“ there is no rush , your majesty . ” the lie tasted bitter on his tongue , but he knew stressing the importance of the new queen being on time for appearances would only cause more issues , and frankly , baris was in no rush to show face to the drunken lords and ladies awaiting them , and was happy to have been tasked with checking on the queen rather than mingle . it seemed most had forgotten that they were also mourning their previous monarch , not just celebrating the new king . despite his reluctance , a glance at the empty hallway pushed him to call out to the queen once more , the timeframe to be deemed ' fashionably late ' rapidly slipping by . “ the hall is empty , should you be wishing to avoid being cornered by any who wish to attempt to curry favour, your grace . ”

the     life     she     once     expected     had     now     been     taken     from     her     &     in     it's     place     a     heavy     woven     crown     perched     upon     her     head     ,     while     the     realm     was     her     husbands     to     rule     &     see     to     ,     alerie     was     nothing     if     not     a     dutiful     wife     &     through     it     all     she     would     stand     by     her     husband     .     but     with     the     coronation     came     the     unfamiliar     ,     almost     neck     breaking     weight     upon     her     and     she'd     escaped     for     only     a     moment     .     a     moment     to     breathe     again     .     dark     eyes     turn     on     the     voice     ,     swallowing     back     the     anxiousness     that     embeds     in     her     throat     .     ❝     forgive     me     ,     lord     crane     .     ❞     she     offers     a     kind     smile     .     ❝     perhaps     you     should     ward     off     unwanted     advances     ,     &     escort     me     back     to     the     festivities     ?     ❞

Eleanor smiled and shook her head slightly. "I'm afraid I will be bias and say yes I have, as I'm a mother and a mother will always think of her daughters as the most beautiful ladies in the room." Eleanor was secretly very proud of how comely hers and Cameron's genetics were to blessedly produce very attractive children. "Though, it is true that she is indeed very stunning," she smiled genuinely. "How many suitors do you suppose are already vying for her hand?"

perhaps     she     was     simply     too     much     of     a     gossip     ,     that     while     features     deemed     innocent     ,     the     twinkle     within     her     eye     said     otherwise     .     ❝     i'm     certain     ,     with     the     vision     that     you     are     ,     my     lady     ,     your     daughters     are     certainly     gifted     in     looks     .     ❞     she     flatters     ,     though     she     was     sure     ,     with     her     fathers     dark     features     so     embedded     ,     that     her     mother     didn't     think     the     same     of     her     .     ❝     i     don't     think     she'd     accept     any     suitors     ,     i     hear     she's     very     fond     of     the     kennel     masters     son     ,     but     it     is     merely     gossip     ,     i'm     sure     .     ❞ 

.　　. 　 ˚　.　⠀⠀closing the door behind her with a soft click, rhoslyn crossed the room in a few quick, delicate strides, instinctively tucking a lock of alerie's hair behind her ear when she reached her side.⠀⠀❛⠀⠀there. a moment. ⠀❜⠀ ⠀a pause. playful smile remains on her lips for a moment longer before giving way to a more serious expression, concern touching her features. what she came in here to say, the second-hand information she'd been dying to share with her, forgotten.⠀⠀⠀❛⠀⠀i think you deserve two. wouldn't you agree? ⠀❜

there     is     familiarity     in     the     touch     ,     a     softness     that     alerie     almost     melts     into     as     a     gentle     smile     spreads     across     the     new     monarchs     features     .     rhoslyn     always     seemed     to     have     a     way     with     her     ,     their     friendship     deep     &     true     .     ❝     perhaps     two     is     a     luxury     i     no     longer     have     ?     ❞     she     had     all     the     luxuries     in     the     world     these     days     ,     aerion     had     ensured     that     &     yet     in     these     small     moments     ,     she     seemed     only then , to     be     able     to     breathe     again     .

.　　. 　 ˚　.　⠀❛⠀⠀i never run amuck,⠀⠀ ❜⠀⠀⠀ dallen corrects with a tilt of his head, tutting slightly at his father.⠀⠀ ❛⠀⠀it is not my fault that i special talent for running into trouble. ⠀⠀ ❜⠀ ⠀⠀ it wasn't a straight-up lie. it was true that he never meant to get into any trouble, but only because he always thought he could solve the problem in front of him before the tides shifted.

his     own     head     tilts     as     brows     raise     .     ❝     i     stand     corrected     .     ❞     though     a     bold     faced     lie     from     his     lips     ,     cameron     loved     his     son     ,     no     matter     the     havoc     he     left     in     his     wake     .     ❝     trouble     is     not     something     that     finds     you     ,     it     is     often     something     most     people     create     .     ❞     he     taunted     lightly     .

