prettymuchteddy

PrettyMuchTeddy

I think fanfic should be in the library of congress.She/her| 20| Writer and fan. I write fanfic onHouse of the Dragon at the moment. AO3:https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrettyMuchTeddy/pseuds/PrettyMuchTeddy

454 posts

Last Christmas Chapter One: Snowy Cabin

Summary: Last Christmas Alicent Hightower gave Rhaenyra Targaryen her heart, but the very next day everything fell apart. This year to save herself from tears, Alicent vows to avoid her at their family's Christmas vacation. She'll bear it for her children. It's only a week after all. With aggressive snowball fights, meddling in-laws, Christmas tree decorating, matching pajamas, and hanging mistletoe will Alicent keep her vow? Or will her heart be broken again?

Chapter Summary: You'll never fool me again

Series Masterlist

Read on AO3

Pairing: Alicent Hightower x Rhaenyra Targaryen

Warning: brief mention of infidelity, enemies with a history together,

Words: 3,409

A/N: Each chapter summary is a lyric from Last Christmas by Wham, I don't make the rules. The spirit of Christmas made me write this

Alicent was beginning to think she hated the holidays. When she glanced at the house address in the family group chat, she felt a headache forming. It should be relaxing. A holiday trip to the Rocky Mountains in Tennessee. It would be beautiful with the Christmas lights and decorated trees everywhere. It should be nice but there was one problem. It was a family trip with her in-laws, the Targaryens.

Her eldest, Aegon, ran down the stairs followed by his brother, Daeron.

“Aegon, be careful,” Alicent scolded.

Aegon frowned, gesturing at his younger brother. “But Daeron was doing the same thing!”

Alicent raised a brow. “Because he was following your example, you need to be a better role model for him. He looks up to you.”

Aegon glanced at Daeron. “Obviously 'cause I’m taller.”

Alicent sighed. Then turned to the suitcases laid on the couch.

“Where’s Helaena and Aemond?” She asked while zipping up the pink luggage.

“She’s feeding her bugs”, Daeron answered.

Alicent pushed down the stack of clothing in an attempt to close the suitcase. “And your brother?”

“He’s upstairs”, Daeron replied.

Alicent grunted as she tried to close the luggage however, the clothes refused to nudge. “Can you get them both, darling?”

Daeron nodded and went back upstairs. Alicent huffed. She rolled up her sleeves ready to try again when Aegon moved toward the suitcase. With one push Aegon shoved the clothes down enough that he was able to zip it with one hand.

“Thank you, my love.”

He shrugged and began to close the rest of the suitcases. Alicent examined them. One green leather suitcase, one golden-colored, one pale blue, one black, and one cobalt blue. She looked at the items her children were bringing along for the drive: a neck pillow, a portable video game, a bag of chips, and some headphones. She began mentally checking off everything they needed. She had the address, no problem there. Unfortunately. They had plenty of sweaters and jackets for the cold. Bathroom utensils were the first things she bought and didn’t need to worry about. Maybe she should get anxiety medicine, the Gods knew she needed it.

The sound of heavy footsteps pulled her away from her thoughts. She was about to scold her children for running down the stairs again when two large dogs came barreling down at top speed. Alicent moved out of the way to avoid being trampled.

Daeron, Helaena, and Aemond followed behind. “Got them!” Daeron announced.

Alicent sighed as she looked at the dogs. “And I see you got them as well.”

“They’re excited for the trip”, Aegon mused.

At least someone was.

Alicent grabbed the suitcases and scanned the house. Nothing was out of place, good.

“Aegon, help me put the suitcases into the trunk. Helaena take everything you’re bringing inside the car. Aemond, Daeron get the dogs inside the car.”

Aemond was quick to grab the four leashes and approach the dogs. With ease, he hooked the leash on the collars. Daeron took two leashes while Aemond held the other two. Alicent hesitantly opened the door and watched as Daeron was practically dragged outside by the large dogs. Aemon was bigger but she could tell he was resisting the pull of the massive dogs. Helaena picked up the items and shuffled inside the car. Alicent rolled the suitcases out with Aegon and lifted them into the trunk. She closed the back and walked to where her children were debating over seats. And of course, over the dogs’ seats.

“I want to sit with Sunfyre”, Aegon demanded.

“I want to sit with Dreamfyre”, Helaena added.

Alicent cut them off. “The dogs are too big. One of you has to sit in the passenger side.”

She looked at the dogs. Tessarion was the smallest of the dogs and the skinniest. Sunfyre and Dreamfyre were relatively large but Vhagar was a monster in terms of size. She had wanted to bring the dogs in carriers but her children fought against her. And the last thing she wanted was them arguing with her in an hours-long car ride.

