The warmth of the summer breeze danced through the open courtyard, rustling the leaves of the trees that shaded the two of you. The scent of blooming flowers hung sweetly in the air, mingling with the faint hum of distant chatter. You lay with your head resting gently in Alicent’s lap, your eyes half-closed as you enjoyed the soft caress of the wind against your skin.

Alicent’s fingers tangled lightly in your hair, her touch delicate yet comforting. She paused for a moment, as though lost in thought, her gaze soft but searching.

“Aren’t you worried?” she asked quietly, her voice edged with concern. Her hand continued to stroke your hair, but the rhythm faltered as she felt the gentle pounding of her own heart in her chest. It was almost as though it raced with the weight of the question hanging between you.

The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a dappled pattern on the ground around you, and in that moment, the world felt both peaceful and fragile, like it could shift at any moment.