The red-haired girl broke into sobs, trying to wipe her eyes with her hands. Makeup and dirt ran down her face.
"Please – it's all my fault... I didn't mean..."
"Now... Ellara, is it right? Calm down, my dear," Alysanne spoke kindly, but with an underlying firmness that made it clear that she needed an explanation for what was going on. "Why have you missed the play? Everyone, your sister first of all, has been very worried about you."
"Your Grace... oh, I'm so, so very sorry... I'm so sorry..."
"Ellara, tell us what's happened," the firmness in her voice became more pronounced. No wonder: after all the months he had spend at court, Alaric knew well that far too many people, having heard of Alysanne's kindness, thought it possible to weasel their way into her good graces simply by weeping and mumbling something incoherently. The girl could have found herself in some trouble, but she could just as well be putting her acting talent to use. "You don't have to be afraid, but I need you to be honest with us."
"I'm sorry," Ellara repeated again, but this time somewhat more calmly, clearly trying to pull herself together. "I thought... Master Hugh, from the Little Dragons, he promised me I'd have the lead part in the play, with the Dragons, I mean. I got all the words learned by heart and I even did the hair, to make it more fit for the queen's wig," she glanced bitterly at several hairpins, now stuck haphazardly in her tousled red curls. "And then today he said," her voice shook once more, "he said that he wasn't going to give me the p-part, and th-that I can't act to s-save my life. I was... I was... I mean, I got all ready for it, I stayed awake f-for hours, learning the l-lines, and even yesterday he said, he told me so kindly, that I'm going to have it..."
Alaric saw what she was getting at, and got increasingly disgusted by the Little Dragons' leader. Many naive girls, especially from the smallfolk, were frequently taken in by false promises of glory, or riches, or love, or all three at the same time. How he had always warned Alarra about being too trusting! She was protected by her wealth and high birth, true enough, but vile people could also be rich and highborn.
Currently, Alarra herself was quick to assess the situation, calm as a summer sea:
"Mother, may I accompany His Grace and the Prince of Dragonstone to the Keep?" in the presence of people at least one of them didn't know well, Alarra was always extremely formal with Alysanne, at the same time making it clear to strangers where she stood in the royal family, by addressing Alysanne as "Mother", which she never did in everyday talk.
"You may, certainly, Lady Alarra," Alysanne replied in kind. Adding the "Lady" was necessary too, to signify that Alarra wasn't the poor relation among the children and was treated with respect.
The mummer girl, though, probably missed all these elaborate details of courtly manners. She was no longer crying, but she was staring at them with wide, uncomprehending eyes, shivering slightly.
As soon as Alarra and the boys were out of earshot, Alysanne turned to Ellara again with a sympathetic smile:
"Now, it's only myself, my husband and Lady Darke. You can tell us the entire story."
Ellara glanced doubtfully at Alaric.
"The Starks always protect their people, good woman," he told her. "Now that Her Grace and I are married, it is clear that 'my people' include everyone from the Seven Kingdoms."
"Thank you, my lord," Ellara murmured. However, she still fidgeted and hesitated for some minutes before she spoke, and Alaric figured that she mostly began to speak at all because she saw they weren't going anywhere. She mostly addressed Alysanne, of course – even those who had barely met the Good Queen before were inclined to admire and trust her from the very start (with the exception, he reminded himself sarcastically, of a certain Lord of Winterfell).
"When we... w-we came to the Keep, I wanted s-so much to join the Little Dragons and stay in the city," Ellara began in a half-whisper. "I'm... I'm so tired of always walking and walking and walking... so tired. M-Myribeth picked us up wh-when m-my f-father and M-Melara's husband d-died of the Shivers, and we've b-been on the road ever since then... I'm two-and-twenty already, and I don't have a husband or a house or anything... So I went to Master Hugh and asked him if he had a place in his troupe. And he said that if I was good to him, he'd l-let me have the lead part!" her eyes glimmered. "The lead part! I n-never played anything close to it! M-Myribeth rarely lets me and Mella s-s-speak onstage at all! And then, m-me playing the q-queen! It was just like a d-dream, so I agreed."
Alaric swore under his breath, and he didn't need to look at Alysanne's face to know that she was beyond furious.
"I v-visited Master Hugh every day," Ellara continued, reddening. "And he l-let me rehearse a little afterwards, too. I r-read the l-lines and acted out th-the main scenes. He always kept s-saying that I was doing v-very well and that I'll b-be perfect as the q-queen, and that he'll l-let me have a place of honor in h-his troupe after The R-Royal P-Penance... I mean, Th-The Brave Queen... g-got approved! And then, t-today morning, wh-when I came t-to the Little Dragons, all r-ready to play, h-he just l-laughed and sh-shouted at me..." she swallowed hard. Alaric could see she was struggling not to cry again.
"Jonquil, bring Hugh from the Little Dragons here, right now," Alysanne said, her tone like steel. "We shall clear this matter up immediately."
