Picking her ladies in waiting had been an illustrative activity, in the end she picked two, because she already had a third in mind and turns out she only needed three. Ashara Dayne and Elia Martell had been surprised when they had been picked. But the new princess had already surprised so many.
"Lady Ashara, Princess Elia, could you please stop staring at me, its unbecoming and rather creepy" Alexandra said after a while, Rhaegar had left so the ladies could get to know each other better. They where in Alexandra's quarters in Maeglor's Holdfast.
"We are sorry Princess" said Elia turning a little red.
"Call me Alex too, all that princess business is rather disconcerting, besides you're a princess too" reasoned Alex, Elia smiled at her.
"You can call me Elia" she said, then Ashara nodded then seemed to redden.
"Call me Ashara, Alex" said the dornish lady with a small smile, Alexandra grinned at them.
"Why us, Alex?" asked Elia, Alexandra raised an eyebrow and sighed.
"Why you? Well apart from the fact that I need friends here? Ashara is to be my good-sister someday and you Elia, you seem like a good woman, and better yet trustworthy, why would I call strangers into my home when I can call upon my family?" Alexandra smirked "Besides it gives me an excuse to take us away from this place"
"Away?" asked Ashara, Alexandra nodded.
"To Dragonstone, its safer for us there and unfortunately I couldn't think of another excuse to bring you alone than to make you my ladies in waiting" Alexandra explained.
"Bring us along?" asked Elia.
"Yes, I shall explain further once were not here, I just need you to trust me, your brother Oberyn shall come with us, as will Arthur and Brandon, Rhaegar will talk to his mother about bringing Viserys too" Elia and Ashara exchanged a glances.
"How did you convince Oberyn to come?" asked Elia, Alexandra smiled.
"Turns out that he might be interested in a northern lady" Alexandra answered, Elia's eyes widened.
"Your sister, Lady Lyanna?" asked Ashara, Alexandra nodded.
"He's young yet and prone to change his mind, but I believe that those two would make a good match" Alexandra said, Elia seemed to consider and nodded, her younger brother was a handful and perhaps a wild Stark could tame him.
"Yes they could burn Westeros to the ground" joked Elia and Alexandra was not expecting it, Alexandra giggled until it was full blown laughter.
"Oh gods, I made the best decision, now my ladies if you may excuse me I have a husband to go to, please do go pack your things as we will try to leave on the morrow"
Rhaegar was sparring with Brandon when Alexandra appeared again, his father had not been completely pleased with Alexandra's choices but the King had only nodded gruffly when Rhaegar informed him of her choices and that they would be retiring to Dragonstone on the morrow. In a lucid moment his father had ordered him to take Arthur with him and so Rhaegar had ventured asking if his small brother could join him as well, his arguments had been solid and so the Mad King had approved.
Rhaegar then had talked to his mother, and although he regretted leaving his mother behind Rhaella had assured her son that she could brave whatever that was coming for her if she knew that her sons were both safe and happy. Another person who had not been happy with Alexandra's choices had been Twyin Lannister, as he had hoped for his daughter Cersei to be picked as a lady in waiting. But Alexandra was vehemently against choosing the Lannister girl.
"Try not moving your sword so carelessly my prince, a stronger grip should do" Alexandra offered once she was close enough, Rhaegar raised an eyebrow, she smiled toothily at him, her brother laughed.
"She's the best swordswoman in Winterfell, probably all of Westeros, almost no one stands a change against her if she finds a sword" explained Brandon, Rhaegar seemed surprised by these news.
"Is she now?" he asked; Brandon nodded.
"It was frustrating to be bested by her when we were children, I sort of learned to live with it, as of now a fight between us too would be most likely end up in a tie" Rhaegar looked at his wife curiously and realized he knew almost nothing about her.
"Something wrong my prince?" asked Alexandra, Rhaegar shook his head and smiled at her.
"Nothing, Viserys is coming with us to Dragonstone, mother is glad that he will be away from the King's Landing, are you sure you want to do this?" her face was passive, she smiled at him kindly.
"Viserys is only a child and deserves to grow in a friendly environment, King's landing offers none and no matter how much your mother tries to protect him, she's only one person, while I breathe he will not be harmed by anyone Rhaegar, that's a promise" her voice sounded firm and Rhaegar felt a weight lift from his shoulder. He took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles.
"Thank you, you don't know how at ease you put my heart with your words" he whispered. She looked at him fondly.
"Hey, that is what I'm here for, I told you, I will be your friend a partner, and we are both a team, you just added the wife title to it" she said softly and he remembered that a week ago she had told him that. He kissed her temple, as they were both in public.
