#this happened...helaena told me herself

[fictonrantsworld]

My headcanon is that helaena stitched aegons outfit and I think it's so cute that she was making a similar one for jaeherys so he could match with daddy

Edit:yeah I understand it's a shroud, but the thing is Helaena didn't even know she was making a shroud, remember what phia said that Helaena has intuitions more than dreams at this point of time...but it's still cute she tried to match with his daddy.

[softspiderling]

like, ever | j.v

summary:

“Hey, I’m worried about you.”

You glanced up from your laptop screen to see Rhaena standing in your doorway, her arms crossed.

“Why?”

She gave you a look, before her eyes roamed your room: your textbooks stacked half-hazardly on your desk, two empty ice cream tubs, another half melted one on your nightstand, an empty tissue box on the floor and you on your bed, wrapped in your blanket like a burrito.

OR; You and Jace break up because of a stupid reason, but you’re both too proud to apologize.

pairing: jacaerys velaryon x reader

warnings: kinda toxic behavior from both of them, but like the usual issues in communication that’s so common in people our age idk what to tell you

word count: 4,1k

author’s note: modern au!jace is the president of the frat Alpha Draconis (it's co-ed, Rhaenyra was president during her time at uni), Jace/Aegon/Baela and their respective siblings are all cousins, but this is NOT in the same universe as can I go (where you go). thank you to my wonder sister wife beta @eldrith as usual <3

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“We broke up.”

“No you didn’t.”

“Yes, we did.”

Baela gave you a look, narrowing her eyes at you as she pushed her Econ 1 assignment away. You dropped down on the couch next to her, leaning your head back.

“Why?”

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” you huffed and Baela whacked you in the arm.

“You just came home and dropped a bomb like that, you can’t just not talk about it.”

“Not talk about what?”

You internally groaned when Helaena’s voice floated from the hallway, the front door shutting behind her. An intervention was inevitable at this point. At least Rhaena wasn’t home yet, you knew she was volunteering until six.

“She and Jace broke up,” Baela told her and Helaena paused in the doorway to the living room, a frown on her face as she undid her braid.

“You didn’t.”

“That’s what I said!”

“You know, normal friends would offer ice cream if their friend was going through a break up.”

“I’d offer you ice cream if you were sad,” Helaena pointed out. She sat down next to you, patting your shoulder. “You don’t look sad.”

“Well, I am sad,” you sniffed, but Baela fixed her brown eyes at you until you threw your hands up in frustration. “Fine! I’m mostly mad, okay? Pissed off, actually!”

Baela folded her legs under herself. “Tell us what happened.”

“I don’t know, she just rubs me the wrong way. It’s like she knows you have a girlfriend and she chooses to ignore that.”

You and Jace were laying in his bed, your head on his chest. He had been telling you about the new pledges of the term, and you weren’t exactly fond of one of them - Laura, a nursing major. You were aware of her being especially touchy with Jace, twirling her hair while she was talking to him and always searching him out at every event. Which was fair, he was the president of the frat after all and at first you had told yourself that you were just projecting but the you noticed that she was laughing at all of Jace’s jokes. She was definitely into him. He was not that funny.

“I don’t know, it’s just the way she is, I think,” he said, and you frowned at him.

“Jace, come on, she’s totally into you.”

“Well, good thing I’m into you,” Jace pointed out, turning his head to nose along your neck but you pushed him away, starting to get annoyed that he wasn’t taking this seriously.

“I mean it, Jace.”

“So do I,” he answered, irritated. “Why does this bother you so much?”

“Because I don’t like another girl’s hands being all over you?”

You sat up, leaning away from him with a frown and he only sighed, laying his head back on the pillow, shutting his eyes. He was starting to piss you off.

“She’s not into me! Everyone tries to butter me up because they want to join the frat. And even if she was, why does it matter?”

“It matters because it bothers me and you clearly don’t care!”

“Of course I care,” Jace sighed. He opened his eyes, reaching out for you, and you had to admit your resolve was starting to crumble. “You’re overreacting.”

And just like that, the wall was back up.

“Wow, thanks.”

Your voice was biting as you spoke, tugging your hand out of his grasp and standing up, grabbing your hoodie. Jace was quick to follow you, brows furrowed. Great, now both of you were mad.

“You’re making a big deal out of nothing!” Jace snapped and you only glared at him.

“Thanks for invalidating my feelings, Jacaerys,” you said sarcastically. “If I’m making a deal out of nothing, maybe we’re both nothing.”

Jace’s face fell and he stopped in his tracks, letting out a huff. “You don’t mean that.”

Maybe you didn’t. But you weren’t about to backtrack now. You were a woman of your words.

“Yes, I do.”

You pulled the door open and rushed out of his room, slamming the door shut behind you. Distantly, you could hear Jace call after you and you secretly hoped he would chase after you, but by the time you made it downstairs to the front door, he was still nowhere to be seen.

“That’s…”

Baela and Helaena exchanged a look and you frowned at them. While you hadn’t expected for them to immediately spring into assuring you that they were on your side - you were dating their cousin after all - you also didn’t quite imagined them being so… Shocked.

“What?” you asked, suddenly growing insecure. “I had a point.”

“Well, yeah,” Baela started, “But so did he.”

“Why did you immediately jump into breaking up?” Helaena asked with a soft voice, the voice you knew she used when she didn’t want to hurt your feelings. You lifted your shoulders, then dropped them again, unable to answer her question.

“Did you want to break up?”

“No!”

You tucked your chin against your chest, a pit forming in your stomach. Did you maybe overreact?

“I was just mad,” you said, frowning, picking at the hem of your shirt.

“.. And you wanted to hurt him?” Baela said, finishing your sentence. Your head shot up, a denial on your lips, but your mouth closed when her words sunk in.

“… Maybe.”

“You two really are hotheaded and stubborn,” Helaena pointed out, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. You only glowered, the anger from earlier dissipating and instead was replaced by misery and a little bit of guilt? Luckily, Helaena and Baela left you to your wallowing after they realized you needed some space and you fled to your bedroom, trying to bury yourself in your assignments.

There was only one slight problem. You couldn’t find school bag anywhere.

“Where did I leave it?” you muttered to yourself, checking under your desk for your bag, even opening the drawer for good measure. You were crawling on the floor looking under your bed when it finally dawned on you.

“Fuck.”

You had gone over to the frat’s house right after class, with your school bag. And after the fight, you must have forgotten to grab it.

“Ugh,” you groaned, dropping your forehead on the floor You’d rather crawl under your bed and sleep with the dust bunnies that have been collecting under there than go back to the frat house right now. But you had no choice. The assignment was was due the day after tomorrow and Professor Cole already was in a bad mood because his date went badly.

“Fuck me,” you muttered to yourself, turning to lay on your bad and cursed the Gods for making you miserable as you stared at the ceiling, collecting your wits.

“Oh.”

Luke Velaryon, Jace’s younger AND biological brother, stood in the doorway, apprehensive. He had always been the more sensitive one between the two brothers, but he was also unwaveringly loyal. You had no doubt that Jace had already told him everything about your fight.

“Hey Luke,” you said, giving him a wry smile.

“Hey,” he replied hesitantly. “Jace is not here.”

“I know.”

Luke pressed his lips together, his eyes darting around as if he was expecting his older brother to come out of the bushes any second. “Are you okay?”

You let out a small laugh, shaking your head. What a sweet boy.

“Yeah, alright enough I guess,” you replied, sighing. “Listen, I forgot my bag in Jace’s room and I really need it to do an assignment, could you let me in?”

“I don’t know….” Luke answered slowly. “Jace should be back soon though. Maybe you can just wait until he gets back? And then you guys could talk?”

Bless him.

You bit on your lip, running your hand through your hair, exasperated. “Listen Luke, I really appreciate you trying to look out for Jace, but I really can’t see him right now.”

Luke exhaled, shifting on his feet like he was undecided. The longer it took for him to decide, the higher chances were you’d run into Jace on your way out.

“Please, Luke, I just need to grab my bag really quickly. He won’t even notice I was there.”

With a loud sigh, Luke finally nodded, opening the door wider and taking a step back.

“He’s gonna be back soon, you need to hurry up.”

“Thanks Luke!”

You hushed past him into the house, walking the familiar way up the stairs to Jace’s bedroom, shutting the door behind you. With a small sigh, you looked around, trying to discern your stuff from his. It was harder than you had first anticipated, your belongings strewn all over the room. Picking your favorite scrunchie off of his nightstand next to a picture of the two of you during New Year’s Eve, you put your hair up as you narrowed your eyes, feeling relief settle in your chest when you saw your backpack lean against the desk.

“Thank God”, you muttered, grabbing it quickly. Just as you headed to the door, hand on the door knob, you could hear voices down the hallway through the closed door. You cursed, recognizing it as Jace and Cregan.

Fuck.

Immediately, you let go of the door knob, taking a few steps back, trying to come up with a way you wouldn’t be caught standing in the middle of Jace’s bedroom. Did you have enough time to make the climb out of the window and scale down the roof?

“- it’ll blow over. I’ll give her some time to calm down and-”

Before you could make a decision, the door swung open, and Jace entered. He was looking back at Cregan, who raised his brows when he saw you in the middle of the room.

“Wha-?” Jace turned his head, his mouth dropping open. “… Hey.”

“Hey.”

Cregan glanced between the two of you, narrowing his eyes. Meanwhile, Jace was rubbing the back of his neck.

“Did you forget something?”

“Yeah,” you answered - LAME! - lifting your backpack.

Jace nodded slowly. “Was there anything you wanted to say?”

You frowned at him, confused.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” Jace said, shrugging with his shoulders. “I thought you were here to apologize.”

Cregan groaned, leaning his forehead against the door frame as you felt all the anger from before welling up again.

“Me apologize?” You repeated, your voice shrill. “What about you? I bet Laura’s thrilled to hear we broke up.”

“You just ended things for no reason! Laura’s not even into me!” Jace snapped and Cregan pushed himself off of the door frame.

“Maybe we all should just calm down.”

“Shut up, Cregan!” You and Jace yelled at the same time, your anger very briefly directed at Jace’s best friend.

Cregan flinched, raising his hands defensively. “Jesus, sorry. I’ll never try to help again,” he muttered. “Let me give you two a minute.”

He stepped out of the room but you held your hands up, stopping him with a scoff.

“No, I’m done here,” you huffed, shaking your head in disbelief. With one last angry look at Jace, you pushed between them, running out of the house, smoke coming out of your ears.

You spent the rest of the week distracting yourself. Burying yourself in assignments and reading, eating ice cream - there was a deal at Whole Foods, five for three, your freezer was full - and you only cried once.

“Hey, I’m worried about you.”

You glanced up from your laptop screen to see Rhaena standing in your doorway, her arms crossed.

“Why?”

She gave you a look, before her eyes roamed your room: your textbooks stacked half-hazardly on your desk, two empty ice cream tubs, another half melted one on your nightstand, an empty tissue box on the floor and you on your bed, wrapped in your blanket like a burrito. You sighed, letting the blankets fall from your shoulders.

“I’m fine, Rhae.”

“Hey, did you convince her to come?” Baela skidded to a halt next to Rhaena, looking from her sister to you. Rhaena only sighed while you narrowed your eyes at Baela’s get up. She was wearing black leather pants and a brown corset; she looked like she was going out.

“Come where?”

“Alpha Draconis’ summer term opening party.”

Right that. The party you had helped Jace plan. Before you broke up.

“I don’t know guys,” you sighed, leaning back against your headboard. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to go.”

“You don’t have to go,” Rhaena assured you but Baela shushed her, shaking her head.

“No, you absolutely have to go,” she insisted. “We’ve let you wallow in your misery long enough. It’s time to put your big girl pants on and face Jace. You broke up with him for a shitty reason and yes, he was being a jerk, but you were being a bitch. Now suck it up and get your man back.”

You gaped at her, and Rhaena whacked Baela in the arm, but she only shrugged, ever the unapologetic brutally honest one.

“What? You know I’m right,” Baela only said, frowning at her twin before she turned to you. “So?”

With a groan, you closed your eyes. You knew Baela was right, in a way, and it was no use sitting around when your friends were going out. You had to see him eventually.

“Fine,” you gave in, pushing the blanket back as Baela cheered, immediately disappearing. Rhaena only shook her head, stepping into your bedroom, helping you clean up a little.

“I’m driving,” she told you. “Just tell me if you want to leave, okay?”

You nodded, giving Rhaena a grin when something soft just hit you in the face with no warning, courtesy of Baela having returned to your bedroom.

“Put that on.”

The projectile fell to floor, and as you picked it up, you recognized it as a dark red dress, tags still on.

“Hel’s headed to the party from work, so we’ll meet her there in an hour, go take a shower and I’ll do your hair,” Baela said, reaching for your hand to pull you up. “Come on, up up up!”

Begrudgingly, you let Baela usher you into the shower, shutting the door behind you very decidedly. You stared at yourself in the mirror, eyes rimmed red and hair a mess and you allowed yourself a minute of respite before you turned the shower on. If you had to go to that stupid party, you’d make sure to look the absolute best.

“Am I crazy or is it even more crowded than last term?”

You winced as you followed Baela and Rhaena through an especially crowded spot in the house, glancing around.

“No, it’s definitely more people,” Baela agreed, squeezing your hand to make sure not to lose you in the mass. “Has Helaena said where she is?”

“She said she was in backyards,” Rhaena replied and Baela steered you in the direction of the backyard. Meanwhile you tried not to let your eyes roam too much; you didn’t want to seem like you were looking for Jace, even though that was exactly what you were doing. Just as you reached the patio doors, Helaena appeared, stopping you in the doorway.

“Hey guys,” she said, breathless, her eyes flitting over to you as you greeted her. “Should we go get drinks?”

“I’m not dragging my ass back through that crowd,” you moaned, shaking your head. “Let’s just sit down by the pool for a second before we go back in.”

You nudged Helaena out of the way gently, but the blonde grabbed your arm, trying to pull you back.

“But I’m really thirsty.”

“Hel, come on,” you laughed. “You’ll survive ten more minutes without-”

The rest of your words died on your tongue when you caught sight of Jace sitting by the pool, surrounded by his frat brothers and of course, Laura. Now you knew why Helaena was so adamant to get you away from the backyard. It was too loud to hear what Jace was saying, but he must be telling an extremely funny story with the way Laura was laughing, touching his shoulder. They weren’t doing anything scandalous, but it still hurt you to see him still talking to her after you voiced your concerns. You tried not to let it get to you. It wasn’t your business anymore anyways, but you were still a little sick to the stomach.

With a scoff, you turned away, embarrassment burning your cheeks as your friends looked at you with pitiful eyes.

“Sorry,” Rhaena said and you only shrugged with your shoulders.

“Whatever,” you muttered, clearing your throat. “I told you, she was into him. Now he’s free to do as he pleases.”

Baela winced. “We can leave, if you want.”

“No, I’m not leaving because of that clown.”

The girls let out a laugh and Helaena wrapped her arm around you. You gave her a wry smile, leaning into her.

“Let’s go get you that drink.”

As Helaena dragged you away, you couldn’t help but glance back to Jace and for a split second, your eyes met. You quickly turned away, feeling a lump form in your throat. You couldn’t wait to get drinks. After getting to the kitchen, the four of you did two rounds of shots, knowing where the boys kept their expensive booze; Rhaena then mixed you some drinks before you settled on the couch in the living room. Taking a careful sip of your cup, you immediately pulled a face, looking at Rhaena.

“What the hell is in this?”

“I think Grey Goose and Coke.”

“You think?” you asked, wincing when you took another sip. “This is awful Rhae.”

“What is awful?”

Aegon, Helaena’s brother, one cousin of many in the Targaryen family, suddenly plopped down on the couch next to you.

“Oh great, Aegon is here,” Baela deadpanned and Aegon only mocked Baela as he reached for your drink.

“Sure, just go ahead and take my drink.”

Aegon took a big gulp of your drink, humming. “It’s not bad,” he said, offering the cup back to you but you politely declined. You didn’t know where Aegon’s mouth had been in the last 24 hours, there was no way you’d drink out of the same cup he had.

“So, what’s this I hear about you and our cousin breaking up?” Aegon asked, throwing his arm around the back of the couch and you scooted forward, trying to escape his touch.

“You heard right,” you said, throwing him a dirty look and Rhaena rolled her eyes.

“You’re a dick, Aeg.”

“What?” Aegon exclaimed. “’t was just a question, no harm done, right?”

You let out a deep sigh, pushing away from the couch.

“I need some air,” you told the girls and Rhaena furrowed her brows, worried.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“We can make Aegon leave,” Baela offered and Aegon made a noise, frowning at his cousin but you shook your head,

“Nah, I’m good. Just, text me if you guys go somewhere, okay?”

“Are you sure, babe?” Helaena asked and you nodded, patting her shoulder gently.

“Yeah, ‘m fine. I promise.”

With a small wave, you disappeared into the crowd, hearing the cousins starting to argue, but it was background noise to you. Instead of heading to the front door, you inconspicuously headed upstairs, past a kissing couple, and to the bathroom on the second floor. The door was shut, but unlocked and unoccupied as you opened the door. You let it fall shut in its hinges after you, walking over to the window, like you had done so many times before, but never alone. Clicking the window open, you carefully climbed out to the roof, sliding the window closed behind you again. You traipsed over the roof, before settling down on the small nook that sat right above Benjicot’s bedroom, stretching out your legs.

Jace had shown you this place when you first started dating, and sometimes when the parties got too much, the two of you snuck out here to be alone. It was probably risky to go here; but it was the only place you felt like you could retreat without having to go home.

The noise of the party downstairs could still be heard, especially the conversations in the backyard, but to you, it seemed quieter as you closed your eyes. It had cooled down significantly since you had come to the party, but you enjoyed the bite of the cold on your bare arms. A deep breath escaped your lips, your chest heavy.

Looking back on it, you knew what you had said was wrong. It was words hurled in the heat of the moment, chosen to provoke a reaction out of Jace and if you could take them back, you would. But now it was too late, it had seemed like Laura had already sunken her talons into Jace as soon as he was available - not that she had cared much about whether he had a girlfriend or not - and he seemed to be lapping it up.

“Stupid,” you muttered to yourself, wiping the tear that escaped your eye from your cheek with the back of your hand. You froze, when you heard the bathroom window slide open; not daring to look back. His steps were careful as he walked towards you, as if not to spook you, but before he came into view, a soft jacket was draped over your shoulders, engulfing you in his scent. You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, tugging the jacket tighter around your body when Jace sat down next to you.

The silence between you stretched on, before Jace cleared his throat.

“You were right.”

You let out a small scoff at his words, glancing over to him.

“You’re shitting me, right?” you asked in disbelief. “She was all over you like that and you still thought she wasn’t into you?”

Jace winced, ducking his head.

“That’s fair. Maybe I was a little oblivious. It’s just…” he paused, sighing. “I didn’t see it, because I don’t really see other girls. Ever since we met, it’s just been you. I didn’t even realize that she was flirting with me until she straight up asked me if we could go upstairs.”

Jealousy flared up in your chest at his words, and you frowned, quickly giving him a once over.

“Well, did you?” you asked, your voice tight. Jace gave you a look, his hands dropping down on his lap.

“I’m sitting here with you, aren’t I?”

Relief flooded your veins and you ducked your head to hide your face. Jace glanced over at you, his face vulnerable and you bit your lip.

“I’m sorry too,” you then said. “I didn’t mean what I said. It was petty and stupid, and I’m sorry.”

“Well looks like we both got to work on some things,” Jace said, tentatively reaching out to take your hand; out of reflex you immediately laced your hand with his. He quirked a smile at you, scooting closer to you and you glanced up at him, almost shyly before you leaned in, as he met you halfway, your lips touching. Jace wrapped his hand around the back of your neck as you kissed, and if you hadn’t felt warm before, you definitely did now.

“What’s happening?”

“They’re kissing!”

“No way! Move over!”

“You move over!”

A crash sounded and you pulled away from Jace, just to see Luke and his cousins spying on you from the bathroom.

“Nothing to see here, carry on!” Luke yelled, quickly sliding the window back down, but their bickering could be heard through the closed window.

Jace snorted out a laugh, leaning his forehead against yours and you only grinned lazily at him.

“Come on, let’s go face the circus before they break the window and we have to scale down the roof,” Jace said, offering you his hand as he got up. You let him help you up, as the two of you walked back to the bathroom window.

“You know I thought about scaling down the roof when you caught me in your bedroom?”

“You’re joking.”

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author’s note: tell me what you think <3 also will add the taglist tomorrow bc i’m so tired but wanted to post🫶🏼

[starogeorgina]

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

Paring: Jacaerys Targaryen x reader

Warnings: Swearing, smut

1.02

Your fingers grip the loose fabric of your shift that was bunched up to your stomach while desperately biting down on your lip to stop any unwanted noises from slipping out.

Jacaerys had returned to his own quarters before you woke, but he came back while you were breaking fast alone in your bedchamber. He offered to teach you the basics of sword fighting later in the day, which you found exciting because you’d never held a sword before. Being a woman, you were expected to remain a spectator, but the prince was more than happy to help you learn.

You meant to give him a simple kiss on the cheek to thank him, but it quickly became heated.

“Oh.”

You slide down the chair ever so slightly as Jacaerys tightens his grip around your legs, his fingernails lightly grazing the flesh of your thighs. He was rubbing circles on your clit again to bring you pleasure as he did the night before, except now he was using his tongue.

“Princess!” Elinda gasps, her voice filled with surprise and embarrassment. “Prince Jacaerys. What are you doing?!”

Jace falls back on his heels, cheeks flushed red. He remains frozen for a few seconds, then gets to his feet. The prince was at a loss for words; what could either of you say?

Elinda keeps her head low. “The queen has sent someone to the training yard to inform you to go join the queen's council immediately, my prince.”

You swallow thickly as Jace leaves the room. Elinda closes the door behind him and, without saying anything else about what she just witnessed, goes over to the bed where you have multiple dresses laid out. “Have you chosen one to wear today?”

“The crimson one.” Your fingers tangle together. “Forgive me, I... I’m sorry for what you just saw.”

“Once you're dressed, you are to join the Queen's Council princess.”

Elinda was known for her gentleness and would have been shocked by what she just witnessed, but there was a sadness in her eyes that you didn’t understand. “Why is the meeting urgent? Has something happened?”

—

You stand in the chamber of the painted table, listening to various knights and lords as they inform Rhaenyra of the heinous acts committed against your sister and her children the night before. With the little information Elinda shared with you, you had expected to be told ill news, but nothing could have prepared you to learn of blood and cheese. At first, you hadn’t reacted, but anger was now bubbling inside you.

“But it's a lie,” Rhaenyra says, defending herself against the accusations she was behind the assassination. “Having lost my own son, that I would inflict such a thing on Helaena, of all people, an innocent.”

“The death of Prince Lucerys was a shock and an insult,” Ser Alfred, one of the men on the queen’s council, says. “A mother so aggrieved might, naturally, seek relief in retribution. I merely thought an action taken in haste may have led to the death of the child.”

“Jaehaerys.”

Ser Alfred shifts angrily where he stands. “What?”

“That is the third time you have referred to my nephew as ‘the child;’ his name is Jaehaerys,” you say, glaring at him. “The queen has already said she wasn’t behind this, and to even suggest she would order the decapitation of her own kin is dangerously close to treason.”

Rhaenyra avoids making eye contact with anyone, saying, “I do not know who would order such a thing.”

Daemon, who had remained stone-faced while everyone else was horrified, starts to smirk when Princess Rhaenys shoots him a look, and it suddenly dawns on you that he was behind this. Rhaenyra notices this as well and orders everyone to leave.

You go to walk towards Jace, who was waiting on you by the doorway, but your queen calls you back, “A moment y/n.”

“Your grace.”

Daemon remains seated with a smug look on his face while Rhaenyra gives you an apologetic look. “I truly hope you believe I had naught to do with what happened to Helaena and Jaehaerys.”

“I do not think of you as cruel, my queen.”

“There is another important matter we need to discuss,” she says in a more authoritative tone.

Oh gods, she knows what Elinda saw.

Rhaenyra toys with the rings on her slender fingers, obviously uncomfortable. “It’s regarding Midnight.”

“What of my dragon?”

Rhaenyra opens her mouth, but Daemon speaks before her. “Will you fight for your queen and burn the usurper cunts when the time comes?”

“I would fight for my queen, for Prince Jacaerys, but I would not fight for you, uncle.”

He chuckles, “You speak of Ser Alfred’s treason, yet you are openly saying you’ll not fight for your king.”

“Why should I do anything for the king consort, who is so weak that he has a child struck down?”

“Sister,” Rhaenyra’s tone wasn’t authoritative like a queen’s, but more like a mother warning her child to start behaving.

“It was a mistake. I paid them to bring me the head of Aemond Targaryen.”

Tears glisten in your eyes. Daemon smiles at you; he didn’t even seem remorseful for what he had done. In that moment, you wanted to make him hurt and make him suffer for what he had done. Your fingers curl around the edges of the table as you stand across from him; you know what threads to pull. “I was the closest to my father in his final years; I’d read out loud from his favorite history books while he was abed, and when lucid, he’d tell me stories of his youth. Of your parents, of Balerion. He’d always speak so highly of Rhaenyra and Queen Aemma, but with you it was different. He never forgave you.”

“Forgive me?”

“He never forgave you for making a mockery of his wife’s death.”

“You girl, speak nothing but lies.”

“Was the heir for the day comment made in jest?”

Daemon slams his fist against the table and abruptly knocks his chair backwards, causing it to land on the ground. Startling Rhaenyra, her kingsguard hands move to the hilts of their swords. He storms towards you and attempts to intimidate you by towering over you, but you don’t flinch. “Do not speak of things that happened before your whore of mother even married my brother.”

“Daemon!”

He glances at Rhaenyra, then back at you, “I have always protected my family.”

You laugh in his face. “You had to pay someone to kill a defenseless six-year-old boy because you weren’t man enough to go after my brother yourself.”

“I’ll have your tongue cut from your mouth and you thrown into a cell till the end of this war.”

Shaking your head, you walk away from him, “You’re pathetic.”

—

Your finger traces over the spine of the book in your hand. This version was older than the copy you had in the red keep; it was a favorite of yours. Without looking back, you ask, “How long do you intend to stand in the doorway?”

“What’s the story about?”

