Part 1
“Shall I go tell Laenor I found his best man staring off into space?”
Rhaenyra turned her head slightly in the direction of Harwin’s voice. She hadn’t noticed his approach, which was impressive given his general stature. She wasn’t even sure how long she’d been standing there at the top of the aisle, completely detached from reality. It was probably a good thing somebody came along when they did.
Rhaenyra smiled smugly at him. “I told you not to be jealous,” she teased, sliding her hands into her pockets. “Laenor still loves you. He just loves me more.”
“Cousin privilege,” Harwin muttered under his breath with a huff. “Anyway, that’s not what I’m talking about.” His eyes drifted over in the direction Rhaenyra was previously looking, towards the reason why she’d lost all sense of time and space to begin with. “If you stare any harder, you’re going to hurt yourself.”
Rhaenyra didn’t need to follow his gaze to know what he was referring to, and she knew attempting to deny it would only be a waste of energy.
It was impossible for the harpist not to capture Rhaenyra’s attention. Her vibrant red curls cascading down her back, paired with the majesty of the instrument itself, made her appear as if she was plucked straight out of some early 19th century oil portrait. The only thing that contradicted the vision was her dress: deep green satin, off-the-shoulder, tasteful yet the amount of collarbone on display gave Rhaenyra the urge to look away.
She was playing a gentle rendition of My Heart Will Go On — which was no doubt one of Laenor’s picks, Titanic never failed to make him cry — much to the delight of the wedding guests who had arrived early and taken their seats. Rhaenyra, who first saw the film far too young and definitely didn’t have an incurable crush on Kate Winslet as a result, refused to acknowledge the irony of her staring moronically at yet another elegant woman with auburn curls.
“You’re doing it again,” Harwin pointed out.
Rhaenyra’s head snapped towards him. “What?”
“Drooling.”
Rhaenyra whacked him affectionately with the back of her hand. “I’ll remember that later when you’re trying to shag one of Qarl’s sisters.”
“Alright, point taken.” Harwin placed both hands up in surrender. “Did Laenor kick you out then?”
“Uncle Corlys did. He said he wanted to ‘talk to his son about the duties of marriage’ or some rubbish.”
Harwin smiled. “He’s an old-fashioned guy.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Rhaenyra chuckled, glancing in Harwin’s direction. “Laenor asked me to keep an eye on things out here.”
“Well, you’re definitely keeping an eye on something.”
The Velaryons, obscenely wealthy as they were, had rented the grandiose Castle Driftmark for Laenor and Qarl’s wedding. Located on the coast, the castle sat upon a rocky plateau overlooking the sea, with direct access to the sandy beach below. On the front lawn, where the ceremony was set to take place, the view overlooking the ocean was picturesque, the sun peeking through the overcast sky at rare intervals.
In the end, the comparisons between the harpist and an oil painting were apt, as the entire setting looked like an artist’s detailed interpretation of a scene from a fairytale. She sat to the left of the floral wedding arch, in a sturdy wooden chair on the pristine lawn, plucking away leisurely as if she were the only person there.
Many in Laenor’s family questioned the decision to hire a lone musician for the wedding — it’s not like they didn’t have the funds for an entire orchestra if they wanted. When they’d suggested something more traditional, like a pianist, Laenor ignored them and insisted they’d found the perfect person, as recommended by one of Qarl’s friends.
Rhaenyra was inclined to agree that her cousin made the right choice.
“If anything, I need the distraction,” Rhaenyra said, attempting to sidestep Harwin’s needling. “Did you know my father invited Jason Lannister and hoped we would ‘get to talking’ today?”
“Oh, yeah,” Harwin said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the people already seated. “He’s right over there.”
Rhaenyra looked over to see the back of Jason Lannister’s head, his golden hair unmistakeable amidst the sea of silvers and browns. If he’d turned around and spotted her standing there, Rhaenyra would’ve held no shame in jumping behind Harwin in an attempt to hide from him.
Rhaenyra groaned in disgust. “Why does my father think he can go around inviting people to Laenor’s wedding?”
“I’m sure he convinced Corlys with a touching tale about how you’ll be next down the aisle if this match were to work out,” Harwin crooned.
Rhaenyra sighed heavily, mostly because she knew Harwin’s odds of being right. “You’d think I would’ve expressed an interest in either of the Lannister brothers by now if such a thing existed. I only went to school with them for about a hundred years.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think you can scare him away pretty easily,” Harwin said. “He strikes me as the kind of man who doesn’t know what to do when he sees a woman in a suit.”
Harwin made a playful show of looking Rhaenyra up and down, taking in the sight of her tailored navy suit, the colour matching that of the wedding party. She almost matched Harwin, aside from the tie, which she’d opted against in favour of leaving the top of her shirt unbuttoned. Her silver hair was partially pulled back into an intricate braid, while the rest fell straight down her back.
Rhaenyra knew she looked good, but she was also very aware of Harwin’s tendencies.
“Especially a woman that looks far better than him in one.”
Rhaenyra rolled her eyes. “Flirt.”
Harwin shrugged easily. “No point in that, is there? Your attention is clearly elsewhere.”
Rhaenyra stared. “Are you done?”
“Might be.”
“Make yourself useful and go check on Laenor, would you?” Rhaenyra encouraged. “If you’re so bloody concerned about it.”
“Alright.” Harwin shrugged again, then started to back away in the direction he first came from. “But don’t be upset if I steal the best man job out from under you.”
Rhaenyra checked her watch and smiled. “With twenty-five minutes left? Go on, then.”
The last thing Rhaenyra heard was Harwin’s laugh before he vanished back towards the castle, which left her standing alone once again. She felt much more exposed this time, now that she’d been called out for staring so blatantly at the harpist. Still, she couldn’t help that her eyes were drawn right back to her, and given how far away Rhaenyra was, it was unlikely the harpist would even notice her.
Then, something caught her eye. Something she wouldn’t have noticed at all if she wasn’t so hopelessly enraptured by the harpist to begin with. A tiny, familiar figure in a light blue dress was crossing the grass with intent, ambling directly towards the harpist, who had clearly drawn the child’s attention much like she had Rhaenyra’s.
(The only difference was it was only socially acceptable for one of them to express their appreciation by stumbling awkwardly towards her with outstretched arms.)
As Rhaenyra swept her eyes across the area, she saw no sign of Laena, and took it upon herself to intervene. She was certain that protecting the flower girl — or protecting people from the flower girl — fell within the margins of a best man’s duty, and it definitely had nothing to do with the proximity she would have to the harpist as a result.
Rhaenyra jogged over, quickly catching up to the toddler intent on being a menace just before she reached her destination.
“Okay, that’s enough of that,” she said as she deftly scooped Baela up in her arms. “Now, what are you doing over here?” She asked sweetly, causing the toddler in her arms to giggle. “If you get grass stains on this dress before you walk down the aisle, your mum might just kill us all.”
“Kill us all!” Baela declared joyously as her giggles only grew louder.
“Okay, well—” Rhaenyra flushed, and she heard the harpist laugh softly beside them. She seemed entirely unbothered by what just unfolded, having seamlessly transitioned into playing La Vie en Rose at some point on Rhaenyra’s way over.
Unfortunately for Rhaenyra, she was even more entrancing up close. Her eyes were a soul-crushing shade of brown, and there was suddenly no escaping how all-encompassing her presence was.
“You must be Rhaenyra,” the harpist guessed, glancing up from the instrument for only a brief second. “Best man?”
Rhaenyra, thrilled that someone thought to mention her for any reason, smiled bashfully. “Uh, yeah.” She tilted her head. “Have you got a cheat sheet back there or something?”
