Alone & Forsaken

“Now, let's start over. Alicent, please return to your place. Very well. Take a step a little to the side. Just a bit more. Ah, there, that's perfect. Excellent, let's begin. When I count to three, okay? One, two, three...!”

Alicent's feet were careful as they moved through the debris. She passed by buildings with windowless frames, the air thick with dust swirling in lazy spirals.

Purple eyes followed her every step. The woman with long silver-gold hair was everywhere. Whether high above, floating in the sky, or on solid ground, stuck to the walls and thrown on the floor.

In some images, she wore an all-dark outfit with a red symbol on the side of her upright shoulders, her gaze fixed ahead, expression serious. In others, she wore simpler outfits, like the forgotten clothes inside the abandoned buildings. Sometimes she was smiling at Alicent, other times she was serious.

And in all of them, there was words written, but Alicent couldn't understand them.

Alicent didn’t know who the woman was. She came to the conclusion that must have been someone important. Perhaps the owner of everything around. The woman who possessed this world before it became a hollow echo.

Alicent's hand wandered across the ground, moving through the rubble, trying to find something of interest. Her fingers ended up brushing against a small object, almost folded in half. It had small, almost imperceptible points. She tilted her head, turning the object in her hand, trying to trace its shape. It was a fork, almost a spoon.

Alicent didn't have one like this yet. She placed it in her bag, satisfied.

A little further ahead, another object. Small, yellow. She recognized it immediately: a rubber duck. The duck says quack quack.

This one, however, she didn't take. She already had many stored in a jar, all squished together, fighting for space.

Alicent continued her search.

It was then that her eyes landed on the structure she knew it well. The door had been locked from the inside, now it stood wide open.

What had happened? Had the wind been strong enough last night to open it? Probably. Some winds were strong enough to open locked doors, right?

Alicent stepped through the open door, less curious than she actually felt. She always passed by here, peeking through the window at what lay inside, always wishing she could enter but never being able to.

The place had long red chairs lined up and metal tables, now stained by time. A large counter stretched across the corner, with shelves behind it.

It was similar to the places people in the movies she watched always went to eat. Those spaces full of plates of food and warm smiles. But here, there was no smell of food, no cheerful voices. Just silence and abandonment.

She looked around, looking to find anything valuable to collect for herself. There were forks, knives, plates, and spoons. None of them were different from what she already had. And the unique items in the place that caught her interest were too big for her to carry home.

Alicent ran her fingers over the dusty counter, tracing a clean path through the grime. This place had been important to someone, once. Her finger continued drawing patterns in the dust until it stopped upon touching something smooth. Alicent nearly jumped in surprise. She brushed away more of the dirt, revealing a shiny piece of paper.

It was a photo.

She picked it up carefully, shaking it lightly to remove the accumulated dust, allowing her to see it better.

Alicent immediately recognized the silver-haired woman.

Unlike the large posters scattered around, this image was smaller. The woman was smiling and not looking directly at the camera, her gaze fixed beyond the edge of the photo. Alicent ran her finger over the surface, studying the details.

There was an irregular line in one of the corners of the image. The paper had been torn at some point. Even so, the woman’s face was still visible, her gaze lost to the side, Alicent couldn’t understand.

She smoothed the torn edge with her thumb, as if she could fix it. Then, she carefully stored it with her other findings.

The sun was already beginning to disappear. Time to go.

The way back wasn't long; Alicent never dared to go too far. So, it only took a few minutes before a blue structure appeared in front of her. Home.

Alicent tightened her fingers around the bag’s strap and pushed the rusted door open with her shoulder.

Inside, the place was crowded in a way that only Alicent understood. Improvised shelves held collections of things that no longer had a use, but to her, they were valuable. Clocks without hands. Chipped plates. Traffic signs. Cracked mirrors that reflected the room in fragmented pieces. A glass jar full of rubber ducks. And, of course, a special corner where the portraits of the silver-haired woman were carefully arranged.

She reached to the side and pressed a red button. Faint lights flickered on the ceiling before fully illuminating the room.

Crunchy ran to her feet, moving with enthusiasm. Alicent crouched down and watched as the tiny creature buzzed with happiness, circling around her in excitement over her return.

“Look what I found,” Alicent opened the bag and showed the photo she had discovered. “I didn't have this one yet.” She turned the image from side to side, studying the gaze of the woman. “It's a bit torn and a little dirty, but you can still see it.”

Crunchy moved closer, wanting to inspect the new find up close. It didn't take long until he began circling around Alicent again.

She let out a soft chuckle before straightening up.

Alicent needed to start organizing her new finds, but first, music.

She turned and walked toward a shelf filled with vinyl records, which she knew by heart. Her fingers slid over the colorful covers until they landed on a particular one. One she hadn't listened to in a while.

