𝙺𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽 ° aemond targaryen

Act One, Scene Six

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"𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚢 𝙱𝚢 𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚒𝚍𝚎"
𝟷𝟸𝟺 𝙰𝙲 - 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝚍 𝙺𝚎𝚎𝚙
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"HE PUNCHED CRISTON?" THE GIRL questioned, not able to hold back her laughter at the thought. "Oh, I would've loved to see that."

Aemond chuckled along with her, not being able to help it; her smile was contagious, and he never wanted to see it go away for as long as he lived.

It was early in the day and the pair sat in the princess' chambers, the older of the two telling her what had happened at his training session the day prior. So, she sat listening to him recount the duel between Ser Harwin Strong, Commander of the City Watch, and Ser Criston Cole, member of the Kingsguard and the queen's sworn protector.

"I bet Cole was proud to have his little scheme work," She said absentmindedly as she leaned back against the sofa. "I heard some maids saying that Ser Harwin left back for Harrenhal early this morning, before the sun had risen."

The prince nodded at her words. "I've heard that, as well. Good riddance, if you ask me."

Vaella was about to speak when a soft knock came from the chamber door. Both children turned their head towards it as the girl called out for whoever it was to enter. The door was soon pushed aside and the queen strode into the room.

"Mother," The boy said, sitting up quickly as she walked in. It's not that she wasn't aware of the children's habit of spending time in one another's chambers, but she had never actually walked into the room when the two of them were together. They were far too young to be doing anything of a scandalous nature, but it was still the fact that he was alone in with the princess in her chambers.

     "Aemond, Vaella," She said in greeting, making her way over to where the pair were sitting as the guard closed the door behind her. She slowly lowered herself into the chair across from the two, who sat properly to face her as they saw the serious look on her face.

     The girl's interest was peaked from the moment the woman entered her chambers. The hour was late, and she usually didn't visit her if she needed anything; she would typically summon the young girl to her own chambers.

     "Has something happened?" She asked lightly.

     Alicent's eyes met hers, giving her a comforting smile. "There was a raven."

    "From who?" The boy was quick to ask, just as curious as his cousin.

    A soft sigh left the woman's lips as she looked between the two before resting on her son. "Your uncle, Daemon."

    The name alone caused the girl to go rigid. There hadn't been a word from the man since he left King's Landing nearly twelve years prior, running off to Pentos with his wife to live their days across the Narrow Sea.

     "Your Aunt Laena has passed," She continued on. "Her funeral will take place in Driftmark once her family arrives from their voyage across the sea with her ashes."

     "How long until then?" Aemond questioned, subconsciously reaching over and grabbing the girl's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

    "A fortnight at the latest, I would say. The winds of the sea are unpredictable."

The girl stopped paying attention after that. All she could focus on was the rapid beating of her heart. Her blood pounded in her ears, muting any other sound or voice around her.

     She had never met her father, not as far as she could remember anyways. But she never needed to meet him to know that she didn't like him. He didn't want her, and he had made that very clear to his brother.

     Of course, as a child, she had asked where her father was, and Viserys never lied to her about what had happened or who he was. She had heard the story multiple times at this point in her life, hoping that something would change about it. Once she realized it wasn't going to, she stopped asking.

     A squeeze on her hand broke her out of her trance, causing Vaella to turn and face the boy beside her. She hadn't even realized that the queen had left the room, leaving her son and good-niece along once more.

"Are you alright?" Aemond questioned, his voice soft as to not startle the girl in front of him.

Still slightly in a daze, she nodded, not realizing the tears that had welled up in her eyes. "Y-yeah." She stuttered out. "I think so."

Her breathing slowly, but surely evened out and she finally met the boy's eyes. As she did so, she couldn't help but feel her bottom lip tremble.

"Will you stay by my side?" Vaella asked him, her voice hardly above a whisper. "At the funeral, I mean."

The boy saw the fear and nerves clear on her face. He knew that she held no love for her father, not in the slightest. But the thought of meeting him for the first time was scary; seeing the man that left her alone without an ounce of remorse.

Aemond didn't say anything at first, he simply put his arm around her and pulled the girl into his side. She laid her head on his shoulder, sighing lightly in content as the two of them sat there, staring into the first across from them.

"I'll always be by your side," The boy whispered after a few moments of silence passed between the two. "Always."

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