Alys
For two days she hides Elia, Rhaenys, and Aegon within her rooms. Howland helping her by sneaking food and the like to them, and by having one of them always staying within to be sure they remain hidden. It helps that Ned has asked Howland to keep near Alys. She leaves the room herself only sparingly, as she has little need to wander the keep herself. Ned had been utterly indisposed with securing the keep and city, all while dealing with a back and forth with Tywin Lannister over it all while they awaited Robert Baratheon and Jon Arryn's arrival.
And Jaime has been unseen by Alys as well since their run in in the throne room. She doesn't know if he's avoiding her or if Ned's having him kept under guard or if he's just busy. It could be any number of the three. She'd heard Ned talking about what happened with the king, and she'd heard the judgement in her brothers voice towards Jaime and what he did.
She wondered if that was why Jaime was avoiding her. If he thought she'd hold the same judgement for his killing of Aerys.
She doesn't.
When she'd heard what happened the only thing she'd felt was relief. Utter relief that the man was gone. She didn't even feel guilt for it, like she had with Rhaegars death. She couldn't bring any reason to feel sorry for the Mad Kings death, it was only relief.
And Jaime had done it. Perhaps she should feel some distaste towards his breaking of his Kingsguard vows. But she didn't, if anything she worried over how it all was affecting him. She thought of their talk of vows from the first night he stayed with her. How torn and bitter he'd been over the contradictions of them all. She understood, and felt nothing ill towards him for his actions.
Near this point she wondered if she ever felt anything ill towards Jaime.
Mostly she missed him.
Missed their nights, sleeping side by side in her bed.
Elia shared it now, along with Rhaenys. Howland had commandeered a laundry basket and a heap of blankets for Aegon.
Alys was anything but alone in her room at night.
But she still missed him.
There just wasn't much she could do about it at the moment.
She was rather preoccupied with trying to figure when was the right time to tell Ned of Elia and the children.
She didn't want to do it when Tywin was anywhere near, for fear that the two men he'd sent the night of the seige would find their way to her rooms while she's away and finish what they'd set out to do.
She also, as time passed, was less sure of telling Ned at all.
She trusted her brother, and knows he's a good man who would never harm a child.
But she also knows that both Rhaenys and Aegon pose a great threat to Robert Baratheon new kingship. He would want them gone, he would want them where there would be no risk to his rule. Which would only mean dead.
And Ned was Robert's best friend, he'd told her once he considered the man another brother. He supports Roberts claiming of the throne, and so would likely support his rule, regardless of his own opinions of what to do with Rhaenys and Aegon.
It scared her, not knowing what to do.
It scared her, every time someone walked past the door to her room or when Howland came through the door and she became afraid that it would be someone else and they'd see Elia and her children and that would be it. They would be sealed in a fate they shouldn't have.
Alys knows they're not safe so long as they're in Kings Landing.
And that is only cemented more so when Robert and the rest of the rebels arrive to the Keep.
Alys makes her way to the hands chambers where Ned and Tywin have been housing most of their discussions. She knows Robert has arrived, and Jon Arryn as well. She wishes mostly to get an idea of them, as she knows only so much.
She hopes it will help her decisions.
It is nice, walking through the keep. She stops here and there, speaking with the lords of the North who have since settled into the place while awaiting what's next. It makes the keep feel less suffocating, less foreign, seeing and speaking with northern men and women around the keep in place of the southern lords and ladies who for a while had looked away from her and stopped speaking as she passed.
It's strange how different it feels when the only change is the people she sees in the halls.
She walks towards the hands chambers and as she nears she sees new sigils on the men she passes. Sigils of the Vale and the Stormlands, and as she nears the chamber itself she can hear Robert Baratheon speaking loudly, and angrily if she was judging correctly.
She pauses, a few steps out of the way of the door, lingering and listening as Robert goes on. "How could three people, two of which likely not able to use a chamber pot by themselves let alone eat, get lost in the keep?"
"The night of the siege I had men search their chambers, as well as those surrounding them." Another voice answers, Alys guesses it to be Tywin Lannister. "There was no sign of the Princess Elia or her children."
"It's possible they fled the keep in the chaos of the siege," a voice Alys recognizes as Jon Arryn's adds, "or that our information was wrong or out of date, and Aerys sent them away after all."
