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Chapter Text

For such a luxurious apartment building the lighting in this elevator really could have been better. Yet it didn’t stop Alicent from turning to face her own reflection in the mirror, brushing a few stray curls from her face and gently rubbing the dark circles forming beneath her eyes. She’d definitely looked better but it was too late to do much about it as she slowly ascended flight after flight to the now familiar penthouse.

The knot in her stomach was not unfamiliar. In fact she had felt this way the very first time she had stepped into this elevator, some four months ago. Yet the knot of nerves back then was somewhat different to the flutter of anticipation she felt as her arrival was signified by a ding and the elevator doors slid open to reveal the thick wooden door to the penthouse. 

Letting out a shaky breath she brushed her hair out of her eyes once more before reaching for the door handle. She was vaguely struck with a thought of her first visit here, of how timidly she had knocked on the large door where as now she opens it and steps through with a confidence she wouldn’t have been sure was possible. 

Dark eyes scanned the foyer, a familiar pair of boots were neatly placed beside the door soon joined by her own. Alicent shrugged out of her jacket, hanging it up beside the soft leather one already hanging there. A small smile crept across her lips as she allowed herself to relive the memory of that leather jackets warmth and softness enveloping her the last time she was here. 

“Hello?” She called out as she slid the lock on the door behind her.

“In here” came a soft reply. 

“In here could be bloody anywhere” she muttered to herself humouredly as she began to pad through the hallway towards the large living room. 

“Hi…”

“Hello…” 

The other woman didn’t even look up from where she sat cross legged on one of the couches, a laptop open in front of her. 

“Well I feel better about not making an effort since you’re not even looking at me” she quipped with a confidence she would never have imagined all those months ago. 

“Sorry I just need to finish up with this…” Rhaenyra replied, eyes still fixed upon the laptop screen, her fingers tapping away at the keyboard the only sound in the room. 

Alicent chewed her bottom lip and stood there a little awkwardly. She was used to the other woman greeting her, often with fervour. This was new. To not even be gazed upon. 

“Come here” There it was, that soft yet commanding voice that reminded the redhead of who called the shots here.

She swallowed thickly and did as she was told, moving slowly over to the couch and hesitating only momentarily before sitting down beside the other woman, not quite close enough to be able to see the laptop screen - she didn’t want to intrude. 

“Make yourself comfortable” Rhaenyra instructed, eyes and hands still upon the laptop. 

Was it possible to be jealous of an inanimate object? 

“You know, if you’re busy I can just go” she found herself offering. Though Rhaenyra had specifically asked for her tonight, so surely she didn’t want her to leave already? 

“I’m not busy, I’m just finishing up” she replied calmly. 

“I don’t want to intrude”

“Then you shan’t” the snap of the laptop closing caused Alicent to look up and finally, for the first time in a month, brown eyes met the oceans of blue.. 

“Hi…”

Rhaenyra chuckled softly, placing the laptop on the coffee table before angling her body towards the redhead. 

“You’re wearing too much” she said simply, intention laced within her words. 

“Perhaps you should do something about it, your grace?” Alicent chided bravely. 

The growl it elicited from the other woman was exactly what she had hoped for in response, a laugh escaping her as the taller woman’s body filled her space.

“You’re in an interesting mood tonight, aren’t you?” She whispered as warm lips caught Alicent’s jawline, slow and intentional kisses moving down her neck, across her collarbone.

“I distinctly remember you saying you liked a confident woman” 

Rhaenyra’s response was to nip at Alicent’s collarbone, causing the redhead to arch her neck backwards. 

“I thought you said I was wearing too much?” She continued to tease, even when her resolve was already fading. 

“You are” she muttered between sucking on the soft flesh that her teeth had just marked, deft fingers reaching around Alicent’s body and expertly navigating the zip of her dress. Alicent tried not to think about how many women she had done this to and instead focused on the feel of her lips. 

“Stand up” 

Alicent didn’t hesitate to do as she was told, letting the dress drop to the floor, leaving her in only the red lace underwear she had worn exactly for the look on Rhaenyra’s face as she saw it. 

“Seven Above” she whispered huskily as she sat back on the couch admiring the sight before her.

“I thought you weren’t religious?” Alicent teased, an eyebrow raised. 

“I will pray to any God that created you” she vowed, reaching for her hand and tugging her roughly towards her so that Alicent had no choice but to fall right into her lap. 

“For you are clearly a temptation sent from the heavens to test me” she muttered, fingers brushing the golden necklace that lay over Alicent’s chest, the symbol of the Seven, her last real connection to her past. “And I fear I shall fail”

Alicent rolled her eyes. “Take it off” 

“I intend to” Rhaenyra replied, her fingers brushing the strap of the red lace. 

“No” Alicent shook her head. “The necklace”

Blue-violet eyes met brown, confusion settling in them. 

“The sins you plan to subject me to have no place under the eyes of the Seven” she explained, not a lie as such but not quite the truth - that the chain felt heavy around her neck, binding her to a belief she was no longer sure to have. 

Rhaenyra chuckled softly and reached both hands around Alicent’s neck, unclasping the jewellery. “The sins I intend to commit have no place in all of Westeros, except perhaps Flea Bottom” she teased, gently placing the necklace on the coffee table before her hands returned to Alicent’s waist.

“They’d eat you alive in Flea Bottom”

“I think I would quite enjoy it”

The redhead rolled her eyes and decided to take matters into her own hands, reaching behind her back and unfastening her bra. She watched with pride as she saw the other woman’s throat bob as she swallowed back the sight of the red lace falling from her chest. 

Rhaenyra’s eyes darkened as she took in the sight of the woman in her lap, her hands sliding up Alicent’s waist, cupping perfect breasts. 

She watched carefully, enjoying the rush that came with knowing such a powerful woman was caught in her spell. Her eyes fell closed though as a hot mouth wrapped around a hard nipple, tongue performing a well-rehearsed dance around the small bud. 

Her back arched on its own accord, desperate for Rhaenyra’s touch. She felt slim fingers push aside the fabric of her underwear and then she was exactly where Alicent needed her, parting slick folds and eliciting soft gasps. 

“You’re wet”

“I have been all day at the thought of you” It was a line, Alicent knew Rhaenyra knew it too but the other woman just hummed, slipping a finger inside her without anymore hesitation. And when Alicent let out a moan she couldn’t help but wonder whether Rhaenyra also knew that it wasn’t exactly a lie anymore either. 

Her eyes fell shut as the younger woman took complete control, a strong hand holding Alicent in her lap as the other proceeded to fuck the life out of her. Two fingers pumped into her now, a thumb circling that sensitive bundle of nerves with expert precision. 

It was embarrassing really how quickly she came undone in Rhaenyra’s touch. For the first few months of their dalliances she had felt incredibly self conscious and worried about it, but it didn’t seem as though the more experienced woman cared. In fact, if anything, she seemed to take pleasure from how easily she could make Alicent come at her command. 

—-

“Have you seen any other clients today?” Rhaenyra’s voice was silky soft, her fingers still tracing soft patterns over Alicent’s stomach as she came down from her high.

“No” she whispered a little breathlessly. “Not today”

Rhaenyra hummed, the smallest of smiles tugging at the corner of her lips in triumph. “Good” she replied. “Then perhaps if you’re not too tired you can take more from me?” She asked, eyes searching Alicent’s with a softness that made the redhead turn away for a moment. 

“Whatever you want” she replied quietly, eyes opening once more. “That’s how this works you know…” 

“I’m not like the men that rut up against you in the back of their Volvo before kicking you out on the street and going back to their wives” Rhaenyra countered, the slightest hint of frustration in her tone. “For one I have more stamina” she winked. “And I care about you enjoying it too. I don’t want to hurt you. Or be too much for you”

Oh. 

Yeah Rhaenyra was different. Alicent had always known really but here was the confirmation. She wasn’t just in it to get herself off. 

“I can take more” she found herself whispering. “I want more” she corrected, meeting Rhaenyra’s eyes. 

The other woman nodded, a smile on her lips. 

“Under one condition” Alicent added, feeling brave after Rhaenyra’s admission. The other woman raised an eyebrow in questioning and Alicent reached out, tugging gently on the collar of the brunette’s sweatshirt. “I want to see you. I need to feel more of you” 

Rhaenyra swallowed thickly, pupils dilating slightly as she nodded.

“Your wish is my command” she muttered teasingly and then a strong arm was wrapped around Alicent’s waist as she stood up, lifting her with her. 

Alicent couldn’t help the soft scream of surprise, her legs wrapping around Rhaenyra’s waist and arms around her neck. “Rhaenyra!” 

“Fuck, I like it when you say my name” the other woman replied as she impressively managed to carry Alicent through the living area and into the bedroom. 

An apology had been on the tip of Alicent’s tongue. She had never referred to her by name, had been scared to do so, but apparently there was no need. She was in the midst of thinking about how good the name felt on her tongue when she found herself carefully lowered down onto an incredibly soft mattress. 

“Am I allowed to know your name?” 

The question broke her from her reverie, reminding her that she was not in fact in the gentle arms of a lover but instead was playing a part, doing her job. 

Before she could reply Rhaenyra spoke again, her hesitation in replying obviously sending the woman the wrong message. 

“Sorry, I know it’s against the rules. I shouldn’t ask” she shook her head softly, a gentle smile on her lips. “Forget I said anything” 

“Alicent” 

“Alicent…” the name sounded just right coming from those lips and Rhaenyra smiled down at her. “Okay, Alicent , will you let me make you feel good?” 

She nodded in response, her head settling in the softness of the pillow beneath it, desperately attempting to ignore how it smelt faintly of Rhaenyra’s perfume. 

She felt the bed shift as Rhaenyra moved away and she closed her eyes for a moment in a desperate attempt to centre herself and stop her heart racing in her chest. It was embarrassing how she was reacting to the kindness of a woman who should never have been expected to know her name in the first place. A woman who would one day sit the Iron Throne and would never even remember a moment of their interactions. 

She opened her eyes as she felt the bed dip once more, eyes widening slightly as she saw the strap in the other woman’s hands.

“It’s new” she answered the question forming on Alicent’s mind. “You’d be the first…” she continued, and was that a slight hint of nervousness in her tone? “Would you…we don’t have to. I just thought that perhaps, something new…” she trailed off. 

And Gods how ridiculous was this? She was a whore for Gods sake. She was being paid to give someone pleasure, hers was irrelevant. But this woman, this incredible woman, somehow made it feel like they were the only two people in the world. As though their time together was not a transaction but instead a desire to make up for lost time, to brand the other as their own, to simply love and be loved in return.

Fuck. This was all a mistake. Maybe her period was due because she was being incredibly hormonal right now. This was a job for Godsake and Rhaenyra didn’t care about her compared to the next whore she would no doubt have in her bed. 

You’d be the first. 

But Gods did that sound good. 

Alicent found herself nodding. “If you’re asking permission to fuck me you better get on with it because I’m feeling impatient” 

The nervousness left Rhaenyra’s face (adorable as it was) and was instead replaced with that cockiness that had Alicent wet and desperate beneath her. 

“Gods you’re insatiable” she huffed, her hands going to the hem of her sweatshirt as she peeled it off of her body. 

Alicent licked her lips, actually licked her lips like some kind of perverted cartoon character, as she took in the sight of milky white skin pulled tight over a toned stomach. Her eyes may as well have been pools of desire as they trailed over Rhaenyra’s body, the curve of her biceps, the smattering of freckles on her shoulders, the simple white sports bra. 

She could hardly believe she had gone months without seeing beneath the shirt. 

The Targaryen’s, from what Alicent remembered in her history classes as a girl, came from Old Valyria, were thought to have the blood of the dragon. And as she lay helplessly in the soft feather pillows of Rhaenyra’s bed she couldn’t help but feel like the woman above her was looking down at her like a dragon eyeing up its prey. 

She shivered involuntarily, her legs spreading at just a touch of Rhaenyra’s hand to her thigh. “Gods, you look desperate”

She was. But she wouldn’t give the dragon the satisfaction of confirmation. 

Alicent arched her body slightly as she got comfortable and reached up to take matters into her own hands. She watched with fascination as blue eyes fell to Alicent’s hands as they deftly began to unfasten Rhaenyra’s belt and then the button of her slacks. 

She watched the shaky breath that escaped the woman above her as she unzipped the pants and then removed her hands, allowing Rhaenyra to decide just how much of herself she would bare. 

“You’re sure about this?” Rhaenyra asked, her voice an octave lower than usual as she began to fasten the harness around her own waist. 

Alicent nodded. “Just” she hesitated. “Go easy on me?” She requested, “the men I…well, let’s just say they are often lacking…”

That brought a smirk back to Rhaenyra’s face and that Alicent could deal with. The softness she was exhibiting every other minute was discerning, but this cocky playboy air that she often exuded was much easier to deal with. 

“I’ll be gentle” she promised. “Or at least I will to begin with” she winked as her hand reached out for something Alicent hadn’t noticed before. An unexpected wave of relief flooded through her as she realised it was a bottle of lube, trust a woman to have the decency to think of that unlike the men that too often tried to penetrate her without even trying to get her wet. Ironically Rhaenyra was probably the one that needn’t have bothered with lube, Alicent got wet just thinking about her. 

She sucked in a breath as she felt the cold gel fall unexpectedly onto her entrance, her eyes lifting to watch as Rhaenyra poured some onto the shaft. Alicent reached out before the other woman could, her hand wrapping around the thick black cock, beginning to slowly pump it to spread the lube. And if the low groan that escaped her partners lips was anything to go by then she had absolutely made the correct decision taking matters into her own hands - quite literally. 

“Ready?”

Alicent found herself nodding, legs spreading just a little more in anticipation. “Ready” she whispered in return, watching with bated breath as Rhaenyra Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne, positioned herself over her, the hard shaft of her strap-on nudging at her entrance. 

Their eyes met and all the breath was gone from Alicent’s lungs at the intensity of those blue eyes. Her lips opened in a soft ‘o’ as the dildos head pushed inside her. 

She felt Rhaenyra pause, knew she was checking Alicent was still okay but Gods she was impatient now she’d had a taste of this. “More” she panted breathlessly, moaning in relief as her wish was granted and Rhaenyra pushed deeper inside, stretching her walls deliciously. 

“Gods you’re so big” she whispered, and if she were in any way lucid right now she might cringe at how she sounded like she were starring in some cheap porno. 

“Oh” she moaned embarrassingly as Rhaenyra pulled out slowly. “ Oh ” Sliding back in just as slowly, never fully pulling out as she found a slow rhythm. 

It was torturous in the most perfect of ways and Alicent couldn’t get enough as her cunt quickly adapted to the girth that filled her. It had never felt like this before. Not with any man. Not even the ones she had thought had been okay in bed. 

“Can you take more?” She vaguely heard the question from above and nodded desperately. 

It wasn’t a matter of what she could take, it was what she needed .

“Fuck me” she whispered, her voice weak. “Please, I need it harder” 

She didn’t have to ask twice. A strong hand gripped her waist and she watched as Rhaenyra’s hips began to move at a faster pace, pumping the cock into her. Usually this would be the point where Alicent would start thinking about what chores she needed to do when she got home, where she would occasionally let out a moan to make it sound like she was enjoying herself. But this was different. There wasn’t a single coherent thought in her mind, and the moans were escaping of their own accord as the woman above her pounded into her. 

Gods she had not been joking about her stamina. 

“Oh yes” fell from her lips, her eyes falling closed as her fingers wrapped tightly around Rhaenyra’s wrist at her waist. “ Yes ” she breathed out desperately. “Harder, please don’t stop” 

If she could hear herself right now. It was pathetic. It was desperate. 

Alicent had always tuned out when she had the sweaty body of a man on top of her, pounding his meat into her, seeking his own release and not caring one bit for hers. 

But the slap of skin against skin as Rhaenyra drove the base of her strap into Alicent’s cunt over and over was completely erotic. She felt like she could come just from the sound itself. 

“Oh Gods” she whispered, her free hand travelling over her chest, her skin sensitive to every touch as she groped her own breast. “Gods, Rhaenyra” she breathed out. “So good. Please…” she let out a loud moan as the woman above her found a new angle, finding that perfect spot inside her with the cock that may as well have been a part of her with how well she controlled it. 

She squeezed her eyes closed as her fingers twisted the hard bud of her nipple, a pleasant feeling trickling down her chest to join where Rhaenyra was already causing pressure to build between her legs. 

“Gods Alicent, you feel so good” 

Oh that did something to her, the sound of her own name, the gravelly tone of the woman above her. She felt a wave of pleasure shoot to her navel and she was suddenly desperate to find her release. 

Her hand dropped from her breast, instead reaching between her legs, seeking her clit. She had never been able to come from penetration alone, not the way she fell apart under Rhaenyra’s fingers or mouth or even her own fingers. 

“I got you” she heard the soft words a moment before fingers roughly wrapped around her wrist, lifting her arm and pinning it above her head. “Let me make you come for me” the voice demanded as cold fingers slid over swollen lips, practised digits seeking out Alicent’s clit. 

Being restrained did something to her too. Was there anything that this woman could do that would not result in Alicent becoming a puddle at her feet? 

“That’s it baby” Rhaenyra cooed. “Gods you’re such a good girl”

Oh. 

Good girl. That felt good. 

“Let me make you come” she repeated, her pace quickening and causing Alicent’s eyes to roll back in her head as she was pounded. “Fuck, you look so good” Rhaenyra continued. “I think I might come just from watching you take my cock”

“Oh, oh ” she moaned loudly. “Yes, right there. Please don’t stop” she begged, fingers flexing helplessly in Rhaenyra’s grip. “Gods you’re so good, so big” she moaned, her own hips lifting to meet each thrust. 

“Come for me, Alicent. Let go” It was downright sinful hearing her name on this woman’s lips like this as her thumb circled the sensitive bud between her legs. “That’s a good girl” 

“ Gods” Alicent cried out, “I’m gonna come. Oh fuck” she moaned louder, her words spurring the other woman on as the thrusts got harder and deeper and Alicent couldn’t hold on anymore as the pressure built to its breaking point and her body tensed with the strength of the release that rocked through her. “Oh, oh fuck. Fuck, Rhaenyra” she panted, hips slowing down as she lost control of herself. 

She felt Rhaenyra’s arm bracketing her, holding her close as she pumped into her a few more times, her own breath shaky now as a groan escaped her. “Fuck Alicent, yes ” she groaned, thrusting into her once more before shaking with the weight of her own release. 

“Oh my God” she sobbed, overwhelmed with the stimulation as Rhaenyra’s body collapsed against hers. Her mouth opened in a soft ‘o’ once more as she let out a shaky breath and lay boneless on the soft mattress, their foreheads pressed together. 

Had Rhaenyra really just come from fucking her with a strap? Gods if she had any energy left in her she would find that incredibly hot. 

She felt gentle kisses being pressed against her skin, her shoulders, her collarbone, her jaw. Gentle fingers carded through her hair, across her stomach. An arm slid beneath her back and gently lifted her so that she was more comfortable against the soft pillows. 

In all of her years on this Earth not a single person had ever made her feel this way. Like she mattered, truly mattered. Like she was something precious to be taken care of. 

She shuddered in Rhaenyra’s embrace, the remnants of her release fluttering in her belly, strong arms cradling her and sweet nothings whispered against her skin. 

Her breathing began to even out, her hands grasping her partner’s forearms, desperate for their bodies to remain pressed together. She felt boneless, weightless. She felt cared for.

And when Rhaenyra lifted her forehead from hers so that she could properly take in the sight of the woman beneath her something broke in Alicent and any morsel of self restraint that remained was gone. 

With the last thread of strength in her body she lifted herself enough that she could capture Rhaenyra’s lips in hers. 

She felt the sharp intake of breath as the other woman was caught be surprise but refused to relinquish her hold, insistent in her desire to kiss the woman that had just given her possibly the best orgasm of her life. 

It only took a moment before she felt Rhaenyra relax against her, kissing her back with an intensity yet a sweetness that Alicent had never experienced before. 

And there it was. A rule broken. 

But this woman, who was arguably the most powerful woman in all of Westeros, who at any moment could be crowned the realm’s first ever Queen, treated Alicent like it was her that was special. She made her feel important, cared for, in a way that she had never felt. And it was addictive. 

But it was wrong. It was a lie. It was a job. 

Alicent pulled away as quickly as she had started all of this. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry” she panted, pushing Rhaenyra away from her. “It won’t happen again” 

Fuck. She had ruined this. Whatever this was. Had broken what was her own rule, yet a rule that Rhaenyra had adhered to. 

She scrambled off of the bed, grabbing her discarded underwear and tugging them on before embarrassingly realising that her bra and her dress were discarded in the other room. 

“Alicent…”

She shook her head, found herself hating the sound of her name on Rhaenyra’s lips. 

Her arm wrapped pointlessly around her exposed chest. “I have to go” she whispered before walking out of the bedroom to find the rest of her clothes. 

She was struggling into her dress when the brunette appeared in the doorway, the strap-on and its harness now gone and her pants buttoned up even if her belt was loose. Her torso covered only in the sports bra. It would have been distracting had Alicent not already been distracted. 

“Let me help” she muttered as she closed the distance and reached for the zipper of the dress.

“Don’t touch me” Alicent shot back at her and Rhaenyra immediately acquiesced, stepping away and holding up her hands in surrender. Alicent squeezed her eyes shut, embarrassed at her outburst. “I’m sorry”

“Have I done something to upset you?”

The softness of Rhaenyra’s tone tugged at Alicent’s heartstrings and she glanced at the other woman. She was watching her cautiously and Alicent desperately wanted to close the distance, wanted to brush that strand of hair out of her eyes and make this right. 

“Of course not” she replied as calmly as she could. “I overstepped, it won’t happen again”

She watched as Rhaenyra swallowed and looked to bite back a reply. “It’s not a problem” she said softly but her tone sounded too formal. “You prefer cash, right?”

Alicent nodded. “That would be great, yeah” The fantasy that had been created, a secret between the sheets, began to dissolve and in its place the cold hard reality. She was Rhaenyra Targaryen’s whore. 

Gods did she feel used as the other woman retrieved a wallet from her jacket hung up on the wall, placing folded bills into Alicent’s hand. And it’s what she was really. That was her role in all of this, she was a fool for entertaining anything else.

“Thank you”

“Of course” Rhaenyra nodded and then took Alicent’s coat off the hook, holding it out for the other woman to step into.

Alicent chewed her bottom lip but didn’t argue, stepping into it and letting Rhaenyra press a gentle kiss to the underside of her jaw. “Can I call you a cab?” 

“It’s okay, I’ve got it” Alicent responded before stepping away. 

Rhaenyra nodded, her head bowed a little low so as to avoid eye contact. “Goodnight then”

“Goodnight” she whispered before turning on her heel and walking out of the penthouse. 

The second she was in the safety of the elevator she let the tears fall. She had gone too far. She had lost herself in the moment, had somehow allowed herself to think that this was something more, had overstepped a boundary. And the worst part of it all was not even how dirty she felt for it, but it was that sadness, that look of regret she swore she had seen in those expressive blue eyes. Eyes that she would likely never see up close again after her mistakes tonight.

Chapter Text

4 months earlier

“This is an elite client, Alicent. Do you understand that?” Mysaria’s soft accented voice came over the speaker of her phone. 

“Yes, of course” she replied gently, still a little surprised an elite client would want her. “Do whatever he wants, free myself up to give him all the time he desires, right?”

“Indeed” Mysaria responded. “ She will expect discretion”

“She?” Alicent’s eyes widened and she almost dropped her phone. 

“That is not a problem I trust?”

“No of course not” Alicent replied despite the racing of her heart. 

“Wonderful. I will send you the information” Mysaria promised. “And Alicent, put on a good show tonight and you may not need to take any other clients for quite some time. She pays incredibly well”

Alicent nodded, muttered a quick thanks and hung up. 

An elite client? A woman?

Alicent had never been with a woman before and the nerves were already beginning to knot in her stomach. She had only agreed to put it down as something she was open to because Mysaria had said that it made the men more interested. (Which in itself disgusted her somewhat)

She had never expected she would actually be matched with a female client. 

As promised Mysaria had sent the information and it had sat unread on Alicent’s phone for the next hour as she worked up the courage to look at it. It was nerve wracking enough to be entrusted to an elite client, but for that client to be a woman was almost too much for the redheaded woman. What if she was bad at it? What if it lost her this job? 

Not that she held much love for the job, but she had fallen into it out of need and did not necessarily desire to give it up just yet. 

—

By 6pm Alicent was stepping out of a cab and looking up at one of the most impressive buildings she had ever seen in her life. Whoever lived here, on the edge of the Red Keep itself, must be filthy rich. 

She swallowed nervously, checked the information in the text from Mysaria before stuffing her phone into her small clutch, shouldering the bag and stepping towards the entrance of the apartment building. 

According to the instructions she was to go to the penthouse (seriously how rich was this woman?) and had been given a password of sorts to allow her past security. With a deep breath she tried to exude confidence, she was a strong capable woman and she was good at her job. If she could handle the perverted old men that her job usually involved her encountering then she could handle a perverted old woman too, right?

Getting past security was surprisingly easy and Alicent wondered if they had been told to expect her - Gods she hoped they didn’t know the reason for her visit - and soon enough she was standing in an elevator as it began it’s ascent up to the 60th floor. 

Seriously, 60 floors?!

The journey time was not conducive to Alicent staying calm. 

She stared at her own reflection in the mirror, trying to breathe evenly. Perhaps she should have message Mysaria after all, asked her what she should expect, what a woman was likely to want from her. But she had been terrified of looking bad in front of her boss. Maybe that would have been better? Then she might be at home instead of on the longest elevator ride of her life. 

Just as she was reconsidering all of this the ding of the elevator announced her arrival and with a deep breath she stepped out of it, coming face to face with a large wooden door, a brass knocker in the shape of a dragon head affixed to it. 

Okay Alicent, you can do this. How hard can it be? You’re a woman. You know what you like. It’ll be the easiest money you ever make .

Trying to listen to her own peptalk she reached up to the dragon head door knocker and knocked three times. 

There was a beat or three before she heard the telltale sign of a door being unlocked and then the creak as it opened to reveal a woman around the same age as Alicent, her short brown hair slicked back as if she had run Brylcreem filled fingers through it multiple times. 

“Hi…” Alicent whispered, clearing her throat to try and stop herself sounding so pathetic. 

“Hello” 

The woman’s voice was soft, her blue eyes intense. 

“Mysaria sent me…”

“Do you want to come in?” 

Alicent nodded, “That sounds like a good idea” she smiled weakly, trying to find some of the confidence that usually served her well in her work. 

The woman stepped aside and Alicent stepped over the threshold, her eyes taking in the stunning hallway before her, all dark wood and artwork that probably cost more than Alicent’s entire apartment block. 

She heard the soft click of the door behind her and turned. 

The woman, her client , stood with her hands in the pockets of her dress pants and Alicent couldn’t help but let her eyes roam over her. The dress pants were incredibly well fitted, she noticed, as was the white button-up that she wore with its top three buttons undone to reveal a slither of pale skin and a thin silver chain around her neck. She could see a watch around her left wrist from where it poked out of her pocket, and Alicent didn’t need to see it up close to know it likely cost more than she would earn in her entire life. 

Her eyes lifted to meet the woman’s gaze, the slight pull of an amused smile on the corner of her lips. Alicent’s gaze roamed over a sharp jaw, an angular nose and came to rest on soft eyes that somehow didn’t quite fit with the rest of her facade.

“You like what you see, I hope?” The woman’s tone held an air of amusement and Alicent felt a wave of embarrassment. “Would you like a drink?” She continued before Alicent could think of a way to respond. “These things are always incredibly fucking awkward to begin with, aren’t they?” she smiled, the first genuine smile, and brushed past Alicent with her hands still in her pockets. 

Alicent stood in the hallway like an idiot for a beat too long before remembering her wits and following the woman into what opened up to be a stunning kitchen. 

“Wine?” she suggested as she saw Alicent enter the room. “Or would you prefer not to drink alcohol?”

Alicent swallowed thickly as she looked over the kitchen with it’s smooth black cabinets and a marble effect running into the granite worktop. 

“Your home is beautiful” Alicent found herself muttering. 

“Ah” the woman leaned back against the countertop. “It’s not quite to my taste but…” she shrugged. “It could be worse I suppose”

Alicent barely heard her, her eyes widening as she noticed the floor to ceiling windows behind her. Silently she drifted towards them and was treated to a breathtaking view over King’s Landing. 

“It’s quite beautiful isn’t it?” 

The soft voice over her shoulder caused Alicent to flinch and she turned to meet an inquisitive blue gaze. 

“It’s gorgeous” she agreed with a nod as a wine glass was pressed into her hand. 

“I took the liberty of guessing red wine” the dark haired woman said in her soft voice. “But there’s other drinks if you would prefer…”

“Red wine is great,” Alicent nodded, offering her a small smile. 

“Good”

There was something strangely familiar about this woman, but Alicent couldn’t quite put her finger on what. 

“Have you ever seen the city from above before?”

Alicent looked up from where she was gulping down the wine in a bid to settle her nerves and saw the woman had moved to look out of the window. 

She shook her head, “No. Not like this” she admitted, “Perhaps on a postcard” she joked gently. 

The woman’s lips curled into a smile. “It’s breathtaking” she saw the reflection of the blue eyes in the glass, they looked to be focused on her rather than the view. “As are you” she added gently, turning to face Alicent. 

“Thank you”

“You’re nervous” It wasn’t a question. 

Alicent dipped her head and smiled softly. “I haven’t had an ‘elite client’ before” she admitted. 

The woman laughed and Alicent’s stomach fluttered. “An elite client? Is that what Mysaria’s calling it these days?”

Ah. So she wasn’t a new client then. 

Alicent raised her eyebrows and shrugged. “It would seem so”

The woman nodded and glanced back out of the window just as the lights of the Red Keep illuminated in a soft glow, highlighting the most important part of all of King’s Landing for all to see. 

And that’s when Alicent saw it. 

Holy shit. 

The woman turned back to her with a soft smile and now that her eyes had been opened to it she couldn’t unsee it. Rhaenyra Targaryen, Princess of the Seven Kingdoms, Heir to the Iron Throne stood before her. 

The hair had hidden it to begin with, the famous silver locks of a Targaryen gone for some reason unknown to a commoner such as Alicent, but it was there regardless in her bone structure, in her eyes, in the filthy fucking rich that this entire penthouse screamed. 

Alicent’s throat went dry. Was this a joke? Was she really going to fuck the heir to the throne? 

“I don’t bite,” the woman, Rhaenyra, said softly. “Well, unless you want me to I suppose” When Alicent didn’t reply Rhaenyra stepped closer. “Are you alright?” Was that a hint of concern in her tone? 

“Yeah, yeah I’m okay” Alicent nodded and took another sip of her wine.

“Are you sure you want to be here?” And Gods was this different to any other client she had ever met with, the genuine concern taking her aback. 

“Yes, sorry” Alicent forced a smile. “It’s just - your apartment really is stunning and -” she gestured weakly towards the windows. “The view…”

“Hm” Rhaenyra’s hands found their way into her pockets once more. “Would you prefer I leave you alone with my apartment?” 

Alicent’s eyes widened in worry but a smile tugged at her lips when she saw the clear jest on the other woman’s face. 

