The night within the Ivory Cloud Palace was hushed, the silence of the marble halls contrasting with the heat radiating inside the guest chambers.
Alaric did not hold back. he spent the night systematically dismantling the princess's innocence. The encounter was a marathon of physical dominance that pushed Myrcella far beyond her limits.
The morning light through the crystal walls revealed a room that bore testament to the "brutal" nature of Alaric's training.
Myrcella lay sprawled across the disheveled crimson furs, her pale skin a canvas of dark purple love bites and fingerprints.
The ivory silk sheets were marked with the unmistakable crimson stain of her lost maidenhead, a stark reminder of the "narrowness" Alaric had forcefully overcome.
His release was evident everywhere—sticky white traces drying across her flat stomach, the small of her back, and even a faint streak across her flushed cheek.
Alaric sat on the edge of the bed, buckling his sword belt. He looked back at the girl, who was currently too weak to even pull the furs over her shivering frame. He leaned over, pressing a lingering, possessive kiss to her swollen lips.
"Get washed, Myrcella," Alaric rumbled, his voice rough with post-coital satisfaction.
Myrcella didn't even open her eyes. She let out a tiny, broken whimper, her fingers curling weakly into the furs.
"Later... please," she muttered, her voice a raspy thread. "I'm too tired to move... everything aches."
Alaric leaned down, the leather of his armor creaking slightly as he shifted his weight. He rested his hand on the mattress right next to her head, his breath brushing against her ear.
"Don't worry," he muttered, his voice a low, rough rumble. "You'll recover soon enough. Rest today. I'll send one of the maids in later to draw a hot bath and help you wash up."
Myrcella didn't answer. She just let out a faint, breathy sigh and turned her face deeper into the plush pillow.
Alaric grabbed the edge of the heavy crimson furs. He pulled the thick blanket up over her bare shoulders, completely covering her bruised skin and hiding the messy ivory sheets from the morning sun.
He lingered for a second, watching the slow, exhausted rise and fall of her chest under the furs, before he turned away.
He walked across the heated marble floor, his boots making no sound. He grabbed the iron handle of the heavy oak door, pulled it open, and stepped out into the quiet, sunlit corridor of the Palace. The door clicked shut behind him, locking the guest chambers.
Alaric stopped right in the middle of the empty hallway. He didn't take another step. He just crossed his arms over his chest.
"System," he said quietly.
The air in front of him warped. A translucent blue screen flickered to life, its crisp light reflecting in his dark eyes. The text rapidly scrolled across the interface.
The blue interface flared with a brilliance Alaric hadn't seen since the battle for the city, the text scrolling with rapid-fire intensity as it tallied the results of the night.
[MISSION COMPLETE: THE LION'S PRIDE]
Objective: Claim the Lannister bloodline. [SUCCESS]
Bloodline Siphon: Lannister Genetic Traits acquired.
[SOVEREIGN BOND: MYRCELLA LANNISTER]
Status: Bond Level 1 Complete.
Affection/Loyalty: 92/100 (Absolute Devotion).
MP Payout: +5,000 MP (Bloodline Bonus).
New Ability: Golden Resilience (Passive).
Effect: Massive boost to natural charisma and administrative focus. Reduces mental fatigue by 50% for the User and all Bonded partners.
[BLESSING UPGRADE: THE BLESSING OF THE SUN II]
Old Status: Immunity to heat; limitless stamina in direct sunlight.
New Status: Absolute Thermal Mastery: Immune to all forms of heat, including magical and Abyssal flames.
Radiant Presence: In daylight, the User projects an aura that increases the morale and physical power of all summons by 25%.
High-Noon Regeneration: Physical wounds heal instantly under direct sunlight.
[CURRENT SYSTEM STATUS]
[MP Balance 8,420 MP ]
Active Bonds
[Sansa (Lvl 2), Roslin (Lvl 2), Margaery (Lvl 2), Myrcella (Lvl 1) ]
[Summons Active]
[20 Black Night Maids, 25 Blood Knights, 2 Gargoyles, 3 Dire-Wolves, 1 Lesser Devil (Dae), 4 Blood Scouts ]
Alaric let out a long, slow breath. The exhaustion from the night vanished, replaced by a clarity so sharp it was almost painful.
He swiped the screen away. Twenty thousand points. It was a start, but with Dae returning from the Iron Islands and Stannis digging in at Storm's End.
Alaric swiped the blue screen away. Eight thousand, four hundred and twenty points. It was a start, but with Dae returning from the Iron Islands and Stannis digging in at Storm's End, he needed to make his move.
He started down the wide, sunlit corridor, his mind already calculating the logistics of the march west, when a familiar figure stepped out from the archway ahead.
Sansa was walking toward him, her dark Northern skirts swishing softly against the marble. But it wasn't her usual composed, authoritative stride. She was practically glowing. The moment her blue eyes locked onto his, a brilliant, unrestrained smile broke across her face.
She didn't slow down. She closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face into his chest.
Alaric instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist, steadying her. "Sansa?"
She pulled back just enough to look up at him, her eyes shining with tears of absolute triumph. "I'm pregnant," she whispered, the words rushing out of her. "The Grand Maester just confirmed it. I'm carrying your child, Alaric."
A slow, immensely satisfied smirk spread across Alaric's face. He didn't say a word. He just leaned down and captured her lips in a deep, passionate kiss right there in the middle of the grand hallway. Sansa melted against him, her fingers tangling in his dark hair, completely uncaring if any of the Black Night Maids saw them.
When he finally pulled back, Sansa was breathless, her cheeks flushed a beautiful crimson.
Alaric rested his forehead against hers. "You did well, Little dove," he murmured. Then, his voice dropped a fraction. "But it means I can't stay."
Sansa blinked, her smile faltering slightly. "What?"
"I have to leave," Alaric said, keeping his hands firmly on her waist. "Tywin is holed up in Casterly Rock, and Stannis is entrenched at Storm's End. I've given them enough time to bleed their coin and their patience. Now, I'm going to finish them. It might take some time before I return to the capital."