Morning came, and Alayne woke to a beam of sunlight streaming through her chamber window. She had spent half the night trying to comprehend Willas's words- you speak with your eyes. Whatever did he mean by that? She dressed swiftly, remembering that she had to help set breakfast up. She'd almost forgotten that Robert had had an episode last night; she was so perplexed by the other Tyrell brother. He was quite unlike anyone she'd ever come across.
Alayne hurried to the solar, drawing her fur collar tighter around her neck. It was an icy morning, and goosebumps prickled her skin. She was the first one in the solar, other than the serving girls, who were laying out cutlery and the table linen. They chattered excitedly with one another, not noticing Alayne in the doorway.
"He's handsome, isn't he?" one of them said, wiping the mahogany table. Her dark ringlets bounced as she gushed. "But not in a common way."
"I s'pose," the other one replied, putting down her platters of fruit and bread. "But he's a Tyrell, so Lord Littlefinger can't trust him."
The dark-haired one made a rude sound. "And you can trust Lord Littlefinger?" she laughed.
Alayne cleared her throat. It was only then that the pair of serving girls noticed her standing there. They both curtsied hurriedly. "My lady," the second one stammered, blushing. The first one did the same.
Alayne nodded at them. "Thank you for your service," she said steadily, dismissing them. They hastily made their way from the room, heads down. Alayne sat down at the table, pondering what the curly-haired maid had said so incredulously. Can you trust Lord Littlefinger?
She was lost in thought, a strand of chestnut hair wound around her finger, when she was joined in the solar.
"What a glorious morning!" an enthusiastic voice exclaimed, jolting Alayne from her trance. She turned in her seat to see Willas Tyrell- she should have guessed by the tone of his voice- marvelling at the view of the mountains through the large solar windows.
Alayne jumped to her feet and curtsied. "Good morning, Lord Willas. I… how was your first night in the Eyrie?"
"Lady Stone!" Willas smiled brightly. "It is a good morning, isn't it? Marvellous!" he gestured to the sun rising over the snow-capped mountains. "My night was perfectly fine, thank you. My chambers were more than enough." He bit his lip. "How does Lord Robert fare?"
"I am glad you found them to your liking." Alayne hadn't seen Robert this morning. "I have not seen my father or Lord Robert this morning. You are the first here, besides the serving girls and me."
Willas nodded. "Well, I am something of an early bird myself. I enjoy the peacefulness." Willas sat across from Alayne, eying the food. "You have not broken your fast?"
Alayne frowned. "It would hardly be polite to break my fast without anyone else at the table," she stated.
Willas threw up his hands. "Goodness, look at me. How rude can someone be? Of course it isn't polite." He shook his head, as if chiding himself. "I should need you to reteach me my table manners, Lady Stone! You know what you are talking about."
Alayne bit back a smile. "I've learnt from the best." She winced at her own words after she said them. It sounded as if she were conceited, as if she were calling the Tyrell's inferior. Willas hardly noticed.
"Manners are more becoming than wickedness, I think," Willas said, straightening his leg. "My sister seems to think herself quite alluringly wicked at times. I've often told her that manners would work better for her, but she's Margaery, and there's no changing Margaery's mind. You have a very polite demeanour, Lady Stone. It is quite charming, and refreshing."
"Why, thank you, Lord Willas." Alayne felt her stomach flip. Alluringly wicked. If there were two words to describe Margaery, those wouldn't have been the ones Alayne would have chosen. "I found Margaery quite polite, actually."
Willas arched his eyebrow, surprised. "You have met her?"
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Alayne hadn't met Margaery. That was another girl.
Alayne stumbled for words. Her tongue felt like stone. "I… well, we…"
As if the gods had answered her prayers, Petyr entered the room with Robert trailing behind. "Good morrow, Lord Willas! Good morrow, beautiful daughter!" he kissed her on the cheek as he passed her, lingering a little longer than he should have.
