40

CHAPTER 40- Selfish Desires

SARELLA SAND POV

"I hate this." Tyene complained as she played around with her food and she held back another sigh.

"Tyene. We're guests here in Hightower." She whispered to her little sister. "Stop throwing a tantrum just because you didn't get to sit in the main table."

Tyene stabbed her steak with her fork as she side glanced at the main table placed upon the dias, where Stephen and Asha were having a dinner along with the main family of House Hightower.

"Asha is there, so why can't I be there as well?" Tyene asked with a pretty convincing pout. "What does she give him that I don't."

"It's not about that Tyene, and you know it." She said as she put her hand over Tyene's to stop her from stabbing her food. "Asha is the daughter of a Great House, and we're the bastard daughters of the second son of a great house. There's a large difference between those two."

"I know that." Tyene said with a sigh. "I just… at least the lords and ladies pretended to respect us while we were in Dorne. Here, people don't even give us a second look."

She put a comforting hand over Tyene's shoulder. "It is what it is Tyene. Stephen still cares for you. But that doesn't mean he'll always-" Her words were cut off when a beautiful young woman suddenly appeared behind Tyene and sat beside her.

"What are you two gossiping about?" The young woman asked cheerfully while Tyene went back to donning the polite innocent facade that she always wore around others.

"Oh, we were just discussing how amazing the Hightower is." Tyene said in a gentle voice as she smiled at the newcomer who she suspected was a member of House Hightower. "My sister Sarella always wanted to come and visit Oldtown."

"Did you?" The young woman asked as she looked her up and down, as if eyeing a prey. "Why? What would attract you to this city? Was it the tourneys? The young and dashing knights? Or the balls held by my mother?"

'It was the Citadel actually.' She thought but decided against voicing that opinion. Instead, she asked. "Your mother?"

The young woman blinked and then burst into giggles. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Here I am, bothering you two girls, and you don't even know me. Well, let me introduce myself." Then young woman then backed off and donned the persona of a proper lady. "I am Lynesse

Hightower. The sixth child and the youngest daughter in the family. A pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure to meet you too." She said with as much grace as she could muster. Though even then, she found herself lacking when in comparison to Lynesse. Not that she minded too much. Womanly pursuits were never her speciality.

Tyene gently nodded as well, managing to keep up with Lynesse's grace and elegance with ease. "Why are you here with us and not in the main table, Lady Lynesse?" Tyene asked

"Ugh… don't call me Lady Lynesse. That makes me feel so old. Just call me Lyn. That's what my friends call me." Lynesse said cheerfully, though she some of the cheer felt… fake for the lack of a better term.

"I would love to have more friends." Tyene said as she gently took Lyn's hands in her own. "Though you still haven't answered my questions Lyn. Why come here?"

"Oh, this feast is so boring. And my family is more interested and talking with Prince Stephen about boring farming techniques instead of his victory over the Ironborn." Lyn said as she gave a pout that didn't look half a convincing as Tyene's. "I mean, can you believe it. That's the youngest knight in recorded history sitting in our midst, and my brothers are more interesting how the Prince is growing spices in Dragonstone. I mean, who cares about spices."

"I completely understand." Tyene said with a sympathetic smile. "Adult talks are so boring. And the main table is filled with adults. I didn't even know that House Hightower was so large until I saw it today with my own eyes."

"Ugh, don't mention it. Being the youngest in the family is hard as it is. But after two of my older sisters got married, I have to deal with their husbands as well. It's a nightmare." Lyn said with as she glared back at the main table. "Though I admit, I didn't really expect my father or my eldest sister to attend the feast. They usually always leave the running of Hightower and the city to my eldest brothers. In fact, this is the first time I've seen them attend a feast since I was… I don't know, very young."

"Well, Prince Stephen is a Prince." She said but Lyn quickly shook her head.

"No. You don't understand. Malora is… strange. She never comes down from her chamber at the top of the tower. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she had ignored the King and remained up there if he ever decided to visit Hightower." Lyn said before she scrunched up her brows. "Maybe she's sick and want the Prince's blessing. And talking about his blessings. Are they real? I mean, do they actually work?" "They're real." Tyene said with a nod and she a feeling that Tyene wouldn't have revealed this piece of information if it wasn't already a common knowledge among their men. "The Prince held a Blessing Ceremony in the Sept of Sunspear in which he healed Prince Doran along with 777 other men, women and children."

"Really?" Lyn asked, looking even more curious now. "So if a man without arm goes to him for his blessing then he'll regrow both his arms?"

"Yes." Tyene said with a gentle nod but refused to give anything else away.

