The night passes agonizingly slowly as Astrid feels Aine's agitation rising almost untill midnight. And then nothing... She has no way of contacting Loras and she can't explain to anyone why she is so anxious.The morning comes and goes and everything passes by her unnoticed. Tamara's words at breakfast, Esmee's questions, Sansa's screaming at the favorite's meeting. She can't focus on anything, walking around like a zombie. When the time for the messager’s arrival comes she glues herself to the balcony, her eyes fixed on the road."What's up with you today?" Tamara asks for the third time before Astrid even notices she is standing next to her."I have a bad feeling." Astrid explains and the princess' smile vanishes."Don't scare me, Astrid..." She laughs nervously but says nothing else as she starts looking at the road herself. They end hours like this, in an anxiety-filled waiting."Lady Tamara, Lady Astrid." Bella calls them. "Lady Sansa asked for a harem meeting in the common room
The next day is chaos in the harem. Everyone is on edge and the lack of news from the battlefield creates even more tension. Tamara is constantly fighting with Sansa. Last evening, after they talked, she went to her older sister's room and threw Astrid's contraceptive tea at her. That apparently caused a whole different mess because, apparently, Sansa had feelings for James too and before the late king died, he agreed to marry them. "And no one knew?" Asks Astrid, grateful for the drama to distract herself. "No. They had dinner and he said he will summon James' father the next day to discuss. But in the morning, our father died." "And she told no one?" "Well, James is Loras' best friend. She knew my brother won't force him to marry Sansa just because she likes him. I guess she was waiting for an opportunity or trying to forget. I have no idea. I don't even know if James knew about any of this." "He would have told you." "I don't know. He always seemed to avoid Sansa but I just
"Guards!" Sansa shouts as Astrid sits frozen in front of her, reading over and over the letter in her hands."Your Grace... This letter is a lie!" Astrid finally comes into her senses only when the guards rip the piece of paper from her shaking hands and give it back to Sansa."Do you think I can't recognize my brother's writing? Or his signature?" She asks, puffing."It may be from him, but every word is a lie!" Astrid answers."Why would a rebellious prince caught in the middle of war write you, a mere slave a false love letter? Do you hear yourself?" Sansa turns her back to Astrid before she gets the chance to answer and signs the guard to take it away.Unfortunately... the way to the dungeon goes straight through the common room. During lunch.Astrid can hear the sound of spoons dropping from the girls' hands when she passes by, her eyes glued to the ground. They don't even whisper gossip anymore. They are so shocked, they just stare."Astrid?" Lanna shouts from above as she looks
"Tommen?" The world starts spinning around Astrid as she looks at the familiar face in front of her. There is no mistake. Tommen... This is Tommen. Loras' brother. But how... What kind of cruel magic is this? She... she just slept with him. No... she slept with Loras just earlier. She could see his face, his smile, his eyes. That was her love, her mate. When she turned around something changed. It was Tommen hurting her. She feels dirty. Even scratching the skin off her flesh won't make her feel the same again. Astrid falls to the ground, crying, while the prince starts laughing. "Astrid... you are my wife now... You promised Loras to marry me. Remember?" He asks again and again as his laugh slowly transforms into a demonic howl. "No!" Astrid creams as she opens her eyes. Everything is covered in the darkness around her so it takes a minute until she realizes she is still in the prison cell. Loras... or Tommen never came. It was just a nightmare. Just an image in her head... It
Astrid listens to Lanna's statement in a defeated silence. Tamara was right..."You were friends with lady Astrid since you came here, weren't you?" The favorite asks."Yes. We came from the same village so we knew each other even from before." Lanna answers."How would you describe her?""When we were little, all the boys were fascinated by her eyes. Grey like a storm. They would swirl around her at every moment, taking bets about who could tame the storm. Childish plays. But Astrid would just use it to torment the other girls. She would make everyone bully the pretty girls until they wouldn't show their faces around. I was lucky because she didn't see me as beautiful." Lanna tells her tearful story with such dramatics that Astrid can't help but roll her eyes.Enough! She gets it. It wasn't ok for Astrid to fall for Loras after he gave Lanna hope. It was a shitty thing to do and she is sorry for it. Lanna went through a lot because of that and even though not everything is on Astrid
Astrid first entered this palace wanting to die. She wanted to join her parents in a peaceful, blissful afterlife. Then she found reasons to stay alive. To prevent others from being brought in as her replacement, her friendship with Tamara, her curiosity about Loras. And finally... love. She was ready to face turmoil and pain just so can stay and right when that happened... She is dressed in a white, simple dress as she is paraded through the palace. A macabre crowd of spectators follows here to the gardens. Where the executioner is waiting. Such a beautiful day today, she thinks and then almost laughs at herself. So it is true that when you are about to die, the most random thoughts come to your head. Like your mind is trying to distract you from the fact that your life is about to end. The guards order her to kneel down on the black carpet that was lying in the middle of the garden. It's washed after every execution, but somehow, she can still smell the blood of the ones before he
Back in the palace, even the air itself is tense. Of course, Sansa stepped back, humiliated by Loras' pretty direct threat, but the rest of the girls are very understandably pissed by the fact that Astrid, condemned for betraying the king is safe and sound between them. "My mother was right. Men think with their dicks! And we thought the king would be any different..." A favorite sighs as others nod in agreement. Astrid insisted to stay in her room and take a bath in the middle of the night, but Tamara insisted to go. After all, everyone already thinks she is given special treatment, walking around after curfew would just hammer the final the nail in the coffin. So now, she needs to sit here and take all the remarks thrown at her. "I wonder if she thinks that highly of herself. It's not like she's beautiful or talented. She's just a good slut." "You heard what her friend said. Of course, she's a good slut. She fucked everyone in her village." Thankfully, Astrid is done very quick
"Astrid! How did you do that?" Tamara shouts with her eyes still closed. She opened them when they fell on Aine's back, but she closed them again when she realized she was flying through the clouds."Long story." Astrid answers. She wants to tell Tamara everything, but right now... the feeling of freedom she has as the wind caresses her hair at the top of the world. It's addictive.She remembers the faces of the concubines when she jumped over the balcony, pulling everyone after her. The shocks, the relief. They were scared to hurt the princess. They hoped Tamara wouldn't oppose when they realized they were wrong, they panicked. When Astrid jumped, they must have thought she decided to kill herself and take everyone that could stand witness against them with her. No blood on their hands, no one remaining to accuse them.Until they saw the dragon. The shadow of Aine's huge body swiped through the sky so fast, that no one was able to comprehend what was happening. When they finally did,