The Fire That Burns Within US - Aemond Targaryen

The Black Dread

135 - Red Keep

Just like before, Visenya had gone to Baelrions skull; when she first got down to the skull, none of the candles had been lit. Visenya suspects that the queen had ensured that Baelrion's skull and altar remained untended. Visenya had taken it upon herself to lit the candles, humming a valerian lullaby. She mistakenly lit the closer candles first, but Visenya is determined to light them all, so the flame's heat feels nice against her exposed arms. The fire feels pleasant rather than painful.

After the almost fight in the training yard, Aemond was determined to find Visenya. He knows that since Ben is in King's Landing, she would also be.

Aemond knew that she would be at Balerion skull. Visenya is a creature of habit, and he knows that the skull holds so much meaning to her, just like the bones he had given to Alys. Visenya hadn't changed much in the last year. Her hair seemed to be thicker, and the curls wilder than before. The north seemed to have fed her well and kept her from battle. She is still as beautiful as the last time they were together, maybe even more so now. Aemond keeps a tight-lipped smile as he hears her humming.

Visenya knows he is there. She can feel his presence in the room when he comes down the stairs. She doesn't want to acknowledge him, worried that if she does, then he might leave.

"You are so predictable little one," Aemond speaks out, and Visenya lets herself smile. Aemond walks up behind her, leaning his hands on either side of her, caging her in his arms.

Both enjoy the warmth that they can feel from each other.

Aemond leans his head down into Visenya's neck, letting his nose rub against her neck. Visenya puts her hands in front of her, and the hot wax burns her hands, but if she can stay in the presence of Aemond, it is worth it. Visenya leans into his touch. She wants to be angry with him, but his touch is like fire, and Visenya craves it.

"It is highly inappropriate for us to be alone together, My Prince," Visenya gets out. "Someone might question my maidenhood,"

Visenya is trying to make a joke. Being around Aemond makes her nervous. She can feel Aemond smirk against her neck, and he lets out a low hum. She knows she should pull away from him but lacks the strength to, as does he.

Aemond does hold some resentment towards Visenya for leaving him. He wonders what their life could have been if Visenya had only let him explain. Maybe the two would be married by now.

"Ȳdra daor henujagon arlī," Aemond mutters against her neck. Visenya sighs out before turning around in his arms. "Umbagon kesīr lēda nyke,"

Don't leave again. Stay here with me.

Aemond is truly beautiful. The soft, warm light from the candles cast shadows on his face. Aemond would look terrifying to anyone else, but to Visenya, he looks beautiful. Visenya wants to grab ahold of his face and smash their lips together, to forget about her leaving and show him how much she loves him.

Visenya clenches her hands together, feeling the cold wax crack and fall off her hands. Aemond looks down at Visenya, and she keeps her eyes trained, knowing that if she looks him in the eye, she will break down.

"I had no choice but to leave Aemond," Visenya tells him, she knows that she should have probably stayed and listened to him, but at the moment, she needed to get away from King's Landing and him.

"I have not slept with-"

"I didn't care about who you were fucking," Visenya stops him. She should let him finish talking but can not help but interrupt him. "It was about giving her the bones. Bones that belong to one of the most important dragons of our house,"

"I still see how it is no different than you gifting the dagger to that bastard," Aemond spits out. He wants to talk, but Visenya doesn't seem to want to listen. He has a hatred towards Ben. In his mind, Ben must want to be with Visenya; what man wouldn't? Visenya snaps her head to look Aemond in the eye, now annoyed with his name-calling.

"One, his name is Ben. If you can not call him that, then Ser Blackwood. Two, Ben knows about the history of the dagger. What dragon it was. How she died. Everything I know about the bone, so does he. If you had taught Alys the history and the importance, then I wouldn't have gotten mad and left," Visenya tells him. She does not like Aemond calling Ben that and how he does not understand how giving Alys the bones was wrong.

"So it was my fault that you left?" Aemond asks, hurt and anger present in his voice.

"I didn't say that," Visenya tells him, desperate to have Aemond understand where she was coming from.

"I gave Alys the bones because I knew she would appreciate them the same way you did when we were younger," Aemond whispers, and Visenya leans her head down.

It hurts both of them how the other can't seem to understand where the other is coming from. Aemond gave the bones to someone he knew would appreciate and care for the bones the same way Visenya would. He didn't want them to collect dust in the dragonpit when he knew Alys would care for them. Visenya can't understand how Aemond thought it would be a good idea to give the bones away to someone without teaching them the history beforehand. Maybe if Aemond had told Alys the history, she wouldn't have carved into them.

Aemond shakes his head before uncaging his arms and moving away from Visenya. She can't let him go, not without telling him what happened. She grabs ahold of his arm to stop him, Aemond looks to Visenya, and she looks at him. Visenya swallows down the lump in her throat and takes a deep breath.

"Four months after I left, when Ben and I were in Winterfell, something happened," Visenya starts, she takes in a shaky breath, and Aemond can see the tears pool in her eyes. Aemond turns his body to Visenya, wanting her to know he is listening. "Ben had a dream about a little boy. Training him how to hold a sword. Showing him different plants and shit like that. The little boy had a dragon and had white hair and purple eyes,"

Visenya smiles at the memory of Ben telling her about his dream. At the time, neither one knew the significance of it, but now both of their hearts break at the mention of it. Visenya wants nothing more than to run away from Aemond and fly back north, to run away from her problems and never speak a word about what happened, but she knows that it is only fair that Aemond knows the truth.

"Aemond, I didn't know. If I did, I wouldn't have left you. I would have stayed here and married you," Visenya confesses, tears running down her cheeks, and she subconsciously starts to scratch at the top of her hand. A nasty habit that had come back. "Ben had never made the serum before, and he thought that he had made it right, but he didn't,"

"Visenya-"

"Alysanne had two miscarriages before. She knew what was happening before I did and stayed with me through it. I screamed and cried. I stayed in bed for what felt like weeks. Ben and Alysanne sat at my bedside. I think the two of them thought I would have done something to stop the pain and guilt," Visenya chokes out and aggressively rubs the tears away from her face. She had cried enough. "I am so sorry, Aemond,"

Aemond takes a second to process what Visenya had just told him. He wasn't stupid. He knows what she is saying but doesn't seem to be able to wrap his head around the words. Visenya had been pregnant, but she wasn't anymore. He had been pregnant with his child, and he is assuming because why else would she be telling him. He and Visenya could have had a child right now. They could have been a family.

Visenya's attempt to keep her cries silent pulls Aemond out of his mind. Aemond can not think of a time when he had seen her break down like she is right now. He quickly hugs Visenya, letting her bury her head into his chest. Aemond holds Visenya tight, resting his head on hers.

The two stay in front of the Black Dreads skull, holding onto each other as if their lives depended on it. The soft cries of both Visenya and Aemond echo through the empty room. Both of them wished things could have been different. Both wished that Visenya had stayed in King's Landing.