All You Had To Do Was Stay // Aemond Targaryen// Jacaerys Velaryon

72. Shameless

"Jacaerys." Rhaenyra warned through gritted teeth.

"How far mother? How far are you willing to go for a throne?"

+

Aranyani was in and out of consciousness for the next fortnight. Aemond and jace stayed with her every day. They scarcely left her side. They were actually getting along. Ara almost thought she was dreaming or dead when her eyes fluttered open only to see them bonding.

"My favorite boys getting along?" Ara rasped as she shifted in bed. "I must be dreaming." Aemond hugged her gently and she leaned into him. "I'm not dreaming right?" she needed clarification. 

"Not dreaming." Jace agreed hugging her. "How are you feeling?" 

"Like a dragon tried to fry us." Ara answered. "Am I... it doesnt hurt." Ara realized. "Not anymore." She turned her back to the mirror from the bed and lifted her shirt, not a single scar. 

"Must have been part of all those elemental training transformations you went through." Aemond offered kissing her temple. 

"It hurt, I thought I was burning up, I felt my skin being melted right off." Ara countered. 

"Oh, you looked like hell." Daeron agreed. "Like melted monster septas tell little children to behave." 

"I havent had to bury you in the courtyard in a while, Daeron." Ara offered calmly. "Lets not give the stone masons something to do to waste their morning." her emerald green eyes shifted up to Daeron, a small smile on her lips. 

"Missed you too, jerk." Daeron agreed. 

"I want to be mad at you." Alicent remarked. 

"Mama!" Ara declared reaching out for her. 

"You scared me, you need to get better so I can be mad at you for running away and almost dying." Alicent whimpered. 

"I'm sorry... I just... I had to see Jace." Ara admitted and a small smile appeared on Jace's face. 

"I told you auntie Ara would be fine." Helaena remarked as the twins ran in. "I told them you were like sleeping beauty and then Jaehaera declared-"

"True loves kiss, did you kiss you uncle Aem?" Jaehaera questioned. 

"I did. It worked." Aemond agreed and Jaeheara jumped up and down. 

"Can you do the butterfly thing?" Jaehaera promptly asked. 

"Auntie Ara, needs some more rest." Helaena corrected. 

"But she was sleeping for, forever." Jaehaerys countered. 

"It's tiring." Aegon agreed. "Waking up from a good nap makes me want to go back to sleep." Jaehaerys shook his head confused. "Welcome back, Petal." 

"Good to be back." Ara agreed. "What happened... after?" 

"Jace gave it to mother." Luke declared as he came in with Joffrey and Criston. "Like clean your act up woman! Who are you to hurt my Ara." Luke jumped on the bed falling into her. "It was great. You look a lot better." Luke remarked staring back at her. 

"Thanks Jace." Ara whispered as Luke hugged her. 

"I didnt say that exactly." Jace corrected. "But yeah."

"Hey sweetie." Criston whispered hugging her. "You had us all really worried." 

"I'm sorry Daddy." Ara said leaning into him. Criston let out a shaky breath as he held to her. 

"You want to hear what happened while you were taking your sleeping beauty nap?" Aegon pondered. 

Rhaenyra signed away her rights to the crown. 

She decided that she would stay at dragonstone ashamed of herself and what she did, how low she stooped. Jace was right, she lost who she was, she lost sight of what was really important. 

But Rhaenyra bowed before Aegon, begging forgiveness from them all. Rhaenyra deemed it herself, Aegon was the king and the rest of the reluctant houses bowed down as well. 

"Why didnt you wait for me?" Ara questioned. "I would have loved to see that." 

"Are you really okay Ara?" Helaena questioned. 

"Yeah... I had a talk with the mystic again after Daemon poisoned me." Ara remarked nonchalantly.

"What?" Criston demanded. 

"Daemon's dead. Ara went-" Luke stomped a foot down on the ground. "-and that was the end of daemon." 

"I'm immune to poison, poison is nature, I'm the goddess of nature." Ara reminded them. "But I had a talk with the mystic-"

"I dont think you ever told me about that." Jace remarked. "And your multiple near deaths."

"Well I can add this one to the ever growing list of near deaths." Ara agreed. 

"My heart cannot handle that." Aemond corrected.  Ara brought a hand to his cheek. 

"Thats right you were there for all of them." Ara whispered. 

"Bad luck charm." Aegon teased. Aemond swatted a hand at him. 

"I think the Mystic was me or part of me." Ara remarked. "She knew things, knew things no one else knew. About us." Ara added looking to Aemond. "I dont know but it just seemed like..." Ara shrugged. "She put me through hell to get back to all of you. To trust myself, my heart."

"I'm glad she did, about damn time you were picked on." Daeron teased. 

"Ara?" Jace questioned softly as he sat beside her. "Do you ever wonder what might have happened if I stayed?" Ara grabbed his hand. 

"Can't change the past, we can only focus on the present in hopes for a better future." Ara remarked. Jace smiled kissing her cheek. "But yeah, I used to." Ara agreed. "I'm glad I have you Jace."

"Best friends forever and ever and ever." Jace declared. "And more than friends if Aemond-"

"Shameless." Aegon chuckled out. 

"Aemond knows I'm teasing. We are good." Jace assured nodding to Aemond. 

"We are." Aemond agreed before kissing Ara. Ara blushed leaning into Aemond. 

"Since we are sharing happy news... Aranyani, I have, we have." Alicent corrected bringing a hand to her stomach as she looked to Criston. 

"You're pregnant!" Ara squealed out with delight. 

"Yes." Alicent agreed softly as Criston grabbed her hand. 

"Do you think she's gonna be magical like me?" Ara questioned excitedly. "That would be so wonderful! A mini me!" she declared as she jumped up hugging Criston and Alicent. 

"Gods, one Aranyani is enough." Daeron begged. 

They may have faltered but they always found a way back to each other.