The sigils of House Lannister, House Westering, House Crakehall and House Marbrand were draped all over… everything. Alysanne found it strange that these Westerlands' Houses had placed their colours out as if they were equal to the black and gold of House Baratheon. No other person in the court commented on it however, so she assumed that it was some strange southron custom. The Westerlords were the first of a large group that would be arriving over the next few weeks in preparation for her wedding to Joffrey, and having them here made everything even more real than it had been previously.
Of course, she had already spent hours with her ladies and the seamstress, planning the small details of the royal wedding. But that was abstract, this was tangible. “You look quite well,” a feminine voice called from behind her.
Alysanne turned on her heel and curtsied when she saw who it was. “Your Grace,” she said, straightening to look at the Queen. “Thank you. You look beautiful.” She wasn’t lying. The Queen was absolutely gorgeous in her red gown. The pinch to her brows that seemed to be ever present did slightly limit some of her beauty, but not all of it.Â
The Queen gave a pinched smile. “My son is quite taken with you,” she said, moving slightly closer to Aly.
“And I am quite taken with him,” Aly said. It had been weeks since Joffrey’s first apology, and the prince had continued to offer gifts and words of flattery multiple times a day. It was pleasant and it made the hurt of losing her wolf less potent.Â
“Good,” Cersei almost hissed. “My son is a good boy and will be a great king. Remember your place and everything will be perfect.”
Alysanne straightened slightly and stared directly into Cersei’s eyes. “I will never forget my place beside my husband.” She curtsied slightly, not taking her eyes off of the Queen’s, and left with a sharp click to her steps.Â
----
“Jeyne Westerling,” Coryanne said, waving her hand in the direction of the Westerling nobles on the balcony above them. “She is of age with you and the Westerlings are quite close with their liege lords. She is who you should make your lady.”
“Jeyne Westerling,” Alysanne repeated. She looked over the party, attempting to spot the girl. She was easy to find. The only woman of age with Alysanne in the party, with dark hair braided atop her head and soft eyes that seemed to be taking in every detail of the throne room. “I shall inquire about her.”
“The ladies from the Riverlands arrive today as well,” Lorra commented, stepping slightly closer to try and keep their conversation as private as it could be in the Keep. “I have already requested that the maids ready their rooms.”
“Good,” Aly nodded. “Then I shall head to the Godswood to pray before they arrive—” she stretched her arms slightly— “I have not had the time in recent weeks and Arya requested we go together.”
“If I may accompany you as well?” Tyla asked.Â
“Of course,” Aly smiled. “Please.” The two northern ladies stood, saying swift goodbyes to their companions before heading in the direction of the Godswood. It was still strange to pray there, the Old Gods did not have strength here in the south and especially not in a place with no weirwoods, but it was the best option and so she settled for it. Arya was already waiting by the entrance to the gardens, bouncing on her feet.Â
Her little sister hurried through the gardens, stumbling over rocks. Aly shared a smile with Tyla. It was always wonderful to see her sister happy and it had been such a rare occurrence since they had left Castle Darry. The three girls reached the centre of the garden and knelt to pray, though Arya was still bouncing slightly. Obviously something good had happened to her little sister, but Arya didn’t seem to want to tell Alysanne, or she already would have.Â
They finished their prayers just as the sun reached its highest point and Arya once again led the way back through the gardens. She jumped up to touch the branches of some trees, letting out joyful laughs as she did. A few times Alysanne had to call ahead to remind her sister to remain with them so she was safe, but Arya didn’t seem to care, prancing around like a prized jousting horse. Her joy had been such a rare thing that Aly found she did not care.
Arya split from the group once they were inside, probably going to cause some mischief while Alysanne and her ladies headed towards the courtyard to greet the new arrivals.Â
Coryanne, Lorra and Melony were already waiting for Aly and Tyla, dressing in their new matching dark grey dresses. The seamstress had spent hours deciding on the perfect fabric, even ensuring that she had extra to be used when the rest of her ladies arrived, and it was lovely. Her own red dress stood out amongst them, but she supposed that wasn’t an issue, she was supposed too after all.
