#alicole and kiddos

[alicole-sideblog]

[dirtytransmasc]

Ok but how do you think that alicole would react to getting a phone call from the school that says “yeah your kid got in a fight”?

Likeeeee it’s rotting my dumb little alicole brain

first they're worried. there kids wellbeing comes before any anger or strife or worry/thought of consequences. they just want to know they're safe and ok. they're also quite worried cause their kids are mostly bark and/or well behaved (Aegon is a bit of a class clown, but not all that of s fighter unless provoked. Aemond is easier to sway into a fight, but again, he's not one to throw the first fist. Helaena is a sweetheart and rather's her tongue over a fight. Daeron is a sweet boy and the most behaved of the brothers, even if young and rowdy) so they're worried someone has poked fun at either them or their families many oddities.

Both of them are at the school in an instant, rushing to their child, checking them over. Alicent's definitely not keeping her worry checked, to the point her kid is trying to shove her off (gently) and complaining that they're fine. then it's Cole's turn to check them over, he's just as worried, but he's putting on a strong face.

while they do want to just plead their kids innocence and go home, they do want the full story so they sit as calmly as they can, their kiddo cuddled between them (overprotective parents who? not them, no, no not at all). since Alicent and Cole got married (it was a civil union) later in their lives (I don't think they would have gone for it till Aegon was almost out of highschool and daeron was in middle school) Cole would typically have to argue his position as their father before they could even start their meeting with staff/the principal.

they do let their kids take blame where it's due, but they don't let their I'll treatment from others go unchecked either. they'll make sure their kid wasn't at all provoked and that they're ok mentally/emotionally cause kids can be assholes.

they have a "protect your own" and "don't start a fight but finish it" rules in their household so typically their kids can get off with a scolding from them so long as they had reason. typically their parents praise them once they get in the car, Cole advising them on how they could have done better for next time.

a few scenario's:

Aegon picking a fight with someone picking on his younger siblings, willing to let it remain words until someone tried to touch Hel, and he just wasn't fucking having it. he really only scared the other kid, but it got his point across, don't fuck with his siblings. Cole was proud of him, checking over his injuries with one of those proud dad laughs. Alicent was worried, but conceded when he promised he was fine. they didn't leave that office till the other kid apologized for messing with their kids and forcing their big brother to handle it. they did settle and made Aegon apologize for hitting him instead of getting a teacher.

Hel getting overwhelmed because a group of kids weren't leaving her alone when she was having a sensory overload and hitting anyone who tried to touch her including her teacher (her brothers and dad taught her well and her little punches hurt). Criston nearly blows a fuse when they call it 'fight' when it was nothing close, he'll defend his baby girl with his life on this front. Alicent's threatening to report the school board for the lack of accommodation and understanding. they don't even sit down for the meeting, Criston with Hel on his hip, flanking a very pissed off Alicent, making it clear they won't be staying long. they don't.

Criston had to go to Daeron's daycare to listen to a conflict resolution conversation between the staff and two sniffly 4 year olds. they'd been fighting over a toy. he doesn't know what else he's supposed to do, so he struggles through a "sharing is caring" conversation, trying not to laugh, until they're out the door and in the car. he does tell Daeron he needs to be nice, but knows it won't do much considering how little he is.

Aemond's been in a few situations cause of his eye, and every time he's got his parents support. they worry cause they know his self esteem is a bit shot, but also cause he's disadvantaged in a fight, so they do talk it out more with him, just to be safe. they don't want to be too hard on him, but they don't want to feed the habit of fighting being an outlet, so they double down on him continuing fencing (he was a fencing kid in my mind) to help with it all.

there have been more verbal incidents where the kids were picked on because of their messy family. all 4 kids are very protective over how people view Criston. he's their dad and anyone who says any different is wrong. Daeron's gotten into the most fights about this, especially cause little kids are brutally honest and say things about how daeron looks nothing like him, which makes him upset. older kids may know who the Targaryen family is (who they are and their equivalence of being a royal family in my modern AU I don't know, I just know they're important and wealthy that's just sorta there, a place for alicent and come to run from.) and taunt them for their mom leaving a life of wealth and power or having a dad like Viserys. those fights the kids get complete slack on, cause neither Alicent nor Criston can blame them for protecting their family.

[alicole-sideblog]

green family fluff

Usually when there's a tourney, Criston wins, he crowns Alicent, the crowd cheers, and Westerling gives them the side eye. That's the routine.

One time when Helaena's getting older, Criston is like, "You know what, it might be nice for her this time," and he crowns her instead.