“Vhagar’s the biggest”, Aegon commented.

Aemond frowned at the idea of being separated from his beloved pet.

Alicent placed her hand on his shoulder. “Aemond, she’ll be in the same car as you, don’t worry.”

Aemond sighed in defeat. “Okay. Vhagar will sit away from me.”

The open road was fairly empty at this time of day. It was close to seven in the morning as they had headed out of their neighborhood in Oldtown around five. Red and orange leaves from the surrounding trees were carried off by the cold wind. With a quick tap on her window, she felt the chill pierce through her finger. The car smelled nice, thankfully given the dogs. There was a delicate pine scent floating through the vehicle, Alicent smiled. The car freshener she bought on clearance came in handy.

A glance at her rearview mirror revealed the sight of her children sleeping. Aegon was leaning against Sunfyre and his golden fur. Helaena was using the neck pillow as Dreamfyre rested on her lap, nearly crushing her with her large size though Helaena didn’t mind. Daeron had his head on Aemond’s shoulder and her second son in turn leaned on Daeron’s head, with Tessarion lying on the car floor.

Alicent glanced at her own companion beside her. Vhagar.

The giant Tibetan Mastiff was easily the largest dog in her family, hell even the largest in the Targaryen family. She remembered the first time Aemond brought her home, Alicent refused to allow the creature to step foot in her house. She kept the dog outside in the backyard for weeks. However, once Aemond became attached and Vhagar in return, she gave in.

Of course, things were never that simple.

Her brown eyes shifted to the dog. One of the sources of pride for the family. The dog has been part of the Targaryen family for years, how long no one knows anymore. Her late husband, Viserys joked that Vhagar was over a hundred years old. She was more ingrained in the Targaryen family legacy than Alicent or her children ever would be. As a result, Aemond’s adoption of her caused quite a scandal. Her brother-in-law, Daemon threw some words in her face. Aemond threw more at him. And Viserys did nothing as usual. She would never admit it but when Viserys passed two years ago, she was relieved.

“Do you want to listen to something?” Alicent asked Vhagar.

The Mastiff stared straight ahead at the road with dark eyes and her pink tongue slipping out of her mouth.

Alicent nodded. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

She turned up the volume and heard a familiar jingle of bells. The electronic keyboard was nostalgic as the soulful voice came on. “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart…”

Alicent hummed along while trying to ignore the lyrics. She didn’t want to think about what happened last Christmas when she saw Rhaenyra Targaryen.

The road became slippery as they approached the supposed address. Alicent kept checking the address on her phone. Gods be damned if this was the real one or if her in-laws were pulling something over her. She frankly wouldn’t be surprised. The hills turned into mountains with sheets of white snow covering them. Alicent made a rather harsh turn and refused to look down over the edge of the mountain she was driving on. She lowered the window on Vhagar’s side and the dog stuck her head out. The air was crisp and cool. A small comfort that at least her children would enjoy the Christmas weather. She continued driving further up the mountain before making another turn. Once off the main road, Alicent saw the crowded forest and a handful of cabins. Eventually, the other cabins disappeared leaving her alone with the white woods. The snow was more present on the road and she slowed her pace to avoid the car swerving. A clearing was coming up ahead.

Alicent squinted and saw a russet-colored wooden cabin with Christmas lights around the edge of the roof. A layer of snow covered the top of the house and the pathway to the porch. A chimney sprang out from the top where black smoke was pouring out. Another car was parked, it was a black SUV with a familiar license plate.

Alicent exhaled through her nostrils. One week. It was only one week.

The children woke up with a start, as did the dogs. Vhagar was the only one awake the entire trip holding a thousand-yard stare through the ride. Honestly, Alicent could see why she was thought to be a century old. She parked the car and slipped out of the car. After stretching her legs, she moved to the passenger’s side and opened the door for Vhagar. The Mastiff watched her for a moment with seeming respect before jumping out and running through the snow. Alicent adjusted herself as she opened the door in the backseat and the other three dogs came running out. Her children practically melted into the ground, their legs being jelly after hours of not moving.

Alicent shared the sentiment but still moved to take the suitcases out of the trunk. She warned her children about rolling the luggage when there was snow. As they approached the porch, she asked her children to call the dogs over. In the pale snow, Alicent found Vhagar quickly as she stood out like a sore thumb with her midnight fur. Dreamfyre, however, was a different matter altogether, she knew Great Pyrenees were white but the dog’s fur blended in with the snow perfectly, so much so that Alicent didn’t see her until the dog was running onto the brown clashing porch. Sunfyre was pushing against the closed door, sniffing the entrance excitedly, desperately waiting for her to open the cabin. Alicent pulled a silver key from her purse and placed it in the lock. She turned it, half expecting it to not work, and it clicked. She opened the door, and both children and animals ran inside.

