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THEJOURNEY back to the Red Keep was a somber one. The familiar landscape stretched before Eleanor as she and her small party made their way across the winding roads. Fionn rode beside her, silent but ever watchful, his dark green cloak fluttering in the evening wind. Behind them, a handful of loyal knights followed, the steady clopping of hooves the only sound breaking the stillness of the late afternoon.
They had been riding for hours, and the sun was beginning its slow descent toward the horizon, casting long shadows over the land. Eleanor felt the weariness in her bones, the weight of what awaited her at the Red Keep gnawing at the edges of her mind. But outwardly, she remained composed—her gaze fixed ahead, her posture as unyielding as ever.
Fionn glanced at her from beneath his hood, his voice low when he finally spoke. "We should set up camp for the night. We'll reach the city by tomorrow, but there's no need to push the horses any harder."
Eleanor nodded, her gaze drifting toward a patch of trees just off the road. "There," she said, pointing to a clearing near the tree line. It was secluded enough for safety, but still close enough to the road for a swift departure at dawn.
The group turned their mounts toward the clearing, the cool air carrying the faint scent of pine and earth as they rode into the shaded area. Eleanor dismounted, her boots sinking into the soft ground as she took in their surroundings. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, the last traces of sunlight filtering through the canopy, casting an orange glow over the scene.
Fionn directed the knights to gather firewood while he began tending to the horses. Eleanor, meanwhile, walked a few paces away, her eyes scanning the landscape as her mind wandered. She had spent years away from the Red Keep, and yet, the thought of returning filled her with an unsettling mix of anticipation and dread. The halls she once knew as home would be teeming with old enemies, whispers of her absence, and the political games she had long since abandoned.
But she couldn't stay away forever.
As dusk settled in, the knights set to work, building a fire that crackled and hissed, casting flickering shadows across the camp. The smell of smoke mingled with the night air as Fionn approached Eleanor, his expression thoughtful.
"Not exactly a feast at the Red Keep, but it'll do," he said with a half-smile, offering her a piece of bread from his pack.
Eleanor took it, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. "I've had worse."
They ate in silence for a while, the crackle of the fire and the rustling of the trees the only sounds between them. Eleanor found herself lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the flickering flames. The journey had been long and tiring, but the real challenge was yet to come. She had been away for years—so much had changed. Viserys now sat on the Iron Throne, her brother wearing a crown that once seemed so far out of reach. Daemon, too, had forged a new life, one that no longer included her. She wondered if they even thought of her at all.