Alexandra felt strange, it was the first time she was in a boat in Westeros and they were nothing like the first class cruise ships that she remembered from her other life, she was far from being seasick but that didn't meant that she was one hundred percent comfortable with her current situation. She was standing on the deck, watching the eerie starry night; her dress swirled softly because of the wind, as did her hair. Never she imagined that she was going to find herself in such situation.
"Alex?" called Rhaegar softly from behind her startling her slightly; he chuckled as she turned to face him, an annoying yet sweet look on her face.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked him, he shook his head as he covered her with his cloak.
"It is cold out here and I figured you'd like some company, everyone is asleep by now" he explained, Alexandra smiled at him.
"I'm from the north Rhaegar, this feels like a summer breeze to me, not cold at all" she said, but still held the cloak close to herself "Are you sure I am the one who would like some company?" she jabbed playfully at him, he rolled his eyes and pulled her into a hug.
"Come to bed with me?" he purred softly making her shiver. She pressed a kiss to his jaw.
"Lead the way then" she murmured as she kept pressing kisses on his skin.
Dragonstone was beautiful in its own way, Alexandra could find herself admiring the dark fortress and could see herself raising her family in the very place, but she knew that it was not meant to be, as she probably had another duty marked for her than a peaceful retired life. After all she had been in the fortress for about a week now.
"Is something wrong Alex?" asked Elia as she and Ashara joined Alexandra in her new solar.
"No, I'm just thinking about my future" she explained softly, Ashara smiled at the she-wolf.
"Do you think it will be good?" asked Elia, they were sitting on plush chairs decorated with dornish silk.
"I can only hope it will Elia, but one never truly knows" said Alexandra offhandedly; Ashara rolled her eyes.
"Lets not bother ourselves with things that aren't yet to come Alex, I dare say that some of prince Rhaegar's melancholy has passed on to you" joked Ashara, Alexandra smiled at her new friends.
"It might have happened" Agreed Elia with a knowing smile.
"Perhaps" conceded Alexandra, then she stood from her chair, Elia and Ashara following "Why don't we visit the gardens, I am sure that with Elia's knowledge of plants and flowers we will soon have our gardens brimming with joy"
Garden work was a way to keep herself distracted and active, she sometimes sparred with Brandon as Rhaegar never wanted to spar with her and Arthur was definitely not going to spar with her, so she had Brandon to do so. Both Stark siblings had established a morning routine, one that Oberyn Martell joined. They woke up and had breakfast, after it they ran around the fortress and then sparred until mid morning, after a light snack, Alexandra could be found in the library with Viserys or playing with him in the courtyard, Rhaegar often joining them.
They all had lunch together in the main hall, in the early afternoons Alexandra joined Elia and Ashara in the gardens and late afternoons and nights were dedicated solely to her husband, in that way they had stories to interchange while they dined or walked around the castle, late nights were reserved to them just them loosing into each other's bodies, and to say that the Dragon Prince was pleased with the arrangements would've been an understatement.
Five months passed far too quickly for the inhabitants of Dragonstone, the princess of Dragonstone was with child and the Prince couldn't be happier. A raven reached the Black fortress with news of a Tourney that was going to take place in Harrenhal, they had six months to get ready for it, and so preparations for departing began. Rhaegar was concerned for the state of her wife during the trip, but she had assured him that she was a woman of the north that could perfectly travel, she was not going to stay behind in Dragonstone while they attended the tourney.
They were lucky enough that the babe had decided to grace them with its presence earlier than predicted, as Alexandra had given birth at Dragonstone two months before departing. The she-wolf had cursed Rhaegar's very own existence and swore that he was to keep distance from her if he didn't want to become an eunuch. To say that he had been appalled by threats while everyone found them amusing had him seriously questioning his choice of wife. But threats and all had been all worth it when he held his daughter in his hands for the first time, she was born with his hair but the Maester had said that she was probably going to have her mother's eyes.
Alexandra for her part had been afraid to hold such a small babe in her arms, she couldn't believe that the small babe was hers to cherish and to love, and after the initial shock had passed she had welcomed her husband back to their rooms, if only because she missed her warm pillow, they all knew better.
When the time to depart Dragonstone came, Rhaegar was wary to travel with the small babe, but Alexandra had convinced him saying that his mother was going to want to meet her granddaughter. Viserys had been excited with the prospect of another kid around to play with and often could be found asking when would his niece grow up.
They had named her Rhaenys Targaryen, and while Rhaegar was overjoyed with the chosen name, Alexandra knew better, her Rhaenys was never going to be the same as in the stories she had read a lifetime ago, but she could hope to pay tribute to a small innocent girl that had departed too soon.