CHAPTER TWO ─── king's landing

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          𝕿he capital of Westeros had never filled Alaelanna with joy. Her family had left the Red Keep when she was only six, meaning the girl barely remembered it's cold corridors and large hall. They rarely visited, if only to see her grandfather, the king, or for occasions that they had to. But even then, it was only the eldest of the children who went, never the younger.

Alaelanna had once asked her father about it and the man had gone quiet for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing, before he'd kissed her forehead and tucked her further into bed.

"We are not wanted there." He'd murmured cryptically, before blowing out the candles in her room and standing. "It is as simple as that."

What her father had not needed to mention was the unspoken fear that both of her parents had that one of them would die in that castle. It was why they had kept all of their children far from it, oftentimes leaving them with their grandmother and uncles.

Her mother sighed beside her, as Alaelanna turned to look at the woman. She was brushing a hand across her bump slowly, staring out of the window to watch the city go past.

"Mother." The woman hummed, twisting to look at her daughter. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course, my darling." Rhaenyra reached over, pressing a hand to her daughter's cheek and kissing the top of her head. "The babe is just unsettled."

"They do not like being in King's Landing." Alaelanna suggested as Viserys, the youngest of her siblings, curled further into her lap, still fast asleep.

"If I recall, you and Jace did not like it either. You two were so restless in my belly, I feared you would pull yourself out before I could ever give birth." Rhaenyra smiled at her daughter, before pulling her closer. "Luke was restless as well. It is the air, that is what your father says."

"Father is right." Rhaenyra chuckled. "I hope never to have to live here. I much prefer Alterwoode."

"It is home." Her mother agreed, before the carriage came to a stop. "Come, little one. Up we get."

Viserys whined and yawned, before sitting upright and rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes. Alaelanna worked to quickly smooth his dark hair before the doors to the carriage were opened, and her father's warm smile came into view.

"Come, Viserys." He lifted the toddler up, hushing the young boy as he whimpered at the sight of the large castle. Her father turned, holding a hand out for his wife as he carefully helped her down the stairs. Alaelanna watched them go, before smoothing her own hair as Jace appeared to help her down.

"They did not even come and greet us." He forced a smile onto his face, despite the anger that was barely hidden beneath his tone. "It is as if they intend to slight us at every turn."

"Calm, Jace." Their mother held a placating hand out to the eldest four children, all of whom were quietly seething as their father was. "Your father and I will deal with this. Go and explore the keep. Show Camryn around. Try and stay out of trouble."

"Yes, mother." Alaelanna answered for her siblings, patting her twin on his hand as they lead the remainder of their brothers into the Red Keep. "Why have we been summoned, that is what I wish to know?"

"All I know is that Father got a letter." Luke perked up from behind them, leaning forward. "Something about succession."

"For what? For the Iron Throne?" Jace shook his head. "That is stupidity. The line is already settled. Grandfather, mother, me."

"Well, it can not be Alterwoode." Camryn piped up. "Father is the eldest, then it is Alaelanna. To question that would be stupidity."

"You never know, maybe they despise having women as the two heirs." Alaelanna sighed. "It could be because of that rumour. They might still be trying to bring that to light."

"What rumour?" Camryn tugged on his older sister's dress, trying to get her to speak. He had been born in Alterwoode, never knowing the foul rumour that had followed his eldest siblings around as they grew up.

"There used to be a knight called Ser Harwin, and everyone believed that he was our father for a while." Jace sighed, rolling his eyes. "But that rumour was put to rest when Ser Harwin died, and then six years later when Viserys was born looking just like the rest of us."

"It was a vile rumour. One that held no truth." Alaelanna urged her brothers forward, all four heading for the training yard as she spoke. "A malicous rumour, meant to undermine our mother and father's marriage."

"That was when we left for Alterwoode." Jace finished his twin's statement as they came out into the sun, traversing down into the sandy training yard below. All four Thorne siblings narrowed their eyes.

"It is small." Luke muttered. "I would have thought the capital have a larger training ground, yet this one looks half the size of Alterwoode."

"It is because, at Alterwoode, we value training." Jace squeezed Alaelanna's hand. "It is exactly the same as I remembered."

"I believe that I erased my memories of this place." Alaelanna scoffed. "They would not let me train with you if I recall."

"Yes. That knight, father hated told you that you could not train so you stamped on his toe and punched him on the nose." Jace chuckled. "I remember father laughing at you, and then declaring that you could train and should anyone have a problem..."

"...he would punch them twice as hard as I could." Alaelanna laughed, nodding her head as Camryn struggled to keep up. Luke ducked closer to his older siblings, as stares followed them around the yard. "Luke, chin up."

"They are staring."

"We are the heirs to the Iron Throne. Of course they are staring." Jace replied, letting go of Alaelanna's hand to pull Camryn closer. The girl merely latched onto Luke in response, squeezing the ten and four year old's hand.

"They whisper."

"That is all they can do." Alaelanna reassured her brother. He looked up at her with wide eyes, hesitation running through them. "Are you afraid?"

"Course not." Luke scoffed, reeling back. "Fear is not the Thorne way, but I am uncomfortable."

"Once we train, and remind them that we are clearly the superior fighters and dragon riders, their mouths will be shut once more." Alaelanna smirked. "They are comparing us to our uncles and aunt, all of whom, I gather, are not sound of mine."

"Sister." Jace warned, looking across the weapons set out on one of the tables. "Come now, play nice."

"I always do." Jace and Alaelanna shared a cold smile, before the sound of swords beginning to clang drew their attention to another fight taking place mere metres away from them. The flash of white hair, had Alaelanna drawing closer, bringing her brother with her. Jace and Camryn were a mere few feet behind.

At first, the girl thought that it was her aunt, Helaena, with the long white hair, and then when she noticed the muscle, her eldest uncle, Aegon. But the man dodged backwards, his head tilting towards her and gave her enough of a view of an eyepatch for her to reason that this was Aemond, the youngest of her uncles.

Her stomach dropped, glare growing, as the Thorne siblings clumped further together to watch the man take on Ser Criston. 

Aemond had grown from the scrawny runt that he had been for most of Alaelanna's childhood into a tall man. He was neither broad nor skinny, muscular but not overly so as most knights were. His white hair had been grown out, so it looked more like his sisters, and his fighting style had improved in a decent enough sense.

"He pauses too long." Luke murmured to his sister, the four siblings more in their element as they watched the fight and analysed it. "He should not allow his opponent time to breathe."

"They are training not truly fighting." Camryn pointed out.

"Thank the gods for that." Jace snorted quietly as his sister's words. "He has the strength, I shall give him that and only that."

"I agree." Jace nodded, as Aemond placed his sword to the throat of Ser Criston. "It was too simple. Come. We should find our parents."

"I am sure they have finished speaking with the queen." Luke nodded, turning and offering his arm to his sister. Alaelanna gave her uncle one final glance, before scoffing and rolling her eyes as she joined her brother's side.

"Nephews, niece." Aemond's voice stopped them, though only Camryn turned. "Come to train?"

"If there was a challenge to be had, then perhaps." Alaelanna spoke for her brothers, barely looking over her shoulder to speak with her uncle. "But I see no challenge here. Uncle."

She turned, following her brothers as they entered back into the castle once more.

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Hiya,

So, all the Thorne siblings hate King's Landing as their parents do, nor do they like their uncles and aunt. There are a couple of things here, including Alaelanna being heir to Alterwoode, and the claim that the Thorne siblings are Strong siblings. Also, there are gonna be little changes because of the different upbringing but it'll be fun.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx