Chapter Text
The great tourney was both a means to help unite the realm in the aftermath of the War of Five Kings, celebrate King Aegon's prospering rule, and welcome the Empress of the East, the king's own aunt, to Westeros.
Another more subtle aspect was that it was akin to the Maiden's Day Ball that had been held for the young King Aegon the Third, after the death of his first wife, over a century ago and currently it was much like that time; various young women had been brought to King's Landing as the king settled into his rule and now those numbers swelled further with the summons for the tourney, even with the harsher weather, in hopes to turn their maiden into a queen. Lesser betrothals had been carefully ignored or postponed until King Aegon chose a bride. Alla's cousin Desmera had been one such women, her betrothal to some Lannister quickly dismissed in the wake of the Mad Queen and then her hand kept empty when they learned of the late Rhaegar Targaryen's son.
In that century back the swell of young women vying for King Aegon's hand had been followed a legendary 'Maiden's Day Curse' and now it seemed to flare yet again with King Aegon the Sixth, with some maidens mysteriously falling down stairs or stricken with food poisoning or other humiliations or accidents. No one had died as of yet but she felt it would only take some time, especially with rumours the king would pick a bride by the end of the tourney.
Alla Tyrell and Desmera Redwyne, put forth as the best candidates for their Houses and the Reach in general, had been carefully watched and supported by their kin and scarcely left alone as more drama hissed through the Red Keep. But not just with the two maidens- with the visiting empress speaking to Willas those of House Tyrell had kept the two from being interrupted, chasing off any who would see to catch the empress's attention. Such vigilance had paid off in the empress accepting Willas's invitation and she seemed amendable when Alla had been able to speak with her.
It was something Alla kept in mind as they prepared to leave the city for the great tourney grounds beyond. That the empress hadn't the chance to be properly swayed by any other House and her opinion seemed to be regarded highly by the king. Empress Daenerys had reassured them she was not seeking a marriage suit either, and had an interest in helping her homeland stabilize. Alla was not about to ignore such a golden opportunity and she thought over how they could further boost their positions as she left her chambers to join her entourage.
Her dress for the tourney that day was in deep emerald samite with threads of gold embroidered within in visions of twisting vines and blooming roses. The sleeves were long and edged in golden lace, with more lace snaking down the fitted bodice. The eyelets were forged in tiny roses. Her light brown hair was drawn back, a golden hairnet keeping the long tresses bound with the threads. Her necklace was in emerald and topaz, stretching across her bared collarbone upon silver chains. She had gone back and forth about taking a cloak with her in case the weather turned, but the sun had risen strong with no sign of clouds despite the morning chill, so she went without.
As it was her dress was of heavy enough fabric it helped ward off the lingering chill, even if Alla had to grab fistfuls of the skirt so she could ascend into the litter awaiting them in the courtyard. Desmera followed her, in flowing skirts of indigo with grapes made of sparkling garnets dotting her corset.
King's Landing was bristling with motion like an upturned ant hill, with the low drone of the populous easily heard even up at the Red Keep. It would not be like this again for quite some time.
Another reason for the grand tourney was, in a more morbid sense, a way to see the first of winter in a great ceremony for all too soon it would overly taxing to travel the country and multitudes would die. As it was, the weather seemed mild but Alla had been warned against complacency. Even in the North the great blizzards had stopped and a volatile heatwave had swept over, melting the ice and snow and causing floods. Yet just as quick the frozen mornings began and then snow yet again began to fall.
Some said it was an ill omen to have such wild weather at the start of the turn of seasons, as it would herald the relentlessness of the rest. Then again they had lived through the longest summer in record, over a decade in length. Yet for now they would celebrate as a realm before it would pass for them to return to their holds to outlast the coming tundra.
Alla was one such people, knowing that she wouldn't see King's Landing for quite some time if they returned to the Reach. Provided she was not chosen for queendom, of course.
Alla had wanted to accompany the empress as the tourney began, yet at the same time understood the importance of Olenna taking a positive impact upon the dragonrider due to her status as matriarch of House Tyrell. Their current litter had silken curtains that let in slithers of sunlight but even so Alla could hear the swell of the crowds beyond as they rode to the tourney beyond the gates.
Outside the city hundreds of pavilions had been erected with thousands of smallfolk in attendance. There were a multitude of banners flapping in the wind, Alla recognizing them all as her eyes darted across the House heralds. The largest of all was the black-and-red banner of House Targaryen, the crimson three headed dragon spitting flames.
The harsh winter morning frost had the advantage of stopping the ground from turning into a massive mud paddock, so they were able to reach the tourney grounds without the litter being sucked still or their skirts being muddied. Alla sat amongst the other highborn lords and ladies, Desmera by her side along with other Houses of the Reach. Lady Olenna was at the highest, as befitting the matriarch of House Tyrell. If Lord Paxter Redwyne, Desmera's father, had been in attendance then he would have been seated next to his cousin. But Alla knew Oldtown was still recovering from the Greyjoy's failed attack so could not fault Lord Redwyne for staying at the Reach to oversee the recovery especially with winter starting.
Alla's gaze was flicking between the tourney grounds before her and up to where the empress sat. As the honoured guest of the king himself, Empress Daenerys was seated with the king and his council. Her Lady Hand and Queensguard were close and Alla was curious about the Naathi and Dothraki. The empress was wearing a great lion pelt to help ward off the chill, the head of the slain beast clamped upon her shoulder and white fur in wonderful contrast with her gleaming black dress. The king meanwhile was wearing a black doublet with a crimson cloak, with the crown of square rubies upon his brow. The two Targaryens looked like a matched seat, clad in their House colours and with pale hair and purple eyes.
She forced her attention back down to the jousting, recognizing many of Houses as they clashed below while the day progressed. The frozen earth was thawed through the repeated tramplings by the warhorses, and Alla knew many were from Willas's own stables. She did feel saddened that Loras couldn't participate in the tourney, but so much warfare and suffering in the War of the Five Kings had left its mark and she knew the burns Loras suffered from the boiling pitch during the siege of Dragonstone still pained him even many moons later and it had been a particularly bad set of days. Willas has been trying to reassure his brother, knowing the loss such wounds could cause, but she knew Loras was still quite morose.
There was a brief bit of fuss when the immense three headed dragon flew overhead, blotting out the sun for a long, terrifying heartbeat and making many shriek and duck as banners snapped in the wind, before it landed out in one of the far off meadows.
Both Alla and Desmera avoided wine, wanting to keep their wits about them as the tourney continued. Hopefully they would be able to speak to the empress more during as the days passed and as the games changed but for now the king monopolized her attention. Both of them were seated between their cousins, Megga and Elinor who had once been Margaery's ladies-in-waiting alongside Alla, and even more kin formed a protective throng around them so they were not worried about eavesdroppers as they discussed ways to make the empress more amendable to their suits for the king's hand. Olenna had made it clear they would have to be the ones to take the initiative; she had made the iron hot but they would have to be the ones to strike.
"I won't be here forever," Olenna had lectured them that morn before they first met the empress. "Not even by winter's end, I would wager. So it will be up to you young ones to figure it out for yourself. We've lost so much, too much, to stop here. Seek out friendship with the empress, admire her, woo her. Gain her support and it will sway the king's decision beyond all else."
It was something that scared Alla- she was not of the main branch, so it had never been entertained she may be fit for a queen. That had always been Margaery's hope, and they had come so close thrice yet each time ended in disaster. The third being the one which took the life of Margaery and that of her father. Now with both Loras and Willas crippled, and no reliable daughters in the direct branch it was left it to Alla in terms of prospect, most in part due to her connection to Margaery. Desmera was the daughter of Lord Paxter Redwyne and Mina Tyrell, so in a way she had more viable blood but was not the Great House of the Reach.
Though it was somewhat of a moot point anyway, since they were all related to one another. Alla and Desmera had even made some offhanded comments that if either of them did wed the king then the others child could be a fitting match some years down the line.
Of course it didn't matter unless either of them won the young king's hand and Alla knew there had been rumours the king would chose a bride by the time the festivity ended which made all tension even worse. Alla even heard of attempted poisoning for the horses in the tourney itself, as a way to remove a chance for a House to show off before the king and visiting empress. Both Alla and Desmera were discussing such ways to make overturns of friendship towards the empress amidst the scandals.
"We could offer her some of the new perfumes," Desmera suggested. "Since she doesn't seem partial to wine and considering she has access to Naathi silk. Those newer ones the perfumer created smells of roasted walnuts, unlike the typical flowery scents that all others seem to possess. If she's from Essos then perhaps she would like such exotic scents."
