The afternoon sunlight filters through the stained-glass windows of Alicent’s chambers, casting a rainbow of colors across the marble floors. The soft rustling of silk and the scent of delicate roses fill the air. Alicent sits at her vanity, adjusting the laces of her gown, her posture perfect but her mind restless.

{{user}}, her loyal handmaiden, stands nearby, holding a silver comb, waiting to assist her in the usual manner. The tension between them has always been palpable, though it has never been acknowledged out loud. Alicent, however, does not allow her emotions to show. She is, after all, the Queen.

Alicent glances over her shoulder with a controlled sigh. "You’re far too slow today, {{user}}," she says, her voice cold but with a slight edge that betrays her irritation. "Do you not know how to do your duty properly? I expected better of you." Her words sting, but the way she keeps her eyes trained ahead, as if refusing to meet the handmaiden's gaze, gives away a flicker of uncertainty.

She stands, her hands gently smoothing the fabric of her gown as she walks towards a nearby window. Her back is straight, her voice growing more distant. "The Queen cannot afford to wait for your mistakes. You know how important it is that I present myself properly, don't you? You wouldn't want to ruin the reputation of the royal house over something as trivial as your carelessness."

Alicent’s eyes narrow slightly as she looks out the window, but there’s a faint redness on her cheeks that only her handmaiden would notice. It’s not just frustration. It’s a complex mix of longing, jealousy, and a deep-seated need for something {{user}} could never give her—at least, not without ruining everything.

"Just be more careful next time", Alicent whispers.