Tourney To Love | Aemond Targaryen and Eowyn Velaryon

A thousand curses

She didn't know where Aemond had disappeared too, obviously their room was empty except the maids and guards rushing to clean up after the terrible scenes. Eowyn was still week, her legs barely able to carry her as she walked the gardens. If anyone was to find her here, they would be haunted by the image, the princess covered in blood and dirt. She looked like she had climbed out of the depths of hell cursed to wander the realm of the living. The sound of steel against steel echoed the night air and when she peered over the wall to the training yard, she finally found him. The steps down to the yard were the trickiest, her legs shaking beneath her and threatening to collapse at any given moment. She stood behind him, watching him work out his frustrations before she finally found the courage to speak.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blurt it out like that." His back tensed and he dropped the sword, he turned to face her but couldn't help himself from rushing over to her when he saw the state, she was still in. His hands helped steady her, her blood-stained hands settling on his arms. "I wish you got to see him. To meet your son."

He sighed now, his forehead resting against her own. But his heart broke knowing that she had confirmed the babe to be Cregan's. That the babe most likely had his features and hair. "We will get him back. But right now, we need to get you cleaned up." He didn't give her a chance to argue, picking her up in his arms and carrying her back to their shared rooms. Thankfully the room had been emptied and cleaned and it was like nothing had even happened. Belladonna had even filled the tub. She must have known the princess needed it. He placed Eowyn back down onto her feet gently, helping to remove her once white night gown and holding out his arm so she could step into the tub. Once she settled beneath the warm water her body ached.

"All this time we were focused on the witches. On the children they were to have. When it was our son all along." She whispered, picking up one of the cloths and wetting it so she could clear away the dirt and blood staining her skin, only taking care over her stomach where her scarred flesh now sat. "I'm starting to think I may be cursed." This comment drew a small laugh from her husband, he quickly shook his head before he moved to sit behind her on the tiles so he could take over from her and help wash her.

"You have been through a lot, Eowyn. But you are not cursed, the only curse you have had to suffer is being married to me." He tried to make her smile, trying to lighten the mood but he knew she was already planning her next attack. "Before you go throwing yourself into danger, I have a small request. One I hope you might consider."

"You're my only sanity. You and the children." She admitted, already hating herself for knowing she would have to leave them yet again to go and find their youngest. Her head tilted to look back at him, his thumb gently brushing some dirt away from her hollowed cheeks. "What is your request?"

"Take a couple of days first. Let your body truly recover before you go searching for a fight. And then when you are fit, we will ride out together." She finally smiled at him now, but there were tears threatening to fall building up in her eyes. "But how do we explain our absence in the court?"

"Fuck the court. Where were they when I was fighting off ten armed warriors' seconds after giving birth. I don't owe them anything." The image genuinely tortured Aemond because he wasn't there, he had stupidly left for the hunt even though he knew something wasn't quite right with his wife. He could tell. "Lord Stark has offered his assistance too." She mumbled and Aemond nodded. Of course, he had. The loyal Cregan Stark. He hated how jealous it made him.

"What of the children the witches left here. They are definitely Targaryen's." He asked his wife curiously, an ashamed part of him just wished she would take them on as her own and forget about the son who was taken, but he knew that would never happen. "Do we keep them here?"