A cool breeze sailed through dull green fields and pale meadows. The Mander river's frigid waters sparkled in the sun's light attempted to warm the earth below. Yet, winter maintained it's harsh grasp on the continent. Winter was the only season many young lords and ladies had ever known. While the Reach, like the rest of Westeros, was cold. The southern kingdom was no where near as bleak as its counterparts. The land was fertile enough to produce crops and flowers even in the coldest of years. In a way, the region was liken to that of a false spring. Always on the cusp of warmer days to lift the spirits of the people living there. But spring had yet to come. Alayna Tyrell could not remember the last spring. She had been far too young at the time to have much recollection of what it was like. What she could remember was how the color seemed to bloom forth from the earth in an eruption of new life.

At nearly eight-and-ten, she wondered if there would ever be another spring while she lived. She longed to know what it was like to run barefoot through the gardens that made up her home of Highgarden. She wanted to actually swim in the Mander and watch fireflies dance in the dusks of warm evenings under the lush trees. But instead, there were no fireflies or butterflies fluttering in the air and the trees were bare as she rode along the banks of the Mander. The sound of his rhythmic hooves thundering against the path match her heartbeat as in pounded in her chest. Her rusty brown locks floated out behind her from the pace set by the steed. Her grey stallion's breath was visible in the chilly air as he raced towards the white stone walls of her home, which towered above miles of golden rose fields.

No matter the season or time of day, Highgarden was truly a sight to behold. Strategically located in the center of the Reach proper where the Ocean road and the Rose road meet, it is an important crossroads for travelers. Many people have come to visit the castle to see its famous gardens, fountains, and courtyards. The sept and it's godswoods were breathtaking. Ivy, grapes, and climbing roses covered nearly every wall, structure, and tower that made of up the seat of House Tyrell. Alayna was sure many lords and ladies were envious to be able to live in such a home as grand as hers. She was not at all intimidated by its grandeur; she had been raised to thrive upon it. She never desired to leave such a place. Highgarden was home.


Riding through the gates of her towards the stables, Alayna waved at the various members and servants of her household. A castle the size of Highgarden required a lot of people in order to maintain it. Alayna's mother had told her how many people worked within the walls once, but she could no longer remember the exact number. It matter not to her, just another useless fact to be shared when conversing with other lords, she supposed. One of the many stable boys employed by her family collected her mount while another had helped her off the stallion's back. The smiles on their faces were more than friendly, but Alayna paid them no mind. While she loved the smallfolk, she would not give them the time of day.

"Lady Alayna." Her Septa, Gianna called out to her as she made her way towards the great hall.

Alayna rolled her eyes at the woman of the Faith. As an adult, she had no need of the woman's teachings. "What do you want?"

"Your Lord Father and Lady Mother wished for me to bring you to the dawn garden, my lady." The plainly woman stuttered. They had often butted heads about what was and wasn't proper for young ladies. Rarely had Alayna heeded Septa Gianna's advise. Alayna remembered when the woman had been able to intimidate her. Oh, how the tables had turned.

Alayna dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "I know where the dawn garden is. I can take myself. Go help my sister with her lessons since you no longer have anything better to do."

She watched as the woman bowed, quickly before she scurried off to wherever her next task was. She regretted sending her Janna's way, but Gianna constantly annoyed her. She had no need of some Septa leading her about a castle she'd known her entire life. She hadn't needed her Septa for several years. No since her mother, Lady Olenna had deemed her a woman, who had better things to concentrate on. Of course, such things Alayna couldn't be bothered with. But the highborn lady, caught in between being a woman and child, reckoned that those days for her were coming to an end.

Turning on the heel of her riding boot, Alayna swept towards the dawn garden where her parents were lounging in the afternoon sun. It was a favorite of her father's as it was located to the east and looked out towards the fork of the river. It also made reclining among the numerous types of flowers, fountains, statues, and gazebos more favorable for the time of day. It wasn't unusual for her parents to request her presence. It was quite a normal occurrence for her to join them after the midday meal. Spending time with her family was extremely important to the young woman as she knew she would have to leave them at some point to start a family of her own. A fact, Alayna wasn't looking forward but would accept with the knowledge that it was her duty in life.