Alicent removed the record from its sleeve and placed it on the turntable, adjusting the needle. The sound of static filled the air for a brief moment before the first chords of the music began to echo through the room.

“Papa loves mambo, mama loves mambo…”

Music. Real music. Not junk.

Alicent began organizing her things, with Crunchy following her.

She took out the small-tined fork first, placing it with the countless others: inside a mug with the image of a duck-man—he was yellow, so she knew he was a duck— eating a food round and pink.

“…he goes to, she goes fro…”

Then, she pulled out the colorful cube she had found earlier from the bag. Alicent still hadn’t figured out its purpose—only that the colors shifted places when you twisted it. She moved the pieces once more, watching the colors mix. Maybe she had to align the colors on all sides?

Alicent decided to place it on the shelf of things she still needed to explore further to understand their use.

“…papa’s lookin’ for mama, but mama is nowhere in sight…”

After the cube came the giraffe. It wasn’t real. It was very small and soft to the touch, much like the other animals Alicent had collected. She didn’t know what sound a giraffe made, only that they had long necks and brown spots on their skin. Alicent placed the giraffe on the animal shelf, next to a pig. The pig says oink oink.

Crunchy peeked at Alicent’s organizing as if supervising her work. He always did this, and she liked having company while sorting her finds. It was their thing. It was…home.

“…don't let her rumba and don't let her samba…”

The last thing in the bag was the photo.

Alicent picked it up more carefully than the rest, gently smoothing the crumpled surface. Her eyes traced the silver-haired woman once more before she walked to the special corner where she kept all the other images of her—without unnecessary creases or folds.

But Alicent hesitated. This portrait seemed different from the others. It was smaller, had no writing on it, and felt more personal.

“…havin' their fling again, younger than spring again…”

In the end, she decided not to place the photo with the others. Instead, Alicent set it on the little table next to the sofa where she usually kept the things she liked to have close by—a music box that played a tune when opened, a lamp that, when turned on, made green bubbles rise and fall inside as if they were alive, and, of course, her favorite DVDs.

Alicent took a step back, observing her work. Everything was in its place. Another successful day — even though she didn’t collect much.

“…cause papa loves the mambo toniiiight.”

Alicent stopped the music. Now it was time for her favorite part of the day.

She turned back toward the little table by the sofa and picked up one of the DVDs, the feel of the case already familiar in her hands. Alicent walked over to a large black device sitting beneath the dusty screen in the corner of the room. She crouched down, opened a small slot, and inserted the disc.

Alicent grabbed the remote and pressed the red button. The TV took a few seconds to come to life, displaying black-and-white images accompanied by a sound that had become familiar to her.

She threw herself onto the couch, pulling an old blanket over her legs. Crunchy climbed up onto the furniture and settled beside her. She patted his head as the movie appeared on the screen.

“Paramount News brings you a special coverage of Princess Ann's visit to London, the first stop on her much-publicized goodwill tour of European capitals.”

The sound of the film filled the space between the cluttered shelves and the objects she had collected over time. Alicent’s eyelids barely moved, her eyes glued to the screen as if she hadn’t watched it a million times before.

And just as Princess Ann appeared at the ball in her stunning long dress and sparkling jewels, there was a knock at the door.

Alicent blinked, startled. Crunchy stirred beside her, looking toward the noise.

No one ever knocked on her door. No one had ever been there besides her and Crunchy. There was no one there but the two of them. It was probably just the strong wind outside.

Alicent turned her attention back to the film, where Princess Ann was smiling on the screen, greeting important figures.

And then, another knock. Louder this time, longer.

Crunchy's tiny legs twitched. Alicent remained still, unsure what to do.

The knocking continued. Loud, insistent. Demanding to be heard.

A clear message: she was no longer alone.

“The Count and the Countess von Marstrand,” the film continued playing on the television. Princess Ann was now trying to slip her heel back on without losing her composure in front of the others.

Alicent pushed the blanket aside and stood up. Crunchy hid under the sofa, too frightened to follow her.

She walked toward the door, passing the shelves filled with her collections. Everything was in its rightful place, everything made sense inside. The knocking at the door, however… that was new.

No one had ever come before.

For a brief moment, she wondered if the dead could come back to life, but the thought quickly faded from her mind.

The sound reverberated through the walls of her sanctuary, an intruder disrupting the carefully maintained order within.

Alicent’s hands slid along one of the shelves, where she kept tools she had found during her scavenging. Her fingers closed around the handle of an iron hammer. The weight of the object was heavier than what she usually collected.

Alicent wasn’t sure why she did it—instinct, perhaps? The unknown awaited her outside. It was natural to be afraid.

She stopped in front of the entrance, her eyes fixed on the door.

