⚔️ || @royaltower has requested a starter
HE UNDERSTANDS THE SEVEN. That the Gods work in mysterious ways, and unlike the men who serve they, they all have a sacred duty or reason as to why they do the things they do. Why they uphold certain traditions and tests where others do not. To know the worthy from the false prophets.
AND HE WAS WORTHY. He had proven himself time and time again that he was-- by the sweat upon his brow, by the blood pumping within his veins. Ser Criston Cole had worked his hardest and had clawed through the muddiest of realms just to be able to be someone in Kingslanding. He had made the mistake of falling for the tests once, he will not do so once again.
HOWEVER, HE FEELS THIS IS DIFFERENT. With Rhaenyra, it has been a night of youthful passion muddled by misguided attention. It had been more lust driven than anything else and he had been a fool to not only soil his white cloak, but to offer such an embarrassing proposal as the one he had given on the boat many moons ago. But his queen respects him-- his queen had saved him from damnation.
SO IT IS WITH A HEAVY HEART that he knocks upon her chamber doors. He must not give into this tests-- he had been saved once by the grace of the queen's benevolence and he had walked the earth in search of repentance and had found it in her. She is to be revered, sculpted and molded with the shape of the Mother, and she herself carrying the holiest of truths close to her chest.
AS HE STRIDES INTO HER CHAMBERS, he resists the beauty of her big eyes, the way the sun shone on her light brown curls. "Your Grace," He commences, tucking his arms to his back as if that could secure his hold. "I require a moment of your time. I--" There's a moment where he blindly wants to ask her to run away with him-- to give her everything she as ever deserved-- a loving husband, a life free of stress. His stance hardens. "I am afraid I must resign my duty as your protector. My abilities at maintaining neutrality have been compromised." The back of his neck heats at the implication. He will not disgrace her with his affections-- not the same way the dragon princess and Ser Breakbones had once done. "I... apologize."