Autumn Kiss 💋🍁 || Criston Cole

029 • FAREWELL

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The royal army, were two thousand strong, prepared to march by the gates. Their lord Commander Ser Criston looked out at the city from Alicent's balcony, saying his final farewells. "It's almost time Alicent…"

The Dowager Queen hugged his waist and placed her head on his chest. "The moment you can, send a raven, I need to know you're alright."

"I will, absolutely. The first maester I see, I will demand he send word to you." Criston promised.

Alicent pretended not to hear the nervous beating of his heart, if he was scared she thought she needed to be scared also.

"Have no fear." he said with a caress of her cheek "I shall not miss our wedding."

Trying to dull her sadness, she tried to have some levity "You had best not, Ser. I cannot wait and will be very cross if you delay it."

It proved useless, as they were still both choking back too many tears to joke with one another. They needed to dispense with all the private feelings before the children arrived, their presence at times of tenderness was still to awkward to countenance.

"I'll miss you like snow misses winter….I can't exist without you anymore, Criston." Alicent counters, unable to summon as poetic a statement.

The Dornish knight replied simply "I'll…not feel right again until I've returned to you."

It was sufficiently heartfelt for Alicent. He tapped his fingers against Alicent's ring anxiously. "Alicent, if I should indeed…not return, tell the children I died well, no matter what you might hear."

Alicent tried to look away and not come completely unraveled into a sobbing heap on the ground.

"And I can tell you without any uncertainty, whenever I do face the end, you'll be who I'm thinking on when I yield my breath.

"In a tremulous voice, she answered "I love you so much, Criston Cole"

"I love you too, I always will." Their kiss concluded just in time for them to separate at the announcement of the princes and princess' arrival.

Arrayed in front of him, Criston could not help but feel a sense of pride. As if they were his own.

"So Aemond, do you think you shall be well enough to spar again by my return?" Still walking slightly wrong and needing Aegon's support.

"I had best be, I am likely out of practice and don't intend to be taken unawares again." Aemond responds.

"Good man. And Aegon, if we capture a Dornish wagon train, I think I could promise some of that wine to be delivered to you." Ser Criston announced.

Aegon grimaced "…are you sure you couldn't return by way of the Reach for some…proper wine?"

Criston laughed, although by the time his smile faded, the room was quiet. Nobody knew what to say after all the reeling of surprise and emotions these weeks had been.

Helaena broke it by running at him and latching to his front "Oh, I shall miss you, Ser Criston! Come back soon!"

Aemond was uneasy standing in place after this and could not look Criston in the eye when he said "Yes, I…concur. I personally…wish you very good fortune."

Alicent and Criston both could not have anticipated this and it only sent the melancholy into a fever pitch.

"Now, you all know what I am to do. Your grandsire….has gone too far in his wrath and has to be…brought to heel." Criston shot then a known glare.

Aegon loured as he said "Well, I do think I speak for everyone when I say…he won't be missed. I mean, he's my grandsire, yet demanded we do as he commanded always like a slave…and blood or no…he was always a bit of a cunt, wasn't he?" Aegon spat nonchalantly, still had such marvelous manners. "And treason doesn't really improve that standing, does it?" Even Aemond could not help but grin at that.

Helaena began again, nervously playing with her hands. "Well….I don't really hate anybody…but I know sometimes…bad people get killed by good people…and the way he talked to mother was bad…and the way he made us all do he said was bad…and what he's done now is very bad…but Ser Criston is a good man."

Everyone supposed they agreed. Criston nodded a moment before continuing "Well, I promised your mother I'd return and it is a promise I give to all of you too."

Alicent could hardly restrain the urge to embrace him again. It was now just about time for him to go and he knew nothing to say and offer comfort.

Aegon sighed and took on a dour look "Ser Criston…I think I ought to tell you that…I do not feel it was my father who was the man that much cared for me…it was you. And errr…you've made mother very happy so…take care not to come to harm."

After this second show of emotion, Alicent was almost overwhelmed and Criston could not regret leaving more terribly. "Thank you, Aegon. You're very kind. And now, I must go" Criston said tersely.

As he left, Alicent caught him by the hand, prompting him to look her in the eye one last time. "Please come back to…us. We won't rest easy until you are back safely."

Criston would have succumbed to crying had he not known how important composure was at this moment. He glanced at her necklace and closed the hand ton which he wore her ring tightly into a fist before departing.

At the head of the army, he mounted his horse and prepared to march while the crowd cheered and urged them on.

One knight close behind boasted "It's only the Dornish and a slippery old man, this will be child's play!"

Another replied with a breathy laugh "The old bastard's head will be carried back the whole way by my squire on a pike, mark me!"

Criston looked back to the Red Keep, as if to see Dowager Queen Alicent there looking back. She was, praying to all the Gods that he return as tears streamed down her face, her children doing their utmost to comfort her.

Alas, he was too far to see her, so he could only picture her in his mind. With that, Criston allowed himself one moment to pretend to adjust his helm and let his sadness claim him for just a short while.

Afterward, he steeled himself, he would end this heinous matter and return with all haste. "Move out!" he commanded. The gates opened and the army started on the march to war.

Alicent Hightower watched him go, muttering underneath her breath. "Farewell my love." She said with a hitched breath, watching Criston until he was out of sight.

•••••••••
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