Alica heard the carriage door close behind her and she looked to find Queen Cersei to pay her respects. She found her and knelt down, bowing her head. Cersei took note of Alica's presence, seeing how she had grown and developed since she had met her six years ago, a month after the wedding.
"Rise." Cersei said. Alica got to her feet and sat down in the carriage, her seamstress sitting next to her. "Bringing a friend?" Cersei asked.
"No, your grace. She is my seamstress. I am with child." Alica explained. Cersei smiled.
"Congratulations." Cersei said. Alica knew she didn't mean it, but she played along with a smile.
"Thank you, your grace." Alica said.
"Mother." Said young Tommen, looking at his mother curiously. "If Lady Alica is pregnant with your father's child, wouldn't that make her child your brother or sister?" He asked. Cersei smiled at her youngest son.
"Alica's child and I will be half siblings." Cersei explained.
"Mother, why is Lady Alica here?" Myrcella asked.
"Lady Alica is in danger, and as king and queen, we are obligated to protect our allies." Cersei explained.
It took all of Alica's willpower not to look like she was about to laugh.
"So, Alica, I see that womanhood is becoming to you." Cersei said. "You aren't the wild girl you were when I met you."
"Thank you, your grace. I suppose I am just very lucky." Alica explained. "If not, the luckiest."
"From a girl in the far north, to lady of Casterly Rock." Cersei paused. "How does that happen?"
Alica paused, looking for words to say. She knew that Cersei was trying to insult her through this.
"My lord husband's gold interests in the north were at stake." Alica said. "As I said, I was very lucky."
"Indeed." Cersei said. "You're even luckier to have my father care for you enough to even touch you, even more bless you with child." Alica nodded in agreement. "You must be a very special girl."
"I suppose Lord Tywin is just doing his duty as a husband. He was very kind as to wait for me to come to him." Alica said. "I would like to think I keep your father as happy as I possibly could make him. He may not love me, but he cares for me."
"No, my father will never love you. But you are very lucky to have him care for you." Cersei's voice had the slightest twinge of jealousy. "Lady Alica, we are on our way to Winterfell, might you tell me more about it?" Cersei asked.
"I only visited Winterfell a few times, but I assure you that it has it's own special environment. A coziness in the cold north." Alica began to explain. "Lord Eddard, the most honorable man I have ever met, will probably deny his grace's offer to make him hand of the king. His wife, Lady Catelyn, is the fire that burns in the north to keep it warm. She is regal, yet so very human and motherly at the same time. Their children, I know four of them, Robb, Sansa, Arya, and Brandon, and I know she's had another boy since I last visited. Robb was just a boy around my age, Sansa was just a child, as was Arya, Bran was a toddler. I did not get to know the Stark children well besides Robb Stark, and Robb found me to be a bit of an annoyance." Alica chuckled. "I do remember Sansa's beauty, even at her young age, and Arya's wild spirit."
"I see." Cersei said. "I will have you know that these wolves will reject the lion who walks near." Cersei warned. "Especially one who used to live in the ice and snow."
"You see, I hope not to do anything that may make them want to reject me." Alica said. Cersei raised her head, there was still fire in this one after all.
The month's journey north contained more conversations like this, more hidden insults between Cersei and Alica were made, hidden enough that they didn't cause much tension in anyone except Cersei and Alica. Alica knew well Cersei didn't like her, and Cersei knew well that Alica knew. But, what Cersei did admire was Alica's civility, seeing how much different she was from when she was young.
When arriving in the north, Alica had on a simply cotton dress and a lion's fur cloak to wrap around her, her hair in a bun, not feeling the need to look elegant as she journeyed north. She began to notice the slightest bump in her belly, hardly recognisable through her dresses, but still noticeable to her. She kept quiet of her pregnancy around Cersei, not wanting to cause anymore tension than was already created.
During their journey, Joffrey Baratheon had taken a certain liking towards Alica, almost obsessive. Whenever they stopped to set up camp, Joffrey would speak to Alica, who politely conversed with him, but she noticed something was off about the boy, but she couldn't put her finger on the issue. King Robert would eventually yell at Joffrey for talking to Alica too long, soon starting conversations of his own with Alica.
King Robert had his own interests with Alica, trying to hint at whether she could talk her husband into giving the crown more money. Alica sneakily maneuvered around the questions. King Robert noticed one day, he smiled, telling her that southern politics must have grown on her. Alica did not answer, but simply smiled and nodded her head.
Meanwhile, Alica was asleep in the carriage, her head resting on the carriage wall. Suddenly, there was an abrupt stop, and Alica was shaken awake. She look out the carriage window and saw that they were only about a mile outside of Winterfell. Finally, the long journey was over.
"Your grace, it seems we are not far." One of Cersei's ladies in waiting told her. Cersei nodded, but didn't reply. She looked at Alica, giving her a false smile.
"Lady Alica." Cersei began. "Are you ready?" Cersei said, trying to instill insecurity into Alica.
"As I'll ever be." Alica replied, luring Cersei into a false sense of security that she was starting to influence Alica.