The wheelhouses coming through the Red Keep gates were different from the one the Queen and her children had made use of. Smaller for certain, and less decorative. More practical truly. The one in the lead had the silver eagle of House Mallister painted on the side, and the one behind the twin towers of Frey flying on a flag above it.Â
The wheelhouses pulled to a stop and the doors opened. The first to step out was the girl in the Mallister wheelhouse, Melissa if Alysanne’s memory could be relied upon. Her blonde hair was pulled back from her face in a braid, revealing her blue eyes as they darted around. Aly didn’t have much time to focus on her however, as the other lady stepped out into the courtyard. She was certainly older than Melissa, if only by a year or two, but the styling of her red hair was more stiff, the braid tighter.Â
“Welcome,” Alysanne spoke first, stepping half-a-step forward. “We are very pleased to have you here. And I personally am overjoyed.”
“Thank you,” Melissa bowed her head and bent her legs in a slight curtsy. “It is an honour to be asked to serve as your lady.”
“Yes, an honour,” the Frey girl agreed. “My Father was quite pleased.”Â
“As I am pleased he agreed,” Alysanne smiled. “Please, meet my other ladies.” She raised a hand to signal that the women behind her move forward to stand in line with her. She began to list them, motioning to each lady as she spoke.Â
“An honour to meet you my ladies,” the Frey girl curtsied slightly. “I am Roslin Frey.” Roslin, that was the girls name.Â
“And I am Melissa Mallister, but everyone in Seaguard calls me Missy,” Melissa smiled.Â
“And everyone here calls me Aly,” Aly returned her smile. “Come let me show you your rooms.”
----
Sewing was perhaps the thing that Aly found the most joy in, besides archery but her father had specifically ordered her not to engage in such activities until her wedding. So she was stuck spending most of her free time with her ladies practicing her sewing and embroidery. Most days Sansa and Jeyne Poole would accompany her and her ladies, but since they were being joined by Melissa, Roslin and Jeyne Westerling, her sister had decided to give them privacy.Â
“Oh that is lovely my lady,” Melissa praised as she peaked at the embroidery Tyla was doing.Â
“I am no lady,” Tyla shook her head. “But thank you.”
“Apologies,” Melissa smiled. “That is a flower, yes?” she pointed to one of the parts of the embroidery, continuing the conversation as if the correction had never happened. It was something that Aly had noticed about the Mallister girl very quickly, she never seemed to stumble over words and doubt her course. It was refreshing.Â
“A winter rose,” Tyla agreed. “They grow in the Glass Gardens in Winterfell.” Alysanne smiled, her and Tyla had always loved the winter roses. When they were girls they used to pluck them and braid them into their hair, it was a fond collection of memories. “I try to include them in all my embroidery.” Tyla continued to explain, “they are very beautiful.”
“Perhaps we could request some for my wedding,” Alysanne commented. “They would look beautiful displayed in the sunlight here.”
“Oh they would,” Tyla agreed. “We should request that your Father sends for some.” Aly nodded in agreement.Â
“Have you—” Jeyne Westerling started, halted when all eyes turned to her, cleared her throat and continued. “Have you chosen the fabric for your dress yet, my lady?”
Alysanne gave her a gentle smile to hopefully help calm the nervous girl but shook her head. “The seamstress has offered multiple options but I cannot seem to choose one.” She sighed. “Perhaps you may assist me, my ladies.” There were mutters of agreement from around the room.Â
Alysanne opened her mouth to continue conversing but the sound of a door opening and footsteps on stone made her pause. She turned slightly to see who was entering. Her ladies reacted before she did, rising to their feet in short curties. “My prince,” Lorra said.Â
Joffrey was smiling as he entered the room, one of his hands held behind his back. “My ladies,” he nodded his head. “Lady Alysanne.”Â
“Prince Joffrey,” Alysanne stood to curtsy. “What brings you here?”
“I have something for you.” He stopped walking in front of Aly and smiled at her.Â
“Something?” Aly asked, raising a brow.Â
Joffrey’s smile turned slightly more playful as he raised his hand from behind his back and revealed what he had brought. It was a necklace and a set of earrings. The earrings seemed to match the necklace he had given her during the tourney, silver with carved wolves faces and pearls dangling from them. The necklace was also silver with small rubies hanging from it in the same shade as Lannister red.Â
“They are wonderful,” Aly said. “But exactly how much jewellery will you gift me in hopes to earn my love?” She raised an eyebrow in a half joke.Â
“Quite a lot,” Joffrey replied. “But I also wondered if you might accompany me on a journey tomorrow.”