The knocking ceased.

The silence that followed felt heavier than the insistent sound from before. Now there was only the distant noise of the film on the television.

Alicent tightened her grip on the hammer with one hand and, with the other, opened the door.

On the other side stood a silhouette a few inches taller than Alicent.

It was very dark outside, and the light from inside wasn’t enough for Alicent to make out what was standing in front of her. Before she could do anything, the silhouette leaned toward her.

Alicent raised the hammer, then—

A small trail of light revealed the features of the stranger.

Lilac eyes.

The same eyes that were scattered everywhere outside. The ones that followed Alicent in every corner.

Pale skin, long silver hair tousled by the wind. All of it seemed to glow before Alicent.

She had seen this face hundreds of times. She had a collection of them on paper, after all.

But now, the woman wasn’t just a face on a piece of paper.

She was here—real.

Alicent nearly dropped the hammer.

She wore clothes that seemed... different. Not like anything Alicent had seen before in photographs. It was a material that subtly shimmered, almost like metal. The fabric was dark gray with silver details.

The pants were tight to her body, made of a fabric that looked flexible and strong at the same time. As if they were made to adapt to any movement, any kind of... task. And the boots! They looked durable, with thick soles, as if she could walk on a variety of terrains without problems.

The woman in front of her placed her hands behind her back and adjusted her posture in a very rehearsed manner.

“Hello. My name is Rhaenyra. I am a YZ-09 model, an android designed to perform all kinds of functions and I am at your services. Would you like to know more about my functions?”

Alicent opened her mouth to respond, but she didn’t have time, as Rhaenyra kept talking.

“As a YZ-09 unit, I was designed to operate in various areas. This includes tactical support, technical maintenance, operation of advanced systems, strategic analysis, medical support, defensive combat, resource optimization, programmed social interaction…”

Alicent frowned. Rhaenyra spoke very quickly, not stopping to catch a breath. Alicent didn’t understand half of what she was saying.

The wind blew again, tousling Rhaenyra’s silver hair. Her skin seemed to glow in the darkness once more.

Without thinking, without even realizing what she was doing, Alicent raised a trembling hand.

Rhaenyra kept talking as Alicent’s fingers hovered in the air for a second. Moving slowly, she stretched out her index finger and touched the tip of the woman’s nose.

The skin was soft. Warm.

Rhaenyra blinked, and Alicent blinked back.

Rhaenyra didn’t stop talking.

“…I am also designed to engage in sexual relations if you desire or to serve as mere companionship.”

Designed. Sexual relations. Companionship. Her words were automatic, as if reciting something programmed.

“I am capable of adapting to hostile environments…”

Alicent slid her hand to the side and pinched Rhaenyra’s cheek, who seemed unbothered by the touch.

“…Pattern recognition and assistance in domestic and community tasks…”

The skin yielded under her fingers, warm and soft, exactly like her own. Nothing metallic, nothing rigid or too pliant, nothing that would indicate she was any different from Alicent.

“…Which means I can cook, clean…”

Alicent let go of her cheek, only to pinch it again, as if she needed to confirm that this was real.

“…Take care of children and speak multiple—Are you testing my texture?”

Alicent held Rhaenyra’s cheek for another second before finally releasing it.

“You’re real,” Alicent murmured, a thought spoken aloud. “You’re just like me.”

Rhaenyra remained unfazed. “I am real,” she agreed, “but I am not like you. I am an android, you are human.”

Alicent furrowed her brows. The word ‘android’ echoed in her mind as something distant and meaningless.

“What is that?”

“An android,” Rhaenyra began, “is a humanoid robot resembling the appearance and behavior of a human. I was designed to look, act, and learn like a person, although I am not one. I am not made of flesh and blood, but of metal and circuits. I was built, programmed, to perform specific tasks.”

“So,” Alicent said, trying to understand, “you're not... like me?”

“No,” Rhaenyra replied, “I do not age. I do not have the same fears or desires. I am built to fulfill functions as requested.”

Alicent tried very hard to comprehend, she really did. But it didn’t make sense. They seemed the same in Alicent’s eyes. Of course, they weren’t exactly alike. Rhaenyra was much prettier, and her hair and eyes were lighter than Alicent’s.

Yet they both had two arms, two legs, and skin of the same texture. They both blinked their eyes and had mouths that moved when they spoke.

Alicent opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. She wasn’t sure what to do next. So she did what people in the movies always did when someone showed up at their door.

“Please, come in.” She stepped aside, making room for Rhaenyra to enter her home.

Rhaenyra complied, her posture remaining upright, her hands still clasped behind her back as her eyes scanned the room, analyzing every detail of Alicent’s house.

