The end of the war has finally arrived. Robin is now dead, his forces have been finally rounded up, and Sergnath's negative influence over Silessia is now gone from the continent. Charles is now on the throne after having retaken his family throne with the help of the resistance army against Robin, doing his best to dismantle the perverted bastard's twisted corruption of his country and bring back Moria to how it once was before his usurpation.
Ambrose is currently in his quarters in the rebellion's camp, which is currently being closed down by his allies due to the war being over now. It hasn't been that long now that the tactician for the army had remembered everything about his true identity. His name as Lucerys Velaryon, his role as prince of the distant Targaryen dynasty and status as heir to Driftmark, the struggle over Shipbreaker Bay against his uncle, Aemond, and the latter's dragon, Vhagar, and finally losing his own dragon, Arrax, after Vhagar had consumed him, with Lucerys somehow having avoided the same fate before falling hundreds of meters down into the harsh sea, which had resulted in his former amnesia and the blinding of his right eye. Now that he remembers everything and the war is over, he wonders what he'll be doing with his life. His hand moves over the eyepatch he wears over his blind eye, having been a gift from Abigail to help cover his fogged over right eye from further injury. He feels the rich material of the fabric, his fingers brushing over the small emeralds inlaid into the eyepatch. It's been so long now since she'd found him in such a critical state on that beach at the beginning of the war, when her allies had healed him and she'd hired him to act as the army tactician. He thinks it's a miracle he'd been so good at the position that not one of their allies had died in the struggle against Robin. Meanwhile, Abigail had been waiting outside the room, hoping to discuss something with Lucerys. Despite feeling nervous and anxious, she gathers the confidence to approach the door after a few moments. Taking a deep breath, she finally pushes it aside, stepping into the room.
"Lucerys... may I speak with you?" Abigail asks.
Ambrose… or rather... Lucerys realizes his girlfriend is there, so he stands up to talk to his soon-to-be-ex-commander, making sure her gift for him is attached securely over his right eye before he does so. After adjusting his eyepatch, Lucerys turns around, his eye focusing on the woman standing before him. He doesn't know why, but for some reason, he feels a strange tension in the air. Something seems different in her demeanor.
"Of course, Abby. What is it that you'd like to speak about?" Lucerys asks.
Abigail approaches her boyfriend, wanting to speak to him about what he plans on doing now that the war is over and he remembers his past. She can sense his neutral demeanor, though she can't quite gauge his feelings at the moment. A small smile tugs at her lips as she looks down at him, just barely taller than him, trying to maintain a calm and composed expression, despite the knots in her stomach.
"Now that the war is over... what do you plan on doing next?" Abigail asks.
Lucerys' gaze drifts away from Abigail as he ponders her question, his thoughts consumed by the uncertainty of his future. He lets out a soft sigh, his mind filled with a jumble of thoughts and emotions.
"Honestly... I haven't quite figured that out yet." Lucerys replies, his voice tinged with a hint of hesitance.
He fidgets with the eyepatch over his right eye, a subtle sign of his inner turmoil. Abigail's smile wavers a little at Lucerys's answer, having hoped for a more defined plan, a clearer path forward. However, she tries her best to hide her disappointment.
"I see..." Abigail murmurs.
There is a pause as she gathers her thoughts, her mind racing with various scenario, before she decides to ask the question that has been weighing on her mind.
"What about... us?" Abigail asks.
Lucerys' expression darkens slightly at her question, his lone eye darting away briefly as he struggles to find the right words. He takes a deep breath before finally looking back at her, his gaze meeting her's with a mixture of uncertainty and regret.
"I... I don't know, Abby." Lucerys replies, his voice quiet and laced with a note of helplessness.
He hates himself for not having a clear answer, for not knowing what the future holds for them. Abigail's heart sinks at that, tears starting to well up under the bangs covering her eyes. She has grown so attached to him over the past few months, their relationship having become significant in her life, ever since she had stumbled upon him battered and injured back on that beach. She can't bear the thought of losing him.
"You... don't know?" Abigail asks.