“A journey?” Alysane asked. “What kind?”
“You shall have to wait and see my lady,” Joffrey smirked. “If you come.”
“We shall see,” Aly said slowly. “Thank you, for these,” she said as she took the jewellery from his hands.Â
“You are most welcome,” Joffrey bowed slightly. “I shall see you on the morrow, my betrothed.”
“I only said I would think about it,” Aly called after him as he left, but Joffrey didn’t bother to respond.
Vivec nodded. He pulled his hand back from Naris’ and straightened slightly, the aura of power around him suddenly becoming much more present. “Much to discuss,” he repeated. “You succeeded in your task, the heart is destroyed and as such Dagoth Ur is dead.”
“Well—” Naris paused— “that isn’t entirely true.” Vivec raised an eyebrow, worry creasing his features for a moment. “The heart didn’t disappear, it stayed in the mountain.”Â
Vivec’s eyes widened and shock filled his expression. “Well, that is an unexpected development,” his expression cleared after a moment and he nodded his head. “We were sure that once the enchantments broke the heart would be pulled to some other place, hmm, perhaps Sil will know the reason why.”
Naris swallowed, watching Vivec’s expression for a moment as he considered revealing the other detail regarding the heart. “I— I also kept the tools,” he said eventually.
“You kept the tools?” Shock returned to Vivec’s face, “you, want us to have the tools?”
“I didn’t say that,” Naris smirked slightly. “I brought them back to decide whether I want you to have them.”Â
Vivec nodded slowly in understanding. “And what will lead to your decision?”
“Whether or not I trust you, and I haven’t decided that yet—” Vivec’s eyes flashed with emotion and Naris ignored the slight tug in his gut at the sight— “don’t look at me like that, you betrayed my trust, Vehk and it may take some time before I trust you again like I did before.”
“I understand, you have every right to believe me untrustworthy—” Vivec’s expression became stoic and calm— “I will simply have to prove that I am trustworthy as I have always been.”
Naris smiled slightly, then a soft yawn came from him. “I am so sorry Vehk, there is of course mush more for us to discuss, but I haven’t slept in days and really need to rest.” Vivec nodded once and stood waving Naris to stand too.
“Come, you can sleep in one of the guest chambers,” Vivec led Naris through his large palace and into a large bedroom with a huge bed in the centre. “Please rest, I must summon Almaleixa and Sil, to discuss what has transpired.” Naris smiled at his old friend and nodded, tiredness was seeping into his bones and no words came to him. Vivec left the room and Naris collapsed onto the bed, his vision going black.Â
---
Ash was spilling across the bay, not from the ever smoking Red Mountain, but from what seemed to be a huge fire. Nerevar watched as the ash fell into the waters, he could not see whatever was burning, not from this distance. “I wonder what happened,” Almalexia muttered, leaning against Nerevar’s side.
“I do not believe she can,” Almalexia sighed. Nerevar shot her a look out of the corner of his eyes. His wife had become more and more cynical in the past years, and it was beginning to worry him. But he didn’t have time to worry about that now, there was a dangerous fire that needed to be dealt with.Â
“We should—” his words were cut off by a loud bang. Almalexia jumped, her hand snapping to the hilt of her sword. Nerevar gripped his own blade in his hand as he looked around, searching for whatever had made the sound.
There was nothing in sight and yet he could still feel something close. “Stay here,” he hissed to his wife.Â
Almalexia’s nose wrinkled. “I am no maiden in need of protection Neht,” she snapped. “I shall come.”
Nerevar pursed his lips. His wife was a warrior as much as he was, but still his heart ached for him to protect her. However, the look on her face told Nerevar that she was not going to be swayed on this, so he simply sighed and drew his sword. “Stay beside me then,” he said. Almalexia smirked triumphantly.Â
The two walked slowly along the edge of the shore, eyes darting around for a threat. That bang had come from somewhere close, so someone had to be here, but there was no sign of them. The further they moved away from their starting point the more Nerevar relaxed. Maybe the sound had simply been some large beast that was frightened by the ash cloud.