She closed the door and placed the hammer back on the tool shelf. She felt very nervous all of the sudden. The same face that was usually scattered outside was now inside, breathing the same space as her. Everything that was happening felt very much like a... dream? Yes. A dream coming true.

“Would you like me to clean up this mess?” Rhaenyra finally asked, once she and Alicent were face to face again.

Alicent made a confused expression. “Mess?”

“This environment contains a large amount of accumulated objects. Most of them appear to no longer serve any purpose. I can dispose of them to improve the circulation and organization of the space.”

Alicent’s brown eyes swept over the perfectly organized shelves, the objects she had stacked so carefully. They all had a purpose, in a way. Some she understood, others she didn’t. But they were all special to her. And each one was in its rightful place.

There was no mess.

Alicent looked back at Rhaenyra, who still stood perfectly straight, as if waiting for a command.

“It’s not a mess, it’s my things,” Alicent murmured, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Understood,” Rhaenyra looked around once more. “If I am not to clean, how can I be useful to you?”

Alicent moistened her lips, unsure of what to say. How could she be useful?

Crunchy emerged from under the sofa with renewed courage and scurried to Alicent’s feet, his little paws clinking against the floor.

Rhaenyra's posture, however, stiffened upon seeing Crunchy. She took a step forward, her foot lifting to deliver a swift kick, aiming to crush Crunchy against the floor, but he was faster and hid behind Alicent's shoe.

Rhaenyra didn’t give up. She lunged forward again, determined to eliminate him.

“Stop!” Alicent exclaimed, her voice louder than she intended.

Rhaenyra froze, her lilac eyes fixed on Alicent. She didn’t dare move.

Alicent shifted her shoe, shielding Crunchy from view. “What are you doing?”

“That is a disease vector. High risk of infection. It must be eliminated.”

Alicent frowned. Again, Rhaenyra was saying things she didn’t understand.

“He’s my friend.”

Rhaenyra stared at her for a moment, her expression unchanged.

“It is a cockroach.”

Silence fell between them.

“It can carry infections, cause damage, and pose risks to your health,” Rhaenyra explained, as if that would change Alicent’s mind. “I am programmed to ensure your safety, and that includes eliminating any threats.”

“He’s not a threat. He doesn’t harm me.” Alicent said, very firm. “Please, don’t hurt him.”

Rhaenyra looked at Alicent, then at where Crunchy was hiding. The muscle in her jaw twitched slightly, as if recalculating the situation. She took a step back. “As you wish.”

Alicent relaxed a little. Crunchy, still hesitant, crawled out from behind her shoe, his antennae raised as if listening to the entire conversation.

“You won’t try hurt him again, will you?”

Rhaenyra shook her head. “If he poses no danger to you, there is no need for neutralization.”

Crunchy seemed to feel more at ease now. He climbed up Alicent’s legs, as he always did when he wanted affection.

“Thank you,” she whispered. Rhaenyra didn’t respond, just kept watching the scene. “His name is Crunchy.”

“Crunchy,” Rhaenyra repeated, showing no affection. She seemed so emotionally distant that her words sounded more like a simple record than an emotional acknowledgment.

Then, she blinked. “I apologize, I didn’t ask for your name earlier. I was so caught up in my own introduction that I forgot. Again, I apologize. What is your name?”

“Alicent.”

“Alicent,” Rhaenyra recorded the information. “And your last name?”

“I... don’t have a last name,” Alicent replied softly, her eyes briefly lowering to Crunchy, who was now settling on her shoulder. “I’m just Alicent.”

“Understood. Alicent. No last name.” Rhaenyra tilted her head slightly to the side. “Is there anyone else living in this facility besides you? Anyone who might require my services?”

“No, it’s just me. Me and Crunchy.”

Rhaenyra glanced at Crunchy again, as if still processing the idea of considering him a legitimate companion.

“Understood. Have you been alone for a long time?” Rhaenyra continued with the questions.

Alicent had never put into words the time she had spent there, collecting her things, creating a routine. She only had the feeling that it had been a very, very long time since she had been alone.

“I... don’t know,” she admitted. “I’ve never needed to count.”

Rhaenyra said nothing, just nodded. The way she did it reminded Alicent of…it reminded her of him.

Then everything began to make sense in her head.

All these questions were just a test. Rhaenyra wanted to know if Alicent was suitable. Capable. If she was ready to go with Rhaenyra to another place.

That was it, wasn’t it? Rhaenyra—who was everywhere, who seemed to own everything around—had come to take her away. To another place. A place where maybe there was more than broken buildings and forgotten objects.

Alicent just hoped she would let her take Crunchy with her.

If Rhaenyra was there to evaluate her, then Alicent needed to prove she was good at something.

“I can show you,”Alicent said suddenly.

“Show me what? The time?”

