I see fire ~ Aeamond Targaryen

𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞 ~ A Proposition for the Princess

   Six days after the incident in the training yard.

What felt like years later the maesters finally permitted Daenaera to leave her bed chambers. Originally the grand maester had said she must spend a week in bed, resting her arm, but the girl protested so much that he said she might leave her bed but stay in her chambers to prevent infection. Daenaera yielded and spent most of her time in bed anyway.

   Prince Aemond spent much time with Daenaera, either reading to her or simply talking. He would check on her dragons and then come to tell her any news about them. The Prince kept telling his niece that he had no responsibilities to be attending to but that was a lie. Aemond should have been running around King's Landing and picking up his steel but he couldn't bare to leave the Princess alone in her chambers for more than an hour.

The young Prince had hurt people before, and had drawn blood, but had never felt the guilt he felt about hurting Daenaera. Whenever he left her, he thought of the moment in the courtyard when he sliced open her arm. His body and mind were filled with a hatred he had not even felt when his eye had been taken. He hated himself for not stopping his blade sooner, hated Jacaerys for even agreeing to the fight, hated Ser Snow for not holding Daenaera back and protecting her, and hated everyone else in the bloody courtyard for just standing and watching it happen.

~

There was a knock on the door of the Princess's chambers. Daenaera grinned and went to open it, thinking the source of the knock had been Aemond. When she opened it to find the Queen's handmaiden, she was both shocked and confused.
"I am here to help you dress, my Lady. The Queen wants to see you as soon as it is convenient, " the maid rubbed her fingers sheepishly.
"Well, thank you...?" asked the Princess.
"Talya, if it pleases my Lady," answered Talya.
"Thank you, Talya. You may help me pick a gown if you'd like. Something that won't put pressure on my arm."

Talya and Daenaera picked out a white dress with loose, long sleeves. It was not the kind of dress Daenaera would usually wear but she had few gowns without tight sleeves that would hurt her arm. Talya helped her with the buttons and the decorative blue belt then tied her hair into elaborate braids fit for a queen. Afterwards, she led the Princess to the Queen's chambers.

~

"Come." commanded the Queen. Princess Daenaera opened the door that stood between them and bowed before her Queen. Despite the grief her mother had with Alicent, the Princess never had anything but respect for her. The Queen Alicent was a girl who rose from being the hand's daughter to the Queen of the seven kingdoms.

"Rise, dear girl. Show me your arm," she commanded once again. Daenaera held out her arm, letting the Queen take it in her hands and remove the bandage. A wince came from the Princess as the scab ripped from her skin and new blood flowed from her arm. The Queen merely watched as her blood dropped to the floor.
"It's not nearly as bad as the maesters and my son made it sound. Aemond's description of the event made it seem like he had chopped your entire arm off."
"Your son has been very kind to me, your grace. I've been very happy for his company in the past few days." said the Princess, bowing her head slightly.
"Good. He has spoken lots of you since you arrived in King's Landing. Every chance he got, your name would be brought up. Which is actually why I called you here. I have a proposition for you, Daenaera."
"What do you mean, your grace?"
"The King and I offer you Aemond's hand. Most of the highborn ladies are repulsed by him and you are the blood of Old Valyria. It would be a good match for both of you." stated the Queen, her unfaltering smile and casualness leaving Daenaera almost speechless.
"Your grace, I am flattered," replied Daenaera.
"So you accept?"
"My- my mother told me not to accept any proposals without her approval. May I write to her with your proposal before I make any decisions?" questioned Daenaera. The Queen went silent for a moment. She was contemplating Daenaera's question.
"You may. But you must be quick. Many people have offered their daughter's hands to my Aemond and, while I think you would be the best match for him, they are all suitable."

   Daenaera bowed once again before turning and leaving the room. She sprinted to Aemond's rooms the second the door closed.

~

   After several bangs on his door, Aemond opened them to find a slightly out-of-breath Daenaera. Their eyes locked as she barged into the room and he slammed the door shut behind her.

   "Did you know?" asked the Princess.
"Know what?" replied Aemond. He seemed clueless but Daenaera was not convinced.
"About the proposal. About us! About your mother's plan to wed us so we can have beautiful little blonde babies!" answered Daenaera, her arms swinging out to the side, almost hitting the wall. Aemond grabbed her waist and pulled her towards his oversized reading chair, speaking as they walked.
"Beautiful little- what? My mother wants us to be wed, I knew that but..." began the Prince once again while lowering herself into the chair. It was then that Aemond noticed that she had no bandage on her arm.
"So you did know?" asked the Princess.
"Why aren't you wearing a bandage?" question Aemond, his voice switching from smokey and confused to low, concerned and almost angry. He bent to rest his knees on the floor and examined Daenaera's arm. "Daeny, why aren't you wearing a bandage?"
"Your mother took it off. She wished to see the wound." answered the Princess. Aemond stood and began walking to the door. "Don't, Aemond. Don't make an event of it. She already believes I am a bastard; I do not need her to think I am weak."

The Prince turned to look at his Princess. He saw her curled in his reading chair, her head cocked to one side. The blood on her arm and on her sleeve only made her more beautiful to him. Most people said that the Princess had red eyes, like the blood in her veins, but Aemond had always thought they were calmer than that. He thought they were as pink as the cherry blossoms in Dorne. When Prince Aemond looked at Daenaera, he saw peace, he saw comfort and he saw the woman he loved.

  "Aemond," called Daenaera, snapping the Prince out of his haze, "Did you know?"
"Yes, but-" answered Aemond.
"No. No, no... mhm mm. You don't just get to say that. You don't get your mother to propose for you. You- you ask me yourself or gods forbid I will fly back to the Eyrie this very second and wed the Arryn boy." gasped Daenaera, her voice breathy and broken with sniffs. Silence breezed between the pair as swiftly as the wind breezed under a dragon's wing. 

   "Wed me, I beg you." Aemond said, falling to his knees. He bowed before Daenaera, who straightened her back and looked down at him. "Even if you do not love me, I beg. I will beg untill the day you die and then I will pray. So long as you marry me and not some