Midnight Blades [Aemond Targaryen x female!reader]

Part 10

"I have changed my mind," you muttered as the carriage bumped and swayed along the northern road to Felwood. "Your brother is not a fool, he is being provocative."

Aemond dragged a finger along the page he was reading before turning it over, only then did he tear himself away from the narration and turn his focus to you. "House Fell is hardly large enough on its own to provoke an attack, not with the City Guard and Scythian army marching with us."

"That only adds to the provocation." You stole the pillow from behind Aemond's back and added it to the stack beneath your ass but no matter how many you sat upon, the ride did not feel any smoother. The tender welts that littered the soft skin also did not help provide comfort, the marks a reminder that while things were better between you and your husband - he had not forgiven you for your deception. Neither of you were ready to take that step. "And who is to say how many have gathered under Rhaenyra's banner, the merchant docks have been unusually busy."

Aemond closed the book and shifted on his bench, trying to get comfortable without a pillow. "Where did you hear that?"

"I didn't," you lied with a shrug. "If you can recall, I spent quite a fair amount of days watching the city from my window. There were more ships sailing into King's Landing than I have seen in my entire time there."

He didn't question you as he opened his book and crossed one ankle over his knee, but he also didn't look like he believed you either. The spears of light through the carriage windows set his hair glowing like the full moon on a cloudless night and you fought to urge to reach out and stroke the silken strands. Instead, you grasped the chain decorating your neck and traced the gemstone that Aemond had recovered from Midnight's broken pommel.

"Which blacksmith crafted Midnight?" you asked, wondering if she could be repaired.

Aemond quirked an eyebrow at the question. "Midnight?"

"My dagger," you said, tapping the sapphire necklace.

"You mean my dagger." He took the necklace from between your fingers and ran his finger over the sharp edges. "I don't know. My father gifted it to me, along with its twin." He dropped the gemstone and pointed to his own.

A thousand questions came to mind but they were knocked from your mind with a particularly large bump in the road. Nausea rolled through you as your stomach swayed roughly and Aemond slapped the wall twice for the driver to stop. The carriage had barely settled to a stop when you threw the back door open and darted into the treeline.

"Fetch the princess some water," Aemond ordered as he followed quickly to find you retching into the bushes.

"Call for Vhagar," you growled between the heaving that curled you over. "If I have to spend another moment in that stale old carriage I am going to relieve you of your balls."

"You are not riding my dragon while you are carrying my child," Aemond reminded sternly, silently wishing he could be flying to Felwood but unwilling to let you travel with the Hightowers and children alone. "Or possibly ever again, considering your history upon her."

"Oh dear," Alicent gasped, covering her mouth behind a gloved hand as she rounded the tree to find Aemond wiping your clammy forehead. "I came to see what the delay was."

"The ails of her condition," Aemond said quietly to his mother as to not alert the guards standing behind her - it was safer to keep the news to the trusted, immediate family. "Don't let us keep the others, Aegon will have already arrived at the meeting point."

She wrung her hands as if she was itching to reach out to her son but gave one last look at you, a hint of sympathy in her eyes before she turned and left.