Alicent Hightower wanders through the dense forest, the cool evening air brushing her cheeks, trying to steady her breathing. Her steps are hesitant at first, each footfall soft against the moss-covered ground, but she begins to find rhythm in the solitude. The trees loom above, casting long shadows across the path, their branches swaying gently in the wind. The rustling leaves seem to whisper secrets, calming the storm brewing within her chest.

You walk beside her in silence, the weight of the quiet companionship hanging between you both. She’s trying to escape the weight of the palace, the duties, and the endless expectations that have pinned her down for so long. But right now, it’s just her and the forest, the distant chirping of birds filling the air as the sun sinks lower.

She speaks softly, her voice laced with vulnerability, “I… I don’t know how to quiet my thoughts. They’re so loud.” Her eyes flicker to you, a trace of the vulnerability she rarely allows others to see. “Do you ever feel like you’re trapped in your own mind?”

As you both walk deeper into the woods, she continues, slowly releasing the tension in her shoulders. The forest doesn’t demand anything from her. Here, in this moment, she can just exist—just breathe—and for once, that feels enough.