"And Willas could offer her a browse of his stables," Alla agreed. "Since Dothraki are fond of horses. She has that queer zorse of hers, but her Dothraki guard may like an overture of friendship paid in horseflesh."
The Dothraki- or 'khalasar' Alla had learned this group was called -were a fascination for many. Dothraki, as far as any Westorsi knew, would never cross the sea due to their superstition about water horses could not drink. As it was the group remained close to their empress or would remain sequestered within the guest chambers so most were left with only curious stares. From their expressions Alla guessed they weren't overly impressed by the jousting. What little she had read about them made it apparently they never shied from blood and death so the lack of it currently must disappoint them.
The first day passed without incident, with the two women mostly discussing plans to approach the empress. The jousting also passed with only some injuries and falls, with no current deaths even if there had been a near miss with a knight from the Vale.
When dusk settled over the cold grounds, the chill growing even more pronounced as the sun slid towards the horizon, the commons left back to the city while the nobility went to the great feast laid before the rivers. Great braziers lined the area, fighting against the winter cold and casting dancing light across the area.
Alla felt so nervous it was difficult for her to eat, even with the immense courses on offer including whole roasted aurochs. Most she could finish was the garlic and buttered snails, one of her favourites which not even her anxiety could banish. Desmera meanwhile ate her way through several courses, including a fairly impressive leg of lamb. Alla was quite certain her cousin could feast through a winter blizzard with nary a flinch. Yet like before both avoided wine or ale, as they kept an eye upon the empress.
There were Jugglers with burning torches, singers and musicians, a royal fool with his oddly patched face who was jingling as much as the Dothraki as he danced, a pyromancer making fiery dragons flap about; the noise of it and the crowd kept trying to distract Alla and she kept a furtive stare out for the empress. But much like the king she was mobbed by nobles and Alla knew she had to bide her time.
So instead they muttered to one another then spoke to their kin before deciding to approach the flock of Dornish; the prince, Quentyn Martell, had spent some years at Empress Daenerys's side and Desmera suggested they could learn more of the woman through him. Alla knew some phrases in High Valyrian, a sign of her status as a highborn lady of one of the most prestigious Houses in the realm, but she certainly wasn't fluent in the dragontongue. At most she had some set verses or phrases she could recite but she could not conserve in it. She could only hope her few words were well learned enough to please the empress when they could speak further with her and hopefully Quentyn could give them more insight to the empress's personality and wants.
"Prince Quentyn," Desmera greeted the Dornishman with a friendly smile. "Well met, I am Desmera Redwyne and this is my cousin Alla Tyrell."
The prince was relatively easy to converse with, even if the boy held an air of nervousness to him neither could dissipate despite being as friendly as possible. Alla tried to keep her prying to a minimum, asking him questions about Dorne and his fostered upbringing before she shifted to asking about his relation with the empress. They expressed sympathies for the loss of his companions, and he in turned expressed his sympathies for the loss for Queen Maegaery and Lord Mace.
Much of what Quentyn told them they already knew or had clarified by the empress herself. Still, Alla found it fascinating how Empress Daenerys had made winning over her dragon such a central criteria to gain her hand. Apparently a number of suitors had already met their deaths and Qunetyn hadn't been foolish enough to provoke the giant golden beast. As it was he was able to facilitate stronger trade and alliance with Dorne through his years in Essos even if she had declined a marriage pact. It had turned almost into a moot point with the arrival of Aegon and the Golden Company but Alla understood the importance of keeping a positive relationship with a nearby foreign empire that had the largest dragon in the world.
Quentyn was plain in terms of looks however, made ever more apparent when his sister appeared. The woman also seemed to hold a great deal more charisma and knowledgeable in politics which Alla knew in part it would be due to Dornish customs- they followed the ways of the Rhoynar, from the times of Queen Nymeria and her ten thousand ships, where the eldest child, regardless of gender, would inherit. Still, it let them know quickly that Princess Arianne was not interested in the Iron Throne and instead was content with the chair of Sunspear. Alla had heard as much from her grandmother, but it was a relief all the same as Arianne would be in one of the stronger positions to have a suit accepted.
To Alla, Quentyn seemed almost wary of how friendly and insistent his sister was being towards him and she had no real inclination to be a part of it so the duo gracefully excused themselves and returned to their flock.
