DEVILS TONGUE, aemond targaryen

six

CHAPTER SIX
❪ devils tongue ! ❫

"You will scar, but the wound will heal." The maester explained while stitching up Rhaenyra's cut on her arm while she winced in response. "Valyrian steel cuts clean."

Aenemera runs her hand down Luke's head while using a wet cloth to clean the blood from his nose. The bedroom door opened now and Laenor appeared in a panic. "What happened?"

Aenemera looked up at her father and slightly grinned. "We beat the shit out of Aemond for getting called bastards."

"Aenemera," Rhaenyra warned while wincing. She never enjoyed her daughter using foul language, but never questioned where she got it from.

"Is everyone alright?"

"A broken nose is the worst," the Maester explained.

Rhaenyra nodded, exhausted. "Thank you Maester — leave us." She glanced at her children and the boys responded by standing up and walking out. Laenor rubbed Luke's hair in reassurance as Aenemera walked out after them in silence.

"Do you think mother will punish us?" Jace looked at his sister as the three children walked out into the hallway alone.

"I think no such thing," she reassured her siblings. "I think we've handled enough from last night. It's best we keep our heads down for the time being and watch our steps."

Jace glanced down at the floor and kicked it with the heel of his boot. "Except you're still promised to Aemond. So you'll never be free."

Aenemera shook her head and placed her hands on both of her brothers shoulders. "Do not worry about me, brothers. Let me handle Aemond and the future. I need you both to stay out of trouble — do it for mother and father."

Luke nodded his head with a small pout. "But what will you do?"

She shook her head with a small shrug. "I am unsure — but I'll do whatever mother asks of me to make less complications." She then ruffled Luke's curly hair and smiled. "You both should rest, eat breakfast, study soon — I'll try for damage control."

Jace smiled knowingly and patted his brothers back as the two disappeared down the hall. Instead of Aenemera going to her own duties, she quietly moved back to the bedroom doors and pressed her ear up against it.

"Aemond called our children bastards." Rhaenyra spoke softly.

"I have failed you, Rhaenyra. Our marriage — I tried. Our boys, our daughter — I do love them."

"I know," she whispered.

"But I have not mayhaps, loved them enough."

Aenemera frowned and pressed her ear closer to the door, the eagerness to run inside and hug her father ran deep.

There was a long pause on the other side of the door, Mera was just about to pull away and go to her unchambers until her mothers next words caught her by surprise.

" — I had hope to bear your children. The few times we laid together, things might've been different." Aenemera's mouth gaped open as her chest grew heavy with sudden information but remained silent as her mother continued. "Daemon — is aware."

"He knows?"

"We've spoken," she agreed. "He had the right to know, finally."

Know what? Aenemera begged on the inside. Her face was beginning to hurt with how much force she used to lean against the door.

"And what did he think?"

A small chuckle fell from Rhaenyra's lips. "It didn't surprise him. She has his temper and determination." Laenor hummed in agreement, "I love her as she is my own."

"I know," Rhaenyra reassured. "But she is Daemon's child and she will find out eventually — but that will never lessen the bond you both share."

Aenemera stumbled away from the door, eyes widen with shock and hands shaking from confusion before she made a dash down the hall and sprinted away as possible. The cold air entered her lungs once she made it outside, breathless and in a confused daze.

She ran and ran to the highest part of the castle, further away from others and guards where her small figure couldn't be so easily spotted. But when she reached roof access, she came to a halt and her boots skid across the ground.

Daemon stood in the distance, watching off in the distance where the water danced gracefully across the sand below.

Her breathless state became aware as Daemon turned to the princess, his facial features slowly relaxing and a hand resting casually on his sword. She stared at him from the other end, her chest heaving but slowly shimmering down as silence took over.

"I know," she spoke shortly after, their eyes never gradually moving away from one another.

"What is it you might know, princess?"

She swallowed a sudden large lump down her throat. "That you are my father — my real father."

Daemons head slowly tilted down as he took a sudden seat against the roof of the castle. His hands folded out in front of him in silence and Aenemera slowly made her way towards him.

"I overheard mother speak the truth — Laenor knows as well?" Her voice came down to a whisper now that she stood in front of Daemon. "It's all a lie."

Daemon tilted his head up to meet her sadden gaze. "Daor pirtir, dārilaros. Issa iēdrosa se kepa ao gūrogon." ❪ no lie, princess. he is still the father you deserve. ❫

"Se ao?" She sniffled. ❪ and you? ❫

Daemon sighed. "Īles daor se paktot jēda nor irresponsible hen īlva." ❪ It was not the right time and irresponsible responsible of us. ❫

"A mistake?" Aenemera questioned with worry. "I was to never happen."

"Issa pirta yno naejot emagon bisa conversation mijegon aōha muña." ❪ It is wrong of me to have this conversation without your mother. ❫

Aenemera ran a hand over her face with tiredness. It was true, she felt that she was going behind her mothers back for information — let alone spying on her conversations was just as wrong, if not even more.

"Nyke jorrāelagon aōha muña." Daemon whispered, making eye contact with his daughter. ❪ i love your mother. ❫ "Fear and anger startled me when she brought this news upon me — but now I understand, and there is no regret."

"Yn daorys ēdruta gīmigon." ❪ but no one must know. ❫

Daemon slowly nodded.

Several days had passed since Aenemera's conversation with Daemon — her birth father. He broke the news to Rhaenyra, stating that Aenemera was in the line of recovering from shocking news, on top of finding out Laenor had passed as well.

Aenemera currently felt numb to the worried – too many actions and consequences being brought up at once. She discovered her birth father but at what cost? Losing a father figure that resembles much more like her best friend.

The air in the castle shifted, no word from Aemond yet and the days until their wedding was growing much closer.

But on top of her own terrifying future to worry about – Aenemera stood between her siblings, Baela and Rhaena as well. All children side by side while her mother and father perform the traditional Valyrian wedding along the beach.

They shared blood, drank from the same cup, and connected their souls as one.

Aenemera watched as her parents looked at each other with pure love and adoration. A small smile tugged at Rhaenyra's lips as she caressed Daemon's face before sharing a kiss together.

It made Aenemera wonder if she could ever be this happy and feel at peace, but then she's reminded once more that her future stands with the prince she loathed the most. The one person who could surely bring her to her knees.