Lord Otto Hightower was not stupid, he knew that his daughter Allicent becoming queen was only the first step to making sure his blood sat on the iron throne. The second step was making powerful allies, and who was stronger than House Tyrell.
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When her father had told them of the invitation to stay in King's Landing, Maren had been excited at the possibility of spending more time with the Princess. Though that idea was quickly dismissed when the Princess was sent away on a tour throughout Westeros in the hope she would find a suitable husband. Instead Maren found herself in the company of the Queen, spending the afternoons in her solar drinking tea and reminiscing about days spent in Highgarden as children. The two young women sat on two plush red settes across from each other. Between them was a low table with a pitcher of sweet wine and an assortment of small cakes and snacks
"Do you remember Septa Matilda?" Maren asked, her voice breathy from laughing too much. "She used to chase us through the halls."
"Yes!" Alicent cried out clasping her hands to her chest as she laughed, a smile threatening to break the young Queen's face in two. "She was such a crabby old woman. Do you remember that time when she caught us in the fountain?"
"Yes! My hands hurt for weeks from her whippings." The two girls broke into laughter.
"Ah I can't remember the last time I laughed so much." Alicent sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I haven't had a real conversation in so long." The queen's eyes gained a faraway look as she reminisced on past days spent under a tree.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing. I shouldn't have said anything." the queen shook her head, looking down at her hands in her lap.
Maren felt the shift in the air as Alicent began to pick at her thumb's nailbed. Standing up the redhead made her way around the low table separating them and knelt before the queen. Placing a hand over Alicent's to gain her attention. "It is alright to miss days gone by, but we must focus on the future or risk losing ourselves."
Hazel eyes met watery brown. A small smile grew on the Queen's face. "Thank you," she whispered.
...
"Ser Hightower." A voice called behind Otto Hightower. The Hand slowed, coming to a stop in the hall outside the Small Council room. A meeting had just let out, one that Lord Tyrell had been invited to sit in on. Of course the invite had come from the king himself but the idea could be traced back to Otto.
"Lord Tyrell." The tall brunet man nodded in greeting. "What can I do for you?"
"I wished to speak to you about the king. Come let's walk through the garden." The two men made small talk as they walked to the nearest entrance to the gardens. "The Royal gardens are quite beautiful, but they can't compare to those of Highgarden."
"Yes, I recall the beauty of Highgarden." Otto agreed. He wished Lord Tyrell would get on with the conversation. Otto had been hoping to visit his daughter in her solar and catch a glimpse of the young lady Tyrell.
"Ser Hightower, I must confess when I received the invitation to stay in the Keep I had been hoping it was the King's intention to betroth the Princess to my son. Yet as soon as we arrived from the Hunt the Princess was sent away. So I wish to ask you for a bit of insight into the mind of the King?"
"While your son and the Princess would be a strong match, the King wishes for the Princess to choose her own husband."
"Then why invite my family to stay?"
"He was hoping to make another match."
"And what would that be?"
"Your daughter and I."
Silence followed Otto's admission as the words registered to Lord Tyrell.
"You and my daughter?"
"Yes."
"And this is the King's wishes?"
"Yes."
"Then I agree." Despair filled Lord Alistair as he thought of the way his dear daughter's life was about to change. He had always promised Maren he would not marry her off to the highest and strongest bidder and instead allow her to choose her own match, but now he had to go back on his promise. There was no way Lord Tyrell could go against the King.
