ELLIPSISM, aemond targaryen

[056] the wedding dress

WHEN BAELA TARGARYEN walked down the corridor of the Red Keep the next morning, it seemed to her that she was still asleep. Her eyes automatically closed every few seconds and her surroundings were a blur, she walked slowly and lazily, almost tripping over the skirt of her own dress. The gray sky outside the windows didn't help her tiredness either.

She let out something between a sigh and a yawn as she reached the door at the end of the hallway, placed her hand on the wood and pushed.

But the door didn't even move.

"Come on," Baela huffed tiredly and by tried again.

She pushed into the door again and again but stopped after a moment and looked at them thoughtfully before pulling them towards her. The door opened and Baela nervously looked over her shoulder and quickly slipped out, hoping no one had seen her.

When she closed the door behind her, a cold wind blew and she shivered from the cold and wrapped her arms around herself. Pursing her lips to hold back a curse, she quickly ran to the railing and looked down at the courtyard.

Criston Cole was known for forcing all the guards he was supposed to train to train at all hours and in all weathers, but he wasn't there this morning. In the center of the courtyard, instead of Cole and Aemond, Daemon Targaryen and Aemma Velaryon stood facing each other, and no one was watching them except Jace, Luke and Ben.

Baela started walking down the stairs, leaning her side against the wall to keep her balance and not have to lower her hands to grab onto the railing. Nobody didn't acknowledge her when she came and her eyes were immediately fixed on Aemma who was swinging her sword while slowly walking around the courtyard while Daemon was preparing his own sword.

"Aemma!" she called but Aemma did not even turn to her and continued to look thoughtfully at her surroundings.

Instead, Jace answered her, but he only turned to her briefly. "Not now, Baela. Aemma is about to kick Daemon's ass."

"Correction, she's going to try to do so," Daemon exclaimed, his eyes fixed on his sword, turning to Aemma after finishing the final adjustments. "Ready?"

Aemma, who had been looking around until now, looked kind of distracted and empty that day. It was as if she didn't notice anything that was happening around her except her own thoughts and didn't answer him for a while. It was only when she glanced at him and noticed his expectant expression that she frowned.

"What?" she asked before her face lit up with realization. "Oh, right! Yeah, sure, we can start."

She then walked into the center of the courtyard while brushing away the strand of her hair that had fallen out of her braid, her shirt blowing a little in the wind.

Daemon watched her thoughtfully. "You know we don't really have to fight, right?"

"Why wouldn't we?" she asked him, swinging her sword in her hand.

"It's just that you don't seem very concentrated."

"I am perfectly concentrated. It must be just you," Aemma retorted with neutral face.

"Wouldn't you rather have classic training and improve your technique?"

"There is nothing to improve on my technique," Aemma scoffed. "Stop talking and pick up your sword."

Daemon raised an eyebrow at her sharp tone but then just raised his hands in surrender as he walked over to her. "As you wish."

The two of them got into a fighting stance and Jace, Luke, Baela and Ben watched them expectantly while Daemon and Aemma looked at each other thoughtfully.