A lion and a mockingbird • TAG Alyssa

It was a hot day in King's Landing and Madeline was enjoy the coolness of the castle's garden, sitting under the arcade and admiring the view. She was wearing her family's color, like she always did when out of home, an habit she took from her father.
She was in the palace with Rose, during one of her usual journey to King's Landing; but since Rose was busy with her duties, Maddie had to find something else while waiting for her return.
She surely couldn't stay in her room for the whole day! A walk wold have surely kept her mind busy, but Madeline didn't think at the afternoon's sun and its heat.

Luckily the garden was shady enough and she could rest for a while. She loved gardens and the Queen's was awesome, almost like hers at Casterly Rock.
She smiled to herself at that thought. In the end it was true, her father always told her how beautiful their garden was and only thanks at her!
She giggled again at that thought, but stopped when she heard a noise. Someone was coming.

Alyssa was gently being pushed along she had used the excuse of never seeing the red keep before as an excuse to be allowed to roam around as a guest. She had to laugh at the queen's good heart, sentimental fool.... with that piece in place it made her claim to her own fortress all the more stable. Lets see now.... main opponents.... Kida Targaryen, cousin to the queen maester of whispers.... Rose Lannister, First born to Phoebus Lannister and maester of coin....

That last thought made her fingers clench into fists, damn lion cub! that position was her fathers! but of course her being head of her house was hard enough to obtain she had to let the position her father once held to fall off. Spoiled Lannister brats, their name should have been killed in the war. Taking a moment to breath she simply stayed calm with her eyes closed getting pushed along, its surprising what one hears when they appear to be a helpless little girl.

A giggle caught her ears and made her turn her head to the sound, more little gossiping hens? she gently opened her eyes as she came around the bend turning her head to where she had heard the sound. Her surprise was genuine when she spotted none other then a little lion away from its pride.

Madeline turned her head slowly, she didn't want to look too much curious and rash, but she was indeed too much curious and rash! Since she was arrived in the garden, the only people that she saw where servants and a few guards, nobody that could catch her attention.
But that girl on a wheelchair was indeed something new, making her wonder who she could be.

Maddie smiled gently in her direction, but she didn't move. Maybe the girl wasn't interested to talk with her, even if she couldn't help but notice that the girl was watching exactly at her.

Alyssa paused looking at the other girl who didn't look too much older then herself.... That's meant she would be the Lannisters middle child, nothing of note but perhaps a quaint little pawn the lions do have a habit of protecting their cubs to the death.

Quickly she donned the mask of the young girl everyone perceived her as smiling joyfully "oh! Hehe... I'm sorry I did not mean to bother you, forgive me... If you want I could leave you alone, after all I'm the one intruding"

Madeline smiled again as the girl spoke to her, she seemed nice and a little of company surely would have helped her to pass the day. After all they looked almost the same age.

"You're not bothering at all!" Madeline smiled waking up and coming closer to the girl "I was just resting a little, such an hot day!" she laughed sightly, before turning again at the girl "I would love some company though..." she smiled again, hoping for a positive answer from the girl.

Her haunting blue/violet eyes stared at Madeline right into her eyes as if piercing into her before closed her eyes as she grinned joyfully "That would be wonderful! im new to the crown city so I do not know anyone from here, it would be nice to make a friend" giggling before she gasped "oh my! forgive me for my rudeness..... I am Alyssa Baelish, Lady of Harrenhal and Lady Paramount of the Trident, and you are?"

Madeline couldn't help but feel a little thrill as Alyssa observed her in the eyes, almost like she was another person; but everything disappeared as soon as Alyssa spoke again. Probably the heat was playing some tricks on her.

Baelish? Madeline couldn't hide her astonished face. Her father told her about the disgrace that happened to that house members. But she could have never imagined to meet the only survivor of that tragedy! She stood for a few seconds without speaking, time long enough for her to realize her rude behavior!
"Madeline Lannister, daughter of Lord Phoebus Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands and Warden of the West." Madeline immediately bowed, how could she forget all the formalities?!

Alyssa giggled "I should have guessed by the red of your clothes, only a lannister can wear red as proudly and as beautifully" watching the girl bow made her raise a small eyebrow "d-did you just... bow?" hiding her smile at the mistake there for girls curtsied in nobility bowing was for the boys.