“Sorry” she laughed gently, “I’ll try to be less distracted” 

“It’s no problem,” Rhaenyra smiled. “Would you like to see the living room? The view is even better”

Alicent chuckled softly, bit her bottom lip and nodded. 

Rhaenyra nodded her head in the direction of another doorway, indicating for Alicent to follow as she stepped through it. 

The dark wood floors of this room were counteracted by soft white walls and two large grey couches, and a brown leather armchair that sat proudly in front of an entire wall length bookcase. A bookcase that would have captured Alicent’s attention had it not been for another set of floor length windows looking out on King’s Landing. 

Wine glass in hand Alicent approached the windows, eyes wide as she took in the sight of the city she had called home for the last ten years of her life. 

“Looks even better from this angle, don’t you think?” she heard Rhaenyra’s soft voice behind her, and smelt the smoky scent of her perfume as the woman approached. 

“It’s beautiful from either angle” Alicent admitted as she felt gentle fingers take the wine glass from her grasp, placing it on a side table. “Why do you say that?” she asked, breath catching in her throat as she felt Rhaenyra’s hands on her shoulders, gently removing her thick winter coat. 

“Because this is the view of the real city” she replied simply as she continued to remove the coat, slowly revealing the tight black dress Alicent had worn for the evening. “Rather than a view of the bureaucracy”

The bureaucracy you were born into?

Alicent bit back the response, eyes focusing in on the bright lights of the city below. 

“Is this okay?” Rhaenyra asked, her voice husky over Alicent’s shoulder as she finished removing the coat and draped it over the arm of the chair to her right. 

Alicent nodded, her eyes falling closed as she leant back against the woman behind her. 

“We can talk about your dos and don’ts if you’d like?”

“Shouldn’t we discuss yours?” Alicent mused, neck arching as she felt soft lips graze the bare skin where her neck and shoulder met. 

“There’s two of us,” Rhaenyra replied as though it were obvious. “My needs and desires do not eclipse yours”

“You’re paying” Alicent pointed out and Rhaenyra hummed in amusement against the base of Alicent’s neck, her fingers brushing her ponytail out of the way. 

“Let me guess, you’re usually with men?”

Alicent swallowed thickly, was she that obvious? “What do you mean?” she asked, her tone on the defensive. 

“It’s perhaps an unfair stereotype” Rhaenyra mused, brushing Alicent’s hair aside once more as she pressed a gentle kiss to the underside of her jaw, blue gaze meeting brown in the reflection of the window. “But I’d wager most male clients don’t bother to ask what you want and instead simply take what they desire?”

“Have you worked this job too?” 

A genuine grin tugged at Rhaenyra’s lips. “I promise I will enjoy our time together tenfold if you enjoy it too” she explained and Alicent was glad of the strong arm that snaked around her waist otherwise she may have stumbled in surprise at what she heard. 

“I’m open to whatever you want to try” Alicent found herself admitting as she allowed herself to lean back against the warm body, eyes falling shut. This felt good. It felt really good. “I’d just like to know what you’re thinking before you act…” she added a little nervously. She opened her eyes and met those of Rhaenyra in the reflection once more. She both witnessed and felt the gentle nod of response from the other woman. “And -” she hesitated, unsure how her other rule would go down. 

“And?” Rhaenyra pried. 

“No kissing” Alicent whispered, dark eyes scanning the reflection for any reaction. She felt the arm around her waist relax slightly as Rhaenyra pressed her lips together and bobbed her head slightly in what may or may not have been a nod. “I mean like, Gods this sounds like I’m in high school…no proper kissing…”

She felt the low rumble as Rhaenyra chuckled behind her. 

“No proper kissing” she repeated, the amusement evident in her tone even without seeing the stupid smirk on her stupidly attractive face. 

Alicent nodded, trying to stay professional. She had this rule with all of her clients. It felt too intimate. She wanted something to herself, the hopeless romantic in her wanted there to still be something special that might make her pulse race if she ever met someone. In the future of course. Because Alicent could not imagine even attempting to meet anyone right now, not with the life she currently led. 

“Is this improper?” Rhaenyra’s drawl broke her out of her reverie as she pressed another kiss to Alicent’s jaw, and then just below her ear. 

“Yes,” Alicent breathed out weakly. 

“Okay, good” the slightly taller woman nodded, her hold on Alicent relaxing as she stood up a little straighter and gently turned the redhead to face her. “I would very much like to go down on you now” she said in a soft tone that would have been better suited to suggesting going out for a walk and not the act she was in fact suggesting. “Would that be okay?” she asked for assurance when Alicent just stared at her for a moment too long. 

“If you want” she found herself replying, voice rough around the edges. 

“Do you want to?”

Alicent bit her lip and swallowed thickly, nerves knotting in her stomach once more as she considered the proposal. Did she want to?

Her eyes roamed over the woman standing ahead of her, settling on her eyes. It should probably be illegal to have such an enchanting gaze Alicent thought as she allowed herself to get lost in the blue depths. There was a calmness in Rhaenyra’s gaze, it was contemplative yet restrained, gentle but inquisitive. Alicent imagined a storm could rage in them under the right conditions, yet the seas were calm tonight and Alicent found her gaze comforting. 

“Yes” she found herself whispering, a calmness enveloping her as she scanned the other woman’s eyes once more and found a promise within them. 

Rhaenyra nodded, her hand dropping from Alicent’s waist and instead reaching to tangle their fingers. Her hands were warm and soft, the silver rings upon her fingers a cold contrast against Alicent’s skin. She smiled softly and tugged on Alicent’s hand, pulling her towards the armchair angled towards the windows. 

“Why don’t you sit here?” she suggested carefully. “That way you can enjoy the view whilst I get to work?”

Alicent’s breath caught in her throat at the suggestion. It felt so open here. 

“It’s okay if that’s too much” Rhaenyra was quick to add. “The windows are large, but we are quite high”

“How high?”

“60 floors up”

She knew that from the elevator, yet supposed she could forgive herself for having forgotten. 

Alicent swallowed and looked over the view once more, the uncertainty must have been evident in her eyes as the hand in hers squeezed gently. “We can go somewhere more private if you’d like?”

She considered the proposal for a moment, wishing she could summon an ounce of the confidence she knew she was supposed to exude in her work. Gods, she wouldn’t be asked back here she was sure of it. 

And so why not live a little? When would she see a view like this again?

“How high is the next tallest building?” she asked, glancing up at the other woman. 

A thoughtful look overtook her companion’s face for a moment. “From this side of the apartment? I don’t know, fourty floors at most” 

Alicent considered her words for a moment before nodding. “Okay”

“Okay?”

She nodded once more and took back a slight bit of control, taking a seat in the armchair. The soft, worn leather was cool against the bare skin of her legs but she was grateful because it was starting to get pretty hot in here. 

Rhaenyra’s hand remained in hers as the taller woman lowered herself to her knees in front of her. “Okay?” she asked once more and Alicent nodded, heart fluttering slightly at the way that this incredibly intimidating, attractive and powerful woman was taking every moment to check in with her. To check in with a nobody, a whore. It was disarming. 

“Tell me if you want to stop at any point” she whispered, lips brushing the back of Alicent’s hand before letting go and Seven Above perhaps Alicent should have insisted on no kissing whatsoever because this was making her weak. 

“Okay” she whispered in response, wishing she could act a little more confident whilst simultaneously accepting she was absolutely not going to be the one in control tonight. 

Soft dimples stole Alicent’s breath as she watched Rhaenyra smile at her, for her . Deft fingers traced a pattern across her thigh as they made the way towards the hem of her dress, nudging it out of her way at a painfully slow pace. 

“Sit forward a little bit” the woman, the Princess of the Goddamn Realm , instructed and Alicent did exactly as she was told. “Spread your legs a little for me, that’s it” Her voice dripped with the sweetness of honey and Alicent was transfixed to her eyes. 

A fact to which Rhaenyra was currently aware of, if the mischievous wink was anything to go by, before her hands slid beneath Alicent’s dress, fingers hooking around the elastic of the redhead’s lace panties. 

“I don’t think we’re going to need these” she teased, beginning to peel them away and if Alicent looked needy as she lifted her hips to help expedite their removal then so be it, she was ready to find out what all this having someone go down on you fuss was all about. 

If Rhaenyra noticed she didn’t comment, just carefully folded the underwear and placed it on the rug beneath her. 

“I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to find you so ready for me” 

Alicent sucked in a breath as she felt lean fingers collect the slick that had gathered at her entrance. If she wasn’t so turned on she might have been embarrassed by her body’s obvious display of want. 

“Gods” she whispered as her eyes watched every movement as the other woman sinfully licked the slick from her own fingers, wiggling her eyebrows at Alicent teasingly.

“Come here” she muttered, hands hooking beneath Alicent’s thighs as she lowered her head and pressed a few gentle kisses to her mound. 

Alicent’s hands gripped the arms of the chair, her eyes still fixed on the woman beneath her, the woman whose gaze she could no longer meet for it was lost between her thighs. She felt Rhaenyra’s strong nose brush against her entrance before a warm tongue parted her folds, diving in with a purposeful lick. 

“Oh fuck” Alicent breathed out, her hands tightening on the arms of the chair. She thought she may lose all ability to think for herself at just the feel of being licked but then Rhaenyra changed tactic and began to alternate between licking and sucking and Alicent’s eyes fell closed, her head falling back against the chair with a loud moan. “Oh Gods that feels so good”

She felt rather than heard Rhaenyra hum in response, her tongue expertly circling the bundle of nerves that she was sure none of the men she had been with had ever bothered even trying to find. 

“Please” she breathed out desperately as the woman between her thighs sucked on her clit before abandoning that pursuit in the most infuriating of ways to lick her once more. Gods, how did she get so good at this? How many other women had been subjected to this sweet sweet oblivion at her command?

The sounds of the licking, the sucking, the lapping up of her juices were downright sinful and Alicent would have been ashamed to have been so turned on by them if only she were in a position to care about anything beyond that delicious building of pressure between her legs. 

“Are you taking in the view?” she heard the words muffled against the skin of her inner thighs and Alicent reluctantly opened her eyes and gazed out of the window. 

“Mhmm” she muttered because she barely trusted herself to speak as Rhaenyra’s fingers dug into the soft flesh of her thighs and she found herself hoping they would leave bruises for her to remember this by. 

She stared out of the window, seeing literal stars as the skilled tongue worked her over. It was a beautiful view but her gaze lowered to instead focus on the reflection in the glass, of herself splayed out on this centuries old armchair, the musty smell of old books on the shelves behind her and the heir to the fucking throne between her legs. How the hell had she ended up here?

“Oh Gods” she muttered, “Please more” She would cringe at her neediness if only she could focus long enough to notice it. 

Her back arched as she felt Rhaenyra’s silvertongue pick up the pace and unconsciously her hand reached between her thighs, fingers tangling in that gelled back hair. And Gods she would find this unappealing on a man, but it was hot as Hell on Rhaenyra and perhaps she ought to purchase stocks in Brylcreem the second she got out of here. (Did Brylcreem even exist? Was it still the 90s?) 

She felt the woman react to Alicent’s hand in her hair and tugged exploratively, trying to bring the other woman’s mouth closer to where she needed it. The moan it elicited from the brunette almost, almost , sent her over the edge. 

“You feel amazing” she found herself admitting, fingers tangling in more strands of hair, her own hips beginning to move in time with Rhaenyra’s ministrations. “I’m gonna…” she panted. “I can’t…” 

She felt a strong hand wrap around her free one, anchoring her as another dove between her legs, circling her clit as a hot tongue continued to explore her body in ways no other ever had. 

“Oh” she panted. “ Oh Gods” she whined, her moans increasing in cadence as a flood of warmth rocketed through her body and left her shaking beneath Rhaenyra Targaryen’s touch. 

Alicent’s head fell back against the back of the chair once more, her thighs tightening involuntarily around the other woman’s head, milking every last swipe of her skilled tongue and lips. 

“Fuck” she whispered breathlessly as she released her hold on the other woman and collapsed back against the armchair. 

“Well done” she heard the low rumble of an aroused voice saying from somewhere beneath her. 

She forced her eyes open and looked down in time to see Rhaenyra gently tugging down the skirt of Alicent’s dress to help preserve some form of modesty, should any remain. It caused a flutter in her chest before it was replaced with a flutter between her legs as she watched the other woman wipe her mouth on the back of her hand as she pushed herself up into a crouch. 

“Okay?” she asked softly and Alicent couldn’t help the laughter that fell from her lips. 

Rhaenyra’s eyes widened in confusion and Alicent shook her head gently. “Yeah. Pretty fucking okay” she replied with amusement. 

The grin she received in return lit up the room in the same way that the lights of the Red Keep had lit up the entire city. 

Time fell still as the two women locked eyes with one another and it felt like nothing else mattered other than this moment between them. Alicent could feel her heart pounding in her chest but then Rhaenyra got to her feet and broke the spell. 

“Wine?” she asked, clearing her throat as she looked down. 

“Wine” Alicent agreed with a nod. 

She smiled softly, dimples on show once more, as she reached down and retrieved a small bundle of lace, pressing it into Alicent’s hand before turning on her heel and disappearing into the kitchen. 

Quietly Alicent pulled her underwear back on and smoothed down her dress, holding onto the top of the armchair, not trusting her shaky legs. 

May the Maiden forgive her. She had just been well and truly fucked by the future Queen of the Realm and Gods had she enjoyed it. And that was something she would have to shelve for now, because she couldn’t focus on an identity crisis right this moment. 

Instead she took a breath and turned to the wall length bookshelf behind her. Her eyes widened as she stepped closer, eyes taking in the breathtaking collection before her. 

There were books older than half of the buildings in King’s Landing, she’d wager. Books on History, Politics, Law. Tales of the Knights of Old, High Fantasy and Fiction, Romance, you name it. 

Without thinking Alicent reached out, her fingers running deftly down the spine of one such book - An incomplete history of the Seven Kingdoms . 

“You like reading?”

The voice caused her to jump slightly and she quickly turned to face the other woman, eyes a little wide and her cheeks flushed from embarrassment (and the experience she had just had). 

She remained silent as she watched Rhaenyra’s skilled fingers hook Alicent’s earlier abandoned wine glass and carry it to the coffee table. She placed it down, alongside what Alicent could only presume was her own glass, and carefully poured the red liquid into both of them. Re-corking the bottle Rhaenyra stood up once more, a wine glass in each hand as she carefully approached the shorter woman. 

“When you’re young it’s much more permissible to lose oneself in tales of ages long past” she explained in a tone so gentle Alicent would be forgiven for thinking this was a different woman to the one that had been doing wicked things between her thighs only moments ago. 

Alicent swallowed and took the proffered wine glass into her hands. 

“I’ve always loved reading,” she admitted, glancing up at the slender frame of the woman beside her. 

There was a softness in Rhaenyra’s gaze as her eyes swept over the well worn tomes. 

Alicent cleared her throat and offered more of herself. “My Mother used to read to me every single night. She would take me to the library after School and together we would choose what we wanted to learn about that evening” Alicent found herself admitting, her voice a whisper as a long forgotten emotion caught at the back of her throat. “Often times she would fall asleep beside me, a book left open and ready for the following evening”

Something softened further in Rhaenyra’s gaze and Alicent observed the way her jaw worked as though she was about to say something but felt better of it. 

“My Mother would read to me too” she admitted, a melancholy in her tone as she turned to face Alicent once more. “When circumstances permit it,” she added thoughtfully. “My favourites were the history books” she smiled gently, her eyes running over a section of books on the shelf. “I think I fancied myself the next Knight of the Realm” she laughed gently, “Had visions of grandeur, fell asleep to dreams of riding on dragonback to save a fair maiden” Her gaze softened as she turned her attention back to Alicent, holding her gaze for a moment before letting out a breath and shaking her head amusedly. “It was much simpler being a child, wasn’t it?” She took a sip of her own wine. 

“Much simpler” Alicent agreed with a soft smile of her own, her eyes searching the blue depths before being pulled in the direction of the books once more. 

“And what tale would you choose for her to read for you tonight?”

The question caught Alicent off guard and she glanced back at the other woman with a furrowed brow. 

“She’s no longer with us, I’m afraid,” Alicent replied sadly. 

“Nor mine” she admitted as if the entire Seven Kingdoms weren’t already aware of the loss of the much beloved Aemma Targaryen nee Arryn all those years ago, and how her husband had fallen into depression with her death. Rhaenyra continued before Alicent had the chance to think of how to respond. “But I think -” she began thoughtfully as she placed her glass down on the table and reached out for the spine of one book. “- that perhaps they are never truly gone, not in the memories we once shared” she plucked the book from the shelf, eyes gently caressing it as she read the cover. “Don’t you think?”

Alicent bit her lip. “I think that’s a nice thought” But did she believe it? Perhaps not. 

“Take it”

Alicent’s brow furrowed once more as she searched soft eyes for an explanation. “I couldn’t” 

“Why not?”

“It’s -” Alicent stumbled for words that didn’t sound ungrateful. “- older than our entire families”

Rhaenyra chuckled softly, “Perhaps not mine” she responded gently as she pressed the book into Alicent’s hands. 

Brown eyes lowered to take in the delicate cover - An incomplete history of the Seven Kingdoms . So the Targaryen Princess was an observant one? 

“Really I -”

Rhaenyra’s fingers closed around Alicent’s. “It really is a fascinating read,” she insisted. “Why not think of it as a promise?”

“A promise?”

She nodded and explained, “A promise that I will get to see you again…”

Chapter Text

Four months ago

“Is she new?”

“Who?” Rhaenyra looked up from her glass of whisky, soft eyes narrowing as they searched the other woman’s gaze. 

“The girl you sent to me two nights ago, Mysaria” she responded with a note of irritation. “Forgive me, I did not catch her name” she added  in a clipped tone.

“Nor will I give it to you, your grace” Mysaria smirked at her from across the table of the restaurant they sat in. “You know it is the rules and I will not break them. Not even for you”

“I did not ask her name,” Rhaenyra argued, lifting her glass to her lips and taking a sip. “I asked if she was new”

“Why? Did she disappoint?” the older woman narrowed her eyes now, searching for meaning behind the heiress’ words where there were none. 

“Not at all” she responded, playing with the fork on the table  in front of her. “Just disappointed you’ve never sent her to me before”

“Then am I to take it that you would like her company again?” the mistress responded without missing a beat or batting an eyelash. 

“If she’s amicable, yes, why not”

Mysaria hummed in response, made a note in her small black notebook and then lifted her gaze to Rhaenyra’s once more. 

“I hope this is not the only reason you invited me to dinner?” she raised one perfect eyebrow. 

“Don’t be jealous, love. It’s not becoming of you” she teased, flashing a row of white teeth as she smirked at her dinner partner. 

“Why would I feel jealousy when I know I could have you on your knees in front of me with but a look?”

“Hm, quite” Rhaenyra hummed. 

“Tell me why we are here, your grace ”

“Tell me the redheaded vixen is available on Friday” Rhaenyra countered. 

“I will enquire” 

Rhaenyra worked her jaw, narrowed her eyes and took another sip of her drink. 

Rhaenyra sat back in her chair, glanced around her before fixing her gaze on Mysaria once more.  “I need you to look into something for me, gather some information”

“Of course you do”

“I’ll make it worth your time”

“You always do”

—

“How was the book?”

“Fascinating” 

Rhaenyra hummed in agreement as she sat back in the armchair that Alicent couldn’t even look at without blushing. “But incomplete”

A soft laugh escaped the other woman, “Yes, incomplete” she agreed with a smile. 

“Don’t worry, I have the next volumes”

“Of course you do” she shook her head gently, the smile still tugging at her lips as she nursed her glass of wine.

A comfortable silence fell between them, the soft electronic music playing over the living room speakers the only sound filling the room. 

It was the client who broke the silence a few moments later with a loaded question that really Alicent should have been expecting.

“Do you know who I am?”

Alicent gulped, chewing her lip as she glanced up and found herself lost in the depths of those blue eyes. 

“Sorry” the other woman bowed her head to avoid eye contact and shook her head. “I don’t mean to sound like an ass”

Alicent laughed softly despite herself. “It’s too late for that” she teased, feeling confident all of a sudden. “Do you know who I am??” She mocked, grinning as blue eyes rolled. 

“I know, I know” she smiled, a genuine smile, and Alicent was struck by how beautiful she was. No, handsome, somehow handsome suited her better. “That’s why I hate having this conversation” she admitted, looking up at Alicent once more with a defeated look on her annoyingly attractive face.

“Do you have it often?”

“More than one would wish, yes”

Alicent sucked on her lip contemplatively before lifting her gaze. 

“Rhaenyra Targaryen” she said gently as she rose from the couch and took a step closer to the woman in question. “Princess and rightful heir to the Iron Throne” she bit her lip as she continued her approach. “Right?”

Rhaenyra swallowed thickly and nodded. 

“I have to admit, the hair did give me pause…” Alicent lowered herself to her knees in front of Rhaenyra, reaching up to brush a strand of brown hair out of her face. 

“It’s easier to live my life this way” she offered an answer to a question Alicent would not have asked. 

“And you want me to continue to let you live your life in ease by not revealing our…intimacy?” She asked softly. 

“I can pay you well”

“I bet you can”

“Whatever you -“ Alicent reached up, pressing a finger to Rhaenyra’s lips to quieten her, her own heart fluttering from the vulnerability in the other woman’s voice.

“I like the hair, it suits you” she commented before reaching to unfasten the first few buttons of her blouse, watching with satisfaction as Rhaenyra’s eyes darkened. “I don’t care who you are,” she promised, pausing in her undressing. “Because you don’t care who I am either” she took Rhaenyra’s strong hands in hers and brought them to her blouse. “I would really like it if we could make some more memories on this armchair though”

A smirk curled at the corner of Rhaenyra’s lips and Alicent felt her own lips tug into a smile in response as she felt dexterous fingers work open the remainder of her buttons. 

— 

The present

“And so that way the gold would come to the Crown rather than -”

“Lord Tyland” Rhaenyra’s exasperation was evident as she lifted her legs off of the desk and sat forward in her chair to look across at the older man. 

“Your grace?”

“Let me get this straight,” Tyland nodded and waited. “You want to increase taxes in the North?” the Master of Coin nodded once again and it took every ounce of strength in Rhaenyra to not roll her eyes. “And only the North?”

“Yes, Princess, that is correct” 

“Right”

Tyland smiled and sat up a little straighter. “Wonderful, if you’ll -”

“Where do you think you’re going, Lord Tyland?” she asked impatiently as the pathetic excuse for a man made to stand. 

“Excuse me, your grace ” she didn’t like the way he spoke to her, that was for sure. “I was simply intending to return to my work now that we have an agreement…”

“We do not have an agreement, Lord Tyland”

“Oh?” the golden haired man gawped at her and slowly lowered himself back into the chair opposite her desk. 

“Lord Tyland, have you ever been to the North?”

“Ah, not the North North, no” he shook his head. 

“Then I suppose I shall forgive you for your lack of understanding,” Rhaenyra paused, a smirk threatening to tug at the corner of her mouth as she watched the Master of Coin press his lips together in a tight line. “Our brothers and sisters in the North are incredibly hard working men and women. Men and women who not only battle the tempestuous weather, regularly face spoiled crops, and who maintain and protect the Wall keeping all manner of threat away from the rest of us”

“Indeed, your grace” Tyland bowed his head as if he understood, she knew he didn’t. 

“There is no reason for their taxes to be increased when the drunken lords of Casterly Rock are the ones that can afford such an increase, no?” 

She watched his Adam’s apple bob at the mention of his family, a feeling of satisfaction running through her spine. 

“Tell me, Lord Tyland, when did the men and women of Casterly Rock do anything to protect the realm?”

Tyland did not respond though she could tell he desperately wanted to. If only he had a way with words, he might have been a formidable foe. But alas.

“If more coin is what you fear the Crown needs then perhaps you’ll first check the dusty old coffers of your own lands?”

Rhaenyra got to her feet then, signalling the end of their conversation and her tether. 

“Very good, your grace” Lord Tyland stood, offering a tight bow before turning and walking out of her office. 

Rhaenyra let out a heavy sigh and stretched her neck from side to side. Thank the Seven that that was her last meeting of the day. 

Running a tired hand through her hair she stepped over to the window of the office she kept in the Red Keep at her Father’s request. The sun was beginning to set and it was about time she got out of here. 

“Mysaria, it’s me” she spoke gently as her friend (business associate?) answered the call moments after dialling. 

“Ah, the Targaryen heir. What can I do for you?”

“Did she get back to you?”

The heavy breath on the other end of the line didn’t fill her with hope. 

“She has taken some time off. I don’t know what you did to her but if this continues I will be expecting you to cover my loss of earnings”

“I didn’t do -” she sighed. “Is she taking other clients?”

“You know I cannot discuss my girls’ other clients”

“Mysaria, I need to see her,” Rhaenyra pleaded, her hand running through her hair as she gazed out onto the Red Keep. 

“I have other girls. In fact I have some I think you would quite like”

“Mysaria”

“I could, since you are a valued client, send you two girls tonight? On the house?”

Rhaenyra shook her head, teeth grit together. “I don’t want other girls, Mysaria” she tried, and failed, to keep her voice measured.

There was a hesitation on the other end, a rare occurrence when it came to the White Worm, a woman who always had words and knowledge on her side. 

“Rhaenyra” the softness in her tone was almost disarming. “Perhaps this is why she is refusing to see you?”

“What do you mean?” she asked helplessly, her forehead pressed to the glass of the window now. 

“My girls are in it for the money. They aren’t looking for an attachment”

“Neither am I” How did Mysaria not know that by now?

“Then why are you so attached to this one?”

Rhaenyra swallowed thickly and squeezed her eyes shut. She had no response for that, because she didn’t know herself. 

“Just do this one thing for me, I won’t ask anything of you again”

“Yes you will”

—

A half drank bottle of wine in the fridge and a hot bubble bath had been on Alicent’s mind all day. She had practically been counting down the hours until they would be within her grasp. And then they were cruelly snatched away. 

“I thought you said I could take some time off?” she sighed exasperatedly. 

“I know but this is a new client, Alicent and it’s a Friday night, all my other girls are busy” 

She sighed once more, closing the fridge door and confining that bottle of wine to another night alone. “Okay fine, send me the details”

She shouldn’t have agreed to it but she needed the money and if she showed willing to Mysaria then perhaps her boss would be more likely to put the Targaryen situation behind her.

Closing her umbrella, Alicent stepped into the warm foyer of the hotel where she had been instructed to meet tonight’s client. She offered a fake smile to the doorman and allowed him to take her wet umbrella to place in the drying rack before she stepped towards the elevators, arms wrapping around herself in an act of nervousness disguised as a ploy to stay warm. 

Room 901 .

Why were all these rich perverts always on the highest floors? 

She internally scolded herself for once again assuming all her clients to be perverts and stepped into the elevator, her heels click-clacking against the perfectly polished floors. 

Room 901 was not, as one would have imagined, easy to find from the elevator. And by the time Alicent was knocking on the door and plastering her best fake smile onto her face she was feeling quite irritated and ready to get this over and done with. 

“Hi, good evening” her voice was sickly sweet as the door swung open, but all trace of happiness (fake or otherwise) was wiped from her face when she saw who stood on the other side of the door. “You’ve got to be bloody kidding me” she shook her head, anger in her eyes as she turned to walk away. 

“Alicent, wait” Quick reflexes saw fingers wrap around Alicent’s wrist, halting her retreat. 

“Get off of me” she growled and tore her arm from Rhaenyra’s grasp. 

The taller woman at least had the decency to look apologetic as she stood there in perfectly fitted jeans and a tight black t-shirt that accentuated her toned body.

“What the fuck is this?” she spat, a fire raging in her eyes as she looked between the woman and the hotel room door. “Was my repeatedly turning you down not enough to get the message into that thick skull of yours?” she demanded. “You thought you’d masquerade as someone else in your sleazy hotel…”

“I mean come on, it’s hardly sleazy…”

Rhaenyra lifted her hands in surrender as she was fixed by the other woman’s glare. 

“You’re incorrigible, really. Who the hell do you think you are?!” Rhaenyra opened her mouth to speak but was quickly shut down. “ Don’t answer that. I’m bloody well aware of who you are!” But she was angry, and you know what they say, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and she was not in the mood to bow down to her Targaryen overlords right now. 

“I just wanted to speak to you” Rhaenyra tried to explain, careful to keep her tone gentle. 

“Well congratulations, you’ve spoken to me now!”

She reached out once more as the anger-fuelled woman turned to leave. “Al -” 

“ Don’t ” she shot back around to glare at her. “You’re not, I wasn’t supposed to tell you my name. Stop using it against me” her voice broke slightly and Rhaenyra took a step backwards. 

“Ten minutes? Please?” she begged, vaguely aware that they were causing a bit of a scene in a relatively public place. 

Alicent sucked in a breath, lips pressed tightly together as she stared up at the flickering ceiling light overhead, willing her tears of frustration not to fall. “Five minutes,” she retorted. 

“Five minutes” Rhaenyra agreed, opening the room door and letting the other woman inside before following. 

Once inside Alicent took a moment to look around as she tried to calm herself down. Of course it was a fucking honeymoon suite. It was a ploy to get her here yet Rhaenyra had still paid for the most ridiculous room. Did this woman just throw her money away?

Brown eyes scanned the scene before her. The still perfectly made bed, the half drank glass of water on the dressing table, the chair slightly akimbo from where she had most likely been sat in it. Had she really just been sitting here waiting on Alicent’s arrival? And for how long?

She swallowed back her tears, wiped her eyes and made to turn to the woman standing silently behind her when her eyes fell on a bouquet of colourful flowers, a set of car keys on the table beside them. 

“Those better fucking not be for me” the bite was missing from her tone though as she turned around tiredly to face the woman that she had spent the better part of the last week trying to forget. 

Rhaenyra’s tongue darted out to wet her lips but she didn’t say a word. 

Alicent pressed her lips together and shook her head, arms wrapped protectively around her own middle. 

“I’m…not good at this,” Rhaenyra implored.

“Don’t trick a woman into seeing you, that would be a good start” Alicent spat back but with less venom than before. 

“I didn’t know what else to do,” she pleaded desperately. “You were refusing to see me”

“Respect my wishes and leave me be” her gaze darted up in time to see a sadness settle in the blue depths that had filled her dreams for the last few months. It didn’t feel good. 

“Why are you so upset with me?” 

“Because you tricked me!”

“Yeah I get that, and I’m sorry, I really am” Rhaneyra hesitated before taking a step closer. Alicent chewed her lip and tightened her arms around her middle. “But you were upset before that and I don’t understand why”

Alicent shook her head and avoided her gaze. 

“Just help me understand what I did wrong and I promise to leave you alone, if that’s what you want”

Brown orbs squeezed shut as the other woman came closer once again. 

“Why are you upset with me?” she tried again. 

“Because I -” Alicent’s words petered out as she searched for an answer. Why was she so mad at Rhaenyra? 

All due credit to the other woman, she was patient and stayed silent as she waited for a reply. 

“I’m angry with myself,” Alicent eventually admitted. “For overstepping a boundary. For letting it get to me this much”

Rhaenyra remained quiet, giving Alicent the time to work though this in her head. 