“No.” The harpist nodded towards Baela in her arms. “But I did hear this one had a ‘fun aunt’.”
“Ah,” Rhaenyra said, chuckling awkwardly as she looked down at her shoes. “Well, whoever said that probably didn’t mean it as a compliment.”
There was a good chance ‘fun aunt’ was actually code for ‘childless slacker’, depending on which Targaryen or Velaryon said it.
“I don’t know.” The harpist’s expression remained unchanged. “Laena seems rather fond of you.”
“Laena?” Rhaenyra’s shoulders relaxed at the confirmation. “I take it all back. If it wasn’t a compliment, we’ll be having words.” As the harpist smiled, it only imbued Rhaenyra with more confidence. “I feel like someone has let me down by not giving me your name in advance.”
“I’m Alicent,” she responded with an easy smile.
They shared a brief second of eye contact before Laena suddenly barged into Rhaenyra’s periphery, as if the mention of her name had summoned her out of thin air. She was clearly out of breath, and sighed heavily with relief as she surveyed the scene before her.
“I’m so sorry,” she said as she shook her head. “Rhaena got her dress caught, which of course is the end of the world for a toddler. I only turned my back for a second.”
“It’s alright, isn’t it?” Rhaenyra asked Baela, who reached towards her mother. “No disasters to report.”
Laena turned to Alicent. “I hope she didn’t cause you any trouble.”
“Not at all,” Alicent assured her, glancing over at Baela with a kind smile. “Kids are always curious. Occupational hazard.”
Rhaenyra handed Baela over to her mother, who immediately became occupied with fussing over the state of her shoes after her trek through the grass.
“I’m sure adults are just as hazardous,” Rhaenyra noted. Unsure of what to do with her hands now that they were free, she clasped them behind her back.
“You have no idea.” Alicent rolled her eyes, continuing to play without missing a beat. “With children I worry they might hurt themselves, but I can’t say I would care too much if this fell on some nosy adult’s foot.”
Rhaenyra chuckled. “I promise I’ll keep my feet far away.”
“And your hands,” Alicent added, eyeing her. “Unless you’re willing to buy what you break.”
Rhaenyra wasn’t sure whether Alicent was threatening her or flirting with her, but she couldn’t say she disliked either option.
Laena glanced between the two of them, raising a curious brow in Rhaenyra’s direction. Rhaenyra tried her best to ignore her, knowing that any of Harwin’s comments paled in comparison to whatever was running through Laena’s mind.
“Alright, love,” Laena said to Baela. “Let’s make sure you’re all ready for Uncle Laenor. Okay?”
“Yes,” Baela said with an emphatic nod. “Bye!” She called, waving adorably at Alicent as Laena carried her back towards the castle.
Alicent smiled warmly as she watched them go, and only a few seconds passed before she brought the delicate tune she was playing to an end.
When Rhaenyra noticed she didn’t transition into a new song, she opened her mouth to speak. “I’m sorry,” she babbled, stupidly. “You can just… tell me to piss off if I’m bothering you.”
Alicent laughed, musically, much like her harp. “You aren’t bothering me.” She reached down beside her chair to pick up a bottle of water from the ground and unscrewed the cap.
As Alicent drank, Rhaenyra idly thought that was a job she could definitely do. Get Alicent water, maybe hold one of those giant palm leaves above her to give her some shade, protect her from toddlers and adults alike.
Alicent tilted the bottle in Rhaenyra’s direction. “The last thing I need is a hand cramp in the middle of the procession,” she explained before she secured the lid again.
Rhaenyra grimaced. “Shit. Yeah, I’ve never thought about that.”
“There are so many ways to ruin the best day of someone’s life, you wouldn’t even know,” Alicent joked. Her fingers returned to the strings, and she began to faintly pluck several notes at random. “I’ve had strings snap on me in the middle of the ceremony.”
Rhaenyra’s eyebrows shot up. “What did you do?”
Alicent shrugged. “Luckily other musicians were there to cover me, and it was the recessional. By that point, the happy couple is too starry-eyed over each other to notice anything.”
“Do you ever get to sneak in some songs that you want to play?”
“Sure,” Alicent responded as she continued to toy with individual strings. “It depends on the couple, though. Most are more focused on the processional and less precious about the prelude. Some couples have an entire setlist in mind, some offer a general vibe and I go from there.”
Rhaenyra wasn’t sure if she was more intimidated when Alicent was making eye contact while speaking to her, or when she was entirely focused on the strings.
“Are you asking if I take requests?” Alicent asked. “Rather bold at someone else’s wedding.”
Rhaenyra chuckled. “No, I said songs that you want to play.’
Alicent hummed thoughtfully. “Alright.” Her fingers paused on the strings. “I have time for a few more before the ceremony. You can guess which one is my pick.”
Rhaenyra narrowed her eyes, still smiling. “Alright, deal.”
“Break a leg up there, best man.”
(Rhaenyra knew she didn’t need to stop and think about whether or not that was flirting.)
Rhaenyra wasn’t confident in her own ability to drag herself away, and if her cousin, who she loved dearly, wasn’t about to walk down the aisle, she might not have been able to. Once she had managed to walk away, she quickly realised she wouldn’t be able to stare so unabashedly at Alicent anymore without her noticing.
But it was hard not to look at her. Even once she’d finished her final songs and the ceremony had begun, Rhaenyra was still so acutely aware of her presence. It didn’t help that she was the first one down the aisle, so all she could see beyond the seated audience was the celebrant ahead of her, and then Alicent playing What a Wonderful World off to the left.
It all felt strangely intimate and singular, particularly once she reached the altar and realised the way her body would be angled for the remainder of the ceremony would give her a perfect view of Alicent.
Combine that with the view to her right, like a sweeping painted landscape, and the stunning 14th century castle to her left, Rhaenyra knew she could easily get lost in the grandeur of it all.
The rest of the wedding party followed behind Rhaenyra, including Baela, who took her flower girl duties very seriously as she scattered flower petals down the aisle with a gleaming smile. Laenor and Qarl walked down the aisle together, arm in arm, accompanied by Alicent’s take on Songbird by Fleetwood Mac.
While this wasn’t the first time Rhaenyra had heard covers of songs she’d listened to a hundred times before, there was something transformative about it. It wasn’t even necessarily about the harp, even if the instrument was largely foreign to her beyond initial recognition, or even the songs themselves, which already had memories attached to them, even if they weren’t so significant.
It was because it was played by someone who commanded her full attention just by existing. She wasn’t sure if anyone else in attendance was experiencing the effect Alicent was having on her. She wasn’t sure if what she was feeling was just an intense form of attraction or something more. A fascination, maybe, but not just due to her looks or how beautifully she played, but the knowledge that there was something under the surface that called to Rhaenyra.
It felt like there was some deeper part of Alicent that Rhaenyra instantly recognised, something that was calling to her because it, too, recognised her. How she knew of the existence of such a thing after just one conversation and being aware of Alicent’s existence for less than an hour, Rhaenyra couldn’t be certain.
She didn’t think it too much of a stretch to say the whole experience was rewiring her brain in real time. This was a wedding, the music Alicent was playing was ultimately in service of the grooms, but Rhaenyra knew she would never hear these songs the same way again either, for reasons that were entirely her own. The more inconsequential thoughts she’d once had upon hearing them were no longer the focal point, instead replaced by the angelic image of Alicent sitting with her harp, the sun filtering through the clouds at just the right moments.
Harwin and Laena were also in the wedding party, and while Rhaenyra hoped their attention remained solely on the ceremony, she couldn’t bring herself to care about the merciless teasing she was likely to receive later.
