"Thanks Helaena" Aelin smiles holding onto her sister as Helaena snuck Aelin away from her servant to see or for Aelin hear Aegon and Aemond spar.
"Of course" Helaena sits down in a spot she's sure the two won't be spotted or hurt holding Aelin close "Now...why did you grab a bunch of peonies"
"For Aegon and Aemond" Aelin says
"Princesses" the Lord Commander notices them "what are you two doing?"
"Princesses?" Ser Criston who heard came over "Princess Aelin? Didn't your mother tell you not to come down here?"
She holds up the peonies "I brought some flowers for my brothers"
"Only to bring flowers?" Ser Criston asks, she nods her head "Alright. Aegon! Aemond!" The two come over and see Aelin amused she's here "Princess Aelin, your brothers are before you"
"I brought you both flowers" Aelin says "here are my favors"
"Thank you sister" Aegon kisses her cheek taking a flower and putting it in his armor having it show.
"Thank you" Aemond kisses her cheek next "we're sure to win with your favors" Aelin giggles.
"Good luck" Aelin says
"Come along girls" Ser Criston picks Aelin up and makes sure the two are by their father who waved them over "Your Grace"
"Father" Aelin and Helaena both say
"Hand me Aelin" Viserys orders, Aelin is soon sitting on his lap "how are you both doing?"
"I came to give Aegon and Aemond my favors" she says "on their armor they have flowers" Viserys looks over and he does indeed see the flowers.
"What about Jace and Luke?" He asks
"Mother didn't wish for Aelin to be near the weapons" Helaena speaks up, not wanting Aelin to get in trouble since Aelin doesn't like Jace or Luke "so I quickly snuck her away from her servant"
"Ah" Viserys nods his head "Well, look here lads who fight together stay together"
"I want to marry Aegon or Aemond?" Aelin tells Viserys, he looks down at her daughter "I love them a lot"
"It isn't a bad thought, Your Grace" The current hand of the king Lyonel Strong says "With her...disability, none of the potential suitors that might come forward would treat her right—not like the Princes Aegon or Aemond"
"What if Jace or Luke?" The king asks "Aelin? Don't you love them?"
Aelin shakes her head no "The tease me"
"I'm sure that isn't true" Viserys denies as Aegon lets out a war cry attacking Jace.
"Who's winning?" Aelin asks
"Aegon" Helaena tells her sister. Those who can see, watch as Aegon is beating up Jace. Not letting him get up. Then all hell breaks lose and Helaena covers her ears looking away.
"Why is Helaena upset?" Aelin asks frowning "what's going on?" Lyonel Strong waves a guard over who brings the princesses away from the courtyard "What was going on?"
"Nothing" Helaena tells her
~Time Skip~
"Let us be finished" Alicent orders, she wishes to go to Aelin who is in the garden with her older siblings going over flowers. One of the few things Alicent loves is watching her children get along—Aegon not drowning in his cups or eyeing the female servants who go by, Aemond not attempting to go near any of the dragons, and Helaena in her state of sanity that isn't her talking in nonsense.
"Wait!" Rhaenyra stops everyone who is standing up "I wish to speak" standing up, the men sit back down but Alicent just stays standing annoyed "I have felt the..." Rhaenyra starts since Alicent isn't going to sit down "strife...between our families of late, my Queen and for any offense given by mine, I apologize" Alicent doesn't say anything given how she knows how Rhaenyra's children tease not only her son Aemond for no dragon but for Aelin who doesn't have a dragon and can't see "but we are one house and long before that, we were friends" Alicent just stares at Rhaenyra stoically "My son Jacaerys will inherit the Iron Throne after me—I propose we betroth him to your daughter, Helaena and my son Lucerys will inherit being Lord of the Tides so I also we propose a betrothal between him and your daughter, Aelin. Ally ourselves...once and for all. Let them rule together"
"A mist judicious proposition" Viserys smiles at the idea, how this could ease the strife between his wife and daughter.
Alicent doesn't say anything since she rather have her children marry one another "Additionally" Rhaenyra adds hoping Alicent will agree "if Syrax brings forth another clutch of eggs, your son and daughter Aemond and Aelin will have their choice of them, uh" the men and Alicent notices Rhaenyra is starting to leak milk "a symbol of our goodwill"
"Rhaenyra" Alicent nods her head to her top and Rhaenyra looks down.
"Oh, seven hells" Rhaenyra curses covering her breasts.
She sits down as Viserys smiles "My dear, a dragon's egg is a handsome gift"
Rhaenyra smiles as Alicent says "The king and I thank you for your offer and we will consider it duty. You must rest now, husband" as they are far enough away, Alicent says "how sweet the fox speaks when it's cornered by the hounds"
"She is sincere" Viserys says not wishing to see the truth.
"She is desperate" Alicent snaps "her sons torment our children, especially Aemond and Aelin for their lack of dragons and Aelin's disability—now she expects us to ignore her transgressions and for me to marry our only daughters to her children"
"The proposal is a good one" Viserys struggles to say as he uses his cane to help himself up the stairs "my queen. We're a family" they stop "let us put aide these childish quarrels, join hands and be stronger for it"
"You may do as you wish, husband..." Alicent hisses "but my babies will not marry hers, especially Aelin. Helaena and Aegon shall wed and Aemond and Aelin will wed when Aelin comes of age—the only way our children will marry hers is when I'm cold in my grace" Alicent storms off then.