Inwardly she couldnt help but mentally laugh at the bumbling fool, striking her from mental record of ever being a real threat which left poor madeline as a pawn not a tower like her father or a bishop like her sister. Oh well it did always pay off to make nice with the pawns they were useful pieces in their own way.

So she nodded her head before moving closer "Our families were friends long ago... I think it would be nice for you and I to get to know one another at the very least, it would be nice to know at least one person around here the only people I am used to are servants and you would be surprised how few 'yes m'lady' 's you can take before it becomes annoying" joking with the young lion.

(( ahah! XD fun fact: I didn't know there was a difference between curtsey and bow! XD but probably a mistake that also Maddie would made! XD ))

"Y-yes? Did I do something wrong?" Madeline raised her look on Alyssa smiling sightly, did she do something wrong? The right titles, the right names, the right moves, what did she do wrong?
She stood in front of Alyssa, playing with her hands: for a moment she felt lost, nobody here to help her, but as Alyssa continued to speak Madeline's fear disappeared again. Everything seemed calm now.
"Really? I didn't know it..." she titled her head, she knew pretty much every ally of her house, but House Baelish was actually a new name as an ally.
"I would be honored to know you better" she smiled "Become friends."

"traditionally boys bow... I thought most noble ladies were taught to curtsey in their ettiquette lessons" smilling innocently though inside she had simply said that to get the girl to panic again, it was fun to make people squirm. On the other hand though when she said she knew nothing about the old ties between baelish and lannister Alyssa felt more then confident that she could say almost anything and the fool would believe her.

Too bad she had to keep being the mask of a young girl though, it was an annoyance "Thank you!, this is most wonderful, I actually am glad I was a bit nervous because I have to talk to your father Lord Pheobus Lannister soon, but since he raised such a nice girl like you im sure he must be a good man.... I would love to hear about Casterly Rock"

(btw the bow is done by boys at the waist with back and legs straight with arm firm against the lower stomach and head bowed when its done properly.... for girls a curtsy is almost a form of plie but one foot is infront of the other and they take the skirt of their dress fanning it out gracefull on both sides bowing only the head)

(( Thanks! ^^ I'll keep it in mind! ))

Damn... Madeline bit her lip, Alyssa was right. What a ridiculous mistake she made! If there was a chance to hide in a hole Madeline would have surely took it!
"I apologize for my mistake..." she titled her head "Must be the heat..." she smiled waving her hand in the air, surely she would never admit that she ignore that difference!

"I see..." she turned to Alyssa "I'm sure that my father will love to meet you, he's indeed a good man." Madeline smiled.
Would she have seen her soon at home then? That would have been nice, Madeline would have someone else to hang around with.
"What do you want to know about Casterly Rock?" she smiled sightly, raising an eyebrow.

Alyssa giggle "its okay... to be honest im not good in the heat either, I am actually quite weak have been since I was born. My brothers were all tall and hardy like northern men.... it's always been a small bit cold irony that they... died.... and I did not"

pausing as she looked away as if trying not to let Madeline see her tear up, course that was all part of the game she quickly to her handkerchief to her face, she was a good actress but she had long since lost the ability to truly cry.

Forcing a weak smile as she looked back closing her eyes "I-I would like to heard everything, ive heard its so beautiful there"

Madeline observed Alyssa, the loss of her whole family was probably still an open wound for her. It wasn't surely easy for her. If that would have happen to Madeline, she wouldn't know how she could have managed to keep going.

She shock her head, like she wanted to shoo all those bad thoughts, and Madeline smiled as Alyssa.
"Oh, I see." she titled her head placing a finger on her chin "It's a beautiful place indeed, we have a beautiful garden and we can see even the sea from there."

Alyssa gave a weak smile "that sounds quite lovely... I have honestly never been near the see before this is the furthest I have gone from my home. I heard that Casterly Rock was built above gold mines that nearly ran dry during the war of five kings, I wonder what it must be like in those old mine shafts. They must run all throughout. Like the tunnels here in the red keep!"

"When you'll come to visit us, we can go to Lannisport. It's very close to the sea. So you can see it." Madeline titled her head and smiled, surely for Alyssa it wasn't easy to move, with her wheelchair, but Lannisport was a beautiful city and there she could easily move around.

