The Prince and His Flower

S I X T E E N

"You swore oaths! To protect and defend my blood!" Viserys screamed in anger as he rose from the Driftmark Throne. "Where were you? Who had the watch?" Viserys demanded.

"The Kingsguard were never made to protect princes from princes, Your Grace." One of them said meekly, terrified of the punishment they all were about to receive due to their negligence.

"That is no answer!" Viserys roared in the guard's face.

"The eye. It will heal, will it not maester?" Alicent questioned as the maester finished Aemond's stitches. The cut was long and deep, and the left side of his face already began to swell.

"The flesh will heal, but the eye is lost, Your Grace." The maester said solemnly as he moved to Aemma's hand next. She had already begun to lose feeling, save for the burning sensation from where the blade cut her. Her vision on her right side was slightly obscured as her cheekbone swelled terribly, and it was already starting to turn a deep purple.

"What of Aemma's hand?" Alicent asked as the maester inspected it. Her left hand. Her sword hand. Aemma tried not to let her anger show as she glanced over to Luke, who looked so wracked with guilt it might devour him whole. He looked so innocent, even with his face covered in dry blood. The maester had one of the servants set his nose as he attended to Aemond's eye.

"The wound is very deep. It appears as if some nerves are severed, but how it will heal, I cannot say." The maester wrung out a damp cloth as he began to clean the wound. Aemma wanted to scream. "Her cheekbone also appears to be broken, but there is nothing I can do besides give her something for the pain." Viserys let out a sad sigh at the condition of his son and granddaughter.

"Where were you?" Alicent turned to Aegon, who had simply been standing there silently, smelling of wine and vomit.

"Me?" He asked, confused. What did he have to do with what happened? His thoughts were cut short as Alicent slapped him across his cheek, hard. "What was that for?"

"That was nothing compared to the abuse your brother and niece suffered while you were drowning in your cups, you fool!" Alicent shook Aegon by his shoulders as Aemma frowned. She had been angry at Luke, but it truly was not his fault. Nor Baela's nor Rhaena's, not even Aegon's. If only Aemond had heeded her words, none of them would be here.

 She did not tell him not to claim Vhagar because she was cruel; she did it to protect him, because despite the fact that he was without a dragon, and was constantly jested at, and perhaps at times rather broody, Aemma had seen the good qualities in him. She had seen him be good, kind, and patient to those who deserved it. Aemma had seen the way he hums to himself when something intrigues him, or the fact that he detested asparagus. Aemond was a good listener, and a surprisingly good knight when they played together. He could be gentle, when he wanted to be, and he was fiercely loyal, even if at times those he was loyal to did not deserve it. Aemma had cared for Aemond, more than she cared for anyone, save her family. She had excitedly awaited their wedding day, but as she gazed upon her hand, with her vision that was clouded from the swelling, she felt nothing but contempt and anger for Aemond Targaryen.

"I'm sorry." Aemond whispered so low Aemma thought she had imagined it at first. She looked up at him, straight in the eye.

"If you had listened to me, we would not be here. I do not want your apologies, or your pity. As it seems that I and my family should die burning in flames. I trusted you." Aemma whispered fiercely, her voice breaking at those last three words. Aemond said nothing after that, his mind focused on what Aemma had said. Trusted. He truly regretted what he said in front of Aemma, but he did not feel any remorse for Lucerys' nose, or what he said. For years they had teased him, berated him, and brought him The Pink Dread, yet now, when he claimed the largest dragon in the world, they attacked him. Those boys were nothing, but bastards set to inherit everything. Aemond had nothing, not even his eye.