Chapter 1
When Lady Coraline Beesbury went to Kings Landing with her uncle, the master of coin, she had no idea what she was going into. Her father was the second son of the late lord of Honeyholt, and now with his death Coraline had been sent to live with her uncle in the Red Keep. "Coraline, you are to keep your mouth shut. Be quite and look pretty, that is your job." Her Uncle Lyman said glaring at the girl who nodded. She hated that her uncle only saw her as someone to look pretty and not as a person that was capable of having an intelligent conversation. "Yes, Uncle Lyman." She smiled at him and when he turned she stuck her tongue out at him, before putting on a fake smile that he thought was her real smile. Her faithful guard Ser Ulric stood next to her and gave her a small encouraging smile before they went to the small council room. "Lord Beesbury, we need to know the master of coin's position on the war in the stepstones." A man said from his position next to the king and Coraline saw the symbol on his jacket, he was the hand of the king. "It would be unwise to engage in a war with the stepstones. It would beggar our coffers." Lyman informed them before the other men seemed to notice that a woman was in the room. "Who is this?" King Viserys asked looking at Coraline and she still had her fake smile on her face as if she was stuck like that. "This is my niece, the daughter of my late brother, Lady Coraline Beesbury your grace." Coraline curtsied and her uncle nodded to her, and she took that as a sign to go to his side. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Coraline." The king said and she blushed, not used to being spoken to by a noble. "It is a true honor to meet you, my king." She said in a sweet voice and a soft smile. The king seemed pleased with her response, even if her attention wasn't on the king but his hand. Her father had once complained about the king's hand, saying that he was too ambitious, but her uncle her mother's brother had liked the man. Otto Hightower a second son had faithfully served two kings, starting with King Jaehaerys and now he served King Viserys, he had one daughter Lady Alicent and one son Ser Gwayne Hightower, only his daughter lived in with him in King's Landing as she was the companion of Princess Rhaenyra. "You are a sweet girl Lady Coraline, perhaps you would like to serve as cupbearer as it seems my daughter is late." The king said and one look at she saw her uncle was not pleased with that idea. "I am honored your grace." She said, even though her uncle would not be happy with her after this, and she prayed that the princess came to the meeting sooner rather than later. "I am sorry for being late Father, I was visiting mother." Rhaenyra said coming into the room and kissing her father on the cheek. "We were only just getting started. Meet Lady Coraline Beesbury, Lord Beesbury's niece." The princess made a face and Coraline had no idea why she had done nothing to the princess, maybe she hates her uncle in which case fair. "You can go now niece. I am sure there is something for you to embroider." Her uncle's tone could be more condescending, and it took all of Coraline's self-control not to roll her eyes. "Of course, uncle. It was an honor to be allowed to meet you my king, princess." She curtsied before leaving and when the door closed behind her, Ulric coughed to cover up a laugh.
"Shall I find something for you to embroider my lady?" He smiled at her and she smacked his arm. "How about I embroider you mouth shut." She chuckled as they walked. Coraline was not into embroidery or any other such womanly pursuits, as they bored her. While she had been taught to embroider and all that she still didn't like it, she did like to paint but even then, it got boring fast, so her father and uncle taught her their favorite things. Her father enjoyed archery and her uncle loved to carve small figurines and had taught her how to do that. "I would like my paints to finish my latest creation." She told Ulric who nodded. "Of course, my lady, I shall have the servants bring them to you." He nodded and she found her way to her rooms while Ulric went to find her maids. She had been intent on making a small little Honeyholt soldier to go with the small army she was making. Her uncle had been making all the armies of the families in the small council for as long as she could remember, and she had painted them for him, making them look more lifelike. "My lady, would you like me to get your painting apron?" Nel her maid asked, and she only nodded, focused on setting her paints up and making sure she had everything she would need. "Here, my lady." Nel helped Coraline into the apron, tying it behind her before sitting across from her and working on whatever it was she did when Coraline painted.