"Alayne!" Robert climbed onto her lap, wrapping his skinny arms around her neck. "Your chambers were locked last night, I couldn't get in. Why were they locked?"
"Perhaps Alayne needs some privacy every now and again, Little Lord," Petyr hinted. Alayne hugged Robert back, her eyes locked firmly on the table. She felt Willas's burning, quizzical gaze.
"How was your night, Lord Willas?" Petyr enquired, gesturing for everyone to start breaking their fast. Alayne pried Robert off her lap and served him an applecake.
"It was very pleasant, thank you. I should like to come here more often." Willas chose a hard-boiled egg vaguely, attention snapping to Petyr. "I was wondering if maybe I could have a tour of the whole place, if it would be alright."
"I'm pleased your leg did not hurt." Petyr fiddled with the mockingbird pin on his lapel. "Ah of course. A tour can most definitely be arranged. Alayne knows it the Eyrie off the back of her hand, she can guide you. Can't you, Alayne?"
Alayne looked up. Petyr nodded reassuringly at her. What better way to keep up the façade than this? "Y- Yes. Of course. I would be glad to show you around, Lord Willas."
After breakfast, Alayne led Willas down the swirling stairwell beneath the keep, and out into the snow-covered yard below. He took some times descending, but Alayne waited for him patiently at the foot of the stairs.
His lips trembled into an insecure smile when he reached the bottom. "I apologize for being so slow." He scuffed his boot on the icy cobblestone floor.
Alayne shook her head, pushing open the heavy doors before them. "Do not apologize. You sound quite like me!" she told him. The doors opened, and the view of the icy gardens greeted them. Alayne heard Willas's gasp of delight, cherishing the sound.
"Gods be true," he whispered in awe, "I am in a dream. I have not yet woken up." His words turned to white mist as they stepped outside. "Lady Stone, you must pinch me."
Alayne gave him a double take. "My Lord?"
Willas held out a gloved hand to her. "Just give it a squeeze, then. I must know I am awake."
Alayne could feel two red spots blooming in her cheeks as she tentatively squeezed his hand. She was almost certain she felt him squeeze back- maybe it was just her. She drew her hand away quickly, clasping it with her other hand.
Willas knelt down, picking up a handful of snow, letting it slip through his fingers. "I am not dreaming, then," Willas marvelled at the crystallized trees and the icicles hanging off the doorway. "Oh, this is just splendid."
Something dawned on Alayne. "Have you… have you never seen snow, my lord?" she asked, astounded.
"I must admit, I haven't. I have only left Highgarden twice, this being the third time." They continued strolling through the ice gardens, the evergreen hedges sparkling in the fresh sunlight. Willas seemed to walk so easily with his cane- it was as if it were a third leg.
The fact that he'd never seen snow seemed implausible to Alayne. He had never experienced the thrill of a snowball fight with his siblings, or the pleasure of sitting beside a hearth while a blizzard raged on outside. "This must be like a whole new world for you," she breathed.
"It is, it is. But you look quite like you belong here, Lady Stone," he examined her. "A snow maiden, you are."
Under his intrigued gaze, Alayne's ears burnt hot. She walked ahead of him. "You must see the lake, my lord. On clear days, it's a beautiful blue colour."
She led the way. The lake was large, about ninety feet in diameter. Overnight, it had frozen over, and the wet light made it glimmer. Alayne came here sometimes to think, to perhaps remember other frozen lakes she had sat by on nights long past. Willas was enraptured instantaneously.
"Beautiful," he breathed. He hesitated, looking to Alayne. "You don't suppose…" he began.
"… I don't suppose…?" she prompted. She was amazed at her own boldness with this lord. But Alayne seemed to feel quite natural around him.
"You don't suppose it's strong enough to stand on, do you? Is the ice thick enough?"
Alayne considered the ice carefully. She had ice-skated enough times to see that it was thick enough to hold their weights. "I think it's strong enough, yes."