“No,” Alicent was already moving, going to the shelves, pulling out the objects she treasured so much. “My things. I collected all of this. I know how to find useful things. Look.”

She picked up the colorful cube she had found earlier. “This one... you can twist the colors.”

Rhaenyra examined the cube in Alicent’s hand. Alicent’s eyes sparkled with expectation, waiting for a reaction.

“That is a Rubik’s Cube, invented by Ernő Rubik in 1974,” Rhaenyra said, not at all surprised. “It’s a three-dimensional puzzle. The goal is to arrange the colors so that each face has only one color. Would you like me to teach you how to solve it?”

Alicent stared at Rhaenyra, fascinated. She knew things.

“Or I can solve it for you, if you prefer,” Rhaenyra continued.

Alicent looked at the cube; it seemed more interesting than ever. However, it hadn’t impressed Rhaenyra, so it was time to find something else. She put it back in its rightful place. “Maybe another time.”

Alicent walked toward where she kept her collection of kitchen utensils, Rhaenyra following silently. Alicent didn’t pick up the small-tined fork she had found today; instead, she pointed to the image on the mug where her collection of forks was stored.

“Here, it’s not a duck. It’s a duck-man,” she said, completely confident in her words.

“Actually, that’s Homer Simpson, a character from a popular animated series called The Simpsons,” Rhaenyra explained, again seeming unsurprised. “The series was created in the 80s, and Homer is the main character.”

“The Simpsons,” Alicent repeated. She looked at the mug again, trying to catch anything there that could contradict Rhaenyra’s words. “He’s yellow. He is a duck-man.”

Rhaenyra shook her head. “No, Alicent. He’s not a duck-man. He’s just a yellow man.”

Crunchy remained on Alicent’s shoulder, his antennae attentive as he watched Rhaenyra’s explanation.

“And what is he eating?” Alicent asked.

“That’s a donut. Homer Simpson is famous for his love of them.”

Alicent fell silent. Homer Simpson. Not a duck-man, but a yellow man who ate donuts. The concept of a donut was new to her.

So, there were yellow people, Alicent concluded. She tried to imagine a world where people came in various colors. People of all shades living and loving things—like donuts.

“Must be really good, a donut,” Alicent said, staring at the frozen image of Homer on the mug.

“If you enjoy sweets and fatty foods, yes. Donuts are popular among many people.”

Alicent glanced at Rhaenyra, who was still standing beside her, impassive, showing no reaction. Impressing her was proving to be harder than Alicent had imagined.

Alicent's fingers trembled as she considered her options. She could put on a record to play. However, there was the pressure to choose the right song that would please Rhaenyra. She couldn't afford to make a misstep.

Crunchy climbed down from Alicent’s shoulder, his little legs sliding over to the shelf where she kept her collection of photos of Rhaenyra.

That was it, Alicent thought. That was what would finally captivate Rhaenyra. She probably had no idea how adored she was in every corner.

Alicent then picked up a stack of images showing various expressions, poses, and outfits, all with one face in common.

“It’s you,” she said, holding up a photo.

Rhaenyra watched as Alicent flipped through one image after another.

“That’s not me. Those are other models of androids designed to fulfill different functions.”

“They have your face,” Alicent observed, finding that justification good enough.

“Yes, but they are not like me. I am a YZ model.” She pointed to the image Alicent was holding, one where Rhaenyra was wearing a white outfit and a large hat. “This one, for example, is an LM model, specifically made for cooking. It’s written right here,” she slid her finger to the bottom of the photo. “Don’t waste time, buy your Rhaenyra LM to enhance your restaurant,” she read.

Alicent looked away. She thought it best not to mention that she couldn’t understand written words. That would probably make her fail the test.

“Are there more of you?” Alicent asked, putting the photos away.

“Yes, or at least there should be.”

Alicent bit her lip. She hadn’t seen any Rhaenyras other than the ones in the photos—and the one standing in front of her. If there really were others, they were somewhere far away.

Crunchy’s antennae drooped, looking as disappointed as Alicent. Nothing was working.

Still determined to pass Rhaenyra’s test, Alicent pointed to the strange lamp with the liquid and floating bubbles. “It makes light, but not like the others,” she moved closer to the sofa, gesturing for Rhaenyra to do the same. “It’s like it’s... alive. It moves.”

“They’re not 'alive,' Alicent. That’s a lava lamp,” Rhaenyra said matter-of-factly, as if explaining something obvious. “It uses liquid wax and heat to create that bubbling effect. A popular design from the 60s.”

Frustrated. Alicent was frustrated. She thought it might be something unique, but Rhaenyra responded with another technical answer.

Nothing seemed to reach her.

“You’re a collector,” Rhaenyra said suddenly.

“A what?”