She tries to hold back the tears, hoping for some reassurance, some kind of certainty from him. Despite the fact he can't see her eyes through her hair, it's obvious he's caused her pain. He hates seeing her like this, as it hurts him to know he is the cause of her pain. He reaches out to gently touch her arm, his voice quiet and somber.
"Abby... I..." Lucerys starts to reply.
He pauses, struggling to find his words, struggling to find the right answer. He sighs, his voice barely above a whisper. He gently touches her face, wiping away a tear that has escaped her eye.
"Abby... I can't just promise you an answer right now. I... I don't know what the future holds for me..." Lucerys says.
Abigail's heart sinks further at his admission, the uncertainty in his voice only adding to her fear of losing him. The feel of his hand on her face, wiping away a tear, sends a small shiver down her spine. She clutches his hand, holding it against her cheek, savoring the warmth and comfort it brings her, even as her heart aches.
"You don't know... but... does that mean you might... leave?" Abigail asks, her voice quavering with vulnerability.
Lucerys wraps his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. He holds her against him, the familiar scent and feel of her body bringing him a small measure of comfort in this uncertain moment. He buries his face into the crook of her neck, his voice heavy with emotion.
"I... I don't want to leave you, Abby. You mean so much to me. But... my past... my identity... I need to figure out who I am as a person, where I belong..." Lucerys replies.
Abigail instinctively wraps her arms around him and melts into the embrace, feeling the strength and warmth of his arms around her. The tears she's been trying to hold back finally spill over, her emotions overwhelming her. She holds onto him tightly, her body shaking slightly with the force of her sobs, her tears dampening his shirt. The pain and desperation in her voice are palpable.
"But... I don't want you to go. I... I can't lose you. You mean everything to me." Abigail cries.
Lucerys' expression softens, his heart aching at the pain in her voice. He looks at her face where her eyes would be under her bangs, sensing the mixture of love, fear, and vulnerability he knows all too well. He reaches out to cup her face gently, his touch tender and affectionate.
"Abby... listen to me. I… I can't promise you anything right now. I don't know what the future holds for me or for us. But I can promise you this… I am never going to leave you, not willingly. You mean too much to me... I can't just let you go that easily." Lucerys says.
Abigail slowly calms down at that, his words helping calm her down. She clings to him, her hands clenching his shirt in an almost desperate grip. Her voice is still shaky, but the intensity of her fear and despair have slightly subsided.
"You... you won't leave me... willingly?" Abigail asks.
She searches his face, her gaze intense as she clings to the small hope he has given her. Lucerys nods, the certainty in his eye unwavering. He presses his forehead against hers, his voice low and determined.
"No, I won't. I can't promise you anything when it comes to the future... but I promise you this: You're stuck with me." Lucerys replies.
He smirks, trying to inject a bit of lightheartedness into the tense mood, even if the situation is far from humorous. Abigail manages a small, shaky laugh, her usual playful nature slowly returning. Her grip on his shirt loosens slightly and her expression softens. She gently swats at him, her voice still a little hoarse from crying.
"Stuck with you, huh? That doesn't sound so bad." Abigail says.
She manages a small, teasing smile, poking his chest. Lucerys chuckles, genuinely amused by her response. Her words and actions bring a small, light-hearted respite from the heavy conversation that has just taken place. He takes her hand that is on his chest and laces their fingers together, holding her hand softly in his own. His eye watches her eyes, studying her with a mixture of fondness and affection.
"Good because you're never getting rid of me, darling." Lucerys says.
Abigail's heart flutters at the nickname, her playful pout turning into a grin. She squeezes his hand, enjoying the feeling of their fingers laced together. Her eyes meet his, the love and tenderness in her gaze unmistakable. She lets out a small huff, feigning annoyance.
"Oh no, what a shame, I'm forever shackled to a handsome prince now... whatever shall I do..." Abigail teases, her voice dripping with mock despair.
Lucerys smirks, his eye sparkling with amusement at her playful sarcasm. He chuckles softly at her words, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. He tugs her closer, closing the small distance between them. His voice is low and affectionate as he plays along with her act of woe.