Willas flashed a cheeky grin at her before stepping gingerly onto the ice. "I feel the most incredible urge to just…" he cautiously shuffled along the cobalt coloured ice, his cheeks flushed with pleasure. He made it to the centre of the lake, and twirled around with a whoop.
Alayne enjoyed watching him, but she was concerned. It was his first time on the ice. "My lord, are you sure you should…?" Alayne started, but at that instant, Willas's twisted leg skidded out beneath him, and he landed with a thump on his behind. Alayne jumped, following him onto the frozen lake. "Oh, gods…"
When she reached him, he laughed. "I am fine, Lady Stone! Better than fine, actually." He ran his hands over the glassy ice.
The snowflakes melting in his golden-brown hair reminded Alayne of someone else, someone from long ago. She reached out a hand to help him to his feet. "I can tell you are not familiar with any sorts of ice, either."
"It's quite obvious, isn't it?" Willas replied, taking her hand. As he tried pulling himself to his feet, the counterbalance did not seem to quite work as they had planned. He was slim, but he weighed quite a bit more than Alayne did, and before she knew it, her boots slipped along the ice.
"Oh, no…!" Alayne cried, realising that she was going to fall. Her legs were awkwardly spreading in different directions, and Willas has grabbed a handful of her skirts to hold her erect.
Alayne finally found her centre of balance, and stood up straight, her feet firmly planted on the ice. Willas remained sitting, clutching Alayne's skirts.
"I am incredibly sorry, Lady Stone," he released her bustle.
"No! Do not be sorry, you held me upright. Just as I held you upright yesterday." She huffed, her words creating a steam. "Let's try again. Give me your cane."
"We must cease from apologizing to each other every second sentence." Willas handed his cane over.
Alayne held it out horizontally to him. "Grab hold of it, and I'll try to lift you up."
Willas obeyed, and after many grunts of effort and stammered apologies, ("What did I just say?") he was on his unstable feet. As he stood, he marvelled at his own balance… but only fleetingly. He began to sway slightly, and he stumbled forwards, straight into Alayne. She gasped, struggling to keep him upright.
Willas's face was uncomfortably close to hers, she soon realised. She felt his breath on her cheek, and his eyes on hers. They stood like that for a few moments, before something very strange happened. It was as if the tension between them had just evaporated.
Alayne felt the queerest sense to just… laugh.
It started with a slight giggle, which Willas reciprocated. But soon, they were both roaring with raucous, untamed laughter, as if it were the most normal thing in the world that they were locked in this compromising position on the ice, her hands clasped tightly around his bony elbows, his nose close to clashing hers.
"This," Willas wheezed between fits of laughter, "is ludicrous."
Alayne had tears in her eyes. It had been so long since she had laughed like this. She couldn't remember the last time. "Let's try… and get back to safety!" she could not help the unladylike snort that escaped her nose.
They manoeuvred themselves precisely and carefully back to the bank, laughing the whole way. The pair were only about twenty-five feet from safety, before it started to become a bit difficult.
A sound came from beneath them, a tiny, crackling sound- almost like a woodfire spitting and hissing. "What was that?" Willas asked, his laughter ebbing away.
Alayne's stomach flipped. She recognised that sound. It was the sound of thin ice being put under a lot of pressure. "We need to move. Quickly."
"Was it the ice?" Willas paled. Alayne did not answer- she pushed on towards the bank, her jaw set with determination.
They began to shuffle at a quicker pace, but Willas's leg made it a challenge. "Come on, we must go faster…" Alayne began, before an incredibly loud cracking sound echoed around them. Willas looked at the ice beneath them, and his expression was one of horror. The ice had developed a large crevasse, and It was rapidly widening- just beneath Alayne.
"Alayne, "ALAYNE!" he cried, but it was too late. It happened so quickly, Alayne didn't even realise it had happened at all. The solid ground beneath Alayne's feet shattered and fell away, and a piercing, bone-chilling cold swallowed her up.