The Dance of DragonFire -

26

Half of Aemma's hair had been braided into an artwork of circular braids that fell over the other half of various pieces loosely tied back white hair.  She had been given a dark coloured dress, it's bodice was a soft white, dark green crystals shimmered over it's arms, the long sleeves fell past Aemma's fingertips. The fabric heavy due to tiny green gems that had been placed onto the white fabric. The neckline had been graced with green embroided flowers. Her handmaiden had placed a heavy necklace around Aemma's neck, the green gem's glowed in the candlelight as Aemma made her way towards the dining chamber. She had been summoned to dine with the Greens, and their counsilmen. The Commander of the Kingsguard would be present, as would Lords and Lady's of various houses that supported Aegon's claim be. She hadn't waited for Aemond. She wanted to make a statement tonight. She hated that she was dressed in green all the time. She knew whispers of Aemma switching sides would be spread due to the clothing she wore. Aemma loathed the association she had with the colour. Her heart aching in anger whenever she eyed the fabric. "Fucking hightowers and their symbolism." Whispered Aemma to herself as she kept her chin held high, before eyeing the guard's who stood waiting at the door of the dining chamber.

She averted her gaze when they opened the door and instead kept her eyes trained on Aegon, who eyed her with aspiration in his eyes. She felt her stomach tighten, still Aemma kept her head high and her gaze hard, trying not to pull her face in disgust as Aegon squinted his eyes for a second, while tilting his head to the side. He curved his lip and raised hip cup high before drinking from it.

"Princess Aemma Targaryen." Boomed a voice, she knew many eyes were on her, she could feel their stares burning into her back, whisperes had erupted around the room, worsening the feeling of discomfort Aemma held in her chest. She held back the urge to bite her lip as she took a seat next to her Aunt Helaena, who softly smiled at her. Though her face seemed confused when the usually kind Aemma chose to ignore her. Her demeanor cold.

"Where's Aemond?" Asked the Dowager Queen Alicent one of the guards, who looked puzzled, and told her they had also expected Aemond to walk in with Aemma. "He'll arrive about now." Spoke the Velaryon Targaryen Princess. Her voice cold, and her gaze absent. She folded her hands over eachother, the creaking of the doors of the chamber being opened filled her ears, so she looked up, and put a smile on her face. Plastered it.

"Prince Aemond Targaryen." Aemma's eyes met those of Aemond as he was announced. She softly smiled at him, she tried to make her face appear soft and sweet. Dumb, and shallow. Aemma would pretend towards him that she hadn't known for sure if they were supposed to enter together. She needed Aemond to believe she was on his side and his side only, and she needed everyone else in the keep to believe she was a threat. The potential child in her womb now being her strongest weapon, next to her ability to ingest various poisons. She was going to lure Aemond on her side, make him her pawn. Aemma's frequent mental collapses had only worked in her favor. She needed him to see her as fragile.

Aemma knew she couldn't keep up with the poisoning, she could be with child, and it would be very dangerous to keep doing it. she had to for the child, for Aemond to stay by her side. She couldn't let the feeling of numbness she got while taking some of the poison take over her mind. She had priorities. Many.

Aemond curled his lip when he eyed the Princess Aemma, his gaze shifted to her lips, and then back to her eyes, his heart felt frozen as her gaze softened at him. He leaned on his left foot and nodded towards his brother the King, before striding towards his wife and taking a seat next to her. "Princess."

"You left without me?" Whispered Aemond as he poured both himself and Aemma a cup of wine. His hair shone a bright white in the warm light that illuminated the room. Aemma stared at it as he took a seat next to her put one hand on the table, his fingers tapping on the dark wood. "I reckoned you would have arrived, it took me long to get ready." Whispered Aemma, her stomach in knots.

"Though I know you loathe it, the colour green suits you Aemma." Aemond loaded his plate with food, before taking a look at his wife's empty plate, and motioning to fill hers too. At which she grabbed his hand, and halted him, her heart thundering in her chest. "I can do it myself, besides I'm-"

"You are with child, mine, our child." Protested Aemond, his voice hard. "The babe needs-"

"What your child needs is more than proper nutrition." Whispered Aemma back while rapidly stuffing foods onto her plate. "Though you are right, still I have little to no appetite, with your fanily keen on using me and my child as a weapon against my mother."

"Aemma, we sh-"

"A toast!"

The voice of Aegon filled the Hall, the young King, who quickly started relishing in being King, enjoying it's privileges and the love it gave him, which was something he had always dearly craved. "To my dear brother!" Aegon raised his cups towards Aemond, the two brother's smiled at eachother.

"And his wife! My lovely niece Aemma!" Aegon raised his cup. "We have received word that Princess Aemma is with child."

"Let us celebrate tonight, on our families and my dear half Sister Rhaenyra, who will soon be grandmother to the King's own brother his child!"

Aemma kept her eyes glued to the table as congratulations were echoed throughout the chamber. She felt her heartbeat quicken. Every bit of her was to be turned into propagana to trick the smallfolk into believing she had sided with the Greens. And she would do anything to undo that lie.

So she rose up from the table, ignoring Aemond who's eyes pleaded her to sit down. She chose to ignore him and stared into the crowd. "A toast!" Exclaimed Aemma, raising her cup high. She bit back the urge to call Aegon a usurper, she had to keep thinking of the consequences of the action she was about to make, the words she was about to spill from her lips. "My husband leaves for the Stormlands tomorrow to see if Borros will discard his oath, though I hope he returns safe and well to me, and" Aemma took a second to swallow, her throat felt like it was made out of dry tiny pieces of rock. "Our child! May we relish in this blessing that haa been brought upon us." Aemma sat back down, her hands felt clammy, and her forehead felt sweaty. She knew she had pushed the Hightowers when she spoke of Borros Baratheon and his oath, reminding all of the men in the hall that once they had been sworn to Rhaenyra. They al had discarded their oaths.

She wondered why Aemond, and for how long, he was acting so soft all of sudden. Her heart had settled down once the room had settled down, and her slightly shaky hands had found her cup of wine, gulping it all down in a few sips. Aemond was in conversation with a Kingsguard about a certain fighting technique, his hands waved in the air as he talked, so she turned his her head towards the othee people around the chamber. No one paid any heed to her, talked to her, or seemed to want to talk to her. All she was was a woman, secured into marriage. A pawn in a certainly upcoming war. She would never be interesting to them. No one would care for her in the capital, even ifthey could, or wanted to, they would lock her in a dungeon and torture her untill Rhaenyra would bend the knee. They could have, despite in fact maybe they should have.

They still could. They could lock her up, or mutilate her, or chop off her head. They could flay the skin of
Her fingers and pull out all her teeth and nails, but she'd never respect Aegon sitting on the throne. He had always been a pathetic little man in her opinion. He'd never be more, only less, and she would make sure of it. She'd had to get rid of him, smoothly,

Aemma knew her first step would be the hardest step off all. She needed Aemond on her side, she needed Aemond to think her, their child would be in danger if Aegon continued to reign.  Soon she'd whisper to him about how he should be King. She spoke of his lessons and feeling for duty, love of his mother. His patience, she'd slowly poison his mind. Suggesting things, so later on he might think it was him who came up with the idea.