Julianna Velaryon

Her lips parted, but no words came at first. The feel of his hand around hers, the way he pressed it to his chest like she was the only thing keeping him upright—it shattered something in her. "I do believe you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "That is the problem."

There was suddenly a relief flooding through him when she stepped closer to him. It was as though she were surrendering the life of happiness that was awaiting her for this, for him, for them. It was something that he wanted to wrap them both in without fear of letting anyone take it away from them.

Her breath hitched, and for a moment she looked ready to say yes. "Don’t say it like that," she whispered, fingers tightening around his. "Don’t make it sound like I haven’t imagined it."

Julianna's eyes stayed on the fire for a moment longer before she spoke, her voice quiet but steady. "Your words do ease me. I know she loves us—I’ve never doubted that. Only… with all that’s happened, I fear there’s little room left for what I want."

"I am glad to put you at ease." Rhaenys said. "You'll need to make sure that it doesn't happen. And you know your mother wouldn't want that to happen either."

Julianna gave a small, determined nod, her fingers brushing lightly against the cool stone of the window frame. "I know," she said softly. "I will not let it happen, not if I can help it. And I know she would want the same."

Julianna’s eyes searched his, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. "We leave and go where?" She asked quietly. "To Essos?" The idea clung to her, tempting, dangerous. A life with him. Just them.

He could imagine a life with her across The Narrow Sea, could imagine the burden of responsibility being lifted off of her shoulders once they were aboard a ship together. That was something that Rand could allow himself to dream of when the anxiousness of losing her became overwhelming.

Her lips parted, but no words came at first. The feel of his hand around hers, the way he pressed it to his chest like she was the only thing keeping him upright—it shattered something in her. "I do believe you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "That is the problem."

Her breath caught at his touch, eyes fluttering shut for just a moment. The warmth of his hand, the softness of his voice—it all made her ache in ways she tried so hard to hide. "Don’t..." She whispered, though she didn’t pull away. Her fingers found his wrist, not to stop him—but to feel him. Just for a little longer.

His own selfishness kicked in over the touch of her hand to his wrist, the look in her eyes. He hated to see her upset. It tore him apart inside to witness it, knowing that nothing he could do could help her. She deserved more than this, he just knew that she wouldn't grasp for it seeing as the decision had already been made.

Julianna’s eyes searched his, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. "We leave and go where?" She asked quietly. "To Essos?" The idea clung to her, tempting, dangerous. A life with him. Just them.

Julianna’s shoulders eased just a little at Baela’s warmth, the smallest flicker of relief in the weight pressing on her chest.

baela offered her cousin an arm, thinking of what could lift her spirits as they started walking down the hallway. ❝if you have a free morning on the morrow, we could go for a ride together.❞

Julianna glanced at Baela’s offered arm and hesitated for only a moment before slipping her own gently into the crook of it. The simple gesture was unexpectedly grounding.

Her throat tightened at his question. So simple, so gentle—and yet it cleaved through her like a blade. Julianna’s eyes didn’t leave his, though her expression shifted, softening into something fragile. "Need?" she echoed, almost to herself, as if uncertain of the word. "I—no. Nothing I have a right to ask of you."

The very thought of things changing, of him not being able to come to her like this tore him apart deep inside. He didn't want to lose her, he didn't want to have to look into her eyes and know that they were too far away from one another. What happened then? What peace could be had then? It didn't seem likely that either of them would feel anything of the sort when they were separated.

Her breath caught at his touch, eyes fluttering shut for just a moment. The warmth of his hand, the softness of his voice—it all made her ache in ways she tried so hard to hide. "Don’t..." She whispered, though she didn’t pull away. Her fingers found his wrist, not to stop him—but to feel him. Just for a little longer.

Julianna's throat tightened at her grandmother's words, and for a moment, she said nothing—just watched the fire flicker as if it might offer her a way to swallow the ache that had lingered too long beneath the surface. "I know," she said finally, her voice low. "She would stop. She always has for us, even when the world pulled at her from every side."

"That is what mother's do." Rhaenys said. "We do what we can to make sure that our children are happy." She said. She would do anything for her children to be back and still happy. She knew that Laena and Daemon had been happy.