As they retreated back to King's Landing, discussing some more tactics, they spotted the empress's personal Dothraki- an assortment of men, women and children -dragging several of the immense roasted auroch carcasses in hand-drawn wagons and Alla realized the group were taking the hefty creatures to where the dragon lay in one of the meadows. Even in the darkness of night, away from the huge braziers and bonfires the distant light made its hide sparkle like gold coins and its crimson eyes burned like distant stars.
Alla thought over what she had learned that day as she got ready for bed, scrubbing down her limbs in a hot bath and brooding over what they could do to earn the empress's favour. The woman had made it clear she did not want some waif who would flee if near a dragon, and Alla had to think that over. She never really thought it over, that her children would bond to Wildfyre or Yndros when they came of age. She knew the Realm's Delight, Rhaenyra Targaryen, had been the youngest on record with her flight upon Syrax at only seven years of age. If she did wed the king, it was possible not even a decade would pass before her children would climb into the sky.
She lay in bed, staring at the wall with the covers heaped around her as she brooded. They had to succeed, they had to. They had lost too much to give up now. Loras had been one of the greatest knights in the Seven Kingdoms, now some days he could barely get out of bed due to the pain of his burns.
And now even as time slowly and steadily passed, Margaery's death still hurt. The entire boil over leading up to the tragedy still angered Alla. It was part of the reason why Loras had been hurt in the first place, forcing through the siege of Dragonstone when he learned of his sister's arrest in an attempt to be by her side as quickly as possible. He was injured permanently due to it, even if it was a boon in some way as he was spared the fate their father had suffered as Lord Mace had managed to reach King's Landing when he heard of Margaery's incarceration by the faith militant.
When Alla and the others had been taken by the militant faith during the initial arrest Margaery had done her best to protect them when the Mad Queen had begun her campaign of lies against her. Alla had been taken captive, as with Elinor and Megga who were Margaery's fellow ladies-in-waiting, when the queen was apprehended. They had all been locked in dark cells and questioned vigorously, but Alla refused every accusation. It was obvious it was just the Mad Queen's spite behind it all even when one of the septa's accused her of lying after confirming Margaery's maidenhead was broken and thus she was not virginal.
Alla had angrily pointed out that even horseback riding could break someone's maidenhead which happened to many a noblewoman, and Margaery had been riding horses since she could walk. The wrinkled old septa had refused to listen and it was part of the season why Alla celebrated King Aegon dealing so viciously with the faith militant when he arrived with the Golden Company. Fools who found guilt in any type of innocence, simply to forward their own purpose and their stupidity was part of the reason Margaery and her father died. Desmera, having been at the Arbor, had avoided all of that but she firmly sided with her cousins in the condemnation of the faith militant.
That entire incident also showed the loyalty of the smallfolk- while Margaery had been held, even after Alla, Megga and Elinor had been given to Lord Randyll Tarly which by luck kept them from the wildfire, the commoners had kept up consistent protests outside the Sept of Baelor demanding Margaery to be freed.
And during the Mad Queen's walk of atonement many of the smallfolk had been heard to shout Margaery's name when they pelted Cersei Lannister with rubbish and filth.
Alla did not particularly agree with the walk of atonement, even for one as vile as Cersei Lannister, but she never forgot how the people of King's Landing had kept Margaery in their hearts. Even after her death, great piles of flowers and blessings and trinkets had been left in memorial at the remnants of the Sept of Baelor for their late queen.
It was what Alla remembered and dreamed of, and the following morn she thought it further as they attended the second day of the grand tourney. She felt melancholic but she had to look to the future of their House and all those within it.
As the sparring began below Elinor straightened up in her seat, as her newly wed husband Alyn Ambrose made his appearance. Her favour, a kerchief of honey-yellow with dozens of crimson ants swarming the cloth made by Elinor's own hand, was tied to the knight's armoured wrist. Megga also gave an excited wave to Ser Alyn while Alla and Desmera discussed the pros and cons of each fighter as the sparring down below began.
Alla knew that Megga was to wed one of the sons of the lord of House Mullendore when they returned back to the Reach and Alla hoped their match would be just as a good fit as Elinor was with Alyn. As it was Elinor's knightly husband made it past the first two rounds before being disarmed and knocked down in a clatter of armour in the third.
"I am sure you can kiss his bruises better upon the morn," Desmera teased.