Hours passed and after Coraline put the final touches on the soldier her uncle Lyman entered the room. "Uncle, how was the council meeting?" She asked only to be slapped by the man who seemed angry. "How dare you!" He yelled in her face, confusing the scared girl even more than she was. "The king asked about you multiple times! He is a married man, and you try to seduce him! You are a whore like your mother!" He slapped her again, this time his ring had caught her face, making a cut on her cheek and he spit on her, even as tears gathered in her eyes. "I hate you!" He kicked her in her stomach, and she choked out a sob, and weakly asked him to stop, only for him to laugh at her but he left thankfully. "My lady, shall I fetch a maester for you?" Nel asked and Coraline shook her head. "No, I shall be fine. Just let me rest please and grab something for my face." Nel nodded, and went to the door, asking Ulric to help her. "Coraline!" Ulric rushed to her side, and picked her up, cradling her to him. "What happened to you?" He had been there when Lyman had yelled at Coraline before, but he had never struck her. "I am fine. Uncle Lyman was just a little cross that it is all." She said weakly as Ulric helped her get comfortable on the bed. "Shall I send for the maester?" He asked and she shook her head, her servants cared for her, but she was sure she would be fine. "I will be fine. We don't need to bother the maester for this. I am sure they have better things to do than see to a small cut." Ulric looked ready to kill Lyman, but he pressed a kiss to Coraline's forehead before returning to his post outside her door.
Coraline was awoken by Nel to get ready for dinner with her uncle and the other lords of the small council. "What color would you like to wear tonight my lady?" Nel held up some options and Coraline giggled. "How about the yellow?" They were both yellow, most of her dresses were yellow with black detailing as it was the colors of her house. "Let me do your hair, perhaps I can hide the cut if I style it a certain way." Nel helped Coraline walk to her vanity, it was very difficult to walk, her lungs seemed to protest any movement. "My lady, should I say you are ill and wish to rest?" Nel asked and Coraline knew her uncle would make her pay for it. "No. It would just make matters worse; I shall just try to not breathe as much. "I can make the laces on your dress looser if you wish." The kind maid offered and Coraline nodded it would make things slightly easier for her. Once Coraline was dressed and her hair was done, Nel helped her walk to the door before her lady decided that she would have to walk on her own. "My lady, would you like assistance to the dining hall?" Ulric asked and Coraline shook her head no. "I will take your assistance in finding it, but I am able to walk. Just not as fast I normally can." She gave a mirthless chuckle and so Ulric and Nel walked with her to the dining hall where they saw her uncle trying to flirt with an uncomfortable looking Lady Alicent.
"Hello, Lady Alicent, is it?" Coraline smiled looking at the girl who looked so relieved. "I am Coraline Beesbury, it is a pleasure to meet you." Lyman looked ready to hit her again but couldn't do anything in a room full of others. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Coraline." The other girl smiled and Coraline took Alicent's hand and walked over towards a lighter area. "I fear I know very little about the castle, would you be willing to show me around?" She asked and Alicent nodded. "I would be delighted to show you around." She looked nervously at Coraline's uncle. "I would stay away from him. He may be my uncle, but he is no gentleman with any woman." Coraline knew her uncle seemed to hate women for no other reason than the fact that they were physically weaker than him. "Thank you for helping me. It seems since I came of age all old lords are asking for my hand. My father has already told Lord Beesbury no twice." Alicent picked at her nails and Coraline took her hands in hers. "Well, we should tell the hand about this. Also, I could lend you Ser Ulric, my guard." She offered and Ulric upon hearing his name walked closer to the young ladies. "I don't want to leave you without your guard in an unfamiliar castle. I shall be fine. I highly doubt he will try anything again." She said and Coraline then felt someone come up behind them. "Who won't try anything again?" A deep voice asked making Coraline turn only to have to look up to see the face of Otto Hightower. "Father." Alicent said with a smile and hugged him. "Daughter. Lady Coraline, correct?" The man asked and she nodded. "Yes, Lord Hand, that is correct." She tried to not faulter on her words, but the man was attractive to her, and she was so close to him. "Who were you two ladies talking about?" He asked and Lyman walked over to them, clearly not happy with anyone. "Coraline." He pulled her harshly towards him, an action that caused her lungs to protest as she was not expecting it. "Come with me now." He went to take her, but he was stopped by Otto. "Lord Beesbury, just the man I was looking for. The king wants to go over the cost of the tourney he is planning for when Queen Aemma gives him his son." The hand said smoothly, seeming to sooth some of the other man's anger. He let go of her wrist and went to find the king to talk business. "Thank you, Lord Hand." Coraline smiled at him and hoped her pain wasn't noticeable. "Call me Otto dear. Was he bothering you earlier Alicent?" Otto asked his daughter who nodded. "He was talking about how Oldtown doesn't compare to Honeyholt, and how a lady such as myself could do worse than a lord. As I am the daughter of a second son." She looked at the ground and Otto looked ready to take off Lyman's head. "Well, I have not been to Oldtown, but I can assure you that Honeyholt is not all he makes it out to be. He rarely visited home, and my father was handling everything." Coraline took Alicent's arm in hers and got the other girl to smile. "I will talk with Lyman. I fear what he might do if I don't." Otto walked towards the man and Alicent led Coraline over to where a few women were standing. Coraline wasn't really paying attention to the women, she was more interested in watching Otto Hightower. His voice did funny things to her, and she felt as if she could listen to him talk all day and never tire of his voice.
