The royal gardens were a tranquil haven amidst the bustling court of King's Landing. A delicate breeze stirred the air, rustling the leaves of the towering trees and the brightly colored flowers that bloomed in every corner.
Daeron walked alongside Laenor and Laena, enjoying the serene atmosphere after the tense dinner. The fragrance of blooming roses, lavender, and jasmine seemed to calm his mind, though a restless energy still thrummed beneath his skin. He had always been more comfortable in the open air, away from the walls of power and politics.
Laenor, ever the talkative one, was recounting their shared memories from childhood, each story more exaggerated than the last.
Laena, on the other hand, smiled warmly but stayed mostly quiet, content to listen. Daeron was grateful for their company, it made the weight of his uncertain future in Westeros feel a little lighter. Not to mention he found the honesty of children more refreshing rather than the hidden schemes and fake politeness of the nobles.
As they rounded a corner, the sound of soft laughter caught Daeron's attention. He turned to see Rhaenyra and Alicent walking through the gardens, a picture of contrast.
Rhaenyra's bright, carefree demeanor contrasted sharply with Alicent's poised and measured steps. The two women made a striking pair—one full of youthful energy, the other radiating a more reserved grace of a noble lady.
Rhaenyra caught sight of Daeron and her face immediately lit up. She bounded over, her footsteps light and quick.
"Daeron!" she called, her voice full of energy. "I was hoping I'd find you out here! I wanted to see if you could tell me more about your dragon. I've never met one like him before."
Daeron chuckled at her enthusiasm, giving her a playful bow. "Careful, Princess, If you get too close, he might just think you're a snack. I wouldn't want you to become his lunch and get me charged with treason."
Rhaenyra laughed, her violet eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'll take my chances!" she said confidently.
Laena, who had been walking beside Daeron, gave her cousin a bemused look. "You do know he was a wild dragon once, right?" she said with a raised brow. "He doesn't seem like the type to let just anyone hop on his back."
Rhaenyra waved off her cousin's concern. "I think I could handle him," she said with a grin, clearly relishing the idea of proving herself.
Alicent, who had been quietly observing from a distance, now approached with a more measured pace. Her eyes flickered over Daeron, her posture as composed as ever.
"Prince Daeron," she greeted him coolly, her voice smooth with a practiced nobility. "It's a pleasure to meet you formally."
Daeron turned, meeting her gaze without missing a beat. "Lady Alicent," he replied with a nod, his tone casual but respectful. "Pleasure's mine."
'Yeah, Imma stay away from you , your daddy is probably pulling your strings to find more about me.' Daeron thought to himself.
Alicent's eyes narrowed slightly, but she quickly masked it with a polite smile. "I trust you've had time to adjust to the Red Keep?" she asked, her words carefully chosen. "It's a far cry from the lands you've seen ."
"Quite different, yes," Daeron replied, shrugging. "But I'm getting used to it. Though I have to say, the food here isn't as good as in Pentos."
Rhaenyra's laughter filled the air again, and Alicent's lips twitched with a barely concealed frown. She had expected Daeron to respond with the usual pleasantries, not a blunt remark.
"Is that so?" Alicent said, her voice stiffening slightly. "Perhaps you'll find a taste for Westerosi delicacies soon enough. There's much to learn here, especially in terms of court customs."
Daeron gave her a small smile, his eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts. "Customs, yes. But they can be a bit much, don't you think? I'm more used to doing things my own way."
Alicent stiffened, her hand instinctively clutching the hem of her gown. She was not used to this kind of casualness, especially not from someone of Daeron's rank. She forced herself to smile, though her gaze remained carefully guarded. "Indeed. But here, we all have our roles to play."
Daeron's eyes met hers for a moment longer than necessary, and he tilted his head slightly, as if considering her carefully.
"I suppose you're right. But sometimes, it's hard to remember who we're supposed to be, after trying so hard to be someone else." he said, his voice almost nonchalant, yet there was a trace of something deeper, a flicker of something more challenging in his tone.
Rhaenyra, eager to lighten the mood, bounced back into the conversation with another grin. "Daeron, you've got to tell me about the people you met in Essos. I bet they're fascinating!"
Daron chuckled, " People are basically the same in everywhere princess, it's just their surroundings influence them to be more of what they really are. But I did meet some interesting people there, even a princess."
Rhaenyra asked curiously, " Really? What was she like ? Is she pretty ?"
Daeron snorted, " Why are women so obsessed with beauty! But yes, she is the prettiest girl I've met," which made Rhaenyra pout and pretend to be angry.
" Hey! you're supposed to say she is pretty , but you are much prettier my princess!" She tried to act like a haughty noble.
Daeron amused by her expression, replied, "Yeah well, I'm not one of the nobles from court. I can say the truth without the risk of our princess's ire. But don't worry, you'll be pretty too when you grow up little princess."
Rhaenyra slapped Daeron's arm pretending to be annoyed and said, "Hmph, I'll be the prettiest woman one day, and you'll have to take back your words."
Alicent's gaze shifted between Daeron and Rhaenyra, her mind racing. Daeron, with his unapologetically honest manner and charming wit, was a far cry from the polite courtesies and schemes she was used to.
But despite herself, she found a strange fondness to his confident, unbothered nature. It was unlike anything she had ever encountered in the court. It was... refreshing. Yet, she couldn't let that show.