"That I shall, he fought valiantly," Elinor said, even as her hands remained clenched in her skirts.
"It is naught but bruising," Megga assured her. "Though I lament that my intended is not here. Everyone wants a dashing knight. Why, even the empress has Ser Barristan the Bold by her side."
"I hardly doubt she will take him as a husband, he is her Queensguard and shares similar vows I have heard," Alla said.
Megga huffed, taking one of the candied pears and biting out a chunk before saying, "Even so! He is gallant, we all know. Everyone knows, even his enemies never spoke ill of his honour."
"Queensguard- or Kingsguard -cannot marry, so it is a moot point," Elinor said, still casting some worried looks even as the next stage of the tournament began.
"Yet I say, if I were the empress I would marry the greatest fighter in Essos. Host an entire continent spanning tourney," Megga said, licking sugar off her fingers only to flush and hastily switch to a kerchief as Desmera swatted her arm.
"The empress can marry whomever she wishes, a rare luxury," Alla pointed out.
"Bah, regardless of all I am glad I am no longer in talks for a Lannister," Desmera said, scrunching up her freckled nose. "I would rather marry Wildfyre than that lot of cursed oathbreakers. Luck would have it the gods saw justice done upon their Houses."
"The rumours about Sansa Stark being how she is makes sense considering she was wed to Tyrion Lannister," Elinor said as she took a sip of wine. "I would lose my wits as well in her place."
"It is hardly his fault he was a half-a-man, many said it was the gods cursing his father Lord Tywin for what he did during the Rains of Castamere. He just bore the punishment," Megga said.
Desmera then made a fairly rude comment that perhaps half the reason Lord Tyrion had been hated so much wasn't due to his status as a dwarf but it was rather due to his abhorrent Lannister personality before quickly being shushed by a giggling Megga.
Alla was preoccupied with her cousins that she only half noticed one of the servants passing along their seats, offering wine refills. She declined but Elinor accepted yet when the boy was moving to fill up the young woman's cup the servant's hand slipped and suddenly Alla had a lapful of dark red wine, with more splattering across Desmera's skirts and against her bodice.
She jolted violently as her green skirts grew soaked as the servant all but dropped the flagon as he began uttering stuttered apologies.
"Idiot boy!" another servant, one in a far more embroidered tunic and weathered features to note his seniority, all but leapt up the stairs. "How many times have I told you to keep a firm hand on the flagons? My deepest apologies, my ladies."
Elinor and Megga shifted aside, while the people in the stands below Alla quickly moved to avoid the puddle of wine. Another pair of servants appeared, bearing cloth and mop as they quickly moved to clean the spill as the older servant continued to berate the serving boy.
"Good ser, that is quite enough," Alla snapped when the man suggested whipping the boy for the offense. "It is hardly as if he threw burning coals across us. No one has ever died from spilled wine. It was naught but an accident and I have spare dresses."
"It least it wasn't an arbor gold," Desmera japed, dabbing at her side with a kerchief before conceding defeat.
The man looked as if he was about to argue, but Olenna appearing amidst the commotion quickly caused a stop to that.
Both young women then excused themselves to be changed as the mess was seen to, both on themselves and the stands. Alla was irritated, but mostly due to the inconvenience yet some of her cousins had brought wheelhouses from the Reach, so they did not have to leave back into the city itself. Elinor was close enough in size to Alla she could borrow a dress from her cousin, just as Desmera, thicker and more stout in waist, could borrow one from Megga. The four women were accompanied by several Tyrell guardsmen, escorting them to the immense wheelhouse parked outside King's Landing.
Alla, after a brief discussing with Elinor, picked the dark brown dress the same hue as polished oak, with the skirt embroidered in twisting thorned stems within gold with more gold at the bodice, collar and sleeves while Elinor passed her the necklace studded with chunks of amber. The warm dark brown complimented Alla's traditional Tyrell looks, while the golds helped bring out the matching flecks in her hazel eyes. Elinor helped her with the hairnet and once done Alla plucked and primed at the powder across Elinor's cheeks until the foundation was soothed across.
The dress Megga offered Desmera was in green with hundreds of flowers spiraling across the hem as if it was meadow; daisies, colourful tulips, jasmine and orange marigolds, foxgloves and dandelions all for her mother Lysa Meadows and of course threaded throughout the meadow were thread-of-gold roses to honour the House that her father Olymer was of. It only took some adjusting of the bodice before Desmera was dressed.