"My son apparently rarely left the kings side since the Trident, and he has told me he hadn't heard anything of sending them off," Tywin states, "in fact it seemed the king was determined to do the opposite, wanting them close in case Dorne switched to our side." Alys can imagine Neds scowl at Tywins use of the word 'our', he had already expressed to her his dislike of the man and his swooping in at the last moment to the rebel side.
Alys listens carefully, leant against the stone and fussing with the ends of her sleeves so much that they'll likely tear. "I want them found," Robert declares, "I want any and all dragon spawn found and dealt with." Alys looks to the floor and frowns, "Rhaegars children, the queen and her spawn on Dragonstone, all of them."
"What are your plans when we find them?" Ned speaks now, and Alys is glad to hear the worry in it. "I understand the risks, but other than the queen, they're all children, the oldest being only seven years."
"Children grow," Tywin states, "and when they're grown whose to say what they'll feel towards the people who killed their fathers and took their throne. We know the safest route is to end the problem early."
"We have to consider Dorne," Jon Arryn points out, "at least in regards to Aegon and Rhaenys."
"I'll not have any Targaryen threat, now or in the future." Robert barks out, "Tywin is right, it doesn't matter if we bastardize the children, or send them to foster with loyal lords, or exile them across the narrow sea." His voice is loud, and trembling from the rage he holds in it. Alys grips her sleeves tight. "They'll grow, and they'll grow angry. They'll want revenge and they'll want the throne back." She listened, hoping for someone to say something against it, but Robert continued, "we said we wanted to end this madness, out by the Trident. These children you worry over Ned, they hold the same blood as the Mad King who killed your father and brother and held your sister hostage. The same blood as Rhaegar, who started this whole mess and stole Lyanna." Alys wanted to leave, but she stayed, stuck in place. "They've ruled with their madness long enough, and we said we'd end it. But we can not do that if we let even one dragon spawn slip through our fingers. So I need them found, and I need them dealt with."
Quiet. Alys breathed slowly and listened. Willing her brother to speak, or Jon Arryn. Someone to tell him no.
"It is not honorable, Robert." Was all Ned said.
No one spoke any more of it.
Alys pushed off the wall and left as they turned discussion to Storms End. She numbly walked through the halls, feeling rather lost in her thoughts and the looming truth that she didn't know what to do. She didn't know whether to tell Ned or not. She didn't know what he could do at this point. Robert was determined, and it seemed there was little to sway him.
In her wandering she found her way to the Godswood, stopping before the large oak tree that had disappointed her at first sight but eventually became a place of comfort. A pleasant sight that as she knelt before it brought her a clear mind to work through it all.
She sits, knelt before the tree as the hours pass. The blue sky turning grey and occasionally little droplets of rain hitting the leaves above her. A few hours of sitting by the tree pass when Ned finds her. She hears his steps and glances to him, a part of her hoping for Jaime instead though she shoves that thought away with guilt for wishing for someone other than her brother.
"Is there no weirwood?" He asks, offering a hand to help her stand.
"No," she shakes her head, "a few stumps I believe, that have been landscaped around to be pleasing to the eye. But no proper weirwood." She looks again at the large oak, "But you grow used to this one." She reaches a hand and rests it against the oak where on a weirwood a face of the old gods would look on.
"It should be safe enough soon to send you north again," Ned says, his eyes watching her. "Howland would escort you, and when you pass Riverrun you could join my lady wife on her journey north."
"How is Catelyn?" Alys asks, ignoring the thought of him sending her home now, when she still has much in the south pressing on her mind.
"She is good, I believe," Ned blushes and Alys can't help but smile. "Pregnant, actually, according to the last letter I received."
"Really? Ned, that's wonderful." She moves away from the tree and hugs him tight.
"Yes," Ned nods against her, though he sounds awfully nervous about it in a way that makes her nearly chuckle. "Well Robert says I must be quite lucky, having done it in the short time we had."
Alys stills at the mention of Robert and sighs, pulling back. "I… I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"I came looking for you earlier, by the hands chambers." She starts, "I overheard you all speaking of Elia and her children."
Ned glances away, what looks like shame to his face. "Robert is determined." Is all he says.
"Can you not talk him in another direction?" she asks, "I… I became close with Elia, and little Rhaenys. They do not deserve death."
