First Night, part 2
Pairing: aemond targaryen x unnamed ofc
Warnings: history of sexual trauma, i.e. aemond being dragged to a brothel by aegon.
Summary: the repercussions of a traumatic event when he was 13 come full circle on Aemond’s wedding night.
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Part 1
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She awoke to find him gone. She wasn’t surprised, after all her wedding night had been different from anything she had expected.
Her ladies came in to prepare her bath and change the bedsheets, so she let them ask her how she was feeling and if she was sore, and they added petals and oils to the bath, so when she stepped in it was like stepping into a hot, fragrant spring.
The mark on her palm had closed overnight, she’d thrown the stained napkin into the fire as soon as she’d woken, and she let the ladies flutter around her, washing her hair, telling her that she might already be with child, and how they were glad the prince had not been harsh with her.
If they only knew.
“By the way,” she asked casually, “where is Prince Aemond?”
Training, they told her. Odd, after his first married night he might have lingered in bed with his new bride, but she shrugged it off, saying he’d been training for years and she hadn’t expected him to change his ways for her.
When she was dressed and her skin still pink from her bath, she headed to the lists, and found a spot where she could sit and watch Cristen Cole sparring with the prince.
Aemond was fascinating to watch. So agile and dexterous, he moved with a grace honed from years of practice, and when he drew his blade to within an inch of Ser Cristen’s neck, everyone watching clapped. Ser Cristen patted Aemond on the back and both men began walking towards the doors that led to the kitchens, when he noticed her.
“Husband!” she said brightly, walking over and giving him a small curtsy. He bowed to her and offered her his arm. “Did you have a good training session?”
“I did, although I am afraid I am in need of a wash now,” he said, apologetically.
She smiled, and they walked towards their chamber. He seemed to be in a good mood, and although she knew that at some point they would need to discuss some things, she was content enough to let things be for now.
“I will have a bath prepared if you wish.”
“Thank you, wife,” he said quietly, then took her hand and turned it over, examining the wound. “How is it?”
She smiled up at him. “I am very well, thank you,” she leaned in and whispered. “Would it be too bold for me to kiss your cheek?”
“I believe that is entirely appropriate.”
Going up on the tips of her toes, she kissed his cheek and watched the corner of his mouth rise a little.
Once in their chamber, she sat by the balcony with her embroidery while he began removing his training gear. “Would you like me to help you?”
“I can manage,” he replied, “but I thank you for the offer.”
* * * * *
Aemond let the hot water soothe his sore muscles, and turned to gaze at his wife. She was facing the gardens, working on her needlework, and he wanted to thank her, to tell her, to let her know.
When he was done and dressed in clean clothes, he joined her near the balcony. “Thank you.”
She turned to him, and he appreciated that she didn’t for one moment pretend not to know what he meant. She smiled up at him. “I am your wife, Aemond, I will always be on your side.”
“I am most grateful for that. I have not always been able to rely on those who should have been on my side.”
“I am sorry for it.”
He leaned down, reached under her chin, tipping her face up to his, and pressed his lips against hers. Her lips were soft, velvety, delicate. She made a little noise and he began tracing her lower lip with the tip of his tongue, then remembered.
The older one, pushing her tongue in his mouth, making him touch her tongue with his, the hot tears burning behind his eye, and he pushed away, his wife sitting there wide-eyed, her hands still on her lap, and he felt embarrassed.
He left without another word, meaning to spend the afternoon in the library.
* * * * *
She didn’t know what had happened to Aemond, but someone had obviously hurt him. It was a different hurt than the attack from his cousins. One had taken his eye, but the other had taken part of his spirit and left shame in its stead.
There was no one she could ask, no one she could confide in, and she thought, at least he seems to want to try. He had started to take her to bed last night, and he had initiated the kiss just now. She would cling to that, not push, but nurture the little embers of hope she felt. Something was stopping him, something would suddenly cause him to push her away.
She was patient. She could wait.
* * * * *
It was time for the evening meal when Aemond saw his wife entering the library. “Husband,” she said gently, “will you be dining with the family or should I have food brought to you here?”
She must be so bewildered, he thought, yet she was kind and cheerful around him. “Where will you be dining?”
“Well,” she considered his question. “That depends on whether you wish me to dine with you. If you wish to dine with the family, I should wish to join you. If you wish to dine here, alone, then I will eat my meal in our chamber. I truly do not wish to trouble you.”
“You don’t,” he said, standing up. He walked to where she stood and took her hands. “You have done nothing wrong. You must know that, it’s just that-”
“I would have thought you two would still be fucking like rabbits!”
Aemond glared at his older brother, his wife turning to look at the king.
“You have enough skill to keep her from getting bored, brother, after all, variety being the spice of life and all-”
“You will watch your language around my wife.”
Aegon merely smirked, and left the library.
"Should I have our meals brought here?” she asked him. “Unless you wish to dine alone.”
“Here is fine,” he said, watching her as she summoned a servant.
When she finished speaking to the girl, he said. “I owe you some answers.”
“You do not. I mean, not now. I need you to know something, Aemond. I meant what I said. You have my loyalty. Whatever you tell me will stay with me, there is enough intrigue and political posturing in the realm without having our marriage be affected by it.”
He cupped her face in his hands, pressing his forehead to hers. “You humble me, wife.”
* * * * *
There was something to what Aegon had said, she thought. He had talked about skill and variety about what she assumed was their intimate moments. Aemond was not close to the king. They were often at odds, sniping at each other, and that meant there would be no camaraderie. She couldn’t picture them talking to each other like men often did, like she’d seen her brother talk to his friends when he thought there were no ladies around.
