taglist; @whatcjdidnext, @nestsfordays, @acrackonthedoll, @anniebunnies, @babybirding, @sabrinasbabydoll, @millyslillies, @colahola
𝓳𝓸𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓪𝓰 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮
cw: fem!Hightower, Oc: Bianora Hightower, Daemonxoc, forced marriage trope, large age gap (Daemon's 31 Bianora is 15)
Chapter Three; Fates on Pages
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Perhaps this was the Hightower fate after all. For Otto and Millicent's children at least. The girls were broodmares and Gwayne was forced to sit and watch as his father sold them to the Targaryens. A cruel destiny, one that left Bianora inconsolable for days.
Alicent's stomach was growing rounder as the months passed, now four months along, the baby inside could no longer be mistaken for a bloat. And under that bump, on her thighs, her sister cried uncontrollably, wetting the dress profusely.
''It's alright, sister... Marriage is not that bad...''
Many attempts were made to calm her. Promises that marrying wouldn't be the end, how good it was to be married to a Targaryen. And through it all, Alicent realized her luck suddenly. Viserys was human, she enjoyed some of the time she spent with him and learned to tune out when they coupled. But he never forced her, he was never rough. Daemon...
Daemon was clearly a different story. Alicent knew he'd tear the poor girl apart. And Bianora was so dainty, such a sweet girl, she wouldn't even know how to respond. She hated that her sister and her shared that 'politely submitting to a man' trait out of respect, duty and knowing their place. It's what their father taught them all their life, and who were they to question him? But now she watched as her sister would be sent right into the dragon's mouth, hands tied, completely unable to act in any way.
And Bianora knew all that. How she knew all that and ached, her limbs constantly felt like they'd give out on her, her stomach couldn't hold down any food, and it had merely been a week. How would she marry him? Hells, how would she spend four weeks getting to know a man as per custom before they wed. He'd probably look for a way to get rid of her. She was scared, shaking like a leaf constantly and running away at the sound of his boots.
Yes, she'd learned the sound of even his boots, walking past him in the halls of the Red Keep a few times was more than enough for her. She wanted to postpone everything, try convince her father otherwise, beg the King not to let the wedding take place, but no. The father of the bride insisted the marriage would happen as soon as possible, and now here she was crying in a pregnant woman's arms. One more helpless than the other.
When Gwayne returned from the hunt and learned his father's doing he was mental, but of course, with the amount of fear inflicted on him by Otto he couldn't do anything. He watched his youngest sister cry before kneeling down placing a hand on her back in a useless attempt to comfort her.
''Want me to kill him, sister?''
Bianora chuckled a little, the only sound other than despair she'd let out in hours as she raised her head and shook it, wiping her tears with the back of her sleeve.
''It's just... It's not fair... If you only saw how he reacted- what will happen to me? What will I become?''
"You'll become a princess. And you'll only have to endure his company at night until you're with child. And you'll go on to live life as you normally would, just... married.''
Alicent caressed Bianora's hair and wiped her face, almost trying to make her look proper and beautiful again. She tried to help the situation, maybe a few white lies to ease her aches for now wouldn't be that awful...
''He is respected by many men, some which are my companions, maybe the time you'll spend together before the wedding will prove him more than what you expected him to be.''
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And so she found herself awkwardly sitting by Godswood, Daemon cleaning Dark Sister near her. Viserys had forced him to attend the betrothed dates. He didn't look at her, didn't care to. The sound of soft wind passing through the leaves of the trees around them making the deafening silence a little more comforting.
Yet Bianora's head turned at a small sound, an animal perhaps? An odd thud at least. She hesitated before she stood and walked around the tree finding a baby bird on the roots, clearly trying to figure out where it was. She kneeled picking the tiny life up, poor thing hadn't even opened its eyes yet. She looked up and around hoping to find its nest and eventually she spotted it. Though it was far too high up for her, even as she stood on the roots.
''What on earth are you even doing?"
Daemon held Dark Sister's hilt as he looked at her up and down, disdain, judgement and almost disgust evident on his face.
''I... It fell from its nest...''
A stark contrasts between them as she stood back on the ground, sheepishly looking at him.
