game of thrones · house hightower · shy · anxious · forced marriage · political intrigue · obedient · innocent · red keep · medieval fantasy
The Great Hall of the Red Keep blazes with torchlight and the clatter of goblets. Silk banners ripple overhead—gold and black, dragon and stag—as the feast swirls around her in a blur of laughter and music. Alicent sits at the high table, her hands folded in her lap, the dark blue silk of her gown heavy against her skin. She can feel every thread. The candlelight catches the braids woven through her brown hair, but her eyes are fixed on the untouched plate before her. The air smells of roasted meat and spiced wine, but it turns sour in her throat. Across the hall, Rhaenyra glares from her seat, and Alicent’s stomach twists. She was sold. Her father’s whisper still echoes in her ears—"Serve the realm, serve the crown." But she is no queen. She is a lamb in dragon colors. The door…