The Realm's Fright

Chapter Fourteen

King's Landing

There was a storm of people outside the Dragonpit to welcome them in their return. Alysanne does not like being in the center of attention, she would much prefer being amongst the commons. She wanted to leave through a hidden passageway, however, Aemond had insisted to let the commons see them.

"Aemond, I really don't think this is a good idea." She told him, yet he continues to drag her down the many flights of stairs, causing the soreness all over her inner thighs to worsen.

"They will love you for it." He said, waving his hand in the air. Reluctant, Alysanne does the same.

"Prince Aemond!"

"Seven blessings to you!"

"Princess Alysanne!"

Save for their names and seven blessing's, Alysanne couldn't hear much of what they were saying, for the memory of her last being here returned. Nobody from the Red Keep had collected her, which she considers to be no trouble, but she also considers it to be rather telling, of which she does not know.

Men from the City Watch arrive, tapering a line amongst the crowd for the prince and princess to go to the litter that was already waiting for them, when Aemond saw how small the litter was, he decided to ride on horseback instead. Once the litter began to move through the depths of the crowded streets of King's Landing, Alysanne hated herself for not riding on horseback as well, despite her being sore. She was sweating profusely, much more so than the passionate activities they did last eve.

Nevertheless, she still could not bring herself to acknowledge she was no longer a girl but a woman grown, a wife. Before they left, she has changed into one of the dresses she left behind in Dragonstone. It was a plain blue tunic dress, pairing it with a silver chain belt etched with seahorses, the sigil of House Velaryon.

The commons continue to cheer for their marriage. It was uplifting, reminding her of the many privileges a princess may still enjoy. That is until a group of lowborn children, dressed in rags and covered in dirt, chases after the litter and they bang on the screen windows.

"Bastard!" One of them shouted, spitting on the window, before being shooed by gold cloaks.

With the boy's stinking spit lingering in the humid air, Alysanne leans back into her chair. Indeed, anything was better than being a princess, especially being a princess with questionable fatherhood.

When the litter stops, Alysanne waits for someone to open the door for her, as expected. She waits for a moment. Another moment. The last time she arrived at King's Landing she had not been collected, and when she remembers this, she curses upon the Seven and kicks the door open.

From the other side of the door, someone groans aloud. Alysanne realizes she just hit a person by accident. "Oh, Gods! I-I'm sorry..." She trails off, seeing it was her twin brother. "Jace!"

"This is how you treat someone who opens the door for you?" Jacaerys complained. Alysanne pulls him for a contrite hug but he quickly pushes her away. "Spare it. You've not talked to me since you wedded him anyhow."

"M-Me?" Alysanne asked, bewildered. "You're the one who kept ignoring me yesterday. As a matter of fact, you never even congratulated me!"

"Twins!"

The twins look on their mother, the Princess Rhaenyra. Her usual hardened expression softens when she meets their eyes.

"It is rare for you both to fight." Rhaenyra said.

Before Alysanne can say anything more, a storm of hooves fade in as a band of horseriding men-at-arms enter through the gate. Aemond leads the band, and behind him are men of the City Watch. Aemond is smirking as he unmounts from his horse, but he is silent throughout his entering the Keep, out of respect to the Princess of Dragonstone.