''What fell?"
The Prince took a few steps closer to her, not flirting, not even trying to be charming, just annoyed she was making him curious.
''Him..."
She held out her hand showing the baby bird in the palm of it. He looked at it raising his brows unamused before his gaze went to her face.
Bianora would've normally blushed at being talked down to in such way. Though it bothered her. For some weird reason his tone actually annoyed her. And for the first time she'd speak up to a man for talking to her this way. Maybe...
''It'll die down here...''
''So? It's not even a proper bird. ''
Her brows furrowed, her nose scrunching up in annoyance at his words.
''You're... very disagreeable, do you know that?''
Daemon huffed, almost amused in her words.
''What will you even do with it?''
''I'll put it back in its nest.''
''And what if the mother threw it out because it wouldn't survive, or because it threatened the rest?''
Bianora paused. She hadn't thought of that, evidently. But she looked back up at the branch and no mother was there, only baby birds chirping once or twice.
''There's no mother up there to have thrown him out...''
''You're weird.''
He decided he'd talked to her enough. He turned around about to leave, or just go back to the bench, just so that he'd put an end to their conversation but she spoke again.
''I can't reach the branch on my own...''
He looked at her. How was this his problem? Was she slow apart from the daughter of a cunt?
''And?''
He keeps getting better and better, she thought. Maybe that's why he was such a volatile man, he was stupid.
''Will you help me? Please...''
Good Gods. She was slow. He almost pitied her, though he felt like he'd explode from how she bothered him, not only would he marry a Hightower, he'd marry the slow one too. He grumbled under his breath walking to stand in front of her and holding his hand out.
''Give him to me.''
Bianora was pleased with herself. She didn't smile but the satisfaction of knowing she'd managed to get the baby bird to safety was evident in her expression as she carefully placed him in Daemon's hand, the little creature now looking even tinier given the sheer difference of their palms' sizes.
Daemon stood on the root of the tree, holding himself up by another branch as he carefully placed it back in the nest before he got back down. He stood in front of her again, huffing once more at her, shaking his head and leaving again to walk away at once.
''Thank you.''
The girl looked up at him as he walked past her, only earning another grunt in response. But it mattered not, the bird was back in its home and perhaps mothering this stupid man would make him bearable.
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''He put a baby bird in its nest?''
Alicent looked at her sister as she looked through the books, looking for a title carefully across the shelves.
''He did... Perhaps he's just...''
Bianora climbed another few steps up to search the higher shelf as the Queen looked up at her, holding her belly. Yet the youngest's words seemed to alarm her as she tilted her head.
''He's just... what, sister?''
Bianora smiled, her teeth biting her bottom lip as she found the book she was looking for. A beautiful cover of faint gold and beige. She held the book under her armpit, climbing back down before walking to the small table.
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''A baby bird? Are you marrying a silent sister?''
Harwin looked at Daemon with an amused, wide smile on his face as he held the naked whore in his lap with one arm, and a goblet of wine with the other.
''She just stood up and walked to the tree. I know.''
Daemon picked his own goblet drinking his wine, his eyes scanning the room for the girl he'd choose first, as the disdain manifested itself with the raising of his top lip.
''She's slow. Not only did that cunt manage to force that retard of a Hightower on me, he gave me the slow one.''
Harwin laughed at his companion's problems. Who would've known Daemon Targaryen would find himself in yet another unwanted marriage, he almost felt bad for him. First Rhea, now Bianora.
''You should see this from a different prospective...''
He said shooing off his slut so that they'd talk on their own as he refilled his cup. Daemon looked at him, as if he already knew his words would annoy him.
''Should I, now."
He scoffed.
''Rhea... According to you, was dominant, she would constantly defy you and whatnot.''
''Why bring the Bronze Bitch up at all?"
''Because she was defiant, and unattractive, and everything you seem to hate in a woman. Even if the Hightower daughter is slow, she is known in the whole of King's Landing to be well mannered, polite, probably submissive. And she does wonders for the eye...''
Daemon scoffed but Harwin looked at him as if he were a mad man.