"You've certainly had quite the adventures," Alicent finally said, her voice softening just a touch. "I imagine things are very different in Essos. No kings or queens to worry about?"
Daeron's smile lingered, though there was an edge to it now. "In Essos, we worry about power in a different way," he said. "Kings and queens are one thing. But the merchants, the sellswords, the regular people—they're the ones who really make the world turn there."
Alicent found herself caught off guard by his words. There was something in his tone, in the way he spoke, that made her pause. He wasn't just a prince—he was a man who had seen the world in ways few others had, despite his age.
And for a fleeting moment, she wondered if he might be someone who could understand the pressure she carried as the daughter of the king's hand, the weight of responsibility that pressed on her every day as a Hightower.
But before she could dwell on that thought too long, she quickly masked it with a smile. "Yes, of course," she said, her tone returning to its usual polite reserve. "I suppose you're quite the expert on power dynamics, having gained so much influence in Essos."
Daeron shrugged. "I wouldn't call it expertise. More like... survival," he said, his eyes meeting hers for a moment longer than before. "It's all about knowing who to truly trust, and who to manipulate."
Alicent's heart skipped a beat at his words. She wasn't sure if he was being entirely serious, but his confidence, and his frankness left her momentarily speechless. She quickly composed herself, forcing her smile to remain steady, though her thoughts were swirling.
"Well, it's certainly... an interesting perspective," Alicent said, her voice carefully controlled.
Daeron gave her a small, almost enigmatic smile. "Life's a bit more interesting when you stop following all the rules. After all, we only have one life, we should at least live a little for ourselves." he said, his tone light but with an edge of something deeper that Alicent couldn't quite place.
And as the conversation continued, Alicent found herself subtly drawn to the prince who cared little for courtly niceties, whose bluntness and effortless charm made her feel both intrigued and unsettled. For the first time in a long while, she wasn't sure how to read someone.
As the conversation shifted to Daeron's adventures, Alicent found herself growing more curious about Daeron. She had heard tales of him from her father, Otto Hightower, and there were rumors everywhere. Some flattering, some less so, all that swirled around the mysterious prince who had left Westeros and returned with a dragon at his side.
Otto had made it clear that Daeron was a potential threat, someone whose ambitions could pose a danger to the realm. But now, standing before him, Alicent found it harder to reconcile the image of a scheming prince with the relaxed, carefree boy she saw before her.
She decided to probe, hoping to uncover something more. "I've heard a great many things about you, Prince Daeron," Alicent began, her voice casual but tinged with a subtle edge. "Some say you've become quite the powerful figure in Essos. That you've manipulated and deceived your way to where you are now."
Daeron, who had been walking ahead with Laenor and Laena, didn't flinch at her words. He continued down the garden path, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Is that so?" he replied with a shrug, as though he was entirely uninterested in the subject. "I suppose people will believe whatever they want.
If they find joy in rumors, they're welcome to it. But I don't concern myself with what others say. Not like their words will change what kind of person I truly am."
Alicent's brow furrowed, surprised by his nonchalant response. Most people would defend themselves strongly or deny such accusations with anger, especially when they came from someone of her position. But Daeron simply didn't seem to care. "Don't you mind," she pressed, "that such things are being said about you?"
Daeron turned his head slightly, his gray eyes meeting hers for the first time in their conversation. There was a glimmer of amusement there, as though he could see right through her.
"I'm sure there's no shortage of things people say about me," he replied easily, his voice almost carefree. "But if someone chooses to live their life based on rumors, let them. I'd rather focus on living my own life, for my own happiness. What others think of me isn't nearly as important as what I think of myself."
Alicent was taken aback by his bluntness, her mind briefly reeling at his words. She was used to a world where people, especially those of high birth, were endlessly concerned with their reputations, with what others thought of them. Daeron, it seemed, was entirely different. He lived by his own code, unburdened by the expectations of others.
"Is that so?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're not worried that your actions might have consequences? That your reputation might catch up to you?"
Daeron's smile was slight but genuine, a quiet confidence emanating from him. "Consequences? There are always consequences. But I'm not going to waste my life worrying about what everyone else says. I'd rather live true to myself, no matter how the world chooses to see me."
Alicent took a deep breath, and asked something she didn't mean to, "Don't you believe in the duty to your family, or the destiny of a noble born to further their family's fortune ? Shouldn't we just follow the roles set upon us?"
Daeron curiously looked at her , which made her look away hurriedly, fearing she have spoken too much.
Daeron took a step forward and spoke calmly, " Destiny, duty or nobility, those things don't mean anything if you choose to live as a caged bird, fed and admired, but unhappy and never free.
Why do you think regular people, like me, tries so hard to live our own life, make our own destiny?
Everyone wishes to be free lady Alicent, and even a caged bird can find a way to open it's cage with it's beak. It is upto each of us to choose what destiny we would accept. " He flashed a smile and continued walking forward, following Rhaenyra and Laena who were discussing something.
For a moment, Alicent stood in stunned silence as Daeron continued to walk with the others, his words lingering in her mind like an echo. She had always been taught to worry about her reputation, to play the game, to consider what others thought of her.
But Daeron's words had struck a chord deep within her. His freedom, his refusal to be defined by others' opinions—it was a quality she hadn't realized she admired until now.
Her father's stern teachings, and her duties did not seem absolute as before. Rather, she wanted to be free in that moment, just like Daeron.