Once changed, the four of them looked over the ruined dressed but Alla could tell the wine had already stained them deep.
"We could give the gowns to one of the septs or midway houses," Desmera suggested. "The stains will nary show upon this indigo, but I am sure a dedicated fishwife or farmer would be willing to scrub well at yours to banish the stains after long enough. Or even cut it up and sew something new, the cloth is fine despite it being sullied."
"Then it shall be done," Alla agreed.
It was well known Reach was one of the most generous kingdoms of Westeros; not just in crops and trade, but also in their nobility. Margaery had brought that thinking with her to King's Landing, visiting orphanages oft and speaking to the smallfolk, and her love was returned a hundred fold. King Baelor Targaryen was remembered as one of the most beloved kings to ever sit upon the Iron Throne and Queen Alysanne was one of the most beloved queens to ever rule and they were still adored generations after.
Olenna had also warned them to never neglect their people, as the common people could be prone to unparalleled violence. The Storming of the Dragonpit was the most infamous incident- though after seeing the king's dragons and the empress's, Alla thought that perhaps the Pit collapsing had killed the dragons, instead of them being hacked to death by common people -but also the likes of the riots during King Joffrey's rule where they attacked the royal party and even tore the High Septon limb from limb.
It was a lesson they all learned and Alla knew Empress Daenerys was also one such woman; the empress was so beloved by the people of Essos that 'mother' was the title most gave her.
Shaking that off, Alla joined her fellows and exited the wheelhouse. The head servant from before was waiting outside with the guards, offering further apologies for their spoiled clothing. He insisted he would punishing the serving boy but only by docking his wages instead of flogging him which Alla and Desmera accepted as compromise. With that done they rejoined the tourney, having only missed one of the matches.
The rest of the week passed without further incident but both herself and Desmera were unsure of just how to further their status. The empress herself was so busy they could not seize anymore of her time even if Willas had been able to do so on another occasion, even if it seemed more about his interest in trying to buy a zorse. They only managed to have some passing conversations with the empress before she had been drawn away. Olenna had mostly been conversing with the Hand of the King (like many others who wished to offer their eligible maidens) but as it was nothing had borne fruit as the king still had not decided himself.
There had been one very exciting incident when she and the king appeared at the tourney that day upon the backs of their dragons, even if the golden dragon was so gigantic Alla struggled to understand as it cast them all in shadow.
Something within her balked at the idea such a creature, a living being, could truly be so huge. Balerion's skull had been massive when she had passed by it in the Red Keep but with the golden dragon the trio were smaller, to compensate for the numbers. A tooth was the same size as a broadsword, while its wings put any sail upon the vastest ship to shame. The spiked club of its tails were bigger than her entire body, near the size of a wagon. Even its eye was near the size of her head. The beast was ridiculously huge even it wasn't even a decade old.
But the empress had made it plain, anyone who married King Aegon would in part, be married to the bonded dragon as well. Would Alla shy away from kissing her husband goodbye when he flew into battle simply because he was standing next to Dawn? Would she hide in her chambers as her children banged on the door, begging her to take them to where their bonded dragon was?
Her cousin had been strong, Alla always knew. But all too many only viewed strength as being on the battlefield, wielding a bloodied sword or shattering skulls with a hammer. For women they were at a natural disadvantage, for only very few could be akin to Lady Brienne in terms of size. It fueled the belief that that only strength in limb mattered, in such a term not that of wiles, courtesy and social relations. Yet Alla knew that was false, strength came from many different avenues and all could be as important. Alla would never be an accomplished warrior, nor did she had any wish to be one, but she could display her strength another way. In the same vein Maegaery had done so, in her charm and kindness.
Queen Alysanne had proven that- while she had been bonded to Silverwing, her greatest weapon had been her words. When she had been a young girl, newly wedded to Jaehaerys upon Dragonstone, several ladies had been sent to serve as her handmaidens but in actuality were sent as spies. Yet the young woman's charm was so great the would-be-spies instead became completely loyal. Such loyalty was shown in force a year later when Queen Alysanne's ladies did not hesitate to put themselves between the pregnant queen and her would-be assassins.
