IMMORTAL | SER HARWIN STRONG | ON HOLD

two.

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107 A.C

TAYLA PARNE HELD NO DISILLUSIONS AS TO WHAT HER STATION WAS IN REGARDS TO BEING HANDMAIDEN TO PRINCESS BAELA TARGARYEN. She understood that, despite how Baela all too often acted as though Tayla was her equal, she was a lowly servant, holding no power or authority over the princess in which she had sworn to serve. And yet again she found herself unwittingly in the position of an exasperated mother dealing with a hellion child.

The Parne woman had heard of the princess's outburst over the Hand's proposal. The princess herself had told Tayla in great detail of the unfortunate meeting with the King and his Hand but had also heard a great deal of it through the many other servants she had encountered in her duties throughout the day. Come sunset it was almost certain that the entirety of the Red Keep knew of one version or another of the princess's claims to prefer a filthy pleasure house over marrying a Hightower.

And now the princess was all but begging her loyal handmaiden to exchange clothing with her.

"With all due respect princess," Tayla sighed out, exhaustion radiating from her very core as she massaged the bridge of her nose. "Have you truly lost all of your fucking faculties?!"

Had anyone else been within the princess's chambers in that moment, Tayla Parne would've no doubt been met with a noose for her words. Baela however simply pouted like a child who had been denied a tart. "It's not as if I were asking you to sneak into Viserys' chambers and steal his crown."

"No, because you would simply waltz in and take the damned thing from atop his very head and he would let you," Tayla refuted, her hands falling to her hips. "Instead you wish for me to aid you in sneaking out of the Keep to visit a pleasure house in a petty grudge against the Hand."

"Oh come now Tayla," Baela tried to persuade her handmaiden once more. "It's not as though I wish to actually partake in the offerings of a pleasure house. I only wish to be seen entering to show I was not merely exaggerating my refusal of Hightower's proposition."

Tayla was silent for a moment, as though she were contemplating the princess's words. "If I were to allow this the council would have my head, never mind the fact that a great many unspeakable things could happen to you. I do not wish to see you harmed."

"I am more than capable of protecting myself should the need arise."

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PERHAPS HER HANDMAIDEN HAD BEEN CORRECT IN HER PERSISTENCE THAT SNEAKING OUT OF THE RED KEEP WAS ANYTHING BUT A GOOD IDEA. Baela didn't know how she'd ever believed herself capable of finding her way through the street of silk with no trouble. Between the bustling crowds brushing against her cloaked side like the tide crashing upon the sand, and the street vendors' calls ricocheting off of the walls of the narrow street, Baela found herself unbelievably lost.

One would think finding a pleasure house within the street of silk would be a rather easy task to accomplish. Baela Targaryen was proving that not to be the case. Tightening her grip upon the wicker basket that hung from the crook of her arm, she pressed forward, pushing her way through the crowd with small mutters of apology.

A firm yet surprisingly gentle grip making its home on her arm had her whirring around so quickly that the hood concealing her features almost slipped down. The all too familiar helmet of the City Watch that sat atop the man's head caught her gaze first, an exasperated breath passing her lips. While it was a relief to know the man was not an attacker, the reprimand she would hear for the hundredth time was not welcome.

Ser Harwin Strong, with his hand still curved around the princess's slender arm, guided her out of the crowd and toward a secluded alleyway. He was aware that this was not the first instance in which he or the other men of the City Watch had found the princess outside the safety of the Red Keep, nor was he foolish enough to believe that this would be the last. Finding Princess Baela meandering about the street of silk was troubling, to say the least.

"Princess, you should not be outside of the Keep so late," The man began, his hand lingering for a moment before he retracted it back to his side. "Least of all in a place such as this."

"I have reason to be here, Ser," Baela responded in kind, doing well to keep her annoyance from showing but Ser Harwin saw through her passive act. "Once I am done here, I will return to the Keep of my own volition."

Baela did not offer the man time to press the matter further as she turned away from him, stepping out of the alley and back into the street of silk. She knew better than to expect him to leave her be, she had danced this very dance with the man before and was aware that, unlike many other men of the Watch, Ser Harwin Strong was not one to be waved away so easily. The subtle sound of armour shifting a mere step behind her was proof enough that Ser Harwin indeed would not be dismissed from her side that night.

"Then, my Princess, I must insist upon accompanying you," The man settled in at her side, slowing his pace to match her own. Wordlessly, Ser Harwin reached out, slipping the basket out of the Princess's grasp and taking it into his own before offering his arm to the woman walking at his side. "I seem to recall our last meeting in similar circumstances. If memory serves, you told me of how you dislike to walk beside another without having a hold on them."

A wistful smile played on Baela's lips, both at his remembrance and her very reason for disliking such a thing. Graciously taking Ser Harwin's arm, the Targaryen Princess allowed her hand to rest upon the cold metal armour that encapsulated his forearm. "Your memory serves you well, good Ser, and I thank you greatly for it."

The man nodded, an almost imperceptible smile adorning his lips. "Of course, my Princess. Now may I ask where exactly it is we are headed this fine night?"

"We are taking that there basket of goods to the lovely ladies of Kings Landing's pleasure houses, of course."

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Beth's notes:

Tayla is Baela's ride-or-die and we love that for them.
When he remembers the little things 😩

I'm not 100% sure how many chapters act one will be (I'm thinking maybe five or six) but they're simply just to build up Baela and Harwin's companionship before the events of HOTD and their romantic relationship begins.

Thanks for reading.