It's rare to see Loras hesitate. Not because of arrogance, but because he thinks about his decisions thoroughly before he starts acting towards them, so when the time comes, the outcomes never surprises him. Until now."The fact that you felt unseen. Unheard. That is not an excuse for this bloodbath. Yes, you betrayed me for my own faults, but those people who died for it, what blame do they have?" He points at the prisoners that are sitting on their knees, waiting to hear their fate."I am done with explanations, brother. You can use your imagination to fill the gaps in my story. Assume the worse and it will be fine." Tommen rolls his eyes like this stretch of his life is too bothersome to deal with."You are right. No explanation will excuse what you and your supporters did. Everyone will get their pay." Loras shakes his head, but his words seem to have triggered something inside Tommen, because the rebellious prince's facade cracks. He rises his head, a bit of panic in his eyes."S
It feels like forever since Astrid had stepped foot in the palace. The place was starting to feel like a home when she left, but now the walls seem cold, and the air is tense.The guards salute the king, but as they pass them, she sees them exchanging looks.A maid greets them at the harem entrance and tells Loras that Lady Sansa is waiting for him in her room."She should have been here to wait for the king. The entire harem should have been here!" Tamara comments and Loras signals her to calm down."It is quiet around. What happened?" Loras asks the maid that looks rather uncomfortable."Maybe Lady Sansa would be more fit to answer You majesty's questions...." She answers trying to take a step back,but Loras stops her."I asked you. Now answer!""Your Majesty..." She tries to avoid saying ore, but Loras throws her a warning look and she gets pale as a ghost. "The ladies of the harem were getting quite old... Lady Sansa decided to move them to the old palace until they could be marri
"I love Omar. He is the only family I truly have left. I will protect him from everything and anyone if I have to. Including you." Sansa says as she looks at Loras with a fierce expression, but her words made the king angry. "You? You want me to believe you did all of this to protect Omar from me? How exactly would that have worked? Tommen would have named him heir?" Loras asks sarcastically laughing. Sansa rolls her eyes. "Tommen wanted Omar before he even became king. And believe me or not, I have all the faith that he wouldn't have hurt him, but I was not so sure about the rest that would have circled him like vultures. But no, I wouldn't have risked placing him in Tommen's hands regardless." "Then?" "Do you think that Tommen would have lasted more than a year on the throne? He would have been the traitorous fool that overthrew a great king, the people would have revolted. And what better option would have been than the son of the great Loras Dardarian? He would have been the n
"Maid!" Loras calls again, the frustration in his voice palpable. "Call the officer's wife in here. Immediately!""Yes, Your majesty.""She did nothing to make you question her story?" Astrid asks again, but Alex shakes his head. His eyes are on the ground, ashamed of the situation he got himself into."If I wanted to get rid of a witness do you think I would have married her with an officer from the place?" Sansa shouts, exasperated at the situation. And for the first time since she knows her, can't say she blames her."Well, that can be said the other way around... Why did you let her to marry a palace officer when you wanted to get rid of the girls that played into the revolt scheme?" Loras turns to his older sister, but it doesn’t even sound like an accusation, rather, an amused question at this point.Sansa lets out a huge sight and falls down on her chair."The girl was doomed because she did what I pushed her to do. When he came declaring how much he loves her I thought I can o
"He just stormed off?" Tamara asks, pacing around her room, still dressed in her nightgown."Without a word..." Astrid sits down, on the sofa, feeling hallow inside. She should have told him... Initially, she was mad at whoever brought this letter to him, then at herself because she wrote it down, and then at Loras because he just walked away. But as time passed, she realized that she only had herself to blame. She knows Loras, she knows he wouldn't have been against her wishing to take some time before a child, he would have supported her. Then why on earth did she feel the need to lie?"Who gave him that? What was in your head when you wrote that?" The princess asks, repeating Astrid's circle of blame."I don't know. I woke up and he was in the study room, reading it. As for why... I thought I was dying, I didn't want that lie to live forever in between us.""Astrid that is by law, treason against the king! Even if he forgives you, it can still cause a mess. Who had access to it?" T
"Did Alex know?" The moment of hesitation makes Astrid wonder, but Lanna shakes her head."I will ask the king for mercy." Astrid says, despite wanting to know Alex's version of events, but regardless of that, Lanna incriminated herself even more just for a chance to save him. She doubts that she is lying, this time. Not only that, but the desperation in her eyes makes her think that her feelings are deeper than love at a first glance."Thank you... Astrid, thank you!" She cries, grabbing the corner of Astrid's sleeve and missing it.Embarrassed by the gesture, Astrid stapes back and leaves the room without saying another word."Alex!" She calls.The poor man almost jumps at the sound of someone calling his name. He was talking with Tamara in the hallway."Yes, Lady Astrid.""Do you love her?" Astrid asks and he is taken back for a moment before letting his head down."I made a promise and..." He tries to explain, but she interrupts him."That's not what I asked."Alex clears his voic
"I will let each of you say whatever you want to say before I begin. So?" Loras asks looking at each of them."Please don't look at Omar any different because of me... If a punishment is in order it should be only mine." Lysa jumps the boat before any of them could and Astrid looks confused at Tamara. The princess is surprised too."Why can't you understand that Omar is my son as much as he is yours? I am tired of everyone trying to protect him from me. For the love of God, if I wanted to get rid of my own child, not you, not Sansa, not this entire world would be able to stop me. But why on Earth would I want that?" Loras loses his calm for a second. The frustration is clear in his eyes as they throw fire daggers at Lysa."History proves that this can change. He is a child now. No one thinks you would hurt your child, but once he grows? Once you're both men that disagree with each other?" Lysa doesn't back down."So you just try to accelerate this supposed process? You spend the most
Wife? How would that even work? The king is not allowed to marry. He has a harem. The laws. After a war, everything is unstable. This entire thing can be disastrous. No one would support such a thing. How would the laws of succession work if they would be married?There are a million reasons why this is a bad idea. There are even more reasons why she should say no. He shouldn't even ask such a doomed question.But...There is a reason why her answer is going to be yes. Because she loves him. And if that's not enough, then nothing is."Yes..." She whispers, still shocked. "Yes... " A bit louder this time."Yes yes yes!" She shouts with excitement.The ring is gorgeous. A black teardrop diamond in the middle, surrounded by a dozen of smaller, white ones, giving a grey reflection. Just like her eyes.Loras gets up and kisses her. A kiss not filled with lust, not filled by attraction, but one filled with smiles, joy and laughter."But how this will even work? The laws?" She asks after the