𝙺𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽 ° aemond targaryen

Act One, Scene Eleven

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"𝙸 𝙲𝚊𝚗 𝚃𝚎𝚕𝚕"
𝟷𝟸𝟽 𝙰𝙲 - 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝚍 𝙺𝚎𝚎𝚙
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"AND WHAT YEAR DID THE First Dornish war take place?"

Aemond's face scrunched up slightly as he thought. "Uh..."

"You know this one, Ae."

"Four AC?" He said slowly, looking over at the girl, who gave him a small nod, her usual half-smile on display.

"I told you that you knew it."

It wasn't uncommon to find the two Targaryen children huddled in the library at this time of day, sitting at the table closest to the fire with history books open in their grasps. Their usual spot inside one of their chambers was frowned upon now, seeing as the girl had received her moon-blood the year prior.

Things were tense for a while between Vaella and Aemond after the incident at Driftmark, but they were quick to push all grudges aside once they realized how much they truly missed each other. They had never been closer, each scarred in their own way.

The prince, now commonly called One-Eye by the people of the city for reasons quite obvious, had grown cold in a way that he wasn't before. And despite the insistence of Vaella that it wasn't necessary, he hid away his injury behind a black patch, not wanting to scare people away with the empty socket.

The muscles in the young girl's face never did heal properly, causing her to loose mobility on the right side of her face, from her cheekbone down. Her smile was never full, merely a tilted one was all she could muster. Her scar, much like Aemond's, was still tinted red with healing.

"Only because I have the best tutor," The boy said with a smile, leaning back in his chair, his white hair shining in the light of the fire.

Sensing his teasing tone, the girl decided to play along. "I'm sure you honor Grand Maester Mellos with your words."

The pair laughed softly before falling into a comfortable silence as both turned their attention back to their books. Well, Vaella did anyways. The prince, however, kept his eye on her.

He admired her. Her strength and her compassion, though he knew of her temper if she was pushed too far, having remember it back from Driftmark. She never saw her injury as a weakness, but instead embraced it as a will of the Gods. Something that had been planned for her for reasons unknown.

"You're staring again."

The boy was brought from his trance, his eye meeting her purple ones that were locked on him, a small smile on her lips. She often found him doing this; zoning out when looking at her.

"Sorry," He muttered, finally looking away.

The sound of a book falling shut echoed throughout the room, followed by the soft shuffling as the girl made her way around the table and to his side, settling down in the seat beside him.

"What is it, Ae?" Vaella questioned softly, causing him to look up at her. "I know when you have something on you mind."

For a moment, he debated on brushing it off, but the girl would see right through that. She always did. So, with a sigh, he too shut his book, setting it aside on the table.

"It's just..." He hugged softly, trying to find the right words. "How do you stay so strong? About the whole..." His hand reached up, gesturing on his face to the location of her scar.

Her smile didn't falter as she reached over and grabbing his hand as he moved to rest it in his lap, her fingers brushing softly over his knuckles. "I just don't let it define me." She stated simply, looking at him. "I know that if I show weakness towards it, others can use that against me. So, I don't let them, and you shouldn't either."

"I don't-"

"I can tell, Aemond." She interrupted him, knowing he was going to deny what she had said. "I notice the littlest things you do that others may look past."

His purple eyes flickered away from hers for a moment before softening as he looked back at her. "Like what?"

"Like how you always walk on the same side of the hallway."

The boy furrowed his brows. "What does that have to do with-"

"You always walk on the right side," She interrupted again. "So that if you notice anyone look at you, you can turn your head and hide your patch from them. Or how you grew out your hair simply so you'd have something to hide behind."

As she spoke, her free hand reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from his face. He never pinned it back, no matter how many times his mother pestered him to do so. It gave him a shield to hide his vulnerability from those who looked upon him.

Her handed rested on his cheek, causing his eye that had previously turned away to lift to her face once again. "You notice that?"

"I do," She said softly. "And none of it is necessary. You don't have to hide, Aemond. This..." Her finger lightly brushed over the patch. "It only makes you stronger. Shows that you are a survivor."

A smile came to the boy's face at her words. "Thank you, Vae." His tone was full of sincerity and love as he looked at the girl before him. She truly was his savior.

His shining light in the darkness.

Her other hand released his and rested on his other cheek. Within seconds, she had leaned forwards and placed a gentle kiss to the skin on his forehead, pulling away and smiling at him. "Of course, Ae."

It didn't take long for the two to get back to their studying, Vaella quizzing the boy of different battles throughout history. Both were blissfully unaware of the two pairs of eyes watching them from her upper floor of the library.

Viserys smiled softly as he watched the two, now understanding what his wife had been talking about when she mentioned the love that the pair shared for each other. It made his heart swell, as they reminded him of himself and his late love.

"They are made for each other," The queen stated from her place beside the elder man, who glanced her way before his eyes returned to the two adolescents.

"Yes," He said softly, ensuring that the Targaryen children wouldn't hear them. "They truly are."

"I suppose this means you'll make the preparations for the proposal I brought to you?"

The king nodded slowly, turning away and starting to make his way from the quiet library. "Yes, my dear. The preparations will be made."

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