“It’s a fairytale; I used to read it to Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. A princess is taken prisoner, but the daring prince swoops in on his dragon and saves her, but it seems foolish now.” You hold the book closer to your chest, trying to hold back from crying. “I let them believe our dragons keep us safe.”

“I think it's better that way,” he says. “Keeps them innocent for longer.”

“I spoke out of turn during your mother's council.”

“Ser Alfred needed to be reminded of his place.” Jace sits on the edge of your bed, facing you. “I know the feeling of wanting to lash out while grieving those we’ve lost.”

“I don’t understand why he thought it was okay to question your mother like that.”

“To put it plainly, men get stupid when a woman has authority over them.”

“You don’t.”

“No, but my queen is my mother,” he smiles. Seeking comfort, he holds onto the side of your skirt in a non-sexual manner. “I admire your spirit; it pleases me to know you will defend her when needed. I spoke with my mother before I came here; Daemon has gone to Harrenhal.”

You suspect they discussed more than what happened in the council chamber, and that was why there was a guard waiting at the bedchamber door, which had remained open.

“A dragon should know when to show its teeth.” Sighing, you toss the book down onto the bed and take Jace’s hand. “I will apologize to the queen; I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the better of me.”

[sapphire-writes]

Heya! Would it be possible to request a short story with Aemond and a painfully shy lady? Like where he thinks that she hates him or that she doesn't care about him just because she cannot bring herself to speak to him and it kinda turns him on when he realizes that she has a huge crush on him? Thank you very much, you are the best (⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠³⁠˘⁠)⁠♥

Run From Me ~ Aemond x Reader

word count: 1.8k

warnings: sensual themes

note: love this request! was fun to write, and I needed some softness!

Aemond had always known he was not destined to be the prince the poets wrote songs about. Since the taking of his eye, he was cursed with the knowledge that he would always feared, always shied away from by the women of the court. 

He knew it was true, he watched how Helaena’s ladies drew away from him, quickening their pace when passing him the halls. Averted their eyes from his face. Even though he had taken it upon himself to hide his ruined eye beneath a patch, they still seemed fearful of the dragon prince. 

If they shall treat me like a monster, a monster I shall become. 

You were the shyest of them all, visibly shaking in his presence. Helaena’s favorite lady, nearly attached at her hip always. Aemond would make polite conversation with his dear sister and you would cling to her skirts, drifting behind her like a silent shadow, cheeks flushed, eyes downcast. 

Aemond did not know what to make of you. The disgust you must feel for him was too painful to imagine. 

Though after a particularly frustrating moment with you, Aemond decided to seek comfort from his sister. 

“She ran from me,” he told her, sitting in front of the fireplace.

Helaena stopped her needlepoint; she had been working diligently on finishing the jade-colored scorpion per Jaehaera’s request. Her lovely brow knits together at her brother’s words.

“Whatever are you talking about?” she asks. 

“Your lady,” Aemond tells her, rubbing the scarred tissue below his eyepatch.

The incident Aemond refers to happened earlier in the day. He had nearly walked into you as you hurried in from the stables. 

Aemond fervently apologized, earning a small squeak from you as you hastily turned on your heel and fled in the opposite direction. 

“I do not understand what else I must do,” Aemond says, closing his eye.

Helaena purses her lips together tightly, a smile threatening to overtake her. Aemond opens his eye, looking at her. He frowns.

“What?” he asks.

“Oh Aemond,” she says, laughing slightly. 

“What is it?” he asks again, confused about what is laughable about this torment. 

“I should not be telling you this,” Helaena admits, “I have been sworn to secrecy.”

“But you shall tell me anyway because you are my sister,” Aemond says.

“I cannot.”

“I am your blood,” Aemond insists.

“Oh hush you dramatic fool,” she teases, causing Aemond to flush slightly at his elder sister’s scolding.

“Please, Hel,” Aemond begs, “I cannot stand it. This fear, this hatred-”

“She does not hate you, brother,” Helaena interrupts.

Aemond closes his mouth, then opens it again, his confusion is evident on his face.

“What do you mean?” he asks. 

“She is rather fond of you,” Helaena admits, “She thinks you are roguishly handsome.”

Aemond is at a loss for words. Never in his life did he think a lady, especially one so beautiful as yourself, would think him handsome.  

“You jest,” Aemond says, brushing off her words.

Helaena raises an eyebrow.

“Shall I go on?” Helaena asks.

Aemond waves a hand, encouraging her to continue, but attempting to remain composed. He can feel his heart beating wildly against his ribs. You think he is handsome. 

“She told me she cannot bear to look at you,” Helaena admits. 

For a moment, Aemond’s heart sinks, he feels his worst fears have come true. You are afraid. You are disgusted. 

“She finds your mouth too enticing,” Helaena continues, “Every time you speak of your studies she cannot focus on the words that you speak.”

Aemond feels a blush blooming on his cheeks. 

“The rest I shall not tell you - do not look at me like that! It is a discussion only ladies may have in the safety of one another,” Helaena insists.

“About my mouth?” he asks.

“About things, a sister should not be partial in hearing about her younger brother,” Helaena says, shivering slightly, “Though I do adore her so much, I allow her to voice her lustful thoughts.”

“Lustful?” Aemond asks, and Helaena slams her mouth shut, “Surely we are not talking about the same lady.”

How could you be lustful of him? Of anything? You appeared so painfully shy Aemond doubted you wished for marriage or love at all.

“Women hold many secrets within them,” Helaena says, being careful with her words, “You must understand, women have desires as men do. We are just taught to hide them. To not indulge in them beyond the privacy of our chambers.”

“And what does your lady indulge in, exactly?” Aemond asks, desperate to know. 

Helaena purses her lips.

“She is fond of literature,” she admits, “Literature that should not be read outside of one’s quarters.” 

Aemond stares back at Helaena. She sighs dramatically. 

“Men,” she murmurs, shaking her head, “Stories, Aemond, erotic stories.”

“May the Maiden protect my lovely granddaughter’s virtue, along with all the sweet doves that reside within the walls of the Red Keep and those beyond,” Alicent finishes her prayer, and you feel your cheeks flush. 

You wonder how virtuous Queen Alicent would think you were, had she known what you were up to. You hadn’t meant to read it, you’d told yourself you were done indulging in such filth, but as you were scouring the library the previous afternoon, the title caught your eye. 

A Cautionary Tale for Young Girls.

Surely, it was a book you should be reading. A tale of caution, and you were a young girl. Innocent enough, perhaps? So you brought the book to your chambers and began reading when you returned from supping with the royal family. 

You had stayed awake, eyes wide, until all the candles in your room had melted to small nubs. Even then, you brought yourself to the window, squinting at the pages in the moonlight. Reading all about Lady Coryanne Wylde and her debauchery. The text was intriguing and left a dull ache between your legs that even sleep could not calm. Only when your hands drifted below your silk nightgown, stroking the wet patch on your small clothes did you find any semblance of relief. 

Your palms were sweaty as you were dismissed from the Sept. You needed to return the book before it was found in your chambers. As you returned you plucked the text from its hiding place below your bed, sneaking toward the library. 

The great room appeared to be empty as you crept towards the shelves that lay toward the back of the room. Pushing past scrolls, you found the empty slot where the book had been taken by you. Another title caught your eye as you held the book in the air. Sins of the Flesh. Blush blooms on your cheeks as you contemplate repeating your own sin from the previous night. 

“What are you reading?” Aemond says, plucking the book with the effort of yanking a flower from its stem.

Panic surges through you. A small whimper escapes your lips as you trail behind him. 

“Aemond please give it back,” you beg, following him through the stacks.

It is the first time you’ve spoken to him, the first time he’s heard his name drip like honey from your lips. Aemond closes his eye at the sound of your small voice. He stops walking and you nearly collide with his back, before he turns to face you. 

You reach your hand up but he holds the book above his head, out of reach. Even standing on the tips of your toes does no good. 

“A young lady such as yourself should not be reading such debauchery,” Aemond chastises, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

Your cheeks burn, humiliation wrapping a fist around your throat as you desperately try to retrieve the book from his grasp. The hot feeling of shame curls in your stomach, and tears begin to form in your eyes, clouding your vision. 

“I was only looking,” you tell him, though the lie does not sound convincing. 

Aemond raises a brow at you. You’re shaking like a leaf, and you cast your eyes away from him. 

“It is alright, my lady,” he says, surprising you, “I myself am fond of literature.”

Your eyes flicker to his face. Aemond opens the book, picking a page. 

“Ah yes, here it is,” he says as if he’s found the page he wanted, “The tale of Coryanne Wylde should be read with caution, as it is known once a woman indulges in sin it is nearly impossible to recover.”

You stare at him, cheeks flushed, breathing ragged. Aemond glances up at you.

“Tell me, my lady, have you indulged in sinful behavior?” he asks, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

It is hard to breathe, your voice feels caught in your throat as it often does when you are in his presence. 

“M-m-my prince?” you manage, while averting your gaze. 

You choose to focus on a spot on the floor in front of you, heart thumping like a rabbit’s foot. You’re sure you’re shaking by now, and force yourself to clasp your hands behind your back. You wet your lips, as Aemond brings his hand to your chin, forcing you to look at him. 

“Have you indulged yourself?” he asks, voice a rough murmur. 

The way he looks at you makes your stomach flip, it’s almost too much to bear being under his eye this way. All his attention focused on you, those beautiful lips you’ve dreamt of, imagined doing such sinful acts to you. It’s too much. 

“I do not understand,” you whimper, as he caresses your cheek.

“Allow me to enlighten you, then,” Aemond purrs, before bringing his lips to yours in a searing kiss. 

Though you’re trembling against him he manages to wrap his hand around your waist, guiding you back against the bookshelves, deepening the kiss. You’re too nervous to move, you don’t want to ruin it, don’t want him to stop. Gods don’t let him stop. You’re holding your hands up in shock still, curled into fists near your head as he continues to kiss you. 

“Touch me,” he murmurs against your mouth, as his hand paws at your waist. 

You slowly lower your forearms to rest against his shoulders before succumbing to the desire to wrap your arms around his neck; fingers tangling in his silky, silver locks. His tongue darts through your lips, slipping into your mouth pulling forth a breathy moan. 

Aemond moves his lips away then, letting them dance along the line of your jaw, down to your neck. Kissing, nipping the tender flesh of your throat until you’re whimpering against him.

“Tell me,” he purrs, “Tell me what you want.”

Fire. There is fire coursing through your veins. Fire licking its way over your skin, flames consuming you whole. That’s what it feels like, what he feels like.

“Just you,” you sigh, as he connects your lips again. 

“Always you.”

[romaevelizz]

Bittersweet ˖ ࣪⊹

Younger!Aemond Targaryen x Cousinblk!reader

sum: Her and Aemond have always been close, but the death of Lady Y/ns mother Laena has closed her off, his betrothed not as bright as she once was. More than one loss is made that day and some is gained.

warnings: reader n aemond are aboout 15-16 ish(non cannon age at time but whatever. cannon violence, sneaky kiss ‘ GASP’, Older sister y/n scolding her sisters and nephews, umm if you don’t like they way i write bc i will be making Aemond a wee bit of a victim srry not sorry the mf needs a therapist and a happy crazy wife ‘that’s what princess y/n is!’. not profread- if you come back in a few days i bet thing will be better trust😭

It was strange when he saw her she wasn’t smiling, not even an offer of a small one. His betrothed face was sad and tired, her face slightly puffy from her crying. There was nothing behind her eyes and it hurt him to see her like that. To see her so taken by grief.

A Loss was never easy by any means, and the princess had just suffered a great one. Her mother, Princess Y/n was in all ways her mother's daughter a strong-headed soon-to-be woman-grown, but like her father, she had a mouth that may have gotten her in trouble a mouth her mother's lips twitched upward when she was a girl. Y/n was the Anger and grief, the understanding Leana couldn’t be. Soon saw Y/n as wild, but she was a girl who spoke her mind and put dozens of lords to shame.

Y/n was Leana's girl, Aemond watched the kindness of Leana through herself. through words, acts, and touch. The gentleness Leana displayed to her daughter came through as she tended to Aemond and even his older brother's wound. A snarky smile on her lips as Aegon tried to get on with her only for her words to fight right back playfully as his. The way Leana would kiss her daughter's forehead before the night, Aemond had experienced it. The hand holding the praising words, the jesting and teasing words always a grin upon her dark features.

How the night of his thirteenth name day he came to her visiting chambers. How when he couldn’t get words out of what had happened she shushed him as he sought comfort after his traumatic event. how when he pushed away from her at first she didn’t try to continue close to him but wanted for him, waiting till he fell into her arms his soft sobs discomforting as he told her what had happened.

He had never felt unsafe or unwelcome by her like he did with her sisters and their nephews, How she’d go out of her way to call them off when they picked at him. She always told them “He’s only Human, only one can take abuse and hate like this for so long till something in them snaps. Must believe Nephews when that day comes I won’t step in between you and him.”

She stood by his side loyaly as his betrothed as did he. And nothing could change that, not the respect they had for one another nor the trust they built.

It wasn’t long before he found himself by her side, standing by one’s side they were always told. He did as such. The words were being exchanged as her mother was put to rest the sound of the waves crashing along the cliff side, the wind loud. His eyes glanced over to her his eyes watching her face carefully. The way her lip trembled as she choked back tears her Light eyes reddening as she kept to herself. Then her hand, the coldness of her hands causing him to wince slightly, but never pull away. Her fingers intertwining with his, she shakes against him, the princess's shoulders soon shuttering as she sighs out a small cry. Aemond held her hand tightly letting her know he was here, her face soon falling into his shoulder as she cited softly.

“They took her from me, the gods took my mother from me..” she cried her voice hushed.

Aemond head fell a top of hers in a comforting manner, his sister Helaena comforting her as well with her hand on her arms carefully her head resting on the back of her shoulder.

It angerd her when her father chuckled such a inappropriate time, his wife her mother was being out to rest and he laughed. Her grip on Aemond tightened for a moment, but released he could see it in her eyes that she didn’t have the strength to speak up now. Or even at all..

The night grew late as sympathies were given to her Aemond at her side as she held his arm close her nails digging into his arm. She was over it, being told her mother was a good woman and taken too soon. Aemond bit his lip a moment “We could always retreat to the shore or your chambers take Ser Maliki and Khalil with us..” he whispered down to her. Silently she nodded.

“Ser Maliki, Ser Khalil The prince and I wish to go down to the shore, you are to accompany us,” she spoke softly to her guards.

With one hand holding his arm the other in his hand they went down, the two guards following behind a bit. Aemond didn’t try to talk to her quite yet, he wanted her to talk to him when she was ready, they left because she didn’t want to talk. All he needed to do right now was let his warmth comfort her.

“My grandmothers asked me to stay..” she spoke softly her face pressed against his shoulder.

He looked over at her “Here in Drifftmark?”

“mmhm my sisters may stay but gods know my father's gonna fly off and do something crazy..” she muttered her hands playing with his fingers as they continued to walk.

“What if you came with us?” He asked, “I understand we’re not to be wed for another 3 years but something in me tells me, if you don’t I may not see you till those years are up..”

Her eyes met Aemonds watching his face as his brows frowned “I find that doubtable, Your father would make sure i could come and see you. Your mother would have me live in her chambers all these years if she could.” she spoke her lips twitching as she jest.

He laughed softly as she took a seat on the sand coming next to him leaning her weight onto him “My mother does like you,”

“Her favorite son is actually happy and getting the attention she can’t quite give him as she wished.” Y/n hummed.

“You think of me her Favirote?”

he watched her as she nodded “That women would do anything for you, I watched her bully her else’s after she caught him making cruel jest towards you.”

Aemond smiled lightly hearing that. he felt as she moved her head now laying in his lap, looking down he truly saw how her beautiful features had been ruled against my sadness, she looked discolored not as warm, the bags under her eyes heavy and tired, the small tear marks that dusted her melanin skin. Aemonds fingers gently brushed her silver curls out of her face “Let me see you..” he said in Valyrian his voice not above a whisper.

“I’m a mess, i look and feel disgusting.” her words just as quiet as his.

“Don’t say such a thing, you look beautiful..”

“tierd, but truly gorgeous.”

that what did it his snarky remark put a small smile on her face, he heeled watching as she rolled her eyes. “Wow really, me tired.” she she sat up, her hand on top of his thighs her face close to his a small grin on her face.

Aemond watched as her eyes went form his to the men behind her, “what-“

“they’re turned away..” she whispered, her face closing in her lips softly brushing his.

he closed his eyes backing up a bit, not as if they hadn’t shared a kiss before but, “We’re out in the open, what would they make of if we kissed before our wedding?”

“maybe they’ll marry us sooner.” she answers simply.

Aemond pushed himself up his had holding her face “You’re grieving, i am not a man who takes advantage of one’s vulnerability…”

“Aemond you’re..”

“my Betrothed, we must’int..” he spoke gently, theyer eyes never leaving one another’s.

she nodded in his grasp “Apologies..” she spoke her forehead falling to his, his eyes closing with hers.

“no need..”

he felt her shutter in his hold a small sniffle, “What am I going to do without her Aemond, she supported me through and through her.” she cried softly.

“and she’ll continued to, with the gods. With me, I stand by your side remember? through and through i shall stand by you.” he responded. His words are full of sincerity.

He pulled back his lips meeting her forehead.

“Can i introduce you to an old lady..” she spoke..

he pulled away a questioning look on his face. “What do you mean?”

“i think it’s time you get your dragon. And if she doesn’t try to kill us think of it as a very early wedding gift.” she said standing up, pulling him up with her.

She took him wher Vhagar and Cannibal laid, Two old dragons that always found the company of one another. Two Dragons that rode together with mother and daughter maybe now, Husband and wife.

Aemonds hand held her tightly as they came over the hill Vhagar Sleeping but Cannibal was awake, His attention was quickly brought to them. Y/n put her finger to her mouth to shush him as he grumbled, they walked down to him first Y/n touching the black beast her head falling into his “You should rest sweet boy, there’s no need for you to worry.”

He only huffed but as she pet him he let out a hyena like giggle, it scared Aemond a bit her dragon giggling so menacingly. “He dose that when he’s happy, irritated, or just enjoying himself,” she said looking over to Aemond.

look as if he may piss his pants, a toothy grin came from the princess as she turned back to her dragon “Perhaps the old lady is ready for someone new in her life hm?”

Cannibal sighed lifting his head a louder grumble coming from him awakening Vhagar her letting out and irritates growl. Y/n looked over to Aemond, “Go ahead just as you’ve done before.” she encouraged him.

And so he did after almost getting smoked to ashes Vhagar was his, without a second thought Aemond climbed on top. Stupid yes but she soon followed behind him just incase he fell from her, but at last. The two of them flew in the night sky together. They’d laugh as their dragons danced together, in the night. Aemond had never been so overjoyed, years of trying to claim a dragon, and one of the oldest the queen herself is now his, flying next to her king The dragon eater himself, and his soon-to-be bride.

Their bond grew deeper because of their dragons that day.

But not all good things come free, even to a prince a dragon like that comes at a cost. Y/n had stuck back a little longer to pretty much biker with her old man, the dragon sassing her. but this time back got Aemond cornered. Jace, Luke, Baela and Rhaena, she could hear the echoed screams to the five, her feet started running.

The four now ontop of him beating as him like some ally dog. “Get off!”

“He Claimed Vhagar! she was for me!” Baela screamed as you pulled her off of him.

“For you?! Don’t be so selfish sister Vhagar was never yours to claim!” She spoke to her sister before going to the others.

Jace had pushed her back his elbow connecting with her face, a small cry of pain came from her, Rhaena quickly goin to her as Aemond pushed off the two boys. His anger growing as he saw the blood drip for her face. Pushing Luke of he got to Jace.

“Aemond Enough! Please!” she spoke standing up moving towards them, pulling aemond off him with struggle Luke came out of nowhere.

a dagger in his hand, through Aemonds face, and through her collar as Luce hand came down she had gotten in the way simply. Aemond fell quickly the kings guard yelling as he went to Aemond.

“Princess,-“

“Aemond! Luke what did you do! why did you do that!” she yelled her brows frowned. The only though going through her head was going that he wouldn’t die. She watched at the Lord commander picked the prince up huring him inside.

“Y/n?! Aemond! oh, gods what has happen?!” Alicent demanded as she rushed towards the two of them; Viserys coming slowly behind her.

“Dear girl your blessing yourself.” Viserys spoke.

“it’s nothing dear uncle, Aemond is the one who needs to be seen quickly..” she assured, but in reality she was still bleeding form her nose lightly but still and her collar bled quite well aswell.

the room was filled crowded as the maesters sttiched Aemonds eye the boy crying in bad as it happened his mother by his side holding his hiding him as she whinced. Y/ns Grandmother by her as her collar was stitched closed aswell, a rag up to her nose for the bleeding there. The maester working quickly and efficiently at the both of them, The yells of Viserys demanding what happend for the guards; the Lord Commander; Khalil, Maliki aswell as Ser Cole they stood under strong interrogation as well.

Aemond had lost his eye, but thank the gods he’d heal, Y/na eyes met his screaming around them trining dull as he asked “Are you alright?”

Is she? He lost and eye for gods sake, his mouth mouthing ‘I’m sorry’..

The princess looked at him clueless sorry? Sorry for what he hadn’t done anything wrong to her hunderatanding ‘i’m sorry i could protect you.’

no.. that not. “tis not your fault Aemond; please..” she whispered shaking her head her brows frowned.

She had stayed seated across from Awmond as her father and Rhaenyra entered, her grandparents moving to Baela and Rhaena. Rhyaenys kissing her head before she got up.

“Who did this?” Rhaenyra asked Luke.

“They attacked me!” Aemond yelled sitting up.

“He attacked Baela.”

“pushed her off me” he scoffed, warning a disapproving glare from Y/n from the fact he’d put hand on her sister.

“He stole my mother dragon!”

“Enough,” Viserys demanded, but they continued to argue around him.

“Stole?” Y/n scoffed, “I was the one that lead him to her Baela! He didn’t take her from you! she was never yours to claim and you know that sister!”

Baela glared at her older sister but soon look at the ground.

“He was going to kill Jace!”

“Because he came a me first All of you did! Joined together and bead me like so stray dog in an ally!” Aemond yelled in defense.

“Luke Cut Y/n aswell needing for her to be stitched, and Jace Elbowed her in the face!” Aemond sat up further his mother ushering his to sit back.

aemond other eyes was heavy and he saw yes he was out of it he had lost so much blood the pain he mush be in must be unbearable. “Enough!” Viserys yelled once more.

“He called us -”

“SILENCE!”

The room quickly went quiet. “he called us bastards..”

Rhaenyra stood for a moment stood to put her boy behind her, her eyes meeting y/ns only to quickly look at her father.

“Aemond..” he spoke the echo of his cane being heard, “I will have the truth of what happened… Now.”

A small scoff could be heard from Alicent her hands planing themselves on Y/ns chair “What else is there to hear?” she asked a heavy frown on her face. “Your Son, Your son and niece have been maimed. Her son is responsible for it.” she spoke.

“ Ot was a regrettable accident,” Rhaenyra quickly defended, yet her voice still sounded shaken.

“Accident?” Y/n spoke, “Me yes, i was in the way but Aemond! Cousin your son ment to kill him..!” she voiced in disbelief her voice it’s self shaken yet stern.

“Daughter.” Daemons spoke, letting her know to not interject with her righteousness as he would say.

Alicent looked from Y/n to them angered “You mean to Silence your fighter as she speaks the truth? As she defends her future husband?” Alicent spoke her head falling shaking her head.

“ The Prince Lucerys brought a blade to an ambush. He ment by all means to kill my boy!” she spoke angerly her hands falling to her hair in frustration.

“it was Jaces dagger your grace..” y/n spoke up softly.

“Jaces? Is that right sweet girl?” she asked her tone encouraging her to speak up.

“Don’t sit there and claim my daughter like she’s your own.” Daemon hissed.

“Quiet!” Viserys said to his brother.

Rhaenyra was quick to speak up on her part “Ot was my sons who were attacked and forced to defend themselves.”

“Vile insults were levied against them.”

Viserys looked over and questioned “What insults?”

“The legitimacy of my son’s birth, was loudly to question.”

Y/n groaned that what the defense was? Disrespectful yes; but to draw a dagger at to mean to kill? They continue to go back n forth the king soon questioning those who were there and even she could not lie he had said it. Viserys asking Aemond where he heard such a lie his eyes moving twords his mother yet answers Aegon. Now Aegon was getting yelled at, only for the prince to be a smart ass.

“This is insufficient.” Alicent said hurriedly to her husband, The King turning to her to hear the words she spoke. “Aemond has been damaged,  permanently; my king. ‘Goodwill’ cannot make my boy while once more!” she cried.

“I know, Alicent, but you mush understand i cannot restore his eye.”

She groaned frustratedly “No; Viserys! Because it has been taken from him!”

“What would you have me do?” he growled.

Alicent stood up straight “There is a debt to be paid,” she declared, the room falling still. “I shall have her son’s eye in return.”

The scream of the boys and Rhaenyras voice raising, Alicent getting Cole to move but him being shut down. Alicent being shut down. She wasn’t having it, Y/n thought that if in this moment it was her or one of her sisters who lost an eye her mother would be the same. The rage of a mother was different to mans. Watching as Alicent grabed a dagger heading towards them Rhaenyra swiftly grabbing her.

Hushed words being exchange twords the two.

“Exhausting, wasn’t it?” She spoke up. “Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness.” she whispered.

“But now they see you as you are.”

The room went quiet as Rhaenyra was cut by her grace. The night couldn’t just come to an end could it?

Y/n watched Aemonds face a satisfied smirk on his face as he spoke “Don’t mourn me, Mother.” His eyes moving for her to his mothers, “It was a fair exchange you could say.. I may have lost an eye but i gain a dragon.

“The queen herself,” Y/n interjected. “Vhagar and Cannibal shall ride together once again.” The princess said keeping eye contact with Aemond as he leaned back.

“We shall ride together.” he spoke softly yet confidently.

The princess smiled; as did he. Oh he couldn’t wait till they married, nor could his mother. Because she could see the side you’ve fallen on. You Trusted Alicent as well as respected her, Rhaenyra had snuck away with her father after the death of her own mother. It take a lot to respect her and Daemond again. Saddening isn’t it?

