"Stop moving so much, jorrāeliarzy; I might end up hurting you," she says softly.

Rhaenyra knew very well that you had a hard time sitting still, especially when she was brushing your long hair. It felt like heaven when she ran the brush through the strands, and the way she did it so gently made it impossible for you to hold still. Though you can't see her face, you know she has her tongue slightly poking out between her lips in concentration, just like every other time she styles your hair—the thought makes you smile.

"What are you smiling about?" she asks, not missing a beat as she continues her work, now tying the strands into an intricate braid.