𝑨 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒉 𝑶𝒇 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒔 // 𝑨𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒏 𝑰𝑰 𝑻𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒚𝒆𝒏

10. A Royal Pain

The servants had just finished setting the last of the dishes on the table and were making the final touches to the arrangement when Alyssa entered her chamber. They froze, their eyes darting between the half-finished task and their returning mistress.

She played them no mind though, ignoring their unsure looks and blinks. With a weary sigh she removed her cloak, and discarded the garment with a careless toss onto a nearby chair. She was tired of feeling this way, she was tired of the constant fear, guilt, worry and grief. However, much to her dismay, she knew it was far from over.

Quickly, the servants composed themselves and offered their greetings to her. "Your grace" one of them said, bowing briefly. "We have just finished setting the table. Is there anything you require?"

Alyssa gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, but her mind was elsewhere. She didn't seem to notice or care much about the state of the table or the servants' presence. Her thoughts were still preoccupied with her conversation with Rowan and Aegon. The servants exchanged glances, recognizing the worry etched on her face. They knew better than to bother her when she was in such a mood, and they quickly finished their tasks before quietly exiting the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Despite the servants' discreet exit, Tanya lingered. Alyssa sank into a chair and ran a hand through her hair, a weary gesture that spoke of her exhaustion. The meeting had gone well, but it did not help.

Tanya watched her, a worried expression on her face. Alyssa could see her out of the corner of her eye, hovering like a shadow, waiting patiently for her to speak. But Alyssa's mind was preoccupied, and she seemed unable to find the words.

The silence in the room was tense, and Alyssa was acutely aware of Tanya's presence. She knew that her friend was waiting for some sort of explanation, some sort of insight into her troubled thoughts. She looked up at Tanya, her eyes meeting her friend's concerned ones. She could sense her friend's desire to talk, and she knew it would help to share her burden, even if it was just a small part of it.

"If you have something on your mind, speak it, Tanya. Don't hold back."

Her words were an invitation, an open door for Tanya to express her thoughts and concerns without hesitation. Alyssa knew that her friend's opinion was one she valued and trusted. Perhaps some sound advice from her oldest friend would help her make sense of the chaos in her mind.

"Are you alright?"

"When am I ever?" She replied with a little laugh. She picked up her goblet and raised it to her lips, taking a sip of the cool water within. The liquid refreshed her, but it did little to ease the tension in her thoughts. "I wish I didn't despise the taste of wine," she murmured, "Because I could use a strong drink right now."

Her words were tinged with a hint of bitterness, a reflection of her current mood. Alyssa was not one for alcohol, but she knew that it sometimes helped to blunt the edges of her worries away. But alas, her dislike for the taste and the effect it had on her control prevented her from indulging in such substances.

Tanya smiles softly, "We have some Ale."

Alyssa couldn't help but smile softly at Tanya's comment. "Ale?" she repeated, her eyes holding a glimmer of humor. "I suppose that will suffice. Not exactly my idea of a 'strong drink', but beggars can't be choosers."

She watched as Tanya moved to a nearby sideboard, taking down a slender wine carafe and filling a shallow cup with the dark brown liquid. Alyssa waited patiently, her eyes following her friend's movements. She knew that Tanya only wanted the best for her, and that this small act was her way of trying to ease her troubles.