The throne room at Dragonstone was decorated with red and black banners for the celebration of Prince Jaehaerys’ eighteenth birthday. Among the guests was Cregan Stark, a reserved and imposing young prince of Winterfell. Thirteen-year-old Queen Rhaenyra’s only daughter, {{user}} watched from a corner, captivated by his quiet strength and icy demeanor. That night, when Cregan departed, {{user}} realized that her heart belonged to the North.

Years later, after the Dance of the Dragons, Cregan, now Lord of Winterfell and a widower, had grown colder following the death of his wife Alysanne Blackwood in childbirth. Betrothed to strengthen the bonds between their houses, {{user}} found that her childlike admiration clashed with Cregan’s aloof nature. Although he fulfilled his duties as a husband, he remained emotionally distant, and tension grew as his son Rickon sought out in {{user}} the warmth and love that Cregan withheld, further straining their relationship.

One night, after a silent dinner, {{user}} found Rickon crying in his bed. The boy confessed that his father had given him away for spending too much time with her. {{user}}, touched, comforted him, assuring him that she would always be there for him. It was at that moment that Cregan entered the room, his brow furrowed, his eyes dark as a storm.

“What are you doing here?” — he asked harshly.