Innocence// AEMOND TARGARYEN ✔️

Chapter Fifty-seven

Aemond carried Eirlys back to their chambers, with Lyra tightly clutching on to the hem of his shirt, following them.

Rhaenyra hadn't answered her about Jace, she insisted that the maesters tend to her new injuries first.

While Eirlys was having her open wounds stitched shut, Aemond was gently caressing his daughter's forehead to help her drift off to sleep.

It took a while of course, she was still rather jumpy after what she'd witnessed. She was not meant to be there, to be held by a sword at the neck, to watch her mother stab her dear uncle. She was far too young to witness all of this.

Aemond had her sleeping in their chambers that night. He did not want either of his girls out of his sight.

After the maester left, Aemond helped Eirlys change into a clean nightgown and carried her back to the bed, even though she insisted that she could very well walk on her own.

"Tell me what happened" he asked in a low voice, barely finding any strength to talk after the loss of his brother.

Him and Aegon had never been close, not even as children. And even though he knew he wouldn't have hesitated to deal with him the same way Eirlys did, it still left him feeling quiet empty and mournful.

Eirlys was starting to get a bit drowsy after a cup of milk of the poppy, but she managed to tell him how it led up to the moment he walked into the throne room, before the drink started to dull her senses and make her sleepy.

Aemond was taken aback by the words Aegon had spoken to her. Granted he was a complete arse toward him, Aegon had never treated Eirlys with even an ounce of disrespect, which even his mother had found surprising given her son's boisterous nature.

He felt conflicted about his death, part of him was heartbroken, part of him still angry.

Earlier whilst on his way to the throne room, he had run into Daemon and Rhaenyra who also were heading in the same direction. While Daemon still maintained his stoic demeanour, Rhaenyra was furiously wiping away tears.

"It's Jace, he was.." she'd told him as she walked beside Aemond, keeping her voice steady "he's gone"

He did not know why she would tell him this instead of Eirlys, his half-sister had barely ever spoken to him over the years.

He did not tell Eirlys, he wanted her to get some much needed rest. Besides, he was certain that her mother would want to be the one to tell her regarding the news of her brother.

Aemond spent the rest of the night sitting by the window, recalling how life once was within these very same walls before he too, dozed into a dreamless slumber.

Eirlys woke up early the next morning and found her daughter sleeping beside her peacefully. Aemond too was asleep at the little window seat, his head resting against the glass.

The sun wasn't even up yet, and Eirlys was doubtful if even the light of the brightest star would be able to drive away the darkness that had befallen over the castle.

She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't fall.

Perhaps part of her was still clinging on to the idea that maybe, just maybe Aegon wasn't dead. Maybe she hadn't driven her dagger through him. Maybe he hadn't given into the alcohol-induced madness.

She wished desperately that last night was a dream, a mere nightmare but the pain in her sides was an agonising reminder that it was all real.

Aegon was gone.

And she had killed him.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Eirlys crossed her arms over her chest as she pouted at the older boy "I remember your name day, and you forgot mine"