They would talk about their conquests, alluding to various acts that she didn’t quite understand but were all apparently things to brag about. Things they did with women they bedded.
She tried to imagine Aemond bragging to Aegon and could not form the image in her mind.
So how would Aegon know anything about his brother’s “skill and variety”?
Their dinner had been spent with her talking about her education. How every art teacher she had ever had ended up quitting because she was so terrible at it. How she had ended up doing needlework because that was simply following a pattern someone else had created and that, she could do. She told him about the flowers outside her room back home, the night blooms that lulled her to sleep with their soft scent, the birds that woke her in the mornings.
He paid attention to everything she said, asked questions, told her he couldn’t imagine her being terrible at anything.
"Then I should sing for you.”
He laughed, the first time she had ever heard him laugh, and oh, how he was transformed. His handsome face, which she thought was usually so serious and intimidating, lit up like the sun. She was dazzled by him and a small voice whispered that if she wasn’t careful, she might be burned to ashes.
“I would love that,” he teased.
“You might never recover. In fact, you might banish me to the other side of the realm.”
“I would never.” Aemond went quiet, his voice barely audible now. “I would never send you away.” He reached across the table, resting his hand, palm up.
When she looked at him, there was fear in his gaze. Smiling at him, she placed her hand in his. “I am very glad to hear that.”
“Come with me,” he said, and silently, she followed.
* * * * *
In their bedchamber, Aemond closed the door after her. He wanted her, had spent the morning thinking about the few moments when he had touched her, and how soft and willing she had felt.
Her hand was still in his and he brought it to his lips, kissing the backs of her fingers. He whispered her name and leaned down to kiss her lips. Other than her hand in his, she wasn’t trying to touch him, he realized, and he was torn between being grateful and ashamed. She tasted of the fruit and sweet wine they’d shared at the end of their meal, and again, she made that little noise, stepping closer to him.
His hands went to her hips and he pulled her against him. She was so warm and he wanted it all, the soft and the heat, the sweet, clean scent of her skin and the gentle waves of her hair.
He began to undo the laces on her gown, felt her tug at the bodice until one shoulder slipped free. There was a scar there, and he traced it with his fingertips.
“We got a new dog,” she said. “He was scared by all the kids being loud and when I held him up, he bit me.”
“I will skewer him and roast him over a fire.”
She gasped, laughing. “You will not, he became one of my favorites!”
There had been no laughter that night, he thought, just terror and shame as the women had stripped him bare, pressed their bodies against him. He remembered the smell of them, the sickly sweet cloud of scent that had filled the room.
He realized he was just looking at her, and there was only curiosity and kindness in her eyes.
“I like kissing,” she whispered shyly.
He felt himself smile. “I like kissing you.”
She raised her face up to him and he kissed her again. He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue and she opened willingly for him. He could do this. He reminded himself she was his wife, not any of the others, not someone who would hurt him, and he began tasting her, exploring her mouth as he felt her small hands touch his chest.
There was a shard of fear slicing through him, but she didn’t grab him or pull at his clothes, she was simply letting her hands rest on him while he kissed her. He thought of ending the kiss and decided he didn’t want to. He wanted to keep kissing her, wanted more, yes, but he could have this for now, he could kiss her and have it be something new, have it not be tainted by that night.
“Sweet wife,” Aemond whispered.
She said nothing, rubbed the tip of her nose against his.
“Can we just . . . kiss?”
He felt her smile against his cheek. “I believe we can.”
* * * * *
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House of the Dragon: 1x04
“Princess Rhaenyra was a different matter. Daemon spent long hours in her company, enthralling her with tales of his journeys and battles. He gave her pearls and silks and books and a jade tiara said once to have belonged to the Empress of Leng, read poems to her, dined with her, hawked with her, sailed with her, entertained her by making mock of the greens at court, the “lickspittles” fawning over Queen Alicent and her children. He praised her beauty, declaring her to be the fairest maid in all the Seven Kingdoms. Uncle and niece began to fly together almost daily, racing Syrax against Caraxes to Dragonstone and back.”
Can someone tell me what the fuck happened to that!!!
I don’t know what I watched honestly.
I had more pleasure to see the scenes between Rhaenyra and Alicent than the ones between Rhaenyra and Daemon.
Let’s start from the beginning. Storm’s end by boat not dragon?
The discussion of political mariage was with Daemon and not Alicent.
I liked that they showed us Rhaenyra’s bedroom.
I, also, liked that Rhaenyra bumped into Harwin Strong in the streets (foreshadowing?).
Even Viserys and Alicent’s sex scene wasn’t that chocking.
After it was WTF, WTF, WTF!
I know that they did it on purpose, as “would you lose your virginity with someone who cares for you or with someone who brought you to a brothel?”
Honestly the reply is quite simple.
But how Ser Cristen Cole agreed to fall for that. How did he not refuse Rhaenyra’s advances.
In addition, Daemon was supposed to be different with Rhaenyra. He was supposed to love her. But I have a this crazy theory that Mysaria drugged him and even paid the children spy to confess to Otto what he saw. For which purpose I don’t know. So clearly, Daemon couldn’t perform tonight again.
Furthermore, now I know for a fact that something happened between Daemon and Alicent. She has so much resentment against him. They have definitively slept together.
At least, Daemon said the famous sentence “Give the girl to me to wife”.
Oh I didn’t understand why no one mentioned that Laenor is gay at this point?
More tomorrow.
Goodnight, it’s 4:39am and I want to sleep.
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