Ashes In The Castle ||| Aemond Targaryen

twelve

"You duelled your Uncle? Naerys, did I not tell you to keep out of trouble?"

Naerys rolled her eyes as Rhaenyra scolded her. "He asked if we were there to train and I said yes! It is not a crime, no one was hurt." Rhaenyra sighed and turned, unable to listen to her daughter at that current moment.

"Did you win?" Daemon asked after a moment. He gave Naerys a look.

"A draw. I didn't use my own sword when I fought him."

Daemon smiled. "Good."

***

Aemond wanted to take his other eye out for he could not get the image of that girl out of his head. His bastard niece.

He had hated her since the last time they spoke. Trained with the sword night and day. Yet she was still able to duel him as an equal. He should have hated her still, he did.

But he could not stop thinking of her. Of how she moved with a sword, how she walked out of the Training Yard. The thoughts plagued him, unwilling to leave.

And what she'd said to him. Four simple words uttered from her lips. He heard it in his head. Over and over again.

"I like it rough."

Aemond growled, frustrated with himself, and rubbed his face. He couldn't think like that. Not about a girl he didn't want and could never have.

But his body told him differently.

He took a liberty that evening. As he thought of her. Aemond knew it was sinful. But he didn't fucking care.

***

Naerys could hardly sleep that night. Not even because of the trial the next day. Because her mind was preoccupied with something else.

Aemond. The man she had hated her entire life. Who she'd always been compared to. He was infuriating, his comments and gestures.

Yet there he was in her mind. Never leaving, never ceasing. His gaze, the way he looked at her, was burned into her mind. Naerys would rather have fed herself to her dragon than admit it to anyone, to herself.

So she wouldn't. She wouldn't let anything she felt out. Naerys needed to focus on Luke, to focus on the trial.

The morning of, that's what she promised herself. As she was dressed in her outerwear, a black and red dress that accommodated her sword and dagger. She would be there for Luke only. Aemond would never enter her mind.

Naerys convened with her family once everybody was dressed. Rhaenyra gave everyone a little pep talk, reassurance that she would do everything possible to help Luke.

And when it was time, when they were summoned to court, they arrived at the hall as a family.

Inside, they faced many unfriendly faces. Everyone on the Green's side, Vaemond Velaryon. Even Rhaenys, who was there only to advocate for herself.

Regardless, as Otto sat the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra's family took their place across from the Greens. Naerys promised herself she wouldn't fold but she snuck a glance at Aemond.