“I wish things could be different Princess. For all our sakes but it seems that my rash actions led to this and for that I apologize.”

He hates that he’s disappointed her and he cannot bare to think how the boys will react.

“I’m sorry Rhaenyra.”

He blames no one but himself for what will be a miserable separation from Rhaenyra and the boys. Most especially, he feels sorrow at the knowledge that he will not be there for them like he had vowed to be.
Clearing his throat, he speaks again to Rhaenyra. -

I have been informed that I am to return to Harrenhall to learn to become the Lord of House Strong and Harrenhall. I wish…”

He can’t speak. He hates that his loss of temper led to this. -

He waits for Jacaerys and Lucerys to leave before he settles himself close to Rhaenyra who looks at him with slight confusion in her eyes.

“I’m sure by now you’ve heard of the altercation I had with Ser Criston Cole. -

Knocking on the large doors, he is led in by the handmaidens of the princess before they’re excused. He sees the boys are all in there with her doting on their young brother.

“Princess, might I have a word?” -

Now he was preparing to say goodbye to Rhaenyra and her sons. He wanted to be the one to break the news to her rather than have her bear it cruelly from the Queen who would only be too happy to torture her with the gossip. -

His father’s words still haunted him.

“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘒𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦... 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳…”

A moment of weakness and he’d fallen and lost his honor. -

Though he could never utter the words out loud, he could still feel love and pride as he watched Jacaerys and Lucerys grow all these years and the emotions he’d experienced while holding young Joffrey. Who knew happiness could be so fleeting? -

How dare that slimy bastard make insinuations and cast aspersions about Princess Rhaenyra and her children?! He could care less that he had lost his position as the Captain of the City Watch. As he had told his father, he had his own honor. -