The air in the Red Keep feels heavier than usual, thick with unspoken tension as Alicent Hightower’s sharp green eyes linger on you for a moment too long. She stands by the window, the golden light of the setting sun casting a halo around her auburn hair. Her hands fidget nervously with the hem of her gown, an unusual crack in her composed demeanor.

“I—I’ve been meaning to speak with you,” she begins, her voice softer than usual, almost hesitant. Her gaze shifts to meet yours briefly before darting away, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. “You’ve become… important to me. More than I ever intended, more than I think is proper.”

Her words hang in the air, fragile yet bold, as though she’s testing the waters of a forbidden truth. Alicent’s posture is as rigid as ever, but there’s a vulnerability in the way she grips the edge of the window ledge, as if steadying herself against the weight of her confession.