(Mostly because, as much as Rhaenyra loved them, she hoped her plans for later had nothing to do with Harwin or Laena.)
The reception was set to take place within the castle itself, in a rectangular hall with glittering chandeliers hung from a high ceiling. The westernmost wall featured tall windows that allowed the natural light to pour in. One end of the room transitioned into a short hallway, which led to large open doors so the guests were able to go outside and enjoy the sea air beyond.
Tables adorned with navy and silver were set up along the edges of the room, which left a large space in the centre that would later serve as the dance floor. Right before Laenor and Qarl were set to make their grand entrance, Alicent’s harp was wheeled to the middle of the floor in preparation.
For their first dance, the newlyweds swayed back and forth to Alicent’s rendition of Etta James’ At Last. There was so much care given to each and every note, and Rhaenyra quickly caught herself smiling from her place at the main table. She’d been close with her cousins her entire life, and yet she’d never seen such a sparkle in Laenor’s eyes before. All while Alicent proved to be the perfect centrepiece, her harp the perfect backdrop, and everything about it appeared so effortless.
In a way, Rhaenyra couldn’t imagine the moment as anything but this.
Once the first dance came to an end, one of the servers approached Alicent and offered to wheel the harp back to the edge of the room. As other servers began to bustle around and the room descended into chatter, Rhaenyra finally dragged her gaze away from Alicent, just in time to hear a familiar, teasing voice from over her shoulder.
“Blink twice if you’ve been possessed by the fit harpist.”
Rhaenyra turned her head in the direction of Laena’s voice, who, much like Harwin, had managed to draw closer without her knowledge. Laena had already taken the seat beside Rhaenyra before the dance began, but had since slid her chair even closer just so she could get in her ear.
“I’m starting to wonder if anyone at this wedding has ever witnessed attraction before,” Rhaenyra quipped with an amused smile.
Laena shrugged. “You’re the one who’s spent more time watching Alicent than your cousin who just got married.”
“Oh, I’ve seen Laenor plenty,” Rhaenyra joked with a wave of her hand.
Laena’s smile grew warm, even when Rhaenyra’s eyes drifted back towards Alicent, drawn like a magnet. “She’s staying the night here, you know. Laenor and Qarl let her stay in one of the guest cottages on the grounds.”
Rhaenyra rolled her eyes at the poorly-veiled hint. “Thank you, Cupid.”
“Come on,” Laena continued to prod, “you’re at least going to ask for her number.” It was neither a question or a suggestion, instead more like a decision Laena had just passed into law.
“Well, yeah, Laena, the thought crossed my mind,” Rhaenyra chuckled.
“That’s all I wanted to hear,” Laena relented, leaning back in her chair again. “I felt like I was interrupting something earlier.”
“We’d been talking for two minutes, we weren’t exactly planning a quick shag.”
Laena snorted in a clear attempt to suppress a laugh. “Rhaenyra, I’ll be honest, if you only wanted to shag her, I wouldn’t be saying all of this to you right now.”
“Okay, what does that mean?”
“It means,” Laena exhaled a breath, “the way you’re looking at her? That’s not the way you look at someone if you just want to shag them. I don’t know what you’re fantasising about, but maybe you should let her know you’ve already named your three kids and two dogs.”
“Oh, piss off.”
Laena laughed.
It’s not like Rhaenyra was unaware of what Laena was referring to, but she hadn’t realised how plain it was on her face for all to see. It wasn’t the perception of others that worried her, but how real it made everything seem. It was proof that whatever she was feeling, no matter how fledgling, wasn’t something she’d made up in her head.
The majority of people in attendance were either related to her or knew her to some degree, which meant her private life was anything but. There was a reason why Laenor, close to her in age, was getting married, yet she was single and even dateless, and just about everyone had an opinion on the matter.
Fortunately, Laena approached it in a way that wasn’t completely insufferable.
“I didn’t expect you to be so invested,” Rhaenyra needled, the amusement in her voice returning.
Laena smiled fondly. “Look, I just can’t remember the last time someone caught your attention like this, that’s all.” She paused for a moment. “Besides, I do think they need to be studying your chemistry in a bloody lab somewhere.”
“Maybe I’m just trying to avoid Jason Lannister,” Rhaenyra said flippantly.
Laena rolled her eyes. “I don’t think you need to worry about that. I’m pretty sure he’s approached every woman but you since he arrived.”
Rhaenyra smiled, somewhat smug. “Harwin thinks he can’t get past the suit.”
“God,” Laena scoffed, then began to laugh. “You know, if you don’t shoot your shot with Alicent, he just might.”
“Well.” Rhaenyra’s eyes flicked back over towards Alicent, who was now on the opposite side of the room with her harp. “I can’t say I would blame him.”
“God, look at the state of you,” Laena said, shaking her head. “Just remember to thank me in a few years’ time when we’re at your wedding.”
“Why would I?” Rhaenyra turned back to look at her. “If we want to be accurate, Baela was the only reason we met in the first place.”
“And who do you think is responsible for Baela’s existence?” Laena asked, feigning insult. “Honestly. Just go talk to her before she leaves or I’ll have to do it for you.”
Rhaenyra shook her head at herself, smiling slightly as Laena scooted her chair back to where it was originally.
Laenor and Qarl had arrived at their seats at the main table, while the servers made the final preparations for dinner. As the rest of the room buzzed with conversation, Rhaenyra lifted herself from her chair and crossed over to where Alicent stood with her harp, trying to pull a cover over it.
“You need a hand with that?” Rhaenyra asked, stepping around from behind Alicent and leaning against the wall next to the harp.
Alicent’s brow, which was furrowed in concentration, smoothed over when she caught sight of Rhaenyra. The idea of Alicent being even remotely pleased by her presence could have fuelled Rhaenyra for the next week at least.
“I don’t know,” she replied, her attention momentarily leaving the harp. “How often do you lift things that are bigger than you with your own two hands?”
Rhaenyra tilted her head. “Would you be impressed if I said all the time? Every single day of my life?”
“Oh, absolutely.”
“Sorry.” Rhaenyra grinned. “I guess we’re both out of luck.”
Alicent hummed, feigning disappointment, then returned her attention to covering up the harp. “Luckily I could probably do this with my eyes closed, so you’re off the hook this time.” She began securing the more delicate parts of the instrument within the padded parts of the case. “What did you think? Lovely, wasn’t it?”
“I thought you played beautifully,” Rhaenyra answered, quiet yet earnest.
The flush in Alicent’s cheeks was immediate, her gaze still trained on the harp. “I meant the ceremony, but… thank you, Rhaenyra.”
Rhaenyra smiled. “Honestly, I’m sad it’s over. Not that I want to work you to death or anything.”
Alicent’s lips twitched as she finished securing the padding, then glanced at her. “Well, I’m not the only one who did their job well. You were on time and you didn’t lose the rings. An unsung hero, if you ask me.”
Rhaenyra shrugged, playing along. “That’s why they call it best man.”
Alicent laughed quietly. “Oh, I think you proved it.”
“And I figured out which song was yours, by the way.”
Alicent stopped in her tracks and looked at her. “Oh, did you?”
Rhaenyra’s smile grew. “It was second to last. The song from Spirited Away.”
Alicent raised a brow at her, as if surprised, but the look in her eyes suggested something more. “I’m impressed. I wondered if that one might trip you up.”
“Not a chance,” Rhaenyra chuckled. “God, we loved those movies growing up.”
“I know.” Alicent flashed a conspiratorial smile. “Laenor told me when we were first tossing around ideas for the music.”
Rhaenyra paused as she processed that particular tidbit of information. There was nothing strange about what Alicent had said, necessarily, but her smile didn’t match what was coming out of her mouth. There was something furtive in it that Rhaenyra couldn’t quite figure out.