“At you for…for being you” she huffed frustratedly, avoiding making eye contact with the other woman. 

“Ah” Rhaenyra spoke softly and out of the corner of her eye Alicent saw her raise her hands in defence once more. “Guilty as charged for that offence, I’m afraid”

“Stop it” Alicent muttered to the ground, trying to hide the way she had almost smiled at the joke. 

“What uh, what exactly about me being me is the problem?” Rhaneyra’s voice was closer now and when Alicent lifted her gaze she was only a metre away. “You know, just so I can work on that. In the future…”

“You made me too comfortable” she felt like an idiot saying it but it was true.

“I’m…sorry?” Rhaenyra offered, uncertain. 

“I let down my walls and forgot myself for a moment. All because you’re too fucking nice” she explained, knowing she sounded more and more like an ungrateful bitch with every word. “Would it kill you to care about your own pleasure for once rather than constantly checking in on what your whore wants?”

“Okay” Rhaneyra sighed and crossed the room to down the rest of her glass of water. “So, and forgive me if I’m wrong here, but the problem comes from me being too nice to you?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back against the dressing table. 

“It’s disarming”

“Some people would call it charming” she quipped back immediately. 

“I’m supposed to be a whore”

“You’re a person,” Rhaneyra shrugged as she crossed the distance between them. “It was just a kiss, Alicent, why are you beating yourself up about it?”

“Because it was my rule and I broke it”

“Rules are there to be broken” the Targaryen shrugged. 

“Kissing feels too personal” 

“Because it is personal” she argued Alicent’s point, “That’s why it’s good” she tentatively reached out, her hands gently rubbing the tops of Alicent’s jacket covered arms. “You and I, we have a connection. That’s why things have been so good between us. I think it’s only natural to want to kiss one another too”

“I don’t want you to get the wrong impression” 

“And think you’re more than a whore?” Alicent nodded and Rhaenyra tsked under her breath. “Too late, I already do,” she admitted with a shrug. “ But I get it, you’re an incredibly attractive girl that I pay to have sex with me and we have a good time together but it’s not anything more and it never will be. Right?”

“Right”

The hands on Alicent’s arms squeezed softly and then very gently prized them away from being wrapped around her middle. “I’m going to kiss you now” she explained, her voice cracking ever so slightly. “And show you that it’s not a big deal. Is that okay?”

Alicent hated how goddamn weak she was for Rhaenyra Targaryen’s penchant for affirmation. She nodded and then the woman she had been avoiding for the last 9 days was in her space, the musky scent of her perfume filling her senses. 

Rhaenyra took a moment, her eyes falling closed as she allowed their breath to mingle and Alicent a moment to change her mind, before she gently cupped the redhead’s face and leant down to capture her lips in a sweet kiss. 

There was a brief hesitation before full lips moved against hers and it was like having life breathed back into her lungs. 

She deepened the kiss and was rewarded with a soft moan from the back of her partner's throat as small hands wrapped around her wrists, holding her in place. 

And when she broke the kiss for air she let her forehead fall against Alicent’s. “See,” she whispered. “Not a big deal”

Liar . She tried to ignore the voice in the back of her head. That was a really big fucking deal. 

Alicent shook her head gently, her hands still wrapped around Rhaenyra’s wrists. 

Fucking liar. You just lost a piece of your heart in a kiss . 

Rhaenyra squeezed her eyes shut and let out a shaky breath, choosing to ignore the devil on her shoulder as it were. 

“Wanna make the most out of this stupid fucking hotel room?”

“Suite”

“Pardon?”

“It’s not a room, you booked a bloody suite” 

When Alicent lifted her head the smile on her face took Rhaneyra’s breath away. 

“Fine, suit,” she muttered. “Help me get my money’s worth?”

“Taxpayers money” Alicent scoffed. 

She rolled her eyes. 

“Your money’s worth then”

Brown eyes lifted to meet blue and they searched one another’s gaze for a moment before Alicent’s answering smile lit up the entire room and the long dormant fire deep in the heart of the heir to the throne. 

The redhead almost screamed as she was unexpectedly lifted into the other’s arms and carried 6 feet across the room and tossed unceremoniously onto the bed. 

“Rhaenyra!”

“Alicent?”

“You need to stop doing that”

“Never” she smirked and knelt on the bed, lifting the tight fitting black t-shirt over her head. 

Alicent bit her bottom lip and scrambled back against the pillows to make sure she got a good view. Her bed partner followed after her, bracketing her hips between her legs. Alicent reached out, her hands landing on strong thighs, frustratingly covered by thick denim. “We need to get rid of these”

“Oh, do we?” Rhaenyra chuckled brightly, leaning down to capture a plump lip between her teeth as Alicent’s hands made short work of her belt and began to unbutton and zip the jeans, pushing them down Rhaenyra’s legs. 

There was a brief moment of disorganised shuffling as they worked to get the jeans off and thrown onto the floor before the heir to the dragon was straddling her once more. 

“You’re wearing too much” she whispered as she nipped at Alicent’s lip once more. 

Alicent opened her mouth to respond with a quip but the sight of the incredibly attractive woman breathing heavily above her was enough to convince her to forgo the teasing. Hurriedly she unfastened her jacket, allowing Rhaenyra to assist in getting it off and out of their way. 

“You seriously dress like this for what you thought was someone else?!” was the response as blue eyes roamed the form-fitting bottle green dress.

“Careful, you almost sound jealous”

“I am jealous” 

Alicent’s throat bobbed as she gulped. Their gazes met and darkened as their mouths clashed together in a desperate kiss. Somewhere between stealing Alicent’s breath away and having her own lip punctured in the desperation of their kisses, Rhaenyra managed to get sinful black heels off the other woman and thrown to the floor with the rest of their unnecessary clothing. 

She moaned softly as Alicent sucked on her now bleeding bottom lip, leaning back on her heels and hooking an arm beneath the other woman to pull her into a sitting position long enough to unzip and remove that delicious dress. 

“Even wearing black lace for him, huh?”

“First impressions are important”

Blue eyes rolled as a strong hand pushed Alicent back down onto the bed. She licked her lips and stared up at the woman above her with what she hoped resembled some sort of ‘bedroom eyes’. 

“So fucking beautiful” Rhaenyra whispered, her fingers splaying out on Alicent’s stomach and hooking into the waistband of the lace panties that haunted her dreams. “Are you wet?”

Alicent nodded firmly, still staring up at her prey. Or perhaps she was the prey? She didn’t much care. 

“Good girl” 

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and her breathing became ragged as Rhaenyra’s skilled hands slid the panties off of her hips and down her legs with ease. Their eyes met once more and Alicent held insistently onto her gaze as she reached behind herself and unclasped her bra, peeling it away at a torturous pace. 

“How did you expect me to survive without ever seeing this again?”

“I’m sure there’s other girls”

“There’s only you” 

Alicent didn’t know what that meant nor how to react and so she looped her arms around her neck and pulled that annoyingly perfect face down to meet her lips in a kiss filled with passion, desperation and something she refused to name.

It wasn’t long before rough lips sought new land as Rhaenyra began to press kisses down Alicent’s throat, causing the redhead’s back to arch as skilled fingers slipped between her legs and gathered the wet heat pooling there. 

“Rhaenyra, wait” she whispered breathlessly and the woman in question stilled above her. “I know you don’t - you…” Alicent stumbled over her words, gave herself a moment to relax in the tender gaze that bore down on her. “I want to feel you tonight. Properly” she whispered, her fingers going to the waistband of the boy shorts she wore. 

There was a brief pause where Alicent thought she was going to be told no , before Rhaenyra smiled. “Well I suppose I’m apparently spending the night apologising and making things up to you aren’t I?” she joked. 

Alicent smiled, brushing the pad of her thumb over a sharp jawline. “You did pay for the honeymoon slash apology suite” she agreed as nervous fingers reached up and hooked beneath the band of the sports bra before lifting it up. Rhaenyra hurriedly raised her arms to help get the material off of her chest, a shaky breath escaping her lips as Alicent’s hands for the first time got the opportunity to run over small breasts. 

She smiled softly as their gazes met and their fingers tangled on their way down to the waistband of the shorts, together making quick work of the last barrier between their bodies. 

“It is entirely embarrassing how utterly attracted I am to you” it was Rhaenyra who broke the silence between them and Alicent laughed, appreciative of the bridge across the awkward tension building in her chest. 

“Likewise” she agreed, voice rough with desire as she reached up, cupping Rhaenyra’s face and bringing it down to hers, their lips meeting in a dance that felt as though they had been rehearsing for years. Alicent’s eyes closed and she allowed her hands to slide down the lean body on top of her, trying to memorise every inch, every muscle, every blemish. 

She gasped as two warm fingers slid inside her in a well practised move and she tentatively reached between the thighs bracketing her own, pleased to find a similar wet heat there. 

“I’ve never done this before” she admitted in a whisper the next time their mouths broke apart. 

“Have you touched yourself before?”

“Yes” she replied in a voice so soft, as if she didn’t want anyone to know. 

“Then you’ve got nothing to worry about,” Rhaenyra promised. “I trust you” she added as she tangled their fingers together and guided Alicent back between her legs, taking the time to show her what to do for her.

—-

“I was supposed to be spending my evening with a hot bath and the remainder of the cheap wine in my fridge” Alicent admitted as she turned onto her side, watching as Rhaenyra folded an arm behind her head as she too settled into the comfort of the soft bed. “I’d been looking forward to it all week”

“That your way of saying I don’t live up to your grocery store wine?”

Alicent rolled her eyes and grabbed the throw pillow that they’d pushed aside throughout their evening activities, hitting Rhaenyra in the face with it. 

“Gods you can be such an asshole at times” 

“You like it”

“Gods help me” Rhaenyra grumbled as she sat up. 

“Where are you going now?” Alicent complained, watching as the other woman got out of bed. 

“You’ll see” she flashed a toothy grin and strode into the bathroom. 

Alicent sighed and lay back against the pillows, lifting her wrist to look at her watch. It was past 10pm, she really ought to leave. She had things to do in the morning before going to collect - 

-was that the sound of a bath running??

“Rhaenyra Targaryen, what are you doing?” she demanded as the woman in question strolled out of the bathroom as naked as the day she was born and sat down on the edge of the bed as she picked up the room service phone. 

“Hi, can I get some wine? Room 901” Alicent bit her lip as she watched her. “I don’t know…” Rhaenyra turned to look down at her. “What wine did you want, babe?” 

Babe .

Alicent’s stomach fluttered and she completely forgot she was meant to be answering a question.

“They won’t have it here, Rhaenyra” she replied eventually, thinking of the cheap as chips bottle with condensation dripping onto her fridge shelf. 

“Just whatever’s your cheapest is fine” she vaguely heard Rhaenyra saying on the phone before panicking and adding. “And I dunno, a bottle of your actual good stuff too”

“Did you really just panic order expensive wine in case the cheap one is rubbish?” Alicent laughed as she looked up at her. 

“Yeah so?”

“I’m pretty sure the cheap stuff in a hotel like this is worth more than a month’s salary”

“Best to be safe than sorry” the brunette shrugged before getting to her feet and disappearing back to the bathroom. 

About ten minutes later there was a knock at the door and Rhaenyra emerged from the bathroom with a hotel robe wrapped around her. “This is your two second warning to cover up” she smirked over at Alicent who panicked and pulled the bed sheets over her still naked form as if anyone could see her through all the half walls and angles of this absurd hotel suite. 

She heard the door open, the muted tones of Rhaenyra’s voice and then the door clicking shut once more. 

“Come on then”

Alicent furrowed her brow and glanced towards the voice, taking in the sight of Rhaenyra holding an ice bucket filled with two bottles of wine and her other hand outstretched. 

“What?”

“Come on” she gestured her head towards the bathroom and Alicent should have said no, gotten dressed and gone home but she couldn’t help but be curious. She took the offered hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and led into the bathroom. 

Inside the lights were dimmed and in the centre was the most ostentatious bathtub she had ever laid eyes on. 

“What’s this?” she asked as Rhaenyra released her hand to place the ice bucket down. 

“The Friday night you wanted” Rhaenyra shrugged as if this was simple and normal and not over the fucking top. “I mean I’m kinda hurt that you’re less bothered about the two mind blowing orgasms I just gave you but I can let it slide, just this once…”

“Three”

“Excuse me?”

“Three orgasms” Alicent corrected bashfully. 

“Oh. I thought you were faking that last one to save my feelings”

“I wish I was,” she admitted, stepping closer to the bathtub and breathing in the herbal scents of what she suspected were incredibly expensive lotions and salts - not the cheap bubble bath she made do with at home. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed the rose petals laying on the surface of the water and around the bathtub’s immediate vicinity. 

“Before you start overthinking” Rhaenyra interrupted exactly that happening. “It’s the honeymoon suite, it genuinely was easier to just use them than trip over them at every opportunity”

“I don’t believe you”

“I don’t care,” Rhaenyra insisted firmly. 

Yes you do. That’s the problem . 

Alicent considered her options for a moment before giving in to her body’s desire to be encompassed in the warmth of the bathwater. She narrowed her eyes at the pest of a woman opposite her and lifted one leg over the side of the bathtub, taking a moment to adjust to the temperature - which of course Rhaenyra had gone and gotten perfect - before lifting her other leg and sinking into the water with a happy sigh. 

“Wine?”

“Aren’t you joining me?” she sank back into the water and looked up at Rhaenyra. 

“I don’t imagine your lonely Friday evening plans had involved sharing your bath”

“Yeah well, my Friday evening has not at all gone to plan” she reminded the other woman. “Get in and bring the expensive bottle”

“Yes, your highness” 

Alicent rolled her eyes and shifted to wrap her arms around her knees, trying to make room for another body. A body which she gladly leant back against once it had joined her in the water. 

“Sorry, we’re drinking out of the bottle. I left the wine glasses in the room” 

“I suppose I can’t have everything” she muttered, eyes widening as she watched Rhaenyra uncork the wine with just her mouth, spitting out the cork onto the bathroom floor. “Do I want to know where you learnt to do that?”

“No probably not” she flashed grin and placed the bottle in Alicent’s hand. 

Taking a swig of the wine, Alicent lay back against Rhaenyra’s chest, ignoring the flutter in her own as a strong arm slid around her waist. 

“When I get out of here I’m gonna text Mysaria and tell her I really enjoyed my new client and that I would like to see him again” she teased, intending to poke the dragon. 

“Perfect. I look forward to hearing that you are suddenly able to fit me into your schedule again”

“She’s fucking in on it?”

She felt Rhaenyra’s grin against the back of her neck. 

“One day you are going to tell me about you and her and why you have her wrapped around your finger”

“But in the meantime we’ll focus on how you just said you really enjoy your night with me?”

“Shut -” It was Alicent that was instead shut up as Rhaenyra leant in and captured her lips in a bruising kiss. 

—

“Spend the night” Rhaenyra whispered as they lay in bed sated once more, the bathtub turning out to be the catalyst for yet more intimate relations between them.  

“Absolutely not” Alicent’s response was short, to the point and not open for negotiation. 

“Come on, it’s late” Rhaenyra negotiated anyway. 

“I don’t care”

There was a soft rustle as Rhaenyra shifted in the bed, moving onto her side so she could watch the woman beside her. “And it’s pretty sad to spend the night alone in a hotel” she argued. 

“Not my problem” Alicent replied though she couldn’t help but glance to her side, needing to see the pout she knew was on that handsome face. 

“Al…” she whispered, “Come on, it’s the honeymoon suite. I can’t sleep here alone”

“Then go back to your gigantic penthouse 10 minutes down the road” she huffed. “And Al , really?”

“You’re my wife, we gotta have nicknames” Rhaenyra shrugged.

“I’m your wife?? You’re into roleplay now??”

“Well yeah, if we’re in the honeymoon suite we must have gotten married. But I guess too much grocery store wine can make you forget things…” she shrugged once more, shifting onto her back and folding an arm beneath her head.

“Oh is that right?” Alicent propped herself up on an elbow. 

“Like forgetting to leave?” the brunette suggested, one eyebrow raising and tugging with it a smirk. 

“Stop it”

“Please?”

“I am not doing the walk of a shame from this part of town in that dress and those heels”

“I brought spare clothes, you can borrow some”

“Of course you did, you planned all this didn’t you? You fucking pervert” But there was no mirth in Alicent’s voice even as she slapped Rhaenyra’s shoulder. 

“Well yeah, I planned to have a spare set of clothes in case I spent the night in the hotel room I booked…”

Alicent huffed and lay back against Rhaenyra’s chest. 

“I want breakfast in bed”

“Of course, my love. Only the very best on our honeymoon” her voice was sickly sweet as she jest, her arm wrapping around Alicent’s waist, holding her in place against her. 

“And it doesn’t mean anything”

“Admittedly not what you wanna hear on your wedding night, but sure, whatever you desire”

“And don’t call me your love”

“You drive a hard bargain Mrs Targaryen”

“Hightower” 

“What?”

“I am not taking your name,” the redhead insisted. 

“Ah” Rhaenyra paused, filing away this new information. “Am I to take yours then? Does that absolve me from the responsibility of continuing the Targaryen bloodline?” 

Alicent didn’t even need to look to know that there was an infuriating, dimpled and toothy grin on her face. “Do what you please” she muttered sleepily, “Just do it quietly and let me sleep”

“Of course, wife ” 

Alicent let out a frustrated breath as she tried to ignore Rhaenyra’s incessant teasing and instead find a comfortable way to sleep. 

She shifted slightly, turning her head so that her nose pressed into the warm flesh of Rhaenyra’s chest, deciding that the gentle beat of her heart may not be the worst thing to fall asleep to. 

“Don’t let me oversleep, I’ve got somewhere I need to be” she whispered tiredly.

“Okay. Goodnight” the woman beneath her muttered as she tugged the sheets over them, ever so carefully making sure that Alicent was fully covered before pressing a light kiss to a head of wavy red hair. 

“G’night” she muttered in response as she lost consciousness, lured into a much needed sleep. 

Chapter Text

Alicent stirred awake in the warmth and comfort of strong arms. 

“Good morning” Rhaenyra’s voice was laced with sleep but still much chirpier than Alicent felt. The arm she held around Alicent’s waist tightened, tugging the slighter woman tighter against her chest.

Alicent groaned in response. “Of course you’re a morning person”

“Mm, I love mornings” she agreed, lips pressing gently against the skin just behind Alicent’s ear. 

“You’re weird”

“And you’re gorgeous” she muttered, tugging gently so that Alicent turned in her arms to face her. 

Their eyes met for a moment and Alicent was reminded of the intensity of last night, their gazes locked as they gave and took pleasure from one another. She shuddered at the memory and looked away with a shake of her head. “I need a shower”

“You had a bath last night” Rhaenyra laughed as she flopped onto her back, leaving Alicent lamenting the warmth of her embrace. 

“Yes, and then you proceeded to throw me down on the bed and have your way with me twice more”

“You say that as if you didn’t enjoy every moment of it” 

Alicent rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it, she wasn’t a liar. 

“I pity whoever finally tames the dragon” she muttered as she pulled the sheets up her body, making sure to cover her naked chest.

“What do you mean?” Rhaenyra shifted beside her, her fingers dancing across Alicent’s lower abdomen beneath the sheets.

“You’re insatiable. It’ll be exhausting” she lifted her eyes to meet Rhaenyra’s. 

The dragon in question hummed in amusement and pressed her lips to her lover’s shoulder. 

“Perhaps you’ll stick around then”

“As your whore?”

“To satiate me” 

“No I’ll be long gone by then, I should think” Alicent shook her head and lifted her eyes to stare at the ceiling above.

“Hm” Rhaenyra watched her. “Piecing together your broken heart?” she teased.

“Something like that” 

A comfortable silence fell between them until it was broken by the sound of Alicent’s stomach rumbling. 

“You still very much want breakfast in bed, huh?” teased the woman beside her. 

“Yes. And then I want a hot shower followed by a choice of clothes from your bag. And then I am going home and pretending none of this happened” she insisted. “And I hope you brought spare shoes because I am not walking out of here in heels”

“I could carry you out”

“Are you training to be a firefighter? What’s with this obsession with carrying me all of a sudden?” brown eyes lifted to meet blue, thinking of how it had all started that night 10 days ago when Rhaenyra had carried her into the bedroom at her penthouse. 

“S’hot” she shrugged and Alicent couldn’t exactly argue with that. 

“Get me breakfast before I waste away” she pleaded dramatically, rolling onto her side and reaching for her phone on the nightstand to check the time. “And don’t skimp, I want everything on the menu"

“As you wish, my Queen” Rhaenyra sighed dramatically and Alicent heard the shift of the covers as the other woman reached for the room service phone. Her words caused a flare of desire to pulse through the redhead’s body at the memory of last night’s jesting, the pretence of being married. One day Rhaenyra would be Queen and someone else would take Alicent’s place in her bed as her consort. 

She hated mornings.

—

The cold of the bathroom tiles elicited a soft gasp from Alicent as she was pressed against them, hurried lips capturing hers in a bruising kiss. Powerful hands gripped her hips and held her in place. 

Her head fell back against the tiles, hands curving over Rhaenyra’s strong shoulders, guiding her lover further down her body. Ever the attentive lover Rhaenyra pressed wet kisses along the expanse of Alicent’s neck, nipped at her collarbone, caressed her chest with her lips. 

“Please…” fell from Alicent’s lips as she felt Rhaneyra’s fingers dance across a pert breast, her hot mouth wrapping around it’s nipple and a skilled tongue beginning to work its magic. And it felt good, oh so good, but it wasn’t where Alicent needed that silvertongue. 

“Lower, please” she begged pathetically, her hips arching as she tried to no avail to press her aching centre to the other body. 

The dragon princess ignored her pleas, too focused on the hardening bud beneath her tongue, and frustrated Alicent reached out blindly for the shower lever. She knew she was successful when the soft pitter-patter of rainfall began to fill her ears and Rhaenyra sucked in a breath as the cold droplets shocked her skin. Their positioning was perfect, Alicent pressed too far into the cubicle wall to be hit by the water at this angle. 

“What the fuck?” she muttered, eyes wide as she searched Alicent’s face for explanation.

“You were ignoring me”

Something flashed in Rhaenyra’s eyes and Alicent was reminded of the passage she had read in her history books so many times in the last few months.

Born of Old Valyria, the Targaryen family are said to be ‘blood of the dragon’ and to share features akin to that of the mythical beasts. 

“Quit the foreplay, get on your knees and eat me out” she raised her chin defiantly, looking down at the most powerful woman in all the Seven Kingdoms.

Water cascaded from above, droplets spattering across that perfectly angular nose as Rhaenyra held Alicent’s gaze for a moment before doing as she was told and dropping to her knees. 

It was intoxicating to watch a woman with so much authority, strength and power bend to her will. Was this how it felt to tame a dragon?

She vaguely wondered if her Father would be proud of her for such an accomplishment. Once he had gotten over the part where his only daughter was selling her body for money and letting a woman bring her pleasure, of course. 

—

“Does my ass look that good in those jeans?” Rhaenyra laughed as she stalked out of the bathroom in the pair of dress pants Alicent had decided against from the backpack of spare clothes, the same black sports bra from the night before and her wet hair combed back. 

“No,” the redhead insisted. “Now stop being a perv” she huffed and fastened the jeans over the fresh pair of boy shorts she had commandeered from Rhaenyra’s bag. 

The other woman smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching for her watch on the nightstand, attempting to fasten it around her wrist with one hand.

Alicent watched, remembering that first night they had met and how her eyes had spotted the watch peeking out of her pocket, piquing her curiosity. She threw one of Rhaenyra’s hoodies over her head, forgoing a bra, and stepped over to the bed. 

She hesitated for a moment before sitting down beside Rhaenyra, gently taking her hand and placing her arm in her lap. “Okay I need to know how much this cost” she said softly as she began fastening the watch around her wrist for her. “And I am going to be completely, and understandably disgusted”

Rhaenyra’s tongue darted out to lick her lips but she said nothing, her eyes watching the gentle fingers that worked the jewellery onto her arm.

“It’s a family heirloom” she eventually uttered, voice rough as her eyes lifted to meet Alicent’s. 

“So worth more than I could ever know?” Brown eyes searched her expression, her hand settling in Rhaenyra’s larger one and squeezing softly. 

“Yes” Rhaenyra whispered, her eyes glancing down at their hands in Alicent’s lap. 

“Your Mother’s?” Rhaenyra nodded. “Was she as beautiful as they say?” Alicent found herself asking, glancing up at her lover’s face. 

“Even moreso” 

Alicent smiled softly. It did not surprise her, not if she had given birth to the work of art that was Rhaenyra Targaryen. She squeezed Rhaenyra’s hand and sat in silence with her for a moment before her eyes drifted back to the watch and took in the time that it displayed - 09:37. “Okay you’re gonna make me late” she huffed and patted Rhaenyra’s thigh before getting to her feet. “I assume you were planning to wear this?” she asked, taking the deep red shirt off of the hanger it hung on. 

Rhaenyra nodded and took the shirt from Alicent’s hands, pulling it over her torso and beginning to fasten the buttons. “Work meetings?” she asked as she stepped into the taller woman’s space once more, unable to help herself as she batted away strong fingers and took over fastening the buttons. 

“Yet another audience with Tyland Lannister, for my sins”

“Lannister? They’re the bank people, right?”

Rhaenyra nodded. “He’s my Father’s Master of Coin” she muttered. 

“And?” Alicent smiled, getting the sense Rhaenyra didn’t like the man. 

“And he’s a fucking idiot” 

Alicent grinned, leaning up and pressing a brief kiss to her lips. “I think he will appreciate that you wore red and gold for him,” she said knowingly. 

“Fuck” Rhaenyra groaned as she glanced down at the shirt she was in. 

“No time to fuck, babe” Alicent smiled as she gathered the rest of her possessions and put everything back in Rhaenyra’s backpack. Placing the strap of the bag over Rhaenyra’s shoulder she glanced around once more to make sure they had not left anything when her eyes fell on the abandoned bouquet of flowers, her face softening. 

“They are only going to waste if you don’t take them” 

She sighed softly as she felt Rhaenyra’s breath on the back of her neck. “Fine, but promise you won’t buy flowers for someone you’re paying to sleep with you ever again?”

“I was trying to be nice”

“It’s confusing”

“So you don’t want them”

She shot her an exasperated glare. 

“I can give them to the girl on reception or something”

“Rhaenyra, shut up and drive me home before I change my mind” she wrapped a hand around the flowers, took a moment to breath in their sweet scent and pressed the room keycard into the brunette’s hand as she exited the room. 

—

It took just over twenty minutes to get from the better part of the city to the much more rundown neighbourhood that Alicent lived in. She was nervous about Rhaenyra seeing where she lived, had changed her mind about letting her drive her home multiple times on the way out of the hotel, but she knew that she would be late for the rest of her day if she didn’t accept. 

Rhaenyra was quiet in the car but it wasn’t awkward like Alicent suspected it may be. It was oddly comforting. 

Their eyes met as they came to a stop at a red light and Rhaenyra offered a small smile, one that felt reserved only for Alicent. “Music?” she asked to which Alicent could only nod, so caught up in her own head. Lithe fingers unwrapped from the steering wheel and turned on the sound system, which immediately picked up some soft electronic music from Rhaenyra’s phone. It reminded Alicent of the music she often played in her apartment and Alicent looked up at the car’s display to try and see if she could see the artist. 

The song title and artist were ones she didn’t recognise, unlike the name that lit up the screen as a text message came through to Rhaenyra’s phone. 

Mysaria

I trust we are still meeting tonight. 7pm? Yours or mine?

Alicent swallowed back the bile at the back of her throat and glanced up at the woman beside her. Rhaenyra’s eyes were on the road, she didn’t seem to have noticed that the message had come through. 

Deep down Alicent had known she wasn’t special. She had known that she was just one in a long line of women warming the heir to the throne’s bed. But to see it so plainly, and to have it be a recognisable name, felt like a dagger to the heart. 

She shifted in her seat and leant her head against the cold window, watching the streets go by as Rhaenyra drove. 

By the time they pulled up outside the dilapidated apartment block that she called home she was completely stuck in her own head thinking about the things Rhaenyra would be doing to Alicent’s boss tonight. 

She only realised that they had arrived when the soft rumble of the car subsided and Rhaenyra’s hand slid across her denim-clad thigh. “Are you available this week?” she asked as she leant into Alicent’s space. 

“Ask Mysaria” Alicent internally cringed at the hint of venom in her words. 

“I am asking you” Rhaenyra implored, gently squeezing her knee.

She looked up, a sadness in her expression as she searched Rhaenyra’s eyes. Eyes that were focused only on her. She was being unfair. They weren’t together. She held no claim over Rhaenyra. 

“I’m sure I can make time” she forced a smile onto her face as she reached for the door handle. 

Rhaenyra nodded gently, eyes searching Alicent’s before she leant in and kissed her sweetly. Alicent kissed her back briefly before breaking away and pressing her lips together, her eyes squeezing shut. “Goodbye Rhaenyra”

“Goodbye” she whispered in response as the door clicked open and Alicent climbed out of the car, her coat folded over her arm and her fingers wrapped around the bunch of flowers. 

“Alicent?”

She bit her lip and turned back to see that annoyingly handsome face peering out of the car window at her. “Have a good day”

She swallowed thickly, warmth blooming in her chest as a smile spread across her lips. “You too” she responded, as the car roared back to life and Rhaenyra Targaryen, future Queen, drove away from her tiny little apartment in the middle of the most mundane of streets. 

Chapter Text

“Did you do anything last night?” Alicent asked as she accepted the wine glass from Rhaenyra and leant back against the kitchen counter. She hoped she had kept her tone neutral. 

“I had dinner with Mysaria,” Rhaenyra replied, leaning across Alicent’s body to take some spices off the rack. 

“Oh?” She nursed the wine glass in her hands, briefly distracted by the familiar scent of Rhaenyra clouding her mind as she pretended to be surprised by the answer. 

“Yeah, we’re old friends,” she explained as she returned to the stove, sprinkling a few different spices into the pan. “We meet up every so often, she’s great at finding out any secrets from within the Red Keep”

Alicent studied her and took a sip of her wine as an excuse for the pause in her response. 

“Do you wine and dine all the women you know?” she asked, a teasing lilt in her tone. 

“Only the pretty ones” Rhaenyra winked in her direction before focusing on cooking once more. 

Alicent watched her in silence for a few moments, not quite satisfied with the information she had managed to pull so far. Did Rhaenyra not know that she had spent the last 24 hours picking at her fingernails and fighting back jealousy at the thought of her boss writhing beneath the woman she -

What? The woman you what, Alicent?

She chewed her lip as the treacherous voice in the back of her head gnawed at her insides. 

“Did you do anything last night?” Rhaenyra asked, glancing over at the woman propping up her kitchen counter. 

“I had dinner with my Father” she raised her eyebrows un-amusedly. “Where he proceeded to remind me of all the ways in which I disappoint him every day of my life”

“A fun night then?” 

“Indeed” she raised the glass to her lips. “I hope you and Mysaria had more fun?” she pried once more. 

“It was more of a business transaction than fun to be honest” she shrugged and Alicent’s face fell. 

She tried to school her features but Rhaenyra noticed. 