More so a Bittersweet taste in their mouths; no?

[molter-writes]

little grey ridge interlude (as a treat)

originally a bare-bones cut snippet from ch. 8, pls enjoy this little nugget of hurt/comfort for your viewing pleasure—

for more of this, check out grey ridge (ríl liatroma).

and for something saucier—the very messy public divorce au (lies, sex, videotape, 2x03-coded) bodhrán beat .

*******

Rhaenyra cannot physically handle the sound of it.

It reminds her a bit of Alicent in the early years, maybe—that very slight panic she feels at the thought of it, and that look—allergic as ever still to her daughter’s tears; half-rushing in with arms open and that noise in her head like a drumbeat: fix it, fix it, fix it—

And she’s such a hypocrite, to boot. Used to always be the one always preaching self-sufficiency, self-confidence, let her try. Holding Alicent’s hand in folding chairs sat beneath a little primary school stage—watching her staring out at the audience in her little costume with apprehensive eyes almost but not filling with tears—putting a hand on Alicent’s knee going no, don’t get up, she’s got it—and with a pride she could never even express, with a triumph she couldn’t help but feel, how she’d been loud and clear, emotionless though it was, declaring (like a Targaryen, really) her one, her only, perfect line.

(And she’d scurried back to them, after; wings and facepaint and all—smiling small and wide, reaching for Rhaenyra to lift her proud and possessive (my very own girl) into her arms, wresting messy hands in the silk of her jacket going Mummy I said it perfect and smiling that secret smile as Rhaenyra rocked her soft back and forth amid the noise and said you did, you did indeed, my little princess.)

Later, when she’d been asleep under Rhaenyra’s suit jacket in the car—

(Alicent, with that small smile, that fond one. Your little princess?

Rhaenyra at the stoplight, braking slow. That’s absolutely right.)

But gods above, if Alicent couldn’t have travelled literally any other week—

(She’d know, Rhaenyra knows; she’d know what to do.)

“Sweetling?” She knocks again at the bathroom, tries to set that panic aside. “Sweetling, I need you to tell Mummy what’s wrong.”

We never lock doors. It was something Alicent insisted upon, when they were small—we never lock doors, we always knock, your space is your own, your space is safe—gods alive if she doesn’t want to jimmy the lock now.

(The sound of those tears, intolerable as always.)

Jace is at football practice, so no one would see her hammer the handle off its screws, at least—

“Blood.”

“What? Helaena, what?” Rhaenyra presses her ear up against the door, tries the knob again—knocks uselessly. “What blood, love?”

“There’s blood.”

And then fucking absolutely not—pushing off and making for the utility closet and right it’s coming off the hinges—

The lock unclicks.

Helaena’s seated on the toilet, lid closed, when she tears in; tear tracks down her face and blood on her hands, and on the front of her little blue nightgown, and the inside of her knee.

(And Rhaenyra’s rushing rushing rushing—kneeling and wiping her tears and show me, show me—putting her hand on her little knee, okay, my love, just gentle, to move it—)

And then she sees the colour.

Oh.

(Sweet seven above, this week of all weeks you’ve gone.)

“Right.” She leans up, kisses her little brow; lets Helaena knot her fingers in the shoulders of her sweater, brackets her knees with her arms, focuses her. “Helaena.” She murmurs; waits for her eyes. “This is your moonblood. Do you remember what that means?”

Helaena nods. And then wet eyes are somewhere else. “Mummy told about it.”

When did that happen? (Of course she did.)

(Thank the gods for you, my love, and curse them all for this timing—)

Helaena’s hands are blood-stained; she places them away from herself, like she no longer wants them. Rhaenyra takes them in her own. “It’s perfectly alright, my love, yes? Nothing’s wrong.”

Helaena doesn’t reply.

“Mummy has it, too. And me.”

But Helaena’s still off somewhere else. Rhaenyra wipes a fresh round of tears from her cheeks; watches her hands fidget and her fingers splay, terribly disgusted, terribly uncomfortable, sticky—right, of course, sticky—stamps another kiss to her forehead and retrieves the wet cloth by the basin and crouches again—takes her hands, one by one, and rubs.

Wipes the speck off her knee, then; moves them apart, just gentle, to rid that smear inside of her knee, her thigh, and Helaena bites her lip.

“Mummy is home tonight,” she whispers.

(Rhaenyra knows it’s a question—they’d had to get conservative about travel estimates, eventually, especially when she was little, back when she’d been up and down from Scotland—Friday is an expectation, not a rule, remember—her daughter had never particularly appreciated that particular flexibility.)

“Yes, my love.” And she turns the cloth over to the clean side; reaches, deposits it in the linens bin by the sink. “She should be—” She checks her watch. “Well, she’d ought to be coming off the airplane just now, I expect.” Thumbs her little cheek. “Does your tummy hurt?”

Helaena nods.

Rhaenyra raises her brows; thumbs her chin. “Would you like to know a very special secret?”

Helaena seems to consider, for a moment; she watches her lower lip worry again, those eyebrows ever slightly raise. Gods you’re adorable. My little egg. “Yes please.”

“When my tummy’s hurting, this way, I’ve got to have a very nice, very hot lavender bubble bath. And that always makes it feel better.” She adjusts Helaena’s nightgown, then, wrinkled and stained. “And we’ll give your nightie a wash, too, shall we?”

Helaena fixes her fingers along the hem. Her voice is thick. “It’s ruined.”

“No, my love,” she says, even though yes, almost certainly, and gods I’m not sure I remember how to run the wash, actually. “Nothing’s ruined.” She smooths her hair; leaves her eventually, only ten minutes later, with her novel, and her tea on the tray table, and silver hair half-wet against a little bath pillow, and her tears dry. “It’s going to be right as rain.”

***

Some nights when her wife comes home she’d like nothing more than to push her onto the counter with their vibrator in hand—

(Unfortunately for that, they’ve had babies, and those babies have become something of a priority, in fact.)

Rhaenyra watches, almost simply, as Alicent murmurs hello, my heart, presses a kiss to her lips and sets a paper bag of a boatload of something from the pharmacy onto the countertop and heads immediately, calmly and surely, toward the bath.

“Helaena?” It’s only a couple knocks before she goes, slowly—Rhaenyra watches in the open door, only silently, as Helaena rockets her arms out of the water and mumbles Mummy and reaches—clings as Alicent presses a kiss to her forehead and smooths back wet strands, and Rhaenyra can hear it, soft.

You’re having a nice bath time, are you? Yeah? Does your tummy feel better? Another kiss to her brow. You gave your mummy quite a scare, there, didn’t you, love.

“Let me see these, then.” Alicent’s lifting her hand up, gentle; examining little fingers. “You’re going to be our little prune, soon, I think.” Squeezes them gently. “Is your towel rail on?”

Helaena nods. “Mummy turned it on.”

“She did, did she?” Stamps a kiss to her head. “Right. Go on and finish your bath, love, and come and sit with me, please? In Mummy’s room? And you’ll let your mummy speak with you for a minute?” Helaena nods, then; loosens her fingers from Alicent’s sweater, just slow. “Good girl.”

And then when she stands and passes—with her sleeves wet with bathwater, and her eyes tired—shuts the door and nudges Rhaenyra’s hip, just a little, to follow her into the hall.

Looks up under long lashes, half-smile. “I don’t suppose you’d like to take this one.”

Rhaenyra dimples her chin; exhales through the mouth. “Not my area of expertise, really.”

Her wife’s smile grows wider. “Haven’t had your moonblood, have you?” Raises a brow. “Is that why I’ve got the pleasure of the episiotomy, then?”

“Right, yeah—no, I just.” She drums her fingers along her waist; sighs. “I got mine at—well it was late. Like, late. Fifteen.”

“I well remember. Alicent, call me, it’s everywhere—”

“Thanks.”

“Please please it’s obscene—”

“Right, thank you—"

“You know my father got to that voicemail first.”

Rhaenyra shuts her eyes, inhales through the nose. “I’d like a divorce.”

“I told you I didn’t have a phone.”

“I am not hearing this evil.”

“Right.” And Alicent leans up; presses a kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’ll start, then.” Takes her hands, just easy; rubs a little into her palms. “And maybe you could give us a few minutes? And then come join us?” Softer, then, with her eyes on their fingers. “You make her feel safe, you know.”

(Rhaenyra only nods.)

It’s when she pushes the door open, slow—to the lamplight, and the soft king bed, how it casts yellow on the silk.

Helaena’s tucked into her side, when she finds them; and Alicent, sitting with her legs folded. The paper bag’s on the ground.

(And before them, perhaps every single menstrual product invented by mankind—)

“And this one,” Alicent murmurs, gentle, hands something to her—Helaena takes it, ginger and gentle—“You use more than once. But you’ve got to clean it each time, and it’s got a special soap.”

Rhaenyra watches, for a moment, how methodically and easily and gently she moves through each one—and it’s got a sticky side, and you press it down, just like this—the way she tears plastic silent, the way she painstakingly never crinkles the paper—and this pushes just outward, just push right there—and this is just a little disc, love; it’s quite the same as the other—

And then it hits her, sort of from nowhere, sort of at once.

(You had to do this alone, didn’t you?)

She smooths Helaena’s hair, damp at the ends; adjusts her pyjama sleeve where it’s catching. “Does that all make sense, my love?”

And kisses her crown, again, gentle, before her eyes flicker upward—and that warmth, in sherry brown, same as always.

And that smile. “Ah, look who’s here.”

Helaena looks up—

And reaches, when Rhaenyra rests on the edge of the bed; captures two of her fingers, like she did when she was young.

Rhaenyra smiles, soft, as the owl hoos outside. “My little princess. You’ve been very brave today.” And looks up again; that brown, that auburn glow. “Got that from your mother, I think.”

***

When Helaena’s gone to sleep—when Rhaenyra’s hair’s wet and it’s the midnight hour, and the sky’s deep blue, and the moon amber—

Alicent’s bare in her arms; bare and smooth and silent—tracing circles on her chest.

“I’m proud of you,” she whispers, slow. “That you made it different.”

Alicent nods, again; almost as silent as the breeze.

“I’m never travelling again.”

(And Rhaenyra laughs, then, despite herself; there, together in the dark.)

[seancekitsch]

The Sword and the Quill: Chapter Six

Pairing: Gwayne Hightower x Reader

In the weeks leading up to little Daeron's departure to Oldtown, Queen Alicent finds herself trying to entertain the unmarried ladies of court. As one of her ladies in waiting, you agree to an anonymous penpal in one of the men at court, and end up spilling your heart to him. He is your perfect match, your equal. The only issue? The Queen's brother Gwayne Hightower will not stop teasing you as you try to uncover who responds to your letters.

****tw/ this chapter only for an attempted mugging ****

Dearest Y/N,

I apologize for any harm or shame I’ve caused you. I know that as you were corresponding with these letters, you most likely did not want it to be me. I admit, a part of me did not want it to be you. But that is not the truth of the matter, and the entire time we were communicating with each other. Without being presumptuous, we fell for each other. Even without knowing that you were the one with the pen, I picked those flowers for your Love and Beauty crown with you in mind. Searching for my writer was not at the front of my mind when your smile graced a room. Now, I understand very much that you and I have differing opinions on where to go from here. 

I would still wish to court you, as your words have moved me and while yes I have mocked you I never mocked your looks. I was never joking when I called you pretty. 

I feel like you would rather not have me. Which, I will respect. If it would please you, I will go back to Oldtown early, as to not cause more unneeded harm to you. I do not wish for you to leave my sister because of my presence. She and the children clearly need and love you. 

I have said many things over the ages, but especially the past few months that I wish I could take back. Even more, there are words I haven’t said yet wish I had.

Unfortunately yours, 

Gwayne Hightower

So he does not hide his name anymore, or yours? Has he not thought of the implications of that? What people could assume might have transpired between the two of you if these were to be found? Love and beauty, the coin with the naked woman on it, these letters, the dance you shared; it is all too much. Evidence of a love affair that has not happened. These letters would shame you, you think. Enough to ruin any marriage prospect, enough to tear you from pious Alicent’s side. What would she think if rumors of an illicit affair out of wedlock with her brother of all people surfaced? You do not even consider the fact that these rumors would be completely untrue. People talk, and hearsay is often more powerful than the truth. There is probably already talk of a bastard Flowers in your belly.

And for a moment, you consider burning the parchment in the flame of the candle before you. Instead you place it to the side, the ring on your pinky clinking against the pewter cup to sip your beer. You sip long and hard on the beer, watching the amber liquid swish in the bottom of the cup as you gulp. The castle had felt all too stuffy and uncomfortable tonight, the same as it had felt every night since the feast. 

You have spent the last week embroidering and dining with Alicent, walking her children to and from their lessons, and walking Maegor’s tunnels the moment the little royals were put to bed. Each night, you come to this tavern with the letter, and each night you agonize on how- or if- to respond. Tonight you are determined to respond, to have some way to save dignity or appearance in this. Often Helaena was the child that gave you odd riddles, but tonight it was little Aemond.

“Did you know that some of these walls are hollow?” he had asked you, and you had to wonder if he knew about the tunnels from a history book, or if the six year old was warning you. You decided not to take it as a warning, and told the little prince that the walls were stone and stone could not be hollow. 

Your ring glitters in the candle light as you sit there and with your own blank parchment and your quill. The barkeep keeps the beer flowing and you think of what to write. You drink and read and drink and read. You place your pewter down as your eyes scan the letter again. 

What he has written vexes you, angers you, saddens you. You aren’t exactly sure if his leave would grant you peace, as you know it would discontent Alicent and take Daeron from you. And what of you? To say that his presence is an issue is just as equal to his absence being an issue. Part of you wants to believe him, as it did feel nice to be in his arms; it felt nice when barbs were traded for more gentle jokes. 

But even so, this is Gwayne Hightower. This is a man who has so often worked to make you look and sound like a fool; a man who has said horribly nasty things without caring that you were near, begets pleasure from making your temper rise. Surely, this is just another joke of his. 

A well thought out, time consuming joke at your expense. Another embarrassment at his hand. To write these letters, to make the crown of flowers, to dance with you; it is all to fuel the rumor mill of court, one he understands well and understands the consequences within. It is a farce to make you look like some simpering maiden following around a knight, to make Alicent’s closest companion seem capable of scandal. 

And surely, scandal is already spreading after you all but took flight from the feast. Certainly, he has made you a topic of discussion. 

With a hand raised for another round, you finally know what to write to him. 

You use the flame from the little candle upon the table to heat the wax before you seal your parchment. There is no need or use to disguise your parchment anymore, you think, now that he and you are unmasked. You settle up with the barkeep as it hardens, a sad smile on your face after you drain the pewter cup for the last time this evening and press the silver coins into his hand. You press your finger to the wax, testing its seal, before pulling the cloak up around you again and going back out into the night.

Your feet are unsteady under you as you travel the alley ways back towards the keep. Just three city blocks from here is a small door which looks like an average cellar, which in truth conceals one of the entrances to Maegor’s tunnels. This is a path you know well, a path you have trod every night this week alone. Your parchment clutched in hand, you tipsily make your way back so that you may collapse into bed for another dreamless sleep. Your boots clack against cobblestone, echoing as the wind blows at your cloak. The parchment in your hand flutters and flaps like a bird against the cage of your hand. 

You turn a corner, and another corner, the alleys crowded with patrons of taverns and pleasure houses and dance halls raucous and crying and cheering in the night. It seems, you think to yourself, that despite all of the jewels and privilege of your station that the common people seem to have more fun. At least, they have since Viserys’ coronation. You’d heard from your Lord Father of the strife that had taken Prince Aemon and how it had been ended many times. Viserys inherited peace from his father’s bravery. Alicent though, had never met Viserys’ father. As a child, Otto had her read stories to old and dying King Jahaerys, and then her father had her comfort Viserys similarly when Queen Aemma died. Perhaps more royals live their life in servitude than one would think, you ponder, your eyes feeling wet with sympathy for your friend. 

“Oh, excuse me,” you mumble as your shoulder accidentally clips someone’s arm, and you turn a corner. 

You turn another corner, more wobbly now than before as the warmth from the beer settles into your bones. Maybe, tipsy optimism tells you, everything will be okay if you can just get back to your bed without stumbling too hard. Maybe somehow the Gwayne problem as you have been calling it would go away if you could just get back to your warm and soft bed. He could just stop being himself or stop tormenting you somehow? Some sorcery or potion could be invented to stop tongues from wagging? Silly thoughts, really. No use in continuing them. You stumble over the toe of your boot as you put the thoughts to rest. The cobblestones seem to come up to meet your feet as your boots push you forward, the worn leather of them no longer shiny in the streetlamp lights from years of use.

“A Lady shouldn’t walk out here alone,” a man’s voice calls to you, and you pull your cloak closer to yourself. You figure if you ignore the voice and keep walking you can put enough space between yourself and the man. This is, admittedly, not the safest part of town. The nearby pleasure houses attract terrible men, but the hired guards positioned at the entrances tend to watch out for women on the street. There is a letter opener in your bag, so you are not exactly unarmed, but you would rather reach the nearest entrance to Maegor’s tunnels without having to use it. You move a little faster, now eager to reach the next corner to turn.

“Did you hear me, M’lady?” The voice calls again, and your blood runs cold. How did he know? Footsteps pick up behind you, and you pick up your pace to try to out walk him. If you can make it to the next street, certainly he wouldn’t try to grab you with so many witnesses.

You reach just a few mere meters from the opening of the alleyway before hands grasp at your arms. Defensively, you put your forearms up over your chest, clutching the letter tight and wrinkling the parchment.

“Been followin’ you,” Rancid breath wafts over your face, “No common whore wears rings like that.”

Fuck. Now you finally remember. Before leaving your chambers, you always remove all jewelry. You always put on your plainest clothes. A simple garnet on your pinky finger has given you away. Fear courses through your bloodstream, but so does a steady mourning. This too now, you can never have again. 

“All this trouble for a ring?” you ask, beer making you bolder. Anger, sadness, fear, all rolled into one as you hold your defensive stance. If only you can reach into your bag for the letter opener. 

“All this trouble for whatever else you’ve got,” He sneers, and something in you tells you now is the time to fight. You kick your leg back, boot connecting with what you think is his knee as you wriggle out of his grasp, tearing your cloak and knocking yourself down to the ground in the process. You gasp as your knees land hard on the stones, trying your hardest not to cry out in pain. The man recovers a lot quicker than you expected, stumbling back to his feet and muttering curses at you. You hold your hands up weakly, as if the crumpled letter in your hand is a shield. 

“Bitch! I should cut off your finger for that,” he tells you, and a dagger now glitters just as brightly as your garnet. 

But no blade makes contact with your skin. Instead, you look up to see the man grabbed by the collar by none other than Gwayne Hightower. He, too, is dressed much more civilian than you are used to seeing. He wears a simple brown cloak and tunic. Only, his boots are fancy thick riding boots. Gwayne slams the man against the wall of the alley, a sickening crack as the back of his head hits stone.

“Do not touch her again!” Gwayne more or less roars, anger you have never seen before radiating from him. You scramble to stand as he presses the man further, his free hand now resting on his sword.

“I should have your hands for this,” Gwayne bares his teeth, animalistic in his rage towards the man, and the man seems well and terrified. 

“No trouble,” the man chokes out under the hand on his throat, “I’ll be no trouble.”

It’s only then that Gwayne relents and releases the man.

“Be gone, and do not ever let me see you again,” he warns, and the man gathers himself to leave immediately.

“Keep your bitch on a leash next time,” the man mutters, and it’s the last you hear from him as he departs. Gwayne’s arms come around you immediately, snaking around your form and pulling you close into his chest. He smells of sweat and wine and now coppery blood as well. 

You feel pressure on the top of your head, and for a moment you think it may be his lips. But no, you write it off, you are tipsy and imagining things. 

“You stupid woman, do not scare me like that again,” he sighs, breathless and still on high.

“I had that handled!” You nearly shriek, and then falter, “I mean, there is a letter opener in my bag. I could have stabbed him myself, I could have put out his eyes or jabbed between his-“

“Handled? You fool, he was ready to dispatch you over a ring,” Gwayne cringes at his own words, as if his fear for your safety even scares himself. 

His hand cradling your head is warm, holding you close to his chest as if you are his. You lean into the embrace, not quite holding him back, but because the comfort outweighs the desire to stand straight. This is twice now, that he has insulted your intellect, but you bury annoyance for the moment. He did, in fact, make sure you were to go home with all of your fingers tonight. 

“Fine,” you pout, looking up at him, “I guess some thanks are in order.”

His face immediately softens as you gaze up at him, a faint smile on his lips as he takes in your appearance. 

“I appreciate that, My Lady.”

“Do not think this puts you back in my good graces, Ser Gwayne.”

“My heroism is not enough? Might you believe it is me now?”

Not you. Not you. The words swirl in your head. Not him.

“I believe you are out of the Keep late at night, nothing more.”

His arms do not leave you, but his embrace of you loosens. 

“And what are you doing here? A noble lady, this close to the Streets of Silk? You might as well be on them.” His voice is strained with anger and worry, his hair out of place and sweat evident on his brow. For a moment, you almost feel bad he is in such a state. He is clearly distressed, maybe harmed, because of you. A part of you wants to reach out to him and check for any sore or tender spots, but equally, you want him to just stop making that face. 

But then it cuts through your tipsy haze what he has truly said, what he himself has revealed.

You scoff, incredulous and seeing red. You push him off of you as if he had been the one to cause your injury tonight. 

“Good Ser,” the title spits like venom from a serpent, “I think I need not ask what you are doing near the Streets of Silk.”

He is silent for a moment, a damning silence as he looks to the shine of a puddle settling between the cobblestones. 

“You are lucky I spotted you when I did, Y/n.”

Hot, humiliated tears threaten to spill from your eyes, nevermind that Gwane will not meet your eye and looks just as wounded as you feel. He was on the Streets of Silk, he all but admitted, no doubt chasing women with the crown’s coin and roughing up with his men. The smell of sweat on his tunic is not from defending you from that man, you realize. Truthfully you always knew where your tavern was located, but it had not been an issue until tonight. Until Gwayne Fucking Hightower had to play hero and humiliate you even further as some silly chivalrous interlude in a knight’s evening of debauchery. After everything he had written, the apology he had given you, he has proven he is still just the knight you always thought he was. He could not possibly be genuine in his affections for you if he could so easily come here, you tell yourself. Surely, this is only more fuel to the fiery cavern burning distance between you. He will not see you cry, he mustn’t. 

“My hero,” you mutter, and shove the crumpled parchment to his chest as you walk past him. 

You hold your tears until you reach the tunnel. 

[neptuneiris]

for the crown (01/02)

what is more important in prince aemond targaryen life, the crown or you?

pairing: prince!aemond × lowborn!reader

summary: you gave yourself to him, you love him, he said that despite your low status at court, he will still marry you, because you are his, the woman who was his friend since childhood, until the war comes.

next part • series masterlist

here with another story my beautiful people, where I have more warnings for you regarding this story hehe🤭 here aemond is mean and reader is very naive. this is not a story with happy moments and a happy ending, be warned.

this is something I came up with because I apparently love writing angst so much, so here it is, enjoy!

warnings: sex content, angst, denigration, abusive behavior, possessiveness.

It all started as a children.

Him being a lonely child and judged for not owning a dragon as all Targaryen are accustomed to from birth by having a dragon egg placed next to them in the cradle so that eventually the egg will hatch and a dragon will be born.

And you being a child learning from an early age to become a woman and attend to the duties for your future husband.

Your mother died of a serious illness, your two older sisters eventually married men from the Vale and in the end your father, despite his house coming from a low status, got a place on the King's Small Council in King's Landing.

Having no one to take care of you, and seeing this as an opportunity to find you a future husband with more benefits and definitely more convincing, he decided to bring you with him and introduce you to the sons of noble men.

You remember since you were ten and twelve that even men who could be your father or even your grandsire, asked for your hand. But your father always politely turned them down.

You were not ready yet, you were still attending your lessons with the Septa and your father asked Queen Alicent if she could give him the opportunity to have his youngest daughter join as a lady-in-waiting for her daughter, Princess Helaena.

The Queen fortunately accepts and you soon find yourself making friends with Princess Helaena.

Although Helaena didn't really show any interest in you, she was still grateful to have some company. But in the end, no strong bonding happened between the two of you because the princess preferred to whisper to herself and get lost on her own thoughts.

When you were ten and three years of age, one night on your way to your chamber after attending your lessons with your Septa, you turned down one of the hallways and bumped into someone else and saw that it was Prince Aemond.

You could tell, not everyone had the silver hair characteristic of the Targaryen nor did anyone else have that eye patch.

You instantly apologized, when in the middle of your apology, he lowered his gaze and avoided looking you in the eye at all times, you instantly realized that something was wrong as you noticed his eye was red, swollen and watery.

"Are you all right, my prince?"

You had asked him politely and willing to help, but he wouldn't let you.

"If you will excuse me," he says to you in a low, serious tone without much emotion to step around you and continue on his way, leaving you behind.

You watch him walk away, noticing his wrinkled clothes and also the cloak on his shoulders, as if he had wanted to go undercover a few moments before. You don't know what happens to you that night, but the prince catches your attention, curiosity invading you.

You have never exchanged words with him before, nor with Prince Aegon, the future husband of Princess Helaena, of whom your father has warned you to be very careful if you meet him.

But your father has told you nothing of Prince Aemond.

You know a little of his history, such as that he lost his eye at the age of ten and eleven and that he claimed the largest dragon in the world on the exact same day he lost his eye.

You also hear around the Court how the prince at his young age is becoming an excellent knight and an impressive swordman. That is all you know.

But you wonder at that moment what has happened to the prince to make him cry. That night you can't really know anything and you resume your way to your chamber.

It is not three days later that you decide to flee your responsibilities even for a day and you take refuge in the library of the Keep, quickly entering the place to avoid being caught by your father, his guards or even your Septa.

When your movements draw the attention of someone already in the library.

A seated figure also instantly catches your attention and you are surprised to see that it is Prince Aemond, who is clearly watching you intently for interrupting his reading.

His presence makes you nervous but you quickly remember your manners and how you should behave before royalty.

"Prince Aemond," you bow your head to him, "Forgive me for interrupting you, my prince."

The prince immediately recognizes you, that girl who saw him crying after that horrible night that he still can't stop thinking about.