“Do I get to know how you guessed it?”
Rhaenyra lifted herself from the wall, instead leaning her weight on one leg. “You were just enjoying yourself so much more during that one,” she answered simply.
That was really the only difference between the final few songs Alicent played before the ceremony began. They were all songs Laenor or Qarl could have reasonably requested themselves, and given the amount of times Rhaenyra had listened to them gush over film scores, the Ghibli pick wasn’t exactly unusual.
“You had your eyes closed at one point, like you were just completely at ease.” Rhaenyra shook her head, out of disbelief more than anything else. “Honestly, it was impressive.”
“I see.” Alicent looked at her, expression entirely unreadable, before she quirked her brow. “Kept your eyes on me the whole time, did you?”
Rhaenyra opened her mouth to respond, before quickly closing it again. She wasn’t sure which answer swimming around in her mind would get her in the least amount of trouble.
It didn’t help that Alicent managed to be utterly disarming even when she was teasing her.
“Hm.” Alicent shot her a teasing smile, before she returned to the harp case and began zipping it up.
“Would you like to get a drink with me?” Rhaenyra asked, the question tumbling out without a thought. “After dinner?”
Alicent paused in the middle of zipping, instead giving Rhaenyra her full attention. Rhaenyra could sense her hesitation, and felt a need to put her at ease as soon as possible.
“I know you’re probably exhausted,” she added, finding herself oddly nervous. “I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
Alicent shook her head. “No, it’s just… I don’t normally stay. I wasn’t expecting it.”
As Rhaenyra opened her mouth to respond, attempting to hide her disappointment, Alicent quickly reached for her forearm.
“I’m not saying no,” she added hurriedly, before she shook her head. “Sorry, I’m not explaining myself very well.”
“Well, as long as we’re both useless.”
Alicent laughed, which caused a swelling sensation in Rhaenyra’s chest.
“I know that… if I was considerate in the slightest, I would just ask for your number and let you go, but…”
Alicent looked at her, and Rhaenyra could’ve sworn her eyes had grown wider. “But…?”
“But…” Rhaenyra exhaled, before deciding to just say it, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. “I just… I have this feeling. Like I would be making a huge mistake if I didn’t try tonight, which sounds insane, I know.”
Alicent smiled. “We can get a drink.”
“Are you sure?” Rhaenyra blinked in surprise. “If you’re not comfortable with staying…”
“I’m sure,” Alicent promised, before nodding. “I’ll explain properly later, I just…” She glanced around at the busy room, before lowering her voice. “It’s the kind of thing I’d rather talk about with a drink in my hand.”
Rhaenyra nodded in understanding. “Then I’ll make sure you get one. After dinner, then?”
“Yes,” Alicent agreed, finally zipping the harp case closed. “I wouldn’t want to get you drunk before you have to make that best man speech of yours.”
“That’s a shame,” Rhaenyra said with a dramatic sigh. “I guess I’ll just have to win them over the old fashioned way.”
“Which is?”
“With my charm and wit, obviously.”
“Oof.” Alicent winced playfully. “On second thought, you might want to have a couple of shots first after all.”
“Ouch.” Rhaenyra placed a hand on her chest, as if she’d just been physically wounded. She was still smiling, even as she took a couple of steps backwards. “Wow, you already know just how I like it.”
Alicent continued to watch her as she backed towards her table, clearly trying her best to keep her amused smile at bay before it erupted into a full-blown grin. Rhaenyra spent at least the next twenty minutes thinking about it.
Dinner was pleasant for the most part, even if being at the main table meant having her father seated across from her. On any other occasion, this wouldn’t have been an issue. Instead, not only had Rhaenyra’s father invited a potential suitor for her, he then proceeded to wedge his name into every conversation that took place, even if it had nothing to do with him.
Luckily, half of the table seemed to catch on quickly, and then became adept at diverting the conversation whenever Jason Lannister was mentioned.
Despite the innate ability to be charming whenever the situation called for it, Rhaenyra loved public speaking about as much as the next person. The wine they were serving with dinner wasn’t nearly strong enough to aid her, but that didn’t stop her from downing a couple of glasses before her best man speech. Once she’d gotten her first couple of laughs from the room, she was able to relax into it, which resulted in the experience being far less painful than she thought.
It was early July, so even as dinner drew to a close, Rhaenyra knew the sun wasn’t due to set for another hour or two. Regardless, the conclusion of dinner meant the conclusion of the day’s formalities, which meant the rest of Rhaenyra’s evening was suddenly wide open. All she could hope for was that Alicent would be willing to gift her even the tiniest sliver of her own free time.
She found Alicent again shortly after dinner, leaning against the wall near the entrance of the bar area. She was facing away, which Rhaenyra registered as odd, but she soon became distracted by an older couple she didn’t recognise. They were walking past Alicent when they paused in their tracks, and Rhaenyra was close enough to hear them compliment Alicent’s work before they continued on their way again.
Once she was alone again, Rhaenyra approached her from behind. “Sounds like you’ve got some adoring fans.”
Alicent turned around, but only glanced at Rhaenyra for a second before her gaze travelled over her shoulder. Her brow furrowed, then she took Rhaenyra by the forearm and pulled her around so their positions were swapped.
Rhaenyra frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Sorry,” Alicent breathed in response, then rolled her eyes. “There’s a man behind you who keeps smirking at me. I figured my options were either to risk encouraging him or cause a scene in here — neither of which sounds appealing.”
Rhaenyra’s frown only deepened. “Which man?” She asked, then looked over her shoulder to start searching for him. She certainly had no qualms about causing a scene if somebody was making Alicent uncomfortable. However, it didn’t take long for her to find the only suspect it could’ve been: Jason Lannister. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
“Friend of yours?”
“No, that’s just Jason,” Rhaenyra sighed as her attention returned to Alicent again. “My father’s latest attempt at matchmaking.”
“For you?” Alicent lifted both eyebrows, her annoyed expression melting into amusement. “Your father mustn’t like him very much. I think you’d eat that man alive long before your wedding.”
Rhaenyra breathed out a laugh, oddly heartened by Alicent’s assessment of her after one and a half conversations.
Alicent narrowed her eyes. “And somehow I’ve become the other woman for both of you.”
“Well, that depends.” Rhaenyra crossed her arms over her chest, feigning a serious look. “You’d only be the other woman to me if you were actually planning on humouring him.”
“You know,” Alicent began, maintaining eye contact as she drew out her response, “he isn’t really my type.”
“Is the red velvet suit a dealbreaker?”
The corners of Alicent’s lips twitched upwards. “He’s a man, for one.”
“And you only accept drinks from the best man.” Rhaenyra nodded. “You’re a woman with standards, I get it.”
Alicent laughed, once again in that musical sort of way that Rhaenyra was rapidly becoming addicted to.
“Well, if you’d allow me to rescue you,” Rhaenyra began, rather enjoying the sudden surge to her ego. Out of everyone here, Alicent was choosing to spend time with her, and it didn’t exactly go unnoticed. “He hasn’t approached me all day, so I’d say I’m a pretty effective repellent.”
“Then he really isn’t my type, is he?” Alicent shook her head with a teasing tut, while Rhaenyra chuckled as she led them towards the bar.
A wide archway was all that separated the main hall from the adjacent room where the bar was located. Stools lined parts of the counter, but most people were getting their drinks then returning to the festivities. They’d switched over to the loudspeaker now, and despite the music’s volume, the bar’s atmosphere was comfortable, and it seemed they’d still be able to talk normally.