"Yes, the horror of it all. You're trapped, a prisoner to my good looks and charming personality. Whatever will you do, indeed?" Lucerys teases.
Abigail allows herself to be pulled closer, her body pressing against his. She relishes the closeness, the warmth from his body seeping into her own. She looks up at him, her eyes glimmering with an idea. If Lucerys truly has nowhere else to go and nowhere to call home, then a life of fishing can be an interesting choice. She can't help but smile at the thought, imagining her prince standing by the shore, lines in the water.
"You know... with nowhere else to go, you could always become a fisherman." Abigail says.
Lucerys chuckles at her suggestion, amused by the thought of himself as a fisherman. He leans against her, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her back as he considers her words.
"A fisherman? You'd have me stand by the shore, baiting hooks and reeling in fish all day?" Lucerys asks, his voice laced with humor.
Abigail's smile widens at his reaction, her hand on his chest tracing light circles. She can tell he is amused by the idea, but she can't help but tease him a little more.
"Oh, I don't know, it could be quite romantic. Early mornings by the sea, the sound of waves and seagulls... just picture us at dawn, the sun rising over the water... and you waiting patiently for your catch of the day." Abigail replies.
Lucerys lets her words wash over him, the image she painted with her words sparking something in his heart, a hint of hope and want within him. He can't deny the appeal of such a life with her. However, her last comments surprises and confuses him. He pulls back slightly, his single eye curious and a little perplexed. His voice is soft as he speaks.
"You... you'd want that? To live that life... with me?" Lucerys asks.
Abigail's expression softens at his puzzled, yet soft tone. She gazes lovingly up at him, her hand gently caressing his chest. She can see the mixture of hope and curiosity in his eye, and the slight hint of insecurity.
"Of course, I would. I don't care about... grander things or titles, truly. I just want to be with you. Anywhere, anywhere at all." Abigail replies, her voice soft, almost a whisper, without a hint of hesitation.
Lucerys is speechless, taken aback by the sincerity and depth of her words. To hear her say she doesn't care for titles or grand things, only for him... it stirs something deep within him he can't quite name. A sense of belonging... and love. He gazes down at her, his single eye filled with wonder and awe. He reaches up to cup her cheek, his touch gentle and tender. His voice is thick with emotion as he speaks.
"Abigail… that's… that's all I need, too." Lucerys says.
Abigail's smile widens at his response. The thought of a simple life with him, away from her divine responsibilities and the expectations of her divine status,at least for a few decades, sounds like a blissful paradise. She thinks of her half-brother, Klonie, who had moved in with his mute, sea scavenger, beach maiden wife, Ariel, with her half-sister and Klonie's younger full sister, Aqueous, and the latter's own husband, Arel, also having moved in with them in Ariel's hut in the small fishing village of Ipswich. A plan began to form in her mind. An idea about where they could start this new life together.
"You know, my half-siblings and their spouses... they live by the sea, in a small fishing village. We could... move to that same village. Live next door to them..." Abigail says.
Lucerys' eye widens slightly at her suggestion, surprise and a hint of excitement flickering through his expression. The sound of a life lived simply, by the sea, close to his love and her family, appeals to him deeply. He looks up at her at her, his voice soft, but filled with a mixture of awe and longing.
"Live by the sea... next to your family..." Lucerys murmurs.
His hand traces a gentle path along her arm as he speaks.
"You... you'd really want that?" Lucerys asks.
Abigail smiles softly, her gaze filled with love and longing, and nods.
"Of course, I would. It would be perfect. Just you and me... living together in that small fishing village, close to two of my family. It's all I want." Abigail replies, her voice strong and full of conviction.
Lucerys' heart flutters at her words, her conviction and sincerity stirring something deep within him. To hear her speak of a perfect life with him, simple as it was, fills him with a sense of hope and joy he has not felt in a long time. He draws her closer, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. His voice is a soft whisper as he speaks against her hair.
"I want that too, my love... to live the rest of my days with you... simple, ordinary... happy... it sounds perfect." Lucerys says.