"I see." Lyn said, looking a bit annoyed at not getting more info. "What about you two. You are the Sand Snakes, aren't you? Forgive me, but you don't look very… snakey to me."

"Our names are only given to us because of who our father is." Tyene said as she calmly shook her head. "I'm afraid our reputations have been highly exaggerated."

She snorted at that but quickly hie that snort being a few polite coughs.

Lyn gave her a curious look before she went back to talking with Tyene. "I heard he won the two of you over to his side by fighting all the knights present in Sunspear. Is that true?"

Tyene looked at her this time and she took this as her cue to speak. "There were only 7 knights. Though they were some of the best knights produced by Dorne."

"And Prince Stephen defeated all of them?" Lyn asked, a faint flush on her cheeks as she glanced at Steph in the main table while rubbing her thighs. "Did he… use his thing."

"His thing?" She asked, feeling confused.

"Oh, you know. His shining sword. Did he use it in the battle. And is it really as sharp as they say?"

She shook her head. "No. The Prince told me that he'll only ever use his Shining sword in a war, when he is protecting the helpless against the evil. But yeah, he did defeat all 7 of them. Very easily at that."

"How easily?" Lyn asked as she leaned forward and gazed at her with morbid curiosity. "Did he play around with them like how a knight would play around with a couple of kids? Did he use the Valyrian sword that he took from House Harlaw? What about his armour." "Well…" She said and started answering Lyn's questions.

And that's what they did for the rest of the feast.

Lynesse Hightower would ask them questions about the Prince and they'll try their best to answer that question without revealing anything too important or personal about Stephen. And then Tyene will discreetly ask questions about the general mood of Reach lords in regards to Stephen and what is House Hightower's view in regards to him.

Their talks continued for well past an hour until Lyn finally revealed something that left Tyene speechless.

"Your father wanted you to marry Prince Stephen?" She asked and discreetly put a hand over Tyene's hand which was clutching a fork tightly.

She really didn't want Tyene stabbing Lyn and causing problems for all of them.

"Yeah. He even promised a huge dowry if the Prince took my hand. He thought that I didn't knew about the offer but I found out regardless." Lyn said conspiratorially before she sighed. "It was all for naught though, as the Prince sent a refusal letter to all the Houses who sent him a betrothal offer. Stating that he didn't want to marry just yet."

"Yeah, that sounds just like him." She said and upon noticing Lyn's curious stare, she explained. "Prince Stephen loves his freedom. He loves to go around wherever he wants, and do whatever he wants. I don't think that he'll want to settle down with a woman and lose all that freedom anytime soon."

"Is that so." Lyn said, sounding disappointed and more than a little heartbroken. "Is there really no way I can convince him to… you know… marry me?"

'If Tyene knew how, then she wouldn't tell you.' She thought silently. 'Nor would I for that matter.'

"My cousin, Princess Arianne tried her best to win over Prince Stephen's heart." She said. "But alas, he keeps his heart close to himself."

"Maybe he just needs a woman who's more understanding of what he wants." Lyn said as she stared dreamily at Stephen. It was a bit creepy. "A woman who can melt his cold frozen heart and wake him up to the feelings of love and joy."

She stopped herself from rolling her eyes even as she wondered if

Prince Stephen will have a secret visitor in his chamber tonight. Arianne had tried it and failed. And while Tyene had succeeded, she doubted that Lyn would.

"I would wish you luck in your endeavour my dear friend." Tyene said with a gentle smile as she embraced Lyn in a supporting side hug. "Don't forget to wear Jasmine perfume before you meet him though. It's his favourite."

"I won't. And thank you so much for your help Tyene, Sarella." Lyn said with a grateful smile. "When I become his wife, I'll be sure to keep you two close my handmaidens."

"We would be honoured." She said as she bowed and tried her best to stifle the chuckles trying to escape her lips at Tyene's deception.

Stephen did not like Jasmine. He hated its smell, due to some personal event in the past. For Tyene to tell something like that Lyn… that was almost cruel. And she would've felt bad if she didn't know what kind of woman Lynesse Hightower was.

"Of course." Lyn said with a proud smile before she paused and a frown took over her face. "Though, tell me Tyene. What is the Prince's relationship with that Greyjoy girl?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, getting sobered very quickly since she knew that this was important to Stephen.

"What kind of relationship do those two have?" Lyn asked. "Are they together-together? Are they friends? Are they merely allies who pretend to be friends? What is up with them?"

"I'm not sure if I should say this. Stephen is very sensitive about his personal life being gossiped about."

"Does that mean that they're seeing together?" Lyn enquired and she shook her head immediately.