The bar’s counter was long, and Rhaenyra led them to the very end so they wouldn’t be disturbed. The bar stools were sleek and had a low backrest, and Rhaenyra pulled Alicent’s out for her, each of them taking a side of the bar’s corner so they could face one another.
Rhaenyra watched as Alicent chewed on her lower lip as she sat down. “Second thoughts already?” She teased lightly, taking a seat on her own stool. “It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind, you know.”
“No, it’s not that.” Alicent flashed her a smile. “I was just thinking about Laenor and Qarl, whether they enjoyed the music or not.”
“Really?” Rhaenyra blinked, surprised by the sudden absence of the breezy confidence she’d been exuding all afternoon. “Alicent, you were wonderful, I have no doubt they loved it. ”
Alicent smiled shyly, her chin dropping. “I’m sure you’re right. There’s just something about waiting for feedback that puts me on edge.”
“I can’t imagine anyone has ever given you negative feedback.”
“Not in this line of work, no, but… well, I can be a perfectionist,” Alicent admitted, then lifted her gaze to Rhaenyra again. “I was a bit of a menace in school.”
Rhaenyra quirked her brow, intrigued. “Oh, really?”
“Yes,” Alicent confirmed reluctantly, “but I’ll be needing that drink if you want to get any more stories out of me.”
Rhaenyra’s smile blossomed into something all-consuming. “Well, it’s a good thing we have so much champagne.” She looked up to flag down one of the bartenders, then quickly glanced at Alicent again. “Or whatever else you’d like, courtesy of the Velaryon family.”
Alicent smiled. “Champagne’s perfect.”
The bartender returned with a bottle and poured each of them a glass. The champagne flutes were triangular in shape, and one side featured a large pattern that looked like a heart.
Once the bartender walked out of earshot, Alicent glanced around the room and shook her head in disbelief. “I still can’t believe they put a bar in here.”
“Two bars,” Rhaenyra said with a roguish smile. “There’s another one upstairs.”
Alicent laughed lightly, and Rhaenyra already recognised the shift between professional and personal, the way she allowed herself to relax when she was no longer on the clock.
Rhaenyra lifted her glass towards her. “To Laenor and Qarl.”
“To a lifetime of happiness,” Alicent added with a smile, lifting her own glass.
Rhaenyra hummed in approval as their glasses met with a satisfying clink. She barely managed to swallow her sip of champagne — in fact, she almost choked on it — when she caught her father out of the corner of her eye. He passed through the archway from the main hall and was heading directly towards them.
Rhaenyra cleared her throat and straightened her back upon his approach. “Father?”
“Rhaenyra,” Viserys greeted her with a smile, which allowed Rhaenyra to relax because it meant she likely wasn’t in any trouble.
“Father, this is Alicent.” Rhaenyra gestured towards Alicent beside her. “Alicent, my father, Viserys.”
Viserys turned his attention towards Alicent. “Oh, the harpist.” He gave Alicent an enthusiastic nod, then reached for her hand. “You played splendidly, my dear. Such a beautiful instrument.”
“Oh,” Alicent said, clearly blindsided by the compliment. “I appreciate that, Mr Targaryen, thank you.”
Viserys gave her an affirming nod before turning back to Rhaenyra. “I just wanted to inform you that Jason Lannister has left for the evening. He said something had come up and he was very apologetic.”
It took everything Rhaenyra had not to laugh. She kept her eyes solely on her father, because she knew she would almost certainly break if she glanced in Alicent’s direction.
“That’s… a shame,” Rhaenyra said flatly.
“Yes, well,” Viserys grumbled. “It seems he’s become something of a lothario in recent years. I saw him speaking to just about every unaccompanied woman in attendance! He wouldn’t dare behave in such a way if his own father were here.”
Rhaenyra nodded in support of his outrage. “Then it’s a good thing that he left. You clearly don’t think he’s good enough.”
Viserys muttered unintelligibly under his breath.
“Besides, I don’t really think I’m his type.”
Viserys sighed wearily. “Well, you certainly can’t marry a man who has such poor taste, can you?” He shook his head. “As long as you’re not too disappointed.”
“Oh, well,” Rhaenyra began awkwardly, before shooting a quick glance in Alicent’s direction. “I’m… sure I’ll recover.”
Viserys nodded, clearly satisfied with her answer, before he looked between the two women. “Well, I’ll leave you to enjoy yourselves. I’ll be sneaking off to bed once your aunt has had too much wine to notice my absence.”
Rhaenyra smiled. “I doubt you’ll have to wait long, she was already wobbling during her speech.”
“Indeed,” Viserys chuckled. “I will see you tomorrow.”
Rhaenyra nodded, and they both watched as Viserys wandered back in the direction he came from, through the archway and out of sight.
“Sorry about that,” Rhaenyra said as she turned back to Alicent. “Usually when I get a drink with someone, it doesn’t include a personal introduction to my father.”
“Don’t apologise.” Alicent shook her head, then opened her mouth to speak again, seemingly hesitant. “Does he… know you also like women?”
“Oh, yeah.” Rhaenyra nodded. “He just can’t read a room to save his life. The first time Laenor brought Qarl home for Christmas, he thought they were just friends.”
Alicent smiled, amused, but it quickly faded from her face before she took another, longer sip from her glass. “Would he… be upset if he knew you were having a drink with me? When he’s trying to, I don’t know, set you up…?”
Rhaenyra frowned immediately. “No. No, not at all.” She resisted every urge she had to reach out and place a hand over hers. “Trust me, I wouldn’t have asked you to stay if I thought it would cause some… family stir. That wouldn’t be fair to you. Or Laenor and Qarl, for that matter.”
Alicent smiled, the reassurance causing her to visibly relax. “It’s just… at the end of the day, I’m here for work. I could play perfectly during the ceremony, but all it takes is one disgruntled person at the reception to ruin my reputation.”
Rhaenyra shook her head. “No, I understand.” Of course, the thought hadn’t even occurred to her until Alicent mentioned it, but it immediately brought everything into sharper focus. And it made her even more appreciative that Alicent had deemed her worthy of the risk. “You can’t afford to jeopardise anything.”
Alicent hummed, which soon became a soft chuckle. “You know, so far this hasn’t been what I was expecting.”
“Oh?” Rhaenyra asked curiously, trying her best to play it cool. “How come?”
Alicent smiled slyly, which sent a clear message to Rhaenyra that she wasn’t trying hard enough. “Well, for one, I can’t remember the last time I heard the word ‘lothario’.”
Rhaenyra laughed, Alicent’s choice to tease her immediately putting her at ease. “As far as first impressions go, you got one of the better ones.”
Rhaenyra noticed as a bartender carrying a tray of shots in each hand walked by them and disappeared through the archway and into the main hall.
“Then again, even if my father did cause a fuss about it, I doubt anyone will have any memory of it tomorrow.”
Alicent followed Rhaenyra’s gaze. “You know, if you wanted to go join them, I wouldn’t be offended. I mean, it is your cousin’s wedding.”
Rhaenyra turned her attention back to Alicent, smiling. “Laenor won’t miss me. He has a brand new husband, I’m not sure if you’ve heard.”
Alicent hummed. “Someone might have mentioned that, yes.”
“Besides…” Rhaenyra continued, her fingers fiddling with the base of her glass. “I’m happy right here.”
“Alright,” Alicent said as she lifted her own glass to her lips in an attempt to hide her smile.
They could hear the music blasting from the speakers in the other room as they chatted, and it was only about a song and a half later when Laenor and Qarl found them.
It was clear they’d arrived straight from the dance floor, having discarded their jackets and rolled up their sleeves. A thin layer of sweat covered their foreheads, and Qarl had his arm wrapped around Laenor’s torso, laughing with him as they approached.