"Are you running away from someone?" he asks you attentively and curiously.

You lower your gaze, beginning to twist your fingers on your hands, nervous.

"No, not truly, my prince," you observe him, "I just wanted to let my lessons pass for a day, nothing more."

The prince continues to watch you attentively and curiously for a few moments without saying anything, while you don't know what to do, whether to stay or leave for having interrupted him.

Although the library is public and not reserved only for the royal family, you still decide to leave since you don't want to disturb him.

"I won't interrupt you anymore and let you continue to enjoy your time, my prince," you give him a small smile despite still feeling nervous and turn to leave the way you came.

Aemond lets out a long breath and doesn't think long to call out to you and stop you.

"Wait," he says and you stop before touching the doorknob.

Again nerves overtake you but curious, you slowly turn to him and show yourself at his disposal, where the prince now shows a more relaxed posture but continues to be attentive on you.

"Enjoy the reading, my lady?"

His question takes you by surprise, since women are not supposed to waste time on things that are not related to learning how to be a good wife in the future and how to please their husbands.

And along with that come everything that is expected of them after marriage, as loyalty, devotion and the heirs they are supposed to give birth to.

And yet with all this, in your four walls, where no one sees you and where no one can tell you what to do and what not, you secretly enjoy reading. But before you can answer the prince, he points to the book in your hands.

"You know the history of my family?"

"Not much, to be honest with you, my prince," you confess.

"And what do you read?" he asks you attentively.

"I enjoy reading a lot of everything, my prince. But lately I have been reading the stories of the First Men."

The prince continues to watch you intently, thinking about your words, then lets out a "hmm" and makes himself more comfortable in his chair, reopening the page of his book in his hands to resume his reading.

"Come. You can hide from your responsibilities here."

And from that moment, your friendship with Prince Aemond began.

Both he and you could not always avoid your responsibilities, but on the days that you did or in the small moments of the day, you both found each other and spent time together, whether it was in the library or in the gardens taking a walk.

Just as Prince Aemond expected, you learned more about the histories of his house and he learned a little more of yours, though there truly isn't much to learn coming from a small house that the truth is almost irrelevant.

You never left Helaena's side, but you began to accept that you enjoyed spending more time with Prince Aemond as you shared a taste for literature, so you distributed your time well to spend time with both of them.

As the years passed, the prince began to demand that you privately call him Aemond, as you began to be present at his training, watching as he gradually became a truly feared knight with impressive brutal skills.

Trust began to grow, so you dared to ask him to tell you about how he claimed the largest dragon in the whole world and he did, feeling proud of his story even though he lost his eye that very night.

The trust was there but he still wouldn't open up to you about how he lost his eye and you didn't bring up the subject either.

You were curious about it but you didn't want to make him upset by asking him something so personal, thinking that Aemond himself would talk to you about it when he felt ready and confident.

The friendship between the two of you did not go unnoticed by your father and Queen Alicent, nor by Otto Hightower, who were disinterested in the matter, knowing very well that Aemond could never marry you, a lady of such low status.

Prince Aemond is only a few moons older than you, so by the time he is ten and seven years of age, he begins to feel the pressure of his mother and grandsire to take a wife and fulfill his duty as prince of the Realm.

And that duty is to form alliances so that when the time comes and his father dies, they can put Aegon on the Throne since that is the right thing to do instead of his half-sister succeeding the Throne, after her succeeding his bastard nephews.

But for Aemond it is a constant war he has in mind. He doesn't want his half-sister, a woman, to succeed the Throne so that his bastards do as well, but he also knows that Aegon is not fit for the Throne.

But he is.

And he resents more the fact that his grandsire sees more for Aegon than he does for him, he who is more fit than Aegon to rule but no one sees that, not even his mother, supporting her first son more and seeing her second as support of the first to further secure his Throne.

And he hates that, hates it very much.

But when his grandsire starts putting on the table the ladys he could marry, all Lannister, Tyrell and Baratheon, Aemond hates it even more.

"I do not wish to marry yet," he tells him serious and disinterested.

"It is not a matter of whether you wish it or not, Aemond. You must do it because this is your duty to secure Aegon's throne," his grandsire reproaches him.

"And Aegon is fit to rule?" he inquires expectantly.

Otto lets out a long sigh.

"He is the king's first born son and that is all that matters," tells him annoyed, "Or is it that you wish Rhaenyra to sit on the Throne instead of him? So that later her bastard son sits next and Gods knows if the boy who took your eye sits as well?"

Aemond didn't know it at the time, but his grandsire's words were beginning to make him think eventually, and began to let himself be carried away by it.

But not only that, Aemond began to have a strong temper and to feel a pressure that made people fear him even more. You never feared him when you heard the rumors about his missing eye, let alone as the two of you began to grow up together.

But unfortunately, Aemond began to take his bad temper out on you.

You were walking through the hallways of the Keep, when a drunken Prince Aegon intercepted you and touched you to take you by force in a dark and lonely hallway. Fortunately you immediately reacted and hit him in the crook of his leg with your knee, quickly running away from him, crying.

You didn't want to cause a scene with the Queen nor was it a good idea to tell your father, who would probably go mad with the thought that his daughter could have been ruined when her maidenhead is the most indispensable thing to be able to marry you off.

So you seek comfort and help from your most trusted person in your entire life, Aemond.

As you enter his chamber, you know it's a bad idea since you can't be here, but your sobs and your body trembling with fear make you take courage and seek reassurance from your dearest friend.

But sadly Aemond didn't feel the same way.

When you explain to him what happened, Aemond watches you almost disinterested, still listening to you attentively.

"H-he touched me but h-he didn't manage to do anything," you tell him through your tears.

Aemond says nothing, rather he continues to watch you attentive and serious. And when he finally speaks, it was not what you expected him to say.

"Hmm."

That's all he says.

You watch him painfully, not understanding his behavior when your state is proof enough that you're not lying, but Aemond thinks further, not truly realizing it, having the meetings he's forced to attend with his grandsire more on his mind than what just happened to you.

"So what did you do or say to my brother to make him take such a liberty with you?"

You look at him confused, trembling and with tears falling down your cheeks.

"E-excuse me?"

"You provoked him, didn't you?"

"N-no, Aemond," you look at him hurt, "I-I would never—

"I would not be surprised."

He interrupts you serious and this makes you look at him confused and in despair.

"Coming from such a low house with your father extremely desperate to marry you off, an event like this would make my mother reward your father with a convenient husband," he tells you watching you badly, "But if you want so much to be taken as a common whore, try the Street of Silk. But don't involve my brother to affect my family and our image Y/N."

His words are like a dagger to your heart, while you look at him completely hurt and bewildered by his words, that being your sign that you are alone in this and Aemond does not support you as he considers them to be vile rumors against his brother.

Humiliated and crying now because of the insensitivity of the one who supposedly is your dearest friend, you run out of his chamber, not even having the strength to look him in the eye because of his cruel words.

At this Aemond does not even flinch when you run out of his chamber and continues with his duties, unbothered.

It is not two days later that Aemond comes to his senses that he himself looks for you after you spend most of your time avoiding him as much as possible.

His words has deeply hurt you and are constantly repeating in your mind, feeling a sharp pain in your chest. And when he finally finds you, he apologizes for his behavior.

You thought you couldn't forgive him for what he said and how he made you feel, but inevitably you melt at his touch as he leaves a soft kiss on the back of your hand and hugs you to comfort you as he should have done at the beginning.

Aemond then goes to look for his brother, where he finds him in his bed with a Silk Street whore and all of him and his chamber stinking of wine.

Abruptly he pulls the sheets off him and he along with the woman wake up startled, but before Aegon can react, Aemond grabs him tightly by the collar and pulls him dangerously close to him watching him with the most menacing and deadly gaze.

"Try to touch Y/N again and I swear I'll cut off both of your hands myself, you fucking cunt."

Aegon does not understand anything, beginning to feel discomfort, but before he can say anything, Aemond releases him abruptly against the bed, to finally leave the chamber.

The weeks pass quickly and you turn seven and ten years of age, not being something that truly catches the attention of all the people in the Court, but for your father and Princess Helaena, yes.

The princess presents you with a pair of beautiful gold earrings and eventually Aemond also has something for you but he wait until the two of you are alone.

He enters your chamber and presents you with a beautiful silver necklace with a drop-shaped gem of an ocean blue sapphire, also a beautiful dress of the same color, letting you know that this is his favorite color.

That night, almost at the end of the night of your name day, Aemond is the one who claims your first kiss and also claims your maidenhead.

That same night you realized that you have always loved him, basically since you were children, since you started spending time together, getting to know each other and sharing the same tastes.

Besides, how could Aemond not be to your liking?

Prince or not, he is absolutely handsome, paying no attention to rumors, if he doesn't have an eye or that he is extremely brutal in combat, it doesn't matter to you, you don't care about anything but you and him and that's why you give yourself completely to him.

A forbidden action and that you should not have done, since your maidenhead is important to be able to get married, but you think that if you marry a man you do not love, why not give yourself to someone you truly do love?

You didn't care that this would bring serious consequences for you, that if your father found out, everything would probably fall apart.

You didn't care at least that night when you were in Aemond's arms and felt his caresses all over your body. He made you feel completely desired and made you experience in the act of lovemaking things you couldn't even imagine, wanting more from him in the moment.

"You're mine, aren't you?"

He murmurs huskily against your lips, as he enters you again with a firm, hard movement that makes you see stars and makes you cling completely to him, moaning.

"Yes, Aemond," you sigh, "I am yours. Completely yours."

"You will never leave my side, not when I have already claimed you, do you understand?"

"Yes."

You sigh again, dropping your head back, moaning.

"Say it," he demands, starting again with his back and forth, more steady and harder, "Say you understand."

"I understand," you say as best you can as you are being completely carried away by the pleasure.

Aemond smirks and begins to thrust in and out of you faster and harder, as you moan and try to be no too loud, as he brings his lips to your neck and begins to mark your skin, area by area.

Then he bites and sucks on your breasts, while you place your arms around his shoulders and pull him further into you, avoiding screaming loudly from all the pleasure, biting his shoulder, being more motivation for Aemond as he continues to fuck you hard.

That night he spills all his seed inside you with a grunt, filling you completely, as he wipes the tears from your eyes from the overstimulation and how he brought you to the peak several times.

You watch him with complete adoration, just as satisfied as he is, but terrified of what just happened.

"If the Queen finds out…" you tell him fearfully, "If my father finds out—

"Don't worry about that, my love," he murmurs to you, beginning to gently pull out of you, "You're never going to leave my side, remember?"

"But…

"No one's going to find out."

And you believe him, you truly do. And fortunately his word is kept.

The next morning no one notices the night you shared with the prince, not your maids by acting careful and certainly not your father by sharing breakfast with him.

You cover Aemond's marks on your body with dresses a little more covered in the collarbone area, hoping they will disappear soon and looking forward to sharing more nights with him despite being very risky.

And that same day in the library you meet Aemond, he makes you drink moon tea, telling you that this will be indispensable every time you both share a bed, as he doesn't want to sire any bastards and you certainly don't want that to happen either.

And the nights with your prince are a little more constant, with no one knowing about that little secret you share in the darkness of your chamber to the fortune of both of you.

And as a result of Aemond claiming your body, his behavior towards you becomes more… possessive.

On the name day of little Prince Jaehaerys and little Princess Jaehaera Targaryen, Queen Alicent prepares a grand feast in honor of the twins where the entire Court attends and other members of important houses in Westeros.

Your father sees this as a great opportunity for you to finally meet the sons of the nobles and asks you to wear your best dress and exaggerate your beauty to attract the attention of some of them.

And you do so even though you don't want to.

Once at the feast, you find Aemond at the table that belongs to all the royal family, while you share tables with all the other nobles. He also finds you among all the people and that is all that happens between you.

Immediately your father introduces you to the sons of the nobles and when the dance begins, you can't refuse their offers and very soon you find yourself dancing with some of them.

All the time you feel a piercing, burning gaze in which you don't need to try to figure out who it is, you know it's him. But you can't be rude to all those men, just like him, you must also do your duty and you don't want to make your father angry.

But you wouldn't have to do this if he asked for your hand.

You don't understand what keeps stopping Aemond from asking your father for his blessing, but for now, you must do this.

When on one of your trips for some fresh air and to stop feeling overwhelmed, wanting to calm your pressure with all those sons of nobles, suddenly a hand grabs your waist and another on your neck to slam you hard against one of the walls of the balcony, leaving you motionless.

You open your frightened eyes wide, about to scream but the hand on your waist goes up to silence your mouth, while you watch in surprise, in terror and without understanding at Aemond with a deadly and more than furious gaze towards you.

When he brings his lips to your ear.

"Next time I see you acting like I'm not in the same place as you and enjoying the company of other men right to my fucking face, I'm not going to be gentle with you Y/N, at all," he warns you, "Don't forget your place and who you belong to, or else I'm going to have to start beheading heads and your father's will be the first."

And without another word, Aemond releases you without tact and walks away leaving you behind, not even flinching at his behavior, while you watch him completely shocked and in horror, tears starting to want to spill out of your eyes.

After that night, your father begins to arrange an betrothal between you and a man from Highgarden, but you, thinking correctly, refuse the request for your hand and that of several other nobles.

Your father was furious, but you didn't care much, only thinking of Aemond, who again came in search of you after a few days, asking your forgiveness for his behavior.

"You must not make me angry again, Y/N. It wasn't smart at all what you did that night and you won't do it again, will you?"

You just nodded and again he claimed your body, as he is wont to do almost every night, claiming everything from you, because you are his, completely.

Again the years pass without any change and now both ten and nine years of age, all over the Court it is rumored that Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon are returning to the capital along with all their children to attend to the matter of a succession.

Immediately this causes Aemond to have an almost insufferable humor and behavior, especially with you.

But at the end of the day he comes back to you and apologizes even though you don't understand what it is that bothers him so much.

You don't ask him anything about his half-sister, and when the day comes and you don't meet Aemond anymore because he has to attend to all that matter, you wait for him to come back to you, not truly wanting to disturb him.

It's not until one night when you find yourself heading to your chamber after spending some time in the library that you accidentally overhear the conversation of some maids down the hallway, unnoticed by them.

"That was an intense fight."

"Yes."

"I don't think things between the princess and the Queen will mend after this."

"They never will," one of them says in a whisper, "Peace between the two families was never meant to happen after Prince Lucerys was the responsible for taking Prince Aemond's eye."

"And now the fight between Prince Aemond with Prince Jacaerys has made everything more difficult."

Such words leave you completely paralyzed and breathless, listening to it all with your lips parted and your eyes wide open, unable to believe what you are hearing.

Aemond has never told you about what happened that night, but you never ever imagined that his own nephew was responsible for that horrible event that marked his life forever, now also finding out that there was a fight now with prince Jacaerys.

And that is why you decide to go to him, instantly worrying and wanting to know if he is well and if you can help him in whatever he needs.

You make sure there are no important people in sight and after that, you make sure the guards don't see you and you quickly and carefully enter his chamber, where you see Aemond sitting near his fireplace with a tense posture and his back to you.

"Aemond?" you call softly to him, slowly approaching towards him, but he does not move an inch, "Are you alright?"

Instantly you reprimand yourself, since of course he's not alright.

With what you heard, you now understand his behavior since it was announced that his sister would be returning to King's Landing with her entire family, including the boy who took his eye.

You let out a long breath, observing him with some pity and understanding and then continue your slow walk towards him, observing him attentively.

"Do you need to talk?"

You watch as his hands make them into fists, continuing to watch the fire in the fireplace intently, his jaw clenched and his whole posture screaming danger.

"Get out," he orders you low and threatening.

But you don't want to leave him alone, you care about him.

"I just want to make sure you're all right," you insist softly, trying to convince him.

"I'm not going to repeat myself, Y/N."

You let out a long breath again, still not obeying his word.

"I know how you must be feeling," you tell him in understanding, finishing moving closer towards him, "But if you need to talk, I'm here to listen," you assure him, "I care about you and I just want….

Your words are suddenly interrupted violently when Aemond stands up in a quick movement that you don't have time to anticipate and surprisingly grabs your neck with one of his hands in a strong and brutal way to look at you more than angry and threatening.

All the fear consumes you and you watch him in horror, all your air in suspense, your eyes wide open and bringing your hands to his to try to free yourself with tears starting to run down your cheeks.

You try to speak to him, to tell him anything, desperately asking him to let you go, but Aemond continues to be blinded by his own madness and his own anger at what happened at that dinner.

You tap weakly at his chest, trying to breathe, but he won't let you, slowly making his grip tighter.

"I don't know where you heard it, but I don't need your pity nor do I need your sympathy."

He tells you serious and menacingly while you continue to try to free yourself from him

"I am the prince, the rider of the largest dragon in the world and the next time I order you to do something and you don't obey me… you're going to start learning the hard way and no one is going to save you, Y/N."

He squeezes your neck a little tighter, hard and watching you almost as if he dislikes you, while you can't take it anymore, not acknowledging him, basically not understanding anything.

When he finally lets go of you and you fall completely on the ground, gasping and catching your breath with tears streaming down your cheeks, feeling bad about yourself, feeling a sharp pain in your chest as you catch your breath and strength, watching him for a second completely scared.

Aemond doesn't dislike seeing you at his feet, but still the anger continues to consume him and he continues to stare at you as if you were nothing.

"'Get out. Now," he spits at you without any tact.

And you don't need him to repeat it one more time, you quickly get up and run away from him completely horrified, crying and feeling like a complete fool.

You want to tell yourself that it's all right, that he didn't mean it and will ask for your forgiveness, just this being another one of his bad days where he made the mistake of taking it out on you, as he always tells you.

But now… you expect nothing from him.

His action leaves you completely scared and terrified, not even wishing to see him nor wishing he would come to your chamber to ask for your forgiveness once he returns to himself.

This time it takes Aemond a full week until he does indeed search for you and finds you in your chamber, where taking your distance, with your face muffled and without much emotion, you greet him and continue with your embroidery, beginning to tremble slightly for fear that he will explode at you again.

This Aemond notices immediately and lets out a long breath, resignation overtaking him. Then he takes a step towards you and you stand very still, alert, not trusting and fearing for his next move.

Aemond at this stops and looks at the marks on your neck that are just beginning to fade, marks that you hid very well with your clothes, but considering that he has come in the middle of the night, you are wearing your night gown.

So he doesn't come any closer and instead extends one of his hands towards you, looking completely harmless and wanting to fix this, but you don't trust him at all yet.

"Come," he asks you kindly, waiting for you to take his hand.

You don't say anything to him, you continue to stare at his hand fearfully, trying to hide how terrified you feel, but you can't, considering you're both alone here and there's no one who can save you.

"I won't hurt you, I promise," he tells you again in a soft voice.

But you continue without moving and he doesn't press you, wanting to give you time until you feel comfortable and safe with him again.

Until eventually you too resign yourself, thinking that you must obey your prince's word and finally you take his hand, shaking but you do. Aemond immediately slowly begins to pull you closer to him, showing you that it's all right.

Until he finally has you in his arms and starts kissing your cheeks, comforting you, asking for forgiveness over and over again, caressing you, while you slowly start to let yourself be carried away by him.

You shouldn't, but you love him in spite of everything.

That night Aemond tells you everything, everything that happened that night after he claimed Vhagar and the years that followed after he lost his eye, everything he had to face and learn on his own at such a young age.

He tells you about his bastard nephews, about the danger Rhaenyra is to him and his family if she sits on the Throne and also what happened at that dinner that made him react in that brutal way against you, asking for your forgiveness over and over again.

Now you understand Aemond's side and let him once again take you, feeling just as wanted as ever, feeling how much Aemond needs you, just the same way you need him.

And that night, after he spills his seed inside you, you confess it to him, you tell him that you love him, not being able to go another day without him knowing it and not knowing how much he means to you, in spite of everything.

Aemond doesn't say anything to you after your confession, he just watches you and smiles softly, then kisses you and locks you in his arms, that being distraction enough to make you believe that he doesn't need to tell you that he loves you too when the actions speak for themselves.

And one day after another of the nights you share with Aemond, King Viserys dies and Prince Aegon is crowned as his successor.

Your father has no choice but to bend the knee to King Aegon while everyone knows that war will break out at any moment after Princess Rhaenys escapes from the Red Keep on her dragon by destroying DragonPit and bringing the news to Princess Rhaenyra.

Exactly that is what happens and then two sides are formed, the blacks and the greens. And you belong to the green ones.

Queen Alicent and the Hand begin to form their alliances, where these alliances is the duty to fulfill Aemond who in the end chooses to marry one of the daughters of Lord Borros Baratheon.

And he has no choice but to let you know what happens next.

"This is necessary. Securing this alliance for Aegon will give us more opportunity against my half-sister's forces. I cannot fail my family. I will win the loyalty of Lord Borros and I will win all of Storm's End."

You can't help but be filled with complete disappointment, feeling your heart shatter into pieces at Aemond's very firm and willing words.

"What about me?" you can't help but ask him in your weak, sad voice.

But he looks at you confused and uncomprehending.

"What do you mean?"

"You're never going to ask for my hand, are you?" you stare at him with tears beginning to fill your eyes, "You don't want to fail your family and in order not to fail them you have to marry one of Lord Borros' daughters."

He avoids looking completely annoyed by your behavior, annoyed that you don't understand that they are at war, that this is his duty and that it is necessary.

"We are at war, Y/N. I cannot afford to choose you over my duty. Besides this is nothing more than a marriage for political purposes to form alliances and strengthen my brother's Throne."

His words hurt you, completely, but still, you don't want to feel more humiliated than you already are and you nod slowly in his direction, lowering your gaze and holding back your tears, because it's not like you can do anything about it.

He's the prince, he has the power to do something about it, but in the end he won't do anything.

"Then I wish you a safe journey and good luck to your brother's cause, Prince Aemond."

Prince Aemond, not Aemond, just his title.

You continue embroidering, trying to make yourself forget his presence in your chamber, still holding back much as you can your tears, understanding that this is the end of what you had and that it can be no more.

Let alone that he will not ask for your hand as he has to marry for political purposes as is his duty.

But Aemond is not tolerating your attitude and behavior at all, so in an instant he stands in front of you and takes your chin with one of his hands, making you raise your gaze to him in a demanding manner and observe him.

At first you feared he was going to hurt you again and scare you like last time, but he continues to make you keep your gaze on him, him with his serious and determined look.

"I don't know what you're thinking Y/N," he tells you in warning, "But don't even believe for a moment that I'm going to leave you for a girl and for a marriage I don't even wish for."

He lets you know and your heart flips, watching him in surprise and definitely not expecting this, as he smirks and delights in your reaction.

"Or what? You truly thought I'd give all this up between you and I for an arranged marriage?"

"B-but—

You try to speak but he won't let you.

"Oh you silly little thing," he mutters without wiping away his amused grin, "You really thought about that? You should know better." he makes his grip on your jaw tighter, "You're mine, remember? And you're never going to leave my side, ever."

He tells you and then lets you go and walks out of your chamber while you are surprised and bewildered. You want to believe he didn't mean it, but he's right… maybe you should know better, because Aemond wasn't messing around at all.

And that same night, Aemond flies to Storm's End.

You found it hard to find sleep, all the time thinking about Aemond and what is going on with him on his journey, thinking about the daughters of Lord Borros, which one of them he chose to marry and how he must have gotten that alliance.

But not only you think about that, you also think about the war, about your father and how desperately he is trying to find you a good husband, telling you that the best thing would be for you to leave the Keep, wanting to put you safe for everything that is happening.

But you reject him at every turn, knowing full well that you cannot leave Aemond and fearing that if you obey your father, Aemond will do something against him and their secret relationship will be revealed.

When in the midst of your thoughts, suddenly your secret door opens and a drenched Aemond enters your chamber, completely pale and with an expression on his face that you have never seen on him before.

You quickly get up and go to him, asking him if he's all right, what has happened, asking him to tell you something, anything.

But he doesn't, he's thinking too much.

When he finally speaks up and tells you… he has killed his own nephew, Lucerys.

You freeze completely, listening in shock and disbelief to everything he tells you, as he really intended to scare him, not kill him. But Vhagar didn't obey him and lost control, killing his nephew, the boy who took his eye.

The first thing you instantly think of, is to comfort him and that's exactly what you do.

This time Aemond lets you be there for him and you let him vent, knowing full well that you could never judge him and that you understand, you understand what really happened despite the full gravity of the matter.

Because now the war has really begun.

Her action later leads to taking responsibility for the brutal murder of her nephew, Jaehaerys, all orchestrated by two people sent by Prince Daemon, taking revenge for the death of Lucerys.

Revenge that the now Queen Helaena has to pay for, slowly slipping into madness after witnessing the murder of her own son, where not even her mother could comfort her and be there for her.

During all these events, Aemond can't truly do much, only bear the consequences of his own actions and continue to support his brother to gain more allies, at all times seeking comfort in you.

Now Aemond takes his anger and frustration out on you by fucking you, not even being able to get enough of you while you let him by wanting to make him feel good and make him forget for a moment about everything that is happend outside.

But the war continues, more battles on the ground and also in the sky with the dragons, resulting Aemond and King Aegon victorious in the battle of Rook's Rest.

They brought with them the head of the dragon Maleys and announcing the death of an important ally of Rhaenyra, Rhaenys Targaryen.

But King Aegon is severely wounded with burns from the battle, as well as his dragon Sunfyre is wounded, which leads to someone else sitting on the Throne until the King's recovery and Aemond is the chosen one.

With the crown of Aegon the Conqueror on his head, Aemond becomes Prince Regent and Protector of the Realm.

This gives you hope, especially because now Aemond's word is law and everything he says has to be done.

Which results in you thinking about Aemond possibly finally asking your father for your hand, since his marriage to Lady Baratheon hasn't happened and it's a possibility that it's not going to happen soon because of the war.

But with you it could happen.

All the while you watch proudly as Aemond's desire for the crown happens, as he delights in all the nobles kneeling before him, him being the great voice of the whole Realm and the King for now.

Considering that Aegon is gravely ill, perhaps his drunken brother will not make it and so he will become the King. It is not as if he would wish death on his own brother, but there is no better person to rule than him, seeing on the side of the Realm.

As a consequence, the war still continues after the strong response of the Blacks to the loss of the great Rhaenys Targaryen. And this is why you begin to spend less time with Aemond due to his new and important position.

