#broken bonds 3.06

[starogeorgina]

𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬

Paring: Harwin Strong × reader

Warnings: None

3.06

Carrying a tray with a bowl of warm stew and freshly baked bread, accompanied by a small lemon tart, you smile at the passing ladies who bow as you walk down the different hallways from the kitchen to the room the king's hand was staying in. It has been almost three weeks since the fire at Harrenhal, and the devastation of Lady Strong and her daughters has taken its toll on your husband, children, and father-in-law. Although Lord Strong's sickness seems to have passed, he was a shell of his former self, refusing to socialize, eat, or spend most of his time laying in bed.

Not that you judged him; the memories of the raw pain you felt when your own mother died during childbirth were always at the forefront of your mind.

“Ser Albert.”

“Princess,” he greets. The knight steps to the side and holds the door for you to enter.

You clear your throat loudly to make your presence known. “Good afternoon, Lord Strong.

Hearing your voice, Lyonel closes his eyes and starts massaging the bridge of his nose, no doubt trying to figure out a polite way to tell you to leave him be. He had dismissed anyone who attempted to help him throughout the day, but it wasn’t as easy to send the king's daughter away.

You place the tray on the table beside his bed before turning to face him. Lyonel resembled a drunken fool who had fallen in the street with how squinty he was lying in bed. “Sit forward, my Lord," he begrudgingly says, and you stack pillows behind him so he is sitting upright. “There is a much better position to eat something.”

A sigh escapes his lips.

You pick up the tray and place it on his lap, then pull up a chair to sit beside him. Part of you felt bad for the intrusion, but the maester had confided in you that the starvation would weaken or kill Lyonel soon, and you couldn’t allow Harwin to lose another parent.

“You do not need to keep me company, princess; I know how busy you are.”

“I do not mind, my Lord,” you watch as he inspects the meal in front of him. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, it’s just this meal... Beef and mushroom stew was something my first wife Adelaide, Harwin’s mother, would always send for it to be made whenever she or my son was feeling unwell.”

You smile Sadly, Harwin never spoke of his mother much, so you knew very little about her. She originally came from House Darry, and she had thick, dark, curly hair. “That explains why it’s my husband’s favorite meal, then.”

Lyonel picked at the food; there was an uncomfortable undertone between the two of you—something unspoken that needed to be said.

“Vaegon is accompanying me to the red keep on the morrow on dragon back. Is there anything you’d like for me to pass on during the small council meeting?”

“Just that I thank his grace for his ongoing support and kind wishes,” he says, going to take a spoonful of stew but stopping. “Is Prince Aerion not going as well?”

“He wishes to stay by my husband’s side instead.” Since learning the greens were more dangerous than you originally thought, you have insisted that protection for your family increase, and your husband agrees. “They are going to the armory to make sure the protective covering is up to standards and so Harwin can make sure the new Targaryen soldiers know their duties.”

“Many of them are former gold cloaks, are they not?”

“Yes, my lord, many of them have sworn to my uncle Dameon many years ago to follow the heir to the throne wherever she may go.” You had a theory that Daemon didn’t trust anyone he hadn’t vetted himself to protect Rhaenyra or her sons. “Afterwards, Harwin is taking Aerion to where the new watchtowers on the fortress are being built.”

“I’m glad you are going to court,” he says. “There should always be someone on the council to defend the future queen... and yourself, princess.”

You frown. “What do you mean? Are the snakes spitting venom when my father doesn’t attend the meetings?”

“I trust you will have heard the treasonist accusations being made about the princess Rhaenyra and her sons.”

You nod.

He hesitates before continuing, “I have heard some troubling rumors that are being spread around court regarding you, my son, and Ser Criston Cole.”

“Harwin was defending my honor.” Lyonel didn’t need to explain what he was referring to. “I confronted that—Ser Criston, for speaking ill of the future heir and one of the princes. He crossed a line by acting inappropriately towards me; Harwin did nothing wrong by defending his pregnant wife.”

“He broke several of the queen's sworn protector's bones.”

You struggled to bite your tongue. You understood the Lord was nothing more than a concerned father, but Criston wasn’t a fool; he deliberately pushed your husband to a breaking point.

“A father's wilful blindness to their children or grandchildren is a thin layer of protection.”

“My lord…” This was the longest time you have ever spent with your father-in-law alone, and you wondered how many times he’s held his own tongue when in your company and his sons' company. You sigh. “I know you haven’t always approved of me and Harwin being together, but I do love him. I’d burn the seven kingdoms to the ground before allowing any harm to come his way.”

“I’m glad to hear that, princess, but—”

“Speak plainly with me, Lord Strong. We aren’t in my father's council room; there’s no need to hide what you wish to say for the king’s benefit.”

“There are many men within your father's court who don't believe Thomas Lannister is the paternal father of your sons. Nor do they believe Princess Rhaenyra's heirs are true Velaryon’s.”

“Thank you for your honesty. I shall leave you to finish your meal in peace and ask the chambermaids to draw you a bath."

Just as you reach the door to leave, he calls out, “Princess... I haven’t always approved, but I am grateful. All a father can ask is that their child is happy and loved, and that's what I see when I look at Harwin.”

