Hope Hightower is headed north in hopes of winning the starks over to her sister Alicents side. But damn Jace got there first.
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"Your guard is up and I know why. The last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind."
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HOTD x Lega...
"Do you still paint?" Cregan questioned. Hope leaned back against the doorframe. "I couldnt bring myself to get rid of any of it." Cregan remarked a bit embarrassed. "When you came... when, last night I couldnt sleep. I-" now he was really embarrassed. "Well I found our old paint supplies... thought if you- since you are here you might... so you dont get bored."
"Thats really sweet Cregan." Hope remarked.
"Well, our previous activities are-"
"You still have it." Hope rasped moving to his bed chamber wall, touching the picture she painted.
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"Never took it down." Cregan remarked. "Actually thats a lie. I took it down for a moon and put it right back up." Hope traced the edge of the canvas. "It was to beautiful to hide away."
"Why didnt you take your fathers chambers when you became lord of winterfell?" Hope questioned.
"Too many memories here." Cregan offered.
"Like the dent outside your door." Hope agreed smiling back at him. He had a sassy, sexy comment on his tongue but her smile silenced him. He cleared his throat poking around the paint brushes needing something to do.
"You know I used to think it was funny that you drew wolves. But then I thought maybe it's because you always meant to be a Stark." he offered and she saw the ghost of a smile on his lips.
"My uncle Klaus loved wolves." Hope remarked. "I am sorry about-"
"We dont have to ruin a good moment dredging up the past." Cregan assured. "Besides you are not here to try and win me back. It's just business."
"Thanks for this... it will be nice to paint again." Hope offered instead.
"Alright, Jace has been itching to do his spiel again." Cregan remarked moving past her, his body grazing hers as he moved to the door.
"I should probably do my spiel too." Hope offered following him out. "Even though you are never going to pick the Greens."
"Whats that?" Cregan questioned as they walked.
"Rhaenyra and Daemon have claimed Black and we are green." Hope informed him. Cregan touched her green jacket, she popped the collar smiling back at him.
"Hightower greens." Cregan remarked. "Why not Reds?"
"Targaryen reds or lannister or..." Hopes words drifted off.
"Your mothers house." Cregan pondered she nodded.
"Blood red." Hope agreed was that of her mothers house. "Everyone is calling my sister a killer, that she did this. But she didnt. She cared for Viserys. She tended to him since she was a child. She bore his children, helped him with his treatments, found him teas and tinctures to help with the pain. Where did Rhaenyra go? She ran to dragonstone. Harwin Strong had not been dead a fortnight, her husband had not been dead a day when she remarried Daemon and ran away. Only came back when she needed something."
"Harwin?" Cregan questioned.
"Jace and Luke's father." Hope agreed softly. Cregan nodded, he knew they were bastards, how could he not after seeing Jace for himself but hearing Hope say it. She didnt say it mean, just factual.
"Laenor... that soon?" Cregan questioned.
"She wanted Daemon. No one else would do." Hope agreed. "I know the feeling." She murmured, Cregan stared back at her, needing her to say more but not wanting to push and spook her into silence.
"I know Jace is just trying to be a good son and I know even without our fucked up history you are a man of honor and you will pick Rhaenyra. Even if she doesnt deserve it." Hope added calmly. Cregan grabbed her arm stopping her from entering the great hall.
He opened his mouth staring down at her, wanting to say something, needing to say something but his lips moved wordlessly.
"yeah..." Hope agreed. "Come on, that vein in Jace's neck is bulging, its going to pop if we wait any longer and I dont want Rhaenyra to blame me for his death." Hope remarked, Cregan let his hand fall back to her side and he waited for her to enter. Daeron stared back at them.
"What was that?" Daeron questioned.
"What was what?" Hope countered pulling a little bundle of grapes towards her.
"Lord Stark," Jace said proudly. "I thought we best talk again. I know we are snowed in but as the future king of the seven kingdoms I need you to know what the capital will do for you and the north. Not just during my reign but my mothers, the true heir. "
"Persistent man." Cregan remarked. "Impress me, my prince."
Daeron cleared his throat standing up on his seat as he grabbed three apples from the basket in the middle of the long table. Hope stared up at him confused as she popped a grape into her mouth.
"Prepare to be impressed!" Daeron declared. A smirk covered his face as he began juggling apples, then apples were falling all over Hope's head.
"Daeron!" Hope laughed out, swatting apples away.
"Are you impressed, Cregan?" Daeron questioned. "I can keep going."
"Daeron." JAce hissed.
"Let me go again, I can do better." Daeron agreed. Hope tossed them up to him as he stood on the table now. "Prepare, prepare to be impressed!" Daeron declared. Daeron was juggling then he was laughing. Cregan held a hand up as an apple fell. Hope grabbed it throwing it to him.
His hand fisted around it, a strong throw, she looked him in the eyes as she did it but it was barely a flick of her wrist. He took a bite juices dripping past his lips and down his chin all while holding that eye contact with Hope, she didnt even blink.