When the food was served Alicent led Coraline to sit next to her and she gratefully accepted. They talked during the meal and Coraline learned that Alicent liked being outside in the godswood but hated bugs, she liked the color blue and that was why most of her dresses were in the color, and that the woman went to the sept every day to pray for guidance for the day. Coraline had never been all that religious, in fact she wasn't sure she believed in the gods herself, perhaps that was due to her praying for her father to get well and her uncle to survive a battle but losing both men anyway. "Would you like me to meet you in the godswood tomorrow? Perhaps we could walk around the castle together?" Coraline asked and Alicent nodded with a smile. "I look forward to it." They giggled and locked pinkies as a promise, their giggles causing Otto to look at them from his spot next to the king, on the opposite side of Queen Aemma. Coraline wished that the child the queen was carrying was a boy, as it would put the whole realm at ease.
After they ate Alicent decided to show Coraline her favorite spot inside the castle. In the library there was a small semi-hidden door that led to a sitting area. "I hide here sometimes to get away from Rhaenyra and the world." Alicent sounded excited and Coraline looked around, it seemed so peaceful. There were couches, blankets, pillows, some unfinished embroidery work and a history book. "I swore my brother to secrecy, and he helped me smuggle the couches in here with father. It became sort of a family room for a little bit, and now it I spend most of my time in here. Rhaenyra doesn't even know it exists." Coraline knew that it was rare to find a space that was your own as a noble woman. "Why are you showing me this?" Not that Coraline was ungrateful, she was, but she was also confused, because she had just met Alicent and now the woman was sharing her secret place with her. "Because I feel like I can trust you with this and also if you need to hide from your uncle." Coraline nodded and then hugged Alicent. "Thank you." She said and the other girl hugged her back gently.
While the girls were talking Otto Hightower was watching Lady Coraline, he felt awful because he couldn't help but think about the girl. She was the same age as his daughter, and he hated her uncle with a passion. He liked her smile, the way her voice was soft and made him anything but. He was having an internal war with himself, he somehow felt like he was betraying his late wife, as if him having thoughts about another woman meant that he no longer cared for his late wife. He missed her, but the pain of her passing had eased slightly, and for the first time since her death he felt a real smile tease his mouth. She was smiling and laughing with Alicent, and he saw that his daughter wasn't as stressed as she usually was. Lord Beesbury was glaring at his niece, and it made Otto feel oddly protective of her, he had seen her wince in pain when her uncle had tried to pull her away. "Are you okay Otto?" Viserys asked and Otto nodded. "Yes, your grace. Just thinking." He saw Viserys nod before the king turned his attention back to his wife. "My Lord Hand, I wish to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage. The Lady Alicent is of age, and I am a good match for her. She could do much worse than a lord." Otto felt anger at the man, he had already denied the man's request to marry his only daughter twice. "I believe I have told you more than once that my daughter is free to choose her husband." Lyman's face twisted into a snarl and Otto secretly loved making people angry, it was fun to push people's buttons. "She is old enough to marry. The fertile years of her life are quickly waning." Otto wanted to stab the man for his words. How dare he talk about a woman as if a woman's sole purpose in life was to have children. Otto knew that his daughter would be a mother one day, but he was not going to allow her to marry a man who would only use her for her body or her position as the daughter of the hand of the king. "My daughter is not your concern. I will raise her as I see fit. When she is ready to marry, it will be because she chooses it." Otto left the hall after harshly pushing away from the table.
