birds of a feather by Billie Eilish
"

Birds of a feather,
we should stick together"

°☆°

episode 6
The Princess and The Queen

"The princess has delivered her babe I heard," Aemond says to his best friend walking beside him. "Yes, and I heard it was a boy," she responds with a smirk.

"How do you do it?" Aemond asks letting out a laugh of disbelief. He couldn't understand how a girl as beautiful as her could be invisible in a room and hear these conversations without being noticed.

"I hide in the walls, Aemond," she answers giggling, "and I listen."

He knew what she meant by 'the walls', the secret corridors that could be found in the walls of the Red Keep, and even beyond. She was the one who discovered it a few months prior, and he had been the only one the princess told.

"Well you enjoy your walks in the wall. I have to go to the dragonpit," he says rolling his eyes. He wished she could go with him.

There was a time that Alysanne had joined the boys for lessons, but she had grown tired of their banter. She now chose to stay with Helena, so that they could spend time together. Which had become rare over the years seeing as both girls had different interests and not much to speak about. Yet when they had moments alone, they could speak for hours about who knows what. Lena was the only girl of similar age who Alys could talk too about her girl problems, and Alys was the only person who understood Heleana or bothered to actually listen to her.

"Then I won't keep you busy, enjoy it but not too much," she teases him with a mischievous grin on her face. Before he can even say goodbye, she had slipped away into the nearest hallway.

"Good afternoon, Lena" Alysanne greeted the fellow Targaryen princess sitting on the floor.

"Nice to see you, Alys." Helena greets the girl without looking up from the thing in her hands. When she hears the girl come closer, she holds the creature out for her to see. Helena held what seemed to be a centipede in her hands, Alysanne held no admiration or curiosity for it so she simply smiled at her before walking away.

Alysanne sat not to far away so that they could still talk if they wanted to. She sat at the head of the table behind Heleana and picked up the book sitting in the middle. It was a book about the different Kingdoms, she had no idea who left it there but it caught her interest.

The girls didn't speak much for the next few minutes, just a few facts or observations they wanted to share. But the peaceful silence was broken when the Queen entered.

Alicent immediately found her daughter she had been searching for sitting on the steps admiring something in her hands. After further inspection she saw the other princess sitting with her feet hanging over the side of the chair. When Alysanne noticed her mother-figure staring at her, she flashed her a quick grin before continuing to read. Alicent let out a chuckle and shook her head at the girl, before going to sit beside her daughter.

"This one has 60 rings and two pairs of legs on each. That's 240." Heleana observed, not bothering to greet her mother.

"Yes, it is." Alicent said, scratching her brow and resting her head on her hand. She also held no interest in the creature, but she wanted to spend time with her daughter so she would suffer through the topic.

"It has eyes, though I don't believe it can see."  Heleana continued, but Alysanne didn't bother to pay attention to their conversation. She only listens when she wanted to.

Her attention was however caught by the door opening. She looked up to see who it was, only to see her best friend being brought in by a guard. She immediately jumped up from her seat and placed her book down.

"Your Grace." The guard greeted as the young princess went to her best friend. "Aemond," his mother muttered as she stood up and rushed to him, "what have you done?"

"He did it again," Heleana said from her spot. Alysanne could see how disheveled he looked and the dirt on his face indicated that he had made yet another visit to the dragons. She had gone with him once and nearly died, but he kept going back.

"After how many times you've been warned, must I have you confined to your chamber?!" Alicent lectures him, causing the boy to finally look up.

"They made me do it!" Aemond argued back, glancing at Alysanne.

"As if you needed encouragement. Your obsession with those beasts goes beyond understanding." Alicent continued, grabbing his shoulder.

"They gave me a pig!" Aemond finally broke, confusing the rest. "They said they found a dragon for me. But it was a pig."

When Alysanne looked away from him, she noticed Heleana muttering to herself.

"You will have a dragon one day," Alicent reassured her son. Though Aemond was staring at the younger girl, the only one who truly knew how badly he needed a dragon. And the only one who understood how it felt.

"He'll have to close an eye" Heleana muttered once again, catching Alysanne's attention. She didn't know what it meant, but it had to be about Aemond so she wanted to find out.

"They all laughed" Aemond says softly, bringing her attention back to him. She could see the hurt in his eyes even if he avoided eye contact with her.

Alicent nodded her head at the young princess beside him. She quickly grabbed his hand and lead them out of the room.

Aemond didn't question the girl and simply let her drag him. They eventually made it to a room they frequently visited.

The library.

"Did you know King Jahearys and the good Queen Alysanne use to fly beyond the wall upon their dragons?" She says to him with a grin, thinking back at the book she had been reading. He let out a chuckle at her before following her through the shelves. "I just read about it, but I want to know more. And I know you want too as well."

Aemond followed her lead and started searching for a book about it. They had read many books about dragons, Kingdoms, past rulers, anything they could find. They wanted to know everything they could, they believed it would come in handy.