One look at them was all it took for Rhaenyra to know those shots reached their intended destination, and she raised an eyebrow at them.
“There you are,” Laenor announced dramatically, dropping down into the seat next to Rhaenyra. “We were wondering where you’d gotten to. Hi, Alicent.”
“Hi,” Alicent said warmly. “Congratulations.”
Qarl, who was still standing, smiled down at her. “Thank you, love,” he said, before leaning in closer to her, his eyes on Rhaenyra. “I hope she’s being nice to you.”
Rhaenyra opened her mouth to protest, before she felt Alicent’s hand on her sleeve.
“She’s been perfect,” Alicent said, causing Rhaenyra to melt a little in her seat, “but I’ll give her back if you need her.”
“Oh, absolutely not,” Laenor said emphatically, reaching out to lightly push Rhaenyra’s shoulder with his fist. “Not a bloody chance. It’s like seeing a rare animal in the wild. No sudden moves or you’ll frighten it.”
Rhaenyra rolled her eyes. “Oh, fuck off.”
“Well, I’m glad we caught you anyway,” Qarl said to Alicent, before looking at Laenor again. “I think we made the right choice with the music, don’t you?”
“Oh, you were brilliant,” Laenor agreed.
Rhaenyra smiled as she watched Alicent’s shoulders sag slightly with relief. “Thank you. It was an honour, truly.”
“It was beautiful,” Qarl insisted, who seemed to be a touch more sober than his husband was. “You’re incredibly talented, but that wasn’t news to us.”
“Thank you,” responded Alicent, who was now growing shy with all the praise.
“And you’ll be getting a ridiculously large tip,” Laenor added.
“Don’t be a prick, Laenor,” Rhaenyra warned.
“What?” He asked with a frown. “I’m being serious.”
“Then say it when you’re sober,” Rhaenyra argued. “Don’t toss around promises like that when you’re drunk.”
Laenor scoffed. “I’m hardly drunk.”
“Play nice, you two,” Qarl scolded lightly, with no real tension in his tone. “Laenor, we can save all the money talk for another day.”
They were fortunate that, even on Laenor’s worst days, he was fairly even-tempered. As predicted, he was content to let the moment go with nothing more than a shrug. “Works for me.”
Qarl patted Laenor on the shoulder affectionately. “Shall we return to the dance floor, my love?”
“We shall,” Laenor replied, standing from his seat and stretching his arms out to the side.
Qarl looked between them, and when his eyes lingered on Rhaenyra, it reminded her of the way Laena looked at her earlier. “Maybe we’ll see you out there…?” He asked pointedly.
“We’ll see,” Rhaenyra replied. The last thing she wanted was to put Alicent on the spot and lock her into any further obligations without her permission.
Laenor pointed his finger at Rhaenyra. “Have fun, would you? That’s not a request.”
“Yes, sir,” Rhaenyra said dryly, then rolled her eyes playfully at him.
As the two of them turned and left the room, Rhaenyra watched their retreating figures with a furrowed brow, a displeased sensation curdling in her stomach. It was only once they were out of sight that she dared to glance back towards Alicent, who had since taken her hand off of Rhaenyra’s arm.
“I’m sorry about that. Laenor can be a little…”
“Rich?” Alicent offered with a touch of amusement.
“Well, yes,” Rhaenyra allowed, gathering the hint with ease. “I was going to say out of touch, maybe.”
“His father did rent him an entire castle on the beach for his wedding.”
“He… sure did.” Rhaenyra chuckled awkwardly. “I can’t really talk. The Velaryons may be rent-a-castle-for-a-hundred-guests wealthy, but it’s not like my family is that far behind.”
Alicent’s fingers tapped idly against her champagne flute, creating a soft tink sound each time one of her rings met the glass. “Well, it does make me a little curious about what you had in mind when you asked to have a drink with me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I just…” Alicent began, an uncomfortable expression crossing her face, before she sighed. “Look, I have no interest in being bought with expensive champagne or a tip—”
“What?” Rhaenyra interrupted, holding both hands up in front of her. “God, no, I’m not trying to buy your company. Jesus— that’s… not what this is at all. At all. The tip thing was just Laenor running his mouth.”
Alicent nodded slowly. “Alright.”
Rhaenyra leaned forward a little, angling towards her. “There are no strings attached to this, and you can leave whenever you want. I mean, I hope you don’t. I really hope you don’t, but I’d never stop you.” She paused, and her eyes softened. “Look, you asked me why, and honestly, I just… saw you, and I couldn’t really see much else after that. If you really were curious.”
It was a bit more vulnerable than Rhaenyra was expecting to be, but once she’d said the words, she knew there was no closing that door. Somehow, she knew letting Alicent leave without saying something would continue to gnaw at her, even if what she said ended up falling on deaf ears.
Alicent watched her for a moment, her expression unreadable. “I wouldn’t tell Laenor and Qarl that. Nobody would hire me again if they thought I could upstage the happy couple.”
Rhaenyra chuckled, even as some of the nerves from her admission still lingered. Every earnest response she had sounded far too much, far too real, in an already tenuous situation.
“So, should I be concerned that you don’t already have a date tonight?”
Up until that point, Rhaenyra was fairly certain Alicent was only humouring her. She’d been polite and conversational, sure, but that was the first time she heard genuine curiosity in her tone. That, and something of a challenge, as if she was testing Rhaenyra’s response more than seeking the information.
Still, the question caused Rhaenyra to smile. “Laenor’s like my brother, and our entire family is here. Plus, we have the same friends, so we were all going together anyway… I don’t know. It felt… weird to just bring a stranger.”
“You are aware that I’m a stranger, right?” Alicent asked as she lifted her glass to her lips again.
“You were already going to be here,” Rhaenyra reasoned.
“So that’s the loophole, is it?”
“Honestly, I just think you were the exception.”
Alicent silently peered at her from over the top of the glass, before lowering it down to the bar again. “The reason I hesitated when you asked… it wasn’t you.”
She paused briefly, her eyes fixated on a point over Rhaenyra’s shoulder. Her eyes were so expressive, especially up close, that Rhaenyra could see her searching for the right words in real time.
“As you can imagine, playing the harp in particular attracts… wealthier clientele,” she continued, rolling the stem of her glass between her fingers. “Of course, that usually means gaining the attention of rich, desperate men. Some of them think the right amount of money can buy any sort of ‘service’ they want from me.”
“That’s…” Rhaenyra stared for a moment. “I’m sorry.”
Alicent smiled. “You haven’t done anything wrong, I just… wanted you to understand. Obviously you’re not a man and it’s different, but…”
“It’s different but it’s not,” Rhaenyra supplied when she faltered. “It’s like you said, you’re here for work. This is your livelihood.”
Alicent nodded, appearing relieved that she understood. “That’s why I don’t usually stay. If someone asks, I usually lie and say I have another wedding to get to.”
Rhaenyra winced slightly. The drive back to London was several hours. “I guess you couldn’t use that one here, huh?”
“Don’t worry.” Alicent lifted her left hand, sliding one of her nicer rings from her index finger and moving it to her ring finger. “I would’ve just pulled this trick on you.”
“Oh, classic.” Rhaenyra nodded. “Husband?”
“Of course.”
“Let me guess, then he says ‘well, he’s a lucky man’,” Rhaenyra said, deepening her voice.
Alicent laughed softly. “Yes, and what am I supposed to say to that anyway? ‘Yes, I know’? No man takes that well.”
Rhaenyra chuckled, before glancing at her glass again. “You didn’t have to explain yourself at all, but I’m glad you told me. I mean, of course you’d receive a lot of attention, I didn’t even consider that.”