The Scarlet Shadow, true to her name, vanished with barely a noise, and Alaric looked after her approvingly. She would find Hugh even in the deepest cellar of the Keep, should he decide to hide.
Of course, there was still the possibility that Ellara was lying, but now Alaric believed it was very slim. It was sheer coincidence that they had found the girl at all – they usually didn't even take this road. If she had wanted to slander Hugh, she would have made a scene in public and made sure as many people as possible saw it.
A short while later, Jonquil Darke reappeared with Hugh in tow. The old man's face split into a wide obsequious smile as he came closer.
"Your Grace! Lord Stark! I am at your service."
"Master Hugh, this girl Ellara has told me of certain dealings you've had with her," Alysanne said icily.
Hugh looked at Ellara, and his face creased with pity:
"Oh, yes! This poor girl. She was very confused this morning. For some reason, she got it into her head that she was given the lead part. I confess, I was very harsh with her – just a short while before the premiere, I was pretty much wound up. I am very sorry for shouting at you, Ellara," he smiled again, this time with mild indulgence.
One of them is lying, Alaric thought. One of them, but which? Hugh looked the picture of a reasonable man who slightly lost his temper because of some crazy demands. Ellara looked the picture of a broken girl, persuaded to sell herself in exchange for a bright future and instead having all her dreams crushed and ridiculed.
"You promised me the lead part! Don't lie! You promised!" she cried. Her face went pale. "Please... Your Grace... I was telling you the truth, I swear..."
"Did you promise her the part of the queen in exchange for her sleeping with you?" Alysanne asked Hugh sharply. By her side, Ellara sucked in a shaky breath.
"But Your Grace!" he exclaimed indignantly. "I am an honorable man, I don't treat women like that!"
Alaric and Alysanne continued to merely glare at him, and Ellara looked at him with a mix of fear, hurt and anger. That made Hugh burst out with even more emotion:
"Besides, I don't wish to injure this disturbed creature even more, but I would never make any such promises to her. She is a kind-hearted girl, but a dreadful mummer. She did, I admit, ask me three months ago about a place in the Little Dragons. I've given her several trials, and I assure you, she can't act out a single line without letting her actual emotions mar it all over. I applaud Mistress Myribeth's generosity in giving her the silent roles – I wouldn't have allowed her even that! Your Grace, Lord Stark, you can trust my judgment. I've been leading the Little Dragons for years."
Alaric gave Alysanne an urgent look, and she nodded at him imperceptibly. She clearly discerned the same meaning in Hugh's speech as he did.
"Thank you, Master Hugh," Alysanne said with a deceptive air of calm. "And how many girls have you treated like you did Ellara?"
"What... but... Your Grace! I told you..."
"You told me that Ellara is a dreadful mummer who can't act out a single line," she nodded. "Which means, Master Hugh, that she is not acting now."
Questioning Master Hugh took the better part of the evening and the following morning, considering that Alysanne had to talk to the women of the Little Dragons as well. Hugh insisted he had done nothing wrong, since all the girls he had slept with were willing and he really only gave parts to the girls who deserved it.
"But your lovers were only willing because you deceived them!" Alysanne reminded him.
"Their own fault," he said stubbornly. "Had they been smarter, they would have seen my judgment is based purely on talent. Lead parts indeed! Besides, some girls have turned me down!"
A flicker of regret flashed in his eyes:
"That Obella, from the Sunflowers. Now that's a gifted girl if I ever saw one. I saw her rehearsing her lines in passing, and, believe me, I knew she would be brilliant as the queen. But when I offered her a place in my troupe, she said no. Was so disgusted, too."
"And has it never occurred to you to offer her a lead part without your bed as part of the deal?" Alaric asked.
Hugh stared at him as if he had suddenly switched to High Valyrian.
"Please, Your Grace, Lord Stark," he finally said. "I have always been devoted to the Targaryens... I am your most loyal servant..."
"My truly loyal servants don't take advantage of trusting women," Alysanne said through gritted teeth. Alaric had only once seen her so mad with anger – after her visit to the brothel of Mole's Town. "Jonquil has made inquiries with Robert Redwyne of the City Watch. There was a girl – Lily, a blacksmith's daughter – who, two years ago, was telling everyone she would soon play the main parts with the Little Dragons."
"Lily... Oh, yes, I remember. Nice girl, but couldn't act. I'm not responsible for the tales she told."
"She won't be telling any more tales, Master Hugh. She threw herself into the Blackwater."
"It wasn't my fault!" he cried out. "Your Grace! I had nothing to with it! She was probably upset about a lover!"
"In a sense, she was," Alysanne continued, her voice colder than the lands beyond the Wall. "She was brought up to treasure her maidenhead, and only sacrificed it because she hoped to act with the Dragons and earn some money for her many siblings. When she learned she sacrificed it in vain, she confessed everything to her parents and jumped into the river at once."
"It... it wasn't my fault," Hugh repeated numbly.
