audacity || aemond targaryen

chapter 2: negotiations

ᕦ⁠⊙ ⁠۝ ⊙⁠ᕤ

"MAELINA STRABRON, LADY OF LOTHRAET!" it was the third time in the span of a few hours, that maelina's title and name were announced out loud, only that this time a lot more people were present. she walked towards the iron throne with confident steps and a straight spine, a polite smile painted on her lips. a small crowd of the court's most important members were gathered on both sides of the great hall. somehow maelina was not surprised to see the hand, ser otto hightower seated on the iron throne, his daughter, the queen consort, at his side. she had of course heard of the king's sickness, news of such things traveled fast, yet admittedly, she would not have immediately assumed it to be so bad that he would not be present at all.

as she glanced to the people on the sidelines, she received a smile from helaena, that she happily returned. it was only then that she took notice of the two princes towering next to their sister.

aegon was slightly slumped in his posture, though a straight spine probably would not have made him much taller. he had dark circles under his eyes and maelina found it quite amusing as she noticed a bruise under his left eye, the shape reminding her of a certain flying candleholder.

in contrast to his brother, aemond stood straight and tall, keeping a watchful eye on the lady of lothraet. his hair had gotten longer and it would be false to claim he was not quite handsome, but seeing his eyepatch filled maelina with a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that he still had to live with the aftermath of the fight, just as she did. finally she arrived in front of the iron throne and bowed her head.

"your grace. ser hightower." while alicent smiled slightly at the gesture, her father remained motionless in his seat.

"have you thought over the queen's proposal, my lady?", he asked finally, looking scarcely interested in the marriage business.

"i have, ser." she turned to the side slightly to make clear that she was speaking to the queen now, and not her father, "it is with the greatest honour, that i accept an engagement to prince aemond.", alicent looked as if she already wanted to respond but the young lady kept talking, "however, if i am to be betrothed and wedded to the prince, i wish to negotiate my conditions first."

this made ser hightower lean forward on the iron throne. in all honesty, maelina wished for nothing more than to gather up the skirts of her dress and flee the red keep and king's landing altogether, but it was too late to go back now, all eyes trained on her.

"very well then. we shall send for your father immediately to discuss the terms of your union." he already waved a maester to his side when maelina began to speak again.

"with all due respect ser hightower, i do not need my father, or any man to speak for me. or are you questioning my station as head of the strabron family and lady of lothraet? because i can assure you, i am perfectly capable of negotiating my own betrothal." the hand seemed aggravated at the girl's disrespect, but didn't get to protest as the queen began to speak in his stead.

"speak my lady, you seem to already have thought over your requirements." maelina gulped, afraid of upsetting the court, but kept up her brave façade.

"thank you, your grace.", she continued speaking with false confidence lacing her every word: "first and foremost, if i am to be married to prince aemond, noone will be permitted to force me to do anything against my will. i also want to keep my title, lands and status as head of the strabron family and my husband and i will visit my lands regularly." the queen raised an eyebrowat these first conditions, as did aemond himself, but gestured for the girl to continue.

"i also request to have my own chambers seperate from my husband, to retreat to whenever i wish." another nod, "once my husband and i have children, i will decide when and who they marry. i would love for your advice of course, your grace, but", she stole a short glance and helaena and her brother-husband at the sidelines, catching aegon's bored gaze, "i will be granted the final say in the matter of marriage. if i do not see fit for my children to marry yet, they will not. if i do not approve of the choice of betrothed, an engagement will not proceed." the hand started to raise from the throne and attempted to interrupt the redhead, but she was quicker to start speaking again. from the corner of her eyes she saw aemond raise his eyebrow again and watch for his mother's reaction to the lady's requests.