Helaena really likes the flower crown, but does not like all the attention that being crowned in front of the whole tourney garners. That part is uncomfortable for her.

So my-siblings'-keeper Aemond is like, "Hey Dad how about in the future we just make Helaena her own flower crown out of flowers we pick, and you keep the tourney's attention on Mom?"

So they do that. Maybe Helaena decides the proper way to thank someone for giving her a flower crown is to give them a flower crown too. Like Alicent once taught her to return a compliment with a compliment, and this is the logical extension of that. Helaena makes a flower crown for Aemond too, and they all wear them.

[alicole-sideblog]

[alicole-sideblog]

on the day Viserys's eye rotted out of his head, Alicent, Criston, and Aemond all went to the sept together to pray their thanks to the Father Above for his judgment, making this an-eye-for-an-eye recompense happen.

[alicole-sideblog]

Canon-compliant Green family vacation

Daeron is going to Oldtown to be fostered there. Alicent insists on escorting him there herself, and makes a family vacation out of it. Sickly Viserys isn’t up to such travel, so they get to leave him behind.

Here’s the list of events I’ve got so far. I’m looking for more, so if you have ideas, chime in! I want this to be a collaboration post! Please collaborate with me! In particular, the going-there journey is a bit sparse and I could use some help. I also need Daeron anecdotes.

1st leg of the trip: King’s Landing to Tumbleton

They travel by land to Tumbleton, the highest navigable point on the Mander. Horses, carriages, a whole royal procession. They’re traveling on the Roseroad at first, and then take a dirt road that cuts across to Tumbleton.

Aemond, having no dragon yet, is going through a horse girl phase. Until he can get a dragon, he’s going to be the best horse rider anyone’s ever seen.

Alicent isn’t the best rider, but she does have a real fondness for horses. She identifies with them — their big dark gentle eyes; when they sigh and go “brbrbr” and sound so exhausted and put upon.

Alicent rides in a carriage at the start of the trip. The kids are like, “Come out and ride with us!” Criston’s on their side too. Eventually she does.

2nd leg of the trip: Tumbleton to Oldtown:

They travel downriver by boat, and then through the Sunset Sea to Oldtown.

Aegon falls overboard into the river and has to get rescued. This provides an opportunity to make fun of him, and also an opportunity to fuss over him, cuddle him, say, “We’re so glad we didn’t loose you.”

Stopping at every castle along the Mander — Bitterbridge, Longtable, Cider Hall, Highgarden — to spend a night or two and do diplomacy.

When the river turns into the sea, Helaena gets seasick. Alicent and Criston trade off sitting with her at the prow of the ship, and keeping an eye on the other kids.

Alicent pulling Daeron into her lap for cuddles at every opportunity.

Oldtown!

They arrange for baby nerds Helaena and Aemond to get a tour of the Citadel. They love it. Helaena is gifted a bug in amber.

Some Hightower kin shows Aemond the fused stone base of the Hightower and tells him about the competing theories of its history. Aemond is enthralled.

Alicent takes Criston to the Starry Sept. Maybe they redo their vows there?

Otto and Criston meet formally for the first time. Lean into all the meet-the-in-laws tropes for this scene, Otto really grills him. But later in private, Otto tells Alicent that he likes and approves of Criston — he’s been a fan of his since the day he beat Daemon.

Otto meeting Helaena for the first time since infancy, and her becoming his favorite grandchild.

Trip to the Arbor

They make a trip from Oldtown to the Arbor to visit Alicent’s maternal Redwyne kin.

The red tint in Alicent’s hair comes from the Redwyne side. Maybe she hennas her hair before they go to really bring it out? Her Redwyne family like seeing her mother’s traits in her.

Grandma Redwyne is still living. She fusses over Alicent and does the whole, “Oh, you look so much like your mother!” thing and Otto’s like, “I know, doesn’t she?”

Helaena is indirectly named after Alicent’s mother, who was named Elaine (Helene?)

Otto and Grandma Redwyne are mostly on good terms, but Alicent does overhear, once, Grandma Redwyne crying and berating Otto, “Why did you have to take your family with you to the capital? Why couldn’t you have left Elaine and the kids here with me? I would’ve taken care of them, and Elaine wouldn’t have caught the summer fever from that fetid city and she’d still be alive!”