"I've tried," Ned tells her, his voice tired and sad but Alys needs him to try harder. "I'll keep trying, but even Jon seems less reluctant about it. I can tell he doesn't like it, but… he seems resigned to it. And Tywin is persistent at Roberts ear. I am beginning to doubt I'll have any chance."
"They're only children."
"I know." He sounds resigned, disgusted by the thought, but resigned. "But it matters little now, we have people looking for them, but our main focus is Storms End and Dragonstone."
"And Lyanna?" Alys asks, wondering how high a priority finding their sister is for the rebel leaders.
"Of course Lyanna," Ned nods. "But we'll have little luck searching if we are still at war."
Alys nods, and studies him. Thinking of it all, of how much she missed him and home. Of Lyanna still missing. Of Elia and her children hidden away in her rooms and in danger every second they spend in the Red Keep surrounded by people who'd either see them dead or do little to stand in the way.
"Ned," she speaks gentle, reaching out and grabbing his hand, "I've missed you so much." She squeezes his hand. "I'm going to return to my room, it looks like it is going to storm." She glances to the sky, grey and heavy clouds over them, looming like a threat.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Ned promises her as they start walking out of the Godswood, "I'm eating with Robert tonight, hopefully I'll be able to talk some sense into him."
"Hopefully." Alys smiles, though it matter little if he does or doesn't. She's made her choice, she knows her path.
Alys doesn't go straight to her room when she and Ned part ways. She makes her way first to the passage Jaime had shown her and down to the beach. The tide is higher, and the water choppier as the clouds are darker than that sunny day they'd spent together. She stops on the beach and glances about, remembering what he'd told her and walking just a small bit down until she sees it, around a outcropping of rocks, a small boat with two oars within it.
As she walks back she looks along the water, smiling gently as she remembers running about the shallow waters with her skirts tied high so they wouldn't get waterlogged. She remembers laughing and feeling so incredibly light that evening, as though she were someone else entirely who had no worries or pressures or grief.
Walking along the shore, she's now weighed down with more worries and pressures that she hadn't had at that time. It is hard to believe it had only been three days since that evening spent with Jaime. Three days ago she'd felt the lightest she'd felt in a year, and now she was weighed heavy with the path she was planning to take.
Sighing she stops a second at the spot they'd fallen at in the water. She remembers the warmth of Jaime's arm around her waist, the warmth of his eyes as they looked up at her so close she could see how green they really were. She stares at the spot, remembering how close he'd been, and how for a fraction of a second she'd wanted to lean down and kiss him.
Rain startles her from her thoughts and she shoves it all away, focusing on what is present and not what happened before and what might have happened if she'd been bolder.
The walk back she gets most of her focus back, but a small part of her still misses Jaime.
In her room she finds Howland sat near the door, listening apparently for those passing by. Elia sits behind the bed with Aegon asleep in her arms while Rhaenys is by the fire messing about with the chess set.
"Howland," Alys starts, knowing she needs him for this plan to work best. "I'm getting them out of here, tonight." She's focused on Howland, but knows Elia has looked her way and is watching her. "I can't tell Ned… at least not while Elia and the children are still in danger. And they'll be in danger so long as they are in Kings Landing."
Howland is looking up at her from where he is sat, "Alys…" he starts but Alys barrels on with explaining.
"The safest place for them, that I can think of, is Dorne. With Elia's family," she glances a second to Elia, who looks hopeful. "So, I'm going to try to get them there. I know a way out of the Keep that will go undetected."
"Alys…"
"And I would appreciate your help," she can't say she needs it, even if she does. "Keeping us safe on the journey, and helping navigate south."
"Alys this is dangerous," he starts, though his face gives little away at whether he's agreeing or not. "You already were treading the line of treason by hiding them here, smuggling them out is a surefire way to gain Roberts ire if he discovers it."
"I'll be fine," she dismiss it, even if she isn't certain. "Ned wouldn't let Robert hurt me. And I don't care, it's the right thing to do."
"And I imagine if I say no you'll do it anyway."
"I have to, Howland," she tells him, crossing her arms and staring him down. "Robert is determined to kill any Targaryen left, and I don't know if there is any convincing him otherwise, at least not at the moment when its all fresh. But perhaps, by the time Elia and them are safe his temper will have cooled and better discussion can be had." She isn't sure of that, from what she knows of Robert his temper is always hot. Not to mention the words of the Baratheons, ours is the fury. "Either way, if I don't do this and something happens to them. It will be on me."
