Love and Loyalty - Aemond Targaryen

Chapter 6

Laenor had hugged Alyssa when he'd first heard the news of his sister's death.
There had been a time when she would sit on his knee and he would read Laena's letters aloud to her, telling her her all about the beautiful Velaryon lady who'd claimed the greatest dragon in the realm and her fierce rogue husband.
So, when the letter arrived that Laena had died, it seemed somewhat fitting that Alyssa was the first one to see her goodbrother cry.
But Laenor was not crying anymore.
He'd become cold.
Just like Rhaenyra.
Just like Laena and Harwin.
Except, unlike the crown Princess, Laenor was not strong in his silence. He was tearing apart at the seams.
Alyssa stood with her nephews. Little Lucerys held her hand tightly as Jace watched Laena's coffin with a grim expression.
He'd been uncharacteristically quiet recently.
They all knew that he was beginning to figure out his true situation.
His time away from court, away from everyone else, had only given the prince more time to think. To ponder over the accusations against him.
Alyssa placed a hand on his shoulder.
He looked up at her and gave an expression that was a strange mix of a frown and a nod at the same time.
Alyssa looked over at the rest of her family.
Queen Alicent looked suitably somber, her loyal guard standing just behind her.
Alyssa remembered the days when Criston Cole followed her sister around instead. She remembered playing with him and laughing when he picked her up.
The Knight barely looked at her anymore.
And when he looked at Rhaenyra, it was a look of pure disgust.
Helaena and Aegon were stood together. Alyssa assumed that meant the rumours were true. They were to be married.
Poor Helaena, she thought as she watched Aegon yawn and roll his eyes.
For a moment, she caught his glance. The Prince gave her a small wink and soon it was Alyssa's turn to roll her eyes.
That only served to make him snigger.
She didn't dare avert her gaze towards her father.
Viserys was more sickly than when last she'd seen him, but that wasn't why she couldn't stand to look at him.
It was everything he was.
Everything he wasn't.
Everything he represented.
Everything he hadn't been.
So, instead of delving into her many issues with her father, Alyssa turned her attention towards Aemond.
And she was a little stunned to find him already looking directly at her.
The Prince's stare was unrelenting, filled with annoyance, and Alyssa felt the weight of it choking her.
She looked away immediately, back towards Laena's coffin as it was pushed out into the deep.
“Alyssa will you–” Rhaenyra began.
“I will watch the boys, do not worry.”
“Thank you.” She smiled with a squeeze to her sister's arm.
As soon as Rhaenyra was gone, it took Jace only seconds to huff and kick the stone floor.
Luke sniffled.
“Jace, you'll ruin your shoes again if you keep doing that.” Alyssa chided, kneeling down to wipe the tears from the youngest's cheek.
Joffrey had been left at Dragonstone and so Luke was the child of the group.
The sweet boy had been rather upset all day though he'd never known Laena particularly well. They all knew it wasn't just about Laena, of course.
“It's going to be alright.” She said, hugging them both. “Trust your mother.”
Both boys locked eyes with something behind her and Alyssa turned to find Aemond.
She frowned, ruffling both her nephews' hair. “Your cousins have lost their mother. They could use friends in a moment like this.” She said.
Jacaerys looked about ready to say something to her but he took another look at Aemond and thought better of it, leading his brother away.
“You look well.” Alyssa said awkwardly, directing her attention back towards her brother.
“As do you.” He said. She was about to thank him when he continued. “Not dead or sick or mad with grief. It makes me wonder why you left without telling anyone when, clearly, there is nothing wrong with you.”
She shifted from one foot to the other. “I didn't think anyone would miss me.”
Yet more annoyance seemed to flood onto Aemond's face. “They didn't.”
“Oh. Well, that's good–”
“You could have told me you were leaving.”
“Aemond, I didn't think you would be interested in hearing about my comings and goings. I'm sorry.” She said gently. It did little to remove the sour look from his face. “I missed you.”
He rolled his eyes.
“I did! I'd forgotten how lonely I was before I had you to talk to.”
He folded his arms. “So I am marginally better than having no one? How touching.”
Despite the deadpan expression and sarcastic tone, Alyssa could swear that she saw the faintest hints of a smile twitching up the corners of his lips.
Both of them slowly lowered their gazes to the floor, awkwardly fidgeting as they each thought of something to say.
In the end, it was Aemond who won.
“I heard Vhagar was here.”
“As did I. She's so much bigger than Syrax and Seasmoke.”
They both kept looking at their shoes.
Aegon came strolling towards them, tossing an arm over his younger brother's shoulders. Aemond frowned up at him but the elder prince didn't seem to care.
“What are we talking abou?” He said, seeming wholly disinterested in the answer.
Alyssa looked at Aemond to supply an answer. And so he did. “Our sister was wishing you well on your betrothal.”
Aegon huffed, cutting a glance towards Helaena who was once again in her own little world. “Jealous?”
“How did you guess?” She replied flatly.
Aegon grinned, raising his cup of wine to his lips. “Well, if you ever see fit to return to King's Landing, I'm sure I can find some time for my favourite sister.”
As he walked away, on the hunt for more to drink, Alyssa looked back at Aemond. He was watching his brother with an agitated look upon his face.
“I should check on Jace and Luke.” She said after another long moment of silence. “Goodbye, Aemond.”
“Alyssa, wait.” He grabbed her arm, suddenly filled with urgency.
She looked back at him expectantly and the words seemed to wither and die upon his tongue.
“I–” He said, widened eyes staring right at her. “You should come home.”
She gave his hand a small squeeze, a pinched smile upon her lips. “the Red Keep was never much of a home to me, Aemond. But it was nice seeing you.”
He watched her leave, her pale hair blowing in the blustering wind behind her. Her black dress trailed on the stone floor.
As she reached them, she gave Lucerys a big hug which he heartily reciprocated, and began talking to Laena and Daemon's two daughters.
She didn't look back at him again.
He knew.
He'd been watching.