We light the way || House of the Dragon

Courtyard

Dyana moves uncomfortably as she pulls at the sleeves her daughters hd made her before twisting the ring upon her finger. The Hightower calms slightly when she feels the weight of the knife in her sleeve pocket.

Those gifts her children had given her, she wore always she changed dresses but always made sure she was able to attach the sleeves.

They brought her calmness and stability in this crazy world. Ser Criston looks at her worried. He had grown to love the woman he served as a sister and she him the same way. They both never had felt true sibling love until they became friends.

Yes Dyana had Alicent but she was so like their father. Pushing and pulling Dyana for her own ends, and she was pushing for Aegon to be king without pause.

'Are you alright, my queen?' Ser Criston asks with a worried touch to her arm. Dyana turns a confused and questioning face to the knight who knows she did not hear him so he re tells her the question.

'Yes, or rather I will be when I can get out of here' Dyana says as she bites her nail beds unconsciously. With a sigh Criston pulls her hand away from her face. To anyone looking it looked like a lover's touch. Upon seeing this Rhaenyra swallows as she turns away. Dyana looks at Criston before looking down at her hands which are beginning to bleed.

With a sigh she pulls a square of cloth from her sleeve and begins to pat the blood away from her hand. 'Thank you'

'I cannot let you loose your hands'

They chuckle together as Dyana looks around the courtyard before putting her eyes upon Rhaenyra and her son. She watches as they speak to each other before her son walks over to the motherless children.

Looking around Rhaenyra once again straightens when her eyes meet the Queen's who turns back to the knight before her as he says 'Lord Larys Strong is watching you'

'He is the new Lord of Harrenhal Ser Criston it is only a look of accomplishment'

'He has been watching for the past hour'

'Let him stare' Dyana says without a care in the world 'His staring will not change the fact he burnt his family to death'

'I thought you wished for his death'

'Ser Harwin, of course, but I wanted it to be human, quick and clean' Dyana sighs 'I asked for it in a moment of weakness and madness. I never thought he would go through with it'

'Larys Strong would walk through fire for you-sorry that was thoughtless of me, my queen'

'What? Oh, yes I would not have noticed if you had not said anything Cris, but I thank you'

Ser Criston smiles at Dyana who smiles back before she puts her head into his shoulder suddenly light headed and tired.

'Dyana?' The knight asks worried

'I am just tired, can you take me to my room?'

'Of course' everyone watches as the Cole knight sweeps the Queen up into his arms and walks with her out of the court yard. The Queen's children look at each other before rushing after their father figure and mother.

As soon as they are out of sight people starts to whisper to each other. The rumours of the relationship between the two start make their way to the surface.

Otto frowns annoyed his daughter could do something so foolish so publicly before rushing after the party worried for his daughter's health with Alicent behind him.

Rhaenyra watches before turning to Daemon who is watching the Hightowers go standing straighter then she had ever seen him a worried look on his face.

In the Queen's chamber a Maester is called and then he pronounces to the people waiting around the sleeping Queen's bed that she is suffering from a loss of sleep and that the Queen had lost a lot of weight.

It was well known the Queen are infrequently and when she did she only eat very little. She would stay up into the late hours of the night reading books and trying to make plans for Aegon to take a smooth transition to the throne.

'She must eat more and sleep longer hours'

'Ser Criston please make sure the Queen eats and sleeps' Otto says to the knight

'Yes, my Lord'

'Thank you'

'We will look after her as well' Helaena announces, Otto smiles down at his granddaughter before nodding as he kisses the top her head.

'I am sure you will'

'Aemond' the Queen groans out making everyone fall silent as her youngest son walks to his mother who holds her hand out to him which he takes 'Vhagar has lost a rider'

'Yes mother?'

'You are without a dragon, you could try your luck with Vhagar'

'Yes mother' Aemond says trying to hide his excitement.

Dyana smiles as her eyes slip closed 'will you stay with me children?'

'Yes mother' they says as the Queen slips into sleep and her babies crawl up beside her curling themselves into her. Gently Otto guides everyone out with a last look of love to his daughter