The Prince and His Flower

S I X T Y - F I V E

Aemma silently crawled into Helaena's bed, wrapping her arms around the small woman. Helaena flipped over so that she was facing Aemma and buried her face in her neck.

"I love you so much," Aemma pulled Helaena closer. 

"I love you too." Helaena's voice was muffled, and her breath tickled Aemma's neck. "Aegon loves you as well."

"Hel..." Aemma swallowed thickly. 

"No, it's a good thing." Helaena pulled away so she could speak freely. "He's good when he's with you. He's my brother, and I love him accordingly; I do not love him the way a wife loves her husband."

"I know." Aemma paused. "We-"

"I know." Helaena shrugged. "He left a few minutes before you came in. He apologized, and he told me that he loved me, as a sister. I'm glad he and I finally agree on something."

"I love my husband." Aemma wiped away her tears. "He loves me, he would kiss the ground I walk on, he would do anything for me." 

"He would. But he killed your brother." Helaena frowned. "And as a result, I lost my son, my sweet son." Helaena wiped away the tears that fell at the mention of Jaehaerys.

"Aegon usurped my mother's throne; we wouldn't have been there if the Hand hadn't been adamant about usurping my mother." Aemma frowned.

"You wouldn't have been there if your mother hadn't sent you there." Helaena looked into Aemma's eyes. She felt happy that there were no secrets between her and Aemma, and this was the most normal she had felt in a while.

"My mother gave us the shortest journey, she thought it was safer." Aemma shook her head, knowing Helaena wasn't intending to be mean, she just spoke rather bluntly at times.

"If it were me, with my children, I wouldn't have sent them at all." Helaena frowned. "But I do not know my sister as well as I used to, so I do not feel obligated to judge."

"Will you ever forgive Aemond?" Aemma asked.

"Will you?" Helaena answered.

"Sometimes when we are together, when he is sweet and charming and kind, I want to. When I came back from the Battle of the Burning Mill, I knew how he felt. The guilt, the pain, all of it. I wanted to forgive him there and then, but when the thought crossed my mind, all I could see was the way he ran at us with the blade in his hand." Aemma shut her eyes, recalling that night perfectly. "I remember the way Luke was brave enough to comfort me. He was always afraid, but he comforted me. I died that night, he brought me back to life. Now he's dead, and I am alive."

"Do you think the families of those soldiers will ever forgive you?" Helaena asked. "Or will they see the way your dragon rained down hellfire on them while you cut through their beloveds like butter?"

"No, they will never forgive me." Aemma wiped away her tears and frowned, knowing Helaena was right. "I understand how Aemond feels."

"Perhaps understanding can replace forgiveness." Helaena paused in thought. "Flowers grow out of dead trees."

"But the tree had to die to produce the flower," Aemma said.

"Everything dies, we both know that." Helaena smiled.

"Aemond will never forgive me." Aemma pointed out.

"Aemond would let you carve out his other eye if it made you smile. I think he will understand a momentary lapse in judgment better than anyone." Helaena pointed out.

Aemma knew he would, and that made her feel even worse. Aemond had loved her for years, he watched from afar when he had to, and he was always by her side. 

"Perhaps you should go to him," Helaena suggested.

"I don't want to leave you alone." Aemma grabbed Helaena's hands. 

"You can come back tomorrow... or later today, I mean." Helaena corrected herself. "Go to your husband."

Aemma kissed Helaena's cheek, wondering if she would have had a relationship like this with Visenya. She concluded that she wouldn't, for nothing could compare to the way Helaena and Aemma connected.

Aemma pushed open the door to Aemond's chambers. He was on his back in a peaceful sleep, his arm thrown over his face and his thin blanket bunched at his waist. He was shirtless, his naked chest rising and falling in even breaths. 

Aemma silently crawled into bed with her husband, pausing as he stirred. He lifted his arm to peer at Aemma, who rested her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry," Aemma whispered. "I did something and..."

"Then do not tell me." Aemond left his arm over his face, knowing his eyepatch was just out of reach. "If you do not wish for me to know."

"I have... Aegon and I..." Aemma swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Don't tell me, Aemma." Aemond pulled Aemma closer. He had always known it was a matter of time, and he had made his peace with it. Aegon and Aemma had always gravitated toward each other, they had a bond like no other. It only made sense in their grief they sought comfort in one another. Aemond was not angry, he couldn't describe the feeling that washed over him, but it wasn't anger. Sadness, perhaps, and regret.

"I'm sorry," Aemma whispered again. 

"Do you love him?" Aemond asked. His arm was still over his eyes, scared that if he looked down and Aemma said yes, he would break.

"I love you more." Aemma didn't know when she started crying, but she did. "I love you."

Aemond remained silent for a long time, the only sound filling Aemma's ears was the thundering of his heart.

"I am your wife," Aemma stated.

"You are my wife." Aemond agreed.

"As long as you'll have me." Aemma rested her hand on Aemond's chest, feeling the heat coming off his skin.

"Forever, then." Aemond pulled his arm away from his face to gaze upon Aemma's face, wet with tears. "Fuck him a thousand times if you please, only if you lay with me double."

"You... forgive me?" She asked.

"You never needed my forgiveness." Aemond wrapped a strong arm around Aemma. "When this war is said and done with, I will follow you anywhere you want to go. I'll follow you to the end."

"No." Aemma raised her head to look at Aemond. "It is my turn to follow you." Aemma knew Luke would be waiting for her, she hoped he wouldn't mind waiting a few extra years.