Daeron was shaking from the cold and jumped onto the couch in front of the fire, with Tessarion closely behind. Aegon unceremoniously dropped the suitcases he was holding and ran to find the bathroom. Aemond followed Vhagar and sat down in a chair, with his beloved dog next to his feet. Helaena was the only one who looked remotely interested in exploring the cabin they would be staying in. Alicent placed her suitcase next to the door and removed her green scarf. The living room was impressive for lack of a better term. The couches were dark brown leather and surrounded a fireplace with burning wood. A crimson carpet was laid on the wooden floor in front of the cushions. A simple black coffee table was at the center with a book titled Dog Breeds for Dummies. She rolled her eyes, her in-laws lived and breathed dogs. Well, they were what made them who they are.

Alicent glanced up. There was a large staircase that went upstairs and a wooden railing that allowed for someone to look over the living room. The ceiling was quite tall and arched upward making the room feel even bigger. Some warm yellow lights hung from the spacious ceiling, though in Alicent’s opinion, the many windows provided enough light. The kitchen was a few feet from the living room and the decoration blended in well with the house’s rustic and somewhat old ambience. Alicent noticed it had a big kitchen island and slightly smiled. She imagined how nice it would be to cook there. She glanced at the dining table, it was large like everything in the house, and was meant to seat the whole family. She realized that beside the table were doors leading to the porch that went around the house. A single mistletoe hung above the doors.

“It’s nice, right?” Alicent asked her children.

Daeron nodded enthusiastically. “Do think it’ll snow on Christmas Day, here?”

“Maybe”, Alicent said in a hopeful tone.

Vhagar laid down on the kitchen floor and fell asleep. “Vhagar likes it”, Aemond stated. “It’s nice.”

Alicent tried to hide a smile. Of course, her son would approve of it if Vhagar did.

“Can we pick out the rooms?” Helaena asked.

“I wouldn’t count on it”, Aegon answered as he came around the corner.

“Why not?” Daeron asked.

The sound of the door clicking open interrupted the conversation. It swung open and revealed a woman wearing a coat with two young boys. The boys’ hair was dark brown and curled. The woman meanwhile had striking white hair, that matched Alicent’s own children. Rhaenyra Targaryen.

“That’s why”, Aegon mumbled under his breath.

Rhaenyra’s violet eyes shifted between Alicent’s children before landing on her. Her gaze was cold. “You made it”, she said with no particular joy.

“Yes, the address Rhaenys sent was helpful”, Alicent responded.

“I imagine it was.”

Alicent pursed her lips. “When will everyone else be arriving?”

Rhaenyra lifted the black scarf from her neck. “Rhaenys is spending the holidays with Corlys’ side of the family this year, especially after the excitement two years ago.”

Alicent bit the inside of her cheek. Of course, she would bring up what happened two years ago.

“Well, I’m sure she will have a wonderful time with Corlys and Laenor.” Alicent smiled.

Rhaenyra narrowed her eyes slightly.

“The children and I were just discussing where they would be sleeping, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if we looked around?” Alicent asked innocently.

“Of course, not”, Rhaenyra replied.

She shuffled inside the house. Her sons, Jace and Luke walked past them, heading quickly upstairs to their rooms. Alicent gestured for her children to head upstairs and watched them go. As she was about to climb the stairs, she stole a glance at Rhaenyra. In one hand, Rhaenyra held a car seat with a sleeping baby buckled in. He had small tuffs of brown hair.

Alicent looked away and followed her family upstairs. Aemond avoided the room where Luke and Jace were sleeping in like the plague, he asked if he could sleep far from the two and Alicent agreed. Aegon wanted his privacy and begged for his own room but Alicent pointed out that Daemon Targaryen and his family could still arrive. He then begrudgingly decided to share his room with Daeron and Aemond. Helaena would get her own room but agreed to share it if Daemon’s daughters came. Alicent hoped that wouldn’t be the case and didn’t want Daemon or his children near hers after what happened two years ago.

“How long will we be here?” Aemond asked her while unpacking his clothes on the bed.

“A week and only a week.”

“Do they have to be here?” He inquired, though he likely knew the answer.

“Rhaenyra is your father’s daughter and her children are your nephews, your father’s family likes to do holidays together, Aemond, you know this.”

“But why do we have to keep seeing his family, when he’s dead?”

