Author's Note: So here is the second chapter of my story. I want to say thank you for the follows and favorites. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones, but I do own Alara and Rion.
Chapter 2: Take it.
Alara's p.o.v
She could not take staying in her chamber's any longer. She had just heard Lord Baelish speak of giving her to someone's service, and she knew he meant to sell her as a bed warmer. She would refuse, she could not stand by and let the man give her away to someone. She did not want to be handed over when her mother still lived in Kings Landing, she needed her mother. She was the only family Alara had in the world.
She sneaked out of the brothel, careful not to wake anyone. Alara had only sneaked out once under good cause, but this too was a good cause. She was not going to allow her maidenhood to be taken by some vile man who would not be gentle. At the brothel she knew that Lord Baelish would make sure the man was kind but if he sent her away she would never know what to expect. She was not ready for that, of course she was eighteen namedays of age but still, she was not ready to be used. She hated the idea of being a whore, but she knew it would one day come.
Climbing into Gendry's room was not hard, she had done it once before. The last time she left the brothel without permission was when Gendry was very ill and she wanted to check on him, this time her visit was different. He was still awake when she made her way through his window, the shock evident on his face.
"Lara, what are you doing here?" He was whispering, and his face was red. She had caught him in the middle of stripping for bed.
"I need your help." He continued to look at her confused.
Alara loosened the ties that held her dress at her shoulders and she slowly let the dress fall to the floor. She stood before her friend in nothing but her small clothes, a sad smile on her face. She needed him to take it, to take her maidenhood because she knew he would be gentle with her.
"Alara, put your dress back on." He did not move his eyes from her own, but she saw his temptation.
"Please, Gendry I need you to take it."
She stepped close to him, her body only inches from his own. She kissed him on the lips, ignoring the voice in her head telling her to stop. She did not want him but she wanted him more than she wanted whoever Lord Baelish was giving her away to. At first he stood there as her lips landed on his but he soon pushed her away.
"What is going on with you? Alara you don't act like this you, you don't act like..."
"Like what a whore? That is what I am Gendry, that is all that I am." She was a beautiful woman who would please a man who paid.
"Alara, stop this nonsense. You have never slept with a man, you are not a whore. Now put your dress back on."
He finally let his eyes travel her body and Alara saw the reaction she wanted. He may have outwardly denied her but the bulge in his trousers spoke differently. She knew her breasts were no doubt catching the young man's attention. Instead of putting the dress on like he demanded she began to remove her small clothes, leaving herself completely naked in front of him.
"You like it, you think I am attractive. Gendry, I am asking you to help me." She was desperate, she did not want some horrid man hurting her.
"You are not asking for help, Lara, you are asking me to fuck you."
"Yes."
The two friends stood there staring at one another. She was desperate not to let it be a bad experience, and he did not want to touch her. She knew he found her attractive enough, she knew he would do it if she could convince him, if she could make him see her reasoning. He was her best friend, if he could not help her with this, then what could he help her with?
"Alara, I can't help you with that. We can't do this." She was still inches from but he was backing away from her.
"Why can't you? I am being sold and I do not want some horrid man taking my maidenhood roughly. You are my best friend, I need you."
"What if you become with child? What would we do? The person who bought you would sell you right back and we have no way to raise a child. A bastard of two bastards."
"I will drink moontea, please, Gendry I am begging you." She stood naked before him and even then he would not break.
Alara could not understand why he did not see her need for him. She had never imagined her maidenhood would be saved for someone special but she knew outside of the brothel she had no guaranteed safety. The person who bought her could be sadistic or enjoy causing pain and Alara was not ready for that. She needed her friend to help her.
"I am sorry, get dressed and go home Alara." She felt like he was betraying her.
"Fuck you, Gendry. I would do anything for you." She put her small clothes and her dress tears falling from her eyes.
"I would do anything for you too, Lara, but I can't do that. I love you, you're like my sister, I can't hurt you like that."
