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𝐁𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐑𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 to her chambers within the castle walls on shaky legs she realized that in the time she had been gone Aemond had become aware of her disappearance and was waiting for her as soon as she pushed open their chamber door. Despite their disagreements earlier Aemond wasn't foolish enough to wish for harm to come to his wife and unborn child, and the sight of her he had to take in when she walked through the door made the man regret not realizing she had left sooner.
The sight of her tattered dress ripped from her chest to the center of her stomach. The bruise on her neck that was forming. Aemond had been standing by the fire, waiting for news of where his wife might have gone off to but he had seemed to have taken only two steps to get to her when he saw her in such distress. Rhaella wasn't crying or frantic, it was the kind of distress that scared him most, where she would shut down and make no sounds or even look in his direction.
Aemond cupped his wife's cheeks in his hands, tilting her face up to see her eyes were glazed over with tears. The distinct smell of dragon caught his nose, making him think she had been stopped by the men that would defile young women such as herself, the kind of men that made his nose turn up in disgust. The thought alone made him ready to find the man himself, he went to step back from her and grab his sword. He didn't have time to ask questions, he wanted to know who had hurt his wife in such a way.
Though he didn't get very far as her hand wrapped itself around his wrist refusing to let him go any further. Aemond's eye softened when he saw how fragile the girl looked as her eyes met his own. A lone tear fell down her cheek as she wrapped her arms around his middle. The events that had happened caused all previous anger towards Aemond to almost completely disappear. She needed him, wanted to feel a touch that made her feel safe, one that made sure no harm would come to her while he was there.
"Please, stay." Her usually confident voice was now small and quiet as she kept her head pressed to the center of his chest, his hand resting on the back of her head. "Don't leave."
Aemond swallowed thickly, running his hand through her disheveled hair, the silver strands that were once tight in braids now tangled and dirty. The cloak of his that she wore did little to hide what had happened to her.
"I'm not going anywhere." His lips pressed onto the top of her head. That was the truth, at least until she told him who had something to do with her appearance. "Qiloni gontan bisa?" The question immediately made her shake her head. She couldn't tell him, she knew what he would do once she did, and couldn't be the one to start the fight between the brothers. ( who did this )
Aemond brought his hands to cup her cheeks once more, pulling her face from his chest. Rhaella opened her eyes, feeling his thumbs wipe away the tears from her cheeks. The look in his eye, the look that told her he would not stop asking until she gave up a name. Aemond gently pulled the cloak off her body, wanting to see if she was going to hide any more of her injuries from him. Seeing none he brought his attention back to the bruise beginning to form on her neck, the shape of a hand. "I won't ask again."
That wasn't true he would. But it was a warning that if she didn't say a name he would find out himself.
Rhaella shook her head, hands shaking. "Aemond, I can't. It will do no good. For anyone."
Aemond's jaw clenched. Knowing the person she was protecting wasn't worth it. "It will do no good for anyone if you do not tell me right this moment, Rhaella."
Deep down Rhaella knew that her husband already had an idea of who would be brave enough to do this to her without fear of punishment. There was only one man in the world who would dare try.
"You know, Aemond." Rhaella whispered her hands cupping his wrists from where his hands were resting on her cheeks. His brows furrowed at her words, the wheels in his head turning at the indication that he already knew. "You've always known."
This wasn't the first time Aegon had been to visit her, it was only different this time because he had left enough evidence behind for Aemond to tell something had happened other than her going quiet and unable to speak. She thought if it was her, he wouldn't harm the innocent serving girls that he harmed each day.
Rhaella could slowly see the man in front of her piecing things together, betrayal swarming in his violet eye. Placing her hand on his cheek, feeling his body shake with anger. "He doesn't fear for the consequences of his actions, he never has, Aemond."
The anger surging through his body was enough to make him pull out of her grasp and throw his sword to the side. Killing his brother would be a mercy, a mercy he would not offer.
All Rhaella could do was watch with tired eyes as her husband slammed his fist on the table in anger before he turned and made his way toward their chamber door. When the realization of what he was going to do hit she went after him.
"Aemond." She went to grab his arm but he slipped through her grasp and threw the door open. She grew more concerned as the guards standing guard outside other chambers watched with curious eyes at the angered prince who went down the hall towards his brother's chambers with his wife frantically following behind, begging him to stop.
This isn't what Rhaella meant when she had told Aemond his brother didn't fear the consequences of his actions. She meant not for herself but for the countless other maidens he had touched and harmed far worse than he had done to her.
The guard standing outside Aegon's chambers protested when Aemond merely went past him and pushed his way into his brother's room with every intention of taking him to Vhagar.
Rhaella was confused when she didn't hear the sounds of Aegon's protest as she walked in behind Aemond but flinched when her husband kicked one of the chairs when he saw no sight of his brother. Running a hand over his face as he took a deep breath turning back to his wife who was standing straighter than before, trying to put on a brave face. He knew better.
Placing his hands on her arms he gently turned her, he was going to find Aegon but he wanted to know she was safe and had no chance of escaping from the safety of the Keep.
Aemond guided her back to their chambers, going through the already-opened door. "Stay here, my love." He ran his hand through her hair as he pulled her to his chest. "He will never touch you again." He felt her arms circle and tighten around his waist her lips pressing against his neck in a soft show of affection.
Pulling away he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before stepping back, Rhaella held onto his hand until he got too far and his fingers slipped from her grasp.
Aemond didn't turn back to look at her, the girl watching him until the door closed on her.
Rhaella ran her fingers through her hair, closing her eyes before they opened quickly to the sound of a lock being turned. Furrowing her brows she walked to the chamber door, wrapping her hand around the handle in an attempt to pull it open but to no avail. Anger surged through when she realized that Aemond had locked her in here. With no chance to say farewell to her family if he was not back soon.
That thought alone had her back pressed against the door, slowly sliding down against it to sit on the floor. Now she could only do one thing and that was to wait.
