Ashes In The Castle ||| Aemond Targaryen

forty-four

Lord Tully's army would march to King's Landing under the guise of peace and would arrive a day or so after Naerys and her escorts returned.

The ride back was positively dreadful and she did have to stop a few times to try and ease the soreness of her body. When they got back through the gates and were taken in carriages back to the Red Keep, Naerys was very happy.

Of course, before she could rest after her journey, she had to gather the small council and inform them of the success.

"Lord Kermit Tully has agreed to our offer of peace. He marches for the city at this moment and should arrive tomorrow. He should be greeted with honours and feasts, to assure him he made the correct decision." Naerys spoke as she sat back in her chair, happy to be sitting on something that wasn't galloping. "We must not act as though we have done him a favour."

They risked being perceived the wrong way if Lord Kermit was not received in the correct manner.

"Of course, Your Grace." The Lords agreed with her sentiment and spoke amongst themselves about the cost of feasts and planning hunts. Maybe even a tourney. But that should wait until the heir was born.

And then there was the topic of their coronation. The crown of Jaehaerys was gone, sold by Rhaenyra to buy passage on a ship. Aegon's crown had only been used to signify his legitimacy.

Naerys and Aemond would have new crowns, to signify the new era they would enter with two monarchs.

They would be coronated atop Rhaenys' hill. It would have been in the Dragonpit but the thing had been destroyed. Instead, the city would gather on the steps and around while Naerys and Aemond were crowned by the High Septon.

There was no one else left to challenge their claim, no war would be fought when they were crowned. Jaehaera was too young, no one wanted to put her on a throne she wasn't prepared for. Neither side could complain; they both had someone on the Throne.

Once that was discussed and set, the lords of the council had jobs to do to ensure it all took place. There was so much Naerys and Aemond had to be concerned with; the way Aegon left the Kingdom. It was their job to fix it.

Aemond offered to carry Naerys back to their royal apartments and she truly almost let him. She sucked it up, though, and walked with him through the Red Keep until they reached the Holdfast.

It was very hard to adjust to people bowing deeply to them all of the time. "Your Grace" was jarring to hear as well; she never knew people were referring to her.

She also realized they'd been moved. From the apartments meant for the heir to the ones meant for the King and Queen.

A very massive upgrade in terms of space and rooms. Everything had been cleared out from the previous occupants to prepare for Naerys and Aemond to inhabit them.

There was a bit of sourness to it, though. As Naerys would occupy the same rooms Helaena once had. She'd never had an issue with the girl; she didn't have a choice in anything and her child was beheaded in front of her.

Helaena hadn't deserved any of it. And the rooms she once walked were a very deep reminder of that to Naerys.

But that night, they had their first moment of true privacy since becoming King and Queen of the Kingdoms. Aemond doted on Naerys the moment she'd returned. He rubbed her shoulders for her, tried to make sure she was comfortable.