Disclaimer: I do not own anything from A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones. Everything belongs to George R.R Martin.

Chapter XII - The Tourney of King's Landing

Alyssa POV

Alyssa sat in the Tower of Hand with Septa Mordane, Sansa, Arya and Jeyne Poole. Alyssa listened interestedly of Arya telling her about her dancing lessons with Syrio Florel. This made Alyssa slightly jealous, why could Arya be learning how to use swords, while she had to walk around the Red Keep with Septa Mordane and Sansa, learning about the history of the Red Keep which she already new. Everyone knows that the Iron Throne was made by Aegon the Conqueror and the Red Keep was built by Maegor the Cruel. Sansa had shockingly asked Septa Mordane that their uncle and grandfather died here, which Septa Mordane confirmed.

"There is a talk of having a Tourney hosted by the King in honor of your appointment as Hand to the King." Alyssa heard Jory told their father. Alyssa looked up in shock, she has never seen a Tourney before, and her eyes widened in excitement.

"A Tourney." Sansa gasped and then squealed. "Can we go father? Please?"

At first, their father disagreed, but Septa Mordane then told Ned that Princess Myrcella also goes. Princess Myrcella is younger than Alyssa, Sansa and Arya, and so their father agreed. Additionally, all ladies from court, from Royals to Great Houses to Minor Houses were expected to attend. Their father had relented.

"Very well." Ned spoke. "I shall arrange a place for all three of you."

"I don't care about their stupid tourney," Arya said. She knew Prince Joffrey would be there, and she hated Prince Joffrey.

Sansa lifted her head. "It will be a splendid event. You shan't be wanted."

"Enough, both of you." Alyssa chided her siblings. Seriously, everytime when Sansa and Arya argued, it was always her who had to fix this. Her father shot Alyssa a grateful look.

oOoOo

The Hand's Tourney

Alyssa along with Sansa and Jeyne Poole and other people in the court sat in their seats, watching the Tourney of King's Landing. Arya has decided not to come and Alyssa felt sorry for her, because never has she seen something this extravagant. She could've sworn she could see Joffrey looking at her once in a while, but when she turned back, Joffrey just acted like as if he hasn't saw her yet. Not that Alyssa minded, but she knew she would have to talk with Joffrey later, because they will be married, blah, blah, blah.

Sansa was already in love with the Tourney, saying it was better than the songs. She gushed about it all day and looked around to see the Knights, hoping one of them would ask for her favour. Alyssa meanwhile watched seeing Septa Mordane telling her who is who. There was the Kingslayer, Ser Jaime Lannister. A Royce, Ser Hugh, and also a huge man. Gregor Clegane, also known as the Mountain. He was the Hound's older brother and according to gossips at court and Septa Mordane and their father, he raped and killed Princess Elia Martell, Rhaegar's wife and also bashed Prince Aegon's head to the wall.

Alyssa watched the Tourney closely, and said the knights defeating each other in lances. But the most terrifying was the Mountain and Ser Hugh of the Vale. During the Mountain's second joust, his lance rode up and struck a young knight from the Vale under the gorget with such force that it drove through his throat, killing him instantly. The youth fell not ten feet from where they were seated. The point of Ser Gregor's lance had snapped off in his neck, and his life's blood flowed out in slow pulses, each weaker than the one before. His armor was shiny new; a bright streak of fire ran down his outstretched arm, as the steel caught the light. Then the sun went behind a cloud, and it was gone. His cloak was blue, the color of the sky on a clear summer's day, trimmed with a border of crescent moons, but as his blood seeped into it, the cloth darkened and the moons turned red, one by one.

Jeyne Poole and Sansa watched in horror and Jeyne started to cry as Septa Mordane comforted her. Alyssa just watched jaws dropped, she knew she should be horrified, after all, during the Tourneys, people shouldn't die, killing is unlawful in the Tourney. At the last of the Tourney, there was only four participants. The Hound, the Mountain, the Kingslayer and also the Knight of the Flowers, Ser Loras Tyrell, the youngest son of Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden, Warden of the South and High Marshal of the Reach.

Alyssa smiled seeing Ser Loras gave Sansa a flower, and said, "Sweet lady, no victory is half so beautiful as you." Sansa smiled and took the flower and Alyssa watched amused seeing Sansa gazing at Ser Loras dreamily, more so than she first met Joffrey. Then, they were suddenly startled to hear a voice behind them, "You must be one of her daughters."

A man was behind them with a silver mockingbird on his collar. He had grey-green eyes and Alyssa immediately recognized him when she first came to King's Landing. Septa Mordane said, "This is Lord Petyr Baelish, the Master of Coin."

"Lord Baelish." Alyssa greeted and later watched uncomfortably seeing Littlefinger fawning over Sansa. Later that evening, they sat next to the Royal Family at the dias, with Joffrey kissing her hand, praising her beauty, behaving all courteously, telling her the Hound will win and defeat the Knight of the Flowers, Ser Loras Tyrell.

"Thank you, my Prince." Alyssa said sincerely as Joffrey gave her a pendant of a golden lion, said it was made for her. Alyssa accepted the gift and tried not to cringe when Joffrey proclaimed how Alyssa will carry his golden haired children with green eyes. Sansa gushed how romantic it was. They continued watching the end of the Tourney, with to their surprise, Ser Loras Tyrell defeated the Mountain. An angry Gregor Clegane cleaved his horse off with a surprising strength that shocked and awed Alyssa. She watched horrified seeing the Mountain advance towards Ser Loras Tyrell but the Hound stopped him and they started to battle. At the end, King Robert commanded them to stop and Ser Loras declared the Hound as winner.