Rhaekar titled his head to the side. "I don't see why it would be an insult. We would be paying our respects, by doing what our ancestors did." And did he truly care how others might feel about it? Not at all.

there     was     a     difference     between     eldest     &     youngest     celtigar     ,     evident     as     it     may     be     ,     perhaps     rhaekar     didn’t     care     enough     ,     but     daenerys     cared     too     much     what     others     thought     of     her     .     ❝     yes     ,     our     ancestors     ,     but     yet     these     are     not     customs     that     many     understand     .     ❞

.　　. 　 ˚　.　⠀⠀❛⠀⠀don't let me distract you,⠀⠀ ❜⠀⠀ he says, both hands raised in front of his chest, the universal sign of surrender. a coronation was no place to bicker. and while dallen is many things, impolite is never one of them.⠀⠀

the     voice     in     return     is     not     one     that     the     new     queen     recognises     .     the     words     have     dark     tendrils     of     hair     whipping     around     her     as     she     turns     to     meet     them     .     ❝     i     thought     you     were     someone     else     .     ❞

robert    squints    and    dallies    closer    to    the    lannister    ,    tipsy    and    stumbling    ,    he    leans    back    ,    eyebrows    raising    and    half    -    empty    goblet    in    hand    raising    as    if    in    a    toast    .    ❝    yes    !    ew    ,    pardon    me    .    but    what    is    that    ?    or    perhaps    ,    ❞    he    starts    to    lean    closer    again    ,    ❝    perhaps    my    mind    is    playing    tricks    on    me    .    i    am    only    a    little    drunk    my    lady    .    ❞

perhaps     startled     by     the     scent     that     lingers     on     breath     ,     johanna     leans     slightly     away     from     the     taller     male     ,     a     frown     etched     into     features     .     &     perhaps     is     she     only     slightly     offended     at     his     words     ,     but     a     kind     heart     often     overrules     her     .     ❝     perhaps     we     should     get     you     some     water     ,     my     lord     ,     &     perhaps     a     seat     ?     ❞     her     question     is     followed     by     her     soft     hum     as     she     places     a     gentle     hand     on     his     arm     .

a    little    laugh    escapes    tomas    lips’,    of    course    there    is    a    twinge    of    empathy    for    his    sister    but    the    lackadaisical    expectations    of    southern    weather    in    the    south    was    worthy    of    a    chuckle    .   ❝   we    all    make    mistakes,    ❞    he    grins,    wrapping    a    shoulder    around    his    sister,    ❝  some    more    often    than    others.    ❞    he    says    as    he    rubs    a    fist    into    her    hair    .

gentle hands waves his away , perhaps     in     search     of     some     decorum     ,     even     just     in     front     of     strangers     .     ❝     most     already think     us     savages     ,     brother     ,     you     really     think     that     behaviour     is     appropriate     ?     ❞     she     questions     as     she     struggles     to     maneuver     from     beneath     his     heavy     arm     .     ❝     it     is     much     to     hot     to     be     touched     ,     tomas     ,     please     .     ❞

willam    smiles    but    the    laugh    that    spills    beneath    it    is    hollow    and    eyes    are    devoid    of    any    joy    .    ❝    how    could    i    ashara    ?    the    last    time    we    spoke    we    were    children    ,    we    never    concerned    ourselves    with    marriages    .   who even is he ? ❞

they     were     nothing     more     than     children     ,     his     words     to     be     true     .     but     they     had     been     friends     ,     perhaps     they     should     of     both     known     it     , to expect it     .     ❝     my     father     arranged     it     .     ❞     what     could     she     tell     him     ?     nothing     would     change     the     fact     .

━ ❝ I would not partake in the cider if I were you, my lady. I'm quite sure I just saw lord saltcliffe add something stronger to the mix, and I would not recommend being the first to test his... concoctions. ❞ a haunted expression briefly overtakes vanora's features as she recalls her first encounter with one of the inventive mixtures.

cups     raised     part     way     to     mouth     ,     distaste     spreads     at     the     wafting     scent     of     something     she     could     not     describe     reaches     her     senses     &     just     as     quickly     ,     the     cup     is     discarded     almost     immediately     ,     set     aside     &     away     from     her     .     ❝     gods     ,     must     he     spoil     it     for     everyone     ?     ❞    

.　　. 　 ˚　.　there is far too much cleverness in his expression for him feign innocence with any success. when he glances at his father, he attempts to tuck away his smirk, the jest in his eyes, but it pushes through his mask ⸻ he’s never been able to hide from his gaze. ⠀⠀❛⠀⠀just because i play at uncivilized, doesn’t mean i don’t know which fork to use.⠀⠀ ❜⠀

knowledge     is     power     &     when     it     came     to     his     son     ,     cameron     knew     well     enough     that     he     could     play     among     the     best     of     them     .     ❝     because     your     mother     &     i     raised     you     to     know     which     fork     to     use     .     ❞     the     elder     tarth     mused     .     ❝     but     i     am     serious     .     no     running     amuck     .     ❞

the    sand    knight    is    familiar    with    the    recklessness    of    children    though    he    always    preferred    to    avoid    them    ,    the    effort    it    took    to    maintain    the    blissful    ignorance    of    children    was    exhausting    .    he    clenches    his    jaw    at    the    impact    --    the    collision    takes    nothing    out    of    him    ,    adorned    in    his    kingsguard    armor    ,    he    stands    in    the    ground    ,    a    solid    soldier    ,    looking    scornfully    at    the    little    child    .    ❝    perhaps    a    closer    eye    on    the    little    one    would    be    a    benefit  to everyone   ,    my    lady    .    ❞

perhaps     there     is     an     underlying     hostility     in     her     soul     ,     but     the     scorn     that     adorns     the     guards     face     has     hackles     ,     like     that     of     a     wolf     ,     raising     .     teya     was     no     wolf     ,     but     for     her     son     ,     throats     would     be     ripped     if     need     be     .     ❝     do     you     have     children     ,     ser     ?     ❞     though     she     knows     the     answer     (     should     he     be     a     faithful     servant     of     his     king     )     but     her     tone     lingers     with     a     scorn     of     it’s     own     ,     brow     piqued     in     question     ,     as     gentle     hand     catches     the     shoulder     of     her     son     .