Undisclosed Desires

Chapter 43

Jarrett

Visenya didn't need to look at Aemond to sense the rage simmering beneath the surface as the others cheered, as she waited for the next set of opponents, gently taking Aemond's hand in hers. "He has my favor for this tournament, but you have me for the rest of our lives," she said to him softly, her violet eyes pleading with him not to be cross. Usually Visenya didn't care if there was a quarrel, often quarreling herself with her brothers as siblings did – but she knew when it came to her brothers and her uncles that it was a bloody affair, something she didn't want during the celebrations as it could upset her Grandsire when he was already fragile.

She watched him refill his cup, sensing he was washing his irritation away. "Aemond," she murmured softly to get his attention, her eyes meeting his as she placed an affectionate hand on his cheek, running her thumb across his cheek gently. "I'm yours," she told him softly, struggling with the words mentally – but she would do what she could to keep the peace. Her mother had drummed into her that this betrothal was meant to keep the peace, she had been used as a pawn after Aemond had lost his eye – if Alicent couldn't have Luke's eye, she would have Rhaenyra's only daughter. Daemon would have happily refused and let chaos ensue, but Rhaenyra thought differently.

Aegon had been most displeased with Visenya's distraction, turning his attention back to his cups when he knew he wasn't going to get an outburst from his brother. Viserys watched the young couple, happily praising how lovely they looked together as Visenya murmured and whispered to Aemond. "Such a blessed match," he nodded in approval. "Are you quite happy?" he asked them.

Visenya paused as she looked at her Grandsire, seeing how pleased he looked at his son and his granddaughter. "Yes Grandsire," she said softly, her hand holding Aemond's with a gently squeeze. "My unc-," she paused, stopping herself for a few moments. "Aemond has been very sweet to me," she said with a nod, watching Alicent smile and nod in approval as she spoke.

"He's been very sweet on your for some time, Visenya. The King and I hope to see many silver haired babes running around the Keep soon," she smiled at them, ignoring Visenya's grimace as her mother agreed with Alicent.

As the tournament drew to a close, Visenya was thrilled that her father, brother and cousin had all won in one heat or another. When they had had joined them afterwards, Daemon had handed his own golden dragon to Visenya. "For my own little dragon," he said fondly as he nodded to her.

Jace had barely registered that Aemond was with his sister as he approached them, Visenya and Jace suddenly animated at his win as Visenya hugged him, squealing when he swung her around playfully. "Did you see, sister? Your favour helped me win!" he grinned.

"I hardly think it was my favour, Jace – it was clearly skill," she smiled before there was a strange uneasiness as she fell back to Aemond's side, which caused a flicker of displeasure to fall over Jace's face as he straightened himself to stare at Aemond, as though the one-eyed Prince were keeping his sister from him. "Jace..." Visenya said gently. "You should show your prize to mother, she'll be most pleased..." she tried her hardest to steer Jace away, sighing when she realized Luke had joined his brother to flank him should he need it.

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Harwin had wanted to take care of his wife properly, to him it wouldn't have felt right bedding her on her twelfth, he had wanted her to mature and feel ready for him. He knew he was not exactly small, and he did fear that he would break her somehow – despite maesters trying to assure him it wasn't possible. He knew of his wife's pain whenever he looked at Jace – all of his sons looked similar to him, there was a running joke that Harwin Strong could only produce strong boys who looked like him, a joke that he knew would pain his wife.

"Careful my love," he murmured as she squeezed his thigh tighter. "I may not be able to control myself if your grip gets any higher," he smirked, his tone husky as his eyes swept over her in that way they did when he was teasing, but most certainly undressing her with his eyes. Admittedly, had there been a table to cover them, her would have thought nothing of hiking Rila's skirt up and toying with her whilst she had to maintain her silence. There had been many a feast where he had his fingers deep inside his wife where he would offer her a smirk and a raised eyebrow as though he had no idea what he was doing to her.

Harwin was incredibly proud of Alecor, knowing his son was representing them well. He knew that they had approached his mother on the rumours of his cousins and their parentage. He had always tried to keep a divide between Rhaenyra's son's and his own son's with Rila, knowing it could lead to difficulty – but as Visenya had grown older it had proven difficult as the young girl had a way of making friends with anyone. He supposed they couldn't keep them apart forever, but he knew Jace's birth had pained his wife, and the fact that his three sons with her sister, and their two sons had all been born so close together had proven to be difficult. Harwin didn't like to say he had loved both sister's equally at a time, but he had an affinity for Targaryen women it seemed. Now he could no longer use that excuse, which he knew was a poor one at that. He hadn't had relations with Rhaenyra in a very long time, even if they sometimes shared looks – for Harwin it was not worth his wife's happiness.

He watched Rila's eyes rake over Jace and Visenya, and then over to Aemond and Aegon. He watched carefully as his niece returned to her seat, how she gently tried to placate her betrothed. In moments like that he saw a mixture of her mother and her aunt, doing her duty to protect her family, but also the tenderness his wife often offered him whenever he needed placating. "It would not surprise me if Visenya throttles Aegon before the month end," he murmured. They were used to Aegon's proclivities and ways, however he was aware that the girl had Daemon's temper simmering within her – having witnessed it first hand after she had argued with Rhaenyra when they first arrived.

When he heard Rila's words on filling her, he chuckled a little. "Aren't we lucky I have large hands and other things to cover and fill that noisy mouth with, hm?" he hummed playfully as he softened when she mentioned their son. "You honor me," he murmured lovingly, placing a gentle kiss on her temple.

Following the tournament, when they greeted their son and the other victors, Harwin was beaming with pride as he patted his son on the back, watching him with a grin. "You did so well, my boy. Your mother and I are incredibly proud," he nodded, having taken Daerys back, he held the babe to her brother so she could give a half dribbly congratulatory kiss.

"He did indeed, do so well," Harwin flicked his eyes over to Daemon who was heading in their direction from Visenya. "I wanted to thank my sweet niece for her token, to help me win," Daemon smirked a little.

"You did finely, my Prince," Harwin tried to fix his feelings as he nodded to Daemon respectfully, his arm pulling Rila a little tighter to him, trying to ignore his irritation as Daemon began to fuss over Daerys.

"Perhaps I could take the little one out on dragon back later, to celebrate? Visenya and Aemond are already planning to go for a ride," Daemon suggested as he glanced at Rila.

"No." Harwin replied sharply, causing even the babe to look up at her father at his tone.