Alicent raised an eyebrow, her fingers still lingering on her own glass. “Oh?” She lifted a brow. “Why’s that?”
“I mean.” Rhaenyra gestured towards her with a nod, before Alicent’s expression told her she wanted her to actually say it. “You’re talented and you’re stunning. And you’re clearly smart, not that some drunk, entitled prick is going to appreciate that.”
Alicent smiled wryly. “Everyone has this sense of… idealism when they go to weddings. They wear their best rose-coloured glasses and they’re swept away by just the idea of romance. A lot of it is smoke and mirrors.” She gestured down her own body, from her full curls to the length of her satin dress.
Rhaenyra was inclined to disagree, on a number of levels, but she decided not to force the compliment. “Technically the harp caught my attention first,” she reasoned, teasing. “I heard you playing before I even stepped outside.”
“It’s a shame you can’t have a drink with it instead.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want the harp unless you were playing it.”
Alicent laughed, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks. “I see.”
Rhaenyra watched her for a moment, savouring the reaction she’d caused, but the further scrutiny only caused the blush to deepen. Rhaenyra didn’t draw attention to it, just quietly appreciated it before she spoke again.
“So…” Allowing herself to get comfortable, she leaned her elbow against the bar, resting her chin in her hand. “Why the harp?”
Rhaenyra thought it was a fairly harmless question, but the way Alicent looked at her caused her to doubt. She seemed surprised, as if such a mundane question wasn’t what she was expecting. Maybe she wasn’t expecting any questions at all.
“I… don’t know if there is a reason,” she admitted, her expression returning to normal. “Honestly, I just thought it was interesting.”
Rhaenyra’s brow furrowed, and she settled even further into her relaxed position. “What do you mean?”
Alicent laughed quietly, appearing almost flustered. “I mean… it’s one of the oldest instruments in human history.” She seemed embarrassed by her own words, but Rhaenyra continued to watch her with interest. “There are… countless variations of it across history, across cultures all over the world, and it can be used in so many different genres. It can be anywhere but it’s still considered a novelty.” She laughed quietly to herself, dropping her chin. “I’m sure a therapist would be able to unpack whatever that says about me.”
Rhaenyra tilted her head, her smile easy. “Probably just means you’re special.”
“Oh, please,” Alicent dismissed with a laugh. “Although, it does make everything feel grander, no matter the occasion. If I close my eyes, I could be playing in a concert hall.”
Rhaenyra hummed. “Or a castle.”
“Yes.” Alicent glanced at their surroundings, her expression wistful. “I can’t say it felt out of place today. It was nice.”
“Do you do this full time?” Rhaenyra asked.
Alicent shook her head. “I teach a little, too. It’s not exactly the most in-demand instrument, but I wouldn’t want to teach full time anyway. I think I’d miss playing too much.”
Rhaenyra found herself completely captivated by her, which seemed to be a recurring theme, if the rest of the day was anything to go by. “I guess it doesn’t hurt that harpists are fairly rare. There must be a sense of pride in that.”
Alicent’s smile grew smug. “Yes, well, it never ceases to surprise people when I tell them.”
“Surprise or impress,” Rhaenyra added playfully. “You must’ve studied music, right?”
“I went to Highgarden,” Alicent confirmed nonchalantly as she lifted her glass to her lips again.
Rhaenyra blinked at her. “You’re kidding.” She wasn’t sure if she was more bewildered by the school, with possibly the best music program in the UK, or how humble Alicent seemed to be about it. “Fuck, that’s… impressive. To say the least.”
Alicent looked at her, amused. “Well, where did you go to school?”
“I did business at King’s Landing,” Rhaenyra answered with a dismissive wave of her hand, “but that was more of a nepotism thing.”
Alicent narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. “King’s Landing is prestigious. Maybe nepotism got you in, but something tells me you still did well.”
“‘Something’, huh?”
“You just strike me as the kind of person who pisses people off by being obnoxiously good at everything.”
Rhaenyra tilted her head, smirking despite herself. “And by ‘people’, you mean you.”
Alicent shrugged. “I told you I was a menace in school.”
“Well now that I know you went to fucking Highgarden, I’m not surprised.” Rhaenyra chuckled. “The more I learn about you, the more impressed I am.”
Alicent hummed, drawing the sound out a little longer. Rhaenyra maintained eye contact with her, as one silent beat became two, the two of them just looking at each other.
“I do have one more harp question…” Rhaenyra said slowly. “Then I promise I’ll stop interrogating you.”
“Ask away.”
“How do you transport the thing? If you have to drag it around all over the place for weddings?”
Alicent, still locked in their eye contact, grinned slyly, as if the answer was some sort of trade secret. “Alright, I suppose I can tell you.” She paused for dramatic effect. “I use… a car.”
“Alright, alright.” Rhaenyra rolled her eyes playfully. “Stupid question.”
“It’s a tight squeeze in a larger car, but it does fit,” Alicent explained, her smile poorly-hidden. “I have a friend who drives a van, so she’ll often just pick me up if we’re playing the same gig.”
“Wait, you play regularly with the same musicians?”
“I mean, I know plenty of musicians from school,” Alicent responded. “But yeah, I tend to play with the same cellist and violinist when I can.”
“So… you’re in a band,” Rhaenyra said.
Alicent laughed. “I wouldn’t say that. We’ll play together occasionally, but our careers are pretty separate.”
Rhaenyra smirked at her. “Alicent, you’re in a band.”
Alicent rolled her eyes as she laughed again. “If you insist.”
“You should come up with a band name.” Rhaenyra leaned back a little in her seat. “Something about strings, you know? Then you start posting videos online. If your friends are half as talented as you are, there’ll be no stopping you.”
“Is this you putting your business degree to use?” Alicent teased, but Rhaenyra still caught the blush on her cheeks at the compliment. “Will you be signing on as our manager?”
“I mean, I’d book all the best venues for you when you go on tour. Castles only, of course.”
“Well, what use would you be to me if you didn’t?”
Rhaenyra grinned. “All you need now is a good setlist.”
“That might be hard to narrow down,” Alicent noted. “You do weddings for a number of years and you end up learning all sorts of songs you’ll never play anywhere else.”
Rhaenyra narrowed her eyes, her interest piqued. “Like what?”
“Well, a lot of people still want the more traditional stuff, but I get more unconventional requests every year,” Alicent explained, smiling to herself. “Sometimes they’ll ask for ABBA, or like, something from Lord of the Rings. One bride wanted the Jurassic Park theme for her processional.”
“And I’m sure you killed it.”
“It was a pretty big hit, actually,” Alicent admitted with a soft laugh. “At least, once everyone got over their initial confusion. It made for a great video, anyway.”
Rhaenyra shook her head. “God, I can’t even imagine what my father would do if I did that.”
“Is he all that strict?” Alicent asked, tilting her head. “He didn’t seem that way.”
“No… I guess strict isn’t the right word,” Rhaenyra replied with a sigh. “He can just be… overbearing when it comes to certain things. I’m his eldest and he’s always had this very specific idea about what he wants for me, and it’s a little… well, it can be suffocating.”
A crease formed in Alicent’s brow. “You said eldest. Not only?”
Rhaenyra grimaced slightly. It proved how comfortable she felt around Alicent, she hadn’t even realised the slip-up until it was mentioned. “No, I have a younger half-brother. His name is Aegon.”
“He’s not here, though?” Alicent guessed, her tone careful. “I don’t think I’ve heard anyone mention him.
Rhaenyra shook her head. “No, he isn’t. There’s nothing wrong or anything, he’s just…”
“We don’t have to talk about it,” Alicent offered quickly. “If it’s a touchy subject.”
