Autumn Kiss 💋🍁 || Criston Cole

010 • DEATH ON THE WALLS

Out of the evening mist came Ser Criston, eyes fixed on the queen in the thrall of tears and anguished cries. Against the advice of his brothers, he had followed, although

Alicent had lost him some ways back. He approached slowly, unsure of what he had come upon. His face was stony as he came towards her. She didn't notice him as he came closer, until the gentle clank of his armor was audible to her over her weeping.

She looked up at him with eyes dyed a pale red by her tears and they paused momentarily. She sniffled and wiped her face trying to regain some outward look of composure. She was trying fervently to save face and not make a spectacle of herself in front of him.

She tried some means to avert her eyes and not be seen to be breaking down. Now that he was close enough, Alicent could see that his previous blank face had converted to a look of sad pity.

Criston had never seen Alicent in such a state. The distant and reserved queen's only outbursts of emotion were her anger at Prince Aemond's maiming and the affection she'd shown her children throughout the years, those moments being seen by him rarely and only ever sparingly and privately.

He know not what pained her so much, he cared not. He was her sworn shield, and though sadness was not a for he could battle with sword or spear, he still felt he must try to be of service.

Perhaps it was not as simple as that, perhaps he had sought to find her for a different reason. He had by rights ignored that she had dismissed him to be alone. Forgetting all the emotional denial and austerity demanded of a knight at court, he set aside his sword on the ground and reached out to embrace the Queen.

At this, the tears resumed as Alicent clung to Criston, her cries muffled buried in his chest. He stroked the back of her head trying to soothe her as best he could. No words were spoken, only a sigh from him to assert a mood of "I am sorry".

Although her tears were far from spent, her great sadness now shared a small glint of happiness. She had Ser Criston, he was going to stay with her. He, at least, cared enough to try and restore her happiness, or attempt it at least.

She realized then that she had him for years but could only now see it. She could be held and comforted for as long as she wished without any fear of losing face. She could feel this sadness and not keep it within herself and only acknowledge it when nobody was looking as before.

This was, to her, a small mercy dispensed by the Seven. He himself knew that strange feeling very well, but had suppressed it so as not to suffer more again. It was not so anymore, it didn't need to be.

Still, though he indulged, he feared to even speak what he felt in the front of his mind. For now, he could hold her for as long she needed and he would be allowed to stay long after that.

When the time came, she walked him back as far to his chambers as she could. "It is curious, Ser Criston, I do not know what the lords and ladies of court would say if someone had spied that horrendous scene"
Alicent said with a weak smirk.

"I did not think it so, Your Grace, nor scandalous." He replied "You were overcome with sadness, it happens all the time. I know not exactly why, but as I guess it touches upon the King."

"In a manner of speaking,"

"I shan't reopen whatever wounds you were troubled by. In any case, it is my duty to guard your person and what was I to do? Leave you to cry?"

"Well, Ser Criston, it is not often done for a married woman, let alone a queen. I'm told laying hands on my person is meant to be a great offense." Criston shrugged and said

"Whoever would accuse either of us of any offense would be well employed as the king's fool. You have my sword at your service and my ear should you need them, nothing more." She glanced at him and fidgeted with her hands.