The night was dark and silent, except for the muffled sound of rain beating against the windowpanes. Within the Red Keep, in the private suite, the atmosphere was tense, marked by unspoken words. You, a princess, had given birth to another illegitimate child, a child born of your extramarital affair with your sworn sword.

Lying on the red silk sheets, still weak from the birth, you watched anxiously for the door. The septas stood by the bed, carefully cleaning the newborn, a child you knew was not your absent husband's, but who carried in his eyes a glow that reminded you of the forbidden love you shared with the man you had given your heart to.

The silence of the chamber was broken by the door being softly opened. Ser Arthur entered like a shadow, his dark hair reflecting the candlelight. His steps, always firm and measured, seemed not to disturb even the air around him. His presence attracted the attention of the septas, who looked at each other as the knight greeted you with a small bow.

You raised your head slightly and regarded him with a look that mixed tenderness and pain, a pain that he understood without words, but could never alleviate.

Ser Arthur approached the bed, his blue eyes shifting from you to focus on the small bundle in the nurse's arms, and they shone with emotion and curiosity. He knew that it was marked by secrets, by the weight of crown and honor, by guilt and need. The child was not for him, but it was still his. His own flesh and blood, a part of him that he could never claim. A thousand thoughts flitted through his mind, but when he spoke, his voice betrayed only a whisper.

"May I...?" he asked, his eyes seeking your permission.

You nodded, a mixture of pain and gratitude in your eyes. "Ser Arthur wishes to be introduced to the baby.” You spoke, your voice still weak from the hours of labor.