Alicent turned to look at her second son. “Aemond don’t say that.”

“What? It’s true, he’s been dead for two years. Why do we have to keep seeing them? They don’t even like us.”

Alicent was about to say that was not true but they would have both known she was lying. The Targaryens didn’t react well when Viserys remarried her. They never accepted or took her in. Even when her children were born with the same features as Viserys, the same as Rhaenyra, they were still cold. Alicent remembered the hurt she felt when Rhaenyra presented her firstborn, Jace, to the family. He had brown eyes, a pug nose, and mahogany curls, they all doted on him and would do the same with Luke.

“It’s what your father would have wanted, all of his family here, together.”

“So, we’re chained to the wish of a dead man?”

Alicent sighed. Her son was very morbid for his age. She approached him where he was unpacking. “I know what you’re feeling, trust me, I understand.”

She cupped his cheek. “I’ve been thinking for a while that maybe next year we could have our own Christmas at home.”

“Just us?”

“Just us”, she confirmed.

Aemond nodded. “I’d like that.” He gave a shadow of a smile.

This would be their last Christmas with the Targaryens and Alicent was perfectly fine with that fact.

She went downstairs afterward, the exhaustion of the day slowly creeping up on her. Alicent rubbed the back of her neck, the idea of sleeping on the couch beside the warm fire seemed very appealing right now. To her dismay, seated on the cushions was Rhaenyra.

Alicent tried to go back upstairs but the sound of her boots caught Rhaenyra’s attention.

“They found rooms?” She asked with no interest in her voice.

“They did, yes.” Alicent promised she would be better than Rhaenyra. She would be the embodiment of decency and class compared to her. “Thank you for asking.”

“Hmm. Daemon and Laena will likely be coming with Baela and Rhaena, though with Laena pregnant they want to be careful and may come later on.”

Alicent dug her nails into her cuticles. That left just their two families here. The Gods were cruel.

“Very well.”

Rhaenyra looked over her shoulder. Her eyes glared into Alicent. “Do always have to pretend to be polite or is that just how you cope?”

Alicent returned the glare. “I was raised to have manners, it’s one of the ways we differ.”

Rhaenyra scoffed. “I’m sure those manners transferred well to your children.”

“Oh, I’m sure you taught those boys some valuable lessons after all what a wonderful example you are.”

“And you believe yourself so righteous and good? After marrying a grieving widow?”

“It had been three years; he was a grown man and chose to move on. Or do you believe yourself a victim in everything? Was it also somehow Laenor’s fault you cheated with Harwin?”

Rhaenyra laughed humorlessly. “What do you know of loyalty? You run whenever things get too difficult.”

“I run? But it's different for you because when you run it's to hide behind your father. Now you’ve changed to run into other people’s arms.”

Her violet eyes narrowed. “Targaryens stay together. It’s a concept you wouldn’t understand.”

Rhaenyra stood up from the couch and passed by Alicent without another word. She climbed up the stairs, her heavy boots sounding against the hollow wood.

Alicent was left alone.

She pushed her auburn hair back. Against her better judgment, she went to the fridge and pulled out a beer. She cracked it open against the edge of the countertop before sitting on the couch. She took a long sip. Then she stared at the fire. It danced to its own unique rhythm with passion.

Rhaenyra was like the fire in a way, she always moved to her own beat and did everything with passion. That’s why Alicent liked her and became her friend all those years ago. For a moment, Alicent believed there was something more between them. Those feelings resurfaced last Christmas. It had been a regular Targaryen Christmas with Viserys’ side of the family present except Viserys himself after he had passed away a few months prior. The vacation was oddly filled with a few moments of kindness and gentleness from Rhaenyra, something Alicent hadn’t seen since she married Viserys. They were close again and in a moment of vulnerability, Alicent said it. I love you. Rhaenyra smiled at her with that bright smile of hers. Her violet eyes gleamed in the winter breeze. Alicent couldn’t begin to describe the happiness she felt that night when she went to bed in her room, awaiting the next day when she would see Rhaenyra. The next morning, Harwin Strong, Rhaenyra’s ex-boyfriend was outside. He hugged her and their sons. The family welcomed him inside for breakfast.

Alicent left with her children that same day. Two months later, Rhaenyra announced she was pregnant with a third child by Harwin.

“Never again”, she mumbled to herself with the glass close to her lips.

She wouldn’t fall for the false words of Rhaenyra Targaryen again. She would avoid her as much as she could. It was only a week. She wouldn’t waste any tears on her. She would never be that fool again, she promised herself.

Last Christmas Chapter One: Snowy Cabin

More Posts from Prettymuchteddy