) chapter 2. (
The hands of Aleia run through the soft, silver blonde hair of the Targaryen girl in her tower as they braid her hair to keep it out of the girl's face. Laeherys relaxes at the feeling of hands working on her locks as she stares outside, her gaze flickering over the woods.
"Isn't it beautiful, Aleia," the princess with no crown asks thoughtlessly. The older woman, the one who has breastfed the infant princess and cared for her during all her life, smiles at Laeherys.
Aleia has always admired how simple the princess was. She had known all her life that she was destined for a crown and a throne, yet she was never arrogant or over the top. In fact, she was very much down to earth and grateful.
"It is indeed very beautiful, princess. Have you heard that Lady Tyrell will come today?"
The princess jumps up and turns her head to look at Aleia, who let the braid fall down over her back. "Lady Tyrell? But it hasn't even been one moon ago that she has, so why should she come?"
The maid shrugs and picks the braid up again. "I do not know, my Lady, but she said it was urgent that she spoke with you." Laeherys frowns her little, slightly darker blonde eyebrows at this new bit of information. "Urgent, she said? Aleia.. what if.. what if they have found out," she asks, a scared tone taking over her voice.
Aleia quickly consoles her. "Please princess, do not think the worst. It can be about anything," she says, but her braiding quickens. She quickly braids the two braids on both sides of her head together in one, letting that hang down over her back.
"Now, which dress would you like to wear," she asks, walking over to the wardrobe next to her bookcase. She opens the two doors and picks out a light blue dress with golden embroiderment, in style of Highgarden, and a dress as red as blood with a deep, plunging neckline. "Well, which one," the maid asks, obviously trying to lighten the tension.
Laeherys shrugs. "I don't really care, Aleia, but please choose. I am sure you have an excellent taste in dresses for me." In the end Aleia chooses for the Higharden-styled dress and helps the princess into the dress by tying the laces on the back, making the dress tight fitted.
Just when Aleia tied the laces together the door opened and Lady Tyrell comes in, wearing a beautiful dark green dress with a corset that accenturates her small waist. She looks overall happy, but with a slight glint of concern in her eyes.
"Just look how beautiful you are, my little dragoness," she says, sighing a little. It was not a desperate sigh though, but a happy one. Like she was meaning 'oh how much you've grown'.
She walks over to hug her. Laeherys wraps her arms around her as well, feeling the Lady Tyrell express her love through something as simple as a hug was really comforting.
The Lady takes a step back and grabs the pale, bare shoulder of Laeherys. "I have something important to tell you: Margaery is getting married," she says. Laeherys has confusion glacing her eyes.
"I am sorry for asking, my Lady, but why was that so urgent? She has already been married to Renly Baratheon-" "Because she is getting married to King Joffrey, the son of the man who slayed your brother Rhaegar."
Suddenly an emotion not quite known to Laeherys boils up in her veins, spreading quickly. It was anger, close to a mad rage. She had heard tales of her brother Rhaegar, but most were positive and she began to love the brother she has never known. Thinking that the daughter of Lady Tyrell would marry the son of the person who murdered him was angering.
"She what?" "She is marrying Joffrey, and Lord Tyrell and I have to leave Highgarden to attend her wedding in King's Landing. It will be a perfect opportunity to make a new, strong political alliance. Even if I have to marry off my only daughter to a rumored psychopath," Lady Alerie says, disgust clear through her voice.
"You do not like him, do you," Laeherys asks. Lady Tyrell shakes her head, looking 10 years older than she is at that moment. "No, I do not. However, it is for the best interest of House Tyrell, and so I will not complain. That is not what I'm here for, though. The point is, Mace and I will leave for King's Landing tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Laeherys exclaims. She was leaving, probably not returning for 2 months or so and only told today? Lady Alerie nods, but sees her expression. "Do not worry, Laeherys. I am taking you with me."
The princess takes a step back, frozen in wonder. "What?"
"You heard me, I'm taking you with me. I've told Mace that I got a new handmaiden I wanted to take onto our trip." Laeherys flutters with her eyes, still utterly confused. "But they will recognise me with my Targaryen eyes and Targaryen hair! Also, why can I not stay here with Aleia?"
"You can not stay here because I want you close to me now. People rumour about who they call the 'Beggar King', your brother Viserys. People know that he has married Daenerys, your little sister, off to a Khal. You know the Dothraki, right?"
"Yes, I've studied their language and culture," Laeherys replies to her question. She did not know what the Lady Tyrell wanted with that bit of information.
"They know where they are hiding, little dragoness. I don't want to risk having you exposed in my absence, and so I'll take you with me. It's not that I don't trust you or Aleia, but I want security." The Targaryen nods, because it did make sense to her.
"How will you hide me?" Alerie's eyes light up when she explains her cunning plan to the princess. "We will dye your hair black. I have thought of a story of your background already. You will be my newly appointed handmaiden called Laella and you come from an orphanage. Your far ancestor is a Targaryen bastard and you inherit your eyes from him."
Princess Laeherys looks from Lady Tyrell to Aleia. "So.. I'm Laella now? Should I also bow down for the Boy King whose family has murdered mine? Should I begin learning the Rains of Castamere out of my head," she asks.
Lady Tyrell's eyes narrow. "You should curtsey for Joffrey, I'm afraid, but I'll keep his eyes off yours. And that of his family, for that matter." She then turns her full attention to Aleia and begins planning on which dresses, accessories and books to take for the princess.
Laeherys looks outside her window, knowing that tomorrow she will travel for the first time and see the Red Keep, the place where she was born and raised for the first weeks of her life.
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LITTLE DRAGONESS || T. Baratheon
Fanfiction"Loyalty is no loyalty when it wavers." - Lady Alerie of Houses Tyrell and Hightower. The Tyrells have always been deceitful, even their spouses. Lady Alerie of Houses Tyrell and Hightower has her alliances elsewhere.. By the Targaryens, and her d...