“Thank you, Lord Strong; it means a lot to hear you say that.”

—

Entering your bed chambers, you gently caress your swollen stomach, feeling your babe’s movement while watching Harwin splash water over his face and neck. The water drips off his skin and back into the basin below. He runs his fingers through his damp curls before rubbing a towel over them. His handsome face was etched with tiredness.

You kiss the back of his neck and say, “You should rest more.”

“I could say the same to you.”

You rub at Harwin’s back when he sighs into his hands; his eyes had a reddish glow to them from the lack of sleep. A few moments pass, and Harwin tilts his head and looks up at you with a small smile on his face. “You look really beautiful.”

You blush, the delicate gown of deep crimson, adorned with intricate golden embroidery you had chosen in the morning, enhanced your growing body. Harwin leans his forehead against your bump while you brush your fingers through his hair.

His hands tremble slightly as he speaks. He whispers, “The boys and Ada left just before you came in for their last lesson of the day.”

Their last lesson was over two hours long, so hopefully you'll manage to get some rest before they finish. You take Harwin’s hand, which is larger than your own, and squeeze it lightly. “Will you join me?”

He nods, accepting your hand, and you lead him towards your large bed. When you are in a comfortable position, he leans his head against your chest and starts to silently cry. He was trying so hard to hold it together while mourning the loss of his sister’s and stepmother's. You held on while he wept, and eventually you both fell asleep.

—

“How are you feeling? Are you getting more sleep?” You ask while scooping up a handful of fresh fruit to add to your meal.

“I feel like I've spent many nights with a crying babe alone.”

You squeeze her hand and say, “I don’t mind watching Joffrey so you can sleep.”

“Thank you, but it should be his father who is helping me.”

You swallow the food in your mouth slowly, feeling the awkwardness as your sister’s gaze lingers on her hungover husband. You love your cousin Ser Laenor deeply, but you most certainly wouldn’t be pleased if it was your husband drinking into the early hours of the morning every morning.

Just as you're about to excuse yourself from breaking fast by going to get the children ready for the day, Harwin comes into the hall, looking a lot brighter than he had the night before. He greets your sister and Ser Leanor before asking you to follow him. When you reach your bed chambers, he covers your eyes and guides you into the room.

“This is quite the mystery,” you say, holding onto his arm tightly.

He chuckles. “I promise you’ll love it.”

When you come to a stop, Harwin uncovers your eyes, and you see a crib at the bottom of your bed. The crib is intricately carved with designs of dragons, their wings outstretched as if ready to take flight. It's made of the finest wood, polished to a high shine. The sheets and blankets are made of the softest silk and embroidered with more dragons.

“It’s perfect.”

Harwin rests his hand on your bump just as a kicking motion starts. He smiles and says, “I think it’s a girl again.”

“As do I. We should start thinking of girl names since we have already agreed upon names for boys.”

“Cassandra,” he says quietly.

“A lovely name,” you say sadly. Harwin loved all his sisters, but Cassandra was the closest to him. You found it rather tragic that she had wanted to be present during this baby’s birth like she was Ada’s. “If we have two daughters, how do you feel about Rhea as a second name?”

“Cassandra and Rhea, I like it.”

—

Rhaenyra grits her teeth as she talks about Alicent, who would most likely be present during the council meeting you would be attending in a few hours.

You had already pleated one thick braid in Vaegon’s hair, which was growing longer and curlier by the day. Rhaenyra brows arch upwards as she watches your lady loop through blue, red, and green ribbons through your braids, which stood out boldly against your silver hair and black gown. Although you mainly wore the colors of Targayren's house, you felt it was important to include your husband's house as well.

“Are you nervous, sister?”

“Yes,” you answer truthfully. “When I told my father Vaegon he wished to join me, I hadn’t expected him to insist my son was a cupbearer during a meeting. I think he’s too young; he’s only eleven.”

“We were both younger than he is now,” she points out.

“But we had our mother there, and instead he’ll have Alicent and her pets gawking at him. I was glad he was accompanying me when I thought I could keep them away from my son. I just want to shield my children for as long as I can.”

Rhaenyra smiles sweetly at you and says, “We did have our mother there, just as Vaegon will.”

[michelleelizabethtanner]

how would you rate the seasons in terms of brio content for you personally?

i think mine would be 4,2,3,1

season 3 gets a bad rap but theres still a lot of good moments with them there

I like your lineup, Anon! And I agree, season 3 is a beautifully angsty season that really drags Brio over the glass shards of their broken relationship to some important realizations and permanent changes to deepen their bond.

My season preferences of Brio content changes almost daily. Depending on mood. There’s just so much to love (and feel frustrated about) in every season! I guess today, my order is like this:

Season 2:

It’s the pivotal Brio season. It really brings into reality what had been only fantasy. Both for the characters and for the viewers. Brio crossed an enormously important line from which they can never come back. Up until their actual sexual entanglement, it was all just pretend. They could have walked away from each other, or killed each other, or any number of relationship-ending scenarios… And it would have stayed over. The events between 2.04, 2.09, and 2.13 cemented them together. There was no going back after that and their bond was forged.