With so much to think about and plan for, Aemond is truly dedicated to his duty as Prince Regent, knowing that he can't even give himself a day off from leading his entire Small Council and the entire army at his disposal.

When you are finally able to spend even a moment alone with him in the middle of the night in his chamber, clearly without your father's knowledge.

He has asked you to run him a bath and you comply, always wanting to help him in whatever he needs, assisting him.

You finish helping him wash his magnificent silver hair while Aemond relaxes completely at your touch and feels that peace he needed so much since the crown was placed on his head.

You then help him dry off and dress him in his sleeping clothes, deciding to subtly bring up the subject.

"I know that matters about the war don't concern me, but what are you going to do now?" you ask him softly, "I have an intuition that you won't stay here forever."

He lets out a long breath, finishing pulling on his most comfortable pants.

"The blacks are gaining more ground than we are. I will have to move if I let them get too close to the capital. I have already sent a raven to Oldtown, my brother Daeron should be here soon to protect the Keep while I am gone."

You watch him intently, listening very carefully to his words.

"And will you take your entire army with you?'

"Certainly not. I will leave a part at Daeron's command. Only Cole and the Lannister army will have to come with me."

You let out a long breath, already hating the thought of Aemond leaving again like last time for battle.

All the while you lay awake until the Hour of the Wolf praying to the Seven for him, for his safety and health, that he would return to you.

And now you will be just as worried about him again, hoping for his soon return, fearing and thinking that you may never see him again. And that's what you fear the most.

"And where will you go?"

"I don't know yet, we're considering several important points on the map. But I shouldn't be too long with it, we can't give my half-sister nor my uncle any more time and chance."

"And will you also take Lord Borros' army with you?" you observe him attentively.

"No. They will stay here, protecting my family and you."

He tells you softly to then lift one of his hands and hold your left cheek, while you finish with his clothes and let yourself be completely carried away by his touch.

You close your eyes and let out a sigh, all of him completely invading you and feeling good, but at the same time fearing for his life as you really don't want to lose him.

Then you look at him again with some hope and longing, not wanting this to end so thinking of worst case scenarios, needing him to be yours and you to be his by law, before the Seven.

"Then your wedding to the Baratheon girl won't happen, will it?"

Then all that peace Aemond was feeling vanishes and you stop feeling his touch.

"And what does that matter?"

"It matters to me. You can marry me now. You are Prince Regent, no one could oppose the idea, least of all my father."

He lets out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

"Of course no one could oppose it, Y/N," he tells you serious, "But still I can't afford to lose Lord Borros' entire army to please your whims," he tells you annoyed, "The betrothal to his daughter assures me of having him and all his men on my side and that is what matters."

His words again hurt you, hitting you hard to understand that you are no more important than an army of a thousand men.

You truly understand that there is a war, but you are not a man and you still have to do your duty, not having the time or the same privileges as he does.

You try not to dwell on his words too much and continue to insist.

"I am not telling you this to make you angry Aemond, truly," you clarify softly and pleadingly, "I am telling you this so as not to anger my father," you explain, "His patience is running thin and he is already upset enough with me for turning down very good suitors who asked for my hand."

"As you should."

He tells you serious and disinterested, while you say nothing for a few more seconds, watching him as if you don't know him and his comment not being able to make you more upset, also his attitude about it and how he doesn't care at all.

Because he does want you to understand his point, his position, his army and the war, but he can't understand yours.

"We are not all princes, Aemond!"

You exclaim to him annoyed, catching him off guard, instantly watching you attentively.

"It is my duty to marry too, that is what is expected of me and my father might even come to an agreement without consulting me first out of his desperation and wanting to keep me safe for all this, while I am here, wishing you to finally react and do something about it."

"You want me to do something about it?" he repeats to you serious, "Then what I will do is threaten your father not to give your hand to anyone and that you stay by my side until I wish otherwise. That is what I can do Y/N, but I cannot marry you."

He makes it clear to you as you feel him again breaking your heart without even caring, his words not being in any sense the right ones, while you want to yell at him and make him react, ask him if he even cares a little bit about you.

"You can't do that," you tell him as you hold back your tears, "Everyone will know about us and you'll put my maidenhead in question."

He lets out a sniffle, hurting you again to see how he truly doesn't care about you at all.

"That I can't do it? Just watch me."

And without another word to you, again completely disinterested, he heads out of the chamber to his bathroom, while you continue to hold back your tears and try to hold on to your dignity, following him and watching him completely firm with your words.

"If you do not wish me to leave your side, then marrying you is the only way," you tell him with a lump in your throat.

He looks at you in a curious, but still serious manner.

"Are you threatening me, love?"

"No! I'm doing no such thing, I'm just warning you!" you exclaim to him wearily and needing him to finally act.

"Then what the fuck do you want me to do, Y/N!?"

He finally reacts, but not in the way you expected, walking towards you annoyed and with all the frustration and anger, as well as again that weight feeling it again on his shoulders, looking at you really annoyed and tired of you.

"What don't you understand? For you it would be a great benefit but for me? Will your father give me a thousand men to fight and win the war or a fleet of ships?" he asks you again expectantly, "Your father cannot give me what I need, you are not convenient for me and that is why I cannot and do not wish to marry you!"

Then that is when Aemond again breaks your heart into pieces without even him realizing it and where all the realization hits you like a wave.

Now you truly understand the role you play here because of his words. And now you just feel an emptiness in your chest and watch him with total indifference.

You really don't want to regret having chosen him over your duty, to have risked giving yourself body and soul to him, because he doesn't lose anything, but you do and yet you did it because you love him.

But now by telling you those cruel words… now you no longer feel the need to make him react.

For him to let you know that you mean more to him than just warming his bed and supporting him in his bad moments as well as his good ones.

In times of war… you are not important to him and certainly not convenient. And even if the war wasn't on your mind, you wanted to believe that perhaps he would choose you over his duty, just as you did.

But how wrong you were.

And Aemond doesn't notice any of this because in an instant he again comes towards you and holds your chin with one of his hands firmly and tightly.

He makes you not dare to look away from him, while you do so with no expression on your face and your eyes completely empty.

"You're going to stop with this fucking foolishness, do you hear me? I don't need to also carry you on my shoulders when I already have enough."

He warns you between his teeth and extremely annoyed,

"You're going to stop harassing me with your fucking little girl whims, because I assure you that I have more important things to take care of, have you understood me?"

And you once you also have enough of all this, you have no choice but to hold back your tears and swallow the lump in your throat to answer him in the same way; without emotion.

"Yes, your Grace."

This takes him completely off guard, while you hold his gaze for only a few seconds longer, until you waste no more time and turn away from him to head out of the chamber, while Aemond watches you at all times attentive and even curious about your behavior.

And when the doors close, he finally lets out a long breath as he runs one of his hands over his face, deciding not to do anything else for the day and decides to sleep.

The next morning, Aemond doesn't see you all day, nor the next one, nor the next one after that, and continuously until a considerable number of days pass without your presence.

Still too occupied to do anything about it because of all the meetings he has to attend, yet he notices your absence and finds it strange that by the end of the day it is the maids who assist him when you used to do everything necessary for him.

Until one morning he asks one of the maids to discreetly look for you and let you know that he needs your assistance, threatening the poor girl that no one will listen to her when she says his orders to you and that you will be all alone.

The maid successfully carries out the order, but only to return to the prince and let him know that Lady Y/L/N is apparently unwell.

This immediately catches his attention, but again he is too occupied to attend to the matter.

While you… was not a lie what you told the maid who sent for you on Aemond's orders. After that night when you left his chamber, you never again felt even the desire to stand around him and look him in the eye.

It hurt.

Everything about him hurt.

You lost your appetite completely, preferring to stay in bed all day, not having the energy or the courage to face the world, let alone him. And that led you to start feeling the same way the next few days.

You didn't want to get out of bed, you didn't want to eat, you didn't even want to see daylight through your windows, you just wanted to lie there, thinking about Aemond's words that hurt you more and more.

This behavior was not allowed to pass by your father, who instantly ordered you to eat, not allowing that he would see you all the time pale, without energy and without any food in your stomach, always locked in your chamber.

Until one day, your behavior only got worse when your father let you know the unexpected news.

"I have accepted the offer to give your hand in marriage to a nobleman of House Redwyne, Sr. Ralph Redwyne, son of Rowan Redwyne."

You instantly look at him in complete surprise, your eyes wide open and your lips parted, as your father looks at you serious and firm with the news, making it clear to you that this decision is truly going to happen.

"I have already sent a raven to the Arbor where I have agreed to all of their terms. It is only a matter of time before they can let me know when you will be able to meet your betrothed."

"But why didn't you let me know before about this?" you ask him completely bewildered and alarmed.

"And for what? So that you could avoid your own betrothal?" he asks you serious, "I don't know what has happened to you in all these years Y/N, nor do I know what you were and are thinking, but I've had enough and this union is going to happen, do you understand?

You watch him silently, still shocked and incredulous at the news, while he watches you completely steady and determined, attentive to your reaction.

"We are lucky that a good man like him has asked for your hand," he tells you with a certain bitter tone, "His offer is generous and beneficial."

"But—

"I don't want to hear it," he interrupts you instantly, "This will happen, you understand? I'm already tired and I'm certainly not going to waste such an opportunity, just as it's in your best interest to not waste it either."

As Aemond had told you one day, he would have to leave with part of his army and leave the Keep protected by his brother Daeron and his dragon Tessarion.

The blacks gain more and more ground, so the time comes to act and impose to win the war, where the final piece is positioned in Harrenhal.

Aemond orders days before that his army begins to prepare, taking Sr. Criston Cole with him to take the black castle, where according to his assumptions he will have more opportunity to attack his uncle Daemon.

With the death of Rhaenys Targaryen, killing her uncle may also be a possibility and Rhaenyra will lose another even more important piece of her chessboard and her life.

The news that the Prince Regent is leaving to go to battle reaches your ears, but still you continue locked in your chamber, trying not to let this news make you think too much, although in the end it is impossible.

You don't want to worry about him, you know he doesn't deserve it.

But at least you can pray for his safety, which is the only thing you allow yourself to do, and as much as you want that to give you some peace of mind, it still doesn't.

Then the day comes and you find yourself watching the army ready to march through your windows, all Lannister banners and you also recognize one specific group with that dark green on their banners, the color of the Hightower.

Then you assume that very soon you'll see Vhagar flying away across the skies.

When suddenly your doors open firmly and unexpectedly, to which you jump and are surprised to see Aemond enter with his armor on ready to leave, this drawing the attention of some maids passing through the hallway to see their Protector entering your chamber so suddenly.

You watch him completely bewildered, not understanding what he is doing here when he should already be leaving by now, while he walks towards you in that majestic way as only he knows how to do and determined, his firm eye set only on you.

This matters to you, but it also matters to you and alarms you more that he has just walked into your chamber through your front doors without any discretion at all, still leaving the doors open and in full view of anyone.

"What are you doing?"

You don't even greet him after so many days without seeing him, you just ask him directly what you want to know, attentive and alarmed, but of course he can't blame you because of his own behavior.

"Why haven't I seen you in days, my lady?"

He asks you strangely in a soft voice and watching you intently, to which you can't help but feel nervous about this,

"The maid said you were unwell. But I get the impression that besides that, you're avoiding me, aren't you?"

You swallow hard, remembering what had happened with him, again feeling that sharp pain in your chest and that sadness and disappointment invading you.

But again you hide it as you don't want to upset him again with your little girl whims, as he had told you.

"Aemond, what do you think you're doing? You should be leaving by now. And you shouldn't have come in like that, in fact you shouldn't even be here."

"You didn't answer my question."

You swallow hard again, nerves invading you at his words and his presence.

"If your mother or my father found out—

"They don't matter," he says without much ado and all the confusion and panic sweeps over you, "I'm actually here to take you with me to Harrenhal. Take everything you need, quickly, we should be heading to DragonPit by now."

You look at him completely flustered, bewildered and confused even though he is being more than clear with you, although you do understand.

What you don't understand is why he is doing this, that's why you start to panic, because of his determination to really take you with him.

"What? B-but…I-I don't understand—

He lets out a long breath, showing that he is beginning to lose his patience.

"Take whatever you need, Y/N. We should go now."

"But I can't leave," you insist with worry.

"I wasn't asking."

"You don't understand, my father has given my hand in marriage."

You knew that sooner or later Aemond would know, mostly because news among the Court spreads fast. But honestly you are relieved that he found out from you than from someone else.

However, Aemond's gaze changes completely to a hard, dark and utterly annoyed one.

You flinch a little at his reaction, fearing his behavior about it, but surprisingly Aemond remains still, though his look totally tells you that he's far from feeling good about it, not at all.

"We are waiting for the wedding discussions," you tell him rather fearfully and at this Aemond's gaze only darkens more.

Then you begin to alert yourself the moment he takes a step towards you, his posture completely tense and his whole look showing you that he was not at all pleased to hear this unexpected news.

"We?" he repeats to you in a deadly, low, threatening tone.

You let out a long breath, then swallow hard and watch him still a little nervous.

"My father did everything without consulting me, like I told you he probably would," you remind him in a soft voice so as not to upset him further.

"So you were waiting for the perfect opportunity for me to leave and not let me know about this," he tells you annoyed.

You bite your lips, holding back the real words you want to say to him, but which will probably only make him more upset; I told you so.

You practically warned him, but he didn't care because you're not convenient for him and now he wants you to go with him to Harrenhal, as if that wouldn't make a huge scandal and not only at Court, but also with his family and your father.

"And what could you do about it?" you ask him without much emotion, "I'm not convenient for you, you said it yourself. Or is it that you don't want me to marry anyone else but I'm not going to marry you either?"

Still annoyed, Aemond has no choice but to avert his gaze from yours for a moment as he lets out a long breath, resignation beginning to invade him, for which this gets your attention.

When suddenly he comes fully towards you and holds you by the waist, pulling you fully towards him, closing his eye and bringing his forehead together with yours.

"Forget what I said that night, my love."

He asks you in a soft voice, now his demeanor more than anything else completely getting your attention, not expecting it to go from one completely annoyed to this one more sympathetic to your words.

And though it surprises you, you really don't want to fall at his feet again because of his soft behavior after how he made you feel the last time you saw each other.

You don't want to be that weak, which is why you're neutral and don't hug him back, nor do you melt at his touch like you would have.

"I was angry and under a lot of pressure at the time, but you know you must not make me angrier when I find myself that way, that's why I said those cruel words to you."

He reminds you softly.

"Though I was honest on some matters Y/N," he tells you a little more serious, "I cannot lose Lord Borros' men nor his support by breaking off my betrothal to his daughter."

So there it is again…that pain and that feeling that you are not important to him than a thousand men ready to fight his war, that he has never really felt the same way you feel about him.

Instantly you try to subtly pull away from him, with the pain in your chest, but he quickly holds you firmly and prevents you from moving away, not letting you go.

"Listen to me Y/N…" he asks you, "I can't do it now but I can do it later, when the war is over."

So that's when you slowly stop putting up resistance and slowly begin to let yourself be led by him, listening more attentively to his words, watching him intently and almost curiously, as Aemond continues.

"I don't want any other man to take you, I want you all to myself," he murmurs to you, leaning down to your face, as you watch him intently and with your lips parted, "When the war is over, that's when I can marry you, I promise."

You continue to watch him completely attentively, almost not believing his words, with your heart beating very fast and all that hope being reborn within you, for those were just the words you wanted to hear so badly.

Still, you don't know if he is saying them just to convince you to go with him.

Then Aemond, just to be a little more convincing, leans in and leaves a soft kiss on your lips where at first you thought you wouldn't reciprocate, but you can't resist and melt under his touch.

He glues your body completely to him just in that way where he makes you feel completely desired by him, where you are his and he is not willing to let you go.

"You promise?" you repeat in a murmur against his lips, letting yourself be completely carried away by him, absorbed.

"Yes, I promise," he assures you softly.

He kisses you again, in a firmer, needier way, as you gasp into his mouth and place your arms around his neck, pulling him closer to you if possible.

And when they pull apart and you look directly into his eye, you see only the honesty and how terribly serious he is being with you at that moment, almost watching you in a loving way, bringing one of his hands to your cheek to gently caress you.

Still, even though he has practically convinced you already that this is all you have ever wished for, you still think of your father and your marriage to Lord Beesbury.

"But what about my father and my marriage? He won't let me go with you," you say beginning to worry, "So will your family, your mother and grandsire, what will they think? The news will reach Storm's End if you take me with you."

"Don't worry about any of that. I am the Prince Regent, remember?" he says softly as he looks at you expectantly, "Now take what you need. We need to go now."

[aelenavelaryon]

𝓡𝓱𝓪𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓮 𝓣𝓪𝓻𝓰𝓪𝓻𝔂𝓮𝓷 𝔁 𝓱𝓸𝓽𝓭

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓸𝓷 𝓲𝓲

Trigger Warnings: death and childbirths. If there are more please let me know

Princess Rhaelle never let Alicent get in the way of seeing her brothers and sister. In return, the young princes and princess grew up knowing they were loved and cared for. Princess Helaena was set to marry her nephew, prince Monterys, the young boy loved his aunt as much as she loved him. The children were still young but soon enough they would marry. Lady Laena and prince Daemon left King's Landing after an argument between the young princess and her uncle. No one knew what the argument was about, not even Laena or Laenor.

The Keep was lively with all the children running around. Princess Rhaelle was expecting her seventh child, Laenor was always watching over her, he, despite having other taste loved his wife, it was odd to say the least but they did love each other yet they shared bed with others. Laenor knew this babe was to either be his child or the child of the Commander of the City watch. He didn't care though, he loved all his children, even the ones he did not sired.

"The queen has been quite as of late" Laenor said as he took a sip of his wine. Rhaelle nodded. "She has no other lies to spread. For now" she replied. "If this babe is mine she will say nothing. Your father as put her in her place and he has replace Otto with Lyonel Strong. The man keeps his son and grandsons protected no matter what" Rhaelle smile. Lyonel Strong was an honorable man and she knew it. When Harwin confessed to his father what had happened between him and the heir to the Iron Throne the man nearly collapsed where he stood.

But he knew that Jace and Luke were his blood and he had to protect them. Rhaelle made allies with other houses. House Stark was a match she had come to make. Her Visenya was to marry Cregan when she came of age as they were only two years apart. Monterys would marry Helaena. Jace would marry Nymeria Martell, Luke would marry Mariela Tyrell. Aegon would marry Baela and Aemond would marry Rhaena.

The matches were secured by Rhaelle and her hand, securing her reign with other houses. Aethan was to marry Morrigan Baratheon to strengthen the bond between the houses. Laenor had made allies with people in the Free Cities to farther support his wife.

Alicent Hightower plotted on how to end the princess. Her and Larys Strong always tried to find out ways to ruin the princess' reputation but they always failed as the princess was always one step ahead until once she wavered. When Laena was due to give birth the lady called her closest companion and friend, princess Rhaelle.

Princess Rhaelle, after hearing the news flew on dragon back to see her lover, Lady Laena. Although, pregnant and nearly her time to give birth as well, she discarded anyone's opinions and flew over to see her. "Laena!" she yelled as she tried to run. "Rhae, please!" Laenor begged as she left him behind. "She can't die on me, Laenor. Not her. Not Laena. Not my Laena" she nearly cried. Her steps echo in what seemed to be an empty hall. Rhaelle stopped and gathered herself before walking in.

Laena, smiled as she saw her lover. "Rhaelle" she began. "You came" she whispered. "You called" Rhaelle replied. She rushed to see her, she sat beside her. "I can't believe you're here"  Laena said tiredly. The woman has been in the birthing bed for hours now. Daemon waited outside, he didn't want to see Rhaelle just yet. He couldn't.

Rhaelle held Laena's hand as the two talked about what they had been doing since Daemon moved his family away. "I know my time has come, Rhae" Rhaelle shook her head. "You cannot leave me, Laena. You hear me?! I cannot do this without you" she cried.  Laena smiled at her dearest love. "I wish to ask for one last thing" Rhaelle nodded. "Anything" she told her.

Laena kissed Rhaelle's hand. "When my time comes I wish to have a dragon riders death. I don't want to be cut open. I just wish to go in peace" before Rhaelle could reply, Laena's labors pain came back but stronger. Rhaelle held her hand, she delivered Laena's son third daughter for her. "It's a girl, Laena. A beautiful baby girl" Rhaelle said with a smile as she held the baby girl in her arms. "I wish to name her" Daemon walked in. He laid eyes on his wife first before looking at Rhaelle. She simply nodded, acknowledging his presence.

She walked over to Laena first. She wanted her to get a chance at holding her child. "Here, take her" Laena seemed to be fighting to stay. "What will you name her?" Rhaelle asked. "Rhaella. In your name and honor" she replied and Rhaelle felt the sting her eyes. It wouldn't be long before the tears would come. "Oh, my sweet Laena" she said in a whisper before bending down to kiss her. "Promise me, Daemon..." Daemon walked over to her. "Promise me, that Rhaella will be loved, always. Promise that you and Rhaelle will watch over her and her sisters" Daemon nodded as did Rhaelle.

Lady Laena Velaryon passed away two hours after her daughter's birth. At Laena's funeral everyone had gathered to say their last goodbye. Rhaelle stood with her good mother, princess Rhaenys. Vaemond gave his speech and bid his goodbye to his niece. He had jabbed at Jacaerys and Lucerys blood but nothing got past Lord Corlys who glared at his brother. The funeral had ended and everyone had gathered near the beach to spend some time with the grieving family.

Princess Rhaelle sat with Ser Laenor both let the water feel them. "I miss her" he said in a hush tone. She held him by the arm. "I remember when we were little. We used to play the hiding game. We used to play that for hours" she smiled at the memory and he did too. "Do you remember when we accidentally found the secret passages because we had lost Laena?!" the two laughed at the memory of their sweet Laena.

Laenor kissed Rhaelle's hand. "Thank you" he said to her. "For what?" she asked. "For loving her as much as I did" he replied. "I love you as much as I love her" she replied before kissing him. Daemon watched her; jealousy brewing within him. Alicent watched them too, she hated the fact that Rhaelle was happy without her. It was never about the crown. It was always about her love. Rhaelle's love.

(Not Edited)

@beebeechaos

@baellabass

[maryonaccross]

Dear fellow team green fans, I’ve finally managed to make a list of fanfictions on AO3 that every team green fan should read;

(Most of these aren’t aggressively team green but focus on team green characters and explore them in interesting and respectful ways )

Fist we have the holy trilogy:

1. Burning Jasmine by our national treasure @scalyfreaks and literally anything else that she writes (BJ is a beautifully written Aegon centric alteration of the dance of the dragons)

2. See, what happened was by @daylander1000 / Daylander on AO3 (the best Aemond centric fanfic I have ever read. If you dislike the strong boys and how Baela and Rhaena were done dirty in the show and love angsty preteens and “dark fluff” as the author herself describes it this is the jam)

3. All of @dulcewrites fanfictions are an absolute must for any team green fans (she handles the characters with such care and the humor is amazing)

Then we have the category that I like to call JUSTICE FOR ALICENT:

1. Springs end by Navree (long one shot that explores Alicent’s feelings at the beginning of her marriage to Viserys, beautifully written, I cried)

2. Give me back my girlhood it was mine first by JustA_Person (beautiful multi-chaptered fic that dives headfirst into Alicent’s depression at the beginning of her marriage and does not shy away from roasting the fuck out of Viserys and is currently heading towards a rekindling of the relationship between Alicent and Rhaenyra)

3. In your grave by 136108 (short but brilliant one shot on what Alicent should have told Viserys on his death bed)

Then we have Daemon and Viserys haters must read section staring;

1. Sins of the father by SelfProclaimedUnicorn ( ABSOLUTE MUST for any Daemon haters out there, this is the best there is. This fanfiction centers around two children Daemon has with Rhea Royce at the beginning of his marriage and follows them in their childhood and teenage years (the children are the same age as Rhaenyra and Alicent). This is one of the best written team green fanfictions I have ever read and it tells the story in such an intelligent and thought out way with some perfectly seasoned Daemon bashing sprinkled all over it. It also holds up so well considering that its plot is unlike any other team Green fanfiction out there and centers around characters that aren’t really explored enough. Oh and it also addresses the suffering Aemma went through trapped in marriage with Viserys which is always a great touch)

2. Out of the mouth of Babes by UnknownEnigma ( beautiful six chapter fanfiction exploring Aemonds relationships with Viserys that shows Viserys’ neglect and cruelty in all its glory and ends in a very satisfying way)

And then we have a few more brilliant fan fictions that I don’t really know how to sort into a category:

1. Lose your Ego by Fjlh (this series just started and is about Aegon USING HIS BRAIN and fighting for his claim. Very promising so far)

2. The sky is always red above Valyria au by Aifsaath (beautiful series of one shots about Aegon x Baela that explores the trauma of growing up with a father that maritally rapes your mother)

3. Lady Dreamfrye by Ai_Megurine (story about Sansa Stark being reborn as Helaena)

4. I’m never gonna love ( again ) by @crescenthoax (very interesting Aegon x oc fanfic )

5. My hand was the one you reached for by haught_hightower ( explores Alicent’s relationships with Criston and her children )

6. a poison tree by Juliet_Capulet ( very detailed and well written story about the younger brother of Daemon and Viserys returning to the capital with his daughter, after the death of his wife and witnessing Viserys’ brain dead decisions unraveling while forming a bond with his nieces and nephews. Full of Daemon and Viserys Bashing)

I hope you enjoy, it took me a real long while to find some of these gems

[flowerandblood]

The Prince and The Fox (2)

[ modern! • Aemond x friend! • female ]

[ warnings: bullying, mention of sexual abuse, trauma ]

[ description: After the events of her childhood, despite her best efforts, her neighbor and the younger brother of her friend Helaena, Aemond, does not want to know her. This state lasts until a house party organized by his older brother, Aegon, during which an incident occurs that will change their relationship forever. Slow burn, angst, toxic ex-Alys, rough Aemond. This is several anon requests combined into one fic. ]

WARNING: The main plot between the characters takes place in high school. Yes, in high school. The belief that teenagers wait with an intimacy when they are in love in high school is ridiculous to me. Aemond and the character here are the same age. Don't ask me how old they are, in my country you are of the age of consent in your first year of high school and an adult in the last year of high school, so if it is more convenient for you, think about it that way and decide for yourself. In this story, I am not following the trail that they are magically friends right away, but how they become friends and what that even means. I'm writing this fic to give the perspective of young, lost people, not adult women who want to see exactly themselves in everything they read. If that's all you expect, this isn't the fic for you.