"Indeed..." Maddie nodded "But I'm not allowed to go there, the mines aren't a place for ladies; according to my father." she smiled sightly, of course she would have loved to see them, at least once, but it was too much dangerous and dirt for them. But once she would grow up surely she would be able to see them.

"that would be lovely, thank you so very much... " more of the of this child? at least there was some useful information, the mines were still there and not filled in yet which made for an interesting mental note.

"no I suppose not though I suppose it would still be very exciting, but that is simply a girl talking about exploits... I myself could never enter such a place I doubt mine shafts are even ground to be honest I have trouble getting around many places. though it is still quite fun sometimes to be carried, remind me to introduce you to my personal attendant he is quite funny, sometimes I think he would have made a better fool"

Madeline nodded, even if she didn't know how the sensation of being pulled could be.
"Oh..." she titled her head "Is he a nice person?" she smiled, wondering how that personal attendant could be if Alyssa saw him more as a fool than an attendant.
"Our attendants are always nice persons and really polite, I don't think my father would allow fools in our court..." she laughed sightly.

Alyssa blinked "I meant fool as in jester Madeline.... not fool as in imbecile, that would be such a terribly rude thing to say! after all he is... well.... the closest thing I have to a friend other than you now" smilling at Madeline "he is very kind to a fault in fact, wouldnt hurt a fly unless I asked him to"

Why should you ask to hurt someone? Madeline couldn't help but think at Alyssa's last words. Could she be able to hurt someone?
"Now I understand..." Maddie laughed sightly, but immediately turned serious "It must be hard for you, I hope to help you with my friendship.." she smiled. She sincerely hoped to help her, maybe together Alyssa could be able to find some peace.

"I didnt mean I would Lady Madeline" Alyssa said with a look of hurt in her eyes before Madeline mention friendship and she brightened with a smile "Really? Oh thank you so much!" Seeming quite happy to have someone to be friends with, there was little doubt that due to Alyssa's condition she probably did not have many friend or get out of her castle too often.

Madeline smiled in relief, so Alyssa didn't mean what she said. In the end she didn't look like someone who could hurt, she looked so fragile and delicate, probably also with a good heart.
She smiled again "Would you like to take a look around in the garden?" Maddie pointed at the garden "Now it seems to be more fresh and I could show you some beautiful flowers.. flowers and plants were her speciality. In this way maybe she would be able to fix the unfortunate accident of the curtsey.

Alyssa opened her eyes wide as she nodded her head with excitement "I would like that very much! my mother used to tend to the garden back at the castle but I was never very good at it and I could never remember all the names of the plants" a half lie she knew some of the names of plants more in particular the poisonous ones.

pushing herself next to Madeline with a smile "thank you for being so kind Lady Madeline.... ummm... is it okay if I just call you Madeline? you can call me just Alyssa if you want"

Maddie smiled seeing Alyssa's excitement "I take care of ours gardens at Casterly Rock." she smiled without hiding some pride. Everyone always compliments of her garden, why should she be ashamed of it?

She turned to Alyssa, a bit puzzled: she used to call only her family by name. Doing it with Alyssa sounded strange, but she surely couldn't continue to call her lady: they were going to be friends!
"Of course!" Madeline smiled at her "Sounds good." she smiled and opened the way, not sure if Alyssa would have followed her alone or with the servant.

Alyssa waved off her servant and went on with Madeline smilling softly as she nodded her head "That sounds like a lovely way to spend your time. I know your elder sister is very busy and so is your father but at least you have a little sister yes? it must be nice.... to have a big family all around you. I used to have that..." Illness wiped out the baelish line which left little Alyssa the last surviving member.

Madeline smiled as Alyssa followed her in the gardens, she was actually a bit worried that they were without any servants, but hopefully they would not need any help. Hopefully.

"They have a lot of duties." she smiled turning at Alyssa "It's always good to have a hobby." and to find a way to stand out from her family, mostly to leave her mark at Casterly Rock.
"We are indeed a big family." Madeline laughed sightly but stopped as Alyssa mentioned her dead family. Why did she bring the topic out if it hurt her so much? Madeline bit her lips, mostly to not say anything drawback "I'm sorry for your family." banal, but still better.