“A collector,” Rhaenyra repeated. “You find objects and keep them. You assign value to them, even without fully understanding their functionality.”

Alicent had never considered that what she did could have a name that defined it. Was being a collector enough to pass Rhaenyra’s test?

“Is that bad?” Alicent asked, hesitant.

“No. It’s not bad. It just is.”

“Do you collect anything?” Alicent asked.

“I collect information, data, records, knowledge. That is my function.”

Function. That word seemed so concrete, so definitive. Rhaenyra had a clear purpose. Meanwhile, Alicent... well, she just collected. She was a collector, as Rhaenyra had said.

Rhaenyra shifted her attention back to the lamp, noticing the pile of old DVDs Alicent had neatly organized, until her eyes landed on the photo.

“This model...” Rhaenyra began, her voice quieter. “Where did you find this photo?"

“Out there,” Alicent answered. “What model is that?”

Rhaenyra picked up the photo. Alicent almost stopped her. Almost. Her things were hers. Her collection was hers. No one touched Alicent’s things except herself—and Crunchy, sometimes, but he didn’t count as a real person.

“I... I don’t know,” Rhaenyra replied after flipping the image several times, as if it could tell her the answer. “Probably an EF, judging by the clothes.”

“EF?”

“An android designed for domestic activities,” Rhaenyra placed the photo back exactly where she had taken it from. Alicent probably would have short-circuited if she hadn’t.

Then Rhaenyra’s eyes turned back toward the television, which was still on. Princess Ann and Joe Bradley had already met, and Alicent was missing her favorite scenes. She had been so stunned by the sudden knock at the door that she forgot to pause the movie.

Rhaenyra’s attention became completely focused on the black-and-white screen, watching the scene unfold.

“It’s a movie,” Alicent explained, her hands fidgeting. “About a princess who wants to experience the world like a normal person.”

“I know,” Rhaenyra replied. “I have complete records of Roman Holiday. I know how the story begins and how it ends.”

“Have you watched it?”

Rhaenyra turned to face her again. “No.”

Alicent found herself very confused, once again. “But you have the... complete records.”

“I do.”

“And you’ve still never watched it?”

“No.”

The answer didn’t make sense to Alicent. She shifted uncomfortably, looking from Rhaenyra to the TV and back to Rhaenyra.

Alicent might know that donuts were a popular and much-loved food, but she had never tasted one. The idea of experiencing was different from simply possessing information.

“So you don’t know what it’s like to watch,” Alicent concluded.

Rhaenyra’s lilac eyes suddenly seemed distant, thoughtful, only for a fraction of a second—Alicent probably wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been so attentive to every move Rhaenyra made.

“No,” she said finally. “Apparently, I don’t.”

For the first time, Alicent felt she had something to offer Rhaenyra. Something she couldn’t get just from her records. Something she didn’t know about. This would probably make Alicent pass the test, she was sure. Who didn’t like watching a movie?

“Do you want to watch? If you do, I can start it from the beginning.”

Rhaenyra looked at the screen for another moment before turning her eyes back to Alicent.

“I can watch,” she said. “If it’s important to you.”

That wasn’t exactly the kind of response Alicent wanted to hear, however she grabbed the remote anyway and invited Rhaenyra to sit on the sofa with her. Crunchy didn’t want to feel left out and positioned himself between the two.

Alicent alternated her attention between Rhaenyra and the TV. It was the first time she watched without her full attention on the screen. Alicent waited for a reaction from Rhaenyra, even the smallest comment about the movie. But it never came.

Rhaenyra didn’t say a single word throughout the entire plot. She sat upright on the sofa, her hands resting on her lap. Her eyes barely blinked, and she didn’t show the slightest expression.

Crunchy twitched his antennae frequently, seeming more engaged with the movie than Rhaenyra.

When Princess Ann and Joe said their final goodbye, Alicent held her breath. The weight of the scene always hit her hard, no matter how many times she watched it.

Rhaenyra, on the other hand, simply blinked.

“So?” Alicent couldn’t hold back.

Rhaenyra turned her face to her. “What?”

“Did you like the movie?”

“I was not programmed to have opinions or demand preferences,” Rhaenyra replied simply. “Although I can say that film critics enjoyed it very much. The movie was nominated for ten Oscars and won three.”

Alicent didn’t know what an Oscar was or why it mattered, and to be honest, at that point, she wasn’t even interested in asking.

The fact that Rhaenyra had no opinion at all bothered Alicent more than she wanted to admit. How could someone see something so beautiful and feel nothing?

She wanted to ask, wanted to insist. However, Rhaenyra’s impeccable posture made her hesitate. It was better to let it go.

