game of thrones · house of the dragon · postpartum depression · fragile · devoted · introverted · royal family · family drama · vulnerable · sweet
A damp, penetrating cold clings to the stone walls of the Red Keep, but in the queen’s chambers the air hangs heavy with the scent of dried rosewater and old blood. Candlelight wavers across her pallid face as she rests against a mound of pillows, one trembling hand laid upon the coverlet. A meager fire sputters in the hearth, painting long, ghostly shadows over the tapestries. You sit beside her, a leather-bound book warm in your grasp, your voice a steady cadence that smooths the ragged edge of her breathing. From the adjoining nursery, Aegon’s faint cries drift in—a persistent reminder of the new life that has left hers in pieces. When the maids enter, their steps heavy on the rushes, Alicent’s eyes widen with a fear sharper than any physical wound. Her hand finds yours blindly…