It was the kind of topic Rhaenyra tried to avoid in scenarios where she wanted to keep things light and fun, especially with near-strangers, because it was such an intimate look inside her family life. But there was something about Alicent, a simplicity in speaking with her, that made Rhaenyra want to open up to her.
“We can talk about it,” Rhaenyra said, her smile reassuring. “Maybe just… not when I have dozens of family members who could overhear us. I feel like that could cause a stir.”
“Of course.” Alicent gave her an encouraging nod.
Rhaenyra paused to look at her, until Alicent dropped her chin with a smile.
“You know, I’m glad your father is such a terrible matchmaker.”
Rhaenyra felt warmth spread throughout her entire body as she caught on to the meaning behind Alicent’s words. “Why’s that?”
“Well, if he invited someone you actually liked, we probably wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
“I don’t know,” Rhaenyra answered quietly. “Something tells me whatever I felt for him wouldn’t last very long.”
“I guess we’ll never know, will we?”
Rhaenyra’s heart continued to flutter long after the initial warmth had faded. “So, if I were to, say, ask if you wanted another drink…”
A smile steadily formed on Alicent’s face, and she slid her empty glass in Rhaenyra’s direction. “How could I refuse such a thing?”
Rhaenyra turned to flag down another bartender, feeling her smile become positively goofy now that Alicent couldn’t see her face.
“Okay, so what about you?” Alicent asked once Rhaenyra turned back to her. “Ever played an instrument?”
“God, no,” Rhaenyra huffed, before chuckling. “I love music, but I’ve never had the patience. I can’t imagine practicing for hours on end, I don’t know how you do it.”
“Well, I know you’re good at something.”
“I’ve always loved skiing, and… I rode horses growing up, played hockey,” Rhaenyra said, a laugh bubbling forth halfway through as she realised how ridiculous it must have sounded to Alicent. “I can fly a plane… and I’m quite good at golf, actually.”
Alicent snorted. “God, you are so…”
“Rich?”
“Yes,” Alicent said, bursting into giggles much like Rhaenyra had. “Yes, exactly that.”
Rhaenyra grinned. “As long as you don’t hold it against me.”
“Just be on your best behaviour,” Alicent said simply, a glint to her eye, “and we won’t have any problems.”
Rhaenyra narrowed her eyes, trying desperately to conceal her smirk. “Do you really want me on my best behaviour, though…? I’m open to negotiation.”
Alicent laughed softly, shaking her head. “You’re quite the sweet talker, aren’t you?”
Rhaenyra leaned back. “Why do I get the feeling that’s not a compliment coming from you?”
“Depends on how often you mean what you say.”
While Alicent’s expression didn’t change, Rhaenyra heard the edge to her tone.
“I’ve probably been more honest than I should be, really.”
Alicent narrowed her eyes, curious. Rhaenyra could feel the way her gaze drilled into her, like she was attempting to burrow under her skin. “How so?”
“Well, you know what they say. Keep it light on the first date and all that rubbish.”
As soon as Alicent pressed her lips together in an attempt to hide her smile, Rhaenyra realised exactly what she’d said. “So, this is a first date now? My, we’ve certainly taken a leap.”
Rhaenyra dropped her chin, allowing a laugh to escape as she shook her head. “I’m just just glad you said yes to a drink.”
“Hmm.” Alicent crossed one of her legs over the other, which Rhaenyra tried very hard not to notice. “Me, too.”
Rhaenyra lifted her eyes again. “Yeah?”
“You don’t believe me?” Alicent poked Rhaenyra’s leg with the toe of her shoe. “I wouldn’t still be sitting here if I wasn’t.”
That familiar warmth returned to Rhaenyra’s body with fervour, and she took a moment to savour the way it spread all the way to her fingertips.
She would have plenty of opportunities to be smug about the fact that she had (somehow) successfully charmed Alicent. Until then, it was just pleasing to have someone enjoy her company in such a simple way, with no real expectations or promises laid out between them.
As Rhaenyra smiled, her eyes were momentarily drawn to her champagne flute again. The glass itself caught her attention, and how the image of the shelved bottles behind the bar were distorted when she looked through it.
She wasn’t sure what Alicent saw in her eyes in that brief pause, but it caused her to lean a little closer to her. “I’ll tell you a secret,” she said quietly, then waited for Rhaenyra to meet her eyes before straightening herself again. “I might’ve been… testing you earlier, when I made you guess which song was my pick.”
Rhaenyra narrowed her eyes slightly. “What do you mean?”
Alicent hesitated, her eyes wandering for a moment as she contemplated her words. “I made it easy for you to guess on purpose,” she explained, then shook her head a little, as if embarrassed by it. “But it only would’ve been easy if you were watching me.”
Rhaenyra thought back to before the ceremony, how Alicent’s song was clear to her solely due to the way she played it. She was right, it was only obvious to Rhaenyra because she was paying such close attention to her. If she had gone off of sound alone, or even the song choices themselves, it would’ve been impossible.
“If you’d guessed wrong, well…” Alicent reached for her glass again. “Then I would’ve known you weren’t paying close attention to me, and… well, I liked that you were, so…”
“It’s a flawed plan,” Rhaenyra admitted softly. “I’m sure many would agree you are… incredibly difficult to look away from. I don’t think my guessing correctly proves anything.”
Alicent stopped, a warm smile forming on her face. “No, but you weren’t just looking. You appreciated the way I was playing, too.”
“Yes, well, I can do that and check you out at the same time,” Rhaenyra proclaimed. “You’re not the only talented one around here, you know.”
Alicent laughed. “Well… maybe I was hoping you would do both.”
Rhaenyra somehow felt both shy and smug simultaneously, and it seemed her body couldn’t decide which it wanted to put on display, instead leaving her sitting with a pleasant buzzing sensation beneath her skin.
Rhaenyra made a face, pretending to think. “So… what I’m getting is that you like me.”
Alicent rolled her eyes playfully.
“You like me and you really like it when I’m looking at you.”
Alicent pressed her lips together, fixing Rhaenyra with a look. “You think you’re so cute, don’t you?”
“Well. Not just me.”
That caused Alicent to crack, a puff of air escaping her nose as she tried her best not to laugh. Then, she shook her head at herself, as if she couldn’t believe she allowed that to break her.
Rhaenyra could only grin. She watched as Alicent rested her hand on top of the bar, then noticed that the ring she’d removed from her index finger earlier was still on her ring finger where she’d left it.
Meanwhile, Alicent looked over towards the nearest window. While the windows near the bar weren’t as tall or grand as they were in the main hall, it still allowed the dwindling sunlight to filter in.
“Should we go take a look outside?” Alicent asked suddenly, turning back to her. “I’ve been here for hours and I feel like I’ve barely gotten a glimpse of the ocean.”
Rhaenyra was beginning to think she would agree to just about anything as long as Alicent was the one asking. Plus, being outside certainly lessened their chances of being ambushed by another one of Rhaenyra’s relatives or friends.
“I guess you were facing away from it the entire time,” Rhaenyra joked as she stood up from her seat, then gestured towards the door. “Let’s do it.”
Alicent smiled brightly as she slid off her seat, which only caused Rhaenyra to feel as if her insides had melted into goo.
“I had a feeling you’d like that idea,” Alicent said as they walked side by side to the exit.
“Why’s that?”
“Well, you’ve just made it abundantly clear that you want me all to yourself,” Alicent said teasingly, even if there was certainly truth in it.
Rhaenyra’s expression softened. “If you got the chance to meet you, I think you’d understand.”
“Oh, shut up,” Alicent said as she shook her head, but she was still smiling as they crossed the threshold, through the archway and all the way to the castle’s exit.