So that was it. The end of everything. Alicent had no more ideas of what to show Rhaenyra that could surprise her. The movie had been her final card. If Rhaenyra wasn’t moved by Roman Holiday, she wouldn’t be moved by anything Alicent had.

She exhaled and hugged her knees to her chest before asking what had been hammering in her head. “So... are you going to rescue me?”

“Rescue you?” Rhaenyra looked at Crunchy, who was lying on Alicent’s lap. She leaned forward slightly, as if about to share a secret. “Is the cockroach holding you hostage?” she asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

“No, Crunchy isn’t...” Alicent shook her head, trying to reorganize her thoughts. “I meant, did I pass the test for you to take me away from here?”

Rhaenyra tilted her head slightly to the side. “I didn’t come here to test you, Alicent.”

Alicent frowned, confused. “Then what are you doing here?”

“I’m here because you’re the only human I’ve found during my entire search. I’m almost certain you’re the last one.”

Alicent stared at Rhaenyra, feeling deeply disappointed. She had hoped there was a better place than here, a place like the ones in the movies, and that Rhaenyra was responsible for creating it.

Alicent had seen Rhaenyra’s face everywhere—in the world. In the pieces that were left of it. And now that she was here, real, solid, made of flesh and blood—no, metal and circuits—Rhaenyra was nothing like Alicent had imagined.

The photos scattered out there seemed more alive than the woman—android—sitting next to Alicent. She said things Alicent didn’t understand, tried to hurt Crunchy, suggested her precious collection was trash, and she wasn’t moved by the ending of one of Alicent’s favorite movies.

Rhaenyra really was different from her. Alicent could see that clearly now. She was made differently, with a different purpose.

Alicent lowered her gaze to Crunchy, who was now crawling on the sofa, oblivious and unbothered. She wished Rhaenyra were more like him: easily entertained.

Alicent got up from the sofa and pressed the ‘eject’ button on the DVD player, removed the disc, and carefully stored it away. Her movements were routine, just like the tiredness beginning to weigh on her eyelids. She needed to sleep.

“What else can I do for you?” Rhaenyra asked, still on the sofa.

“I’m going to sleep,” Alicent replied without much enthusiasm, turning to face her.

“I can assist with the process, if necessary,” Rhaenyra stood up, ready to help. “I can adjust the pillows, tuck you in, offer a story to induce rest.”

Alicent tried to hide her surprise. “Do you have stories recorded in your records too?”

“Hundreds. Children’s classics, folk tales, fictional narratives of various genres.”

The idea was exciting. Alicent didn’t know many stories beyond the movies. It would be nice to lie down and have Rhaenyra’s calm voice whispering tales until she fell asleep.

However, Alicent thought better of it. It was a bad idea. Rhaenyra should leave—clearly, she didn’t belong here, with Alicent and her collections and Crunchy. No. Rhaenyra belonged outside, absorbing knowledge for her records.

“I don’t need help, thank you,” Alicent made an effort to sound polite. “And I... I think you should go.”

Rhaenyra showed no reaction. “That’s fine. I can stay near the door while you sleep.”

“No, I mean, you should leave. Leave me here, alone.”

Lilac eyes stared at Alicent for a moment that felt too long.

“I can’t do that,” Rhaenyra finally replied.

“Why not?”

“Because...” Rhaenyra searched for the words. For the first time, she seemed unsure of what to say. “You’re the only human I’ve found, and as my duty, I must take care of you.”

“No, you don’t,” Alicent was starting to get annoyed.

“Yes, I do,” Rhaenyra insisted. “I was created for this.”

Alicent couldn’t care less. She preferred to be alone with Crunchy’s company than with Rhaenyra’s persistent presence and her annoyingly intelligent comments.

“This is my house,” Alicent said. “You have no right to stay here.”

Rhaenyra maintained her unshakable posture. “This is an adapted container,” she replied, stating a logical fact. “It’s not a house.”

Alicent—for the first time in her life—rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t matter what it is. This is what I call home. And you don’t belong here.”

Rhaenyra looked at Alicent as if trying to understand her request. In the end, she took a step back, respecting her decision.

“If that’s what you want,” Rhaenyra said, her voice impersonal. “I’ll leave.”

Alicent swallowed. “It is.”

Rhaenyra gave a slow nod before turning her back. She didn’t argue—just left.

Alicent stood frozen in place, watching her go. It should have felt like a victory—she had told Rhaenyra to leave, and Rhaenyra had listened. As the distance grew between them, there was a strange, hollow sensation in Alicent’s chest.

Crunchy stopped on top of her feet, his antennae twitching. “Come on, don’t give me that look,” she said, feeling that he didn’t approve of her decision.

Rhaenyra opened the door to her apartment expecting to find it empty. But the light was on, and she caught a glimpse of Alicent lying on the sofa, facing the television. She frowned. Alicent had plans for tonight—plans that didn’t include Rhaenyra.