In the evening, the day before the final day of the tourney, Alla discussed her plan privately with Desmera who listened to her explain with acute seriousness. Alla did not even go to Olenna with her idea, worried the old woman may try to talk her out of such a foolhardy idea.
"I do not know if this is entirely what the empress meant, yet this is all I can think," Alla said.
"I agree," Desmera had said after a beat of silence. "She wants us to show courage. And Prince Quentyn...He said the empress's dragon was intelligent, that the empress fully claims it as her son. Not just as an endearment but that is truly their bond. The dragon, it was more akin to a man than beast in what it can see and it thought low of him as he cowered from it. They aren't unthinking beasts. Perhaps that is what she wants us to see."
"So you will come with me?"
"Yes. For Margaery. For our Houses. For the Reach."
Desmera's hands were tight around hers, and that night Alla's sleep was shallow and restless.
Her nerves did not improve as the final day of the tourney came to a close, her woolen cloak drawn tight at the chill. Clad in green and golden roses, with Desmera in indigo and crimson grapes. They kept looking up to where the empress sat, without her lion cloak but in a splendid black dress that shimmered with diamond dust and crimson edgings. The bells she wore through her pale locks had already been a great source of discussion across King's Landing, with some noble women mimicking the delicate bells being threaded through their hair. Alla hadn't followed the trend, especially after seeing some of the empress's Dothraki giggling and pointing when they saw one of the noble women with them.
She barely ate, in opposite to Desmera, to the point both Megga and Elinor inquired about them in worried tones. Alla reassured them as best she could even as the day seemed to inch passed painfully slow until she felt like a too taut string when it finally came to a grand finale.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, the winner of the tourney chose to honour Empress Daenerys as the Queen of Love and Beauty, gifting her the laurels of black and red roses which she wore without hesitation.
Of course even with the tourney drawing to a close did not mean celebrations would end, most in part of it being the last until winter was over and that would not be for quite some time. The finalization of the nobility events would give way to more public displays like plays and various entertainers and poor-man games, determined to eke out their last bit of coin before returning home.
It was only just past noon with the sky clear but with a persistent chill the sun was unable to fend away. It was also when Alla could see the empress, already down at the grounds closer to where the ribboned fencing was, without the company of the king. Instead she was speaking amicably to a couple clad in the colours of House Florent, with Ser Barristan and the heavy set bald man behind her. Alla grabbed Desmera's hand, eyes flicking to where the empress was and Desmera nodded.
"Your Imperial Highness," Alla called, quickly approaching. "May I have a word?"
The two Florents gave her a reproachful look and Alla flushed, realizing how rudely she had interrupted the group. Still, the empress did not demand she hold her tongue, instead simply looked at Alla curiously so she clung to the scraps of her courage and forged forward.
"I have heard some rumours about your criteria for any of your suitors, that you demand they must be found amendable by your dragon," Alla said. "Whilst I have no plans for your hand, what you said before is true- If I aspire to wed the king, I will be wedding into the house of dragons. Any children begot of me would be dragonblooded. So upon that note, Imperial Highness, I would ask if I may greet your dragon properly."
Her gaze darted to the side, and just as quickly Desmera drew close, "I would offer such a thing as well, empress. What my cousin says is true. Let us prove ourselves of your regard and that of King Aegon. It would let us know we are not taking this chance lightly, that we hold nothing but the highest respect for the dragons- metaphorically and otherwise."
The woman stared at them for a long moment, the crown of Love and Beauty still resting upon her silver-gold hair like a proper diadem. After a moment the empress smiled, before she beckoned them to follow.
As they made their way to the meadow where the great golden dragon was lounging, Alla didn't miss the concerned and incredulous looks many of their kin were giving them even if those of Tyrell and Redwyne remained close. A few tried to ask about their intention but Alla hushed them. She was only glad Olenna had left early to be with Loras, otherwise who knows how the old woman would have reacted to their foolhardy idea. Desmera was close enough her skirts kept brushing against Alla's and she could hear her soft breathing.
Growing strong, Alla thought, words her grandmother Olenna would oft mock as soft and nonthreatening but perhaps that was the point. Roses endured, not through violence like direwolves or fierce like lions or in being horrifyingly wonderful like dragons, but roses endured. Easily overlooked but all too soon they could take over a garden and after the blood had dried the soil would remain. Roots and all, even after their most prized flower had been struck from the brambles. Even after the castle burned down around them. They would endure.
