The Prince and His Flower

F O R T Y - F I V E

Aemma sat on the cliffs overlooking the water with her legs crossed, inhaling the salty air as the grey skies turned. Her face was solemn and cold as she watched the waves crash over each other again and again.

Her mind traveled to when she and Aemond walked the beach outside the secret passageway for hours, talking and laughing. Aemma wondered what he was thinking, what he was doing. She wondered if he thought of her the way she was thinking of him, did he even care about her whereabouts? 

Their night together had been perfect, despite their earlier altercation. Aemma had dreamed of that night for months, and it had exceeded every expectation she had set. She questioned if Aemond knew of his family's plans that night, if he laid with her because he knew it was the last time. Aemma wished she had spent the time by her grandsire's side instead, comforting him in his last moments.

Aemma began to weep silently, her shoulders heaving as she buried her face in her disgusting hands. The past few days had been such a blur she did not have the chance to truly mourn her grandsire. 

"Princess?" Ser Erryk stood many paces away, not noticing her tears. Aemma turned slowly, wiping at her face. 

"Ser Erryk." Aemma turned back toward the sea. Ser Erryk cautiously sat down next to her, his legs dangling off the rocky cliff. 

"I'm sorry about the King. He was a good man." Ser Erryk said, trying to bring any form of comfort to the weeping girl next to him. 

"He was. He wanted nothing more than to see his family together again, at least he died believing that we were." Aemma said flatly. "I would live the rest of my life within the walls of the Red Keep, never to see the light of day again if it meant that my family did not have to go to war." 

"I know, and I must advise you not to do that. They hung anyone that still supported the Queen, Lord Beesbury was murdered by Ser Criston Cole in front of the entire small council, and another hung in the halls as a warning to anyone else. I cannot imagine what they would do to you if they had the chance." Ser Erryk removed his helm, setting it aside.

"One life to save many." Aemma uncrossed her legs and dangled them over the cliff as Ser Erryk did. 

"Your mother would burn down the entire Realm before seeing you harmed." Ser Erryk said. 

"My mother would have to understand that I am only one person, I stand to inherit nothing, my life in exchange for peace is a fair trade." Aemma shrugged.

"The King would wish for you to live rather than sacrifice yourself for the good of the Realm." Ser Erryk tried to convince the Princess.

"The King murdered his first wife for an heir, my namesake. He was a good man, but he put the Realm over anything." Aemma loved her grandsire, but she was not an idiot.

"Your father would-" Ser Erryk began.

"Do not speak of my father." Aemma cut him off. 

"Your father would wish for you to be alive." Ser Erryk continued anyway. "As do I."

Aemma said nothing, mulling over her conversation with Ser Erryk.

"Did they say anything about me?" Aemma asked.

"The Queen holds a great love for you, the Hand sees you as a means to an end. You are a valuable prisoner, and they think it would calm your mother down if you were married to Aemond and residing in Kings Landing." Ser Erryk answered honestly.

"Did Aegon truly want to usurp my mother?" Aemma asked.

"No, my brother and I went in search of him under orders of the Hand. We dragged him from his hiding place in the Sept of Baelor. He begged and begged for us to let him go, but Ser Criston and Prince Aemond intervened. While they were all engaged with each other, I left. I freed your grandmother, Princess Rhaenys, in hopes of her warning you all." Ser Erryk said, frowning as he thought of how willing his brother was to cut him down.