Burn me • Aemond Targaryen

The Green Wedding

Chapter Nine~ The Green Wedding

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The day of her Twelth name day was the day she would be wed.

Her dress was white, a deep green train attached to the shoulders of the dress, a silver Targaryen crest holding it in place. Her headpiece was a silver crown, emeralds christened by the flames of her dragon placed on the points.

The hall had been decorated with banners of green, The targaryen dragon centered on the fabric.

She saw Aemond for the first time that week as she approached the front of the hall. Aegon stood beside Aemond, Helaena beside Rhaella accompanying her down the aisle made for her.

She felt her gut grow deeper.

Marrying Aemond was not on her list of plans. But neither was him marrying someone else. Perhaps it wouldn't be awful. She only had Aegon and Helaena to go off really. And she would not end up like that.

The Head Septon stood on a step above them reading from his scripture.

"With this steel we merge the blood of Man and wife." The septon announced, lifting a Valyrian blade to Aemonds hand and slicing the skin before doing the same to Rhaella. The two of them joined hands letting their blood melt into eachother till it became one. "Let every man and every woman know that Prince Aemond Targaryen and Princess Rhaella Targaryen are one heart and one soul, Let any man seek to tear them asunder be struck down by the Gods."

It was Aemonds turn to speak, he felt nerves creep up his throat, trying to pull the words back down. "With this, Kiss." He was supposed to speak out to the guests. But he was speaking to Rhaella and her alone. "I pledge myself to you for all of eternity." Although it was just part of the vows, Aemond meant it. He would never of thought he'd end up here. He wanted to, but he never thought he would. And it was only Rhaella who deserved his loyalty, and she would always have it.

Rhaella took a deep breath. "With this kiss, I promise myself too you for the rest of time, remaining by your side even in death."

When their lips met, it was as if the rest of the world mattered no more.

Like time itself even stopped it's forever ticking clock to let them memorize this moment forever.

Even the Gods, old and new, took a pause to watch.

When they broke apart they heard the cheers from the guests, they joined hands and flung them into the air, making the applause all the more louder.

It had been one of the biggest ceremonies kings landing had seen. Every member of the Noble houses was present. The queen had made sure that everyone in the kingdom was made witness to the wedding.

Aemond watched Rhaella from across the table. She was laughing with Helaena.

Aegon was scowling. "Course you got the sane sister." He scoffed.

Aemond shook his head, still mesmerized by the girl in his eye line. "Believe me, she is anything but sane." It was true.

But he was hers.

When the strings of the instruments changed their tune, Aemond took it as his queue to ask his bride to dance.

Rhaella took his hand and let him guide her to the middle of the floor.
Their eyes never left each other as they moved to the music.

Rhaella took a quick glance around the room. "They are all watching." She whispered.

"They will be watching us even closer than they were before, we have expectations to preform now." He replied.

She nodded and looked down at the movements of their feet. "Expectations." She echoed. "Do you know the risks of child birth?" She asked him.

Aemond didn't want to discuss this. "Please let us enjoy these last small minutes of freedom." He begged.

"Do you?" She asked again. "There are whispers around the castle, that the first wife, Aemma was murdered by our Father and the dead babe." She told him. "They call it caesarean, if the gods will not have the babe brought into the world the natural way, they ask the Father if he wishes for them to cut into the womb of the mother and rip the child from her belly."

"Rhaella you will never need to worry about it." He consoled her.

Rhaella nodded. "Promise me Aemond," She pleaded. "Promise me that if the time ever comes you will not take my life from me."

Aemond held her hands tighter, the two of them still moving to the music. "I promise."

•• •• ••

The consummation was to begin at the sound of the twenty second hour.

Two septons, Rhaella's handmaidens and the grand maester would bare witness to the act, making sure the line of Targaryen would continue with the two of them.

Aemond had known what to do, he supposed he had Aegon to thank for that. But he didn't want to make Rhaella uncomfortable so he waited a moment before he initiated anything.

When it was done, they were left alone in the room.

Rhaella could still feel a sharp pain and when she climbed from the bed, she gasped. There was a small pool of blood where she lay, a trail of crimson trickling down her leg. "Aemond!" She shouted, making him jump from their marriage bed. "There's something wrong!"

When he looked down to where she did, he sighed in relief. "Rhaella," He walked around the bed, to her side. "It is fine, this happens sometimes when," He cleared his throat. "When you lie with someone for the first time."

She held onto his hands. "You're sure?" She inquired.

He nodded. "I'll call for the servants, they can draw you a bath, change the sheets?" He offered backing up toward the door.

Rhaella nodded slowly. "You better be here when I get back?" She'd heard Helaena tell their mother how Aegon would always sneak away afterwards.

Aemond nodded. "Of course."

He had stayed true to his word. They sat on the floor and she read him tales of old Valyria, by the burning heath.

"Aemomd?" She interrupted her own storytelling.

"Hm?" The prince had his head rested on the seat behind him.

"Will it always be like that?" She asked him, cautiously.

She was too young to ask.

Aemond sat up. "No," He started. "It should feel quite nice after the first go." He told her. "If the person you're with does it right."

And he was too young to know.

She nodded, her teasing nature returning to her so she could make light of the situation. "I take it i'll never know then?"

He laughed. "I guess we have the rest of our lives to find out."

She chuckled. "The rest of our lives." She agreed.

And they would.

Although it would not be as long as they hoped.

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