"As I said before, I would rather not talk about it."

Lyn gave a Cheshire Cat grin at those words. "So they are fucking each other. Good to know."

"They are." Tyene replied before she could say anything. "The coupling keeps me up on many night due to just how loud Asha is. Why do you ask though Lyn? Do you perhaps want to slip into his bedroom tonight."

The expression on Lyn's face as she gazed at Stephen clearly showed that she would. Though she now wondered if Stephen would take her. Especially when he denied Arianne.

"I wish you good luck." Tyene said in what looked to be a sincere smile. "Win his heart and show that Greyjoy who the boss is."

"I will." Lyn nodded with a smile as she got up from her seat, ready to go and prepare for a night with Stephen.

"Oh, and don't the Jasmine." Tyene said and Lyn shot her another grateful look before she curtsied to them and left.

"That was… I don't even know what to say to that." She said once Lyn had left the Great Hall.

"That girl doesn't want Stephen but all the wealth, power, prestige and privilege that comes with being with Stephen." Tyene surmised.

"But… weren't you just complaining about not getting the same things?" She asked, allowing some of her amusement to show on her face.

"I… I was." Tyene said with a fake pout as she glared at her. "But you're not supposed to point it out Sarella. Do you see me pointing out that you've got no tits or ass."

Her eyes narrowed at her little sister. "Oh, you did not just go there."

"I did." Tyene said smugly as she readied her most lethal weapons against her little sister. Her tickle fingers.

It was long before Tyene was brought low by her Tickle-tickle strategy and begging under her feet for mercy.

—————

"You know. I did not expect you to come with me and Stephen."

She said as she stared at the Seven giant statues of the Starry Sept.

The sight of them filled her with a sense of great wonder. To remember just how old these statues were. How old this entire sept was.

The walls here had listened to the secrets of people who lived a millennia ago. Or maybe even further than that. And the marble carved statues were perhaps some of the oldest statues in the history of their world.

Even the Titan of Braavos was a child when its age was compared to the age of these statues.

It made her want to explore crook and cranny of this entire edifice, despite knowing that such a thing won't be possible.

"Why? Is it because I don't pray to the gods?" Tyene asked, as she gave her a gentle look, the white dress she was wearing radiated innocence and purity. "Or do I not look pious enough?"

"Oh, you've got the 'looks' part down, alright. But I know for a fact that you don't ever pray to the gods. So why are you here?" She asked, more curious than anything.

"Oh, for my own sister to cast such aspersions upon my characters. But I assure you Sarealla, that I'm a very devout worshipper." Tyene said with utmost seriousness before her tone took a teasing tilt. "Why, I sit between Stephen's legs and worship his Rod of Pleasure every single night."

"Oh gods… Spare me the details you degenerate."

"And then I sit on him, and take his cock inside me, and pray that his seed would take hold inside me." Tyene whispered in her ears while she tried to push her sister away, not wanting to learn about what she did in bedroom with Stephen.

"No really Tyene, stop." She said before she got an idea that'll quickly change their topic of discussion. "Do you think Lynesse went to Stephen's chambers last night?"

Just like that, some of Tyene's enthusiasm was damped and her little sister adorably glared at her. "Who cares. I hope she stumbled on the way to his room and choked on a guard's dick."

"You really don't like her, do you?"

"Why would I ever like her? She's going after my man. I can forgive Asha because she was there before me. But I would never tolerate someone coming after me and then getting ahead in the line." Tyene said and despite her upbeat tone, she could see that Tyene was rather insecure about this.

She sighed and pulled her sister into a light embrace. Then she hoped that her sister would hate her for stating some necessary facts as she spoke up. "Tyene. Stephen in not your man. I know you want him and I know he cares for you. But he's not yours. And he'll eventually get other girls. You need to be ready for that."

"Oh I'm ready for them. I've got enough poison in my-" "Tyene." She said, interrupting the little gremlin. "Please."

Tyene sighed at her words. "I know what you mean Sarella. It's just… not easy."

"At least the sex is good, isn't it?" She asked as she wiggled her eyebrows, trying to cheer up her little sister.

"And how would you know that?" Tyene asked, giving her an unimpressed look which she returned with one of her own.

"Hello. I might not join you in your depravity but I'm not deaf."

Tyene looked away with a huff and she used this moment of silence to stare at the statues once again.

It's wasn't long before the silence was broken by Tyene once again. "Do you think Stephen would've slept with Lynesse if she went to his room last night?"

She looked at her little sister and shrugged. "Lynesse is a beautiful young woman. Stephen is a virile young man. I don't see why he would hesitate to smash that."