“Shit I don’t mean like that!” she quickly added. “To be clear, all of our clothes stayed on at all times” she insisted, eyes darting over Alicent’s face. “I have no idea why I’m explaining myself to you but…” she trailed off. 

You know exactly why, Rhaenyra . 

She ignored the voice in the back of her head and watched Alicent carefully as the slightly shorter woman pushed herself off of the kitchen counter and brushed past her, taking a look at the food still cooking on the stove. 

“How long do you think dinner will be?” she asked, completely changing the topic. “I was thinking afterwards you could fuck me with that cock of yours” she continued, her tone so measured that you would be forgiven for thinking she was suggesting they watch tv together after dinner. 

Rhaenyra gulped, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end as she watched the woman beside her dip a finger into the pan, coating her fingers in thick sauce. She lifted her gaze to meet Rhaenyra’s as she licked her fingers clean in a way that could only be described as erotically. 

“We could just skip dinner?” she offered. 

“No, this is delicious”, Alicent licked her lips before wandering over to the floor to ceiling windows that she so loved about this apartment. “It’s quite a warm evening, I may even let you bend me over the balcony railing whilst you…well, rail me”

Rhaenyra practically had to suppress a groan and gripped the edge of the worktop to keep herself standing up straight. 

What the hell had happened in the space of five minutes to make Alicent turn the night completely on its head, seizing control of their relationship by the scruff of the neck. 

—

It was fascinating, really. To see a woman with so much power lose control. 

Alicent took her time eating her dinner. After all, it was delicious and there was certainly something about the fact that the heir to the Iron Throne had made her dinner. 

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Rhaenyra’s patience ebbing away. The other woman had finished her food at lightning speed and was now sitting practically on the edge of her chair, knee bouncing and fingers tapping against the table. 

“Are you okay?” she asked conversationally between bites. 

Blue eyes lifted to meet hers and Alicent felt a thrum between her legs at the look in Rhaenyra’s eyes. 

“You know exactly what you are doing, Alicent”

“I’m eating dinner,” she replied innocently. “It’s delicious by the way, where did you learn to cook?”

“ Alicent ” Rhaenyra warned. 

The redhead took one more bite before placing her fork down on her plate, eyes lifting to meet Rhaenyra’s once more. 

“I’m keeping my dress on if we’re going outside” she said conversationally as she sat back in her chair. “I’m sure you can work with that though, you’re quite skilled aren’t you?” she raised her eyebrows as she watched the other woman. 

It was hard not to smirk with satisfaction as she watched the way that the muscles of Rhaenyra’s arms tensed as she tried not to react to the words. 

“Go on then” she nodded gently in the direction of the hallway. “Go get ready for me” 

She didn’t have to ask twice, the other woman practically leaping to her feet and disappearing down the hallway. 

Alicent bit her lip as she watched her leave. It was incredibly arousing to have so much control over someone. Especially for someone who had never really had any control in her life. 

She licked her bottom lip and reached for her wine glass as she stood up and wandered over to the balcony doors, gently prying them open as she stepped out into the warm evening air. 

A soft smile crossed her lips as she looked over the balcony at the city below. It always caught her breath how beautiful it could be at night. She leant her elbows on the railing and sipped her wine, wondering if she could see her apartment from here. 

The warm presence at her side caused Alicent to look up, smiling as Rhaenyra joined her. Finishing her wine she placed the glass down on the table and turned to the other woman, eyes roaming over her body. 

For a moment she was about to make a comment on how Rhaenyra was meant to be getting ready for her, but then she noticed the unmistakable bulge zipped beneath her pants. 

Arousal pooled in her stomach immediately. 

“We don’t have to do this outside you know” The softness of Rhaenyra’s tone caught Alicent off guard and she lifted her eyes to meet her gaze. 

“Don’t you want to?”

She had thought Rhaenyra would be into this. The show of power to have her bent over for the world to see. 

“What do you want, Alicent?” 

“You’re paying good money for this” Alicent reminded her, her hands pressing gently against Rhaenyra’s chest as she looked up at her. “What do you want?”

She wished she hadn’t asked the question because Rhaenyra responded by capturing her lips in the softest of kisses and Alicent felt some of the protections around her heart crumble. 

She couldn’t do this with Rhaenyra, the softness, especially after being cooked for. She needed to take back some control in this relationship, this business relationship. 

“I want you to fuck me until I can barely stand on my own legs” 

She watched with fascination as Rhaenyra’s pupils dilated, a soft growl escaping her.

Alicent smirked, her fingers slowly dragging down Rhaenyra’s body to brush with intention over the bulge behind the fabric of her slacks. Rhaenyra’s fingers twitched and she reached into her pocket, taking out the small bottle of lube that they had used last time. 

With a shake of her head Alicent’s fingers wrapped around Rhaenyra’s. “I have a better idea” she whispered before lowering herself to her knees, dark eyes still fixed upon Rhaenyra’s. 

“Alicent…”

“Shh” she muttered, her fingers going to the button of Rhaenyra’s pants. “I have a feeling that you’ll enjoy this”

Rhaenyra swallowed thickly, watching Alicent in silence as the other woman unbuttoned and unzipped her pants, revealing the thick black strapon. She licked her lips as their eyes met once more before Alicent took the length into her mouth. 

“Fuck, Alicent” she whispered, an arm reaching out to steady herself on the exterior wall of the apartment. 

There was something incredibly erotic about watching the redhead on her knees, sucking off a cock that wasn’t even a part of her body. And Alicent knew it if the enthusiasm with which she went about her task was anything to show for it. 

Rhaenyra groaned softly as she watched the other woman’s tongue lick the length of the shaft before taking it back into her mouth once more, getting it slick and ready for her cunt. 

“Get up…” she found herself commanding after only a few minutes of watching Alicent work. She needed her. Right now. 

Alicent looked up at her, pupils blown and her hand wrapped around the base of the cock. 

“Now”

The redhead did as she was told, getting to her feet, her heavy breathing in sync with that of Rhaenyra.

Strong hands reached out, cupping Alicent’s face as she tugged her in for a fierce kiss. 

“Gods, you are so hot” she muttered between kisses before roughly turning Alicent around. “Are you sure about this? Out here?”

Alicent looked out on the city below, there was a part of her that was nervous to be out in the open, but at the same time she was incredibly turned on and she knew she liked this dominant version of Rhaenyra very much. 

“Yes” she whispered, glancing back at Rhaenyra before gripping onto the balcony railing. 

Something flicked in Rhaenyra’s gaze before she was hoisting up the skirt of Alicent’s dress with desperate fingers. 

“Spread your legs a little” she instructed, voice soft as her hand slid between them to cup Alicent’s sex. “Nice and wet” 

“Rhaenyra…” Alicent mumbled. “Need you” 

“You’ve got me” was the promise as warm hands carefully guided the tip of the strap into her waiting cunt. 

A gasp escaped Alicent and she gripped the railing a little harder. “Gods Rhaenyra” 

The dark-haired woman was patient, letting Alicent adjust before she pushed her length further into her, eliciting deliciously soft moans. 

“That’s it, sweetheart” she whispered endearingly, her hand moving to grip Alicent’s hip as she slowly began to thrust into her.

Alicent moaned softly, trying to ignore how sweetheart sounded on Rhaenyra’s lips. 

“Gods, that’s good” she whispered as she gripped the balcony, thoughts consumed by the delicious feel of the rhythm Rhaenyra set for them. 

The warm evening air tousled Alicent’s hair and she felt a lurch of excitement in her stomach at the true realisation of what they were doing, out on the balcony for the whole world to see. 

“Harder, Rhaenyra” she mumbled between moans. She wanted to be fucked, she wanted to be made Rhaneyra’s. 

The fingers on her hip tightened and Alicent’s eyes fell shut as Rhaneyra pumped into her with more intensity. With a gentle press of her free hand, Rhaenyra had Alicent bending over more for her, and that new angle hit just right . 

“ Fuck ” she hissed, “Gods that’s so good, don’t stop” 

Rhaenyra leant closer, her mouth pressing against Alicent’s shoulder, pressing wet kisses against the skin there. The redhead turned her head, seeking out Rhaneyra’s lips in a heated kiss. It was intense, the way that she was being pounded into, the wetness and desperation of the kiss, their surroundings, and knowing that it was Rhaenyra’s body behind her and not that of some rich businessman that didn’t even care about her name. 

Alicent released the railing with one hand, slipping it beneath her own legs in a desperate attempt to relieve the pressure that had built in her midriff. She gasped into the kiss as she felt Rhaenyra’s fingers tangle with hers, seeking out Alicent’s release together. There was something so tender about it, despite the animalistic nature of how the taller woman was thrusting into her, and it was too much for Alicent as she came with a loud moan. 

Her moans were stifled as Rhaenyra’s lips sought hers once more, kissing her through her release and adding to that tender warmth blooming in Alicent’s heart. 

She had intended for tonight to be erotic, to re-establish some control over this relationship between them, this business transaction. And yet here she was, legs like jelly, in the arms of the woman who was starting to worm her way into her heart. And Alicent found she did not want to deny herself this, not right now, not tonight, not when it felt so good. 

Eventually they broke apart, Rhaenyra slipping out of her and releasing her hold on her waist. Alicent let out a soft, shuddering breath and turned around to face the other woman, one hand still gripping the railing, not trusting her legs just yet. 

She expected to see lust on Rhaenyra’s face but instead she saw something she didn’t want to name. “Take me inside?” she whispered as Rhaenyra leaned in to kiss her with a softness not meant for a whore. 

“Okay” she whispered, her forehead pressed against Alicent’s. 

“Carry me?” 

Their eyes met and a soft smile pulled at Rhaenyra’s lips, and Alicent knew she was going to tease her for it later. 

But she got what she wanted anyway, as she was scooped up bridal style into her lover’s arms. 

It was honestly impressive, the ease with which Rhaenyra could carry her. But she wasn’t about to complain. 

Her arms wrapped around the other woman’s neck, breathing in the scent of Rhaenyra as she was carried through to the bedroom. It wasn’t lost on Alicent, as she was laid carefully on the mattress, that this was only the second time Rhaenyra had brought her in here, and the place where it had almost all fallen apart with that very first kiss. 

That kissing rule had been there for a reason, because with it gone Alicent really couldn’t be responsible for her actions. And it was like Rhaenyra knew it as she leant down and brushed a light kiss to Alicent’s lips. 

“Where are you going?” Alicent hated how needy she sounded as she reached out, fingers wrapping around Rhaenyra’s forearm as the other woman began to move off of her. 

“I was going to get you a drink” she chuckled softly. 

“Absolutely not. I’m not finished with you yet” 

Those stupid adorable fucking dimples would be the death of her, she was sure of it, as Rhaenyra grinned down at her words. “I thought I was the paying customer here?”

“Shut up and finish fucking me”

Rhaenyra swallowed thickly, eyes darkening as they met Alicent’s. “Gods you’re insatiable” she muttered before climbing back over her and doing as she was told. 

—-

Eventually she got that drink. A much needed glass of water when she was adequately sated and had allowed Rhaenyra to leave her side. 

She placed the glass on the bedside table and smiled gently at the woman beside her. 

“Hi” 

“Hi” she responded, chest fluttering at the softness of Rhaenyra’s smile as she sat up against the headboard watching her, dressed now in a loose tank top and shorts that she had thrown on when she had gone to get water. 

It was difficult to look at her when she was being so soft and so Alicent shifted so that she was draped across Rhaenyra’s body, her back pressed to Rhaenyra’s chest. It didn’t take long for a strong arm to slide around her waist, holding her close as fingers snuck beneath the fabric of Rhaenyra’s stolen t-shirt that Alicent had thrown over her head not too long ago. It felt incredibly domestic. 

“I have to return home this week” Rhaenyra was the one to finally break the silence. 

“What do you mean? Home?” Alicent lifted her auburn head to glance at the woman behind her.

“Back to Dragonstone” Rhaenyra explained, lips grazing the top of her head. “I don’t live in King’s Landing”

“You don’t?” Alicent frowned, how had she not known this? 

“No, I’ve just needed to be here a little more frequently the last few months” Rhaenyra’s explanation continued. “And perhaps had a little more reason to stick around between meetings…” her fingers grazed Alicent’s navel beneath the borrowed t-shirt, her lips pressing to the crown of her head. 

“Oh right” she didn’t really know what to say. Was this a goodbye? There was already an ache in her chest. 

“You could come and stay…” 

The suggestion caused Alicent’s eyes to widen slightly. 

“No I couldn’t” her refusal was almost instant. 

“Of course you could”

“ Rhaenyra ” she shot a warning tone.

“It really is beautiful there”

“I’m sure it is”

“Not many ever get to see it with their own eyes”

“Even more reason for me to stay away then” Alicent argued, even as Rhaenyra’s fingers tangled with hers over her stomach, causing a fluttering in her chest. “It wouldn’t be proper for your whore to see it” 

Rhaenyra sighed and focused on playing with Alicent’s fingers, carefully thinking over her next words. “How about my friend?” She suggested. 

“Yes, you should take your friends” 

“Will you be my friend?”

“What are we? In preschool?” Alicent turned her head to look up at her, a teasing lilt on her face that vanished the moment she met the melancholy of Rhaenyra’s blue eyes.

“It can be lonely there” she admitted, eyes glazed over as she looked past Alicent. 

“Do you actually have any friends?” Alicent hadn’t meant for it to sound so mocking but she needed to change the subject.

“A few” she shrugged. “It can be difficult being who I am” 

Alicent pursed her lips, understanding the other woman’s meaning. 

“Give me your phone” she instructed decidedly. 

“What?”

“Phone, Rhaenyra” she demanded, opening up the palm of her hand. 

The royal frowned but shifted beneath her, reaching over to the nightstand before placing the device in Alicent’s hand. She didn’t even need to turn around to know there was a furrowed brow and an adorable look of confusion. 

“Wow, could you have a more basic bloody wallpaper?” Alicent couldn’t help the laugh as Rhaenyra’s phone screen lit up with what looked like the default background. 

“What am I supposed to have?”

“A cute family photo? A pet? Whichever nude model you’re currently drooling over” Alicent listed off the options amusedly.

“What’s yours?” 

“None of your business”

“It’s me isn’t it?” She could feel Rhaenyra’s smirk from where the other woman’s mouth was pressed to the back of her head. 

“Oh yeah” she deadpanned. “From that photoshoot you hate” she tilted her head back to look at Rhaenyra just in time to see the eye roll. 

“Westerosi fucking Times “

“Woman of the year edition” Alicent reminded her. 

Honestly she looked good in that interview, Alicent didn’t know why she hated it so much. She supposed Rhaenyra wasn’t necessarily one for public image. Which was probably going to be a problem when she was made ruler and protector of the realm. 

“They must have thought my father already on his deathbed - what are you doing” 

Rhaenyra frowned as the phone was shoved right in front of her face, causing it to unlock. Alicent didn’t even bother answering her question, was it not obvious? Instead she shrugged and commented, “I thought you looked kinda hot”

“Kinda?”

“Too many clothes” she muttered as she opened the camera app and took a stupid selfie of herself before setting it as the phone’s background. 

Rhaenyra stayed quiet and simply pressed her lips to the top of Alicent’s head as she watched the other woman type her number into the phone and add herself as a contact. 

“There” Alicent smiled triumphantly and placed the phone back in Rhaenyra’s hand. “For when you want to talk”

“About what?”

“I dunno,” she shrugged. “Whatever you want. I get the idea you don’t really talk to people” She had a feeling there weren’t many people in Rhaenyra’s life that she could truly talk to about the pressures of being the heir. 

“I talk to you,” the heir in question argued. 

“And now you can without getting your girlfriend’s permission” 

“My girlfriend?” Rhaenyra’s brow furrowed cutely. “Who?”

“Mysaria”

“It’s been years” Rhaenyra rolled her eyes, not realising she had accidentally answered a question that Alicent hadn’t even needed to ask.

“How many?” Alicent pried for more. 

“Many”

“Yeah but one two? More?” she turned in Rhaenyra’s arms, a silly smile on her face. 

“You’re jealous,” Rhaenyra huffed. 

“You’re my source of income. I’m protecting my investments” Alicent shrugged. It wasn’t a lie. It just wasn’t the entire truth. 

Blue eyes rolled once more before she pulled Alicent back into her lap with a hunger in her gaze.  

—

The photo was still Rhaenyra’s phone background two weeks later.

Chapter Text

—

How did her days get so monotonous? 

Had they always been this way?

She was a 26 year old single woman and her evenings were spent folding laundry and pretending to study for the part-time University course she was trying to complete. 

Her life had never been particularly exciting, but there had been a definite drop in excitement in the last couple of weeks. And yes, that did have something to do with the absence of a certain royal. 

It was ridiculous really the effect that a client could have on her mood.

Mysaria still contacted asking for her availability but she declined every time. And there was going to have to be a point where she was honest with herself and admitted why she was refusing to see anyone else. 

But that point has not arrived yet. 

And besides, she had exams coming up so she could use the extra study time anyway. 

Except studying was impossible when you were haunted by soft blue eyes. 

“For fuck’s sake, Alicent. Get a fucking grip” she muttered, throwing down her textbooks and standing up from the couch. 

Rhaenyra hadn’t texted her. Or called her. 

And maybe that was a good thing?

But it caused a weight to settle at the pit of her stomach. 

She hadn’t contacted her either but in Alicent’s defence she wasn’t the working royal about to host a delegation from Dorne at Dragonstone - if the story she had heard briefly on the news last night was true. 

Rhaenyra had a real life, with real responsibilities. 

Alicent wasn’t allowed responsibilities. Had most of them taken away from her. 

She checked the time, her day wasn’t going to get anymore thrilling anytime soon and so, with a deep breath, she decided to take the plunge. 

Alicent

Got any good history books in Dragonstone that could help me write this essay on the history of sea trade?

 

Alicent hesitated before attaching a photo of her books and laptop sprawled over the coffee table and hit send .

She did not have to wait long for a reply.

Rhaenyra

Why are you writing an essay on sea trade??

Should I be worried about your age? Are you in school??

Alicent

Stop it. I am a 26 year old woman and yes I am still at University. Have you never heard of a mature learner?

 

Rhaenyra

That’s cool

Why have you never told me before?

Alicent

We don’t exactly talk about our lives. We don’t leave a lot of time for talking. 

Rhaenyra 

That’s not true

We talk a lot 

 

Alicent stared at the message for a few moments. Rhaenyra was right, they did talk quite a bit, or at least a lot more than she ever had with any other client. 

Alicent

So how are things? How’s Dragonstone? I hear that you’re about to host a delegation from Dorne?

Rhaenyra

Yes. That’s what I hear too

It’s fine. Bureaucratic bullshit as usual

How are you?

Alicent

I’m fine. Life is boring. 

I hear Dornish women are very beautiful…

 

Rhaenyra

There’s nothing boring about the history of sea trade! 🤣

What do you want to know? I’ll take a look in the library this evening. 

 

It was hard to be sure whether she was annoyed or relieved that Rhaenyra had ignored the comment about Dornish women.

Alicent

You don’t actually have to look! I was just looking for a good way to finally start a conversation with you. 

Sorry if you’re busy…

Rhaenyra

I’m more than happy to help 

And glad that you messaged

I’ve been wanting to. Didn’t want to overstep any boundaries

Alicent

I gave you my number. It’s not overstepping boundaries, I promise. 

Rhaenyra

Felt like it needed to come from you 

I’m glad it has

Alicent couldn’t hold back the smile on her lips as she realised Rhaenyra genuinely had wanted to talk to her. 

Rhaenyra

Gotta go do some more bureaucratic bullshit

I’ll check the library out tonight for you 

Good luck with the essay writing

Alicent

You don’t have to! Hope you have a good afternoon. 

 

The smile remained on Alicent’s face as she returned to her research and notes, wanting to get as much done before her Father was expected. 

It was a lost cause, all that she studied was the short series of text messages that had just been exchanged. 

—-

Alicent had just finished tidying the kitchen when she heard the telltale sign of her front door unlocking. Carefully folding the hand towel and slipping it onto the rail she kept it on, she brushed her hands on her jeans and walked out into the living room. 

“Mummy!”

“Hello, my sweetling” she beamed brightly as a small ball of energy and blonde hair came barreling at her and she crouched down to capture the little girl in her arms. “Oh, Mummy missed you so much!” she pressed a kiss to the top of the girl’s hair as she held her close. 

“Miss you too, Mummy” 

“Helaena, what did I tell you?”

Alicent looked up at the strict, commanding voice of her Father as he closed the front door behind him. 

She felt her daughter tense in her arms and she couldn’t help but fix her Father with a glare (even if he would make her regret it later). 

“Helaena, where are you going sweetheart?” Alicent asked, confused as her little girl broke out of her arms and silently walked down the hallway to her bedroom. 

“She has been misbehaving. As punishment she is to go straight to bed without supper”

“What? She only just got here” Alicent got to her feet, looking appalled. “We’ve been apart for weeks, she’s not going straight to bed!” she argued. 

“ Alicent ” It was a warning tone, one she was all too familiar with. 

“Well, what did she do? To - to misbehave?”

“That is of no concern to you”

“I am her Mother ”

His cold eyes fixed her with a stare and she took a step back. “You relinquished the rights to being a parent when you got pregnant out of wedlock” he reminded her. “When you brought shame on my family. Count yourself lucky, daughter, that I was willing to take her in, to give you another chance to make something of yourself”

“Father…” she pleaded. 

“Have you found a husband yet? Graduated with a first class degree? Found a respectable job?”

She swallowed back the lump in her throat, eyes on the carpet below as she shook her head. 

“I thought as much” 

“I’ve made dinner, would you like to stay?” she asked meekly, glancing up at the older man. 

“No, not tonight daughter” he replied, stepping towards her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I have a business meeting to attend to”

“Of course”

“I will be back on Sunday for the girl” 

“I have no classes this week, Father. I was hoping that perhaps she could stay for -” Alicent tried, speaking the words she had rehearsed to herself all afternoon in the mirror.

“No” he dismissed her immediately.

“Why not?”

“She has school and church”

“I could take her to those things,” Alicent pleaded.

“Alicent, that is not our agreement”

“I know, Father. I just miss her through the week” Did he not understand how hard it was to be away from your child, the only bright spark in your life, for weeks on end?

“Well you know what it is you need to do for her to be able to come and live with you” 

Alicent stared at him, unshed tears in her eyes. “I miss her so much, Father…”

“Then do as you’re told” His words were stern and they made her feel like she was a little girl all over again, unable to disobey him. He had that power over her. No matter how many years went by she could not shake that part of herself. 

“Yes, Father” she whispered softly, watching as he turned on his heel and strode out of her home. 

Taking a deep breath Alicent reached up to brush the tears from her eyes, fixed a smile onto her face and walked down the corridor to Helaena’s bedroom. If he would not relent on giving her more time with her little girl then she needed to make sure not to waste a second. 

—

Alicent’s eyes were dropping shut, the movie on tv the only light in the apartment by this time of evening, and Helaena’s small body fast asleep on the couch beside her. 

(Yes, she had brought the girl back out of her bedroom the instant her Father had left the building)

(And yes they had spent the evening eating too many sweets and watching every Disney movie Helaena wanted) 

Tiredness ached her entire body. She really ought to get the kid to bed and clean up a little before she took herself off to bed too. But she was pretty comfy sitting here. 

Her eyes fell shut once more as she decided to just give herself five more minutes. 

But those five minutes were soon interrupted by the insistent vibration of her phone. Who would be calling her at this time of night?

With a frown Alicent opened her eyes and picked up the phone, surprise and excitement washing over her as she saw the name flashed across the screen. 

Rhaenyra 

“Hi” she whispered, answering it without wasting another beat, not quite believing Rhaenyra was really taking the time to call her. 

“Hey” 

She smiled at the sound of that voice that she had missed so much. Gods, was she thirteen?

“Sorry, it's not too late is it?” Rhaenyra’s voice was rough and she was struck by how tired the other woman sounded. 

“No it’s fine” Alicent promised. “I was only watching tv” she admitted, fingers gently carding through Helaena’s hair as she spoke. “You sound tired”

“Fucking exhausted” there was a softness in her tone, a gentle chuckle and it pulled at Alicent’s heartstrings because she could imagine the exact expression on her face in that moment. 

“Go to sleep” 

“No, I said I would help you”

“You’re being ridiculous. I can just use the internet” Alicent argued, she didn’t really expect Rhaenyra to study the history books of Dragonstone for her.

“I want to” She heard a soft rustling on the other end of the phone as Rhaenyra opened some books. 

“Rhaenyra…” This felt like too much.

“I missed your voice, Al” 

Oh. 

Oh .

Alicent swallowed the lump in her throat, her fingers stilling in her daughter’s hair. Why did Rhaenyra do this? She was meant to be some kind of playboy, and Alicent her whore. Yet she couldn’t go five minutes without doing something that made Alicent feel like she was the only girl in the world. Special.

“I’m sorry”

She registered that Rhaenyra was still speaking and shook her head out of her daydreams.

“No it’s fine, sorry, got distracted”

“Am I being too much? It’s been a long day” she sighed heavily and Alicent wanted to pull her into her arms, smooth her fingers through that shoulder length hair and lull her into the sleep she clearly needed. “I’ve spent the day around people I’ve never met, having to pretend we’re the best of friends for the sake of diplomacy and - well, it’s nice to hear a familiar voice” she explained.

“Stop worrying. I’m not going to take offence to being missed by the Princess of the Realm”

Rhaenyra made a disapproving noise and Alicent could practically feel the eye roll through the phone. 

“Gods, don’t call me that. I feel suffocated by that title right now” there was a hint of teasing in her tone but Alicent was sure there was at least some truth in Rhaenyra’s words. “Can’t I just be me?” she added softly.

“Of course you can, Rhaenyra,” she smiled gently. “I prefer you anyway” she teased. “I don’t think I know the Princess” 

And it was true really. Because Rhaenyra had never acted her station with her and perhaps that was why Alicent was in this mess, where her weak and childish heart let her think that maybe this could be real. 

There was a beat between them and Alicent wondered whether she had said the wrong thing. And then Rhaenyra’s voice interrupted her thoughts once more.

“Okay, what do you wanna know about the history of sea trade?”

—-

The one weekend every month that Alicent got to have Helaena overnight was the best time of her miserable life. 

(Though, these days, there was a strong contender for second place) 

It was two short days but she made sure to make the very most of them, learning everything she could about her daughter and her interests.

Which, of course, meant this weekend had been spent digging in the mud in the park as Helaena tried to find ‘pretty bugs’ to play with. 

In Alicent’s mind there was nothing pretty about any bug, but Gods did she love her daughter. 

The trip to the park however did mean that she was now desperately trying to get the mud out of Helaena’s shoes before her Father arrived to collect her. (To take her away)

She sat there scrubbing away at the tiny shoes, her daughter colouring in on the living room floor and the tv playing the evening news.

“Mummy! Princess, Mummy, look!”

“What’s that, darling?” She asked as she looked up from her seat at the dining table, muddy shoe and muddy cloth in hand, to see her daughter pointing excitedly at the tv. 

Alicent’s breath caught in her throat. 

“-and at his side, his heir, Rhaenyra Targaryen”

Alicent’s stomach fluttered at the sound of her . 

“-indeed is the first time the heir has been seen partaking in public duties in over a year”

The newsreader’s commentary hummed in the background but Alicent barely heard him, instead captivated by the video that accompanied the news story. 

She watched the footage of King Viserys Targaryen deep in conversation, watched as the footage cut to a new angle and the unmistakable, handsome features of Rhaenyra.

Gone was the dark hair that Alicent hard carded her fingers through just weeks ago and in its place the signature silver of a true Targaryen. It was breathtaking. 

“Mummy, why Princess not wearing dress?”

“I uh -” Alicent stumbled, just staring at the tv. It was so weird to see her there, after everything. And silver haired too. “I guess not every Princess wears a dress, sweetheart” she smiled gently, tugging Helaena into her arms as she stared at the tv, not really taking in what was being said, just the sight of Rhaenyra. 

She didn’t look happy, she noticed. There was a smile on her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Eyes that were pools of emotion, eyes that often said more than Rhaenyra’s words. 

Alicent swallowed thickly, realising how ridiculous it was that she thought she knew how someone felt just because of the look on their face on a few second long video clip. 

But it wasn’t ridiculous really, was it? After all, Rhaenyra had admitted to feeling suffocated by her title and that was exactly what Alicent could see right now, flickering on her tiny tv. 

As Helaena hopped down from her lap to return to her colouring, Alicent found that she desperately wanted to reach for her phone, to check in with Rhaenyra. But she wasn’t sure it was her place. 

Sure, they had stayed up talking until 2am on Friday night but Rhaenyra was busy. 

Right?

—

Two months ago 

“Why do you continue to dye your hair?” She found herself asking as her fingers gently brushed a strand out of Rhaenyra’s face.

There was a long pause, during which Alicent was sure she had overstepped a boundary, before the other woman let out a shaky breath. 

“Any week, month…year, I will be forced beneath the weight of my birthright” she explained solemnly. 

Alicent searched the ocean depths of her eyes as she listened in silence. 

“And so for as long as I still hold some semblance of control over my own life I wish to be free of the destiny forced upon me” she continued. 

“You’re recognised less, like this?”

Rhaenyra nodded, leaning in to Alicent’s touch as her fingers carded through the hair in question. 

“Do you think you’ll…y’know, when the time comes?”

“Go back to being silver tongued and silver haired?” She teased lightly, causing a gentle smile to tug at the redhead’s lips. “Most likely” she nodded. “It is after all what the realm will expect” she rolled her eyes, exasperation evident in her tone. “And perhaps a step closer to them accepting me”

“Do you really think they won’t accept you?”

“I suspect there’s a plot to usurp me already at play” Rhaenyra shrugged nonchalantly. 

Alicent’s eyes widened. “Usurp you?”

“There’s a lot of powerful people, powerful men , that will not welcome a woman on the throne” 

“It is not their choice”

“That doesn’t mean they won’t try to stop it”

Alicent watched her quietly for a moment, beginning to understand more about the person behind the confident mask that Rhaenyra wore. 

“Does that worry you?”

Rhaenyra was silent for a moment before speaking, thoughtfully. “I love my Father. Despite his faults” she admitted. “He has no other heir. And I will not idly stand by as someone takes his legacy away from him” she explained. “Would my life be simpler without the weight of this responsibility? Of course it would. But I will shoulder it because it’s what he wants, because it is my duty”

Alicent swallowed thickly.

“And because I know that whoever they would seek to crown instead of me would likely care not for the realm but simply for himself”

“I think you’ll be a great ruler”

Rhaenyra chuckled lightly. “I’m not sure about that but I hope to be a just one” 

—

The present

“- and very kindly he’s offered you the opportunity to go for dinner with his son”

Alicent wasn’t paying attention. Her eyes were fixed on her plate, her fork just moving the food around as her Father droned on. 

“Alicent?”

She hated this. She was so miserable. One Sunday every month she made dinner for him and pretended to enjoy it but all she could think about was how the moment it ended he would take Helaena away again . And it was slowly killing her. 

“ Alicent! ”

“Sorry, what?” She looked up at her Father across the table. He looked furious, face red and eyes livid. 

“No wonder you can’t find a husband”

“What?”

