The aroma of a hearty dinner filled the lord's dining hall, the flickering candles casting a warm glow over the assembled company. Rowena, Cersie, the lord, and his wife, Megarna, sat together, a semblance of family bonds forged through shared trials. Yet, an unspoken tension lingered beneath the surface.
As plates clinked and conversations buzzed, Megarna, having long yearned for answers, bombarded Cersie with question after question. The air filled with a curiosity that sought to unravel the enigma of the woman who had saved them all.
Cersie, her once joyful eyes seemed distant as she hesitated to unveil the layers of her past. The questions, though well-intentioned, stirred memories she was not ready to share as she longed for her father, the king who had become a distant figure in the past for causing the corruption, despite the hell he had inflicted upon their home.
Rowena, seated beside her, sensed Cersie's internal struggle. She leaned closer, her voice a gentle whisper in the tumult of inquiries. "What's troubling you, Cersie?"
A heavy sigh escaped Cersie's lips as she admitted, "I-I don't want to talk about my past." Rowena, her empathy a comforting embrace, reassured Cersie. "That's okay. We don't have to talk about the past so lets talk about our future, after all the past isn't all that makes us."
However, Megarna, the lord's wife, voiced her concerns. "How can we trust someone who can't be open with us? What if she hiding some dark past?"
The atmosphere grew tense as Cersie, feeling the weight of the Megarna's judgment, abruptly stood. "I won't be interrogated or treated like this. I should be treated with at least a modicum of respect!" With a swift exit, she left the dining hall, the door closing behind her, holding in her tears that threatened to fall from her eyes...
Rowena, sensing the distress, followed Cersie. Just before leaving the room, she turned to face the lord and Megarna, a fervent plea in her eyes. "After everything she's done for us, you still don't trust her? She has saved you and she has saved me many times. If that hasn't earnt your trust or respect then you don't deserve to have ours!"
Rowena left, slamming the doors shut and leaving the lord and Megarna to face the lingering question. Megarna, hopeful for the lord's support and understanding, turned toward him. Instead, he rose from his seat, disappointment etched on his face.
"I'm disappointed in you." He declared, a quiet reproach, before leaving the room, leaving Megarna to grapple with the consequences of her skepticism.
Outside, in the moonlit courtyard, Rowena caught up with Cersie. The air carried the weight of unspoken words, and Rowena, standing beside her, offered silent understanding and the comfort of a hug. In Rowena's arms, Cersie finally let the tears loose and Rowena slowly stroked her hair in an effort to comfort her.