The Dragon in the North - Aemond Targaryen

14.

Vyara

I wake up confused.

Eddard will live. After sleeping on it I think my brain has processed it. I take a deep breath while I lie in bed and some anxiety leaves my chest. I did do the right thing, after all. I've saved Arya, I've helped saved the North. My brother won't die. Maybe I can try to live a normal life. What is normal to me? I don't remember.

What happens to me now? There's no point in even thinking about it. Yesterday when I was going to demand to go back to Winterfell, now what?

I sit up and look out of the window. I guess King's Landing is a nice change from the cold. I enjoy the sun on my face and not shivering constantly. It might be nice if I could do some normal things again, I could explore on Azar and spend time with Arya.

I finally let my mind think about Aemond yesterday. I cannot believe I let myself breakdown in front of him. I'm so embarrassed. But he was so sweet and I didn't expect it. Is sweet the right word? I should not have been cuddled up to Aemond, no matter how upset I was, but why did it feel so nice? I'm clearly lacking in male affection. Thinking about Aemond makes me nervous, I don't need that today. He said he would visit... I cringe. I don't want to face him yet. Anyway, it's completely inappropriate for me to allow him to be that close to me. I am a lady.

I finally stir and my servants come in with my breakfast. Everything isn't so bad. I tentatively try a weird looking bread. It's sweet and tastes of those strange berries I had yesterday, it's lovely. I surprise myself and eat the whole thing, even though it's only small, and some grapes. My stomach feels uncomfortably full.

I decide I need to visit Arya and Rickon today and tell them about Eddard, ensuring Arya knows her marriage will be dissolved. I should probably be ready for a visit from the prince, too...

I get up and bathe. I feel a bit more motivated to look nice and shrink thinking about how terrible I must have looked when I left Aemond's apartments yesterday, no doubt I had puffy eyes and messy hair. Was he really playing with my hair? I shiver and my stomach turns. I should at least try and look nice today.

I rummage in my clothes and find some more made with the meshed material. There is a beautiful light pink summer dress that would have exposed my collar bones and top of my chest. It has a beautiful intricate pattern woven into it with cloth of silver. Long sleeves and a long skirt, but is floaty for the King's Landing heat. I pick that for the day and sit down to get my hair braided up in the Targaryen fashion, with a few loose curls around my ears. The servants weave silver into my braids to match my dress. I even ask for makeup today as my eyes are still a little puffy.

I look in the mirror and even smile at myself for the first time in a while. Things aren't so bad. I ask my servants to find out where Arya is.

"My lady, she is in the queen's apartments," I smile and thank her, making my way down to the queen's chambers.

I am still feeling a bit wobbly about social interaction. The doormen introduce me to the room and I walk in, everyone smiling at me.

"Oh Vyara!" the Queen stands and everyone copies, I courtesy while she approaches, hugging me, "I'm so glad you're here my dear., sit with me a moment, will you please."

She leads me over to a private booth and sits down, I sit and the servants pour us some fruity tea the ladies enjoy here. I've never tried it but have been served it on multiple occasions, but that is when I wasn't eating. I sip it while they disappear and the queen looks pleasantly surprised.

She reaches her hand over to mine, "You have been told the news, I presume?"

I nod, "Aemond," shit, "the prince," I correct myself quickly and I see her raise her eyebrows very slightly, "told me yesterday, I can only imagine you had your hand in it, and I can't thank you enough your grace," I feel a bit teary, full of gratitude, my eyes water, she passes me a tissue and squeezes my hand.