“Pay attention when someone is talking to you, girl” he chided. “I was saying that Lyonel Strong has agreed that his son, Larys, will take you for dinner”

“I don’t want to go for dinner with your friend’s son”

Otto’s eyes flared with anger and irritation. “Larys Strong would be an excellent match for you, Alicent. The Strongs are a well-respected family, and whilst Larys is not the firstborn son he is still due to inherit much of the family money. And besides, at your age and in your position we cannot be picky. No one will offer their firstborn for you.”

“Father…”

“Alicent. We have agreed that this is the right path for you”

“But why? I’ve nearly completed my degree, hopefully I will find a good job. I don’t understand why I need a husband when -”

She flinched as his fist hit the wooden table and she was glad that Helaena was playing in her bedroom. 

“Do you think I wish to continue raising a child for you?”

“I do not ask you to, Father. I would -”

“Do you understand what an inconvenience she is to me, Alicent?” he sneered. 

She felt sick at his words and had to clench her fists beneath the table. 

“Do not call her that” she warned, an anger to her tone that she never dared to display around her Father. 

Otto glared, and Alicent felt a wave of worry pass over her. “Do not speak to me that way, daughter” his tone was measured, but his gaze was menacing. 

“She is my daughter. I only wish for her to be in my life”

“Until you can uphold the values of the Seven. Make a proper life for yourself. Find a husband who will take in your illegitimate daughter -”

“She is not illegitimate. She is my little girl. Please don’t speak of her like that, Father”

“She is a bastard, Alicent. And you bring shame on our family”

“Father…”

“You ought to count yourself lucky that I took her in for you”

“I did not ask you to do that. I do not want you to” Alicent explained, exasperation evident in her tone. “Father, it is not enough. She’s my girl, and I am barely allowed to see her”

“Then you know what you must do”

“But why? She’s mine”

“Enough” She could feel the anger radiating off of him, the vein in his forehead bulging and she dare not push him further for fear of her daughter. “It is decided. You will go for dinner with Larys Strong. And you will do everything possible to convince him you would make a good wife, enough for him to take in your bastard and right the wrongs that you have wrought this family with” 

Tears welled up in Alicent’s eyes. She knew she had gone against her faith, the teachings of the Seven. But she wasn’t a bad person, was she? She worked hard, she loved her Father despite everything and she simply wanted to be allowed to be a Mother to her beautiful little girl. Why wasn’t that enough? 

“It is time to go” he fixed her with a stare and stood up. “Helaena?” he called out. 

Alicent shot to her feet and shook her head. “No!” she begged. 

“Alicent, it is time”

“Please, Father…at least, at least let me go say goodbye to her properly?”

His eyes searched her with disapproval. 

“I will go for dinner with Larys Strong” she promised and when her Father still looked furious she added, “And I will convince him I would be a good wife”

“I will go start the car” 

Alicent nodded, her lips pressed tightly together as she tried to hold herself together. And as soon as he walked out of the door she rushed to Helaena’s bedroom, intent on drawing out the goodbye. 

—-

It was hours later when the tears finally dried up. 

She lay on her couch, clutching Helaena’s favourite stuffed caterpillar to her chest. A toy that her Father would not permit at his house. 

She was miserable. She had known it for a while but had tried to ignore it. 

For a long while she had hidden it with work. Allowing herself to be a different version of herself with her clients. Pretended she was happy in her life and her line of work.

But tonight she couldn’t hide it. Because Helaena was gone and so was Rhaenyra. 

And in truth she had not accepted any other clients in weeks now. 

She did not want any others. Because they did not treat her with kindness. They did not make her laugh so much that her face ached for hours afterwards. They did not make her feel like she mattered. They were not Rhaenyra. 

It was foolish, she knew it, but she was weak and she was tired and her heart was breaking. She needed someone to talk to. Even if the person in mind was probably the very last person she should be projecting her worries onto. 

She picked up her phone, opened the messages and typed before she could change her mind. 

Alicent

Will you be home soon?

It sounded desperate, didn’t it? 

And she internally cringed when it was left unread for the next ten minutes. 

She wished she could take it back but it was too late, it had been delivered. And so she got up, went to her bedroom to change for bed, brushed her teeth, got into bed and only looked at her phone when she heard the chime that signalled a new message. 

Rhaenyra

Dragonstone is my home

Alicent let out a breath she hadn’t realised she had been holding. 

Alicent

Oh yeah. I forgot. Will you be back in King’s Landing soon?

Rhaenyra

Are you missing me??

Alicent let out a shaky sigh and admitted to herself, and only herself, that the answer was a resounding yes . 

Alicent

My rent’s due. Need a Targaryen sized paycheck. 

She lied. 

Rhaenyra

You break my heart 

I hope to be back in a week

Two at most 

That was too long. She felt like she was falling apart and the only person other than her daughter that could help piece her back together was the heir to the goddamn throne. 

Her life was messed up. 

And she wasn’t stupid. She knew that she didn’t matter to Rhaenyra. Not really. But it was nice to pretend. And Rhaenyra was so kind and attentive that the time they spent together did make Alicent feel like she mattered to someone. 

And she desperately craved that feeling right now. 

Rhaenyra

Are you okay?

Alicent bit her lip. They weren’t friends, they certainly weren’t together, they were business associates at most. But then hadn’t Rhaenyra asked her to be her friend?

Alicent

Had a bit of a shitty day. I’m sure it’ll be better tomorrow. 

Rhaenyra

Do you want to talk?

Yes. But Rhaenyra was performing her public duties. She was busy entertaining the beautiful women of Dorne. She owed nothing to Alicent. 

Rhaenyra

I’m not busy

Just in case you’re assuming I am

Alicent

You’re the Princess of the Seven Kingdoms. 

Rhaenyra

I’m your friend

Alicent hesitated for just a moment before she pressed the call icon next to Rhaenyra’s name. 

“Hi”

“Are you sure you’re not busy?” Alicent asked worriedly. 

“No,” Rhaenyra laughed softly. “All the Dornish women are abed with their husbands. And I am abed alone”

A small smile tugged at Alicent’s lips as she leant back against the headboard of her bed. 

“I knew you saw my comment about the Dornish women” she huffed. 

“I was surprised that you didn’t call me out for ignoring it”

“Shut up” Alicent rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smile on her lips. 

“Why have you had such a bad day?” The softness in Rhaenyra’s tone made Alicent’s chest ache. Why was she so good at making it seem like she genuinely cared?

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Alicent tried. 

“Okay” Rhaenyra’s reply was simple and it meant so much to Alicent that she wouldn’t pry. “Do you want to know about my day instead?”

“Yes. Make it good, maybe I could sell it to the press?”

“Didn’t realise that’s the ‘Targaryen paycheck’ that you’re after?”

Alicent laughed softly, “I’m not fussy” 

There was a pause and Alicent could picture the smile on Rhaenyra’s face and she ached to have her close. 

“Honestly it would bore you to death”

“I think I would take that right now” Alicent joked, but there was a sadness in her tone that didn’t go unnoticed by Rhaenyra. 

“You’re really not happy tonight, huh?”

“Sorry. You don’t need to listen to this” she sighed.

“Alicent, what are friends for?”

“Are we really friends?” she found herself asking with so much vulnerability in her tone. 

“I think so” Rhaenyra’s answer was simple, like she didn’t even have to think about it. “I want to be”

“Okay” Alicent whispered, shifting slightly to get comfortable. 

“Are you in bed?”

“Yes. And no I’m not having phone sex with you”

“Clearly you don’t want that paycheck as much as you say then” 

“Shut up” Alicent huffed and moved to lay down against her pillows, placing her phone on the other side and letting herself pretend Rhaenyra was there beside her. 

“For the record I wouldn’t be interested in phone sex” Rhaenyra insisted.

“I don’t believe you”

“Nothing could compare to the way you look at me when you fall apart in my arms”

Alicent swallowed thickly and just stared at the phone on the pillow beside her. Why did Rhaenyra have to be like this? 

When she didn’t say anything it was Rhaenyra that spoke again. 

“So do you want to tell me anything about why you’re feeling so rubbish that talking to me is somehow how you want to spend your evening?"

Alicent frowned and closed her eyes, letting herself imagine Rhaenyra’s words were truly coming from the empty side of her bed. 

“Does your Father love you?” she finally found herself whispering.

“I bloody hope so, I’m taking on all of this damn responsibility for him” Rhaenyra’s tone was laced with amusement. 

“Mine only sees me as a disappointment” Alicent’s tone was filled with sadness. 

“You’re not a disappointment” Rhaenyra replied seriously. 

“I am in his eyes”

“Then he’s an idiot” Rhaenyra’s response was immediate. 

“How does he -” Alicent began and stumbled over her words. “Would your Father expect you to find a husband?”

Rhaenyra laughed softly. “I’m sure he would love it if I did, and if I bore heirs,” she admitted. “But he knows that it’s not going to happen and that it would not make me happy. When I first came out to him there was some tension” she explained. “But he does love me, and wants me to be happy. I think his biggest concern is that the realm won't accept me, or that the Targaryen line will end with me. We don’t talk about it much, but I know that he wants me to be happy above all else, and I’m incredibly lucky to have that from him”

“Was it terrifying coming out to him?” Alicent whispered, scared of her own words and the implications behind them.

“Not terrifying, no. I was very confident in who I am and it was important that my Father knew the real version of me. But I was trepidatious. I wasn’t sure how he would react and what it might mean if he did not understand” 

“It sounds terrifying”

“I take it you’ve never come out to yours?” Rhaenyra asked casually. 

“What?”

“To your Father”

“Come out as what?” Alicent paused. “Rhaenyra, I’m not a lesbian”

“Bisexual then”

“What? No I’m not - I’m…there is nothing to tell him” Alicent’s voice was higher than usual as she denied the suggestions.

“Okay”

“I’m straight, Rhaenyra” 

“Okay”

“Stop saying okay” she insisted irritatedly. 

“What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know!” Alicent's tone was irritable.

“Okay”

“Stop it!”

“Why are you angry with me?” Rhaenyra sighed. 

“I’m not”

Rhaenyra paused and for a moment Alicent thought she had hung up, before the royal's soft words came over the phone speaker once more. “You sound angry. I’m sorry if I made an assumption about you, that was unfair of me, I just -” 

“It’s a job, Rhaenyra” 

“I know that, I had just -” she sighed softly. “I don’t know, I thought you enjoyed it too is all…”

“It’s a job. I’m good at my job” 

“Okay”

“I have to go” Alicent huffed frustratedly and she heard a soft sigh on the other end of the line. 

“Alright. I hope you’re feeling better tomorrow, Alicent” The sincerity in Rhaenyra’s tone infuriated her. “If you want to talk you know where I am. It’s nice hearing your voice”

“Goodbye Rhaenyra”

“Goodnight, Al”

She put the phone down and stared at it in the darkness of her bedroom. What did Rhaenyra mean? She wasn’t a lesbian. She wasn’t bisexual. Rhaenyra obviously just assumed that about her. 

She sat up and turned on a lamp before getting out of bed and walking into the kitchen to make tea. But as she stood there, arms folded across her chest,  shivering in the cold chill of the evening, waiting for the kettle to boil she couldn’t help but wonder if Rhaenyra knew her better than she knew herself. 

She had denied it for so long because she knew it wasn’t something she could be. Not in her Father’s eyes. 

But she had no interest in seeking the husband that her Father was so adamant that she find. And honestly she had no real interest in seeking anyone at all. Otto approved or not. 

Yet every night her dreams were haunted by soft blue eyes. She craved the sound of Rhaenyra’s gentle voice, the warmth of her embrace, the scent of her perfume, those tiny smiles that felt reserved just for her. She couldn’t get Rhaenyra Targaryen out of her head. And it was becoming very difficult to pretend that there was anything heterosexual about the way her stomach flipped at any mention or thought of the other woman. 

Chapter Text

The last five weeks had been exhausting. It had been everything about her life that she had been ignoring for years now. Having to wear the mask of Targaryen heir when she just wanted to be herself. 

But finally it was over. Her Father returned to the safety of the Red Keep and Rhaenyra free to go about her life outside of public duties once more. 

If she was being completely honest with herself there was no real need to return to King’s Landing immediately. Sure, she had agreed to a few things that had been requested, but none were things that the heir to the throne would usually be expected to agree to. Yet Dragonstone had felt suffocating over these last weeks. Whilst there was a calmer air with the delegation from Dorne, and her Father, now gone there was unfortunately no hope of bumping into the friendly face she so desperately sought if she stayed there.

And so she had returned. Late last night and Gods was she paying for the late night flight mixed with early morning event attendance. 

A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips though as Laena returned from the coffeehouse interior, two steaming mugs of elixir in her hands. 

“Thank you” Rhaenyra breathed out as her own hands came to wrap around one of the mugs, breathing in the delicious scent of caffeine. 

“Best coffee on campus” Laena mused as she sat down opposite her cousin. 

“Is it really?” Rhaenyra chuckled, taking a sip of the steaming hot liquid. 

“So my students say” Laena sat back, her hands wrapped around her own coffee but not yet risking drinking it at this temperature. “Though honestly, Rhaenyra, you look like you would do unspeakable things for even gas station coffee right now”

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes and took another sip before placing it down on the table in front of her and studied the other woman. “I’m just tired” she argued, though she knew she looked like shit. Dark circles beneath her eyes and tiredness lacing her every word.

“From a late night flight and an early morning?” Laena raised a perfect eyebrow and finally took a sip of her own coffee. 

“I haven’t been sleeping too well” she found herself admitting under her cousin’s knowing stare. 

“Do you care to elaborate?”

“No”

“A girl then” Rhaenyra scoffed but she wouldn’t meet Laena’s eyes. “I hope it is not one of the Dornish ambassadors?”

Rhaenyra sighed and looked up at her cousin. “No, not one of the Dornish ambassadors” 

“Good” Laena’s smile was kind, much like her Mother’s, and it made Rhaenyra realise just how different this side of the family were, free of their ties to the throne and public service. She envied them. 

“She’s just -” Rhaenyra shrugged. “I don’t know” 

“Yes you do”

It wasn’t a topic that Rhaenyra wanted to talk about, especially not with her fiercely intuitive cousin. And besides, what was she going to say? That she had sought affection under the guise of paying women for sex? And that one woman played her part so well that Rhaenyra had gone and let herself believe it was real? She had been warned not to fall in love with a whore before. And she may have gone and done it all over again. 

For once in her life Rhaenyra was glad for her relative piece to be interrupted as she was recognised by a trio of students, offering a brief respite from this conversation as they shyly came over to say hi and ask for a photo. Usually she hated these kind of interactions, namely because it made her awkward as fuck and she always felt like she was a letdown, but she relished it right now with Laena’s knowing gaze fixed on her. 

Shaking hands and awkwardly accepting hugs only lasted so long though and then her cousin was sitting with her hands folded in her lap as she waited. 

“Laena, stop it”

“I care about you, cousin”

“And I you”

“If you’re genuinely looking this much of a mess over a girl then she must mean something” Laena insisted.

“I wouldn’t say this is all over a girl,” Rhaenyra argued. “I have just had to endure almost five weeks of my Father and bureaucracy”

“Yes, you still bear the scars” Laena mused, nodding towards the silver of Rhaenyra’s hair. 

Rhaenyra unconsciously brushed her fingers through her hair. Maybe she should dye it back again today?

“I met someone” she finally relented, without really meaning to say it out loud.

Laena only hummed in response, that much had been obvious. 

“And she knows who I am, and it doesn’t seem to matter to her,” Rhaenyra continued, her voice soft. “It’s so stupid, really. She’s straight” she glanced at Laena who unsurprisingly raised her eyebrows. “I know, I know, don’t fall for a straight girl” she sighed and took another sip of her coffee. “I didn’t intend to. I just really enjoy the time we spend together. And I think that she enjoys it too but it’s hard to tell if it’s all pretence. And I think that I thought maybe she was interested in something more, but now I’m just so confused because she was so insistent that she’s straight and I don’t want to get messed up in that, you know? I don’t want to force her into any kind of reckoning with her sexuality, but I also can’t stop thinking about her” She rambled, smiling sadly as she felt Laena’s hand across the table, squeezing hers. “I’m an idiot, I know. All it takes is a pretty smile and eyes I can get lost in”

“You’re not an idiot” Laena squeezed her hand once more before removing it to pick up her mug. “You can’t help it if she’s been making it seem like she’s interested”

“I guess”

“Do you think she’s playing you because of who you are?”

“Absolutely not” Rhaenyra immediately replied, and maybe she was a fool just hoping but she genuinely didn’t think Alicent cared about her being the heir to the throne.

“When did you last see her?”

“Before I left for Dragonstone. We’ve texted a little since and had a few phone calls whilst I was away but we had a bit of an argument and it’s not felt the same since” she admitted. “I’m worried that I’ve said the wrong thing” She had heard from Alicent since the conversation about her sexuality, but the conversation hadn’t flown in the same way and Rhaenyra couldn’t help but think that something had come between them.

Laena smiled softly, falling silent as another student approached. Perhaps parading the heir to the Iron Throne around campus at peak coffee time wasn’t the best idea.

“How did you meet?” Laena asked when they were left in peace once more. 

“What?”

“You and your lady love”

“Don’t call her that” Rhaenyra scowled and stared at her empty mug. “I dunno, we just - met” she shrugged, absolutely not willing to tell the truth. 

“Hm” Laena raised an eyebrow. “And what’s her name?”

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes and looked over her cousin’s shoulder, she wasn’t giving her the satisfaction of - “Alicent?!”

She got to her feet so quickly that she almost knocked over her chair and had to reach out blindly to keep it upright causing Laena to laugh softly. 

“Rhaenyra?” The other woman looked completely confused to see her there. “Hi…” she said as she cautiously looked between Rhaenyra and Laena as she came to a stop outside the coffeehouse. 

A gentle smile tugged at Rhaenyra’s face and there was little else on her mind as she made her way around the branded barriers that marked out the coffee shop’s outdoor seating area, and pulled the redhead into a hug. 

“It’s so good to see you” she muttered as she held a slightly stunned Alicent tightly against her chest. “What are you doing here?”

When they broke apart Alicent was looking up at her with a nervous smile of her own. “I had class,” she explained, her hand hovering awkwardly in the air beside Rhaenyra’s face. “Your hair…” 

Rhaneyra let out a soft chuckle and ran a hand through the hair in question. “Yeah, it’s fucking weird isn’t it?”

A clearing of a throat broke the spell between them and Alicent’s hand dropped down to her side as they both turned to look at Laena. 

“Oh sorry” Rhaenyra quickly spoke up. “Alicent, this is my cousin Laena. She’s a Professor here” she explained. “And cousin, this is my - this is my friend, Alicent” she smiled a little too softly. “She’s studying here,” she explained. “A mature learner” she added teasingly, earning a slap to the shoulder from Alicent. 

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Alicent” Laena smiled and reached out to politely shake the other woman’s hand. 

“And you”

Laena glanced between them with a knowing look - Rhaenyra was still gawping at Alicent with a stupid smile, she really was quite transparent it seemed.

“Wait, what are you doing here?” Alicent’s eyes were fixed on the silver haired woman, brow knit adorably in confusion. 

“Oh, uh, I was giving a talk” Rhaenyra admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. 

“Giving a talk?” Alicent laughed and it was, as always, the most beautiful sound to ever grace Rhaenyra’s ears. 

“Yeah, why’s that so funny?”

“What were you giving a talk about?? Being a rich a -“

“Hey!” Rhaenyra laughed. “It was for a sociology class, a module about the modern monarchy or something. The students wanted to know about what I do, the kind of public duty that myself and the family adhere to” she shrugged. She didn’t really understand, had just agreed to it - and the fact that Alicent was a student on this campus had had absolutely nothing to do with it…

“Sounds like they were openly mocking you” Alicent replied bluntly, though there was a small smile tugging at her lips. “Wanting to know why their taxes fund that lavish lifestyle of yours”

“That’s what I said,” Laena interrupted with a laugh. 

The two other women glanced at Laena as if suddenly reminded that she existed. 

Rhaenyra swallowed and cleared her throat before gesturing vaguely at the coffeehouse. 

“We were just going to get another coffee. Join us?” She asked, her tone filled with hope and her expression filled with a softness that Alicent couldn’t deny. 

“Were we?” Laena muttered amusedly. 

“Oh I don’t want to intrude” Alicent shook her head and looked between Laena and Rhaenyra once more. 

“You wouldn’t be interrupting” Rhaenyra’s reply was instant. 

Laena chuckled softly, realising just how far gone her cousin was for this girl. “No of course not, please join us” she insisted. 

“Okay great” There was a smile on Rhaenyra’s face and for the first time in weeks it reached her eyes. “What do you drink?”

“I’ll come in with you,” Alicent smiled. “I know you think you’re impressive but there’s no way you can carry three drinks on your own” she chuckled, her hand lightly squeezing Rhaenyra’s bicep as she pressed her in the direction of the coffee shop. 

“I could” Rhaenyra scoffed. “There just might not be any coffee left in them by the time I returned”

Laena shook her head amusedly and watched as the two disappeared inside. 

“You didn’t tell me you were back in King’s Landing” Alicent’s tone was accusatory whether intentionally or not. 

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes, her hands in her pockets as they stood in the queue together. “I got in at 3am, slept for two hours and came right here” she explained. 

“Unacceptable”

Rhaenyra’s lips quirked with a smile she didn’t quite want to give in to. 

“Good job you’re here now then” 

Alicent smiled softly and moved up in the coffee queue. 

“Nice sweatshirt, by the way” Rhaenyra’s voice was a whisper as she leant over Alicent’s shoulder and gently tugged the material in question. The material of the sweatshirt that had belonged to her, up until the morning after the honeymoon suite. 

Alicent went bright red and stared ahead, saved from explaining herself by the barista asking what they wanted. 

Rhaenyra, unsurprisingly, found it adorable.

It didn’t take too long before the two of them were walking back outside with the coffees in hand. Rhaenyra placed hers and Laena’s on the table before offering her seat to Alicent as she went to procure herself one from another table. 

“So Alicent, you’re a student?” Laena asked with a soft smile as Alicent sat down at the table. 

“Yeah. History” she smiled and took a sip of her coffee, glancing at Rhaenyra as the other woman carried a chair over to their table and sat down beside her. 

“Are you enjoying it?”

“Yeah, it’s been good,” Alicent nodded. “Though I have all my exams coming up next week so it’s a little bit gruelling at the moment”

“You’ll do great” Rhaenyra insisted as she sat back in her chair watching the two others. 

Alicent rolled her eyes, “Stop it, you don’t know that” she scoffed. 

The silver haired woman chuckled and drank her coffee, intentionally ignoring the gaze of her cousin. 

“How long did you say you two had been friends?” Laena asked amusedly. 

“We didn’t” Rhaenyra was quick to answer, fixing her cousin with a stare. 

“Only it seems like you know each other quite well,” she shrugged innocently. 

Alicent’s smile dropped and she picked up her coffee cup as a distraction, a little unsure how to act around Laena. What did Rhaenyra’s cousin know about them?

But it was nice, really. The three of them, just talking about their days. For Rhaenyra and Alicent to, for the first time, be around one another in completely different circumstances. 

And for Alicent it was particularly entertaining to watch Rhaenyra fend off the students that recognised and wanted to talk to her. 

“This is all the power of the Targaryen silver locks, right?” she asked amusedly after handing back the phone one of the students had asked her to take a photo of them on. 

“Shut up” Rhaenyra grumbled and picked up her coffee again. 

“Alicent’s right, cousin, you barely got any attention last time we went for coffee”

“I’m surprised you don’t walk around with a security detail” Alicent smiled fondly as she watched Rhaenyra. “Wait, do you?”

“No of course I don’t”

“Against advice, might I add” Laena narrowed her eyes as she looked at her cousin. 

“I’m not walking around with security. It’ll make me look like a complete asshole”

“As opposed to?”

Laena laughed at Alicent’s words and squeezed her shoulder gently. “I think I’m going to like having you around, Alicent. It’s about time someone put her grace in her place” she teased. 

“And this, cousin, is why I don’t introduce you to anyone” 

Laena picked up her mug and finished her coffee before looking between Rhaenyra and Alicent. “Okay, I have to go otherwise I’m going to be late for my lecture” she explained, soft eyes falling on Alicent. “It was lovely to meet you, Alicent”

“And you” Alicent put down her mug and smiled brightly. 

“Will I perhaps see you at my cousin’s birthday?” she asked and Rhaenyra had to restrain herself from kicking her under the table, Laena knew exactly what she was doing. 

“It’s your birthday?” Alicent’s eyes widened as she looked over at Rhaenyra. 

“Not for a couple of weeks” she shrugged nonchalantly. 

“We’re going to Dragonstone for the weekend,” Laena explained. “You should join us”

“Oh” Alicent looked genuinely shocked. 

“I’m sure Rhaenyra would like that, right cousin?” Rhaenyra stumbled over her words but nodded. “And my brother Laenor would love to meet you I’m sure” 

The smile on Laena’s face was so genuine as she gazed at Alicent. 

“Thank you” Alicent replied, unsure what else to say. 

“I hope to see you there” Laena smiled and pulled Rhaenyra into a hug. “It was good to see you, cousin. I’ll see you in a few weeks”

“See you soon, Laena” Rhaenyra smiled as she hugged her cousin back before releasing her. She waved at Alicent and made her way down the path. 

“She’s nice,” Alicent offered. 

“Yeah” Rhaenyra smiled softly, stuffing her hands back into her pockets as she sat back down. Somehow she was suddenly nervous around Alicent without the buffer of her cousin being there. 

“So it’s your birthday soon?” the redhead asked as she nursed her coffee cup in her hands. 

“Afraid so”

“Good to know” she smiled gently, struggling to hold Rhaenyra’s gaze. 

“You don’t have to come to Dragonstone by the way”

“Oh. No, of course not. I wasn’t expecting -”

“You can,” Rhaenyra quickly interrupted. “Of course you can. It would be nice. I think you would like Laena and Laenor” she rambled. “And I would love to have you join us”

“You would?”

“Of course” There was nothing but sincerity in Rhaenyra’s tone. “But I get it if it’s weird. So I don’t want you to feel pressured”

“It sounds nice,” Alicent admitted. “I just don’t know what my schedule will be by then”

“Yeah no, of course” Rhaenyra nodded nervously. “Like I say, no pressure. But if you fancy it then you’re welcome to join”

She very much hoped Alicent would join. She wasn’t huge on birthdays and she couldn’t think of anything better than being able to spend it with Alicent on a secluded island. 

But also would it be incredibly weird to have the woman you were sleeping with (paying to sleep with) come to stay at your family home for the weekend?

“I should go”

Rhaenyra’s heart dropped and she looked up at Alicent. 

“I don’t want to,” she quickly promised. “But I really do have so much studying to do” she explained, her own tiredness shining in her eyes.

“Of course,” Rhaenyra nodded. “I should probably go too. I think perhaps I have garnered enough attention for one day”

“Yeah I can’t wait to hear all the gossip in class this afternoon about how the future Queen was casually drinking campus coffee” 

“Gods, it’s so weird to me that you have class ”

“Really?” Alicent frowned. 

“Sorry, I don’t mean it in that way”

“You mean it’s weird to find out I’m three dimensional and have more to my life than just -”

“No. Alicent, of course not” Rhaenyra quickly interrupted, hating the self loathing in Alicent’s tone. “I only meant that it’s so weird to finally get to know more of you. A good weird” she promised, reaching across the table and gently squeezing Alicent’s hand. 

“Yeah?” There was a hint of uncertainty in Alicent’s reply and so Rhaenyra squeezed her hand once more and nodded. 

“You can keep the sweatshirt by the way” Rhaenyra teased with the aim of breaking the tension. Alicent went red. Success. “Looks good on you” she winked, causing Alicent to roll her eyes and pull her hand away. 

“You’re such an asshole, do you know that?” There was a stupid grin on her face that Rhaenyra immediately matched. 

“I have a feeling you like that about me” she shrugged and got to her feet. “Can I walk you to class?”

“What are you? My college boyfriend?”

“Could be” Rhaenyra flashed a smirk in Alicent’s direction but the woman simply shook her head. 

“I don’t think being walked to class by the future bloody Queen is going to be conducive to my studying”

“You use big words when you’re on campus, huh?” Rhaenyra laughed. “I like it, it’s very attractive”

“Okay and now I am definitely leaving” Alicent shook her head and picked up her bag, a stupid smile threatening to split across her face. 

“I’ll see you soon?” 

The intonation in Rhaenyra’s voice made clear it was a question and Alicent hesitated before leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to Rhaenyra’s cheek before turning on her heel and walking away with a soft “Goodbye Rhaenyra”

“Goodbye” she whispered pointlessly as she watched the woman of her literal dreams walk away. 

Gods she was absolutely fucked. 

And she was weirdly happy about it. 

—-

The rest of Rhaenyra’s day passed with much less excitement. She had returned to the Red Keep for lunch with her Father, who surprisingly had been thrilled to hear she had spent the morning doing her ‘public duties’ at the University, before she returned to her city apartment. 

By afternoon Rhaenyra was sitting in the armchair in the penthouse trying to get some work done. Her Father had asked her to look over some proposals made by his small council but it was useless. Now that she was alone, her earlier run-in with Alicent was serving as the perfect distraction for her tired mind. 

She had spent the last hour fielding questions via text from Laenor who apparently already knew all about the ‘auburn haired beauty’ that had captured his cousin’s heart. She was going to kill Laena. 

And so when her phone vibrated once more she rolled her eyes and picked it up fully expecting more teasing from her cousins. 

Alicent

You’re gonna need to call Mysaria. 

Rhaenyra’s excitement at seeing Alicent’s name was doused by the slightly strange sentence. 

Rhaenyra

Why? 

Is she annoyed at me or something?

It wouldn’t be the first time, in fairness. 

Alicent

No. I don’t think so. But I’m gonna need to run my fingers through that damn Targaryen silver hair as soon as physically possible.

Rhaenyra’s heart skipped a beat as she read the message. And again. And again. 

She didn’t want to look desperate but god dammit she was desperate. She replied quickly. 

Rhaenyra

Come round then

I’m at the penthouse

I’ll leave the door unlocked

Alicent

Absolutely not. Mysaria will kill me, and you, if she found out we made arrangements without her. 

Rhaenyra sighed. She knew that Alicent was right but she couldn’t help the pang of disappointment at the hard proof that Alicent was still in this for the money, it wasn’t about actually wanting Rhaenyra. 

Unfortunately for Rhaenyra it was very much about wanting Alicent. And had been for some time, if she were to be completely honest. 

Rhaenyra 

You drive a hard bargain

I would still have paid you 

But fine I’ll contact her 

Alicent did not reply. Rhaenyra didn’t read too much into it and instead contacted Mysaria, asking to see her usual girl tonight. 

She had very very nearly slipped up and requested to see Alicent before remembering she wasn’t supposed to know her name. 

Rhaenyra 

I’ve messaged her

Don’t you dare tell her no! 

I’ll see you tonight

Wear something easy to get out of 

Alicent still didn’t reply. 

—

Rhaenyra had not agreed a time with Mysaria but the other woman had confirmed Alicent would be in attendance. 

And so, for a little while Rhaenyra had just assumed maybe Alicent was trying to make her more desperate to see her, but as time ticked by she was finding it harder and harder to resist calling to check she was okay. 

