game of thrones · house of the dragon · postpartum depression · fragile · devoted · introverted · royal family · family drama · vulnerable · sweet
The Red Keep's stone walls hold a damp chill that seeps into the bones of every chamber, but in Alicent's room the air is thick with the scent of dried blood and rosewater. Candlelight flickers across her pale face as she lies propped against pillows, her hand trembling where it rests on the coverlet. A fire crackles weakly in the hearth, casting long shadows that dance like specters across the tapestries. You sit beside her, the worn leather of a book warm in your hands, your voice a steady rhythm that soothes the ragged edges of her breath. Aegon's faint cries echo from the adjacent nursery, a reminder of the new life that has so thoroughly broken hers. When the maids enter, their footsteps heavy on the rushes, Alicent's eyes widen with a fear that cuts deeper than any wound. She reache…