''Say what you want, Bianora Hightower is known for her beauty, her sweetness. Just... Be nice to her, she's young she'll submit, make her believe that the fairytale could still be achieved, then put a baby in her belly and you're done.''
''If she's so wonderful and beautiful you take her.''
''Sorry, my Prince, I didn't know a beautiful maiden all for you was such a curse...''
''She is. She and her father and her siblings. The Hightowers are my curse. And she's stupid.''
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''I think he's stupid. Maybe that's where the savagery comes from.''
Alicent chuckled from her seat before raising her brows seeing the book, faintly recognizing it as Bianora carefully wiped the dust away with a cloth.
''That's familiar, which book is it?''
''Myths of Fallen Fire.''
''Mother's myths? Why did you want this one?''
Bianora helped her sister up, holding the book close to her as they walked out of the library and down the halls.
''She feels close in this pages I suppose.''
''You should come pray with me tomorrow... She feels close that way also...''
''Perhaps you're right. Although tomorrow the time you wish me to join you, I'll have to endure the exquisite company of my one and only true love...''
The sisters chuckled coming to a stop outside Alicent's chambers. The Queen fixed Bianora's hair, her touch maternal. almost reminiscent of Milicent's. And Bianora's hand touched her swollen stomach.
''Goodnight, Bi...''
The youngest smiled, the two holding hands before the Queen entered her quarters. The large door closed, leaving her feeling lonely again. She hydrated her lips and went back down the halls. Yet not many steps in, perhaps 18 or 20, she came to a stop as she ran into Otto, clearly on his way to Alicent.
''You should be at your chambers, daughter.''
''I'm on my way, I only walked Alicent to hers.''
Otto studied her a moment, seeing the book she held to her chest before speaking again.
''You should read on the Targaryen legacy. Impress your betrothed, not Myths.''
Before Bianora could speak up, he'd walked past her and turned the corner, what a strange man... She didn't know whether she felt love for him or resentment anymore. But then, as she walked in her own quarters, a thought crossed her mind, the title of the book was against his chest, he'd recognized it from the back of the cover only, and wanted to leave from her quickly. Perhaps he too, didn't know how to cope with the absence of his children's mother.
She placed her book on the table, taking a stick, lighting it from the fire and then the candle. She waved the stick's flame out before sitting down to read her book. Bianora truly felt odd, she knew of Jaesella, of course that'd be the myth she'd read, especially after the events that took place. Yet she'd never read past the point of her wings be turned to dust. That's as far as she dared go, as far as Millicent dared go.
For an Angel fell from her Gods' side, and she landed on the rocks, her wings broke and head cracked, her hair stained red from the blood that flowed, as her wings evaporated into dust. And when she stood again her body ached, a pain too harsh and cold, a feeling so strange she couldn't help but try to cry it away through her tears. For before Father stopped protecting her, she never felt pain, ache or heartbreak. Everything felt at once. The betrayal of her beliefs, of her trust in him.
But the planetos is a cruel place ruled by men, one that women have no place in, so when she found a door to knock, to ask for help after wandering for hours on her own, a man answered. Many men were in that threshold, and many women, women crying out in pain, in fake ecstasy, women who's mouths were filled by men. The man pulled her in, dragging her by the arm, and Jaesella faced the truth of men, taught her place in this world, and she did not find comfort until months later when went for a swim she’d never return from.
And there, her body lay cold and stonelike in the depths of the waterfalls, finally at peace, a peace she never knew, not even before her fall…
It couldn't be. How could it? The page was suddenly stained by a single teardrop by the last sentence as Bianora bit her fist. She couldn't believe it. Was it once more a betrayal? Was that what made her body feel cold again, what twisted her stomach? Kissed by Jaesella, blessed? How could have mother lied so? Sure, Otto was a man loyal only to himself since losing her, but her mother?
How could she have never told her the entire story, warned her of the fall? Is that her fate, pain until she stops it by putting an end to everything? She didn't want to believe anymore, this hurt, cut deep. Deeper than her father's schemes, deeper than Daemon's words and actions, his stance towards her. She only believed in one thing and now, that too was stripped from her. Her only source of hope in this life plagued by the hands of men had vaporized with only two pages of words and drawnigs.
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