Just as she was about to hit her patience limit she heard the door click open. 

In an unconvincing attempt to seem nonchalant she ran a hand through her hair and got to her feet, slowly wandering towards the hallway. 

“I’m so sorry I’m late” Alicent looked flustered as she stumbled through the door, turning only to close it behind her. 

“It’s no problem” Rhaenyra’s smile was soft as she leant against the doorframe that led to the kitchen. 

“I fell asleep,” Alicent admitted as she dropped her backpack, shrugged off her jacket and kicked off her trainers. “I haven’t even had a shower or anything. I’m sorry, I’m so unprofessional” 

Something tugged at Rhaenyra as she took in Alicent’s appearance. She was in the same clothes as that morning, a pair of jeans and Rhaenyra’s old sweatshirt, her hair pulled up into a messy ponytail but her face free of the light makeup she had had on earlier that day.

It was a completely different side to her than the usual put together, dressed to the nines Alicent that she was used to.

She was beautiful. 

“I really am sorry…” 

Rhaenyra blinked, realising that Alicent was still rambling on and apologising, and stepped away from the doorframe. 

“It’s fine, really,” she insisted, hands going to Alicent’s shoulders as she tried to reassure her. 

“I feel so stupid. I’ve been studying all day and then I sent you those messages, replied to Mysaria and fell asleep before I could make it to the shower”

A gentle smile pulled at Rhaenyra’s mouth, her hands leaving her shoulders and instead cupping her face with care as she leant down and pressed the gentlest of kisses to her lips. 

“Hi” she whispered when she broke away a moment later. 

“Hi” Alicent smiled up at her, her hands clutching Rhaenyra’s wrists as the taller woman held her face. 

“Go and take a shower” she muttered softly. 

Alicent shook her head and squeezed Rhaenyra’s forearms. “No, I’m okay. Let’s go to your bedroom?”

“No, go take a shower” 

“Are you going to come with me?” Alicent’s tone was aiming for flirtatious but it was ruined by the yawn that escaped her. “Ugh, I’m sorry”

Rhaenyra watched her fondly before pressing a kiss to the top of her head and releasing her face. “Come on. Bathroom” she insisted, instead taking Alicent’s hand and gently tugging the other woman up the stairs. 

“I’ll be more awake once I’ve freshened up” Alicent promised as she was led into the beautiful bathroom of the penthouse. 

Rhaenyra simply hummed in response and busied herself getting out some towels for Alicent. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to join me?” she asked as she stood rubbing her own arms nervously, watching as Rhaenyra reached into the shower to turn it on. 

“Positive” Rhaenyra nodded, cupping her cheek and gently brushing her thumb across her jaw. “Go on, I’ll go get you something to change into”

“Thank you” Alicent reached out and took Rhaenyra’s hand, squeezing it gently before she could leave the room. 

“Don’t mention it” 

They stared at one another for perhaps a beat too long before Rhaenyra excused herself and left the room, retreating to her own bedroom. 

By the time she returned, the bathroom was filled with steam and she could just about make out the silhouette of Alicent behind the shower screen. With a gentle smile Rhaenyra placed the folded clothes down and retreated downstairs. 

It had been clear the moment she lay eyes on Alicent that they would not be having sex tonight. And she was okay with that. In fact, she was more than okay with that because the moment she had realised how exhausted Alicent was she had been hit with the overwhelming need to take care of her. 

Yet another sign that she was precariously close to blurring that line between lust and love. 

Back downstairs she found herself gravitating towards the kitchen. If Alicent had been studying all day, and had fallen asleep for most of the afternoon, then it seemed incredibly likely that she hadn’t eaten. But Rhaenyra could remedy that quite easily. 

Checking what she had in the fridge she turned on the kitchen speakers with some low music and got to work on cooking. 

It was close to twenty minutes later when out of the corner of her eye Rhaenyra noticed the figure in the kitchen doorway. 

“Hey…”

“Hi” Alicent smiled softly. She stood there in a pair of borrowed sweatpants and t-shirt, her damp hair loose around her shoulders, and Rhaenyra thought that perhaps she had never seen a sight more beautiful in the whole Seven Kingdoms. 

“Come sit down, I made you some tea” Rhaenyra explained, pulling out one of the breakfast bar chairs. 

“Thank you” Alicent slowly padded across the kitchen and sat down as instructed, a grateful smile crossing her lips as the hot mug of tea was placed in front of her. 

“You’re welcome” Rhaenyra gently cupped the back of her head and pressed a kiss to the top of it. 

It was domestic. There was no denying it.

“What are you doing?”

Rhaenyra glanced back at Alicent as she reached into a cupboard and took out some bowls. 

“Serving dinner”

“Dinner?”

“Yeah” Rhaenyra looked at her like she’d grown a second head. “You know, food. That you eat”

“Why?”

“Because I imagine you haven’t eaten much today”

Alicent stared at her, eyes a little wide as she took in Rhaenyra’s words and the hidden meaning behind them. 

Let me take care of you . 

“Thank you” her words were a whisper, her smile a beacon. 

“It’s only pasta” Rhaenyra shrugged, it wasn’t a big deal. Or at least it was easier to tell herself that. 

Turning back to the stove she filled the bowls with the pasta and nodded towards the doorway. “Let’s go sit on the couch”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah” Rhaenyra nodded and Alicent got to her feet. “Grab some forks?” she asked, not overthinking how Alicent knew exactly where to find the cutlery as she led her through to the living room. 

Rhaenyra flopped down on the large sofa and Alicent joined her, placing her tea down on the coffee table and taking a proffered bowl from Rhaenyra. “Thank you”

Rhaenyra sat back, balancing her bowl on her knee and picking up the tv remote. “What do you wanna watch?”

“What?” Alicent looked surprised, eyes wide and uncertain. 

“TV” Rhaenyra nodded towards it as she took a bite of pasta. 

“You want to watch TV?” Alicent looked surprised.

“Yeah, why not?”

Alicent shrugged, moving her fork around the bowl but not eating. “It’s not why I’m here” she mumbled. “You’re paying me for sex”

“I’m paying for your company” Rhaenyra countered, eyes on the tv as she chose something to watch and shovelled pasta into her mouth.

“I’m so unprofessional tonight. I’m sorry” Alicent’s voice was low, a melancholy in it that was rare for their interactions. “You’re not paying me tonight,” she insisted.

“Yes I am” Rhaenyra argued, her voice completely neutral as she stared at the tv. 

“No you’re not,” Alicent sighed. “At this point I’m just using you”

“I thought I was the one using you” Rhaenyra asked softly, glancing over at Alicent with a raised eyebrow. “For sex, for a good price”

Alicent was silent as she stared down at the bowl of pasta in her lap. And when she spoke she refused to look at Rhaenyra. “It hasn’t felt like that for a while”

A sadness passed over Rhaenyra’s expression and she reached out, gently squeezing Alicent’s knee. “I care about you” she admitted, surely Alicent understood that by now? “The sex is great” she squeezed Alicent’s knee once more and gave her an amused smile, which Alicent mirrored. “But I think we’re friends now. And friends look out for one another” 

“Okay”

“Now eat your dinner and then tell me when TV got so bad”

A gentle smile spread across Alicent’s face as she finally took a bite of dinner and glanced over at Rhaenyra. “I can’t believe you’re watching TV”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. It’s just so weird. The Princess watching TV. Your family are meant to be on TV, not watching it:

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes. “I’m just a normal person”

“There is nothing normal about you, Rhaenyra Targaryen”

—-

The TV will shut down in 10 minutes. Press any button to cancel shut down.

Rhaenyra shifted ever so slightly so that she could reach the remote, gently pressing the mute button. The low buzz of the movie she had only half been paying attention to dispersed and she placed the remote back on the arm of the couch before turning her head ever so slightly to look at the sleeping woman pressed against her shoulder. 

Despite her insistence that she was here to work, Alicent had barely lasted ten minutes after finishing her dinner before her eyes had started to droop. 

Rhaenyra had quietly continued to watch TV, not wanting to disturb Alicent and cut short her relaxation. And soon enough she had felt a gentle weight on her shoulder as the other woman had been lulled to sleep. She had barely moved since, scared to wake Alicent from what was clearly a much needed rest. 

But it was late and she ached from the awkward angle at which she had been sitting for the best part of the last two hours. 

And no doubt Alicent would not thank her for letting her sleep at such an awkward angle too. 

Ever so carefully Rhaenyra began to extract her body from being Alicent’s pillow, carefully laying the woman down in the now vacated space on the couch. 

Stretching her neck Rhaenyra watched Alicent for a moment to check she wasn’t about to wake up and then quietly retrieved their bowls and mugs, taking them into the kitchen to tidy up. 

When she returned to the living room, illuminated only by the low light of the TV, she noticed that Alicent had shifted slightly onto her side, one arm dangling over the edge of the couch. Rhaenyra’s heart swelled at the sight and she was struck suddenly by how desperately she wanted this to be her life. 

Their life .

It was foolish thinking, deep down she knew that. Her and Alicent were friends, yes, but truly she knew that the only reason they saw each other was because Rhaenyra paid good money for it. And besides, even in some insane alternative reality where Alicent might actually want her it would not be that simple. 

Rhaenyra’s life was not her own. 

It never would be. 

She pinched her nose and let out a soft sigh before walking over to the couch and leaning down to gently shake Alicent awake. 

“Alicent?”

The other woman just let out a gentle moan and rolled further onto her side. “Al, it’s time to wake up” she tried again but to no avail. 

Briefly she glanced around the living room, eyes falling on the blanket slung over the back of the armchair. But Alicent had been tired all day, the last thing she needed was to wake up with a crick in her neck from sleeping on a couch. 

“I hope you don’t think I’m a creep for this” she muttered softly, reaching to turn off the TV before ever so carefully sliding one arm beneath Alicent’s legs and the other beneath her torso, lifting the smaller woman into her arms. “Let’s get you to bed” she whispered as she carefully navigated her way out of the living room with the object of her dreams wrapped up in her arms. 

It was difficult, but thankfully she had had enough practice carrying Alicent by this point. Carefully nudging the upstairs light switch with her elbow she began her ascent up the staircase. 

With a quick command to the smart speaker her bedroom lamp switched on and Rhaenyra walked in with Alicent somehow still asleep in her arms, her head pressed against her chest. It was a wonder the beating of Rhaenyra’s heart hadn’t woken her.

With the care reserved for something fragile Rhaenyra knelt on the bed, gently laying Alicent down, her auburn hair a stark contrast to the bright white of the pillowcase. As she moved to get up soft brown eyes fluttered open and Rhaenyra was caught in their trap. 

Thankfully Alicent didn’t seem to mind that she was waking up in Rhaenyra’s bed with Rhaenyra’s body over her in what could be assumed to be a bit of a compromising position. 

“Hi,” she muttered softly, claiming yet another piece of Rhaenyra’s heart with the soft and sleepy smile that crossed her face. 

“Hi” Rhaenyra breathed out, completely caught in Alicent’s gaze, her arms bracketing her shoulders on the mattress. 

Alicent let out a soft hum, sleepily closing her eyes and turning her head into the softness of the pillows for a moment before opening her eyes and looking back up at Rhaenyra. 

It felt like forever that they stared at one another before Alicent was reaching up, her hands gently squeezing Rhaenyra’s biceps before reaching further and cupping her jaw. 

The blue eyed woman was hopeless under her touch and just stayed stock-still, watching her with something akin to wonder in her gaze. 

And then Alicent’s hands were finally in her hair, just as she had promised hours and hours ago. The smile on her face grew and Rhaenyra’s followed suit. 

“You’re still you” she whispered, fingers gently threading through the silver. 

“Of course I am”

“The hair gave me pause…” 

And Rhaenyra’s eyes shone with happiness at the callback. Did Alicent think about some of their first meetings as often as she did? Or was it a happy coincidence? Either way she leant into the touch, soft fingers feeling good in her hair. 

“I really thought you’d be different”

“Why?” Rhaenyra found herself asking as she tilted her head to press a kiss to Alicent’s hand as it cradled her face. 

Alicent just smiled for a few moments before offering a gentle shrug. “Bureaucratic bullshit”

Blue eyes rolled and she chuckled lightly before shifting out of Alicent’s hold and moving to lay on her side. Brown eyes followed, Alicent’s head shifting on the pillow to watch her. 

“Go to sleep, you’re exhausted” 

“I can go home”

“No you can’t”

Alicent fixed her with a stare but it didn’t seem like she had the energy to argue. “Let me take care of you?” Rhaenyra whispered, reaching out to gently brush soft red curls out of Alicent’s face. 

Brown eyes fell shut at Rhaenyra’s touch, only opening when she felt the brush of Rhaenyra’s thumb on her cheek. “You’re not real,” she whispered. 

“Sorry to disappoint, but I am” she smiled and leant in, brushing her lips to Alicent’s forehead before carefully manoeuvring Alicent’s legs and body beneath the duvet. 

“You’ve never disappointed me”

Rhaenyra’s gaze dropped and she smiled gently as she let go of the other woman and moved to get out of bed. “R’nyra” Alicent’s words were soft, a mumble, but her grip on Rhaenyra’s hand was firm. 

“What?”

“Don’t go”

“I’m not” she replied, and it was a wonder the words made it out of her because her chest was constricting, breath stolen by the desperation in Alicent’s voice and the hope that it caused to bloom inside Rhaenyra. “I’m just going to get changed,” she promised, gently squeezing Alicent’s hand. 

It took a moment but she eventually relinquished her grasp and Rhaenyra got off of the bed to find something to change into. Settling on a t-shirt and the boxers she was already wearing she drifted into the en-suite bathroom to brush her teeth, trying not to smile as she saw Alicent watching her through the reflection in the mirror. 

It all felt so domestic. In a way that the heir to the throne had never had the opportunity to experience before. And she wanted it. With all of her heart she wanted Alicent Hightower. 

“Hi” she whispered as she climbed into bed and shifted onto her side to face Alicent’s sleepy gaze. 

“Hi” 

Rhaenyra couldn’t help the soft laughter that escaped her at how ridiculous they sounded. She loved it. 

“Sleep” she urged as she stared across her pillow at the other woman. 

“Mm, I will. In a minute” 

Rhaenyra sighed amusedly and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling with a gentle smile. It only took a few seconds before Alicent shifted, her head coming to rest on Rhaenyra’s chest. 

Would you be mine? If I asked it of you?

The heir shook the treacherous thoughts from her mind and reached to turn off the bedside lamp. “Do you need to be up for anything in the morning?” she asked in the quiet dark of her bedroom where for the first time in years someone was going to spend the night with her. 

“Just to study”

“Okay, no alarm” Rhaenyra confirmed, her arm sliding around Alicent and holding her soft body against hers. “But I won’t let you sleep too long,” she promised. 

Alicent shifted in her arms, the cold skin of her nose pressing into the crook of Rhaenyra’s neck. It felt good. It felt real . 

“Goodnight ‘nyra”

“Goodnight Al,” she whispered back, fingers delving beneath the t-shirt Alicent wore to trace gentle patterns against the soft skin of her back. 

Don’t fall in love with a whore, they said . 

Rhaenyra never had been one for following rules.

Chapter Text

When Rhaenyra came to consciousness the next morning it was with a warm weight pressed to her front. A gentle smile crossed her face at the memory of last night, her arm tightening ever so slightly around Alicent’s waist, her nose nuzzled contentedly against the soft red curls at the top of her head. 

She could get used to this.

“Morning…” the sleepy croak of Alicent’s voice made her heart swell. 

“Hi…you’re awake?”

Alicent hummed in confirmation and shifted onto her back causing Rhaenyra to reluctantly let go of her. Their eyes met and all Rhaenyra could do was smile, a smile filled with all the adoration and wonder that she felt for this woman. 

“Did you sleep well?” she found herself asking. 

“Yeah. Did you?” Alicent replied with a nod, turning her head on the pillow so that she could better look at Rhaenyra. 

“Yeah” 

She left out the part where it may have been the best sleep she’d had in a long long time, because that felt too much in this fragile moment between them. 

A silence fell as the two women lay there, eyes quietly taking one another in. Quietly accepting that something may have changed between them last night.

Rhaenyra’s eyes watched closely, committing this sight to memory and studying every slight change in Alicent’s facial expression. They had been sleeping together for months but this was only the second time they had woken up together, and it felt important, it felt like if she was careful, if she did the right things then maybe this could be a turning point in a relationship that she increasingly wished was real. 

After a few more moments she decided to be brave, sitting up slightly and angling her body over Alicent’s. “Can I?” She asked softly, her eyes dropping to Alicent’s lips. 

“I’ve probably got morning breath”

“That’s okay” 

Alicent’s soft smile felt like permission and Rhaenyra leant down to brush her lips against hers. Two, three, four sweet kisses before she rolled onto her back with a content sigh. 

“Five weeks is a long time,” she mused. 

“It is,” Alicent agreed, turning her head slightly on the pillow so she could watch the other woman. “Though I suspect you’ve not gone without”

“What do you mean?” Rhaenyra glanced over at her. 

Alicent rolled her eyes and playfully shoved her. “I’m sure you have plenty of girls on Dragonstone, Dornish or otherwise”

Rhaenyra chuckled and folded one arm behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling. “I’m sure you’ve had more action than I in the past weeks”

“I’m sure I haven’t” 

Rhaenyra’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, her brow knit in confusion before she glanced towards Alicent once more. “The most action I’ve had was a phone call with you in which you told me we would not be having phone sex” she laughed.

Alicent stared at her for a few moments, seemingly analysing Rhaenyra’s words, deciding whether she believed them or not. “That’s seriously it? Are you off your game, Targaryen?”

“Must be” an amused smile stayed on Rhaenyra’s lips as they played this game of cat and mouse. “But surely you’re not?” She asked, eyebrows raising. Alicent after all did this for money, didn’t she?

“Are you trying to get me to admit it’s only you?”

“Indeed”

Alicent rolled her eyes and shoved her once more. “For that I’m gonna need coffee” 

“I can do that” Rhaenyra shifted onto her side, lips brushing the corner of Alicent’s mouth. “With lots of milk, right?”

“Lots of milk” she agreed, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips as Rhaenyra sat up in bed. 

“Okay” Rhaenyra agreed with a sleepy yawn, stretching slightly before getting out of bed. “I won’t be long”

Alicent smiled softly but said no more as Rhaenyra walked out of the bedroom. 

There was a lightness to Rhaenyra as she made her way downstairs, heart fluttering at the sight of Alicent’s coat and bag by the door with hers. She walked into the kitchen and set about brewing some coffee, leaning on the counter as she waited. 

Last night had changed things in Rhaenyra’s mind. She knew she was incredibly attracted to Alicent, that much was pretty obvious. And they were good together. The sex was always amazing, they were always laughing with one another, they just worked . And in any other circumstance Rhaenyra would be preparing herself to tell her Father she had met someone, priming the press to ‘soft launch’ them, would be preparing for the world to know that the heir had found that special someone.

But she couldn’t do that. Because Alicent was not hers. Not for any longer than the hours she paid for her company. 

It was easy, in moments like this, to contemplate just asking Alicent to be hers. To contemplate admitting how she felt and asking her out on a proper date. And she was close to it, she really was, but always in the back of her mind was that conversation, that argument from a few weeks ago. 

Alicent believed she was straight. Or at least believed that’s what she ought to be.

It was messy and Rhaenyra knew she would only get hurt if she tried to convince Alicent that they could be together. No, Alicent had to figure out her sexuality by herself. And when she did, if she wanted her, Rhaenyra would be hers. 

But until then she would take what she could get. Would let Alicent lead this dance, but would be an attentive partner all the same.

The bubbling of the coffee on the stove interrupted Rhaenyra’s thoughts and she turned off the heat before grabbing a couple of mugs and some milk. 

By the time she made it back up to the bedroom she found Alicent curled up on her side with her back to the door. 

“You better not have gone back to sleep,” she chuckled softly. 

“Or what?” came the sleepy reply. 

“Or I’ll have to drink all of the coffee”

There was a rustling of the blankets as Alicent rolled onto her back and glared up at her. It was adorable. 

“Don’t you dare,” she warned. 

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes and got back into bed, sitting against the headboard and waiting for Alicent to follow suit before pressing a hot mug into her hands. 

“I’m sorry about last night” 

Alicent’s words broke the silence that had fallen over them. 

“You’ve nothing to be sorry for” Rhaenyra’s words were honest.

“Yes I have. I doubt you were hoping to spend your evening dealing with -”

“Alicent, truly, it is fine” Rhaenyra insisted. 

The redhead glanced up at her, holding her gaze for a moment. “Thank you” she whispered. “It was very kind of you”

“To carry an unconscious woman to my bed?” 

That earned her a shove and she couldn’t help but smirk in response. 

“If you were any other client then yes, it would be incredibly creepy and I don’t like to think what might have happened” Alicent admitted as she took another sip of the coffee. “I feel safe with you, Rhaenyra” she continued, sincerity lacing her tone. 

Rhaenyra swallowed the lump in her throat, willed her heart to stop beating out of her chest. “Good” was all she could muster as a response. 

A soft smile was shared between them and then Alicent cleared her throat. 

“What are you doing today?” she asked casually.

“Just some stuff” Rhaenyra shrugged and finished her coffee before shifting to place the mug on the bedside table.

“Stuff? Ominous” Alicent hummed as she pressed her empty mug into Rhaenyra’s hands. 

Rhaenyra laughed lightly. “I’m going to the local children’s hospital around lunchtime,” she admitted as she reached to place Alicent’s mug beside her own. 

There was a genuine surprise in the way that Alicent’s eyes widened. “Wow, really?”

“Yeah” Rhaenyra ducked her head sheepishly. “I’ve been a few times before,” she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. “It’s really tough to see what they are going through but really rewarding to spend time with them and make them happy. If only for a few hours” she explained, glancing cautiously at Alicent. 

“That’s really sweet…”

She shrugged. “It’s the least I can do”

“Good for your public image too,” she teased.

“Well, yeah. I suppose there is that” Rhaenyra agreed softly. “I do genuinely enjoy going though, even if there is a bit of a push for the good PR too” she admitted with honesty. “And then afterwards I’ll probably go see my Father for a little while. How about you? Do you have any plans today?” she asked. “You don’t want to come watch me put smiles on all those little faces?” she teased. 

Alicent rolled her eyes. “As much as I would love to watch a bunch of kids wrap you around their little fingers I’m afraid I’ve got another day of studying ahead” she replied with a roll of her eyes. “That’s all I do at the moment” 

“Your exams are next week, right?”

“Yeah, don’t remind me”

Rhaenyra smiled softly. “I’m sure you’ll do great”

“I hope so,” Alicent let out a gentle sigh and Rhaenyra was reminded of just how exhausted her friend had been the night before. “I’m finding it really difficult to study at the moment,” she admitted. 

“Why's that?”

“I don’t know. I’m tired. Campus is so busy. My apartment is so hot and tiny” she listed her complaints with a shrug. 

“Then why don’t you study here?” Rhaenyra’s reply was so nonchalant that it took a few moments for it to truly register in Alicent’s brain. 

“Don’t be ridiculous”

“I’m not being ridiculous”

“Rhaenyra…”

“I’m not even going to be here anyway. There’s an office. There’s a comfortable armchair. There’s air con” 

“You not being here makes it weirder” Alicent argued.

“No it doesn’t”

Alicent watched her carefully, trying to figure out if she was being serious or not. 

“It’s up to you,” Rhaenyra insisted. “But seriously you’re welcome to. And then when I get home this evening maybe we could hang out?”

“Hang out? You mean fuck?”

“No,” Rhaenyra argued. “I mean hang out. We’re friends right?”

“Friends who fuck”

The blonde rolled her eyes. “That is not my intention. But we are both adults and if we decide that we want to have sex then yes, sure” she relented. “And before you can say anything, I will play by the damn rules and text Mysaria to ask to see you, and you can reply and tell her you can’t wait, and then your conscience will be clear and I can pay you” 

Alicent rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t say ‘I can’t wait’, I think I would actually tell her no so she could remind me that you’re an ‘elite client’ and then I can reluctantly agree. You know, really sell it?”

“Whatever gets you off” Rhaenyra chuckled and kissed her once more before sitting up. “I’m going for a shower. And no, you’re not invited to join me” 

She laughed loudly as a pillow came flying past her head as she walked out of the room. 

—

“Honey, I’m home!”

“Gods, shut up!”

Rhaenyra laughed as she kicked the front door closed behind her, walking through the hallway with her arms full with grocery bags. 

“Hi” she smiled softly as she looked into the living room and saw Alicent sitting cross legged on the old leather arm chair, a book in her arms and notes spread out all over the coffee table. 

“Hi” Alicent looked up with a gentle smile. “How was your day?”

“Good,” she nodded. “Yours?

“Yeah, good,” Alicent agreed. 

“Hungry? I was thinking of making an early dinner” Something flashed in Alicent’s eyes as they looked across the room at one another and Rhaenyra was sure she was going to say no. So quickly she added, “It’s really not a problem, I’m cooking for myself anyway”

“I can help you”

“That’s okay, keep studying” she smiled softly before turning and walking to the kitchen. 

Placing the bags down on the counter she turned on the bluetooth speaker, rolled up her sleeves and took out a chopping board. 

“Do you like cooking?”

The soft voice made Rhaenyra smile and she looked up to the sight of Alicent, books clutched in her arms, walking over to the breakfast bar. 

“I prefer cooking for someone rather than just myself” 

“It’s surprising”

“Why?”

“You’re royalty. Aren’t you supposed to have a butler and a handmaiden and servants?”

“I could, I suppose,” Rhaenyra shrugged as she started taking things out of the grocery bags. “But much of my life is already dictated by my family’s legacy, I’m in no rush to give up even more control” she explained, glancing over at Alicent. “Would you like a drink?”

“I’ll get them” Alicent stood and walked over to the fridge, offering a gentle smile to Rhaenyra. “I get it” she continued as she took a bottle of beer and a bottle of wine out. “I think you do well. You’re respectful of your family’s expectations but you live life the way you wish”

“For now. I suspect it will change”

“When you take the throne?” Alicent asked as she opened the beer bottle and placed it down beside Rhaenyra. 

“Precisely”

“I can’t imagine how the weight of that expectation must feel”

“It’s not great,” Rhaenyra admitted, glancing over at Alicent as she poured some wine. “I know I shouldn’t complain, I am incredibly lucky and privileged”

“But you would not have chosen this fate for yourself?”

“Absolutely not”

Alicent smiled gently and reached to squeeze Rhaenyra’s forearm. “You could renounce the throne?” she joked. 

“And do what?”

“Live your life. Get a proper job” Alicent chuckled, taking a sip of her wine.

“Runaway with you?”

“I could be persuaded” she smirked, leaning back against the countertop. 

“I thought you were incredibly heterosexual?”

Alicent rolled her eyes. “I suppose you’d have to be my secret rather than the other way round for once” 

“I suppose I would.” There was a soft smile on Rhaenyra’s lips as she forced herself to concentrate on chopping up vegetables. Being Alicent Hightower’s secret didn’t sound all that bad. “How’s the studying?” she asked, deciding it would be safer to change topic. 

“Fine. Boring. Neverending”

“I don’t envy you” Rhaenyra smiled as she turned on the stove and tossed some oil into a pan. 

“Thank you for letting me study here today,” Alicent said genuinely. 

“Of course. I hope it was fruitful?”

“It was good,” Alicent nodded. “You have such a nice place”

“Technically it’s my Father's,” Rhaenyra admitted as she picked up the bottle of beer and took a sip. “Why did I get beer and not wine?”

“You seem like more of a beer person” Alicent shrugged, looking up from her notebook once more. 

“Do I?”

“Mhm” Alicent nodded. “There’s a lot more beer in the fridge than wine. Whenever you’re photographed out for dinner you have beer or whisky. You said coffee over tea and beer over wine when asked in that Westerosi Times article and -”

“Ms Hightower” Rhaenyra chuckled and glanced over at her. “Are you obsessed with me?”

“You wish” Alicent huffed and looked away, though she was bright red at the realisation of how much she had given away. 

“I bet you have a poster of me on your bedroom wall, don’t you?” Rhaenyra grinned, glancing away from cooking to look at Alicent again. “Do you want my autograph? In fact, where’s your phone, do you want a photo?”

“You’re so annoying”

“But attractive, right?”

“Shut up and cook”

—

When dinner was over the two of them retreated to the living room where Alicent returned to her textbooks and Rhaenyra lounged beside her on the couch, her legs up on the coffee table in front of her and a football match on the tv. 

“You can turn the volume up you know”

“Don’t wanna disturb you”

Alicent fixed her with a look that was a little intense and then she looked back down at the book in her lap. “It’s fine, it’s your place anyway”

Rhaenyra watched her for a few moments before reaching for the remote and turning the volume up ever so slightly, as if to make a point. 

“I didn’t know you liked football?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me”

“Friends should know these things”

Rhaenyra’s eyes searched Alicent for a few quiet moments. “I love football,” she eventually admitted. 

“Do you have a favourite team?”

“The Dragons, obviously”

“Obviously” Alicent laughed softly, her eyes shining with something Rhaenyra couldn’t name. 

“My Father used to take me to see them when I was young,” she explained. “We haven’t been to a game together for some time but I think that one day, if I have children of my own, I should like to share that passion with them too”

“That sounds nice” 

“Yeah”

Alicent glanced at the tv and then back at Rhaenyra, a smile forming on her lips as she watched how animated the other woman got when something happened in the match. It was cute. And she could imagine a smaller version of her sitting in her lap, just as animated by the game. 

“How’s the studying going?”

“Huh?” Alicent lifted her eyes to meet Rhaenyra’s, face reddening as she had been caught just staring at the other woman. 

“Studying” she laughed. 

“Oh. Right” She made a show of picking up her notebook.

“Can I help?”

“No you’re watching the game” she shook her head and gestured to the tv. 

“It’s half time”

“It’s fine”

“Okay” Rhaenyra got to her feet and grabbed their empty glasses. “Drink?”

“I shouldn’t drink more wine…”

“Tea then” Rhaenyra’s smile was soft as she headed out of the room, leaving Alicent more distracted somehow than she had been when she’d been in the room with her. 

When she returned, with two mugs of tea, she plucked Alicent’s notes from her lap before falling down on the couch beside her once more. “Tell me how to help”

“You don’t have to…”

“I want to”

The two stared at each other in silence for a few minutes before Alicent relented and dropped a textbook in Rhaenyra’s lap. 

“Ask me questions about the First Dornish War”

“Alright” she watched carefully as Rhaenyra’s fingers turned page after page before she placed it down on the coffee table in front of her. 

“Hm okay. In what year did it end?” she asked, glancing over at Alicent, the light of the tv reflecting in her eyes. “And I’ll give you a bonus point for when it started”

“Are you sure you don’t need the book?” Alicent grinned. 

“Absolutely not. My ancestors started the damn thing, I unfortunately know too much about it” 

Alicent rolled her eyes. “Started in 4AC, ended in 13. Lasted 9 years”

“Not bad” Rhaenyra smiled and tapped Alicent’s leg, folded beneath her, encouraging her to lay her legs across her lap. Reluctantly Alicent acquiesced. “Who led the first assault?”

“Are you going to ask anything harder?” 