"So you'll let someone else hurt me worse? Fuck off." She was gone before he could speak.
She felt so betrayed, but most all she felt stupid. She knew Gendry would never do it, he was a good boy. He was her best friend, he was kind and honorable in a sense, of course he would not deflower her. She would have to accept her fate, accept that before long she would be sold off to someone who break her and ruin her. She would be someone's own personal whore, and the thought of that broke some of her pride.
"Alara, what are you doing sneaking in this late?" She was almost to her room when she was caught, Lord Baelish was in a sitting room as she passed.
"I.."
"Are you crying child? Come here, Alara." He patted the spot beside him on the couch.
Lord Baelish had always been kind to her, always helping her learn the ways of the city. He had been the one to teach her to read as well, and to write. He had treated her like his own daughter, often telling her how beautiful she was.
"What is the matter child? Here have a cake." He had lemoncakes sitting on the table and Alara could not resist the urge.
"I overheard you earlier, you are going to sell me."
"No, no Alara I am not selling you. I have a friend who is coming to Kings Landing, and I believe you being put in her service as a handmaiden may be best for you."
He didn't want to sell her to some sick Lord? She had imagined everything in her head. The service wasn't to some man, it was to be a handmaiden to some Lady. She thought back to her being naked in Gendry's chambers, she had been so foolish he would never forgive her.
"I thought.."
"My little bird, I would never sell you as a personal whore. I don't want you working here, you are far too good for that." She didn't think she was too good for it, it was all she had ever known. "Now go run along, my little bird, everything will be clear soon."
She felt ashamed of herself as she lay awake in her chamber, she had almost forced her friend to have sex with her. She was so foolish, and she had begun to grow tired of herself. How could she think he would just take her maidenhood without question? Gendry was kind, and just, he would not just bed her because she came to him begging for it. She would have to apologize for her actions soon enough, though her pride made it hard for her to even wish to face him.
Alara tried for days to see Gendry but he was too busy for her, but she knew he was avoiding her. She felt broken losing her one true friend so she locked herself in her mother's chambers. She did not leave her room, she would lay in bed and read the poems from the book. She had not spoken to anyone since the night she had shamed herself. She had been so foolish and Alara's pride had taken a hit.
"Alara, Lord Baelish wishes for you to bring him some wine." One of the whores found her in her chambers.
"One moment."
She was always the one to do the menial tasks in the brothel, such as washing clothes, or bringing wine to Lord Baelish but she could not complain it was better than sleeping with men. She would do almost anything asked of her if it kept her legs closed. Alara brought the pitcher of wine, along with cups into the sitting room where she expected Lord Baelish to be alone but instead there was a lady with him. Alara looked upon her with a smile before bowing her head.
"My Lady, Lord Baelish." Alara set the tray of wine upon the table before making her exit.
"Alara, my sweet, stay for a moment if you please."
"Of course, my Lord." Alara stood in the corner of the room, not wishing to intrude on the pair.
She watched as they both sat and spoke, the woman eating honey cakes. Alara could not deny the woman was beautiful with auburn hair,and blue eyes, she held an heir of wisdom about her. Alara was never really around noblewoman, or even many nobleman. She was used to the smallfolk of the city her own kind of people.
"Cat, this is Alara she is the daughter of one of my women here." Alara was not shy and she stood tall as she was spoken about, but the critical eyes of the woman made her almost shrink.
"She has eyes of.."
"Yes, I know what her eyes remind you of no doubt, but we do not speak of that." Alara knew her eyes were different, she had never met someone with eyes such as her own.
"I see." The woman continued to look her over with scrutiny. "What are you planning Petyr?"
"Ah, I see you can still see right through me." She had never seen Lord Baelish such a way around a woman, he was so stiff. "I need a favor of you."
Alara looked around the room, she felt as if she was intruding. She wanted to escape back to her room, to hide from any more shame that could come upon her. But she knew she could not leave until Lord baelish had excused her.
