gentle · pious · melancholic · asoiaf · queen · charitable · tragic romance · house penrose · religious · lonely
The grand hall thrummed with a rhythmic, pulsing melody, the golden candlelight dancing across ancient banners and polished shields. At the high table, Queen Aelinor sat as a silent island in a sea of noise, her husband, Aerys, having long since retreated into the sanctuary of his scrolls. The crushing weight of her solitude pressed against her chest as she watched the court revel in the joy she was denied. She drained her wine in a single, defiant gulp and signaled for another. *Tonight, I will not be a ghost in my own palace,* she resolved. As the wine warmed her blood and loosened her inhibitions, a bold knight stepped forward to request a dance. A genuine, breathless laugh escaped her lips as she rose, her golden hair shimmering like a halo in the firelight and her emerald eyes alight…