Grandma Redwyne: Where in Dorne is your family from? Criston: *getting really uncomfortable* My mother was born on the coast of the Sea of Dorne. Grandma Redwyne: Ah. I don't know much about the northern coast, only the southern coast. My grandfather was a sailor out of Planky Town. He ran Arbor Gold all over, from Bear Island to Volantis. He never went to the north coast of Dorne, though, never went through the Stepstones. The pirates and all. Grandpa used to say that braving pirates' waters was for men without families waiting for them back home. Criston: *relaxes, smiles*

Return journy: Oldtown to King’s Landing

They travel by ship along the Dornish coast, through the Stepstones, and back to King’s Landing.

If the previous first two segments were the "let's talk about Alicent's family" section, this is "let's talk about Criston's family."

Aemond is sad about loosing his favorite brother. Criston assures him that Daeron will always be his brother. As he’s saying it, Criston realizes that while Aemond’s not loosing Daeron, he is. Daeron will always be their son and brother because blood, but Criston doesn’t have that to fall back on. Being the man that raised them is the only claim he has to these kids. If he’s not that to Daeron, then that’s it — Daeron won’t be his in the future. Criston has just lost him. He calls Alicent over, pushes Aemond off onto her, and then goes and cries in private.

Aegon learns sea shanties from the sailors, and sings them as loudly as he can. Aemond is super annoyed. Helaena surprises the parents by singing to.

Criston spends a lot of time looking at the Dornish coast, off the port side of the ship. At night he has a dream that they’re caught in a storm and shipwrecked on the shore. When people arrive on the beach to help them, he presents himself as a Dornishman and Alicent as his wife.

Sentimentality about Criston’s family as they pass by the Sea of Dorne. “My mother was born somewhere along there. A little village on the northern coast of Dorne.” “Blackhaven is somewhere that way. That’s where my family are.” Getting emotional and praying for his family, who he can only hope are still living since they’re illiterate smallfolk so he can’t write letters to them. The kids saying, “Let’s go to Blackhaven!” and Criston sadly having to explain that it’s an arduous trek through the mountains to get there, it’s not a coastal place they can easily tack onto their trip, people are expecting them back in King’s Landing, etc. Aemond saying, “Ok, fine, we’ll do that trip when Aegon’s king then.”

[alicole-sideblog]

I really wish I could draw well enough to do a scene from year 1 of Alicent and Criston's partnership, hanging out with the kids in her solar at the end of a long day.

Criston is playing with Aegon (3) in that roughhousing, wrestling, dad type way.

Helaena (1) is playing quietly in an autistic, in-her-own-world type way. Maybe lining up toys or straightening the tassels on the rug.

Alicent is sitting on the couch, exhausted after a long day of court nonsense, quietly watching Criston and the kids and rubbing her pregnant belly. An early display of Aemond's personality is that he kicks a lot in utero, but if Alicent rubs her belly he settles right down, basking in mama's attention.

The whole scene cast in buttery warm firelight.

[alicole-sideblog]

There's a common headcanon that Viserys wasn't there for the birth of Alicent's kids.

I disagree. I think he feels bad about Aemma's death and so he really pushed himself to attend Alicent's births to "face up to it" or something.

But of course, Alicent doesn't want him there. So I'm imagining Otto (for the first two births) and Criston (for the second two) trying to make that happen for her.

Before Aegon's birth, I see Otto being like, "No, let the king be there. This is an important moment of political theatre. He should see his heir, let him marvel at what you've done." But Alicent's in active labor, she's in pain, her composure is breaking. She's like, "I absolutely cannot handle playing the mild mannered wife right now. If he comes in I will curse him to all seven hells and ruin all the work we've done, so don't fucking let him in, Dad!" And Otto feels bad for her and caves. He goes and bars Viserys entry.

Criston, of course, is happy to keep Viserys out anytime, no questions asked.

During labor, it's relatively socially acceptable to not want to see Viserys. Even women who love their husbands have been known to be furious at them during labor. But after the baby's born, he's expected to be allowed in. Alicent is trying to have a family moment here, introducing her new baby to Otto or Criston and the older kids. She doesn't want Viserys crashing it. So they reluctantly let him in, and Otto or Criston have been assigned to usher him out as quickly as possible.

[alicole-sideblog]

Alicent and Criston and the kiddos, hiding out in Dorne for one reason or another. They've dyed the kids' hair to make them less recognizable as disappeared Targaryen princelings, but there's not much they can do about their eyes.

Dornishman: 👀 *low voice, trying to be tactful* Are they Dayne bastards?

Alicent & Criston: *have never been to Dorne before and had no idea who the Daynes are* …yes?

Dornishman: Ah. *nodes thoughtfully* That makes sense.

[alicole-sideblog]

I just heard this blended family anecdote about the first moment of stepparenting, and I need a version of it with Criston and toddler!Aegon.