Chapter 7: Reunion at the Gates

King's Landing / City Gates / Evening

Alys followed Edric's gaze, her own eyes searching for Lucan's across the distance. Their eyes met for a brief moment, a silent exchange passing between them. She wanted to say something, to thank him properly for everything he had done, but the words seemed to stick in her throat. There was too much between them now—unspoken feelings, shared moments in the quiet of the Kingswood that couldn't be put into words here, not in front of the king and his entourage.

Lucan gave her a small nod, a silent acknowledgment, before shifting his gaze to the ground. His role was over. He had brought her to safety. Whatever had sparked between them in the forest had no place here, not in the shadow of the king's castle, not in the presence of the man she was destined to marry.

Edric, still holding Alys close, turned toward Lucan, his expression softening with gratitude. "Ser Lucan," the king began, stepping forward. "You've saved the future queen of the Six Kingdoms. I cannot begin to express my thanks."

Lucan, ever the quiet wanderer, simply bowed his head. "I did what I could, Your Grace."

Brienne of Tarth, who had been standing nearby, stepped forward as well, her imposing figure casting a shadow over the scene. Her blue eyes studied Lucan with quiet approval. "Your skills are commendable," she said, her voice steady. "It's no small feat to survive the Kingswood, let alone defend Lady Alys from the Blackbriar Bandits."

Lucan offered a faint smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm no stranger to danger, Ser Brienne."

Brienne nodded, clearly understanding more than she said. Podrick Payne, standing beside her, gave Lucan a respectful nod as well. "You're welcome in King's Landing anytime, Ser," he added, his tone genuine.

But Lucan only nodded again, his eyes once more drifting toward Alys. She was still in Edric's arms, her hand resting gently on his chest. The look she gave Lucan was filled with so many things—gratitude, relief, and something more. Something that neither of them could afford to acknowledge now. Not here.

With a deep breath, Lucan turned back to Buck, tightening the reins and preparing to leave. He had fulfilled his duty, and there was no reason to stay. Not anymore. The road, lonely and unforgiving as it was, was his true companion. It was time to move on.

As he led Buck away, Alys watched him go, her heart conflicted. She wanted to call out, to thank him one last time, but the words wouldn't come. She was swept back into the king's entourage, surrounded by guards and attendants, her place now firmly beside Edric.

But in her heart, she knew that she and Lucan had shared something real in those dark woods—something unguarded and true. It would remain with her, even as she walked the path laid out for her as the future queen.

Lucan mounted Buck and took one last glance over his shoulder at the gates of King's Landing. He saw Alys there, standing beside Edric, the future queen of Westeros. She belonged to that world now—a world he could never be part of.

And with that, Lucan urged Buck forward, disappearing into the city streets, leaving the life of castles, queens, and kings behind once more.

King's Landing / The Crown and Crossed Swords Tavern / Night

The Crown and Crossed Swords Tavern was alive with the sound of laughter, clinking mugs, and the faint strumming of a lute. The low fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm glow that barely reached the dark corners of the room. Lucan sat at a small, worn table near the window, a half-empty tankard of ale in front of him. The sounds of the bustling city beyond were muffled by the thick wooden walls, but inside, the world carried on, unaware of the weight he felt pressing down on his chest.

He took another slow sip, his fingers tightening around the tankard as his thoughts wandered. His mind, despite the noise around him, drifted back to Alys—the way her lips had felt against his, soft and hesitant, and the look in her eyes just before she had been swept away into King Edric's arms.

He had no business thinking about her. She was the future queen of the Six Kingdoms, and he was… well, what was he, exactly? A hedge knight. A wanderer. A man without a home, without a purpose beyond the next coin in his pocket. His brow furrowed as he set the mug down, the wood clattering softly against the table. He wasn't meant to save women like her. That was the job of a noble knight, not a man like him, who roamed from one contract to the next, never staying in one place long enough to leave a mark.

Lucan stared down at the remnants of his drink, swirling the amber liquid around as the memories of their brief time together lingered. The quiet moments by the fire, the whispered conversations as they hid from the bandits, the kiss they shared. That kiss… it had been a mistake, and yet, it felt like the most real thing he'd experienced in years.

He could still feel the warmth of her body against his, the scent of lavender clinging to her skin, and the way her presence had stirred something inside him that he hadn't felt in a long time. A part of him wished he could go back to that moment in the woods, let himself indulge in the feelings that had been bubbling beneath the surface.

But he had pulled away. He had to.

Alys belonged to a different world—one of thrones and crowns, of duty and titles. He had no place there, and neither did his feelings for her. Whatever spark had ignited between them, whatever bond had been forged in the shadows of the Kingswood, it had to remain in the past. She had her destiny, and Lucan... Lucan had the road.

He finished the last of his ale, the bitter taste doing nothing to wash away the bitterness he felt inside. Standing from the table, Lucan tossed a few coins to the tavern keeper, nodding his thanks before turning to the door. The weight of his sword at his side was comforting, though it did little to ease the hollow feeling growing in his chest.

The night air hit him as he stepped outside, a cool breeze sweeping through the dimly lit streets of King's Landing. He took a deep breath, letting the familiar smells of smoke, seawater, and the distant stench of the city wash over him.

As he walked toward the stable where Buck was quartered, his thoughts remained tangled in the web of everything he'd left behind in the Kingswood. He knew he had done the right thing—Alys was safe, and that was all that mattered. But the lingering ache in his chest told him otherwise.

With a final glance back at the distant silhouette of the Red Keep, Lucan mounted Buck. He wasn't sure where he would go next, but he knew he couldn't stay here. The city, and everything in it, held too many memories now. Memories he wasn't sure he wanted to keep.

He gave a gentle tug on the reins, and Buck started forward, his hooves echoing softly on the cobblestone streets. Lucan kept his eyes ahead, his mind already trying to distance itself from the woman he knew he couldn't forget.

By morning, he would be gone—back to the life of a wanderer, a knight with no banner, no place to call home. And perhaps, that was for the best.