Howland eyes her, his dark green eyes narrowing to study her entirely in a way that makes her straighten her spine and meet his gaze with her own icy one. After a moment he stands, and nods, looking up at her still he says, "alright, tell me what we need."
Alys feels a release of pressure as she nods. Relief that she won't have to try this without him helping her.
It's twilight when they make their way through the keep. Howland leading them ahead, stopping occasionally, just stood with his eyes shut before motioning them along. Alys wonders at it, in passing as she's focused to fully on telling him the way through the Keep towards the passage. She wonders if he's simply listening for movement, or if its something more.
Regardless they make their way through, running across nothing but the cats that creep through the keep halls. At one point stopping near the kitchen so Howland could go within and grab food for them.
When they make it to the passage Alys is glad for the darkness and the sound of stone shutting behind them. She's glad for Aegon sleeping soundly, and for Rhaenys being so smart and quiet.
She leads the way through the passage, worried that otherwise a wrong turn would be taken and they'd end up somewhere else entirely.
As they move through the dark she thinks fleetingly of Ned, whom she'd left a letter for on her desk. She didn't mention Elia and the children, instead saying that she couldn't wait for the war to end to search out Lyanna. She wrote that she and Howland had headed south, following a lead from the fact that Rhaegar had come from Dorne when he returned to court. It was partially true, it hadn't escaped Alys that her sister was very likely in the part of country that she was now heading towards. She made private plans to do exactly as she'd written once Elia and the children was safe.
She wonders if he'll come after her. She hopes not, she hopes he trusts Howland enough to keep her safe that he'll leave it till after the disputes of war were done.
Either way it doesn't matter. She doubts he'll find the letter till sometime tomorrow, possibly not even until the afternoon. By then they'll hopefully have a good head start if he chooses to follow after.
As they head further through the passages she thinks of Jaime as well. She wishes, as they step towards the exit, that she'd been able to see him again before she left. She wonders when she'll see him again, and hopes it isn't too long a time.
Rain hitting the rock and water can be heard as they near the exit, and in the distance the sound of thunder booms across the area. Howland pauses behind her and she glances at him, worried that he'll advise against them leaving now.
"At least it will cover our leaving better," he finally says before they step out into the rain and he looks out along the water while following her lead towards the boat.
He keeps closer to Elia, helping her and Rhaenys both along the rocks as they make it to the boat and Alys looks back. "Hand me Rhaenys," she asks, and Howland lifts the near four-year-old up and over to Alys who helps her into the boat.
"I liked the boat we took from Dragonstone," Rhaenys says, her voice quiet and shaking as she eyed the boat nervously.
"It'll be a bit like that," Alys assures as Howland helps Elia and Aegon into the boat as well. "Just, a little smaller and rockier. We'll sit together, so I can make sure you're safe." Rhaenys nods as Howland motions for Alys to help him push the boat out into the water.
He helps her up once it's floating, and follows suit soon after. Alys sitting on one of the benches of the boat, Elia sat in the space between benches with the blankets they'd brought along wrapped around her and Aegon both. Aly grabs another of the blankets and helps Rhaenys settle on her lap with it wrapped around them while Howland uses one of the oars to push off the beach and further into the water.
Large droplets of rain fall down upon them while waves rock up against the boat, sending sprays of sea water occasionally onto them. They rock over waves and listen to the crash of it mixed with the boom of thunder.
Alys tightens her hold on Rhaenys the further into the Blackwater they get, anxious that if she doesn't the girl will move to near the edge and a wave will knock her into the churning waters.
Alys glances towards the Red Keep, watching it as Howland rows them forward carefully through the storm churned waves further and further. The structure slowly shrinks, and sea mist and fog eventually fully obstruct it from view.
Looking down to Elia, the pair of them meeting each others eyes, Alys wonders briefly if this will work. Shutting her eyes she prays, to all the gods old and new, that it will.
Thank you for reading! This chapter flowed so quick I was shocked, hopefully this keeps up and I can get the next chapter out quick.
Thank you as always for any comments/reviews you leave me, they always make my day and leave me with the biggest smile!