The chapter will keep on getting longer an longer. Note: this fanfic is in the Game of Thrones category, not the song Of Ice And Fire category. Ages, appearance, plots, will be as in the show, not the books. I hope you like it, and if Alexys seemms a bit Mary Sue, that will change later.
Two: Meeting Renly
ALEXYS
The sunset cloaked King's Landing with an orange glow. It had never looked so beautiful and yet so strange as from the Red Keep. Perhaps this was the first time she had ever been able to truly enjoy it, not living in the shady alleys of Flea Bottom.
A servant girl woke her, another thing she wasn't used to. She had almost attacked her with a knife under her pillow, and it had taken several minutes to the make maid stop crying.
King Robert was actually taking good care of her. After the maid had stopped crying, she had dressed her in smallclothes first, and then an actual lady dress, tight around the waist with a deep cleavage for her breasts. It was a pale blue colour.
The maid had brushed her red hair and braided it, putting a light blue rose in her hair. She didn't know what the rose meant, but if the King requested her to wear it, she would.
To be honest, even Alexys was surprised she had actually gotten the King to take her in. She had guessed either her head off or a presumably miserable lifetime fucking the Imp.
Though she had not find out exactly what her servitude to the King would mean, it surely couldn't be worse than that.
Alexys had on purpose decided to break her fast in her chambers, and go out when she had finished. She left and started wandering the many halls of the Red Keep, secretly wondering how she would ever be able to distinguish between them. It was certainly looking like this would be her permanent home.
"Lost, my lady?"
Alexys was too well trained to be startled but wheeled around all the same. A handsome man with short, dark brown hair, a neat beard and brown eyes was looking at her. He wore a green doublet with golden antlers embroidered on it.
She guessed it was Renly Baratheon. Oh, people gossiped a lot about him.
"Not all those who wander are lost, Lord Renly."
"Forgive me, my lady, I do not know you," he said.
"You could not have known, my lord," Alexys smiled. "I, er- arrived yesterday. I'm Alexys Blackburn."
"So it is true? I thought Robert was fantasizing."
Then he noticed the blue rose in her hair. He smiled vaguely.
"I already wondered why he would not only spare you, but give you a place in the castle."
So she really didn't do it on charm alone.
"You know him better than me, my lord," she said.
"Are you not curious?"
"If I may be frank, my lord, more than a bit, but I would not force you to divulge anything the King forbade you to divulge."
"You are courteous for a sellsword," Lord Renly laughed.
"I've been told," Alexys said, managing a smile.
It would take a while for the inhabitants of the Red Keep to forget the sellsword and start seeing the Lady of Aelborough. It was hers by right.
Oh, what a cruel jape of the gods, she thought. Lady Blackburn owns a castle that perished in flames.
"The King awaits you in the yard," said Lord Renly.
"I know, my lord," she answered.
"But do you know how to get to the yard, my lady? I would not blame you if you did not, the Red Keep can be very confusing to those new to it."
Alexys flashed him a genuine smile now. She had initially been a bit wary about everyone at court, but she had the strangest sensation that Lord Renly was completely trustworthy.
"You would not happen to know the way to the yard, Lord Renly?" she asked him timidly.
He stuck out his arm for me to take. "If it please you, my lady."
Alexys smiled and took his arm, letting Renly show her the way to the yard, whilst chatting merrily to him. She found the lord of the Stormlands a good companion.
"Have you ever been to the Stormlands?" Lord Renly asked.
"No, my lord, I never have been outside the Great Forest in my entire life, at least not until I journeyed straight to King's Landing," she answered. "But my Septa used to tell me stories about all the Kingdoms. The Stormlands sounded beautiful. I would love to visit them."
"Well, if you want beauty, you should visit Highgarden," he laughed. "But maybe one day I could take you to see both Highgarden and Storm's End. Would you like that?"
"If His Grace would let me, I would be most honoured, my lord," Alexys said. "You are most kind."
"And then?" asked Renly. "When you've seen the Stormlands and the Reach?"
"I would wish to journey to the North, the Iron Islands, the Riverlands, the Vale, the Westerlands and Dorne."
Renly Baratheon's laugh echoed through the halls.
"You are an ambitious little lady, Lady Alexys."
"I may be small, but I am not little, Lord Renly. I don't believe in stories nor in songs," said Alexys stiffly. "Not anymore."
"My apologies, my lady," said Renly quickly, and he sounded truly sorry. "I did not mean to offend you."
"The fault is on my, Lord Renly," said Alexys quickly, shaking her head. "I should not have acted as such. Grudges of the past should not cloud my present, nor my future. My life is here now, in King's Landing, and not in the ruins of Aelborough or Flea Bottom."
"It is," agreed Lord Renly. "And your life will be better here, my lady. Ask me anything, and I will give it to you if it is within my power."
"You are most kind, my lord," she smiled, squeezing his arm affectionately. "If you should require any of my services, come to me."