Season 3:

This was one of their most intimate seasons! Sure, it’s angsty. But it’s also full of so much honesty. We see just how far they’re each willing to go in the name of each other. Love or hate – all the hurt and death was done as a sacrifice at the altar of Brio. (I stole that from someone on Reddit.) I think this is when we really see Beth’s transformation into Elizabeth. We see her ability to survive without Rio (or without anyone, really), and her ruthless adaptability. And yet we also see her deep deep want to be seen. A need, really. In 3.06, the way she seeks Rio out to unload onto him. The way she needs him because she has no one else who’s seen behind her mask. It’s downright poetic. I live for their angry bench scene. It’s so intimate. Their second most intimate scene.

Season 4:

There is a lot to love about the first half of this season, as well as the last two episodes. Watching Brio’s forgiveness of each other, and their coming back together is so satisfying. We were given so much! There was a lot wrong, too. The pacing of their relationship and how mercurial Rio was without giving us enough insight into why he was swinging so wildly between emotions was really jarring and I wish the show would have contextualized him better. There were too many mental gymnastics that were needed to really explain all his levels of hurt and anger, mixed with his vulnerability and honesty. Beth stayed pretty straightforward, but that’s because Beth was given endless humanity while we had to only guess at who Rio really was. And while I love their road back to each other, I really mourn what this season could have been for them emotionally.

Season 1:

This is a really cute, innocent season for Brio. Everything here is fantasy. They don’t really know each other, but we can all tell they’re intrigued and attracted. It’s the “good old days.” The simple life. There were still mysteries between them, assumptions made about each other. While I love to watch their flirtation become a part of their relationship, and I love to see their fascination that’s becoming an obsession, this isn’t my favorite dynamic for them. I like the complicated, the painful, the gritty messy reality of who they are. And them choosing each other anyway.

[dotthings]

Kung Fu went for my throat this ep.

I've only recently started posting commentary on the series--until recently I tweeted about it. So I want to say here that every ep of Kung Fu successfully balances a large cast of characters, multiple arcs (some that intersect, and some don't), and has a lot of rich fodder for discussion.

A couple of thoughts about 3.06:

Mei-Li refusing to give up Sebastian and willing to risk Harmony Dumplings for Sebastian, and Sebastian refusing to let Mei-Li put Harmony Dumplings on the line for his sake so he QUITS. Not only is Sebastian the love of Ryan's life, so he's kinda like Mei-Li's son-in-law, he's become family because Mei-Li and Sebastian's friendship and partnership and the deep respect they have for each other and both of them willing to sacrifice for the sake of the other. And then Mei-Li finding Sebastian's chef whites on her desk and SEBASTIAN SOBBING IN RYAN'S ARMS.

Having thoughts on what Harmony Dumplings represents. It's not just a restaurant. It's Mei-Li and Jin's heart, it's provided for their family, the family gathers there often for dinners, and after Jin stepped back from the restaurant, it's Mei-Li's and she is sharing it with Sebastian. Ryan pulled Sebastian into the Shen family circle initially, but the reason Ryan met Sebastian was Mei-Li placed Sebastian into its tangible, physical heartspace, Harmony Dumpings, when she first hired him as chef.

Jin running for office!!!! Heheheh. I suspect that's where this arc was going for him. GO JIN!! VOTE JIN!!!

Henry scared to lose Nicky if he's not strong enough as the compass to pull her back from the afterlife place, Nicky telling Henry the trust between them is still strong and she trusts him with her life. Then Henry trying to be intellectual about it all and Pei-Ling having to tell him he's not going to be able to pull Nicky back from the that afterlife space unless he leads with his heart and his feelings still being in love with her and it works. Just something about couples who are broken up but still have such a strong bond and after breaking up, trusting each other heading into messing with dangerous magic and crossing into other dimensions and one of them scared to lose the other one in Purg-- I mean some kind of afterlife space. *coughing fit*

Zhilan and Nicky reunited and being co-warriors in the afterlife!! Just something about duos who fight monsters together in Purg-- I mean some kind of afterlife space. *coughing fit* *gasp* *reaches for water*

Zhilan and Pei-Ling reunited!!!!!!! This ep is giving me eleven nervous breakdowns. Hey I'm sure they can work things out despite Zhilan having murdered Pei-Ling.

Okay so when I said "there's nothing wrong with Bo except he's not Henry" WHOOPS. But I think Bo does really care about Nicky and he's not evil but he made some bad decisions or whatever got him into that situation and he's lying and that's not good. He's into something not good. But...it's going to be complicated.

And thing is this series works so much with gray area villains, and with good guys who make bad choices and lie. Right in the episode, we find out Dennis has been lying to Althea about the sitch with his family. Mei-Ling lied to a corporation about Sebastian's record. Zhilan killed two people she loved, and look at the development she's gone through since.

There are some outright villains who won't budge on the series, then there's a scale for everyone else. One of Kung Fu's themes is you don't stop trying to do better, to become a better version of yourself.