Ashes In The Castle ||| Aemond Targaryen

twenty-one

Aemond was the only thing Naerys could think about while she was waiting for her brothers to return from their own journeys. She thought a lot about what he said to her, about being in service to men.

Even the strongest woman Naerys knew had been in service to men. Rhaenys. She knew he was right. That no matter what she tried to make of herself, she would marry a man. And he would think he owned her.

That was why Aemond appealed to her. Despite his insolence, his anger, his violence. He never underestimated Naerys, never took it easy on her. Not like everyone else.

He treated her as an equal.

It was that line of thought that lead her to her conclusion: to have power, she would have to marry a man who would give it to her.

As much as she tried to tell herself that she didn't need anyone else, that she could get power on her own, it wasn't possible. Not when she wasn't an heir.

All of it was unfair. But Aemond was correct: he was the only man who saw her as a warrior. Who saw her as an individual and not as a thing to use for some other purpose. She wouldn't serve him. He knew that.

When even the council of her mother treated Naerys as a means to an end, a woman to marry for armies, Aemond wanted her to be more. To stay as she was and rule by his side.

A marriage to him was better for her. But Naerys still had to think about her family, her brothers. She couldn't just leave them. It wasn't who she was.

But for once, didn't Naerys deserve to do something for herself? To make a choice that benefit her and her alone? Marrying him wouldn't kill anybody. She would have a chance at that power she had been denied. And maybe, just maybe, she would be happy.

When she wasn't stuck up in the North with a Lord.

She couldn't just fly into King's Landing, though. Naerys had to find the right time, the right time to do something for herself. In the meantime, she would focus on her brothers.

The worry started when Luke didn't return the next day. He should have; his flight to the Vale wouldn't have taken as long as Jace's did.

Of course, there was always the possibility that he'd been invited to stay at the Eyrie for a night. It wasn't cause for alarm just yet. Rhaenyra had the maesters send a raven, just to make sure everything was okay.

On the third day, Jace returned in the morning. He looked pretty exhausted when he walked into the council but seemed happy, which was a change from how Naerys had presented.

"Your Grace." He bowed his head and stood at the end of the table. "House Stark will declare for you, the true Queen. Lord Cregan commits his banners and armies to your cause. And..." Jace sent a look towards Naerys. She knew what he was going to say.

"...he has decided to accept your offer to betroth himself and Princess Naerys. He would like to meet her."

Rhaenyra seemed pleased with that. At least one of her offers had been successful. "Thank you, Prince Jace. You must rest."

Naerys gestured with her head to Jace and they left the hall together, so they could speak.

"It seems that you had a much better time than I," said Naerys the moment they were out of earshot.