I don't want whining about this in my comments or asks. I will delete these and block you. You have been warned.

Aemond + Evans Series Moodboard

This is my first story that has its own playlist, but yes! Get in the mood! Story Music Playlist. Songs used in this chapter: Turn Your Back on me & The Lion's Mouth by Kajagoogoo and Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N' Roses.

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Next chapters: Masterlist

_____

That night she slept very badly. Her parents asked why she had come back so early and if she had enjoyed herself. She burst out crying, unaccustomed to lying, and told them what had happened.

Her father was furious, stormed out of the house and made her show him which boy had nagged and touched her. She begged him to let it go, Cregan had been away from the party for a long time, they had gone somewhere with friends.

Her father said he wouldn't leave it like that and demanded to speak to Aemond. The next morning she appeared, accompanied by her father, at their house, embarrassed, her father explaining what had happened. Their mother was shocked by what she had heard.

She, her father, Alicent, Aegon, Aemond and Helaena sat down in the living room to talk about it.

"What? God, I swear, Mum, I didn't know Cregan would do something like that!" Mumbled Aegon, shocked at what had happened, Helaena was distraught and sat beside her, stroking her hand. Aemond looked at her, some kind of understanding in his eyes.

He felt that she had done the right thing telling her parents about it.

"Aemond, my daughter told me that you stopped him and stood up for her. I am very grateful to you and I want to ask you, if his parents insisted that it was word against word, will you be able to confirm what she said?" Her father asked, and he nodded without hesitation, tightening his lips.

"Yes. It was exactly as she said. I heard him tell his mates at school during break that he was planning to fuck her here at the party." He said in shame, lowering his gaze, his mother shaking her head in disbelief, slapping her hands on her thighs in a gesture of helplessness and rage.

"And you kept silent?" She asked with disappointment and pain. He pressed his lips together and swallowed hard, overwhelmed apparently by remorse.

She felt her stomach tighten at the thought that he really hadn't meant to stop then, that he could have done something much worse to her.

Aemond lifted a gaze full of pain and shame at her.

"I-I thought he was just bragging to his mates and... I don't know, that you're into each other. That maybe you want this too. That he's actually a good guy and wouldn't do anything to you against your will. But when I saw your face when he started touching your thigh on the couch, that look of discomfort, I…" He said in a slightly trembling voice and paused, looking her straight in the eye.

She swallowed hard, understanding what he wanted to say.

He didn't expect it from him either.

She nodded, feeling warm in her heart nonetheless at the thought that he had followed them out to see if anything would happen to her.

If he would hurt her.

She covered her face with her hand, her father put his arm around her and stroked her tenderly.

"It's good that you spoke about it, sweetheart. You can't leave it like that." Alicent said, nodding her head. Suddenly she clapped her hands as if she remembered something.

"The cameras! Our security company keeps footage for 48 hours. We also have one in the garden in case of a break-in, why don't I call them and ask them to send us the video from yesterday? We'll check if we can see anything on it." She suggested, her father said it was an excellent idea.

She lowered her head, terrified that her father and others would be able to see it, that perhaps on the video it wouldn't look like sexual assault at all.

After all, she had hugged him herself.

They waited impatiently by Alicent's laptop, sitting down and glancing at her inbox, the security company employee who was in charge of her equipment said he would try to send her the footage within fifteen minutes.

They all flinched and moved closer as a new message appeared with a video file. She swallowed loudly, terrified, ashamed, feeling a tightening in her stomach and throat, afraid that it didn't look at all like she said it did, that everyone would think she was lying, that they would never believe her again.

She felt herself shaking, her knee moving up and down in an involuntary tic. She shuddered when she heard someone put a chair next to her, Aemond sat down touching her with his knees and shoulders, placing his elbows on the table, leaning over the monitor.

"It was about ten o'clock at night, Mum. I remember because by the time I left the clock was striking the hour in the living room." He said lowly, and Alicent quickly ran the cursor to that hour and turned on the accelerator a few times.

"Oh okay, mum, it's them, I can see Cregan!" Said Aegon, leaning between them, turning off the acceleration. Alicent pressed the spacebar, stopping the video.

"Do you want everyone to watch this?" She asked her quietly. She looked around and thought, in essence, that she recognised that these were people she trusted, who she hoped cared about her.

She nodded, swallowing hard.

Alicent pressed play.

The camera was up high and part of the bench was obscured by the canopy, their faces not visible. She saw them sit down, saw his arm around her, stroking her hand for a moment. She felt a cold sweat on her back as she saw his fingers lift higher and higher, heard Aegon and his mother draw in a loud breath as his hand slid under her dress.

Her father covered his mouth, heartbroken when he saw her hand immediately clamp down on his wrist in a clear gesture of defence, her whole body tense, it was obvious she was trying to pull away, to push back, to escape, and instead of letting her go he pressed her tighter against him.

She felt tears under her eyelids and lowered her head, not knowing where to look, she felt Aemond press his body closer to hers, felt his breath on the top of her head, felt him looking at her.

"− Jesus −" Muttered Aegon in disbelief, running a hand over his face. "− fucking piece of shit −"

Then they could already see Cregan and Aemond struggling with each other, her sitting down on the grass and crying, Aemond crouching down beside her and putting his arms around her, saying something to her.

The footage had no sound, but what could be seen on it was enough to clearly understand what had happened.

Her father got up and said he needed to get some air for a while and smoke a cigarette. Alicent followed him out, apparently wanting to work out what they were going to do, whether to report it to the police or not.

She felt Helaena's warm embrace, felt her lay her head on her shoulder and hugged her immediately, Aegon and Aemond looked at them in silence.

"− I'm sorry − fuck − if I had known, I would never have invited him! − I saw you two cuddling on the couch in the living room, but God, I thought you two were just in love − that, I don't know, you're together, just unofficially yet −" He mumbled, and she swallowed loudly, rubbing her eyes, trying to pull herself together.

"− please, Aegon − it's not your fault − you didn't do anything wrong − don't worry, I won't tell anyone about the alcohol −" She said quietly, tiredly, and he sighed heavily, scratching his head, clearly distraught that something like this had happened at his own party.

Aemond said nothing, fiddling with his mug of already half-cold coffee, it seemed to her that he hadn't slept well that night either.

Her father had decided that they would drive with this recording to his parents.

She was horrified.

"I will go with you." Aemond said, and her father nodded.

They drove there together in their car with Alicent's laptop. They sat side by side in the back seat, she saw that he was pulling at the cuticles around his fingernails again, she noticed with pain that he had actual wounds around them.

When he saw in the reflection in the window that she was looking at him he stopped immediately and swallowed loudly, lowering his gaze.

He was stressed too.

When they arrived a surprised Mrs Stark opened the door for them, asking who they were and what had happened.

"I would like to talk to you about your son."

She, Aemond and her father sat on the couch on one side and Cregan and his parents on the other as her father played them the video. Cregan was pale, sitting with his arms folded, feigning indifference, his knee shaking restlessly, he was biting his lower lip, his eyes red.

He was terrified.

His mother made big eyes when she saw the moment he slipped his hand under her dress and looked at him with disbelief mixed with pain. His father snorted, shrugging his shoulders.

"And what, are you going to go to the police? Destroy a young boy's life because he made a mistake, because his hormones are raging?" He asked as if it was a trivial matter, a complete nothing. She felt the rage surge in her father.

"Because of your son's hormones, he can act like a mindless monkey and grope girls who don't want him to?" He hissed, his father raising his eyebrows, pointing at her with his hand.

"Please, forgive me, but from what I can see in this video your daughter was pushing herself into his arms, after all he could have misunderstood her…"

"Mark." Said his wife, clearly not believing what she was hearing, pale.

Her father stood up, pointing his finger at her.

"My child came home crying because someone molested her. He only stopped because her classmate went out into the garden. And what would your son do if no one helped her, hm? How long would he hold her while she tried to break free?" He thundered furiously on the verge of tears, she had never seen him like this before.

She just sat on the couch, looking at her shoes, shaking all over, feeling that her biggest nightmare had just taken place in front of her eyes.

Please, forgive me, but from what I can see in this video your daughter was pushing herself into his arms.

Mr Stark raised his hands in a defensive gesture as if to show that his aim was not to argue or escalate the conflict.

"I admit, my son acted unwisely. He misread the girl's signals and behaved badly. We will be watching him more closely in this area. Is that all?" He asked, and her father closed the laptop with a loud slam and growled to them that they were leaving.

She stood up and cast one last look in Cregan's direction, he was looking at her with a hatred she had never seen in her life before.

She burst into sobs as soon as they got into the car, her father comforting her loudly telling her not to cry, that they were driving to the police station.

"No, no, please, no!" She whimpered, leaning forward, grabbing his arm, her father looked at her in the mirror.

"What?"

"I can't do it, I can't do it anymore. I… stop, I think I'm going to throw up." She mumbled, her father stopped with a squeal of tyres. She got out and immediately vomited on the grass, coughing and crying, feeling her stomach convulse in pain.

She heard them both get out of the car, her father put his arms around her saying that everything would be fine, Aemond stood beside them not knowing what to do with himself, not knowing how to behave.

The next few days at school were extremely difficult for her. Some of her friends and acquaintances were shocked and horrified, giving her their complete support and understanding, saying they were disappointed by Cregan's behaviour.

However, others thought that she was simply lying.

"Attention whore." One of his friends growled, hitting her on the shoulder with his arm as he walked past her.

She saw that someone had scratched the word 'liar' on her locker standing in the corridor. She looked at it indifferently, then opened it as if nothing had happened and exchanged the books she needed with the ones she could put away.

This time he was the one looking at her.

She felt his gaze on her back in the classroom, in the corridor, as she sat at the bus stop looking at her shoes.

For some reason, even though she was alive and everything was going on, she felt dead.

She couldn't erase his touch from her mind.

She sat on the bus in total reverie, occupying the seat at the back by the window, sitting in her earphones, listening recently to nothing but Kajagoogoo songs, 'Too shy', 'Turn Your Back On Me', 'Ooh to Be Ah', 'The Lion's Mouth' looped on her player.

Their electronic sound and the wonderful bass guitar in the background energised her when she had no strength and couldn't rouse herself.

She had just listened to 'Turn Your Back On Me' for the second time since the morning when she felt someone sit down next to her.

She glanced to the side and spotted a black sweatshirt, familiar hands clicking something on his phone, apparently pausing the song he had just listened to on his player, she saw that it was 'Welcome to the Jungle' by Guns N' Roses. She pulled down one earpiece, looking at him in surprise.

"What are you listening to?" He asked, pulling on the cord of his black earphones, which dropped gently onto his lap with a quiet click.

She handed him her earphone, which he took from her, placing it in his left ear, moving a little closer to her so that there was enough cable for both of them. He mused, listening.

"Interesting." He muttered lowly, glancing at her player.

"Kajagoogoo." She said quietly, going into the track list so he could see what their songs were called.

"Nice bass." He admitted, as if surprised by this discovery himself. She nodded and closed her eyes, resting her temple against the glass, just sinking into the sound of the music.

He listened to the songs of her favourite band with her until they reached the school.

When the bus stopped he handed her back her earpiece, their hands touched. They looked at each other, for the first time so closely. He picked up his backpack and rose, trying not to hit his head on the low ceiling and walked out in front of her, no longer paying attention to her.

She walked through the corridor of her school listening to "The Lion's Mouth", trying not to pay attention to whether anyone was looking at her or not, focusing on the words of the song, staring blankly ahead.

Hey fool watch out! (Watch out) You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth -

Hey fool watch out! (Watch out) You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth (I don't think so) -

Hey fool watch out! (Watch out) You'll get mauled by the lion's mouth -

The music suddenly stopped when someone tripped her up. She wobbled and fell over, collapsing on the floor, her earphones falling out of her ears. She lifted herself up on her arms and turned over her shoulder, noticing Cregan's hateful stare.

A moment later, several things happened at the same time. Aemond who threw him to the floor, pounding his face with his fist, holding his sweatshirt, growling that he was a fucking piece of shit, a mere abuser, a nobody, a zero.

His colleagues and teachers had to separate them, Cregan spat blood on the floor.

She felt someone grab her shoulders, Helaena stood over her, looking at her in horror.

"Are you all right?"

She sat in her classroom terrified, glancing anxiously over her shoulder at the empty seat in the bench he sat in, knowing that he and Cregan had ended up at the headmaster's office.

That he was in trouble because of her, that he could be suspended because of her.

She shuddered when she heard the sound of the door opening and saw him step inside, the teacher paused his reasoning for a moment and grunted, returning to the subject of the lesson.

Aemond walked over to his bench without a word, not looking at her, and sat down in his chair, pulling off his backpack, taking out his textbooks and notebook, giving her one calm look.

She pulled her phone quickly from her sweatshirt pocket, reminding herself that she had his phone number, and quickly texted him.

She heard his phone vibrate on his bench. She sat looking ahead, feeling her heart pounding hard.

After a moment, the display of her phone lying on her thighs lit up and she saw that she had received a new message. She opened it quickly, feeling a tightness in her throat.

She turned towards him over her shoulder, his lips curving into a grin. She smiled gratefully at him and breathed quietly, turning ahead, trying to finally focus on what her teacher was talking about.

Boarding the bus after class, she dared to sit next to him. They looked at each other, he watched as she untangled her earphones and plugged them into her phone. She saw him pull his own off and pause his player.

"Are you going to listen to that band with weird name again?" He asked lowly and she nodded, smiling at him.

He held out his hand to her and she handed him her earpiece, this time with her left hand, turning on 'The Lion's Mouth'.

"This is my favourite." She admitted with a smile, feeling calm for some reason, her stomach filled with warmth.

"Mmm." He hummed, their elbows resting against each other lying on their armrest, however neither of them seemed to mind.

She understood then.

The Little Prince took a step towards the Fox of his free will.

She smiled under her breath.

He wanted her to tame him.

_____

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy

[celtigxr]

THE PINK DREAD - CH. 29 (Masterlist)

Chapter Summary: There is no summary for this. Y'all are going in blind. Word Count: 7913 CHAPTER WARNINGS: Angst, Fluff, Self-Loathing, Depression Sluttiness. Oh, we're still talking about menstrual blood.

Series tags: Aemond x Plus size!OfC, Aegon x Plus size!OfC, Celtigar!ofc, Plot with Smut, mdni 18+, Aemond End Game, Angst, Comedy, The Dragons Don't Dance, slow burn, friends to enemies to lovers, enemies to friends to lovers.

Credits: Lace Banner by Aquazero, pearl divider by Pommecita

Notes: Yes, this chapter be a big girl. Also trying to pretend that ch. 28 not getting as much comments (given what happens in it) does not bother me. I'm totally okay. Really. (morgan freeman: Celt was in fact, totally not okay)

“Princess Helaena!” Ursula said in wonder when Ser Steffon introduced the princess’ arrival. “What a pleasant surprise! We were about to have supper, but you are welcome to join us?”

Helaena smiled politely, her arms woven behind her, “That is a kind offer, Lady Ursula, but I was wishing for Lady Valeana’s company tonight. May you spare her this eve?” 

Valeana had been idly biting the nail of her thumb, an excuse to keep her fingers on her lips, trying to reenact what happened on the balcony a couple of hours ago. Aemond had left her shortly after their kiss when they heard her mother and Floris arguing when they stepped foot inside the apartment. He gave her one last searing kiss and told her that she would see him again that night, though did not specify how that would happen. Then he scaled down the side of the castle, to the gardens below, like some majestic silver-haired mountain goat. 

Ursula turned to Bartimos who looked just as surprised. The Celtigars were nearly a full unit that evening, save for Clement who had chosen to remain in the pavilions. Floris, who sat as far away from Valeana as possible, had muttered under her breath about how Helaena would be doing them a favour, that there will be finally food for everyone. Comments like these weren’t uncommon, even back on the Isle, Floris would make passive aggressive remarks at how much food Valeana had on her plate during meals. However, Floris was no longer a simple annoyance Val had to endure, she was worse, and Valeana wasn’t just going to ignore her jabs any longer.

Valeana swept herself up from her chair and answered before her father could for her, “I would love to keep you company, my Princess. I was just starting to get a headache– there’s an awful perfumy smell around that reminds me of a desperate old maid.”  

Arthor snorted into his drink, and Shyla sniffed the air naively, not aware that it was meant to be an insult. Floris shot her a dangerous look, but ultimately her lips buttoned and the jab went unnoticed by their parents. 

Weaving her arm into Helaena’s, she turned to Bartimos, “Is that alright, father?”

Bartimos hesitated, but he knew he could never deny the princess’s request. “Of course, of course. Will you need Steffon to collect you later?”

Helaena answered this time, “That won’t be necessary, Lord Bartimos. I have made accommodations for my friend to spend the night in my bedchambers.” 

Valeana raised an eyebrow at her, but didn’t argue. Her father seemed conflicted, but with one sharp look from Ursula, he relented. As a woman who loved networking amongst her sex, she was not going to let her husband hinder a friendship between their daughter and the only daughter of Queen Alicent. 

With a nod, Bartimos conceded, “That is agreeable. Though, make sure to return her early on the morrow. I want her ready before Princess Rhaenyra arrives.” 

Making that promise, the two girls bid their goodbyes and promptly left. Ser Arryk was waiting for them outside, and dutifully followed them when they left. Valeana sent him a tentative wave and a sheepish smile.

The knight smirked, “Haven’t stolen any more cooking ale recently, have you, Lady Valeana?”

“The night is still young. I may need your assistance again, Ser Arryk.” 

He silently laughed, but made no more comments. 

After a moment, Valeana leaned into Helaena’s shoulder, her voice a whisper, “...Are you bringing me to…?”

The princess’s smile was small, but knowing, “I am.” 

Val ran a hand over her middle, suddenly feeling very nervous. The butterflies had not left her stomach; they flapped wildly at the memory of her first kiss. Her lips still tingled with the memory, desperate to feel the same euphoria again.

She had no intention of kissing Aemond so quickly, so soon. There was a weak moment the night of the Ball, when they were near the act. Had Daemon not interrupted, she wasn’t entirely sure where that night would have led to. However, when her mind was more sober, Valeana decided that she would take things slow with Aemond, since after all, her heart was still pained with his scorn; the monster that Aemond made himself out to be was firmly present in her mind. Even though her anger for him has become a softer presence, it was still there, stirring her paranoia over his true intentions. 

But when she looked into his eye, when she saw his smile, when she felt the warmth of his touch, it was so easy to ignore her anxiety. What was left, however, was her guilt, which she did not entirely understand. Aemond was not her husband, they had only reconciled nearly two days ago, so why did she feel like she committed adultery? Mayhaps it was because she had always believed her first everything would be with him. Her first kiss, which she grew up believing was the ultimate act of intimacy, always had to be with Aemond. There was that moment when they picnicked underneath the mulberry tree when she thought he was going to kiss her, but it ultimately never happened. She blamed it on her frazzled and sweaty appearance that had scared him off. 

The decision to kiss Aemond was incredibly impulsive. She was driven by the need to give him something that she had never given anyone else. Valeana’s first kiss will always belong to Aemond. 

But her first sexual encounter was with Aegon, a fact that she somehow knew would break Aemond. Actually, thinking back on it, Valeana remembered the comments about Aegon he had spat in her direction. Comments that implied that Aemond already believed that something was going on between her and his elder brother. 

“If you want pity, Celtigar, go run back into the arms and pillows of my brother. You shall not find it with me.” “Though mayhaps that is what you desire. To be felt up like a common tart.”

And yet he came to her on hands and knees. Did he still believe those assumptions? They were false then, but now, they were not, even if it had only happened once, and it was more one sided, messy and foolishly impulsive. Maybe she should stop drinking, because so far the times she has drunk herself silly, a Targaryen Prince’s mouth ends up on her tit somehow. 

… On second thought.

When they began walking up the stairs and entered the iron gates that separated the Royal Wing, Valeana craned her neck around in confusion. This is where the King and Queen resided, not where Helaena and her brothers’ apartments were. 

“Where are we going?”

The princess gave her a secretive smile, “To where the sun and moon meet.” 

Valeana peered at Helaena, expression full of confusion, “... Helaena, you are dear to me, but can you please speak plainly.” 

Her grin widened, but she stopped walking when they got to a door, ornate with polished oak and shiny brass fixtures. Valeana had only been in this part of the castle possibly twice in her lifetime, and one of those times was the other day. When they stopped at this large arched doorway, there wasn’t a single thing about it that she recognized, but it still felt…familiar, somehow. 

“We’re here,” Helaena announces with her hands clasped in front of her. She looked between the door and Valeana, and Valeana looked between her, the door, and Ser Arryk. 

“Where is ‘here’?” Val raised her eyebrows. 

“Queen Aemma’s private quarters,” the princess looked up at the door before running a hand over the brass bars, “It hasn’t been used since she died. Except by my father… and your mother, once upon a time.” 

Valeana’s eyebrows dropped, “My…My mother spent time here?”

Helaena nodded, and then moved over to the kingsguard’s side, “It was her favourite place to be… You should head on in. He’s waiting for you.”

Ser Arryk did not meet Val’s eye when she looked at him, almost like he was trying to pretend that he hadn’t heard Helaena. Trying to conserve as much deniability as possible, should anyone come asking questions. What an honourable man, Ser Arryk was, always escorting her and dropping her off in Aemond’s arms. 

Valeana bowed her head, “Thank you, Princess.”

With a kind smile and a tilt of her head, she wished her friend a good eve, and then left her alone at the door. Valeana casted an eye up to it, and then down to the handle, only giving a moment’s hesitation before she pulled and turned the loop to yank it open. She entered the vestibule, with tall arched vaulted ceilings and blue tapestries hanging on either side. It was dimly lit with only wall sconces lighting her way, but she could make out the white sheets that covered the furniture in the solar. Her feet softly padded along the carpeted floor, eyes roaming east where she saw a set of stairs leading up to another grand door, likely to Aemma’s bedchamber. Then she looked west, where a small antechamber led way to even larger arched oak doors. They were slightly ajar, with a warm light emitting from beyond. 

“Aemond?” Valeana tilted her head as she followed the light. The butterflies were still actively fluttering about in her stomach, even more so now that she approached the threshold. Beyond the doors was a marvellous library, not near as big as the Royal Library, but its decorated and intimate splendor was unparalleled. Curved shelves reached the ceiling, domed with a fresco of a night blue sky and constellations. On the west end of the room was a large arched window, looking out towards the cliff sides of the Keep, where she could clearly see beaches free of commoners. A telescope sat before it, along with a writing desk hidden under a white sheet. 

“Queen Aemma loved mapping out the stars,” the sudden appearance of Aemond’s voice startled her. Her body jolted, and when she spun to face him, he was trying to contain his mirth at her reaction. He was seated at a table full of food, a half eaten peach in his hand. “At least, that is what my father told me.”

“Just as much as you love to startle me?” Valeana’s hand was on her chest to control her startled heart, but that was a fruitless attempt. It was beating erratically regardless at the mere sight of him. The light of the hearth beside him lit up his every contour in an amber glow. His jerkin was discarded, as well as his belt and sword that sat next to the fireplace. The buttons of his black tunic undone down to the valley of his pectorals, the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his hair was loose and untethered, one side brushed over his ear where the strap of his eyepatch went over. 

Val suddenly felt very wobbly on her knees. Her mouth watered, and it was not because she didn’t eat supper yet. Perhaps the butterflies in her stomach were actually moths, because they desperately fluttered around inside her, trying to reach Aemond’s flame. 

Fucking hells, she thought, openly staring at the way his long legs stretched out before him, taking up as much space as possible. What a terrible week to be bleeding.

“Probably less,” he smirked, as if he knew exactly the effect he was having on her. “Are you hungry?”

She sucked in her bottom lip and nodded, “Ravish–I mean, famished.” 

When she made no move to reach for a seat, he raised an eyebrow at her, then pulled out the chair next to him. Blushing heavily, Valeana scrambled to sit down, immediately facing the food. She hadn’t a single thought in that empty little head of hers. Not anything profound, really. 

“Are you alright, Valeana?” There was a hint of amusement in his voice, confirming her suspicion that he knew exactly what he was doing. 

She slowly turned her head in his direction while he made her plate – soft shell crab, deviled eggs, peeled shrimp drenched in herbed butter. Oysters. There were figs, mulberries, peaches, and pomegranates on the table. 

Somehow, by the power of sass, she found her voice, “Are you trying to seduce me, Prince Aemond?”

He chuckled lowly, moving onto his plate, “Woo you, more like. Is it working?”

Tentatively, she picked up her fork and stabbed into a shrimp, “You bring me into a secluded secret library of a late Queen, have almost all my favourite food accounted for, and you–” she briefly gave him a once over, “Shedded layers. It may be working, yes.” 

The Prince’s smile widened, enough for her to see his teeth, and she noticed that he had that same lopsided smile she always loved so dearly. Then, Aemond reached for an oyster (already shucked) and tilted the shell back into his mouth, slurping up the contents. The shrimp she was chewing was slowly being forgotten until she was forced to swallow. 

“No pearl?” She picked up her goblet to bring to her lips. 

He hummed, looking at the empty shell, and then back at her. His eye traveled southward, “Not in this one.” 

Swallowing her wine felt like she was swallowing gristle, “Seven, Aemond. When did you get so amorous?”

“I am a man, Valeana.” 

She eyed him up and down, humming, “And here I thought you were a cat.” 

He pursed his lips in amusement, dropping  the shell onto his plate with a clank. Then suddenly, Valeana felt herself being jerked towards him. He had grabbed the chair legs and yanked her closer until her side was cradled between his knees. She stared at him wide eyed and smooth brained. 

He took her left hand, the pads of his calloused fingers running along her knuckles, “Would you like to check for yourself?” Val’s mouth popped open at the question, but before she could vocalize a word – or produce a thought, really – he moved her hand into the opening of his tunic, splaying her fingers over the bare skin of his pec, right above his heart. 

Smooth, firm, warm. Definitely not a cat. 