But just as Nerevar was thinking this a branch snapped beside him and he spun, raising his blade. “Neht? It’s me.”
“Vehk?” Nerevar gaped as his young friend appeared amongst the trees. The other elf was covered in ash, his golden skin stained with gray to the point that it looked like it was his skin itself. “What happened?”
Almalexia appeared at his shoulder, eyes widening at the sight of the younger elf. “What?” she breathed.
“I had to try and save them,” Vehk said, looking somewhere between sheepish and defiant as he jerked his chin towards the Inner Sea.Â
Nerevar sighed. “Vehk that was incredibly foolish and dangerous,” he scolded. “You are still training, you should have come to us.”
“I was already on Vvardenfell,” Vehk defended. “I was closer and quicker. Besides, I managed to save him.”
“Save him?” Almalexia cut in before Nerevar could continue in scolding of his wayward apprentice. “Who is him?”
Vehk stepped aside, revealing the prone body of a mer lying in the bushes. He was obviously unconscious and he was also covered in a thick layer of ash. “He was the only one still alive,” Vehk breathed.
“By Azura,” Nerevar whispered. “We should get him inside quickly.”
Nerevar’s eyes fluttered slightly and he was quite sure he saw a blurry shape beside him but before his eyes could focus they closed again and he slipped into darkness.
---
Naris woke to the sound of someone shifting by his side. The soft fabric of the sheets were the most comfortable thing Naris had slept on in months. He absently noticed that he had been changed out of his armour and into softer bed clothes. Naris slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light, he raised himself up on his elbows and glanced around the room.Â
His eyes swept the room. A pair of bright golden eyes were watching him, taking in his entire body. Almalexia was as beautiful in person as she had been in his dream. Her red hair was loose, softly falling around her face and the gold of her skin seemed to glow in the pale light of the morning coming through the skylight.Â
Managing to tear his eyes away from his beautiful wife, Naris spotted the other person that had filled his dreams since his arrival in Vvardenfell. Sotha Sil was watching him as Almalexia had been. His eyes, always so sharp, had caught every expression, every movement that Naris had made. Sil looked the same, but different. His intelligent eyes now glowed a bright red, and his golden skin had faded to ashen grey, but he was still as handsome as ever.
“You changed me,” Naris finally spoke, turning his eyes to Vivec.
It was not a question, but Vivec answered anyway. “You collapsed before you had the chance to,” he smiled slightly. “I thought you would be more comfortable sleeping in… softer… clothes. I left your underclothes on, if that worries you.”
Naris blushed softly. “No, I didn't even think about that. Thank you.” He coughed. Vivec smirked.
“You must have been exhausted—” Almalexia cut in, stepping forward— “walking all the way to Red Mountain and fighting Dagoth Ur.”
Naris turned to fully face her. “Yes, it was quite exhausting, but…” he paused and thought over what to say. He could… Well he was never one for subtlety and by Oblivion he was still tired. “Returning here was calming though, yi'cilver.”
Almalexia froze, her eyes widening slightly in shock. Naris saw Sil take a half-step back.
Vivec chuckled slightly. “Even reincarnated you lack tact, Neht.”
“And it is one of my traits you love the most,” Naris responded, cocking his head.
“You… you,” Almalexia stuttered, which was very unlike her. “You know… you remember?”
“I am Nerevar,” Naris said. “His soul returned to Tamriel. I am Nerevar Incarnate in every way, my love.”
Almalexia let out a choked sound. “I never thought. I mean to say, that I believed perhaps Azura would not return you with every memory.”
“She did,” Naris smiled softly, staring into his wife’s golden eyes as a soft sheen covered them.Â
“Then perhaps her goal will not be achieved,” Sil spoke for the first time. Naris furrowed his brows as he looked at him. “Azura wishes you to kill us,” Sil said firmly. “But I doubt Nerevar could ever do such a thing.”
“No,” Naris agreed. “I do not believe I could.”
Sotha Sil was still looking at him with calculating eyes. His ever sceptical friend would doubt everything he said for a while, that Naris knew. And he found it comforting that Sil was still as he had always been.Â
“I will defend Morrowind with my life,” Naris said, staring directly into Sil’s eyes. “I only hope that defending Morrowind does not include killing the only people I have ever loved.”