Alysanne would eventually ask what happened and he would tell her. But she knew him well enough to know when he wanted to talk and we he didn't feel like it.

So she would wait for him.

The next day the boys were all in the training yard together, with Ser Criston Cole. Alysanne has had a few one on one sessions with him, but she chose not to train with so many people around. She has had many sword fights with Aemond when few people were around to judge them.

As Criston continued to teach the two Targaryens, Alysanne glanced up at her uncle, The King. He was talking to his Hand as he was gladly watching the boys.

"You and your brother." She heard Criston say as she returned her attention to the boys. She briefly locked eyes with Aemond, but he quickly looked away and joined his brother. The three of them continued fighting as the girl watched, the brothers were clearly no match for the knight. Though stuff got slightly interesting when Ser Strong started arguing with Cole. After that the two oldest sons stared fighting. Aegon against Jacearys, though it was clear Aegon was using foul play. Not that Alys felt bad for the older boy. It was getting so bad, Ser Strong had to step in. He aggresively pulled Aegon off Jace and threw him aside.

"You dare put hands on me!" Aegon screamed. The King simply scolded him, instead of defusing the situation.

"You forget yourself, Strong. That is the Prince," Criston told the commander. Alysanne could tell he was up to something, and she had a feeling she wouldn't have to wait long to find out what.

"This is what you teach, Cole? Cruelty to the weaker opponent?" Ser Strong questions him, clearly getting worked up.

"Your interest in the princeling's training is quite unusual, Commander. Most men would only have that kind of devotion towards a cousin, a brother or a son," and before Alysanne could even process Cole's words, the commander had launched himself at him.

Alysanne watched the scene unfold infront of her with schock. Aemond was beside her within seconds, he held the princess as she tried to look away from the scene. When she looked back she saw the commander getting pulled of him as he yelled at the knight who simply layed there.

Aemond grabbed Alysanne by the hand, and she let the boy pull her away.

The small council had once again gathered for another long meeting. But just as the members were about to leave the Princess Rhaenyra decided to negotiate with the Queen.

"I have felt the strife between our families of late, my Queen. And for any offense given by mine, I apologize. But we are one house. And long before that, we were friends," Upon realizing the Queen did not feel moved by her speech, Rheanyra decided to just lay the offer out on the table. "My son Jacaerys will inherit the Iron Throne after me. I propose we betroth him to the princess under your care, Alysanne. Or for closer relation to the throne your daughter, Heleana. Though I think Alys and Jace seem quite fond of each other. Ally ourselves once and for all. Let them rule together."

"A most judicious proposition." The King says enthusiastically, but looking over at the Queen he realized she felt the opposite. She stared at her former best friend as if she was mad. Alicent let out a scoff and looked down at the table not at all impressed.

"Additionally, if Syrax brings forth another clutch of eggs, your son Aemond will have his choice of them, a symbol of our goodwill."

"Rheanyra." Alicent simply says, motioning down to her dress with her eyes. The princess looked down to realize she had leaked through her dress.

"Oh, seven hells." She mutters as she sits down covering it.

"My dear, a dragon's egg is a handsome gift." Th King says to his daughter, trying to loosen the tension.

"The King and I thank you for your offer and we will consider it duly. You must rest now, husband." The Queen said going to help up her Lord husband and leading him out of the room.

"How sweetly the fox speaks when it's cornered by the hounds." Alicent says to the King as they walk through the halls and up the stairs of the Red Keep.

"She is sincere." The Kind retaliates, defending his daughter.

"She is desperate. She feels the earth washing away beneath her feet and now she expects us to ignore her transgressions and for me to marry my unbiological or only daughter to one of her plain-featured sons."

"The proposal is a good one, my Queen." The King says as they come to a stop on the staircase, "We're a family. Let us put aside these childish quarrels. Join hands and be stronger for it."

"You may do as you wish, husband, when I am cold in my grave." Alicent says one last time, walking away from the King as he calls after her.

"I cannot be the only one who feels that half the Red Keep had disappeared within a day," Alys says to Aemond as they stand side by side watching Rheanyra's ship leave.

"I say, good riddance," Aemond says glaring at the ship, feeling her glare on the side of his face he turns to her with a smirk. She let out a disbelieving chuckle as she returns her attention to the ships. She feels Aemond grab her hand and allows him to pull her away. She makes eye contact with Alicent, who simply smiles at the young girl and makes her way inside the Keep.

Aemond continues leading her to the gardens, where they would attempt to get some quiet. You would think losing half its children, the castle would be more calm, but it seems the people still roaming the halls enjoyed the family's affairs. Everyone was talking about everything that had gone down and the heir leaving.

When the two young Targaryens walked past, they would stop talking, but the walls had ears and so did Alysanne.

She knew of the betrothal she had just barely escaped and she would forever be thankful to Alicent for that.

(2151 words)