“Hol–ee, hmmm…” She cleared her throat, eyes glued to the exposed pale skin of his chest. Even if he removed his hand from hers, Valeana was fairly certain at this point her palm was sweaty enough to create a suction. “Def-definitely a man.” 

“Are you sure you’re not wholly convinced?” He leaned in until his nose nudged against her cheek. “There’s more to explore.” 

Valeana’s eyes fluttered closed, fingers curling over the firm expanse of his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, just as frantic as her own. Suddenly she had no appetite, at least not for food. Her core ached, so much so she rubbed her thighs together, and clenched around the cotton plug. A painful reminder that she could not seek out her pleasure, not in the ways she wanted to. Though, perhaps that was for the best. When her mind found clarity, she would be reminded that Aemond was not entirely forgiven. Though, he was quickly climbing up to that finish line. 

“You do not need to make this more difficult than it needs to be.”

No, he was making it so, so fucking easy, and it shouldn’t be. After all he’s done, after all he’s said. No, perhaps the Mother knew what she was doing when she chose this week for her bleed. Aemond needed more time. 

“Aemond,” Valeana spoke with a stronger tone. When she tried to pull her hand away from his chest, she found she simply could not. Not because he had anchored her to him, but because the feel of his heart beneath her fingers was the only thing that reminded her that this was real. And it stuttered when she pulled her face away, “It’s… it’s not the right moment.” 

She felt her heart shatter at the way he was looking at her. That one lilac eye struggled to keep composure, but she could see the letdown, the sadness, the defeat. He offered her a small understanding smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“I understand. We can finish our meal, and I’ll have a kingsguard bring you back,” his words were monotonous, carefully controlled to conceal his crippling disappointment. 

Valeana immediately shook her head, fingers grasping at his heart, “No, no, I don’t want that– I want to remain here with you, Aemond. I just–I’m not ready to go that far. It’s too early.” 

Aemond’s face visibly softened, the smile appearing more genuine. His fingers curled around her hand at his chest before he moved his other to glide along the roundness of her cheek, “Hm, I see now. I will behave myself, I promise. Your virtue is in safe hands.”

She smiled back at him, leaning against his touch, “You may covet my lips, though.”

The ends of his coiled smile deepened. With a hum, he leaned in closer, this time his nose bumping against hers, “Good. They were all I hungered for these last few hours.”

Without another word, his mouth was upon hers. The taste of the sea upon his lips, the nectar of peach on his tongue. It was a bizarre combination, but Aemond’s lips were the gates of the heavens, and his tongue might as well have been the fruit of the gods. With grasping hands and greedy fingers, Aemond had maneuvered Valeana onto his knee without breaking their heated kiss. 

Her hand was still atop his breast, addicted to the rhythm of his heart and the firmness of his muscle. Her other draped around his shoulder, fingers tangled in the perfect strands of his moonlight tresses. When Valeana felt his hands upon her waist, where his thumbs gently grazed the curve of her breasts, she let out a little whimper. A whimper that forced him to pull away from her, if only a fraction. 

“If you make noises like that, I will not be able to keep my promise.” 

She softly laughed through her nose, then finally released her hand from his chest, just to move it up the length of his neck and over his cheek. “Then mayhaps we should save the kisses for dessert.”

Aemond made a grunt of disapproval, but ultimately caved, “Hmmm, Fine.”

With a smile she lifted her chin so she could plant a kiss upon his brow, his eye closing for the moment in contentment. They resumed their dinner, though she remained where she was on his knee, and they picked at each other’s plate in idle conversation.

“You used to abhor seafood,” she remarked as he slurped down yet another oyster. “Now look at you. Eat any more oysters, and you really won’t be able to hold onto your promise.” 

With a smirk, he tossed another shell onto the pile he had created. No pearls in this batch. Aemond turned to her, still perched on his leg, now licking her butter-coated fingers, the sight of which was absolute torture. His top teeth sunk into his bottom lip, eye glued onto her mouth. 

“I never believed they were an aphrodisiac,” he turned away, trying to distract himself with a sip of wine. “At least not for me. Mayhaps I simply have a refiner pallet. Many things that fuel a man’s lust do not have the same effect on me.” 

Valeana eyed him skeptically, as she had a sudden growing urge to prove him wrong. Aemond still felt he was better than any man, that his will was mightier in all ways. And yet the yellowed remnants of his love marks still lingered on her breasts, a visual proof that wasn’t the case.

“And what does fuel your lust, my darling friend?” 

When Aemond turned to her, he leaned back against the chair to assess her carefully. His hand was on her waist still, securing her back as she stayed perched on him. Long fingers traced along the velvet fabric of her dress, reaching up to the laces on her back. 

“You want the truth of it?” 

Valeana nodded. 

Aemond sucked on his bottom lip as if contemplating if he should give her the truth of it. After a beat of him battling his thoughts, he moved his second hand to her waist, weaving his fingers together so she was caged in his arms. 

He dipped his head next to her ear and said softly, “The hardest I have ever been was when I heard you speak Valyrian. I sat there, next to you, a quiet fool, itching to stroke myself.”

A shudder ran down her spine, and she involuntarily clenched her thighs. Valeana raised her hooded gaze to meet his eye, and despite the overwhelming sense of shyness she felt over the confession, she felt bold enough to speak. 

“Iksis bona sīr, ñuha raqiros?” (Is that so, my friend?)

Aemond’s eye closed as he grumbled low in his throat. His hands gripped at her dress as he pulled her closer, until her side was fully flushed against his chest, “Gaomagon ao jorarghugon naejot amīvindigon nyke, Valeana?” (Do you seek to torture me, Valeana?)

His voice was a low base in his chest, making the back of her neck tingle, and her face heat up. “You deserve nothing less.” 

Aemond’s touch softened at that, but still kept her close. Instead his head dipped so he was in the cradle between her neck and shoulder, resting his forehead there while his fingers gently massaged the curve of her hip. 

“You are right,” he sighs. “Mayhaps that is how we should spend the rest of the evening. Torture me with your silver tongue, and make me beg for a taste of it.” 

Her breath hitched in her throat. Between the timber of his voice, the words he spoke with it, and the intimate way she was seated on him, Valeana was having a very hard time keeping her convictions. There was just something about him being so pathetic and needy that sent a whirlpool of arousal in her stomach. She could feel herself cave, with every caress of his hands, how they firmly yet softly roamed over the hills of her sides, her back, the tops of her thighs. Aemond’s fingers ghosted just under her breast, never quite touching, but never that far away from them either.

It was getting too much, too over stimulating, that she had to pull away. Valeana pulled herself from his lap with a flushed face, and actively avoided his penetrating stare, which was likely offended that she had removed herself from his orbit.

“It is getting late,” She announced, mind racing, heart pounding, trying to find a way to calm the evening before she did something stupid. She glided around his chair, and started to walk the length of the library, to the east side where she noticed a reading nook nestled amongst the bookshelves, an arched window tucked inside. It was more of a bed than a sofa, with a plush mattress, a collection of pillows and a wool blanket folded up in the corner. 

Aemond stood up almost as soon as she did, moving around his chair to reach her. “Do you wish to leave?” There was a slight urgency in his tone, one which she quickly settled by turning around and smiling. 

“No. I told you I don’t… But it is late, and the morrow brings us a long day,” she turned around, moving over to the reading nook. “Do you remember how we used to sneak into the library and you would read to me until we fell asleep?”

The sharp edges of his face softened, his eye watching her with such a deep fondness, that had she looked up at him she would have been rendered speechless at the sight. Instead she walked along the bookshelves that surrounded the plush nook, hands moving along the spines, noting how they were all Valyrian. 

“Of course I do,” Aemond moved closer until he was at her back. His hands draped over her shoulders, then moved down until they were lacing her fingers and his chin was resting on her shoulder. He folded their arms across her chest, pulling her flushed against him. “How could I forget that snoring?”

Valeana huffed in annoyance, and when he chuckled lowly at the reaction, she spoke a smidge bitterly: “Well, in that case, I can go sleep in Helaena’s room–”

“No, no,” he nuzzled her neck, planting greedy little kisses along it, giving her a field of goosebumps. “You’re staying here, with me. But tonight… It’ll be you who reads.”

Valeana leaned her head back, which only encouraged him more to leave a trail of fire along the exposed flesh in the junction between her shoulder and neck. “You’re a masochist now, Aemond?”

“Mērī lēda ao, ñuha gevie.” (Only with you, my beautiful)

Reluctantly he pulled away from her, unraveling his hands before he could pull her rear against his pelvis to show her just how tortured he actually was. “Queen Aemma has quite the collection. You will have quite a selection to choose from.”

Valeana sighed, her shoulders caving in the absence of his body. She could feel the damp spots he left along the ridge of her neck and shoulder, burning and yearning for more. Wasn’t it she that was supposed to be torturing him?

She couldn’t concentrate as she perused the books, but she tried. Tilting her head, she forced herself to read the titles, quickly translating them in her mind. There were a lot of histories, a lot about astronomy, one book was even about the mating rituals of dragons. Val’s finger lingered on that one, simply because of the absurdity of it. 

“Do you have a preference?” She decided to ask, moving closer to the nook, where the books got smaller, more frayed. More personal. 

“I would have you read me every single book in this library, if we had the time,” He answered from the other side of the nook, where he also browsed the titles. 

“I feel like that would kill you,” she joked, glancing over and taking in his regal profile and the outlines of his chest through the thin material of his tunic. 

“What a lovely way to die,” he smiled, tilting his head back at her. “Mayhaps that is when I’ll finally be forgiven. It would be well worth it.” 

Valeana’s features grew soft at that. She had no words for him, because she had no words for herself. It was like she was on a battlefield, and the soldiers were versions of her. Those who fought for peace, those that fought for vengeance, all in pursuit of claiming and protecting her heart. Whenever she felt she was close to giving in and forgiving Aemond, and succumbing to her weakness for him, intrusive reminders of what he had said to her would invade the plains of her consciousness. 

“If you want pity, Celtigar, go run back into the arms and pillows of my brother. You shall not find it with me.” “I do not give a shit about her. I never have, and the Seven knows I never will.”  “What makes you think I’d ever marry you?!”  “Get away from me, you pig!”

“But I will spend the rest of my life in dedication to the pursuit of being worthy of your forgiveness. Worthy of your touch. Worthy of your lips. Worthy of the air you breathe. I need you to know that I am yours, should you still want me. If you ever did.”

Valeana blinked rapidly when she felt her eyes start to sting, then directed her attention back to the books. However, she couldn’t even focus on the titles, so instead she reached out and snatched the first one within her grasp. A small, frayed blue book, with an embossed rose on the leather cover, and two simple words gilded underneath, “Prūmia Udrir.” Heart Language.

“I found a book of poems,” she softly declared, gently opening up the cover and seeing the stained, dog-eared parchment. Val smiled fondly at it, “It looks well loved.” 

Aemond returned to his side, bringing his scent and heat with him, instantly flooding her mind with longing. Her morose musings were completely forgotten, now that she was in his orbit. Leaning over her shoulder to read the title of the book, his breath tickled her cheeks as he hummed his approval, “Appropriate.” 

“Time to get settled in, then,” clutching the book in her hand, Valeana walked over to the nook and sat on the edge to toe off her shoes. Glancing up,she saw that Aemond was doing the same, while also unbuttoning his tunic.

She immediately froze, “Wh-what are you doing?”

He smirked, “Getting comfortable. Generally I sleep in the nude, but… I am supposed to be behaving tonight.”

Valeana’s face turned into a tomato as his hands unfastened the last button of his tunic before he pulled the rest off his head, “R-right…” Words continue to fail her this evening. 

Her mouth fell open at the sight of him: remarkably pale skin, chiseled out of marble, every curve and sharp edge of his body was utter perfection. There wasn’t a part on his torso she wasn’t drinking in; Valeana was desperate to memorize every centimeter of skin, right down to the V at his hips, which is where her eyes found rest. 

“Hells…”

Aemond slowly padded towards the mattress where she sat, then hooked his finger under her chin to force her to look at him. “My face is up here, sweetheart.” 

Valeana swallowed, “I thought I was the one doing the torturing tonight?”

He chuckled, then leaned in to capture her lips in a sweet kiss, “You are already doing a marvelous job without trying. Though, as much as I love to see that hunger-panged look you have, if my body makes you uncomfortable, I can redress–”

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

He grinned broadly, “As my lady wishes.” Aemond then took a moment to assess her state, before tilting his head, “Don’t you wish to undress?”

Valeana flushed vividly, “What?” 

“I only meant– wouldn’t you like to be more comfortable? Isn’t that dress incredibly tight?”

It was, like most of her gowns. Even if it was more modest and had less layers, it was still designed to conceal as much of her stomach as she possibly could. Sleeping in it would be uncomfortable. She did have a shift underneath though, and it was burgundy, like the dress, so it would not be sheer. Still, the thought of having such a thin piece of clothing separating her from Aemond was… nerve wracking. 

And exciting. 

Clearing her throat, Valeana shifted so her back was slightly turned, “Can you loosen these?” 

Aemond sat down on the mattress behind her, then gently moved her braid over her shoulder. His fingers grazed along the expanse of her shoulder blades, causing a shiver to run down her spine. Reaching the laces, he untied the knot and began to pull the corset loose, all the while keeping his pointer finger under the hem so he could trail it along her spine. Valeana shut her eyes and sighed, at both being freed from the confines of her bodice, and from the intimate touch. 

“Why do you wear so many layers?” His question came softly and curiously. 

“To hide my body,” her answer came just as softly. 

His movements paused, “Why would you do that?”

Valeana turned her head, her throat bobbing as she swallowed, “Aemond–”

“You have a gorgeous body,” he resumed, finishing off the laces before having his hands crawl around her middle and folding over her belly. Then he tugged her onto his lap, leant in and kissed the back of her neck and along the length of her right shoulder. “You always have.” 

Valeana sighed, her head falling back against him. With his hands on her belly, she felt far more self conscious than she did the day his hands and mouth were on her breasts, all exposed and sweaty. But his touch sent tingles of desire and warmth in its wake, and as much as her nature wishes to recoil, she didn’t. 

“Aemond–” She pleads his name a second time, whether it is for him to stop or continue, she isn’t entirely sure. 

“If you don’t believe me, let me show you,” he reaches down and bunches up the burgundy skirt in his fist, pulling it over her thighs. 

“Aemond,” She pleaded a third time, this time with a little more force. She was aroused beyond sense, but the reminder of her moon’s blood was enough to shake her back to reality. Valeana pulled herself off his lap, but didn’t step away from him, just stayed a few inches away as she stood up. “I told you it’s not the right moment.” 

Aemond sighed through his nose, his frustration evident, but he swallowed it down. “Apologies,” He ran his hand through his hair. “I promised I would behave, and I am failing.” 

“Trust me, Aemond, if it were any other week, I would not want you to,” if she were in any other state of mind, she would have more sense to say no without needing an excuse. But Valeana wanted him, convictions be damned. 

He peered at her curiously, “What do you–”

“I’m bleeding,” she smiled awkwardly with a roll of her eye. “An incredible inconvenience, I assure you.”

Aemond blinked at her before his features softened to a slightly amused one, “Ah.” He looked down at the burgundy gown, and realized it all made sense now. With a soft chuckle, he moved his body further into the nook, and beckoned her, “Then we shall be inconvenienced together.” 

Valeana rolled her eyes again, shaking her head with an embarrassed grin. “Seven help me… One moment.” 

Aemond watched with complete enraptured silence as she pulled off the dress over her head, and then shimmied out of the petticoat underneath. All that was left was the shift she wore, too dark to see through the fabric, but thin enough that he could see the curve of her rear. Especially prominent when she sat down on the edge of the mattress. 

Clearing her throat, she bunched up her chemise on her left side, “This will only take a minute.” 

Aemond felt a wave of gooseflesh ripple throughout his body at the sight of her wooden prosthetic. It was almost too easy to forget its existence, with how she carries herself as if it were her actual flesh appendage. Though its appearance simply reminded him of his life’s mistakes, and that instantly humbled him. Suddenly he felt so incredibly foolish, trying to seduce her and being greedy for her body, when he already robbed a part of her. 

With practiced ease, the type that comes from doing such an act multiple times a day, every day for a decade, Valeana unbuckled her prosthetic from her thigh and slowly slotted it off. She could feel his eye on her, which made her all the more self conscious about it, but sleeping with her wooden leg always made her thighs sore from chaffing, her knee stiff, and her stump itchy from sweat. With a contented sigh, she laid it against the bookcase that framed their alcove, and then slowly unbound the linens around her severed appendage. 

Valeana could feel Aemond’s breath on her shoulder, and when she turned to look, he was hovering over her, looking at her leg with an almost unreadable expression. Perhaps it was sorrow and guilt, but there was an underlying anger as well, likely at himself. 

Saving him from his self loathing, Valeana pushed the curtain of her shift back over her knee, “Are we settled?” 

He shifted behind her, “Not quite.” 

Twisting around, she watched as he hooked the strap of the leather patch with a finger and pulled it off his head. His hair fell like a curtain of moonlight around his slender face, shadowing the deep blue sapphire gem embedded in his scared eye. Valeana felt her nose tingle at the sight, as she felt remnants of mourning of the young boy he used to be, his face complete, unshattered, and untouched by violence. After he reached over to place the piece of leather on the bookshelf, Valeana captured the sides of his face with her hands and brought his lips onto hers. Aemond made no movement of protest or hesitation; he fell into the dance of lips, tongue, and teeth with equal longing and need. 

Valeana let out a sigh as her back settled in the pillows, lips still locked with Aemond’s. He hovered over her, hands holding himself up on either side of her head. In the end, it was he who ended their kiss, as much as he loathed it. If they continued in this position, he would have his hips rutting in between hers, bleeding be damned. 

Valeana gave a little sound of disappointment, which earned her a little smile from the man who hovered over her body. Her hands moved from his face, over his shoulders and clavicle, until they found a home along his chest and abs. That smile broadened. 

“Still inspecting?”

“Not entirely convinced you’re not a cat,” she replied, lips pulled into a sheepish pout. 

Biting his lip to contain his chuckle, Aemond quickly grabbed the book and placed it in her hand, “Now you’re the one who must behave.” He moved off of her, settling in the space between her and the window, arm reaching out to snag the wool blanket and pulled it over their bodies.

Meanwhile, Valeana moved back so she was in more of a sitting position, and as she was about to open the book, Aemond slotted to her side. His chin rested on her shoulder, and his arm draped over her middle to keep her close. She took a moment to breathe in the moment, allowing a familiar warmth and comfort to fill her bones and relax her shoulders. This felt right. This felt perfect. This felt like something she could do for the rest of her life.

She rested her cheek upon his head and opened the cover, then flipped a few pages before she found the words and began to read. Aemond sighed deeply under her, his eye falling shut at the sound of her timbre reverberating through him, releasing all the tension in his bones and muscles. 

And so they remained like that, for a little while, as Valeana read every delicate page she could. Each line more beautiful than the next, made for a tongue such as hers. When she felt the full weight of Aemond’s head on her shoulder, and heard his heavy breathing, she slowly stopped reading. Gently placing the book to her side, she lifted her head and peered to check if he had actually fallen asleep. The loose grip he had on her waist and his closed eye confirmed it. Valeana couldn’t help but smile fondly down at him, looking so peaceful in the dim light. The hearth had dwindled down to red embers, the sconces had lost oil, and the candles were being darkened by their self-snuffers. It was time for her to call it a night as well.

Valeana ran her free hand over the crown of his head, threading her fingers through the silky strands, and ghosting her fingers over the shape of his jaw. He was so unbelievably handsome, it felt like a sin to look at him in this peaceful state. Even his sapphire eye, always open, glaring at her like the midnight sky. Sapphires had always been her favourite, and she wondered if he chose it specifically for that reason, subconsciously or with intention. 

Careful not to disturb his slumber, she slid down to a lying position, softly moving his head from her shoulder and onto the pillows behind them. She then positioned her body so it was facing his, making sure to keep his arm draped around her middle, keeping him as close as possible. The book was wedged between them, so she plucked it by the back cover and went to move it to the floor, but the sight of a handwritten note on the back made her pause. 

Squinting in the dark, Valeana tried to read the crude attempt at Valyrian script. 

“Se vēzos naejot ñuha hūra Nyke jehikagon kesrio syt hen aōha ōños Dōrī isse mēre jēdar Kessa mirre sagon isse sȳndor Ēva īlon ékleipsis arlī”

“The sun to my moon

I shine because of your light

Never in one sky

Will ever be in shadow

Until we eclipse again. - L.” 

“Engagement?! What makes you think I’d ever marry you?!” 

“Aemond, I– my father—” 

“Get away from me, you pig!” 

With peridot eyes rolling into the back of her head, Valeana slipped into the void with a cry for help, a cry for him. Then a loud snap, like a clap of thunder overhead, followed by an ear-bleeding scream that would forever echo in Aemond’s skull. 

He woke up with a violent jerk, muscles tense, chest heaving. He thought he saw blood on his hands, but he was just fisting the fabric of Valeana’s burgundy chemise. Valeana. She was here, she was with him. They were in Queen Aemma’s library still. She had her back turned to him and he was still holding onto her from behind, moulding his sharp corners with her soft round ones. Something had fallen, he had suspected, which forced him to wake up in a startle. Glancing at the window, he could see rain softly hitting the glass that served as a background for their little nook, but there was no thunder to be heard. 

Blinking rapidly, Aemond tried to rid his eyes of sleep so he could peer into the darkness. Tentatively, he sat up on his elbow to cast a look around the library, but found no one. He waited, trying to listen for any sounds that may betray the presence of a hidden figure, but he heard nothing. He shifted further, peering over Valeana’s body so he could crane his neck to see their flanked sides, and that is when he spotted her prosthetic lying on the floor. That is what fell. 

The sight of it was agony.

A sharp snap, and a scream. A bone peaking out through torn white flesh, blood on the floor, blood on his hands.

Aemond pulled his eye away from the offending piece of wood, then rested it on her form next to him: curled up on her side, hand tucked beneath the pillow, and softly snoring. Then he trailed his gaze down the length of her body, along the knolls of her curves, down the slope of her hip and thigh. Her legs disappeared underneath the woolen blanket, where he stared the longest. 

Aemond was a masochist… But only for her. 

He reached out and gently moved the blanket, and then slowly lifted her shift until he could see the rounded end of her calf. A few inches below the knee, soft muscle smoothed around what was left of her calf bone. To drive the knife in, her left leg tangled with her perfect right one. A single foot, a single calf. 

Aemond’s fingers trembled when he reached out to touch her knee. He caressed it, as if it were a newborn’s head, fearful that he might damage it further. The tips of his fingers moved lower, trembling more now that he reached the end point of her leg. It was calloused at the stump, likely due to the prosthetic, likely due to years of having to relearn how to walk in ways very few humans would understand. 

Was it still painful? Could she feel sharp pain in her knee whenever she walked, but hid it behind a sarcastic smile? His empty eye used to get sharp pains every once in a while, as if a knife had pierced through it again, though that had subsided with age, now it was only a dull sting. More often it was the headaches, like icepicks to his temples, mainly behind his right eye now that it had to compensate for the missing left. 

Did she experience the same with her right leg? 

 “Save your breath, Valeana. You’re almost out of it.”

He made her run alongside his horse. 

At the intruding reminder his chest constricted, and he squeezed his eye tightly shut, grimacing at the memory. The sting of his greatest regrets and sins burned behind his lid, tingled his nose, and shook his bones like an earthquake. Aemond grit his teeth so tightly, he could feel it at his temples throbbing as he tried to literally bite back his tears. He was holding his breath, a fact he hadn’t realized until his lungs couldn’t take it anymore, forcing him to inhale sharply and effectively breaking the dam. The trembling that started from his hands now reached every corner of his body, making him shake as if he was caught nude beyond the protection of the Wall.

Aemond gasped as his grief overtook his body. The tears clouded his only eye, spilling down the creases of his cheeks, and dripped down to the point of his chin. He then bowed his head onto her hip, shaking hands grabbing onto her sides to remind himself that she was here, and she was alive. Though perhaps he did not deserve what remained of her. Perhaps he should let her go, into the arms of Aegon, or Jacaerys, or whomever that would make her happy. 

His body curled into her side, arms latching around her left leg as he violently sobbed into her hip. The words “I’m sorry” tumbled out of his quivering lips over and over again, a broken prayer, a shuddered plea. 

“I’m so sorry, my friend. My beautiful Valeana… What have I done… What have I done…” 

Aemond’s unworthy lips kissed her knee and what remained of her lower leg. His tears stained her chemise, head still bowed upon her, a sinner at the feet of the Maiden.

In the sanctuary of the darkness, Aemond freed the beast that he had been afraid of all these years. With green eyes and claws of vengeance, her name was grief, her name was guilt, her name was shame. He could do nothing but present his neck to her, offering up his life and hope it will be enough. 

Valeana stirred in her sleep. Her legs moved as she gave a gentle stretch, along with a contented moan. Aemond was forced to pull away as she adjusted herself on the small bed, moving from her right side, onto her left, now facing him. 

“Mm, Aemond,” his name tumbled from her pouty lips, while her hand blindly reached out for him. 

Mutely, he moved back to her. Lifting her arm so it was draped over his waist, and then placed his own on hers. Aemond then wove his leg around hers, bringing her closer until she was tucked under her chin and secured to his chest. 

“Ñuha vēzos,” he whispered into the crown of her head. “Iksan indignus hen aōha ōños.”

(My sun. I am unworthy of your light.)

CHAPTER THIRTY SNEAK PEAK

“Did we not already have this conversation?” He peered at her in confusion. “You told me to stop pursuing her, threatened to chain me to my rooms, and I completely ignored you?” “Aegon,” her tone was a force in its steadiness. Alicent strode over to him, and despite being shorter, it still felt like he was under her. Like he was still a child. “Tell me the truth, for once in your bloody life. What. Are. Your. Intentions?”  Aegon’s mouth fell into a pout, his red rimmed eyes stared back at her like a reprimanded puppy. Alicent never swore, he would remember if she did. His mother had a knack of making polite words sound as lethal as a Valyrian steel blade.  “To cour–” She did not allow him to finish. Alicent’s hand grabbed his face firmly under his jaw. 

