Alyssa Tyrell

**Alyssa Tyrell**, also commonly called 'the Rose of the Reach', is the younger sister of Victor, and the daughter of the late Garth and Alys Tyrell. Renowned for her beauty, Alyssa is a social animal, mentored by her grandmother Elinor in the nuances of courtly intrigue.

As the daughter of the most powerful family in the Reach, Alyssa has lived a life of great ease and privilege.

## Appearance

> "*A delicate maid... a dainty body and skin unblemished. It were as though he were staring upon the Maiden herself. All he could do was pray she would return his gaze from across the yard*." - The Hightower Boy, recounting seeing her at the Tourney of King's Landing.
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Alyssa is often regarded as one of the most beautiful maidens in the Seven Kingdoms. She shares the typical Tyrell features of brown hair and brown eyes, with a slender frame and delicate proportions, Alyssa has high arched brows, a round face with a prominent chin and a small, rounded nose.

## Biography

### Backstory

> "*The sounds her mother had made as she faded from the world had haunted Alyssa."*
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Alyssa was born at Highgarden on a warm summer day in 135 AC. Alyssa's earliest memories are of sitting on her mother's lap as she sat in the gardens with her grandmother at the age of five. Alyssa's life would change in her sixth year: a sickness took hold of her mother, burning through her quickly and brutally.

Alys Tyrell lingered for a fortnight before the sickness finally took her. There was only one person who spoke to the young girl plainly, and offered her words of sympathy - her grandmother, Elinor.

#### Education

> "*I never understood why my friends dreamed of their own Florian. I always found myself drawn to Jonquil."* - Alyssa Tyrell.
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It wasn't long after Lady Alys' funeral that lady Elinor took Alyssa under her wing, and soon the pair were rarely seen apart. Being a noble lady, Alyssa was taught many things, from singing and dance, to courtly etiquette, to things as simple as proper sewing technique.

As time went on, Lady Elinor learnt that her granddaughter was a natural in the world of politics. Under her guiding hand, Alyssa learnt how to use all the things that came naturally to her; her grace and elegance, her beauty and wit, all these things and more were refined and shaped until Alyssa had mastered the courts of Highgarden and the Reach. Education in politics and subterfuge isn't the only thing that took up Alyssa's time; however, she was still a young girl after all. And as such, spent a lot of time with other daughters of noble houses, be they her mother's handmaidens or daughters of lords she was to cultivate lifelong friendships with.

After some time, Johanna Hightower came to stay at Highgarden. By the week's end, the two girls were practically inseparable, until Johanna was to be sent off to marry a Marcher Lord in the Stormlands. Another great friend of Alyssa was Elyn Flowers whose death in a tourney deeply saddened her. Having witnessed the incident first-hand, she fainted the instant she saw Elyn's wound.

### The Reign of Dragons

Alyssa is shown to prompt charities and aid for the weakest among the Reach's citizenry that include generous food donations to the poor, monetary aid to orphanages, shelters for widowed women and septs. All these acts of kindness and more have earned Alyssa the love of the Reach. From Old Oak to the Arbor, from Ashford to Highgarden, none hold an ill thought to "The Rose of the Reach". The smallfolk especially are known to view her in an almost-saintly manner.

She is seen fetching Elinor to tell her that Victor has returned from hunting and, some time later, discovers Victor in bed with Denyse Redwyne. She tells him that their grandmother is waiting to talk to him and, once they are in the Gardner Throne Room together, they begin to talk about the incoming wedding party that includes the King and his sons, Vaegon and Aerion. In this discussion, Elinor also expresses that she intends to have Alyssa marry into the Targaryen family. As with the other members of her family, she greets Aeric, Vaegon, and Daelaena when they arrive, and though initially shocked by the sight of their dragons, Victor helps to put her at ease. Her beauty swiftly catches the attention of Aeric, who's leering she manages to bear gracefully. Likely wishing to avoid the king's advances, she joins her brother on an outing the day after, where Victor spots her alongside Daelaena in the midst of his own conversation with Vaegon.

## Personality

Alyssa is reputed to be sweet, kind-hearted and caring, and shows respect and dignity to highborn and smallfolk alike. Famed for her generosity and open-handedness, Alyssa's image of perfection and regal benevolence has been carefully cultivated and pruned for most of her life like the most beautiful rose with the sharpest of thorns.

In truth, Alyssa is an intelligent, cunning and shrewd woman who has benefited greatly from growing up as Lady Elinor's protégé. Under her grandmother's tutelage, Alyssa was shaped into one of house Tyrell's most potent players. She is a young woman who completely understands her strengths and how best to utilize them to get what she wishes.

Alyssa is shown to have a general lack of ambition, much to her grandmother's chagrin. Alyssa does not play politics in hopes of wearing a crown or acquiring power, she instead enjoys the thrill of smug satisfaction after tricking those around her, or looking in an opponent's eyes once they realize she outplayed them, and no-one will ever believe them.

Moreover, Alyssa can be reckless at times, especially once comfortable or bored. Alyssa is never more dangerous than when she is bored (particularly to herself). She is also prone to cattiness and rude backhanded behaviour when angry. She is also surprisingly inexperienced; while she has mastered the Reach, she has no experience with any of the other kingdoms and has never been far from her grandmother.

When around those she truly loves and trusts, Alyssa's more playful nature comes out. She has a dry wit and enjoys making quips and jokes that most ladies should not make. She also has a sweet, yet teasing relationship with her brother, and enjoys poking at him and his lust for glory and battle, despite being a true tourney knight.