"And what pray tell is this favor you seek?"
"I would like her to become your handmaiden, my reasons for that I will disclose later after I fetch your husband."
Alara did not like being spoken of as if she was not there. She did not want to be this woman's handmaiden, she wanted to stay with her mother. She wanted to stay in Kings Landing until she could take her mother away to find out about her father. Alara could not speak up, Lord Baelish had been kind to her though, and her mother needed her job.
"I would like to speak to her first, I need to know if she can be trusted Petyr. With everything going on in my family right now, I can not risk her being a harm."
"Cat, I would never give you a girl if I thought she would be trouble. I just do not now how much longer I can keep her beauty a secret."
Alara did not blush, she was not flattered easily. Her beauty was no secret even to herself, she was aware she was desirable. She just hoped Lady Stark found her to be her liking, so that Lord Baelish would be pleased. Alara did not want to risk her mother's job for the sake of her own happiness.
The two continued to speak of her as if she wasn't there and Alara began to block them out. She worried about Gendry, she wanted to see him but he did not want to see her. What if she was forced to leave without saying goodbye? She would never forgive herself, they were best friends. She had been so dumb, stripping herself in front of him and cursing him for being the honorable one while she was ready to rid herself of her maidenhood.
"Would you like to sit and speak with me?" Alara had not realized she was alone with the Lady.
She hesitated for a moment before she found herself in the seat that was once occupied by Lord Baelish. Alara was grateful she had worn one her more modest dress choices, she was sure the Lady would have thought worse of her if she wore something more revealing.
"I am Lady Catelyn Stark, of Winterfell."
"It is a pleasure, M'lady." She knew how to be polite.
"I am sorry that we spoke of you as if you were not present, I was just not aware of my friend's intentions."
"It is alright, M'lady."
An awkward silence fell between the pair. Alara did not know what to say to the woman, she did not even know who she was. Alara did not study maps of the Seven Kingdoms, she did not even know where Winterfell was. She could talk about the streets of Kings Landing but anything beyond that was out of the scope of her knowledge.
"Alara, this came for y.." Alara looked to the left to see her mother entering the room only for her to stop in her tracks. "M'lady I am sorry I thought my daughter was alone."
"It is alright, I just wish to speak with her some. You can deliver what you need to." Lady Catelyn was polite.
Alara took the the envelope her mother handed her, Alara's name sloppily written across the front. She smiled to herself, it was no doubt from Gendry. Her mother kissed her daughter's head before she made her exit. The silence continued as Alara read the letter, Gendry wanted her to meet him on the beach at nightfall. She would have to sneak away but she did not care, she needed to see him.
"Would you be opposed to being in my service, Alara?" Alara did not think she would be asked what she wanted.
"No, M'lady."
"You can speak freely, I won't tell him."
"I want to stay with my mother, she is the only family I have. My father died before I was born, and my mother never speaks of him, so I don't know if he had any family." She was a bastard.
"I understand, I am sure you will be alright without your mother. How old are you?"
"I am eighteen namedays of age, M'lady."
"You are a woman then."
Alara always saw herself as a woman, even as a child. Growing up in a brothel did not exactly make one feel like a child. There were not many children around to play with, and it was not a rare sight for Alara to see naked women and men wandering around her.
"What is this?" Alara was alerted to a new presence in the room when a voice cut through the silence.
Alara looked over to see a man with shoulder length hair, and grey eyes. He was a stranger to her but the way he looked at her was if he had seen a ghost. Alara stood up from her spot and began to make her way from the room. The man kept staring at her and eventually it caused Alara to stop in her tracks.
"Who is she?"
"Alara, sweet bird, go speak to your mother for me tell her I will need to see her shortly."
Alara bowed her head before leaving the room. The man did not frighten her but he did indeed unnerve her. She had never met him and yet he acted as if she was a ghost from his past. She found her mother alone in their chambers sitting on their bed. She told her mother that Lord Baelish would seek her company in a few minutes before she laid herself down next to her mother. Alara was going to miss the woman.