Notes: What a couple of sad, sad horny yougens. Anyway, I loved this chapter, and I hope you guys did too. It's a meaty one, with a lot of conflicting feelings, which I hope gives the vibe I wanted to, which is emotional confusion. Also, I just love when strong men get super pathetic. Oh, and one more thing: The Valyrian Moan found in the book is a haiku written by me. It's the only poem thingy that I did not have AI help me write. Haikus are the only thing I can do. It also 👀hints a little bit at the prequel mini series.

Tag: @queen-of-elves, @keylin1730, @anakilusmos, @weepingfashionwritingplaid, @sugutoad, @desireangel, @t0biasparabatai

( if you wish to be tagged for this story, just give me a reply! )

Please do not re post, redistribute or plagiarize my work. The only other place this story is posted on is ao3 under the same username.

[ladystarksneedle]

In attendance

Summary: A lady at court finds herself in a predicament as she's called upon by the Prince one evening.

Word count: 1k

Warnings: suggestive themes

Next>

"The Prince has requested your presence in his chambers, my lady."

She looked up from her needlework in attendance, as the ladies around her watched in bewilderment and thinly veiled contempt. She knew they whispered insidious tales in her absence, wishing to further tarnish her reputation, already hanging by a thread. The needle in her hand felt heavy as she placed it down and followed the guard out the door. She could hear their chatter well before she'd crossed the threshold.

It was a strange arrangement she'd happened upon with him, something she'd never wished to enter into the first place. He'd been nothing but courteous upon their arrival in the capital, as was expected of him. Her father had brought her with him to attend to business with the other neighboring lords, hoping to present her to the court as well, having reached the age of eligibility to be courted. It was by sheer luck she'd been noticed by the Queen, something out of one of those bedtime tales she used to read as a child. Clad in green from head to toe, she had addressed them with a solemn curiosity, her gaze lingering a bit longer on her. She'd curtsied deeply in response, humbled by the attention. Their introduction, albeit short, was followed by an invite to the royal chambers in quick succession. Her presence at court had been noticed. The Queen had apparently been impressed by the manner in which she had conducted herself and wished for her to be a companion to her daughter, the Princess Helaena. Whether it was a political maneuver to strategically gain their family's alliance or an altruistic offer on her behalf, she had accepted readily, not that there was ever a true choice offered to her in the matter. Her fate was decided the moment she stepped through those doors much like when she stepped through the ones ahead. 

He sat in his usual place, staring deeply into the fireplace, drumming his fingers on the armrest near him. To an onlooker he'd cut an imposing figure, calm and fierce. She'd come to know him far better given the short duration of their acquaintance.

"What took you so long", he asked, his cool voice cutting through the silence.

"Their gossip ran late today. It is rumored Lady Blount has found herself in a thorny predicament, one she can no longer drink her way out of"

"Hmm, how she found herself in that position begs the question in the first place. That woman is too insufferable to be looked at, let alone bedded."

"Oh hush, she isn't that displeasing."

"I have one eye and I'd rather gouge it out than suffer her presence"

She stalled sorting the supplies in her hand as she gazed at him in shock. He merely cocked his head in response, raising his eyebrow in question, eliciting a giggle from her.

"Does it bother you that much today, you seem fussier than usual."

"I am not fussy", he grumbled "I simply speak the truth and you are late."

"I told you I got held up, I tried to escape them earlier but I must keep up appearances"

"That is none of my concern"

"I thought my concerns warranted yours too" she whispered sitting on the armchair near him.

"Not ones as trivial as these."

She leaned over him silently deciding to drop the matter as she nodded her head gesturing to him. He removed his eyepatch and placed his hair to the side as she leaned over him, careful not to apply too much pressure as she lathered the salve in her hands generously across his wound.

"Do not put stock in the opinions of sheep. They merely bray and bleat wherever the grass grows fresh. They'll feast on a new rumor, come morrow."

"They seek to malign me. I've heard them when they think I'm not listening. It is only a matter of time before the news reaches my father."

"It shall not. I'll have their tongues removed before it does."

"You'd cut out a dozen tongues?"

"I'd mute the entire capital if it meant you'd stop fretting" he whispered, half in annoyance and half in an almost misplaced reverence.

She smiled despite herself as she continued cleaning and dressing his angry wound.

"That would leave us in quite a fix, you're hardly the conversationalist my prince, I'd be bored soon enough"

"I do not recall needing only my mouth to please you, my lady"

"Ah but it is your best asset"

"I thought my fingers sufficed," he replied with a smirk.

"Oh they do, but I'd prefer your pretty mouth with it" she replied cheekily as he winced. The wound near his cheek was deeper than the rest, running across his face and also the most sensitive.

"My apologies. It is almost over"

He hummed in response, closing his good eye and leaning back.

She continued to work in silence, interrupted only by the sound of the flames crackling in the hearth ahead.

"Sing to me" he whispered as she reached for another vial in between.

"You wouldn't like it"

"That is not what I asked"

"And what shall I sing about, Lady Blount and her permanent entanglement"

"Would a mocking tribute suffice for the Prince you serve"

"The Prince I serve would rather prefer it" she smiled looking up at him. 

With his eye closed and hair swept to the side he looked almost at peace as he nodded in response. Even the darkened socket facing her seemed less angry at the moment. She wondered how she'd managed to warm her way to the man before her, cold and ethereal, beautiful yet devastating. The words she sang for him rang with admiration despite the jests they held. The corner of his mouth twitched up in response and she knew then, for all the insults flung behind her back, for every blackened mark tarnishing her standing at court, there wasn't a moment where she'd ever wish to leave. 

Taglist: @witheredoffherwitch @arcielee @chompchompluke @barbieaemond

[writingsofwesteros]

Social Media AU

Chapter One

@dreamfyre03 and @writingsofwesteros

“Daenora please,” Alicent said exasperatedly. “You can’t wear that to a company event, I can’t bear to listen to your father or your grandfather give me a lecture on your ostentatious fashion choices.”

The tight, short, red dress with beading depicting a dragon in black was a custom piece, as the silver haired girl informed her mother- designers from the Free Cities would give a limb to see a young Targaryen heiress wearing one of their creations. It wasn’t to say that her mother wasn’t fashion oriented; she was just…more conservative leaning. Indeed, it was easy to forget how young her mother actually was, with the way her features were always contorted in an image of worry, stress, or just pure exhaustion- unless there were cameras around. The twelve year age difference between her parents was one that her father had thrown money at every Westerosi media outlet to turn a blind eye to, and she was quite sure her grandfather had done the same. 

“It’s custom, Mother,” Daenora reached for the black boots to go with the outfit. “A new up and coming  designer from Lys.” “That isn’t helping. Please, darling, this is the last weekend before you and your siblings return to St. Baelor’s and I’d prefer it was a peaceful one. I’d really rather avoid another incident like what happened at the Baratheon gala.” Her mother said, going through her daughter’s closet for something more toned down. Daenora smiled to herself as she remembered that night- her oldest brother Aegon had been drinking way too much, as he often did, and she with him, and when they with their other siblings, Aemond and Helaena, went up to the rooftop of the building, Aegon popped a bottle of champagne and sprayed it onto the waiting press down below. Father was livid, Mother was weary- and that led to her father paying those reporters a hefty sum to stay quiet, and of course, when he ripped into each of the four of them in an exasperated rage, picking at anything he could find- including the outfit she wore that night. She found it a fond memory if only because it meant she royally pissed off Viserys Targaryen. 

It was a fun pastime, annoying her father, and she resolved in her mind to continue to do it until he quit being a massive hypocrite. That same weekend, her half-sister Rhaenyra took a trip with her own family- her husband Laenor Velaryon, her sons Jacearys, Lucerys, and baby Joffrey. And it just so happened that pictures leaked of Rhaenyra entwined with a man that wasn’t her husband- but her bodyguard, a man who Daenora had to admit was a hunk of man she wouldn’t mind tasting- Harwin Strong. Of course, every time she happened to drop comments that her nephews looked a lot like the bodyguard, her father wouldn’t hear it.

“Fine,” She conceded. Alicent pulled out a black and gold floor length gown. “This is much better,” Her mother hung the dress up on her closet door. “Now get ready, darling. We really ought to leave soon.” Alicent told her on the way out, shutting her bedroom door. 

Makeup done, hair done, since the stylist had left a few hours ago, she was sitting in a robe on her bed scrolling, when the door opened. “Nora?” A soft voice caught her attention. “Helly,” She smiled, sitting up. “What’s up?” She asked her sister. “Mother said to tell you that she’ll go ahead with Father, and that Criston’s going to come back and pick the four of us up.” Her sister said as she sat on the bed. Helaena’s own pale blue dress was reflective of her sister’s gentle nature, and the diamond bracelet on her wrist with little butterflies on it was so perfectly Helaena. “Are our dear brothers ready?” Nora asked as Helaena zipped up her dress for her. “Aemond’s been ready an hour now, he’s making sure he’s enrolled in all those advanced classes for when we get back to school,” Her sister said as they walked down the hall. “Aegon’s-” Nora pushed open Aegon’s door without knocking- boundaries weren’t exactly something present between the four, to find Aegon in bed sprawled and his suit still hanging on the door. The eldest Targaryen let out a whistle as he saw the two in his doorway. “You guys sure you don’t just wanna ditch this stupid thing? You look too hot to waste on those losers.” He grinned. “We can’t, Aeg,” Nora told him, as he approached them both with a look that she’d seen a million times. “Mother’s expecting us, and she’s kinda hoping this weekend isn’t a total shitshow.” He groaned in exasperation. “Fine.” He took his shirt off and tossed it in a corner. “I’ll be ready in twenty, baby- unless either of you wanna-” He gestured to the shower in his bathroom. Ever the flirt, their brother. It was a uniquely Targaryen experience, to have a brother that flirted (among other things) like a boyfriend, but could be as annoying as well…a brother. Aemond was more a brother of action rather than words, though. 

“Later, Aeg,” Nora told him, and with a pout her brother went to finally get himself ready. 

Aemond sat at his desk, everything in his room pristine- his bed, his desk, the shelves- even Vhagar’s cat bed was pristine as the old feline meowed as his sisters entered. “Aegon’s still not ready?” He hummed as he shut his laptop. “In the shower,” Helaena replied softly as she knelt to pet Vhagar, who purred contentedly.

“Can’t believe they’re coming back for this stupid thing.” Aemond grumbled. It was no secret that Aemond despised even being in the same room as their nephew Lucerys. A bout of childhood rough playing gone wrong on their family’s beach estate, Dragonstone, ended with Lucerys shoving Aemond into the rocky part of the beach, and a piece of jagged, sharp rock slashing his eye. Their mother Alicent almost pressed charges were it not for the hand of their father stepping in and stopping her. Rhaenyra quietly paid Aemond’s medical bills to ease her own conscience, but there never came an apology from Lucerys, and worse- their father never demanded one. In the years since the incident, Aemond had adjusted to life with the best prosthetic eye money could buy, and he acted as though their half sister and nephews didn’t exist, except when he lost his temper on the occasions their father forced them to be together. Even at school, St. Baelor’s Academy, a private boarding school that oozed of elitism and students whose ancestors had attended before them, Aemond didn’t even look Jacaerys’s way. It was a good thing Lucerys wasn’t yet attending the school, for the Seven above knew that it spelled trouble. 

“We’ll just ignore them-” Helaena tried to say, but Aemond cut her off, as he went on. “All for the old fool to put on a good show for the press. We’ve all gotta pretend that they’re actually Corlys Velaryon’s grandsons- those twats should be in line to take over at HarrenCorp Security Firm, not Velaryon Shipping.” Aemond huffed. 

“Daella’s kinda lucky she’s off in Oldtown,” Aemond muttered, referring to their youngest sister who their mother had managed to convince their father to allow to attend the private all-girls school. The exclusive institution was ingrained in the Faith of the Seven, which Nora supposed gave her mother some semblance of comfort. 

“I can flirt with Harwin Strong to piss Rhaenyra off,” Nora offered. “See her get all wound up and can’t do anything about it-” “Don’t you dare.” Aemond replied. Having protective brothers was one thing, add jealousy to it and it’s another game entirely. 

“You guys ready?” Aegon appeared moments later, dressed in his suit, a bottle of champagne in his hand. Aemond rolled his eye as they walked down to meet the car. “There better not be any coke in your pocket.” Aemond grunted as the four siblings packed into the limousine.

The room was draped in the richest silks, the picture of elegance with waiters dressed in red and black serving canapes, champagne, as Westeros’s elite gathered under the generosity of the richest of them all, Viserys Targaryen. Targaryen Incorporated encompassed many industries; from hotels to media distribution, and that’s just what was out in the open. The Targaryens had their hand in everything from government dealings to elections, they may not be called Kings and Queens anymore but their rule had never really ended. “Aegon, do fix your jacket,” Alicent snapped when she approached her children. “For heaven’s sake what did you do in the limo?” Aegon huffed and adjusted his jacket in an exaggerated motion. “Happy now, Mother dearest?” “I thought you’d come and talk to some of your father’s board members, perhaps some investors?” Their mother suggested to Aegon, whose face contorted into a pointed frown. “Why?” “Because you are your father’s eldest son, Aegon.” Nora saw her mother glance over to where their grandfather, Otto, was keeping an eye on them. “You do know he skipped half our economics classes last semester?” Aemond asked her, taking a drink from himself. “It’s why he’s taking it this year. Again.”

“Aemond, please.” Their mother said exasperatedly. Alicent grabbed Aegon’s hand like he was still a child and all but dragged him over to the business men where their father stood. 

“I don’t know why they’re bothering,” Aemond muttered. “Who, brother?” Helaena asked, confused. The noise in the room felt a bit overstimulating, coupled with all the eyes on them, so she slid her hand into her sister’s, and Nora gladly held it. “Mother. Grandfather. Trying to make Aegon into the next company CEO for after Father croaks.” Aemond scoffed. “As if he hasn’t already named Rhaenyra for that in his will anyway- as if she’s any better.” Helaena sighed- she knew better than to try and interrupt Aemond when he was on an angry tirade…even when he was right. “Of course she didn’t even finish university.” Aemond went on. “The day she steps in as CEO she’ll probably only remember the faces of the ones she’s fucked. Beats me how you can put someone to run a company who didn’t even have it in them to finish their fucking degree.”

“Speak of the devil,” Aemond muttered as the three of them turned to see Rhaenyra entering with Laenor, and behind her, Jaceaerys and Lucerys. Upon sensing Aemond’s cold glare Luke visibly shifted behind his brother, who glanced at his silver-haired relatives who suddenly made his own brown locks feel so very plain. “Rhaenyra, my dearest child,” Viserys beamed, going over to greet them, and Nora could hardly contain the irritation as she rolled her eyes. She watched with her siblings as their father warmly greeted Rhaenyra and her family- meanwhile he hadn’t so much as spared them a glance since they arrived. Unsurprising- their father would choose Rhaenyra and her kids over them every damned time. “The prodigal golden-child returns,” Aegon’s voice appeared beside her, as he seemingly had managed to escape their mother’s attempts to have him mingle with board members and investors.

“Easy on the booze, Aegon,” Their grandfather’s rough voice corrected Aegon as her brother went from another flute of champagne. “For fucks’ sake.” Aegon muttered, drinking the whole thing in one gulp. 

Admittedly, their grandfather didn’t have the most warmth, but what little warmth he did have was seemingly left for Helaena and their youngest sister, Daella. Aegon received the brunt of his roughness, as Otto Hightower had always been the looming shadow that reprimanded Aegon, his own ambition to see his grandson as the new Targaryen Incorporated CEO ever-clear. As Otto went off to talk to Tywin Lannister, a big investor of her father’s and her grandfather’s oldest friend, Nora was about to tell her siblings they might try and slip out now when Rhaenyra herself approached them. “Rhaenyra,” Nora plastered a fake smile on her face. Aemond remained coldly silent, as Helaena gave her a polite smile and Aegon just leaned on Nora. “Daenora, it’s lovely to see you all,” Rhaenyra said. “Are you all off to St. Baelor’s again soon?” “In a few days,” Nora replied coolly. “How was Pentos? I saw the pictures, you certainly looked…relaxed,” Nora gave her a smug smile, as she saw Rhaenyra tense at the subtle jab at the leaked pictures of her and Harwin nakedly entwined on a beach in Pentos. “It was lovely,” She said tightly. “The boys loved the beaches, and-” “I hope your son managed not to maim anyone else,” Aemond cut in sharply. “I hear beaches in Pentos could be…rocky.” “I- Well, I should really go speak to some people. Catch up.”  She smiled at them before walking off. “Real subtle, Aem.” Aegon commented, and Aemond just rolled his eye. A few hours later as the reception ended, they all went and sat at their various tables for the sit-down dinner, and the siblings sat together talking amongst themselves, when Nora raised a brow when the last two persons assigned to their table took their seats. “Fuck no,” Aemond couldn’t help but mutter, glaring at the brown haired boys across from them. “Are you lost?” Nora asked coldly. “The seating chart says we’re seated here,” Jace replied, as Luke glanced nervously at Aemond. “I don’t give a shit what it says, I don’t want you here,” Aemond spat. “Children please,” Alicent pleaded at the table next to theirs. “Do lighten up, Aemond,” Viserys said. “We’re family, boy.” Aemond only tensed further, like a bomb about to explode any moment now, and his breathing only began to slow when he felt Helaena slide her hand into his. Nora glared at their nephews before she ordered another drink for herself…and some water for Aemond, the last thing they needed was Aemond angry and drunk.

It seemed as though everything would be fine, they’d get through this night and hopefully Aegon had a little weed left over, they could head back home and go get high around the pool or something. Until Aemond caught wind of Jace’s eyes lingering on sweet Helaena, who was sitting between their brothers, almost dissociated from the tense atmosphere in the room- or at least, at their table. “Quit it.” Aemond said roughly to Jace. “Quit what?” “Staring at Helaena.” Aemond clenched his fists on the table, as Helaena looked at her sister at the mention of her name, and Nora gave her a reassuring smile, though she didn’t feel it- Aemond could restrain his temper, usually, but when around Jace and Luke…not so much. Not always. The anger and animosity he felt against Rhaenyra’s whole family for his accident, for how they never faced any kind of consequence, how their father always took their side, always- he couldn’t always hold it in. 

“I can look where I want,” Jace replied stupidly- even Aegon could sense Aemond’s impending outburst. “Fucking idiot,” Aegon muttered under his breath. “Not at my sister. Not at either one of them.” Aemond snapped back. “Guys, let’s just calm down-” “Shut up Luke,” Aemond snapped at the younger boy. “It’s a miracle you guys have the time to be here tonight- I figured that between spending time with Laenor and your real father, you’d be all booked.” “Aemond-” Nora tried to butt in but he ignored her. “Shut up.” Jace clenched his jaw, as Aemond gave him an antagonising smile. “What, didn’t you get to spend time with Daddy Strong this summer? Was he too busy fucking your mother for all the press to see?” Aemond kept goading him. “Will you boys be quiet?” Alicent stepped over to their table. “There are guests here, please-” “At least my dad gives a shit,” Jace hit back. “Yours likes me better than you, we all know it. And that was before the accident, Cyclops.” Aemond was silent for a moment- deceiving those within earshot that he was humbled- but they were sorely mistaken when Aemond lunged over the table and shoved Jace, who growled and tried to hit Aemond back. Utter chaos, and Helaena’s eyes widened as she covered her ears, the noise overstimulating her and Nora grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the table. “Aegon!” Nora shouted at him when she saw Luke about to try and help Jace as he and Aemond fought each other. Aegon’s eyes narrowed and he grabbed Luke by the hair and yanked him to fall back, muttering, “Not today, mongrel.” “Security!” Their father’s voice could be heard as the sounds of Jace and Aemond grunting and rolling on the ground could be heard- worse, the sound of cameras snapping. 

“Enough!” Viserys shouted angrily as the bodyguards pulled the boys apart. “That is enough!” Security led their family out of the room and into a smaller library in the venue, as Alicent worriedly used the pocket square from Aemond’s suit to wipe the blood from his lip, and Rhaenyra anxiously kept checking Jace and Luke for injuries. Nora held Helaena’s hand tightly as Viserys slammed the door. “What is wrong with you children?” Viserys paced angrily. “One night, could you not be civil for one night? Board members, investors, press, people we all know were present here tonight and instead of presenting an image of sophistication you both wrestle in the middle of a dining room like this is a tawdry bar in Flea Bottom!” “Viserys please-” Alicent tried to interrupt, but as he did most of the time, he ignored her. “Aemond, boy, what has gotten into you? I expect this type of foolish behaviour from Aegon, but for Seven’s sake-” Aegon wasn’t even phased by their father’s low opinion of him anymore as he just sat next to his sisters, as Nora took his other hand. “And Jaceaerys, lad- you’re better than this.” “Father please, Aemond goaded him! He provoked him-” Rhaenyra butted in, and Nora rolled her eyes. “He called Aemond a fucking cyclops!” Nora interrupted Rhaenyra, glaring up at her father. “He was being an asshole, and he was staring at Helaena-” “You’re on thin ice yourself, girl- watch your tone.” Viserys warned her.  “You’ve all shamed our family name tonight with this behaviour.” Their father pronounced. “Alicent have the children sent home, and have Otto deal with the press.”

Their mother nodded, and called Criston to bring the car around to take the four of them home.

Aemond didn’t even wait for Viserys to say anything else, he just stormed out, and his siblings followed him.

A few minutes later, on the limo ride home, Aegon finally broke the silence- their father’s words all replayed in their minds.

“What a dick.” Aegon muttered.

[fearlessfairy]

Blood and Cheese

So I came back from the dead to not only watch another episode of HoD, but also to watch the hypocrisy of the fans. Team Rhaenyra was more fired up about Blood kicking a dog than decapitating a small child alive. I also prefer animals to people, but here the scales seem very unbalanced. Which brings me to the Blood and Cheese event. OF COURSE the whole thing was toned down so that team black wouldn't look so bad again. If it had been filmed as it should have been, no one would have been interested in the dog.

Blood and Cheese weren't some incompetent jerks. They were sadists, the whole situation was terrifying, tragic, sad, painful and totally helpless. Helaena didn't offer the necklace, but herself. Alicent was bound and saw the whole thing. There were 3 awake children in the room. Maelor was small, but he understood well that his mother had chosen him and sent him to die. It was not a choice between twins, but between sons. Cheese was downright torturing Helaena. He told her that Blood would r@pe Jaehaera if she took too long to decide..and that they would kill both boys. When Helaena made a devastating, heartbreaking decision, they mockingly told Maelor that his mother wanted him dead. Then they killed the one she didn't choose. They eventually ran out of the room, leaving behind a screaming Helaena, crying children and a headless body. So it's very clear whose side the showrunners are on…but it's a realistic depiction of what really happened, right?

[ceoofhelaegon]

The Dinner Scene

Hey, everyone.

This post is about the interactions and reactions of helaegon at the dinner scene, many fellow greenies seem to think that Aegon is abusive to Heleana and I'm here to show that like everything in the dance, things are more complex and nuanced.

"So, you know how the act is done, I assume."

This is the first thing that I want to highlight, Heleana is more than comfortable with Aegon, in this scene Heleana laughs at Aegon's antics.

It's safe to assume that Aegon makes Heleana laugh quite often.

After laughing at Aegon's joke, Helaena starts playing with a beetle (I've heard people talking about this, it was Aegon that gave it to her but other people say it was Helaena's so I'll take both in consideration).

In this scene, Aegon is talking rather crassly in front of a Lady and a Princess, Helaena doesn't even acknowledge his words. If Aegon was deeply abusive, wouldn't she flinch or even look scared listening to Aegon talking about intimacy?

She also plays with the beetle that Aegon may have given to her, if he did, it means that she doesn't hate Aegon and he knows what would make her happy.

After Aegon propositions Baela, Helaena looks and watches Aegon. She heard what Aegon said and considering what she did afterwards, she wasn't happy about it.

Helaena's toast wasn't planned, she admires the beetle for a moment, contemplating if she should but went for the kill. People assume that Aegon was annoyed at Helaena but he only reacted after she said Baela's name, that's when he realised that he fucked up.

What she talks about seems to be a point of many fights between them, Aegon ignores her. This was meant to annoy Aegon, she doesn't care that TB is there, she's venting that her husband isn't there for her. Again I ask, would that be something an abused woman does or even complain about?

This is the realisation that Aegon's words upset Helaena, and there's nothing that he can say. He opens his mouth signalling that he wants to speak but the contradiction of both of his hands in front of his mouth. Usually, people do that to shut themselves up, you know how bad it is because this is usually done with one finger. Like this:

For a moment he thought about defending himself but thought that it would make things worse, which is probably true.

Helaena is proud of herself, she made everyone laugh but Aegon on the other hand, he's anxious and his gaze is down, signalling that he's embarrassed. He's not angry here, he's avoiding eye contact with Helaena, here's an example of anger display:

Aegon was ashamed:

He was ashamed and anxious.

If Aegon was abusive why would Otto have this reaction? At first, I thought that he said "Good" in relation to Aegon ignoring Helaena, but taking into consideration that her toast was an impulsive decision, Helaena might have told Otto about how Aegon ignores her and she gets sad or annoyed about it. The "Good" would be in the context of Helaena standing her ground and being assertive and making a toast in front of many people since Helaena seems to be really shy and introverted.

Alicent just looks at Aegon looking for confirmation closes her eyes and takes a deep breath in resignation, his face more likely has the answer.

Aegon and Jace have a stare-down, Jace has the beginning of a smirk. He doesn't care about Helaena, this is payback for Aegon's words. Since Helaena is angry at Aegon's words she accepts the invitation to dance, it would be a good way to get another "revenge" on Aegon. It always rubbed me the wrong way having Helaena dance with Jace but in the context of her being angry at Aegon's words, it makes so much sense.

His eyebrows raises slightly and he blinks for more than a second, meaning that he had to process what was actually happening. Aegon is actually surprised that Helaena is going to dance with Jace, before the scene cuts to them walking Aegon starts to form a frown. I believe that he fully expected Helaena to turn down Jace and I think she would, if it wasn't for Aegon's words to Baela.

Here you can see him squeezing the beetle, he's angry but he doesn't want anyone to see that this is bothering him and through the squeezing, you can see that he gently strokes it with his thumb. Whilst he looks at his half-sister and uncle, who are shown to have a good relationship, unlike him and Helaena.

Signalling that even though he's angry, it's not necessarily at Heleana, but at this situation. He tried to make Jace angry, but in the end, he brought this on himself.