Isolde and Harry Collett had been together for a few years now, the kind of relationship that had grown steady and warm with time. Over the past months, Harry had grown closer than ever with his castmates from House of the Dragon, and he’d invited Isolde along for a weekend lake trip with them. It wasn’t about work this time—no scripts, no set talk. Just sunshine, water, and a break from the spotlight.

They were all hanging out on a boat that Matt Smith had rented for the day—his idea of a relaxing getaway. Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Phia Saban, Ewan Mitchell, and Tom Glynn-Carney had all come along, sprawled out with drinks, towels, and sunglasses, soaking in the breeze.

Isolde sat on the edge of the boat with Olivia and Phia, chatting and laughing quietly, one hand resting absentmindedly over her belly. Only five weeks pregnant, she hadn’t said a word yet. It was too early to tell anyone but Harry. Still, her body already felt a little different, a bit more tender, a bit more careful. She was glowing in a way the others couldn’t quite place.

The guys, though friendly, had been sizing her up all day—protective of Harry in a brotherly way. Ewan had whispered something to Matt earlier, something about hoping Isolde wasn’t “another actress type trying to ride the wave.” But none of them had seen how gently Harry held her hand in the morning when she was nauseous, or how she cried laughing at his dumbest jokes. They didn’t know.

“Come on, babe!” Harry’s voice rang out as he cannonballed into the lake with a splash, resurfacing with water slicking his curls to his face. “It’s perfect out here!”

Isolde shaded her eyes and smiled down at him. “It’s cold,” she called back, still perched on the edge in a breezy sundress, legs swinging.

Harry floated on his back, grinning up at her with that boyish charm that made everyone forget he was a grown man. “I’ll buy you anything you want,” he called teasingly. “Chocolate, gold, one of those ridiculous pink bathtubs you keep showing me on Instagram.”