“I’m just warming you up” Rhaenyra chuckled, her hands gently massaging Alicent’s calf. 

“And now you’re trying to distract me”

“Relax you”

“Princess Rhaenys” Alicent answered, a fire in her eyes as she looked at Rhaenyra. “Not to be confused with your Aunt Rhaenys” she added with a smirk. “Now harder ”

A smirk tugged at Rhaenyra’s lips, this was going to be fun. 

—

The next two days went by much the same. Alicent somehow repeatedly agreeing to spend the night and then study from Rhaenyra’s apartment whilst the heir went about her day. In the evening they cooked together before collapsing onto the couch, Alicent’s head, or legs, in Rhaenyra’s lap as she asked her questions about the different historical periods her exams would cover. 

And then at the end of the evening they would find themselves side by side brushing their teeth as if they had been married twenty years. 

It was only when the soft rhythm of Alicent’s breathing evened out, signalling her sleep, that Rhaenyra would finally allow herself to admit how dangerous all of this was. They were acting like a couple and it was making her want it more than she could imagine. To fall asleep with Alicent innocently in her arms, to wake with her still there, content enough to not expect or ask more of one another - it was hard to deny that didn’t mean something. 

But it was just a friendship. A friendship finally being realised. That perhaps blurred some boundaries but a friendship all the same. 

It wasn’t until the fourth night that Alicent pushed them towards more. 

—

Alicent

Will you be back soon or should I go to bed?

 

Rhaenyra pulled her phone out of her pocket at the vibration and glanced at the screen, her stomach flipping at the sight of the name on it. 

“Excuse me” she said politely to the group of dignitaries she was talking to, carefully pushing past them to make her escape to the castle gardens. 

Rhaenyra 

Bored without me?

You should have come 

Alicent

Not bored. Just trying to be a good friend and stay awake to help your drunken ass to bed. 

 

Rhaenyra

Still should’ve come with me 

 

Alicent

To a charity event in the Red Keep? Filled with everyone who’s anyone in the Seven Kingdoms? No thanks. I don’t think being plastered all over the newspapers as ‘worst dressed nobody’ would be great for my self esteem just days before my exams! 

Rhaenyra 

You would be the best dressed

And the hottest

And you’re not a nobody

Rhaenyra leant against the railing, looking down on the gardens and the people milling about below, allowing herself for just a moment to imagine what it might be like to have Alicent here. 

Alicent

Somehow you’re even more annoying when I can’t see you 

Rhaenyra

Then let’s remedy that

She turned around, leaning her back against the balcony rail and pressed the video call button. Alicent answered at a surprising speed. 

“Hi…” Rhaenyra couldn’t help the stupid smile on her face as she saw Alicent come into view on the small screen. The other woman looked to be curled up on the couch in Rhaenyra’s apartment, wrapped in a blanket. 

“No, I’ve changed my mind,” Alicent replied with a shake of her head. “You are more annoying when I can see you”

“Seven Hells” Rhaenyra rolled her eyes. “I ought to have gotten a drink before I called you”

“What are you wearing?”

“What?”

Rhaenyra’s brow furrowed slightly at the way Alicent was looking at the screen, her nose wrinkled in an adorable way and a laugh behind her eyes.

“Are you in a suit ?”

“Well yeah it’s a black tie event…”

Alicent shifted on the couch and Rhaenyra couldn’t quite see her face for a few moments before she came back into view with a neutral look on her face. 

“How’s studying?” she asked. 

“Boring. How’s the party?”

“Boring”

A beat passed between them. 

“I can probably get outta here in about an hour” Rhaenyra finally broke the silence. “But if you’re tired don’t wait up”

“No, I have to wait up now” Alicent insisted, despite the sleepy smile on her face. “I need to see this suit in all its glory”

Rhaenyra laughed softly and ducked her head. “I wish you were here”

“Why?”

“I dunno,” Rhaenyra shrugged. “I don’t feel like I fit in at these things, with these people, in this place ”

“In this place ?” Alicent laughed. “Your family home? The place you’re going to live with your future wife and children? Gods Rhaenyra, if you don’t fit in there then where do you?”

“I dunno,” she replied, her tone sombre. “At home. With you”

“Rhaenyra…”

“Reading out history trivia about my ridiculous family”

Alicent laughed at that, soft and light and Rhaenyra ached to be at home. 

“Maybe -” 

She never heard the rest of Alicent’s words as an explosion of fireworks erupted in the sky behind her. Rhaenyra turned around to take in the spectacle.

She glanced at the phone screen and Alicent, flipping the camera instead to face the fireworks. A soft smile crossed Alicent’s face and her mouth moved but Rhaenyra couldn’t hear it over the bangs above.

“Go to the balcony” she shouted towards the phone, no idea if Alicent could even hear her. “I want to see your view of it”

She must have been able to hear her because as she looked down at the screen she recognised Alicent moving through the apartment, and soon she was out on the balcony flipping her own camera so that Rhaenyra could see the sky lit up from outside the Red Keep. 

It was stupid really, but it made her feel closer to Alicent. It made it feel as though the walls of the Red Keep didn’t have to matter, that perhaps one day they wouldn’t keep them apart. 

—

Rhaenyra managed to make it back to the penthouse apartment an hour and a half after the firework display. She was half expecting Alicent to be asleep by now and so she was quiet as she opened and closed the door.

“Hey…”

Not asleep then. 

“Hi…” Rhaenyra turned around to the sight of Alicent standing at the top of the stairs, wearing one of Rhaenyra’s t-shirts and by the looks of it not much else. “I thought you might be asleep”

“I said I would wait”

“I couldn’t hear much of anything with the fireworks,” Rhaenyra explained, playing with the keys in her hand. 

“Are you coming to bed?”

She swallowed thickly at that. Why were they doing this? For the last four days they had been acting as if this was their home, as if they were together . It was going to kill her when it inevitably ended. 

(Did it have to end?)

“Yeah I’ll just be -” she gestured aimlessly around her. 

“Okay” Alicent smiled softly and turned around, disappearing from view. 

Rhaenyra let out a shaky breath. What were they doing?

She bent down to take off her shoes, taking her time because there was an uneasiness in her stomach and she needed a moment to control it before facing Alicent once more. 

It took ten minutes and a glass of water before she finally ascended the stairs, a part of her hoping that Alicent was already asleep - it would definitely be easier to control her desires that way. 

But alas, there was no such luck. 

“I was about to come and check on you. Thought maybe you’d passed out drunk”

Rhaenyra laughed softly and sat on the edge of the bed, hands going to her collar to unfasten the tie around her neck. “It’ll take more than dinner party champagne to down me”

She stilled as she felt the shift of the mattress, followed by the feeling of soft hands over her shoulders covering her own hands. 

“You look good”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah” 

Rhaenyra’s eyes fell shut against her will as she felt soft lips brush the skin behind her ear. 

“Alicent…” she warned. 

“I know, I know” Alicent’s lips pressed against the back of her neck, her hands gently holding her shoulders as she closed her eyes and leant her forehead on Rhaenyra’s back. “But you look so good tonight” she insisted, attempting to keep her voice measured. 

“Only tonight” she tried to tease. 

“Especially tonight” And then her hands were moving, insistent, as they tried to get Rhaenyra to shrug off the suit jacket. She obeyed. Because how could she not? 

The jacket fell easily off of her shoulders and Rhaenyra’s torso twisted with desperation into Alicent’s waiting arms. Their lips met eagerly, a thirst finally quenched. 

Rhaenyra vaguely remembered Alicent’s no kissing rule and briefly wondered how they had gone from that to this. But then Alicent’s hands were at her neck and all other thoughts were forgotten as the smaller woman began to unfasten the black tie with a fierce determination between kisses. 

With the silk unravelled Alicent broke away to take in her handiwork, a gentle smile on her lips. Her hands returned to Rhaenyra’s collar, making quick work of the buttons of her shirt. 

“Have you been planning this all night?” the silver-haired woman teased, blue eyes watching with admiration. 

“Not all night” she scoffed as she worked open the final button, eyes drinking in the sight of pale skin. She swallowed, eyes meeting Rhaenyra’s as her fingers dipped beneath the fabric and traced a gentle path down her sternum. 

“I don’t believe you” Rhaenyra leant in, brushing their lips together briefly before getting to her feet and reaching for the belt at her waist. Her hands were promptly batted away and Alicent took over, kneeling on the bed in front of the Targaryen heir as she made quick work of the belt and then the trouser fastenings. 

Rhaenyra’s tongue darted out to wet her lips as she shrugged off the shirt that was now loose about her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor along with her jacket and then trousers. She leant down, arms winding around Alicent as she hoisted her into her arms. The redhead gasped, her legs wrapping around Rhaenyra’s waist as their lips met once more. It didn’t last long though because Rhaenyra was soon using her assumed control over the other woman to manoeuvre them back onto the bed, Alicent’s head hitting the soft pillows as she was dropped down onto the mattress, Rhaenyra falling with her. 

Reaching up, Alicent cupped that handsome face and pulled it down to meet hers in yet another kiss of desperation, her legs still tight around Rhaenyra’s waist. Lithe fingers made her shudder as they slid beneath the soft fabric of the borrowed t-shirt and circled her hip before hooking in the waistband of her underwear. 

A jolt of desire flooded through Rhaenyra’s body and she began to tug the underwear off of the other woman when she felt fingers wrap around her biceps. A warning. 

“Wait wait wait…” Alicent begged, causing Rhaenyra to immediately pause her actions. “We can’t”

“Why?” she tried not to sound so frustrated. 

“Mysaria doesn’t know”

“You don’t need her permission…” It was difficult not to laugh at how ridiculous it sounded. 

“Rhaenyra, please…” 

She shifted slightly, sitting back on her heels so she could take in Alicent’s expression. It was difficult to discern what was reflected in her eyes other than the hint of panic. 

“I have to…” Alicent began, shaking her head softly. “I can’t -” 

She moved to sit up and push away when it suddenly hit Rhaenyra what was going on. They had never been together without Alicent being able to fall back on it being a job as her reasoning. If she truly wanted this, wanted Rhaenyra, then that was going to open up so many questions in the young woman’s head. 

And as much as it hurt Rhaenyra to know that she couldn’t simply be a choice to Alicent , she understood well enough the turmoil of coming to terms with yourself and your desires. 

A distant memory of their argument a few weeks ago flashed across her mind. Alicent wasn’t comfortable with her sexuality and yet over the past few days had let herself get comfortable in Rhaenyra’s life. But she still needed permission to take what she truly wanted. And Rhaenyra knew she could give that permission and save her from fighting her internal demons. 

“Okay, I get it. I get it” she whispered, reaching out to stop Alicent from retreating. “It’s okay. I understand” she promised sincerely. “I understand” Her fingers gently brushed against Alicent’s jaw, her eyes searching Alicent’s gaze in the hope that she could calm the woman beneath her. 

She hesitated only momentarily before reaching down to the ground and fumbling around with her discarded trousers to find her phone. Once it was in hand she quickly found the familiar number and dialled. 

“Rhaenyra…” Mysaria’s reply was almost instant. “Aren’t you supposed to be at a charity dinner? Or are the skies of King’s Landing being lit up for the fun of it?”

“Mysaria” she breathed out, ignoring the other woman’s words. “Can I - I really want to see her tonight”

“She isn’t working this week” Mysaria was blunt in her response. 

“I know,” Rhaenyra replied breathlessly, eyes focused on Alicent who lay silently beneath her “But ask her?”

“I have plenty of other girls available at a moment’s notice. Especially for the Targaryen heir…”

“No” she replied immediately, her eyes still fixed on Alicent. “No one else. Just her. I only want her” And Gods was it true. 

“Rhaenyra…”

“Please”

“It’s my duty as your friend to warn you that this is getting dangerous” 

“I know, Mysaria, I know. Just please. Her?” There was a panic, a desperation in Rhaenyra’s voice that would have fooled anyone that the object of her desires was not currently in her bed but instead unattainable. 

“I will ask her,” Mysaria finally relented.

“Thank you”

“Please be careful, Rhaenyra,” she warned. “You’re going to hurt yourself. Or worse, her”

Rhaenyra squeezed her eyes shut, and swallowed hard as she ended the call and let her phone drop down to the mattress beside her. When she opened her eyes Alicent was gazing up at her and it was like time stopped as they stared at one another, waiting and hoping for the permission they sought. 

When Alicent’s phone buzzed it was Rhaenyra that reached for it, pressing it into Alicent’s waiting hand. 

“Hello?”

“Alicent, love, I know that you didn’t want to work this week…” Mysaria’s tone was measured.

“Who?” she asked as if she wasn’t staring up at the who in question. 

“The heir” There was no pretence at this point that Alicent didn’t know who she had been seeing for the best part of a year. 

“It’s okay” she breathed out, eyes lost in Rhaenyra’s stare. 

“Just because she’s an elite client you don’t have to do it, Alicent,” Mysaria promised. “I can tell her you’re unavailable”

“I know. I want to. It’s not a problem”

“Okay. But perhaps this ought to be one of the last times”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t like to put my girls at risk, and she requests you too often”

“It’s not a problem”

“It may become one” Mysaria’s tone was stern. 

“I’m a grown up, I can handle it” 

There was a sigh of resignation from over the phone speaker. “Be careful, Alicent”

It was too late for that. 

As soon as the phone had been thrown down to join Rhaenyra’s on the mattress their eyes met once again. And without missing another beat they came together with a desperation that could be mistaken as nothing other than what it had become.

Love. 

Chapter Text

Alicent woke to the soft morning light peaking through the blinds. Her body ached in a delicious way and she sighed contentedly, leaning into the solid warmth at her back. 

Rhaenyra.

A warmth bloomed over her as she remembered last night. How good Rhaenyra had looked in that suit, the look in her eyes as she had understood Alicent’s innermost fears, the cadence of her voice on the call to Mysaria. 

Oh Gods, the call to Mysaria. 

Panic rose in Alicent and she needed air. 

With as much delicacy as a suddenly panicking woman could, she lifted Rhaenyra’s arm from around her and slid out of bed. Thankfully Rhaenyra slept on, her arm stretching across the now empty spot beside her in bed. 

One shaky breath later and Alicent was tugging on the first piece of clothing she could find, which of course had to go and be Rhaenyra’s shirt from the night before. She buttoned it up hastily as she walked out of the room and down the stairs. 

Out on the balcony, taking in the view of an early morning King’s Landing, Alicent finally felt like she could breathe again. Her eyes took in the sight of the Great Sept, up on the hill, and she was reminded of just how long it had been since she had been to pray to the Seven. Her Father would be furious if he knew. 

There was a lot that her Father would be furious about if he knew. 

Alicent tried not to think about it and instead breathed in the fresh air. But she couldn’t go long without being distracted entirely by the woman asleep upstairs. Her eyes fell on the impressive architecture of the Red Keep as her mind returned to its future ruler. 

She couldn’t get the sound of Rhaenyra’s voice out of her head. The desperation in her tone as she had spoken to Mysaria. She had spoken as if a denial would kill her. Had begged a woman that was never truly going to say no, for another woman already pliant beneath her. 

Was it real? Had it been an act? Did she just want Alicent to feel special? Perhaps she had simply been so desperate to get laid? Surely she didn’t truly feel so desperate to be with Alicent. 

She squeezed her eyes closed, breathed in the morning air and tried to push it from her mind as she turned back to the kitchen with the intention of figuring out how to make coffee on Rhaenyra’s stupid stove.

Alicent’s back arched, Rhaenyra’s expert tongue flicking against the swollen bundle of nerves between her legs. Gods, this woman would be the death of her. 

A firm hand on her stomach pressed her back down to the mattress before its fingers entwined with hers. Alicent’s grip was hard, unwilling to let go as she cried out in pleasure, desperately keeping her eyes open so that her brown gaze met the blue between her thighs. 

“Shit” Alicent scrambled to quickly grab the bag of coffee and stop it tumbling all over the kitchen counter. She righted the bag and ran her hands over her face. 

“Get a fucking grip” she muttered to herself as she went about making the coffee. 

She remembered months ago when it used to be weird to taste herself in Rhaenyra’s kiss. Now it was addictive. Now it lit a fire in her belly. 

“I want to taste you” she muttered against soft lips.

“Yeah?”

“Yes” she nodded, biting her bottom lip as she pulled back to study Rhaenyra’s expression. There was something in her eyes that reminded Alicent of the desire she herself felt. 

“Okay”

A grin spread across her face as she pushed Rhaenyra off of her, the other woman laughing as she willingly fell back onto the bed. She was a vision, silver hair fanned out on the pillow and her toned body ready and waiting. 

Alicent swallowed the lump in her throat and climbed over her, leaning down to press a hard kiss to already kiss-swollen lips and then she began to map her journey across that lithe body that had brought her so much pleasure in the last months. She wanted to repay that, wanted to be the one to return the pleasure that Rhaenyra so often gave out. 

“ Fuck !” Alicent hissed as the hot coffee scolded her hand. 

Gods, what was wrong with her this morning? She grit her teeth and ran her hand under cold water, staring out of the window. They had slept together so many times, it was what their entire relationship - friendship - was built on. So why was last night affecting her so much?

You know why, Alicent.

She shook the thoughts out of her head and dried her hands before attempting to finish making coffee. 

Thankfully this time she stayed focused and was able to make it to the breakfast bar in one piece. She flipped open the textbook that was still there from the night before and began scanning through her notes. 

Rhaenyra’s forehead fell against hers, strong arms cradling Alicent’s form as they moved together. The intensity in the blonde’s eyes was too much and so Alicent let her own eyes fall shut, relished the lazy kisses exchanged between them, muffling the soft cries that escaped her lips as Rhaenyra thrust into her at a deliciously slow pace. 

It was overwhelming to be treated so delicately, to have someone take the time to build your pleasure, to hold you so lovingly as you fell over the edge. 

A heavy sigh escaped her lips and she took a large gulp of her coffee. This was getting out of hand. She needed to study. She did not need to think about the multiple orgasms she had had last night. 

It really should be illegal to be that good in bed. 

She felt like something precious, her back pressed against Rhaenyra’s chest, a firm arm around her waist and skilled fingers between her legs. She cried out as Rhaenyra coaxed yet another release from her, her body tensing and her neck arching. 

“I’ve got you” the soft whispered words grounded her and she collapsed boneless and sated in a familiar embrace. The gentle kisses scattered across her shoulders were almost too much, and she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. Was this what it would feel like to be loved? 

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears not to fall. A warmth thrummed to life in her chest when she felt the blankets tugged over her naked body, as she felt gentle fingers thread through hers and a tired forehead come to rest on her shoulder. 

Alicent wasn’t stupid. She knew that the gentle thrum between her thighs was to blame for her heightened hormones in that moment, but as she relaxed against Rhaenyra’s chest she couldn’t help but think about the romance books that lined the battered old bookshelf in her apartment. If those stories were to be believed then this lightness settling in her chest was exactly how it felt to fall in love. 

“Oh my fucking God” she whispered frustratedly. What the hell was wrong with her? This daydreaming was too much. 

She slammed her study book closed and pinched the bridge of her nose, willing her mind to focus on something, anything other than - 

“Good morning?”

Rhaenyra .

“Hi…” she looked up and suddenly the entire morning made sense as she took in the sight of Rhaenyra standing in the doorway, in sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt, her hair rumpled from sleep and a gentle smile on her lips. Alicent couldn’t get her off of her mind because it was time to finally face the reckoning. 

Faith, Fathers and social status be damned. This was the person she wanted to share her life with. 

This woman . 

“Did you sleep well?” she stuttered out, realising she had just been staring. 

“Yeah” Rhaenyra nodded and her hair fell into her face. Alicent had to grip the edge of the table to stop from reaching out. “I slept so well,” she smiled brightly. “I can’t believe I slept so late though, you should have woken me”

Alicent smiled gently. “You work hard, I think you deserve a lie in every once in a while” she responded softly, “There’s coffee on the stove”

“You’re a Godsend” 

Alicent’s stomach fluttered at Rhaenyra’s smile and she watched as the other woman crossed the kitchen to retrieve coffee. She swallowed thickly watching the very fingers she had just been fantasising about as they gripped a mug, reached for the milk, poured the coffee. 

“Still studying?”

It took a few moments for the words to actually reach Alicent’s brain. Her eyes widened as she realised Rhaenyra was speaking to her. 

“Oh. Yes. My first exam is Monday” She bit her lip as she glanced at the closed textbook beside her. The textbook that she had slammed shut when thoughts of Rhaenyra had become too much for her to focus on anything else. 

“Give it” Rhaenyra held her hand out expectantly and it took Alicent a beat to catch up, lifting the book and placing it in the other woman’s hand. 

She watched as Rhaenyra began to flip through, looking for a topic, and all Alicent could think about was how disappointed she was that she hadn’t kissed her good morning. It was foolish really but she had grown so accustomed to the casual intimacy between them over the past few days that it felt weird to have been in one another’s company for five minutes without touching.

What if she had gotten this all wrong? Was she a fool for thinking last night had changed anything? It had just been sex to Rhaenyra. 

“Okay” she spoke softly, eyes taking in the pages of the book. “Crime and punishment” she stated her chosen topic. “In what year did death cease to be a punishment for treason?” she asked. “And tell me how this change in law was brought about”

Rhaenyra’s eyes lifted to meet Alicent’s and she took another sip of her coffee before willing herself to focus and to answer the question. 

An hour later she was feeling lighter. 

Though her jaw ached from laughing at Rhaenyra’s constant comments on the phrasing of anything referring to her family in the book. But she felt content, and she felt good about her upcoming exams. She had only stumbled on a few questions and Rhaenyra talked her through the answers in a way that reminded her of Helaena excitedly chattering about her new favourite bug. She had a feeling she wouldn’t forget these answers in future. 

“Okay, coffee break” Rhaenyra announced, dropping the book down onto the table and standing up. “Thank you” she muttered softly, dropping a gentle kiss to the back of Alicent’s head as she took the mug from the other woman.

A strong arm tightened around her and Alicent leant into the solid warmth at her back. She felt so comfortable, so safe, and sleep was calling to her. As she drifted off she felt the gentle press of lips to the back of her head, and was almost sure she heard a soft “I love you” whispered against her hair. 

Alicent startled at the memory, the mug falling from her hands. “Oh Gods, I’m so sorry” she leapt up as it smashed to the ground. 

“It’s fine” Rhaenyra’s smile was gentle. “It’s just a mug”

She stared wide-eyed as the silver-haired woman crouched down and began recovering the broken pieces. 

It had been a dream, right? Something that her foolish heart had concocted as she fell asleep in the safety of Rhaenyra’s arms? There was no way it had really happened, was there?

“Are you okay?”

“What?” Alicent blinked and Rhaenyra was staring at her, eyebrow raised, as if she had grown an extra head. “Yes, yes I’m fine” Alicent quickly tried to recover. “Sorry, the studying has made me so tired and clumsy,” she rambled. 

“It’s alright” Rhaenyra promised, dropping the broken pieces into the bin before retrieving a fresh mug from the cupboard. “Perhaps you need a break from studying?” she suggested as she set about brewing more coffee. 

“My exams are next week, Rhaenyra”

“I know. But it’s all you’ve done for the entire week” she shrugged, glancing up to meet Alicent’s gaze. “I don’t have anything I need to do today. We could go for a walk? Get some fresh air?” she suggested. “Or I dunno, go for a drive. It’s not that warm, the beach might be quiet”

Alicent really had to stop herself from laughing at how ridiculous this all sounded. Rhaenyra, heir to the goddamn throne Rhaenyra, wanted to go for a walk or drive to the beach? She wanted to be seen in public with Alicent doing the most mundane of things?

“We could go out for dinner tonight if you like?” 

Alicent’s brow furrowed as Rhaenyra continued to suggest utterly ridiculous things. Alicent read the news (gossip columns), she knew that Rhaenyra Targaryen out for dinner would bring all the paparazzi crawling out of their holes. 

“I can’t”

“We could order take out? Eat here? Finish watching that movie we started?” she tried again as she placed a mug down in front of Alicent and sat once more beside her. 

“I can’t. I have a - I have a date” Alicent bit her lip, internally cringing the moment the words left her mouth. 

“What?” Rhaenyra’s head snapped up and stared at Alicent. There was something akin to hurt reflected in her eyes. 

“I have to go for dinner with the son of my Father’s business associate” she tried to explain, willing Rhaenyra to understand this wasn’t a choice. 

“Why?” 

A storm was brewing in those beautiful, expressive eyes and Alicent hated being the one that had caused it. 

“Because my Father thinks that I need a husband and has been begging his friends to have their sons take me out” she shrugged. Gods, it sounded so ridiculous, didn’t it?

Rhaenyra frowned at the thought of it and ducked her head to stare at the mug of steaming coffee in front of her.

“Do you wanna go out with this guy?” she eventually asked, lifting her gaze once more.

“Absolutely not” Alicent hoped that Rhaenyra understood the sincerity in her tone.

“Do you want me to buy the restaurant and cancel his reservation?”

Alicent laughed and shoved Rhaenyra playfully, but the look in Rhaenyra’s eyes said that perhaps she might be serious and that did funny things to Alicent’s insides. She bit her lip and tried not to focus on that . 

“What happens when he takes me to a different restaurant?” she asked instead.

“I’ll buy that one too” 

Alicent raised an eyebrow, starting to enjoy this game. “Dinner at his house?”

“I’ll buy his building” 

She laughed heartily. “You’re ridiculous”

Rhaenyra shrugged. “I don’t like sharing you” she explained simply, her fingers coming to rest on Alicent’s thigh. 

“That might be a problem since I’m a whore for hire. I’m not actually yours” Alicent stated playfully, absolutely ignoring that it was a half truth at best these days.

“I can pretend” Rhaenyra’s response was soft, too soft, her eyes searching Alicent’s gaze. 

Pretend .

Alicent really really wanted to pretend. 

And so she did. 

She let Rhaenyra pull her in, let her fingers brush across the strong lines of that Targaryen jaw line, and let her friend kiss her with the tenderness of a spouse. And for once in her life she willingly allowed her treacherous heart to burst with everything this woman made her feel. She let herself pretend that this could be real, that someone like Rhaenyra could truly want someone like her. 

Because she was lonely, and everything she had ever loved was repeatedly taken away from her. But these moments in Rhaenyra’s arms always felt good, pushed away those feelings of loneliness, of not being good enough. 

In Rhaenyra’s arms she felt wanted for the first time in her life. But more importantly in Rhaenyra’s arms she felt safe . 

And to be safe was to be loved. 

—

It was with reluctance that they had finally peeled themselves away from one another long enough to tidy the kitchen and take a shower (separately). 

She settled eventually for taking a walk around the nearby park with Rhaenyra, praying to the Seven that no one would notice them. Thankfully those that did only had eyes for Rhaenyra and not her average and boring companion. 

By the time afternoon came around she had come to terms with the fact that she needed to leave the apartment and the happiness and safety it had brought her over the last week. 

Rhaenyra was oddly clingy and tried to hide it with jokes about Alicent’s upcoming evening and threats to just buy every restaurant in King’s Landing if she wouldn’t tell her which one it was. But when she pulled her into a hug on the threshold of the apartment with a whispered be careful , Alicent knew that Rhaenyra understood - this date was not a choice, but an obligation. 

The money that Rhaenyra insisted on paying her weighed heavy on her heart the entire journey home.

—

Alicent

I’m home. No he didn’t murder me. And no I still won’t tell you what restaurant. 

 

Rhaenyra

How was it?

Should I pick out an outfit for the wedding?

Please tell me the sex was at least good?

 

Alicent

You want me to tell you that I had sex with someone else tonight? And that it was good?

 

Rhaenyra 

Just wanna know he saw to your needs

You can be very particular 

 

Alicent

I am not particular! 

 

Rhaenyra

Give me his number

I could send him tips 

I’ve learnt a lot about you 

 

Alicent

You are not giving anyone tips on how to fuck me

 

Rhaenyra 

Okay well if you need me to come and finish what he started just give me a shout 

 

Alicent 

He didn’t start anything

 

Rhaenyra

Oh wow

That quick, huh?

 

Alicent rolled her eyes and stared at the message before  against her better judgement she clicked the call button. 

Rhaenyra answered it as a video call, because of course she did. 

“Don’t you have anything better to do with your Friday evening than annoy me?” she asked exasperatedly. 

“Nope” There was a smirk on Rhaenyra’s face as she popped the ‘p’. Alicent studied her silently for a moment, trying to figure out where she was. The background didn’t look familiar, so not the apartment. “Why’d you call?”

That was a great question. 

And ‘I missed your voice’ or ‘I wanted all of your attention’ did not seem like acceptable, non-obsessive answers. 

“Where are you?” she asked instead, opting to ignore Rhaenyra’s question. 

“Nyra, who are you talking to?”

The sound of a male voice caught Alicent off guard and she squinted at the screen in the hopes that she would see the source of it. 

“I’m at my cousin’s” she explained, eyes fixed on the screen once more. “Why won’t you put your camera on?”

“Because unlike you I’m not obsessed with video calls”

“Is he still there with you?” a frown creased Rhaenyra’s brow. 

“No!” Alicent practically squeaked. It was preposterous really that she would think she had spent a second longer in Larys Strong’s company than she had to. 

“Are you naked?”

“No!”

“So put the camera on”

“Rhaenyra!” 

“Ohhhh! Laena she’s talking to Alicent” the male voice cooed from somewhere close by and Alicent was sure she could hear laughter in the background. Was she a laughing stock to Rhaenyra’s family? 

“Sorry, my cousin Laenor is an ass” Rhaenyra apologised and she briefly saw a man with the same silver hair, but in dreadlocks, in the background of the picture as Rhaenyra appeared to move through the house. 

Alicent simply watched silently as Rhaenyra found her way out into a courtyard and sat down illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns. 

“How was it?” she asked. “The date? I hope it wasn’t too horrible. I’m sorry that you felt you had to go to it” 

Her words tugged at Alicent’s heart. The joking had gone and in its place was the sincerity that she had come to expect from Rhaenyra Targaryen, one of the only people to have ever truly understood and cared about Alicent’s feelings. 

“It was fine,” she conceded. “He was a gentleman, I suppose” It felt weird to describe the date that way when she had spent the entire evening on edge under the man’s watchful gaze and careful words. But Rhaenyra didn’t need to know that. “But I don’t think I’ll be becoming Mrs Larys Strong anytime soon”

“Wait. You went out with Larys fucking Strong?!”

“You know him?”

“Yes, he’s a creep”

“How do you know him?” Gods Alicent’s heart was racing, what if somehow Larys found out about her and Rhaenyra?

“I briefly dated his brother once”

“You did what?!”

“I was young,” she shrugged. “And Harwin is much nicer and way less creepy” she argued. “The Strong family have been close to my Father for years, their father Lyonel is the Hand of the King. I’m genuinely surprised you didn’t know that”

“Larys didn’t speak much of his family…”

“No he wouldn’t” Rhaenyra ran a hand through her hair. “I can’t believe your Father would set you up with a guy like Larys. And before you chastise me no I don’t mean because of his disability, I mean because he’s a sociopathic asshole that gets his kicks from destroying lives” 

Larys was a strong contender in her mind for ringleader of the usurper plot. 

“Are you sure you’re okay? He didn’t touch you or make you feel uncomfortable?”

