The Snow Princess - Aemond Targaryen

Twenty

"I think we should talk in private, sister." Cregan told Alyarra as the girl stared in shock at the bloody and crying servant. It almost seemed like she was beaten on. Cregan approached his sister, grabbing her arm ever so slightly as if to guide her someplace. Aemond followed the pair, his eyes staring intently at Alyarra. He was confused. What had happened?

The knights of Winterfell walked behind the three of them protectively.

Cregan led Aemond and Alyarra into his own chambers, instructing his knights to stay guard at his door. Cregan took a deep calming breath as he shut the door to his chambers after himself.

"What was that, Cregan? Why were your knights in my apartments? Why was that maid drenched in blood? Why was she crying?" Alyarra asked hastily and rather wildly as Cregan shook his head in disbelief.

"Where were you? When I came to your room... When I couldn't find you... I though I lost you. I thought you were taken." Cregan Stark would breathe out, making Alyrra frown in confusion.

"Why would she be taken?" Aemond asked coldly as Cregan sighed, bringing his hand to his nose and rubbing it's bridge in stress.

"Alyarra... your room was broken into. Yesterday somehow, someway during the day four men slipped into your chambers. They... they watched you sleep. And..." Cregan couldn't even finish the sentence. Aemond wrapped his hand around his sword's handle tightly, fury running through each vein of his body.

"And then what?" Aemond growled in anger.

"You exited your chambers during the night and I assume you never came back. The young servant came in this morning... intending to get your tub ready with herbs like you liked it before you left for King's Landing. The men... they were waiting. They assumed she was you." Alyarra would gasp at the revelation and Aemond would grab the nearest object within his reach. A chair was flung across the room in anger by the prince.

"W-W-What? I-I... Did they hurt her? Is she alright?" Alyarra asked in concern for the poor girl. Clearly it had not yet dawned on her that she was the target in a presumpted murder attempt.

"Just a few scratches here and there... but they... they assaulted her. Stained her. The guards could only grab one of them... he was on top of her when they found her... the other three fled." Cregan's voice was low and in clear defeat.

Aemond was simply raging at the simple thought of these supposed men trying to hurt his future wife. He was bewildered by the idea, and appalled that they had even gotten into her chambers in the first place.

"How the FUCK did they even get into her chambers?! Where were your good for nothing guards?! Why the fuck do you have this fucking huge fortified castle if you can't keep criminals out?!" Aemond asked bewildered as he stalked towards Cregan, spatting into his face. Alyarra was taken aback by him, and Cregan was too.

"They must have slipped in when we left to welcome you in the fields whenever you arrived on dragonback." Cregan responded sternly, not fazed by the prince that was up in his face.

"Slipped in?! Slipped fucking in?! She could have been raped! She could have died! Do you understand the severity of it in your daft fucking head?!" Aemond asked, his voice dangerous and not at all tamed.

"I suggest you mind the way you speak to me, Prince Aemond. This is my land, and she is my sister." Cregan said, a certain menacing tone dripping from his tongue. Alyarra wasn't even listening to them, her mind was just reeling entirely.

They had broken in to hurt her. Somebody wanted to hurt her.

"I am the fucking prince. This is my land as much as it is yours... and she is my future wife. The future mother of my children! I will not mind the way I speak to you because I almost lost her because of you." Aemond growled at Cregan, making the Stark man angry at the accusation.