"He passed up on Arianne." Tyene pointed out and she sighed.

"That's because he didn't want Prince Doran to force him to marry the Princess. But Lord Hightower don't have the power or influence to force him into such a marriage even if Steph took his daughter's virginity. There is a difference."

"Yes. Instead of forcing Steph to marry his daughter, he'll just kick us out of his home." Tyene groused.

"Perhaps. But I doubt it. I mean, have you seen how much every Knight and squire in the castle respected Steph. And how that respect increased even further when Steph defeated all of them in the sparring yard this morning? Lord Hightower would lose a lot of clout if he decided to kick Steph out of Oldtown. Not to mention the risk of getting the displeasure of the Crown."

"Do you have to make everything about politics?" Tyene asked with a pout. "Can't you simply agree with me that Lynesse is a bitch and be done with it?"

"No. Besides, why didn't you ask Steph if he slept with that woman or not if you're so curious."

"I don't think he'll like it if I interfered on his matters." Tyene said with a sigh. "I hate this. I hate Oldtown."

"At least the Lynesse's two older sisters are married, right?"

"Her eldest sister isn't." Tyene pointed out before she paused.

"Though with how crazy that woman looked, I can see why. Can't see Stephen sleeping with her though."

"Who knows. Maybe Stephen has a type."

"Yes, he has. And it is Milfs or young innocent girls like me. He told me so himself."

"What are Milfs?"

"Mothers I'd Like To Fuck." Tyene said with a shit eating grin. "It's a made up word, but I can definitely see the appeal."

"And what are you, a Cilf? A Child I'd Like to Fuck."

"Call me a child again and I'll spike your drink with laxatives." Tyene glared at her and she raised her hand in surrender.

Before their banter could continue, they heard footsteps coming in their direction and turned to saw Stephen coming out from within the Sept, an enraged look on his face while two Septa desperately trailed behind him, trying to keep up.

"Oh… what did the Septon do to make Stephen so angry?" "Maybe he told Stephen about all the boy diddling parties they held among the choir boys?" Tyene said and she chuckled as Stephen finally reached them, and continued walking out of the Sept.

She and Tyene quickly following in his wake, having to always run behind him in order to keep up with his speed walking. Though he thankfully slowed down once he got out of the Sept and reached the flight of stairs leading down to the city.

"What did the Septon do to make you so angry, dear?" Tyene asked as she took Stephen's arm into her own and looked up at him with genuine concern.

Stephen stared into the distance with a glare before he let out a sigh and turned to look at both of them. "Let's talk while we're walking."

With that, he started to descend down the stairs of the Starry Sept and she and Tyene followed.

"So… what did that guy say to you?"

"Hm… it's not about what he said but how he said it." Stephen said with narrowed eyes. "The bastard thinks that he could leverage his position as the Leader of the of Most Devout to order me around however he likes. The sheer gall of that bastard."

"What did he ask you to do?" She asked, getting a little concerned at Steph's obvious anger. She hoped that he won't do something stupid in his rage.

"He wants me to donate more of my earnings to the Septs. He wants me to create a large Sept in Dragonstone. He wants me to fund the Septons and Septas in the Iron Islands when I eventually go there. And a host of other such demands." Stephen gritted out before he unclenched his fists and exhaled out a breath of air in order to calm himself down.

"I didn't know that the Most Devout were so arrogant." She said and Stephen rubbed his eyes.

"Some of their demands were not even that difficult. If they used a beautiful Septa to politely conveys these things as requests, then I would've had no problems completing them. But the Septons just had to show off their true colours." Stephen turned and stared at the Starry Sept once again, his expression one of confusion. "I don't know why they even assumed that they have any form of leverage over me."

"Does it really matter?" Tyene asked. "Fuck the Sept. And fuck its

Septons. If you want to hold a Blessing Session then you can simply do it in the city. I mean, didn't you do something similar in Flea Bottom?"

"I mean, I can. But that would definitely create a crack in the relation between me and the Starry Sept. And annoying as it is, I would rather not fight against them. They can do a lot of damage to my reputation if they decided to spread out false propaganda about me." Stephen explained. "The only reason I could do that in Kings Landing was because the High Septon was in my pocket. But here, these guys think that I'm in their pocket. Their delusion is astounding."

"What do you plan to do then?" She asked as they finally reached the bottom of the Sept where their party was waiting for them with the horses.

"I have a few ideas, though I'll need the support of Lord Hightower for some of them." Stephen said as he climbed his horse. "For now though, let's go to our next destination."

"The Citadal." She said with an excited smile.