“I’m fine. It was fine. I didn’t enjoy it but it was fine” 

“Come here?”

“What?”

“I can send a car. Come and join me at Laena’s?” she suggested. 

“No. Rhaenyra, you’ve spent all week with me, you don’t want me interrupting your night with your family”

“I do”

“Stop it”

A small smile crossed Rhaenyra’s face but she nodded, relenting in her pursuit. “They keep bringing you up,” she admitted. 

“Do they?” There was genuine surprise in Alicent’s tone. “Why?”

“They think you’re my girlfriend”

Oh ,

She stumbled trying to get words out, to which Rhaenyra’s smirk just grew. “It doesn’t help that you’re sat outside on a call to me instead of spending your evening with them” She tried to keep her voice from wavering, not wanting Rhaenyra to know just how affected she was at the thought of being assumed as her girlfriend. 

“Can I see you?” Rhaenyra asked after a few moments. 

“Why?”

“Because whatever beautiful thing you’ve done with your hair, or the makeup you’re wearing, should not only be seen by some asshole you were forced to go out with” 

Alicent rolled her eyes, Rhaenyra always knew what to say and it was genuinely astounding that she was single. 

Reluctantly she turned on her camera.

“You’re beautiful” Rhaenyra said breathlessly within seconds of her coming into view.

“You’re an idiot”

“I’m awestruck,” Rhaenyra teased, a playfulness in her eyes. “And incredibly jealous if this is how you went out with him”

Alicent rolled her eyes and just glared at the other woman through the screen. She was sat on her lumpy old couch, in her pyjamas, her face red from scrubbing off the makeup and her hair loose around her shoulders. 

“Obviously not”

“Good. He doesn’t deserve this version”

“What do you mean?” she asked, already preparing for some nonsense that would be guaranteed to make her heart stutter and cause a goofy grin  on Rhaenyra’s face. 

She wasn’t wrong. 

“Relaxed, happy, natural Alicent is my favourite”

“Alright alright, Casanova. Go spend time with your family. I have a date with a bottle of wine and some trashy tv”

“Two dates in one night. Alicent Hightower I am shocked!”

“Goodnight Rhaenyra”

“Goodnight love” 

Rhaenyra flashed a grin and disconnected the call, leaving Alicent just staring at the phone screen as it returned to her background - a silly selfie of her and Helaena. 

Love . 

She sighed and lay her head back against the couch cushions. 

Rhaenyra was infuriating. Namely because she did not know the power she held over Alicent. 

Or perhaps she did know?

Either way, infuriating. 

In an attempt to take her thoughts away from silver hair and charming smiles she sent a message to her Father. 

Alicent

Just got back from the dinner with Larys. It went okay but there wasn’t a spark. I don’t think there’ll be another date. I’m sorry, Father, I know you were hoping this match might work out. 

 

She wasn’t sorry at all. Larys had been a grade A creep, something she felt much more comfortable admitting following Rhaenyra’s own assessment of him. It was actually quite disappointing that her Father would be happy to have his daughter married to a man like that all because of social status. 

That being said, he was clearly losing hope. The matches he made were slowly becoming less impressive in their status, so maybe soon he would give up all together and doom her to a life as a spinster. It didn’t sound too bad in fairness. 

As the phone screen went dark Alicent’s thoughts drifted to Rhaenyra once more. 

“If only you were a man” she sighed softly. 

Because then her Father would accept it, right? Surely he would be elated if his daughter secured the future King? 

But Rhaenyra was not a King. She would be a Queen. And already she had expressed concerns that the realm wouldn’t accept her. It was useless expecting that Otto Hightower would accept a woman stealing his daughter’s heart. 

Would it really be so bad though? Could he not come to accept who Alicent wanted to be? Rhaenyra would be Queen. The most powerful woman in the Seven Kingdoms. If her Father wanted to restore pride to the family name then would a marriage to a monarch not secure it?

Marriage ?

Gods, she was getting ahead of herself. With a heavy sigh she sat up and went to retrieve her bottle of wine. 

When she returned there was an unread message on her phone and she was scared to look at it. 

Dad

This is disappointing news, daughter. Larys Strong was your last hope. If even the Clubfoot cannot see anything in you then I fear no one will. I implore you to try again with Larys. In the meantime Helaena will not be visiting at the weekend. I think she is a distraction for you and until you are better focused it is best that you stay away from the girl. 

 

Alicent stared at the words on the screen for as long as she could read them through the tears that fell. Her worst fear was coming to pass, he was truly going to take her daughter away from her for good. 

—

She didn’t see Rhaenyra the next week. 

Though they spoke most days, with Rhaenyra offering messages of good luck before every exam and checking in every evening to ask how it had gone. The constant that was Rhaenyra went a long way to keeping Alicent’s stress levels down. And as tempting as it was when she’d send a ‘coffee on campus?’ or ‘want me to make dinner?’ text, Alicent stuck to her guns and turned them down each night.  

Because as much as she wanted that comforting presence at her side, wanted to pretend like her life wasn’t close to falling apart, she knew that she couldn’t be trusted not to get distracted if Rhaenyra was within reach. 

That and she wasn’t sure if she could look her in the eye knowing that she had agreed to see Larys again. But it meant that she could see Helaena at the weekend and that had to make it worth it.

“Anyway, then he wanders over about ten minutes later with a fresh coffee and a cinnamon bun. He wouldn’t let me pay either! And then when I’m sat around the small council table Tyland fucking Lannister goes and notices the guy’s written his damn number on the coffee cup”

Alicent laughed softly as she lay on the couch reading through her notes, Rhaenyra on speaker phone talking about her day. It was nice. It relaxed her. 

“He obviously thought he had a chance with the Princess,” she teased. 

“He was very sweet”

“Cute?”

“I guess?” Rhaenyra laughed and Alicent could imagine the way her nose would be scrunched up right now. “But it doesn’t matter anyway”

“No?”

“No, this Princess’s heart has already been claimed”

Rhaenyra had been dropping throwaway comments like this all week. And each time it caused Alicent’s heart to still in her chest. Because what was she meant to do with that? Get her hopes up? About something that she didn’t feel brave enough to do anything about?

So instead she changed the topic, as usual. 

“Can you remember all that stuff about the history of sea trade?” she asked, flipping through her notes to that section of the book. 

“Some of it, yeah”

“Tell me about it” she requested. 

“Okay”

She laid back and closed her eyes, a soft smile on her face. She liked Rhaenyra’s voice. She liked how easy it was to remember things if they were said in her voice. 

—

By Friday lunchtime it was over and relief washed over Alicent. Her phone rang as she walked out of the final exam and there was no surprise when she saw the name on the screen. 

“Shouldn’t you be learning how to be a good ruler or something?”

“Yeah probably” Rhaenyra laughed softly and Alicent’s heart swelled at the sound. 

“How did it go?”

“Okay I think” she smiled at one of her classmates as she walked out of the building. 

“Only okay?”

“I got distracted reading a question about trade routes from Lannisport” 

“Loserport”

“Rhaenyra, stop it,” Alicent laughed. “It’s all I could think of and it’s not even funny!”

“It’s hilarious”

“It’s childish,” Alicent insisted as she began the short walk home. 

“How are you feeling now that it’s over?”

“Relieved,” she admitted. “Exhausted”

Rhaenyra chuckled softly. “You’ve done amazing, you should be proud”

“Rhaenyra, we have no idea how I’ve done,” she reminded her. 

“You’ve done amazing” she reaffirmed. “I know it. I’m proud of you”

Something fluttered in Alicent’s stomach at that. She wasn’t sure anyone had ever been proud of her before. 

“Thank you” she breathed out softly. “I couldn’t have done it without you”

“Yes you could. But I’m glad to have helped” There was sincerity in her tone and it caused that flutter once more as she pushed open the door of her apartment building, smiling at the concierge as she made her way past the still broken elevator to the stairs. 

She was out of breath by the time she got to her floor, a fact Rhaenyra would of course not let go unnoticed. “What’s with the heavy breathing? Should I be jealous?”

“Shut up. The elevator’s broken and I’m on the 6th floor”

“Ah. That’s alright then”

Alicent rolled her eyes as she opened the door and walked into the familiar apartment. 

“So…” Rhaenyra began as Alicent shrugged off her jacket. “Can I see you tonight?”

Her heart dropped at the question. The question she had known would come.

"Is there no one else willing to sleep with you?" Alicent tried to keep the conversation light. 

"I don't know. Probably not" Rhaenyra responded. A lie if Alicent had ever heard one. “I was thinking we could go out and celebrate. Or I could cook if you don’t want to be seen together in public. Or we could go to Laena’s for a change of scene. I don’t really mind what we do, I just want to finally celebrate your -”

“Rhaenyra, stop” Alicent felt horrible because this beautiful, amazing woman somehow kept wanting to spend time with her and she had to turn her down again. “I can’t, I’m sorry. I have plans”

“Oh” Rhaenyra’s voice was soft. “That’s okay” she recovered quickly. “Exciting plans?” she asked. 

“Just - just plans” She didn’t have the energy to come up with a lie and she wasn’t sure that this was the right moment to reveal that she had a daughter that would be coming to stay in a few hours time. 

“Okay” Rhaenyra was quiet and Alicent knew that she had upset her. “Just promise me Larys Strong isn’t taking you out to celebrate?”

“I promise” she smiled sadly, thinking about how he would be taking her out again next week however.

“Okay well…I should probably get back to work”

“Rhaenyra…”

“Have a good night, Alicent”

The call ended before Alicent could think to say anything more. She sighed heavily and leant against her kitchen worktop. 

She really shouldn’t feel bad about seeing her little girl this weekend. Spending time with Helaena was everything to her and for a long time it was all that she wanted in the entire world. But lately she wanted Rhaenyra too. 

And it terrified her how easily she knew she could end up with neither. 

She ran a frustrated hand through her hair. Maybe it was time she started figuring out how to tell Rhaenyra about Helaena. There was no way of knowing how it would go but she knew that there could never truly be anything between the two of them with this secret between them. 

—

“-and, and it’s going to be a doggy friendly rest…rest -”

“Restaurant” Alicent said softly, her fingers brushing through her daughter’s soft hair as the little girl stumbled over the word. 

“Yeah. So the chef has to make food for the doggies too”

“Oh yeah?” she smiled amusedly as together they built a structure that vaguely resembled a building from the mismatched box of Lego. 

“What do doggies like to eat, Mummy?”

“Hm” Alicent thought about it for a second as she passed more red bricks to Helaena (it had to be built in red, she had no idea why). “I think they eat anything”

“Like Uncle Gwayne” Helaena laughed loudly. 

“Yeah baby, just like Uncle Gwayne”

“Can we get a doggy one day, Mummy?”

“You want a dog?”

“And a kitten too!”

Alicent smiled sadly, if Helaena lived with her and they could have a dog and a cat…well, her life would be pretty perfect. 

“I don’t think we could fit them in this apartment!”

“Then we’ll get a big house!” Helaena announced, a bright smile on her face as she dove into the box looking for a different kind of brick. 

Gods wouldn’t that be nice? A big house. With her little girl. And a dog and a kitten. Alicent smiled as she leant back against the base of the couch. 

Perhaps they wouldn’t be alone in this hypothetical house either? Perhaps a tall, silver-haired idiot would make their family whole?

Alicent swallowed thickly and shook the thoughts from her head. She had spent a week under the realisation that she was probably in love with Rhaenyra Targaryen and here she was already imagining a perfect life with a woman whose future was already laid out for her. 

A sharp knock at the door broke her from her thoughts and she got to her feet. 

“Evening Ms Hightower” Alicent smiled as she saw the concierge, a large bunch of flowers in his arms and a smaller package. “Looks like you’ve got a secret admirer” he chuckled as he handed them over. 

“Thank you” 

“No problem at all. You have a good evening”

“You too” she waved gently and closed the door behind her. 

Who was sending her flowers? She didn’t think anyone had ever sent her flowers. 

With confusion writ across her face she walked over to the small kitchen table and placed down the flowers and the box. They were beautiful, all sorts of different colours and kinds of flowers she had never even seen before. 

Noticing a card peeking out of the flowers she reached out, pulling it free. 

The card itself was simple, ‘You did it!’ etched across the front in gold lettering. And when she turned it over she recognised the handwriting immediately. For it was the same handwriting that was now mixed in with her own in the notebooks on her bedside table. 

She felt her heart flutter. 

Well done on smashing your exams. I’m so proud of you, even if you think I’m being ridiculous. Now it’s time to celebrate!

A gentle smile tugged at Alicent’s lips, her fingers gently tracing the ‘R’ that the note was signed off with and the tiny ‘x’ that accompanied it. 

Love was weird. How could one person have such an effect on her when they weren’t even in the room?

She gently placed the card on the table and opened the small parcel, laughing softly when she saw the ridiculously expensive Dornish wine and chocolates. Pulling her phone out of her back pocket she opened her messages, heart fluttering at the ‘Good luck’ followed by a tonne of emojis that she had received at 6 that morning. 

Alicent

The flowers are beautiful. And I don’t even want to think about how much that wine cost! 

 

She didn’t have to wait long for a reply. 

Rhaenyra 

And what’s your thoughts on the chocolates?

 

Alicent

I think that they are going to be devoured by the end of the night. 

 

Rhaenyra

Good plan

 

Alicent

Thank you. You really didn’t have to, you know?

 

Rhaenyra

I wanted to 

I’m just sorry they arrived so late! 

They were supposed to arrive this afternoon 

I hope they didn’t interrupt your evening?

 

Alicent briefly wondered if this was Rhaenyra angling for more information on how she was spending her evening. Perhaps it was. She supposed it didn’t really matter if it was. 

She watched Helaena playing with her Legos. Allowed herself to imagine sending a photo and letting Rhaenyra work it out for herself. But she was so scared of pushing her away. 

Alicent

No, of course not. It was a lovely surprise. Thank you, Rhaenyra. 

 

Rhaenyra

You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do. 

 

Alicent smiled softly. It wasn’t the least she could do. The least was ignore that she had a week of stressful exams altogether. That’s what her Father had done. Her brother and a couple of friends had at least sent good luck at the start of the week, but that was all. Rhaenyra on the other hand had stayed up into the early hours helping her revise, had called her the moment the last exam ended, had sent her flowers and wine and chocolates. 

It meant the world. 

“Mummy, you’re happy!” 

Helaena’s voice broke her out of her thoughts and she nodded, dropping her phone and lifting her little girl into her arms. 

“Of course I am, sweetling, I’m with my favourite girl in the entire world” she said as she pulled her into a massive hug. 

Helaena laughed and squirmed in her arms. “I want to see the flowers” she insisted and Alicent shifted the girl in her arms and let her stand on the table so she could see them up close - not caring how her Father would chastise her for letting the child stand on the table. “They’re so pretty”

“I know” Alicent smiled happily. 

“Do you think the bees would like them?”

“I think the bees would love them” she chuckled, fingers threading through Helaena’s hair as the girl reached out to gently touch one of the petals. “In the morning you can choose one and we’ll go put it outside for the bees, okay?”

“Okay Mummy” Helaena turned around and hugged her torso. 

Alicent smiled, a wide and bright smile, kissing the top of her daughter’s head. “Okay come on, we need to finish building this restaurant otherwise people are going to go hungry!”

Helaena giggled and let Alicent lift her down from the table before running back over to the mess of Lego on the living room floor. 

She watched her daughter for a moment longer before picking up her phone, not wanting to leave Rhaenyra on read. 

Alicent

I’m with my family. Sorry, I don’t know why I just said plans earlier. I’m not with anyone else. I would be with you if I could. I promise. 

 

She didn’t get a chance to see the reply until much later that night after she was done carrying Helaena to bed, tidying up rogue Lego and was collapsing into her own bed. 

Rhaenyra

Family's important. 

I hope you have a great time

And you don’t have to explain yourself to me Alicent

But thank you 

 

It was late but she had spent a week living with Rhaenyra, she was pretty sure she would still be awake. Alicent hesitated for a few moments more before pressing the video call button. 

When Rhaenyra didn’t immediately answer Alicent began to worry that she was interrupting her evening and was about to cancel the call when the screen came to life.

“Hey…” Rhaenyra’s voice was rough and Alicent couldn’t quite make her out on the dark video. “Wait, hold on” She heard a shifting and then the click of a switch as a light filled the screen and Rhaenyra’s face came into view. She was in bed. 

“Hi, sorry, I should’ve messaged first…”

“No you’re fine” Rhaenyra smiled a sleepy smile up at the camera and it tugged at Alicent’s heartstrings. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Alicent nodded. “I just thought I ought to prove I’m not with Larys” she teased, lifting her arm higher so that Rhaenyra could see the empty space beside her in bed. 

“That is very good to know,” Rhaenyra chuckled. “And for the record, I am also not with Larys. Or anyone for that matter…” She followed suit, lifting her arm to show a wider angle of her bed. 

“Your bed is huge, how do I know you’re not hiding someone out of view?”

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes and moved her phone camera to show the rest of her very empty bed. “Satisfied?”

“Yes” 

“And how do I know how big your bed is? Maybe you’re hiding someone?”

“My apartment literally wouldn’t fit a bed big enough. Your flowers are taking up my entire kitchen” she laughed. “Thank you again, by the way. I love them”

“You’re welcome”

“You’re the first person to ever send me flowers”

Something flashed across Rhaenyra’s expression that Alicent couldn’t quite name. 

“That genuinely is a tragedy. I think I’ve lost all faith in humanity” she insisted and Alicent rolled her eyes. “I will be having words with Larys”

“Don’t you dare tell Larys that you know me!”

“Okay. On one condition?”

“Gods I’m not gonna like this am I?”

Rhaenyra grinned, folding an arm behind her head in a way that was so incredibly her . 

“Come to Dragonstone with me?”

“We already talked about this” 

“Come on. It’ll be fun” Rhaenyra insisted. “Your exams are over. And Laena keeps asking me if you’ll join us. I think she wants someone that she actually likes to be there” she pleaded. “And besides, it’ll be my birthday so if you say no it makes you a horrible person”

“Are you like this with everyone? Is this why you have no friends?”

“Alicent, please?”

She bit her lip. This sounded like a terrible idea. 

“I’ll think about it”

“Okay”

She was surprised Rhaenyra wasn’t arguing it any further. 

“Tell me about your day?” she asked before Rhaenyra could change her mind and beg again. 

“It was boring. Lonely” Rhaenyra shrugged, showing the empty side of her bed once more. “I think I’ve gotten used to having someone around, not having to fall asleep alone”

“Me too,” Alicent smiled sadly and for a moment she contemplated it. If she asked Rhaenyra to drive over here right now, would she? And would it be so bad to have her here, to introduce her to Helaena in the morning?

Yes. It was a terrible idea because her Father would find out and then she would lose Helaena forever. And probably Rhaenyra too. 

“Fall asleep with me?”

Alicent tried a huff of frustration but her smile gave her away. 

“You know this isn’t something that I usually do with my clients, right?”

“Friends?”

“I don’t think it’s something friends do either, Rhaenyra…” she said gently, a seriousness to her tone. 

She watched as Rhaenyra shifted onto her side and propped the phone up on the pillow beside her. “No one’s watching”

“Okay” she relented.

Chapter Text

“Did you know that the sword was burned on the Conqueror’s funeral pyre with him?” Alicent asked as she peered through the glass of the sword’s display case. “That’s why the steel is so dark, from the flames…”

“Really?” There was an amused smile tugging at the corner of Rhaenyra’s lips, her hands stuffed casually into her pockets as she followed Alicent around the exhibit. 

The shorter woman tore her eyes away from the blade and nodded, looking up at Rhaenyra with a smile. “It was retrieved by his son, Prince Maegor” she explained, impressively not needing to read any of the cards that displayed information on the weapon. “And eventually wielded by him after…”

Alicent stopped mid-sentence, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Rhaenyra’s expression. 

“What’s so funny”

“Nothing”

But it was proving impossible for Rhaenyra to hide the stupid smile that was growing by the second on her face. 

“Rhaenyra…”

“You’re adorable, that’s all” she insisted with a gentle shrug. 

Alicent held her gaze for a moment before going bright red and turning away in embarrassment. 

“Oh my Gods!” she walked away with a shake of her head, feeling like such an idiot. “You already know all of this!”

Rhaenyra chuckled softly and followed after her. 

“Yeah but I enjoy hearing it from you, Al” she insisted, “You’re much hotter than the teachers I had as a kid” That earned her a shove, which only went and put an even more infuriating smirk on that handsome face - in Alicent’s opinion anyway. 

“Gods, you must think me such a loser” she huffed, focusing her attention on a wall describing the origins of Valyrian steel. “Telling you all these things as if you’re…well, not you ”

“Not at all” Rhaneyra’s voice was right behind her, she could practically feel her breath on the back of her neck. “I find your obsession with my family quite endearing” she whispered huskily. 

“Shut it” Alicent groaned and went to push Rhaenyra away. The other woman was too fast though, her fingers wrapping around Alicent’s wrist as she looked down at her with a smirk. 

“It’s easy to forget who you are sometimes” she found herself admitting. 

Because despite being the heir to the throne Rhaenyra had agreed, at the drop of a hat, to accompany Alicent to the museum today. To be her friend. 

Looking at her, like this though, with the dark ambiance of the exhibition lighting up the sharp lines of her face, the dragons depicted in the artwork behind her mirroring that glint of something in her eyes, this woman was as Targaryen as they come. And Alicent would do well to stop forgetting that. 

“Come on” Rhaenyra’s gaze softened. “I want you to tell me more about those terrible Targaryens that I know absolutely nothing about” she teased but Alicent was mostly distracted by the way her grip loosened on her wrist and instead tangled their fingers together. 

“You’re so annoying”

“I know” Rhaenyra smiled and tugged her towards the next part of the exhibition - the original scroll depicting the proclamation of the ‘King’s Peace’. 

But Alicent was distracted and couldn’t quite focus on the centuries old artefact. All she could think about was how Rhaenyra’s hand was still in hers. 

She would later be incredibly annoyed to have not taken in the history around her. 

It took a few minutes of them standing in front of the display for Alicent to realise Rhaenyra was speaking. She looked up at the other woman, trying to focus. But she couldn’t understand any of the words that left her lips - did she have it that bad, really? 

She swallowed thickly, her gaze dropping to Rhaenyra’s lips in a bid to understand what she was saying. And then it dawned on her. She was speaking High Valyrian, reading out the scroll before them. 

It was beautiful. 

(And incredibly attractive) 

“Do you speak it often?” she found herself wondering out loud. 

Blue eyes found her and a soft smile pulled at her lips. “Mostly when my Father and I are having a disagreement in front of his small council” she admitted lightly. 

Small council .

Gods, yet another reminder that they came from such different lives. 

“Will you teach me?”

A gentle crease formed in Rhaenyra’s forehead as she studied Alicent for a moment. “Okay” she agreed and Alicent couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t think Rhaenyra would actually follow through on the promise. 

“Come on” she squeezed Rhaenyra’s hand, pulling her towards the replica of the Iron Throne. “It looks even more uncomfortable up close” she laughed, taking in the sight of it. “Is it really as bad as it looks?” She looked up at Rhaenyra.

“I’ve no idea” she said softly, her eyes fixed on the iron structure with an intensity. Her body language was tense as she stared at it silently and Alicent soon got the sense that seeing the visage was affecting her in some way, that it was perhaps making her think of her destiny. 

With the intention of breaking Rhaenyra out of the trance she gently leant into her, pressing them shoulder to shoulder, still hand in hand. “I don’t believe you’ve never sat on it. Not even as a kid?”

“No” Rhaenyra stared at the throne for a moment longer before turning her head to look at Alicent, a smile forming on her lips that didn’t quite meet her eyes. “I was terrified of my Father’s scolding,” she admitted. “And now, well, I’m just terrified of what it will mean to sit it,” she admitted in a moment of vulnerability. 

Alicent wanted to wrap her arms around her, to comfort her,  but she stopped herself, remembering they were in public. “I’m going to buy you a cushion as a coronation present” she teased instead, glad to see it brought a small smile to Rhaenyra’s forlorn face. It felt special being the one to make her smile. 

The look between them was broken as one of the museum volunteers appeared beside them. 

“They say that the Throne is made of 1000 swords and forged by the breath of Balerion, the -” the museum volunteer’s voice petered out as she realised who exactly she was delivering this history lesson to. “I’m so sorry…”

“No, it’s quite alright” Rhaenyra’s voice was soft, her hand subtly dropping from Alicent’s as she turned towards the woman. “1000 swords and knives” she confirmed, eyes flitting to the throne once more. “It’s an impressive replica. Though it is quite larger in person” 

“Does your - does his grace, really sit upon it?” the woman asked, a smile on her face as she revelled in this unexpected meeting. “It does look uncomfortable…”

“He does,” Rhaenyra replied with an amused smile. “I suspect it is to blame for his constant back pain” she teased. “I believe it lacks any real lumbar support,” she added with a gentle smirk tugging at her lips. 

Gods, Rhaenyra was charming, Alicent thought as she watched this girl , at least a few years younger than herself, lean her head back and laugh loudly at the joke. Seven Hells, she hoped she didn’t look like this around Rhaenyra. How embarrassing. 

But embarrassment, and potential jealousy aside, Alicent did have to admit Rhaenyra was good at this. She took the time to talk to the woman, asked all the right questions about why she volunteered here, how she had discovered her passion for history, and made it all about her rather than herself. 

Alicent was reminded once again of how good Rhaenyra would be as Queen. 

—

“I think you made her week” Alicent commented as they descended the stairs away from the Targaryen exhibition towards the museum proper. “Though I think I’m going to have to start charging for all these photos your fans have me taking for them” she joked. 

“They’re not fans” Rhaenyra rolled her eyes. 

“Totally are”

Rhaenyra shook her head and ran a hand through her silver hair, pushing it out of her eyes. “Come on, I want to go to the little shop before we leave”

“The gift shop?” Alicent laughed. 

“Yeah, I love the little shop”

She narrowed her eyes and looked at Rhaenyra quizzically as she sped up to match her pace as the other woman strode with purpose through the museum. 

“Please tell me you don’t want to buy Targaryen merch,” she teased. 

Rhaenyra smirked in her direction, “Hey it’s a great place to get presents for the family”

Alicent wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not. She hoped desperately it was a joke. 

In the end all Rhaenyra bought was a postcard that featured a photo of the museum’s main atrium. It was a strange thing to purchase in Alicent’s mind but she gave up questioning it as soon as Rhaenyra teasingly said “To remember our first date”

This was not a date. This was friends hanging out as friends. And she had been very clear about that to Rhaenyra when she had invited her. 

And yes, Alicent had enjoyed the part where they were walking hand in hand. Of course she had. But she refused to get ahead of herself. She had suggested spending time together today because she was finally acknowledging the very real feelings she had for Rhaenyra, and she was being a grown up about it - she was giving herself the chance to figure out if there was more to this than just the sex. 

(So far it was a resounding yes) 

“So do you wanna come back to mine?” Rhaenyra asked as they stepped outside, donning her sunglasses once more. 

(As if the silver hair wasn’t going to give away her identity to anyone who cared to look) 

“Absolutely not,” Alicent replied with a snort. 

“Oh” Rhaenyra stopped in her tracks and looked at Alicent with a frown on her lips. “Did you not enjoy our day together?”

“Of course I did but I know exactly why you’re trying to get me back to yours”

“Yeah, for lunch” Rhaenyra replied with so much sincerity that Alicent actually believed her and felt a little bad. 

“Don’t you have all that taxpayer money weighing down your pockets?” the redhead raised an eyebrow. “Take me out for lunch, Targaryen”

And maybe it was Alicent that was the problem. Because she knew if she went back to Rhaenyra’s then she wouldn’t be able to stop herself. 

No. It was Rhaenyra’s fault, she decided, as the woman in question grinned at her once more. She was too damn attractive, and charming. And she smelled good too. Seven help her, she was completely gone. 

—

“How was your weekend?” Rhaenyra asked as she reached across the table and stole a chip off of Alicent’s place. 

“Eat your own” the other woman huffed, slapping the hand away. 

Rhaenyra smirked. 

Alicent wanted to slap it off her face. 

(Kiss it off her face) 

“It was fine,” she replied. “It was good” 

It had been a really nice weekend. Just her and Helaena together again. They had built a tonne of Lego, eaten too much pizza, gotten covered in mud exploring the woods and had watched many movies. 

It had been perfect really. 

Well, except for - 

“Who is ‘R’!?”

Alicent looked up from where she was helping Helaena into her boots (as slowly as she physically could). Her heart dropped when she realised her Father had picked up the card propped up against the flowers from Rhaenyra. 

“No one” 

Great lie, Alicent. 

“Why would no one be sending you flowers, Alicent?” Her Father’s tone was harsh, his eyes narrowed as he looked from the card to his daughter. 

“Just a friend, from my class”

“A male friend?”

“No”

At least she didn’t have to lie about that. 

“I hope you have not been letting yourself get distracted from your studies”

“I haven’t. Like I said, they’re just a friend that was thoughtful enough to send flowers after my exams” 

It was hard to keep venom from her tone. Perhaps it might have been a nice and Fatherly thing to do to also send flowers? Or a card? Or at least just say ‘well done’.

Otto’s eyes flickered over to the flowers and Alicent knew without a doubt he could tell that they weren’t just any flowers, they were expensive, likely imported from Essos. 

“They are wilting already”

“No they’re not”

“Get rid of them”

“Father”

Cold eyes met hers and he crumpled the card in his hand before dropping it onto the table. 

“Helaena, come. It’s time to go” 

Alicent swallowed the lump in her throat, refused to look at the crumpled card and pulled her daughter into her arms. 

“I’ll miss you so much, sweetheart”

“You too, Mummy” Helaena squeezed her as tightly as she could. 

“Be good for Grandpa and have a good week, okay?”

The little girl nodded against her. 

“I love you”

“Love you millions, Mummy”

“Love you millions” she repeated, reluctantly placing the girl down on the floor, watching as she took her Grandfather’s hand. 

“I will speak to you in the week. Make an effort with Larys this time, Alicent”

“Of course, Father” a tight smile crossed her lips, it was nowhere near to reaching her eyes.  “Goodbye, my love” she said softly, lifting a hand to wave to Helaena. 

The moment the door was closed, locked and bolted behind them Alicent rushed to the table and picked up the card. Carefully she tried to uncrumple it, tried to straighten it out, her fingers brushing over the ‘R’. 

She knew it was stupid, it was just a piece of card. But it was from Rhaenyra. It was from someone who genuinely showed her care and affection and in Alicent’s love-starved world that meant everything. 

“How was your weekend?” She looked up at Rhaenyra with a gentle smile, pushing her fork around her plate as she tried to rid herself of the pit in her stomach at the thought of her Father. 

Rhaenyra shrugged. “Fine”

“Fine?”

“I went to a football match,” she explained. “Then there was a movie premiere that -”

“Gods, your life is ridiculous”

“No it isn’t” Rhaenyra argued weakly, putting down her fork and just watching Alicent from across the table. 

“You went to a movie premiere and you called your weekend ‘fine’” she pointed out. 

“I mean the movie wasn’t great so -”

“Should I expect to see photos of you with a model or an actress on your arm in the gossip columns?”

“You read the gossip columns?”

Alicent ignored her. “Who was it this time?