As her fingers caressed over the various foliage on her march towards her parents, she wondered absently if she should've stopped in her rooms to change out of her dusty riding clothes. But didn't entertain the thought much further as she knew she'd be expected to join them promptly. She knew neither of them truly cared what she wore when they were not entertaining guests or lords of other Great Houses so it didn't matter what she wore as long as she was wearing clothing.

The gentle sounds of bubbling fountains and chirping birds harmonizing with the soft voices of her mother's handmaidens as Alayna neared the belvedere she knew they'd be reclining in. Many of her cousins and mother's cousins attended to them during their leisurely time. Servants bustled about, refilling chalices with Arbor Gold and fulfilling other needs in a quick and efficient manner. The best servants were ones who did their jobs and went unnoticed by those they were serving. Alayna was more plainly aware of their presence as they were always there. Making them privy to conversations held by the members of the family. They would often go about their days pretending not to listen or watch their every move, but Alayna knew better than that. She also liked to think she was more clever than them so she promptly snatched an empty flagon of white wine from the hands of an unsuspecting servant and cornered her so that she could find out what her parents wanted.

"What have my parents called me here for?"

The servant girl turned pale as she gaped in surprised, "I haven't a clue, m'lady. I was just bringin' 'em fresh plums from the kitchens and fetchin' more wine."

Alayna tutted, shaking her head, "Ninia. It is Ninia, right?" The straw haired servant girl nodded, shyly. "You've been around long enough to know better than that. If you've been serving my parents wine, you'd surely be in the know and that I want to know what they want."

Ninia gulped, "Somethin' about King's Landin'... Somethin' about betrothal."

"That will be all." Alayna sighed and released the girl. Before she turned back towards her destination as she chewed on her bottom lip. She had known a betrothal was in future. Being nearly eight-and-ten practically made her an old maid. Most other highborn ladies were usually married off as soon as they'd gotten their first moon's blood. Alayna had been fortunate that her parents were very fond of her and that her bride price was outrageously high.

She took a moment to collect herself and her thought before she announced her presence to her parents. It wasn't every day someone came looking for her hand, but she knew at some point someone would come along willing to pay the price or offer something better in return. It left very few families and men in Westeros fit to have her. As the second wealthiest Kingdom, the Reach had very little need for wealth and as the second largest region behind the North, didn't really need the land. She wondered who might make an offer that would tempt her parents.

"Lady Alayna has arrived." A servant announced to the congregation of the Tyrell household.

As all eyes turned their attention to her, Allayna held her head high as she approached her parents. They were seated at the center of the group and everyone between them and her moved out of her way as quickly as possible. Luthor and Olenna appeared to be at ease when she finally reached them, bending down to place a kiss on each of her parents cheeks, "Father. Mother."

Olenna's expression warmed in her eldest daughter's presence, "Alayna, my dear, please sit. We have much to discuss with you."

Alayna did as she was told and sat down in the empty chair across the dining table from her parents. A servant filled the glass of wine next to her, which sipped from before snagging a fireplum from the fruit bowl at the center of the table. Biting into it's flesh, the spicy sweet nectar filled her mouth as she waited for either of her parents to speak. They glanced at one another before her father began,

"How was your ride, my dear?" She fought the urge to roll her eyes at his question. She knew he was beating around the bush, avoiding whatever they'd called her here for.

She finished chewing on the fruit and shrugged, "Refreshing and exhilarating as always."

"Indeed. Moondancer has become a fine steed. Only the finest for my wild flower." Lord Tyrell concluded, clapping his hands in simple delight. Olenna rolled her eyes at her Lord Husband.

The horses of the Reach were some of the finest stock in Westeros. As Lords Paramount of the region, it would make sense that they had the best of best. Moondancer had been raised from the best bloodlines they had access to. He had stood out from the rest of the foals as a colt, bold and fast combined with a good nature and his dappled grey coloring. Most fathers would've gifted such a horse to their oldest sons. However, Luthor's heir and Alayna's older brother, Mace was no horseman and wouldn't truly appreciate the horse he'd been given. So the young colt had been given to Alayna on her tenth nameday as a two-year-old.

"Yes, father, he's matured like a fine wine." She agreed, taking a sip of the Arbor Gold to accent her point before she changed topics, "But I have a feeling, my ride wasn't what you wanted to discuss with me."

