Highgarden, 12th Month, 143 AC

Lucas Merryweather sat on the edge of the bed he and his wife were sharing in an inn outside of Highgarden, as the two of them had arrived earlier than he'd expected for the festivities that were going to mark Lord Lyonel's nameday in two months. As a result, they'd simply been waiting for the day to arrive, and trying to process the news they'd received in King's Landing.

They would never be able to have children, the maester had said. Never. Lucas had tried to put on a brave face for his wife, so that she didn't think he thought any less of her as a result- and he didn't, truly, he loved Elyana just as much as when he'd asked her to marry him- but he knew that it must be on her mind.

And it weighed on him as well, not just her. He would never be a father. He knew that he could still have children, but they would be Flowers, not Merryweathers, and more important, he would never betray his wife like that. So their marriage would just be the two of them, and that would have to be enough.

Lucas leaned over and brushed his wife's hair out of her face, pressing his lips to her temple. "Wake up, love," he said softly. "The day is starting, and we need to be up with it."