fire and blood!

      @dreamtfyre​​ asked.

          “i vowed i would always be yours.” for alicent from crispy 

             It sends a shiver down her spine. Alicent has not grown accustomed to her position as the queen, has worked so tirelessly to be sure the small folk do not hate her nor her children. Her entire life has been in service of others, in service of Jaehaerys, of her father, of Viserys, of her children… Never before has she had someone call themselves hers. A vow, almost as strong as those said before the septons, it is from a white cloak after all. If she’s being honest with herself it makes her a little heady. 

          ❝ Thank you. ❞  Carefully, softly, she reaches a hand to the cuff of his armour, fingers barely grazing against the skin of his wrist.  ❝ You do not know how much I value you. ❞  Her voice is low, an almost whisper. It is all she can muster. It is so powerful to have someone you know you can trust, to have someone you know who will be on your side. And she quietly takes a seat, lets her mind wander momentarily.  ❝ You know, this is not the life I dreamt for myself. My brothers did, they are the ones who wished to come to the capital, make a name for themselves, achieve the position you have now. Not me, I wanted to stay in Oldtown, I wanted to read all the books in Oldtown. ❞  It seems so silly but one of the things she enjoyed about her time with King Jaehaerys when she was a child was all the books she got to read out loud, all the stories she learned of when she told them to the old king. 

WHAT DID HE THINK HE'D FIND? criston ponders the queen's words, and discovers that there's an ache inside him at how forlorn she seems. the crown is a heavy burden, on whoever's head it may land. and on one so young as she, it is equally suited and ill-fitting. alicent bears with grace the duty her position commands, but not without hardship, and that, she bears with dignity. it was almost too easy a choice, the one he's made; foregoing his vows as rhaenyra's sworn shield to be by alicent's side. he's done it not simply out of spite toward the princess, though it played a part. he's done it because it felt right, good. honorable.

“oldtown would have been far kinder to you, my queen.” just as dorne would have been far kinder to a steward's son. but there is never any telling just where fate leads the unwary. and seldom are these paths kind and straight; more oft they are bent and twisted. he knows simply by observing that the course alicent's life had taken isn't hers by choice. there are greater powers at play that subject women and lesser men to a game they do not wish to participate in, with little to no regard for their wants. the pickings are few, tricky, perilous. and yet they all have to make do with them, in one way or another, for what else is there? “i thought i'd find someone gracious and kind, and i have not been mistaken.”

Rhaenyra and Laenor supporting each other (based on this post by @baelathebold​)