Hope Hightower is headed north in hopes of winning the starks over to her sister Alicents side. But damn Jace got there first.
🐺
"Your guard is up and I know why. The last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind."
⚔️
HOTD x Lega...
"Mother did you hear me?" Aemond questioned. "Lucerys Velaryon is dead."
Alicent brought her hands to her mouth feeling like everything she did and tried to do was failing. She tried to be a good mother, a good wife, a good queen and it was all falling apart. She felt herself wanting to beg for the Mother's mercy. But she knew there was no point. You want something done right, you do it yourself but this was different.
This was the point of no return, this was the moment both sides, the whole realm since Viserys death and Aegons ascend to the throne had been waiting for.
This was the false step that would bring war and time and time again, the fault would fall on Alicent Hightower. She couldnt help but hope that Hope was doing better on the northern front but she had no heard a word since Hope left. Only whispers of winter is coming.
+
Hope woke to growling, clawing at her door as though the direwolves smelt her as a new enemy, someone not in their pact.
Hope groaned pulling the covers up. Daeron rolled out of bed. He moved sluggishly to the door. Hope peered out from under the covers.
"Daeron no-" Hope shouted as he pulled the door open, wiping the sleep from his eyes. The wolf bulldozed into Daeron, Hope jumped up as Daeron stumbled back. The wolf snarled jumping on Hope.
"Enough, Storm!" Cregan shouted his voice demanding. The wolf stared back at Hope.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Your wolves dont like me." Hope remarked.
"You met Frito, he's a bit more tame." Cregan remarked calmly as he helped Hope up. "Storm go!" Cregan demanded. Daeron saw Hope's eyes flash golden behind Cregan and Storms growls stopped. She gave Hope a look that said I dont trust you.
"Storm and Frito?" Hope questioned brushing herself off.
"Frito is the brown wolf. He's a push over." Cregan offered.
"He's a man. Storm is a woman. She thinks she is in charge." Hope remarked.
"Yeah... thats how it usually goes right?" Cregan pondered looking hope over. "You alright? Did she scratch you?"
"I'm fine. She just caught me off guard is all." Hope remarked she felt like a shit wolf, letting a literal dog best her. But she was still hung over and mentally drained. Sure she could use that excuse.
"I dont know what their beef is with you." Cregan remarked walking the room.
"Maybe they feel your resentment towards me." Hope offered. "Or maybe its the pheromones they smell. Those of... lust are stronger than hatred." she rasped as she sat back down on the bed.
"Something like that." Cregan agreed looking her over. Daeron faked a cough to remind them that he was still indeed in the room. "Um... You two hungry?"
"Starving." Hope answered immediately.
+
Until that very moment Alicent had thought that war, real war between Rhaenyra and herself was an abstract, distant concept but now... Luke was dead. Aemond had... No. Vhagar had. Dragons were dangerous. They were deadly.
But now and always there would be a price to pay. Even though Alicent demanded an eye for an eye all those years ago. This was death. Blood always called for blood, and she knew that Lucarys death would soon be avenged trice fold.
"What have you done, Aemond, what have you done?" Alicent whimpered out tears in her eyes. Fear radiating her voice.
"I did not want to kill him, I did not mean to, Mother, mother, I just wanted to scare him. I didnt... I didnt want to... I never meant to... mother, you have to believe me, I have just lost control of Vhagar and–" Aemond rasped out. Alicent nodded holding him closer, he wrapped his arms around her as she gently ran a hand through his hair.
"It's okay Aemond, I wont let them hurt you. I promise." Alicent whispered.
"They will want blood."
"They will not have yours." Alicent declared with complete certainty.
+
Hope forked down her breakfast as Jace and Sara came down. Daeron glanced to them. He eyed Sara before turning back to his food.
"Cregan, I spoke to Jace a lot last night and you know father would have wanted-" Sara began.
"Sara. Not now." Cregan begged.
"-He was an honorable man. He thought you were too." Sara finished.
"Sara. Eat your breakfast." Cregan instructed poking a fork through the air towards her. She grumbled as she sat down. "Any dragon sightings, Howard?" Cregan questioned when he cousin came in.
"Ha!" Howard laughed out. "You see anything Tony?"
"Snow." Tony agreed.
"You two kiss and make up yet?"
"Dude, I called dibs." Tony countered. Hope glanced to Cregan, she couldnt help it. He rubbed at his bearded jaw, she could see the tension as his gaze darkened to Tony.
"This is business, not pleasure." Hope corrected gently.
"Hope is just here to win my favor for her nephew Aegon. Just as Prince Jacaerys is here to win my favor for his mother." Cregan agreed. "Right Hope? Nothing more." Hope stared back at him silently as she brought her glass to her lips.
