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Aemma knew how dangerous a simple dinner could be when it included her entire family. As entertaining as it would be for outsiders to watch a night quickly devolve into chaos, Aemma was not as eager to watch the spectacle. Still, their mother had instructed each Velaryon that they had to go and be on their best behaviour to appease their dying grandfather.
Aemma wasn't sure how long she could keep her promise if Aemond kept staring at her all night. She could feel his gaze fall squarely on her as she entered the room beside her brothers, whom each had a betrothed on their arm. Aemma elected to entirely ignore her uncle, content with pretending nothing had happened last night except her walking about the halls and promptly returning to her room.
The whole ordeal from the night before still left her feeling conflicted and queasy.
"Still drinking your breakfast, lunch and dinner, uncle?" Aemma asked Aegon, her hand trailing on the top of his chair as she paused before him and Helaena.
"I'm hoping it will bring me to an early death," Aegon grinned, raising his cup to her.
"As do I," Aemma couldn't help but let out a short laugh, grabbing a cup from the table and clinking it to Aegon's, "And how are you, Helaena? Has your collection of bugs grown?"
"Aegon stepped on a glass containing some of them, so they escaped," Helaena admitted, causing Aemma to hit Aegon upside the head, "But I'm regrowing my collection,"
Helaena had always been one of her favourite relatives, having enjoyed her time with Helaena when they were young. Helaena would always help her with her needling work, even when the other girls of the Keep refused to talk to her due to her questionable parentage.
"That's good. You always did know where to find them," Aemma said, smiling sweetly at her aunt, "Let me know if you ever need any help,"
Aemma didn't give Aemond a second glance, the only child of the Queen's she didn't speak to, as she made her way to sit beside Baela and engage in conversation with her step-sister and older brother.
The two girls hadn't been able to foster that close of a bond, unlike the friendship that she had cultivated with young Rhaena, due to Baela being a ward of the Velaryons for so long. The two girls knew of one another, they just hadn't seen each other since Laena's funeral.
The arrival of their grandfather, being carried in on a chair, brought the entire party to their feet each hurrying to find their designated seat and stand behind it in respect. Aemma dipped her head towards her ailing grandfather as he passed, earning a smile from the man as he said her name, before seating herself along with the rest of the room.
"How good it is... to see you all tonight... together," Her grandfather said, wheezing between words.
"Prayer before we begin?" Queen Alicent suggested, clasping her hands together as she began, "May the Mother smile down on this gathering with love. May the Smith mend the bonds that have been broken for far too long. And to Vaemond Velaryon, may the gods give him rest,"
Aemma rolled her eyes at the finishing statement. In her eyes, Vaemond Velaryon got exactly what he deserved for shaming their mother and questioning her and her brothers' legitimacy. The man could burn in the Seven Hells for all he was worth.
"This is an occasion for celebration, it seems. My grandsons, Jace and Luke, will marry their cousins, Baela and Rhaena," Their grandfather said as Aemma gave Luke, who was sitting on her right side at the head of the table with Rhaena, a soft clap, "further strengthening the bond between our houses. A toast to the young Princes...and their betrothed,"
Aemma's attention turned to Baela and Jace, who were on her left, as she rose her glass of water in toast.
"Well done, Jace. You'll finally get to lie with a woman," Aegon's voice was soft but not soft enough to escape Aemma's hearing.
Glaring at her uncle, her grip on her glass tightened. She was too fiercely protective of her two brothers, and she didn't take kindly to others mocking them.
"Let us toast as well, Prince Lucerys... the future Lord of the Tides," Their grandfather continued.
The act of praise being gifted to her brother caught her attention, pulling it away from the brewing tension beside her, as she patted him on the shoulder. Her own brother being a Lord of anything had once scared her, with the Lord of the Tides especially too commonly heading into battle. The idea of her sweet brother fighting the Triarchy scared her to no end. But, as she glanced at Rhaena who was encouraging Luke, she knew he'd do perfectly fine with her as his wife.
"It both gladdens my heart and fills me with sorrow to see these faces around the table," Her grandfather began, catching Aemma's attention, "The faces most dear to me in all the world... yet grown so distant from each other... in the years past,"
Aemma finally glanced towards Aemond, who was watching her with softened eyes. The two held their gaze, her chest warming as she quickly tore her eyes away and kept them planted on her hands, which were fidgeting in her lap.
Only the clatter of gold managed to pull her away from her own self-questioning, noticing her grandfather's mask now sitting on the table. Glancing up at Viserys, she quickly tore her aways away as shock took hold of her. Keeping her eyes steady on the wall for a moment, she psyched herself up to turn back to her grandfather. As she did, she stopped herself from covering her mouth as she took in more details of the once-covered face.
Viserys Targaryen looked half corpse, half man. Half his face appeared as though it had been melted off by the flames, with his eye socket entirely empty showing nothing but the inside of his skull. But no dragon could burn, certainly not like that. Her heart ached for her grandfather, unable to imagine the sort of pain he must feel daily.
"My own face... is no longer a handsome one... if indeed it ever was. But tonight... I wish you to see me... as I am. Not just a king... but your father. Your brother. Your husband... and your grandsire," Viserys said, as Aemma watched her grandfather sadly, "Who may not, it seems... walk for much longer among you. Let us no longer hold ill feelings in our hearts. The crown cannot stand strong if the House of the Dragon remains divided,"
Aemma glanced down at her hands, painful strings tugging her heart as Viserys bore his soul to them.
"But set aside your grievances. If not for the sake of the crown... then for the sake of this old man who loves you all so dearly," Viserys finished, returning to his seat in a small thud.
Aemma watched as her mother abruptly stood up, unsure what she was going to do or say.
Authors note:
Important note: So it seems like a lot of people didn't like the chapter before this. Aemma is very reckless and dumb, she doesn't just say reckless things she does reckless things. In that moment she was drunk and she wanted power over Aemond. It wasn't really about Aemond, it was about her. She's also a teenager, how many teenagers have made out with someone they shouldn't have and later regretted it? That's why I wrote it in, it's who she is as a person. She's a reckless teenager.
Aemma acting like she didn't just get with Aemond the night before.
Also, Aemond staring at Aemma
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