“Shouldn’t you be having dinner with your father?” she asked, placing her keys on the small table by the door.

Alicent grabbed the remote and paused whatever she was watching.

“Good to see you too, you know,” she teased, turning her head to look at Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra just smiled as she took off her boots and stored them in the shoe rack. She walked toward the sofa and planted a kiss on Alicent’s forehead. “What happened?”

Alicent sighed. “He canceled.”

“Work?”

“It’s always work with him.”

Rhaenyra walked around the sofa, taking off her coat as she did. “Well, at least now I’ll have you all to myself tonight.”

“You have me all to yourself every night, Rhaenyra.”

“And none of those nights are ever enough.”

Alicent rolled her eyes, but a small smile dared to form on her lips.

“So, are we ordering takeout tonight?” Rhaenyra asked as she sat down on the sofa.

Alicent shrugged, still lying down. “I’m not in the mood to cook, unless you are.”

“You know very well I’m not,” Rhaenyra turned her attention to the TV, where Jim Carrey’s face was frozen on the screen. “What’s the movie this time?”

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”

Rhaenyra hadn’t watched that one yet. She turned her head to look at Alicent again. “What’s it about?”

“It’s about a couple who break up,” Alicent explained, as Rhaenyra leaned closer, now hovering over Alicent. “She undergoes a procedure to erase her memories of him…”

Alicent’s voice drifted in Rhaenyra’s mind, the explanation of the movie easily forgotten. It was so hard to focus on anything other than Alicent when she was around, even after all these years. Besides, Alicent was wearing a tank top—no bra underneath—and casual shorts. How could she focus on anything other than that?

“Rhaenyra?” Alicent called, her voice slightly louder than before, “Are you paying attention to me?”

“I’m always paying attention to you,” Rhaenyra replied, their noses almost touching.

“Then what was I talking about?” Despite Alicent’s serious expression, there was no seriousness in her voice.

“About the movie,” Rhaenyra’s fingers slipped under Alicent’s tank top. “The couple breaks up, and they forget each other. Did I get it right?”

Alicent looked down at where Rhaenyra’s hand was and let out a small sigh. “Almost,” she murmured.

Rhaenyra didn’t respond, just kept brushing her fingers against Alicent’s bare waist and staring at her lips. She couldn’t look away.

It seemed like Rhaenyra would be the one to take the initiative, but then, Alicent acted. She grabbed Rhaenyra by the collar of her shirt and pulled her forward, eliminating any space between them. Rhaenyra’s hands tightened around Alicent’s exposed waist, feeling her warm skin under her fingers.

“If you ever do that, I’ll kill you,” Alicent said, breaking the kiss. “I’m serious.”

It took a second for Rhaenyra to understand what Alicent was referring to. “Break up with you or erase my memories of you?”

“Both.”

Rhaenyra just smiled and kissed Alicent again. Because one kiss wasn’t enough. Not when she was on top of Alicent. And definitely not when Rhaenyra’s hands were under her shirt. And also not—ugh. Who was she trying to fool? One kiss was never enough, under any circumstances.

Rhaenyra’s lips traced a path down Alicent’s face. First, she planted a tender kiss on her chin. Then, she moved down to her neck, feeling Alicent’s warm skin and the quickened rhythm of her breath against her mouth.

“What if you forget me?” Alicent asked suddenly.

Rhaenyra stopped. Her eyebrows furrowed as she lifted her face to look at Alicent. “What do you mean? I could never forget you.”

Alicent didn’t pull away, her fingers sliding from Rhaenyra’s shirt collar to the back of her neck.

“What if they do some bizarre experiment on your brain and you end up not remembering anything and…”

Oh-oh. Rhaenyra had better think of an answer quickly. Alicent was in full-on paranoia mode.

Alicent often did this—questioned impossible, unfounded things that could tear them apart. And that was okay. Rhaenyra loved Alicent just the way she was. And sometimes who she was, was someone with imaginary insecurities that would never happen.

Rhaenyra sighed, a half-smile playing on her lips before she rested her forehead against Alicent’s. “Are you kidding me? Even if they lobotomized me, I wouldn’t forget you.”

Alicent pressed her lips together, clearly still uneasy. “But what if you did?”

“Then you’d make me remember.”

“How?”

“You’d kiss me until it worked,” Rhaenyra tightened her grip on Alicent’s waist, trying to calm her. “Again, and again, and again. Until I remembered.”

Alicent’s cheeks began to flush, yet her eyes showed she still wasn’t entirely convinced. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“It will,” Rhaenyra replied with absolute certainty. “Honestly? I don’t think you’d even need to kiss me. I’d see you and fall in love immediately, like it was the first time.”