Julianna's eyes stayed on the fire for a moment longer before she spoke, her voice quiet but steady. "Your words do ease me. I know she loves us—I’ve never doubted that. Only… with all that’s happened, I fear there’s little room left for what I want."

Julianna let out a soft breath—part sigh, part bitter laugh. "He is a prick," she said quietly. "But it’s not just him. It’s the way they all look at us—like we’re always one breath away from being exposed." She glanced down the corridor. "My brothers are already back in their chambers. Mother didn’t want a scene."

her lips lifted to a smile upon julianna's next words. it was true—she herself wasn't sure what she meant when she sprung up from her place at the supper and rushed after her cousin, but was glad that it was met with understanding. ❝nobody should bear this alone,❞ she said, the tone of her voice turning warm. ❝would you like to take a walk? or if it's too late i can accompany you to your chambers.❞

Julianna’s shoulders eased just a little at Baela’s warmth, the smallest flicker of relief in the weight pressing on her chest.

Julianna let out a quiet sigh, her fingers tightening slightly at her side. "I haven’t spoken with her yet," she admitted softly. "There’s... been so much happening. It feels like there’s never the right moment, or enough time."

"I understand." Rhaenys said. "Despite how much is happening if your mother knew you were unhappy and worried she would stop everything to listen to you." She said as she stepped toward her. "That is one thing I know about your mother." She said.

Julianna's throat tightened at her grandmother's words, and for a moment, she said nothing—just watched the fire flicker as if it might offer her a way to swallow the ache that had lingered too long beneath the surface. "I know," she said finally, her voice low. "She would stop. She always has for us, even when the world pulled at her from every side."

Julianna’s breath caught at his words, and for a moment, the careful composure she’d built around herself wavered. Her fingers twitched at her sides, yearning to bridge the space between them but restrained by the weight of unspoken promises. She lifted her gaze, steadying herself against the flood of memories and emotions.

He can see the restraint in her and it aches at the center of his chest, pulsing and twisting. He can remember when there were no boundaries between them, nothing at all to separate them from each other. There were no words that they couldn't say, nothing that they couldn't broach, yet here she stood full of hesitation.

Her throat tightened at his question. So simple, so gentle—and yet it cleaved through her like a blade. Julianna’s eyes didn’t leave his, though her expression shifted, softening into something fragile. "Need?" she echoed, almost to herself, as if uncertain of the word. "I—no. Nothing I have a right to ask of you."

Julianna startled slightly at the soft voice, but she didn’t turn around right away. The shadows from the flickering candles stretched long across the cold stone floor, and the quiet felt heavy.

but then her cousin spoke and baela let out a sigh of relief. she stepped closer to julianna, ready to offer any comfort, be it verbal or physical. ❝you shouldn't mind him. aemond's a prick,❞ she remarked. ❝and you don't have to return to the supper if you don't want to. nobody would criticize you for it.❞

Julianna let out a soft breath—part sigh, part bitter laugh. "He is a prick," she said quietly. "But it’s not just him. It’s the way they all look at us—like we’re always one breath away from being exposed." She glanced down the corridor. "My brothers are already back in their chambers. Mother didn’t want a scene."

The tension in the hall lingered after Aemond’s words, the air thick with unspoken anger. Julianna’s mother’s command cut through the silence. "Julianna, to your quarters. Now."

Without a glance back, Julianna lowered her gaze, the sting of the evening’s events still sharp in her chest. She moved quickly, her footsteps echoing as she left the room, the weight of everyone’s eyes on her. The further she walked, the more the tension seemed to press in, leaving her feeling small in the vast, cold corridors of the Red Keep.

when she finally found the brunette, it was in the middle of a quiet hallway. ❝there you are. i'm sorry for what my cousin had said.❞ the gods knew she had little love for aemond as well. ❝would you like some company? or would you prefer to be left alone?❞

Julianna startled slightly at the soft voice, but she didn’t turn around right away. The shadows from the flickering candles stretched long across the cold stone floor, and the quiet felt heavy.