Keynna did not understand the reason for her invitation, as it came out of nowhere.

Either it was because, and Keynna didn't really want to believe the former, or it was because of the undeniable fact that she was now part of the royal family. Thanks to Daemon, mind you, whether the rest of Daemon's relatives liked it or not, as was often the case, and it was to show that the whole royal family was together. Or, and this was something she believed in much more, her presence was meant to amuse the others present and participating and give them more reason to gossip.

No matter what Keynna decided, it could only be wrong.

This was just going to be a wonderful day.

❖

The "big" and therefore "most important" change for the country in recent years, which Keynna didn't think she would have to deal with personally, was the new queen. Just in time for her coming of age, after her eighteenth birthday, Alicent Hightower became the new wife of Viserys I Targaryen. And what followed fairly soon? The news that the new queen was expecting a child.

Much to the old king's delight, it was a boy. A child who survived. Even more reason for joy. But no, it was a boy who survived.

A good six years had passed between Alicent and Keynna, which was why this marriage was so hard for her to get used to. Especially considering that Alicent was only fourteen when the king chose her as the new queen. Fourteen, so Otto's daughter was still a minor. A few more years. Besides, there were probably about thirty years between the new royal couple.

It might well be that the age difference between Daemon and Keynna was not particularly small, but the first difference was that she was far from being a child. The second difference was that she didn't have Otto Hightower for a father, because that was probably all down to him.

Now, hard to believe but true, another, the second royal child was to follow.

In Keynna's case, not having a husband and children was the purest drama, but when it came to a child marrying an old man, everything was perfectly fine just because the old man in question was king.

There was always a double standard and this could only upset someone.