" his father stopped him "Words of what you've done to the Lannisters is already spreading through the whole city. You ruined your reputation".

Gwayne stiffened, hearing his mother's moan of despair.
Then he composed himself and left the gloomy halls of the castle.

As he crossed several streets, his father's words proved to be true.

Would you also look at him with disgust for what he had done?
Rejecting a marriage full of advantages to try something new?

Gwayne had to jog, trying to run away from his new worries.

"You're late" you welcomed him in the outskirt of the city, where you two had planned to meet, half an hour earlier.

Gwayne almost expected that you would have left without him.
Seeing thay you waited for him instead was a relief.
Although you were looking at him in a murderous way.

"I'm so sorry. I've had errands. I did everything to come as fast as I could" he said panting and bending to press his palms on his knees.

Your eyes narrowed as you watched him catch his breath.
"Something bad happened?".