Vaera Targaryen, the Dragon Bound

Freedom

Just as Vaera feared, the court had started gossiping, the preferred topics seemed to be whether it was only an attraction from Aemond's part or if it was reciprocated; but her trusted Runa had also been able to listen in to some more private interactions between other court ladies and maids and had told her that some believed that Vaera and Aemond had been sleeping together for the past couple of years already and that the Prince was now fed up of waiting and wanted to marry her.

Both, in part, were true but what troubled most Vaera and would leave her awake at night was knowing what the Hand had wanted with Aemond at the end of the banquet the night of her birthday.

Aemond told her he had been questioned about the motive of his gesture and that his grandfather almost seemed to be in agreement with Aemond's love for her. She could not help but think Otto Hightower wanted to use her in his political schemes and she regretted not knowing the extent of those.

Vaera put back on her earrings and then looked down, a shirtless Aemond was knelt before her, with his hands around her calf, securing her dagger back onto her leg. She stared at him, at his long blonde hair falling over his face and behind his back, at his toned back and torso and for a second she wished they could have repeated the moments they had just shared but she had to go.

He looked up at her when he was done with the dagger, with a gaze that would have made even the strictest and sternest of septas blush. He then looked right in front of him and placed one hand on her pelvis and with the other he spread her legs slightly before leaning in with his head and kissing the source that had provided him with many of his pleasures but Vaera stopped him before he could start doing anything else; she closed her legs tight together and grabbed his face with her left hand so that he would look at her, "Don't go" he begged her, "I want you" he added eagerly, "Again?" she asked incredulous, "Yes, again" he stated standing up, he grabbed her by her back and he kissed her fervently.

She was being dragged by his enthusiasm but she couldn't let him win again. She stopped him and said, "I already gave in before, I'm late. I need to get to the Dragonpit" she reminded him, "Gave in?" he mocked her, "I thought you liked what I did before" he said smirking, she blushed again, she did not want to answer that, "Did you?" he urged her with a cheeky smirk, she chuckled, "I could do it again – now, just let me lay you –'' he said trying to pick her up but she stopped him, firmly this time. "Aemond, I must go. I should have been on Vermithor by now" she said chuckling with a hint of a vehement tone, he hummed, turned around and handed her dress back to her.

"When will you be back?" he asked as he watched her put her clothes back on, "Slightly later. Like every other time there's a birthday to celebrate. The last time I went the boys said Rhaenyra was planning a feast" she reminded him, "Yes, do say hello to my nephews for me" he said sarcastically, "Aemond ..." she said annoyed, "What?" he asked calmly, "You perfectly know what" she argued, "Those three are bastards and have more right than me and Aegon to the throne in father's eyes and that doesn't bother you?" he retorted, "They are not bastards" she said firmly, he snorted, "The fact that lord Strong took my eye doesn't bother you?" he continued heatedly, Vaera chuckled hopeless and upset, "Lord Larys took your eye?" she said perfectly knowing who he meant instead, "Lucaerys" he hissed. Vaera snorted, "My Velaryon nephews and my cousins all told me what happened that night, Aemond" she said fiercely.

Aemond had never asked her whether she knew what truly happened or whether she only ever knew about him insulting them.

"They told me you all attacked each other, you even hurt Baela and Rhaena. You wanted to crush Lucaerys with a stone and kill him, you said they would have died burning like their father, adding to the insult because they are Velaryons" she said with her composed rage and fire.