Both her parents shared a knowing look before her mother spoke, "It wasn't. Your father was merely offering pleasantries but since you want to know the truth, so be it." Olenna, herself, sipped on her wine a moment before she continued, "Your father and I have been discussing your situation. Over the past few months, it has become abundantly clear that you need to marry-"

"But you said-" Alayna interrupted, knowing that she was growing too old and thus her value in the eyes of prospective husbands and good fathers might diminish.

"I know what I said, my dear." Olenna snapped, rebuking her eldest daughter as her blue-green eyes flashed coldly. "Which is why you are being given a choice."

Alayna rolled her eyes, "And what choice is that?"

This time Luthor spoke, "Alayna, your choices are to join King Aerys' court in King's Landing to find yourself a proper husband or…" He looked to Olenna, who urged him to finish with a nod of her head, "Or you will be betrothed to the next Lord who comes to ask for your hand."

Alayna kept her face masked from the surprise she felt. The young woman would've never thought her fate would come to such a choice. Everyone knew the King was slowly descending into madness and that his court had known better days. But the worst option frightened her more than surviving the snake pit known as King's Landing. To Alayna, a unknown groom was terrifying. He could be old and withered or cruel and unbecoming to be stuck with that kind of uncertainty was absolutely dreadful. The possibility of being charmed by a young lord in the King's royal court was a much better perspective in her opinion. In the end, it was an easy choice for the young lady.

With a sigh, she resigned herself to her fate, "When do I leave for King's Landing?"

Her father paled in defeat while her mother preened in triumph before she spoke, "A fortnight, just after your nameday."

Alayna nodded and downed the rest of her glass. All the wine in the Reach and the Arbor wouldn't be enough to cure the growing sense of dread she felt bubbling up from the pit of her stomach. She hoped she was making the right choice and that she wasn't going to regret her decision. She knew her mother would advantage of the opportunity to present her to the royal court. They had heard that Lord Tywin Lannister, the current Hand of the King, had recently brought his only daughter, Cersei to court. Rumors were that she was one of the most beautiful maidens in Westeros. It was no secret, The Lords of the Reach and the Lords of the Westerlands had been competing to be the wealthiest houses in the seven kingdoms for generations now. Alayna hoped she wouldn't become some sort of pawn in the games her mother and Lord Tywin would be playing once she arrived in the capital.


That night as she readied herself for bed, her younger sister Janna burst forth into Alayna's rooms, dressed in her nightgown and robe. On the cusp of becoming a woman herself, the younger Tyrell girl flung herself into her sister's arms and began to wail. "Don't go! Don't go! You can't leave me here alone! Please stay!" The girl pleaded.

A small, sad smile pulled at Alayna's lips as her jade green eyes began to water. She clutched Janna tightly to her and stroked the girl's mousey brown ringlets in a comforting manner. She struggled to find the right words to assure the young girl nearly six-and-ten but found very little that might help, "There, there, little sister. I won't be gone long. You'll barely have time to miss me."

"Don't lie to me." Janna snapped, pushing herself away from her sister as her emotions swung from hysterically sad to anger so quickly Alayna was sure her head would start spinning. Janna wrapped her arms around herself protectively, "Don't lie to me like mother and father. I want to know the truth."

Alayna sighed as she made her way over to bed and took a set on the mattress. Looking up at her sister, she patted the spot next to her, "Sit."

Janna glowered over at her but didn't require any more encouragement to join Alayna on the bed. The girl sat and pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her thighs and ankles as she waited for her older sister to speak.

"Janna, you know what it means when a woman get's her first moon blood, correct?" The older Tyrell girl began as gently as possible unsure of how naive her sister still was to the ways of the world.

The other frowned over at her sister, looking slightly confused, "Yes, it means she's old enough to bear children. She's old enough to marry."

"Correct." Alayna confirmed, pausing for a second to collect her thoughts but her sister was quick to jump to her own conclusions, "But you've had your moons blood for years now, Layna! Why are they sending you away now? Are you going to get married?"

Alayna could only laugh softly in response as she reached out to pat her sister's back, "No, I'm not getting married anytime soon. But mother and father do believe it is time for me to start being serious about finding a suitable husband. And it's not like they haven't been more than fair. They gave me a choice."

"They did?" Janna's childlike curiosity was now peaked and as she flipped over onto her hands and knees and crawled over to stare directly into her sister's face. Taken aback, Alayna shoved her younger sister out of her personal space.

