Flashback

[79 AC]

"Mother?"

Alysanne turned towards the voice of her littlest dragon as he lay spread out on the bed. He had near instantly claimed it once they entered the room she had been given for her stay at Raventree Hall. "Can I go explore the Godswood while you and Daella," he sat up and waved his hand around, "do your thing?"

Alysanne hummed noncommittally as she bent over and fussed Gaemon's hair into less of a mess. She twirled a silver-gold lock - more silver than gold - between her fingers, the ends beginning to curl as it grew out. He was the only one of her children to truly inherit the lazy curls of her husband, the rest generally following after her hair in form, if not in color - Alyssa the sole exception with her sandy blonde tresses.

She continued to run her hands through his hair and poked at the idea of arranging a cutting when they returned home. The heat was sure to pick up in the coming moons according to Elysar and King's Landing always seemed to suffer more than the surrounding countryside. Yet his curls were ever so darling, it would surely be a sin to shear them off…

"Mother?" The boy in question tugged on her skirts as he repeated his question, his deep indigo eyes - eyes that reminded her so much of her mother's - stared back up at her in wordless appeal.

She turned to look at Daella across the room, to see what she thought - it was her trip after all - but her daughter was caught up in her own world as she excitingly matched up various pieces of jewelry to her chosen outfit for tonight's dinner. It warmed her heart to see Daella so excited for the possible match, it had been an uphill battle to find a husband for her - a battle still yet to be won. Vaegon had been a disaster, perhaps one that wasn't all too surprising in hindsight. Corlys was a small disappointment, if only for the lost chance to bind the rising Velaryons to their house once more. Squires from House Swann, Templeton, Staunton and Crane came and went with all firmly rejected for one reason or another. Hopefully the Blackwood boy would catch her heart where all else failed. She loved her special princess dearly, for her kind heart was a thing to behold. If only she had but a little more… awareness. With a small sigh she returned her attention to her still waiting son.

"Boys will ever be boys," she began with a warm smile tugging at her lips. "I suppose it was silly of me to assume you might be interested in your sister's courtship with the young Blackwood heir?" Gaemon looked away and pouted at her half question. "Yes, an excuse to see Raventree Hall's famous weirwood tree does seem to neatly explain your insistence on joining us on this trip." A full smile graced her face as her boy wiggled around nervously at her words. Alysanne rarely needed to ask what her littlest dragon thought, his body often told a story all on its own. She would admit in the sanctity of her mind that prodding such reactions out of him were many times the high point of her day.

"So?" He asked again, spying her from the corner of his eye, beginning to become impatient with her non-answer.

Cocking a brow, she lightly tugged a lock, just hard enough to make a point and get his attention, she knew how willful her youngest son could be.

"You may, however you will be accompanied by Ser Robin and if I so much as hear a whisper of your antics from our hosts there will be a price to pay. Am I clear?" She disliked being so curt with her children, but over two decades as a mother had taught her that an ounce of prevention was often worth a pound of cure. With Gaemon, who could be shockingly mature one moment, only to become a mischievous little grumpkin the next with nary a warning, she felt quite justified in laying down the law.

His pout returned full force, to which she rolled her eyes, as if she couldn't see the smirk edging its way onto his face. With a grin, Gaemon hopped off the bed and began to rummage through his luggage, Daella humming a happy tune in the background. The sight of the two of them had her smiling softly in satisfaction.

It was widely said that she was blessed by the mother to have brought so many children into the world. A statement that no one, herself included, could readily disagree with. 8 children was a blessing beyond compare. You had to merely look at poor Jocelyn to see the other side of the coin.

And yet her smile soured slightly on her face.

The blessings she had didn't make the losses any easier to bear, for no amount of living children could replace those who were taken too early. All these years later her heart still called out for Aegon who struggled to live for but a few days due to those misguided, misbegotten holy sisters at Maidenpool. And Daenerys - beautiful, fearless Daenerys - suddenly ripped away during that horrible year of sickness. And then there was the most recent - the hole left by Valerion's passing was still a ragged and painful thing nearly a year gone by. He – no, not now. There was a time and a place and this certainly was neither. This trip was about her darling Daella and some bonding with her youngest along the way.

Alysanne discreetly wiped away a tear and composed herself. It was easier to slip on the mask when she turned her attention back towards her son. Little Gaemon marched towards her, an overly serious look taken straight from her husband on his still chubby face, accompanied by his tiny wooden sword belted securely to his side.

"Have no worry mother, I know not what trouble you suspect may happen, but if something were to occur, well…" He then patted his wooden sword with a childish confidence that reminded her of nothing so much as Baelon at his age. "I think you'll find me more than ready."

"Of course my fierce little dragon. But mothers are prone to worrying, best to let Ser Robin handle any trouble that arises. Perhaps he can show you a tip or two for when you begin your training next year?"

Gaemon's eyes lit up, almost seeming to brighten a shade in his excitement. He had been badgering her and Jaehaerys to begin his martial training for quite a while now and the two of them had finally agreed on his seventh name day to begin. Not that it stopped him from driving the Kingsguard up the wall with his less than subtle inquiries. Of course he only moved on to the Kingsguard after Aemon firmly refused and Baelon begrudgingly conceded to her wishes. Although she did have a sneaking suspicion that Baelon was doing so anyway - likely at Alyssa's goading if she knew her children.

Gaemon practically skipped to the door and swung it open to reveal the ever dutiful Ser Robin Shaw along with his sworn brother Ser Clement Crab. Shaw looked her way to confirm the plans that Gaemon was already going over in detail as he gesticulated wildly, and she nodded bemusedly in response.

"Have him back well before dinner Ser Robin." She called out as Gaemon grabbed the knight's armored hand and guided him down the hall. "If I know my son he'll need a bath and a half before I can release him in front of guests."

She heard an affirming grunt before the two of them were around the corner and off to explore the infamous godswood of their host.