Ashes In The Castle ||| Aemond Targaryen

forty-one

"Were you denied as their witness?" Aegon gazed upon the squire who had seemed eager to volunteer for the task.

"No, my King. They allowed a witness for their consummation." Even saying the words brought back the images to his head. The Princess laid out on the bed.

Disappointment seemed to fill Aegon. He'd hoped they would say no and he could force them to have a witness. To know he'd gotten to them.

"And?" Aegon encouraged. Just because he was a witness didn't mean it happened.

"Their marriage was consummated, my King. Joyfully."

Joyfully.

The sick bastards had taken joy in the witness. Aegon was a bit disgruntled that his plan hadn't truly gone to fruition. But still, he hoped there was shame afterward.

"Good. I'm very glad my brother's marriage was successful."

***

Naerys woke in the morning in his arms. Her head on his chest, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. That was how she wished to wake every morning.

Things in her bedchamber had been left quite disgruntled. Clothes littered the floor, strewn about in odd places.

He was already awake. Running his hand along her arm. It was customary for the man to leave in the morning and be dressed in his own bedchamber. He would. But first, he would enjoy their morning.

Naerys leaned up to kiss him before she sat up and stretched. The handmaids would be in soon to help Naerys dress. They didn't need to see her a mess and naked in bed.

She slipped on one of her shifts, which she would inevitably, change, and received a kiss on the cheek from Aemond.

"I await your presence at breakfast."

With that, he left her bedchamber to be dressed in his own.

***

Naerys wore a lilac gown when she appeared for breakfast in their apartments. There was a whole array of fruits and meat laid out for them, wine and water to accompany it.

She wasn't an alcoholic. Naerys stuck to water. Unlike others in the Holdfast she knew would take to the wine they were offered.

Aemond had a mission that day, one he wouldn't tell Naerys about. He promised he would return later, to train with her in the Yard. But he had something he needed to do first.

There was trust between them. There had to be, with everything they'd gone through. So she kissed him farewell and parted from him. Her morning would consist of congratulations on her way down to see Aegon, to make sure he was safe and well.

Her next goal, since she was finally secured at Aemond's side, was to have him released and confined to chambers. Keeping him in the dungeons was only cruel. The boy had committed no crimes.

She was quick to escape the lords that wished to converse and only stopped for Corlys when he found her. They hugged and Naerys thanked him for his kind words. But she needed to see her brother.