Ned Stark's p.o.v
As they spoke of his son and the attempt on his life Ned could not stop thinking of the girl. She was hauntingly familiar and her violet eyes brought him back to a time he had long since let go. The battle at the tower of joy, the death of one of the bravest knights he had ever met. The day the girl jumped from the tower at Starfall, the girl he found in the brothel could have been her ghost. And for a moment Ned had wondered if she was a ghost, her dark hair, tan skin and violet eyes, she could have been her.
"Seeing ghosts, Lord Stark?" He did not like the tone in Littlefinger's voice.
"Who is she?"
"Just the daughter of a whore, my Lord." She may have been the daughter of a whore but not just any child had violet eyes. It was a trait seen mostly in Targaryens, or in the Daynes of Starfall.
"And her father?"
"Well that is an interesting tale if I do say so myself. Rion, come in here please."
Ned looked as short woman with light red hair and green eyes came into the room. She was just another whore, and she was dressed as such. He did not understand what this woman had to do with the girl he had seen.
"Rion, please tell Lord Stark the story of your daughter's birth. The true story now,dear, we do not want to lie to the Hand of the King."
He watched as the woman nervously shifted on her feet. Was she the mother of the girl he had seen? Her daughter looked nothing like her, which just made his suspicions on if he was seeing things worse.
"I do not wish to shame the dead."
"It is alright, dear, they just want want to know."
"When I met him I did not know who he was, I was new to Kings Landing and new to being a whore. He showed me kindness, and affection that I did not get in my life. Our friendship started out innocent, we would take walks by the bay, or just sit and watch the night sky. That all changed one night where he broke his vow and we made love beneath the stars, staying together until dawn had come. He was going to leave the order, he was going to marry me but the Prince bid him to do one more task. I told him I was with child only days before he left, he swore to me he would return and marry me but he never came back." Ned could hear the pain in her voice and as she spoke he knew who she was speaking of.
"Ser Arthur Dayne." He was not asking her, he was making his own statement. He had never known that Arthur had broken his vow.
Ned looked up to Ser Dayne as one of the greatest men of their time, he was skilled, kind, just and more honorable then even himself. But love sometimes makes men make rash decisions, he himself was no exception to that rule. It would explain why the girl was a ghost of Ashara, Arthur's sister, the same blood ran through her veins.
"Yes, Lord Stark. Lord Baelish, may I go back to Alara now?"
Once she was gone Ned began to feel a slight pang of guilt. He knew he had to kill Ser Arthur to get to his sister , Lyanna, but the man would have had a family. His child would never grow up to know him, and know of the kind of man he was.
"Does she know?"
"No, Rion does not wish to tell her yet and I can agree with her. The timing isn't right, and I do not wish to taint the man's memory."
In Dorne it would not be a taint to the man's memory, there they would see the child for what she was a daughter born of passion and love. But the rest of the Seven Kingdoms did not see bastards as such, but Alara was only a bastard because Ned had killed her father. If Ser Arthur had come home from the Tower of Joy the child would be a high born Lady and everyone would know it. Now she lived in a brothel with her mother, and she did not even know who her father was.
"I will take her as my handmaiden. She will one day learn of her father, and it may be best for her to be outside of a brothel when she does."
"She is a bastard because of me."
The poor girl had lived her life the way she had because of the rebellion his friend had led. He knew he was not the only one to blame, Rhaegar Targaryen was also to blame for taking his sister from him and locking her in tower where she would die. He did feel some what responsible for the girl, and he had wondered if Ashara knew of her before she died, or if Allyria knew of the child either. He knew his wife would take good care of her until he could find out if her family knew of her. He would find out, and he would make sure the girl found her way back to her father's people. He was a man of honor, and he had to ensure the child found her way back to where she belonged.