"Forcing girls to sleep with you to rise in your troupe is despicable enough, but lying to them and crushing their hopes in addition to that..." Alysanne swallowed. "Lily is the only one we know. What happened to the rest of the poor girls you discarded? It's the Wall for you, Master Hugh."
"The Wall? Oh, Your Grace, I beg you! Have mercy!" the man wailed, abandoning all pretense of dignity. "Please, have mercy! I am three-and-seventy! I will not survive a day in the Watch! I implore you! I will never so much as touch a girl again..."
Alaric thought it over. He wasn't sorry for Hugh, not in the slightest, but the man had a point: for him, the harsh training of the Watch's recruits would be a death sentence. For all his vileness, Hugh truly didn't deliberately kill anyone, and it would seem unjust if a pathetic creature like this was sent to certain death, while Kingsguard oathbreakers had been previously sent unharmed to the Wall by Jaehaerys and thrived there (well, at first)...
Suddenly he had an idea:
"As a matter of fact, I think we shouldn't make him take the black."
"Oh! Lord Stark! Thank you! Tha..."
"I suggest," Alaric continued, turning to Alysanne, "he is sent to serve in the North, but not as far North as the Wall. We'll send him to Winterfell, of course with a letter detailing all of his exploits, and my sons will choose which castle you should go to."
"As a scribe?" Hugh asked hopefully.
"As a groom at the stables," Alysanne snapped, and Hugh's shoulders stooped.
"I would suggest shipping him to Bear Island," Alaric said. "People aren't fond of mummers there, so the girls won't fall for your old tricks, even should you try them, and it's truly hard to escape from it. But of course, the ultimate choice rests with Roderick and Edwyn."
Hugh was sobbing now, alternating between pleas and fits of desperate defiance:
"Please... give me another chance... I will be the best playwright you can think of! I mean... everyone's doing what I did! You won't change much by sending me away!"
"Oh, yes, we will," Alysanne said. "For the women of the Little Dragons or those aspiring to join them, it will be an enormous change."
It had been a horrible couple of days. Alysanne sank onto the bed without even taking off her dress and shoes, feeling utterly drained, like a sponge with all the water squeezed out.
"Every time, I'm always thinking..." she said, barely finding the strength to talk. "He was right, you know… There are many more like him out there, and we won't catch them all in ten lifetimes..."
"But we can develop laws against the 'many more like him'!" Alaric said fervently. He sat down by her side and gently took her shoes off and rolled down her stockings. Her feet immediately felt much more relaxed, especially thanks to his warm featherlight touches. "True, some people break even the written laws, but many who lack decency are kept back by selfishness. Remember Lord Caswell? He hates it that you abolished the first night, but his chief desire is to save his own skin, and it stops him from exercising that so-called right now that it's forbidden by a royal decree. Although," he mused with sadness, "it will be hard to write a law against the Hughs of this world. Often their crimes are bloody difficult to prove."
She smiled, feeling her confidence return:
"We will manage this, Alaric, together. I know that. The Seven Kingdoms were only united sixty years ago, and we can't change our people overnight. But we will do all we can to make them better."
"And will make sure Aemon will do the same," Alaric nodded.
Since she realized she wasn't quite as exhausted as she thought at first, Alysanne sat up and put her arms around him. When she learned for certain she was with child, she consulted Grand Maester Elysar, as she had always done at the start of her pregnancies, on the matter of marital relations, and he reassured her it was safe for her and Alaric to sleep together as long as they were mindful of her belly.
The days when every single caress of Alaric's brought back comparisons with Jaehaerys were long gone. Now Alysanne knew she desired Alaric for his own sake, though flashes of shame still came to her mind whenever she thought if it was prudent of her at all to feel like that so soon.
Right now, however, she wasn't caring about it. As usual after having a difficult day, she needed Alaric's affection and comfort, and she knew he needed hers as well.
As their lips met in a heated kiss, Alysanne silently sent a prayer of thanks to the Seven for blessing her with such a wonderful marriage, after she had sunk into despair and misery, no less. Alaric not only loved her (she still wasn't ready to say if she returned this feeling), but he respected her and valued her opinions and stood by her (and these were the sentiments she returned with all her heart). Yes, he was very different from Jaehaerys, but she wouldn't have had it any other way. Nobody could be like Jaehaerys the way Jaehaerys was, just like nobody else could be like Alaric.
"Alysanne, sweetest," Alaric whispered, moving away slightly to unclasp his cloak. "You do have the Fourteen Flames in your blood."
"You don't seem to have much ice in yours, though," unwilling to wait for him, she helped him throw the cloak away and began unfastening his doublet, while his hands pulled the pins out of her hair.
"If you want ice, it can be used in a few interesting ways. We can have some brought from the cellars here, for tomorrow night."
Blood rushed to Alysanne's cheeks as she imagined what "interesting ways" it could be, and she quickly drew Alaric in for another kiss, climbing onto his lap.
We must help poor Ellara and others like her, was her last coherent thought of the day. To turn the intimacy between husband and wife, one of the loveliest and most exhilarating things known to mankind, into a dirty bargaining chip... how can people even think of it?