Innocence// AEMOND TARGARYEN ✔️

Chapter Seventeen

Their calm patrolling of the skies lasted only about a few minutes.

Aemond had suddenly found amusement in having Vhagar fly directly in front of Ember, making it quiet difficult for the dragon to surpass him.

Eirlys, out of frustration, had Ember circle the other way to fly in the opposite direction but Aemond wasn't going to make this easy.

This resulted in a playful game of each dragon trying to overtake the other.

Vhagar was large and made it rather difficult to swerve around but Ember was comparatively smaller and thus more agile. As long as Eirlys flew him ahead of Vhagar, she could easily avoid getting obstructed.

Eirlys watched in amusement as Aemond still tried his best to overtake them but Vhagar wasn't as fast as Ember.

The princess didn't wish to admit it, but she was genuinely enjoying his company after such a long period of constantly avoiding him.

Once the sun began to dip beyond the horizon, both the royals made their descent and put a halt to their fun.

As soon as Eirlys dismounted Ember, she headed straight back, still keeping her pace slow so that Aemond might still catch up to her.

He of course followed the princess but kept a good distance between them, unsure if she even wanted to speak to him.

He was certain that he was enjoying herself with his company after their ride together on dragon back. He felt something in his chest flutter when he heard her laugh after weeks of gaining only silence from her for the most part.

Thought his moment of joy and hope seized immediately when he saw her urgency to dismount Ember and quickly walk away.

By the time they neared Eirlys' chambers he couldn't stay silent any longer, weeks of anticipation and unrest compelled him to finally voice his thoughts.

His long strides transitioned into a jog until he was only a few inches away from Eirlys. He gently grabbed her by the wrist, making her stop in her tracks.

Eirlys silently looked at him, allowing him to speak.

"How much longer?" He asked sadly, taking a step forward so that he was now standing in front of her, entrapping her between himself and the wall.

Eirlys didn't have to ask what he was talking about.

She knew.

And she too wondered,

How much longer?

How much longer would this pain last? The feeling of betrayal, jealousy. The feeling of being potentially nothing more than the second choice; her not being the woman he turned to while having concerns about intimacy. How he preferred a common whore, a stranger over herself, his betrothed.

How much longer would it be before the chains of her own emotions finally let her loose so that they might rekindle whatever they once had before it was lost forever.

Aemond loomed over her, his gaze softened while he patiently awaited for a response, longing for her to say something that would assure him that she still cared for him.

Eirlys didn't know what to say, she wanted to say she still felt for him, perhaps even loved him but she needed some confirmation, a final push.

She looked up at Aemond, noticing how close they both stood.

As much as Aemond craved for a response that would assure him of her feelings for her, she too longed for a similar show of confirmation.

"Eirlys?" He tried again, the concern in his voice quiet evident.

"Aemond I..." her words all got muddle up as she struggled to think of what to say. She sighed in annoyance as she rested her palms on his chest.

"Yes?" He asked after a long pause followed, gently resting his hands on her hips.

The princess looked up at him once again, her gaze flickered from his lips to his eye.

Kiss me Eirlys mentally begged.

Tell me to kiss you Aemond inwardly pleaded.

Eirlys noticed him too, momentarily stare at her lips as he hesitantly leaned forward but didn't proceed to close the gap.

"Why'd you stop" she breathed out, almost a whisper.

"So that you may continue" he answered in a low raspy voice.

Eirlys went on her toes just as soon as Aemond cupped her face with his right hand. She gently kissed him, entrapping his bottom lip with hers.

"I hate you" she mumbled into the kiss as she slid her hands up and around his neck.

"Mmh, I know" the prince murmured as he moved his lips against hers while pushing her softly against the wall "I'm sorry mmh- truly"

"I'm still upset" Eirlys pulled him closer, a complete contrast to her words.

"I'm still yours" he reminded, ever so slightly fisting her garment.

Aemond swiped his tongue on her bottom lip before he gently bit down on it, unconsciously pushing his knee in between her legs and eliciting a low moan from the princess.

Eirlys felt a sudden jab in between them while their bodies were pressed up against each other.

Aemond quickly pulled away as he felt himself harden.

"I'll see you before supper" he quickly informed before walking away in a haste to avoid Eirlys seeing the bulge in his pants.

He mentally scolded himself for managing to ruin an innocent kiss by letting his thoughts run riot and think of something so lewd that it made him hard.

Aemond desperately wished that she hadn't felt him through his pants but he knew the chances of that were slim since he was basically pulling her into him as if he was afraid that she'd leave if he let go.

Eirlys stood in the hallway, chest heaving as a result of her being breathless from the kiss they just shared.

Her thoughts lingered on one particular moment of Aemond's knee applying pressure at her core that made her moan at the sensation as if it were a natural reflex.

It was something she'd never felt before and something that now puzzled her.

She took a deep breath, as she tore her gaze away from Aemond, who'd just rounded the far end of the corridor to go back to his own quarters.

She clutched the cloak draped around her before pushing open her own doors and headed inside to change.