Desmera's hand squeezed her wrist and all too soon they were before the meadow.
A loose arrangement of guards and fencing had meant the dragon was to be admired from a distance by the excited smallfolk, as regardless of how cold it got there had always been an eager mob nearby, but at the empress's approach they passed through the barrier even as the dragon stirred in a clatter of scales. Its huge tails swiped the ground, dragging deep furrows in the frozen earth.
Alla thought of leaving, of simply thanking the empress for letting them see the three headed dragon close and retreating back to the Red Keep. Empress Daenerys would not mock them for it, Alla felt. She may be disappointed but the woman wouldn't shame them.
She remained in place, Desmera close by her side, as the empress walked forth to greet the dragon. There was no fear in her as she reached out a hand to touch the dragon's chin as it dipped down its midmost head to her. It could snap her up in one bite, the ground shaking slightly as its wings settled and hindlegs pushed up its immense bulk.
After a moment the empress turned to them, standing before the golden dragon's central head. The gleam of the golden scales bounced off her pale hair, highlighting the strands of gold shot through. The right head coiled back along its side like a lazy snake, muzzle wrinkled slightly while the leftmost head shifted forward with a snort of air billowing from flared nostrils.
"You may approach, if you wish," the empress said to them.
It was then Alla nearly faltered but she had to remind herself of Margaery's fate. The explosion of wildfire was so catastrophic it had shaken the entire city, the plume of smoke and fire seen everywhere. Yet even so Alla knew Margaery wouldn't have begged in her final moments. Her cousin was smart, she must have known at some point what her fate was to be and she wouldn't scream or cry or beg. She would have withstood it, bore it with the dignity of a true queen.
Margaery would face the dragon, a voice within Alla said.
And so Alla stepped forward with Desmera matching her.
The leftmost head of the dragon was the one paying attention to them so Alla decided it was that one they should approach. Carefully, with the same type of measured, graceful steps they would approach the king seated upon the Iron Throne.
They did not get as close as the empress, however. Stopping when the dragon's breathing was ruffling their hair and tugging their clothing. This close Alla could see how the dragon has round pupils which for some reason she found odd. Should it not have serpentine? Then again she supposed it did not matter as Alla chose that moment to speak.
"Uja issa a aerebagon rigles toos rhaenagon ao bantazma bevilagon go aoha jaqiarzir, darys zaldrizoti," Alla said, trying to keep her High Valyrian as precise as possible while plucking at her skirts in a curtsy worthy of any court.
"Ao areos dreji as gevie bantazma jaqiarza as bane storiesos ivestragon, darys zaldrizoti," Desmera's greeting was done the same, slow and calm as she curtsied as deeply as possible.
Neither women moved, keeping their poses stiff and faces downward even when the breathing grew more intense and she heard some muffled noises of panic from her watching kin. She felt as if she would look up that she would knock her head against the dragon's muzzle, doing her best to stop herself from trembling, limbs locked, as the dragon sniffed them several times in great snorting huffs.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see Desmera's face, eyes closed and expression as serene as any mask.
Then the empress laughed and Alla barely had time to wonder about it when the dragon withdrew to flare out its wings and was airborne. The resulting gust of air nearly knocked her over and she quickly straightened up even the dragon's massive bulk ascended.
"He likes your aroma," Empress Daenerys said, smiling.
Desmera blinked, recovering the quickest to say, "The perfume? It's ah, one of the newer blends. Not flora but moreso resembling roasted walnuts. Or attempting to."
"Well whatever it was my son appreciated it. He has lost the smell for flowers. And he did like your greetings, so I thank you for that."
Alla managed to return the empress's smile even if her insides still felt twisted into knots. Still, she accepted the praise from Empress Daenerys for choosing to greet her dragon and Alla knew they had both pleased her. And, from the comments, pleased the dragon. Alla was only grateful she managed to learn a phrase High Valyrian that was essentially just praise. It would seem dragons are vain creatures.
The empress also accepted a bottle of the perfume from Desmera, who had one hidden up her sleeves which made Alla give her a baffled look, before they left the empress to return to their own gaggle of people who quickly drew them away.
It was only when they were passing through the gates of the Red Keep that Desmera blurted out that she had nearly wet herself when the dragon had sniffed them. Alla wasn't much better, for if she'd had a heavier breakfast she would've been wearing it down her front.