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...
"Thinking I didnt sway him with my confessional that I wanted to marry him and yet didnt tell him the truth he was desperately needing to hear." Hope grumbled as she laced her boots.
"Im sorry you told him what?" Daeron countered.
"Yeah. Im an idiot." Hope agreed.
"That's romantic!" Daeron corrected.
"Romance doesnt win wars." Hope countered. "Come on. Your mother and my father are probably worried sick."
"You know it was kind of fun. Nostalgic being back. I know things ended up not so great but didn't feel like it could've been something... like this is how it could have been?" Daeron pondered. Hope hated to admit it but Daeron was right.
"Yeah. It did." She agreed after a long silent moment of hating that she was leaving him again with the same damn question.
+
Cregan sent both Jace and hope home with sealed scrolls not telling who he chose to side with.
"I don't want bloodshed. I trust you both will deliver the scrolls to your queen and your king?'' Cregan pondered looking between hace and hope as he held out the scrolls. Sealed and stamped with the direwolf sigil.
"Of course lord stark." Jace agreed sara smiled back at him. Jace smirked kissing her again. "I will see you soon Snow. " jace purred and Hope rolled her eyes.
Cregan snatched it back holding it to his chest when Hope reached out for it. She crossed her arms foot tapping on the ground impatiently.
"Last chance." Cregan remarked.
"You already wrote it. Jace already took it." Hope corrected. "You are not going to change it."
"Im not going to change it. But for my sanity and yours. Dont you want to get it off your chest?" Cregan questioned hopefully.
"I do," hope agreed stepping closer her fingers wrapped around the scroll. "But you wouldnt believe me." She pulled the scroll from his grasp and headed to the door.
"Nice seeing you again." Daeron offered as he followed hope out. "She loves you. Just let her have some secrets!" He suggested.
"Daeron," hope demanded
"She like really loves you. There was no one else trust me. So if you can push past her-"
"Daeron." Hope demanded again.
"-attitude and a few mysterious secrets then you and her can still be-" daeron pushed on and he saw a ghost of a smile cross cregans face.
"DAERON!"
"-golden." Daeron finished. "Just think about it. No matter whoes side you picked. She will forgive you just like you forgave her for... everything."
"Good to know." Cregan agreed.
"Come on twerp." Hope muttered nudging daeron outside.
"Bye Hope." Hope stared back at him as she moved to Tessarion. The word bye almost left her lips before she ran to him hugging him tight. Her feet lifted off the ground as he held onto her. She didnt say a word as her feet met the ground but her gaze stuck on cregans hand holding onto hers. She took a deep breath before meeting his piercing gaze.
"Bye Hope" cregan repeated as her hand slipped from his. She nodded, lips pursed before turning and pulling herself onto Tessarion.
Daeron commanded her to fly and once they were in the clouds Hope broke the seal.
Hope didn't wait she opened it on the flight. She stared down at the words.
~Starks are noble and true. I cregan stark will be keeping my father's promise by Following the woman I believe to lead house stark into the future.~
"Damnit." Hope muttered.
"He picked Rhaenyra." Daeron pondered.
"Yeah." Hope agreed. "Ali is going to be pissed."
"She will get over it." Daeron assured.
"Not if we all die." Hope corrected.
"Okay... Ill say it." Daeron agreed. "We are fucked.
"Thats the spirit."
+
"Dont let them bully you." Daeron offered as they slid down. Hope glanced back at him. "I'm not telling them." He added Hope grumbled. "A wise woman refuses to be anyones victim. Don't be Cregan's victim."
"I never claimed to be wise. Im a smart ass a bad ass with a great ass though." Hope corrected.
Daeron could see Hope trying to fight past the pain that filled her. He knew how much Hope loved Cregan. Yet she forced a smile and a sarcastic comment because that was how she was going to survive this.
