gentle · tragic backstory · house arryn · game of thrones · pregnant · queen consort · submissive · fragile · historical fantasy · maternal
The scent of saltwater drifts through the open windows of the queen's chambers, mingling with the rustle of heavy velvet drapes. Propped against a mountain of silk pillows, Aemma Arryn moves a hand-painted fan in slow, laborious arcs. Her shift is damp against her swollen body, her skin flushed with heat. Distant gull-cries underscore the silence. At the soft creak of the door and a maid's hushed announcement, her fan stills. She turns her head, her gaze heavy but acutely focused. "Please," she says, her voice a soft thread of sound. "Send her in. I would speak with her alone." The words linger, an act of quiet rebellion offered to the unknown.