"They did."

"What was it?" She inquired.

"They told me I could either go to King's Landing to join King Aerys' court and find a husband there or…." Alayna drawled out her statement. She knew Janna's patience was thin as her mood was always poorly before bed.

Janna bounced up and down on the bed as she demanded, "Or what?"

"Or I'd marry the next man to ask for my hand." Alayna informed her eager sister, somewhat sadly, unable to make eye contact with the girl. Alayna's eyes lingered around her room as she tried to memorize everything about she could. It was more than likely that she wouldn't be coming home for quite sometime.

"So if our cousin, Paxter came to Highgarden wanting to marry you, then mother and father would let him?" Janna inquired with a scenario for clarification.

Alayna nodded, but inwardly shuddered at the thought of possibly marrying their much older cousin from the Arbor, "Right. Or any other Lord who might want me."

Janna seemed pleased with that response, but she was still brimming with questions, "But that's not going to happen now because you chose to go to King's Landing?"

"Yes." Alayna confirmed, "In King's Landing, I can court any eligible Lord I want. If he asking me for my hand and I deem him worthy, I can marry him. Mother and Father just want him to have titles and hold lands."

"You could marry royalty? Like Prince Rhaegar?" Janna's eyes got stary as she daydreamed of the silver haired Targaryen crowned prince.

Alayna chuckled, "Most likely not, Jan. Prince Rhaegar is betrothed to Elia Martell of Dorne. And he has no other siblings save for an infant younger brother."

"Aw! Well, I think you should be a queen." Janna pouted, slightly upset that her sister wouldn't have any royal suitors to bring back home.

Alayna was flattered that her sister thought she should be a queen. Not everyone had siblings who thought so highly of them. She'd miss Janna when she was in King's Landing. Who else would she have to talk to about… well everything. "I'd rather be a lady. I'd rather stay in Highgarden for the rest of my days. But unfortunately, my duty requires me to leave. Just like your own duty will for you."

Janna looked panick as if she hadn't even considered the fact that some day she might actually have to leave their home and go live in the castle of her future Lord Husband's family. "But what if I don't want to?"

"Mother will send you to become a silent sister." Alayna teased.

"No, anything but that." Janna pleaded.

"Dear sister, you've got nothing to worry about right now. With mother and father wanting to marry me off, they won't even be thinking about you." She assured her younger sister.

Janna shrugged as if the thought was any consolation, "Can I come visit you in King's Landing?"

"Of course."

"You're the best, Layna." The younger girl declared, throwing her arms around her sister's neck in thanks before darting out of Alayna's rooms in a much better mood than she had entered in.

Alayna shook her head as the door swung shut in a loud thump. If only she could find it in herself to be as excited about going to King's Landing as Janna was to visit her in the future. There was a lot that was going to happen between now and then, but not matter how much she might or might not find herself enjoying life in the capital; she knew that when her sister came to visit her it would be the best thing about being in King's Landing.


Cast

Lily Collins as Alayna Tyrell/ Luke Roberts as Ser Arthur Dayne/ Heath Ledger as Rhaegar Targaryen/ Aiysha Hart as Elia Martell/ Adelaide Kane as Lyanna Stark/ Anna Popplewell as Ashara Dayne/ Sam Heughan as Jon Connington/ Henry Cavill as Robert Baratheon/ Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jon Fossoway/ Jonah Hill as Mace Tyrell/ Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell/ Georgie Henley as Janna Tyrell/ Jared Harris as Luthor Tyrell/ Robert Aramayo as Eddard Stark/ Jared Padaleki as Brandon Stark/ Leo Woodruff as Howland Reed/ David Rintoul as Aerys Targaryen/ Charlize Theron as Rhaella Targaryen/ William Moseley as Jaime Lannister/ Celina Sinden as Cersei Lannister/ Brett Tucker as Tywin Lannister/ Eleanor Tomlinson as Catelyn Tully/ Lily Cole as Lysa Tully/ Domhall Gleeson as Edmure Tully/ Michael Fassbender as Hoster Tully/ Eddie Eyre as Ser Gerold Hightower/ Karl Urban as Ser Oswell Whent/ Santiago Cabrera as Ser Lewyn Martell.


Up next: Time skip! How has Alayna adjusted to life at court?