At that moment they entered the yard, and Alexys saw the King and what she supposed were his children. Two boys, one tall and slim, the youngest plump and short. The princess was sitting a little more in the distance, chatting with one of her little friends.
The eldest prince was holding a crossbow, aiming at the stuffed puppet across the yard. He missed. And not closely.
The King spotted us an began to laugh, lifting his cup, spilling a little wine. He was at least a merry man, bringing it nicely, Alexys thought.
Geamon had told her of how a young, broad, strong Robert Baratheon conquered the Eight Kingdoms- they were still the Eight Kingdoms before the Great Forest got burned down- and he could lift a huge warhammer. Alexys could not see him do that now.
"Renly! You weren't stealing the girl, were yeh?" the King said, still laughing.
Renly's smile was a bit sour.
"Of course not, Your Grace, I escorted the young lady to the yard. She had trouble finding it herself. I found her wondering near my chambers on the other side of the castle."
"Ah, very well, very well," said the King. "You hating the place as much as I do already, girl?"
Alexys wanted to grit her teeth but she kept her face natural. She hated being called girl as if she were a nobody. At least Lord Renly had remembered to use a title fitting her; a lady.
"I am sure it is just a matter of getting used to it, Your Grace," she answered with a little smile.
King Robert spotted the rose and his gaze softened into something more emotional; if Alexys was not mistaken she thought to see his eyes get watery. He then sighed and shook his head, turning to Renly.
"Haven't you got better things to do, brother?"
"I have, Your Grace," said Lord Renly curtly and he walked away as fast as he could without looking like running.
The boy with the crossbow was also studying Alexys now, his eyes moving shamelessly up and down, stopping at her breasts and up again.
"And who are you?"
"This is Lady Alexys, son," said the King. "She's come into my service recently. She can help you shoot."
"But you're a girl," said the youngest prince, "my lady," he added, blushing.
Alexys decided she liked the younger boy way better than his older brother. She bend her knees a little so she could look the younger boy in the face. He was plump, a little red-faced, but had a pretty mop of golden curls and emerald eyes.
"I am, little prince," she said softly. "But my lord father thought it was important I had training, same as my older brother and my big sister."
Tommen nodded.
"So will you also teach Myrcella and me or only Joffrey?"
"Whatever you father wants, little prince," Alexys answered.
She looked up to the King.
"Teach Joff, Myrcella and Tommen are too young," he said, and Alexys nodded.
She looked towards the elder prince.
"Would you have me teach you, Prince Joffrey?"
Joffrey hesitated, then gazed upon her breasts, and his handsome face spread into a cruel grin. Another one the mob had told enough stories about.
"You will need to start with a regular bow, then, my prince," Alexys said, trying not to sound too bossy.
The last thing she wanted was to anger the prince right in front of the King. She felt like she was already stretching her luck. Prince Joffrey grudgingly obeyed her order and had his squire fetch two regular bows and a dozen arrows.
"Would you show me how you shoot?" Alexys asked Joffrey somewhat shyly.
The prince shot again at the puppet and missed again.
"You think too much," she analyzed.
"Like you can do it any better," he huffed.
Challenge accepter, she thought. She stroked the feather of her arrow, placed it on her bow in a swift motion, pulled the string till it nearly cut her lip and then let go. The arrow hit the puppet straight through the brains.
"You think too much," I repeated to Prince Joffrey. "Aim with the arm you're holding the bow with, not the one you're shooting with. Hold the arrow in between your middle finger and your index finger, pull the string to your upper low and release quickly. Don't hold it too long, my prince."
She could see Joffrey did not like the way he was commanded, but he saw his father look at him so he obeyed. He shot a second arrow and it still missed the puppet, only slightly.
"That is way better, Prince Joffrey!" Alexys said happily, and the prince managed a small smile.
The boy was easily manipulated. Alexys did some quick thinking. The more friends at court, the better. She caught him staring at her breasts again. Nothing more annoying that a young prince going through puberty, she thought, but also nothing more helpful at the moment.
"If you'd let me," she said timidly, faking a shy smile, taking the bow from the prince.
She placed a new arrow between her fingers and stood in shooting position. She grabbed his hands and placed them upon hers, forcing him to stand closer. She could feel him get hard against her bum, and she tried to ignore it.
"Watch closely," she whispered.
She shot this arrow into the first one, making it split. She moved away and handed Joffrey his bow back, and a new arrow, and he shot again. He hit the puppet's abdomen.
"You're talented," Alexys said, fake-fondly.
This was going to be a long shot, Alexys knew, but she would try to raise as high as possible here. From sellsword, to royal- whatever she was. Maybe her next step would be trying to have a word with Lord Varys.
He would know who had burned her home. Her family.
A Blackburn did not forgive, a Blackburn did not forget. Run, survive avenge. Since she was still alive, only the latter was left to her.
If we burn, you burn with us.
These rogues could expect some fire.
Reviews are very much appreciated.