The Dance Of Sapphires

15 - Kisses Of The Tide

We walked to the bay silently, both blushing and both thinking of the same thing, wet bodies in the sea, tender hands and soft, pink lips. The tide was clam that afternoon and was perfect for swimming and resting by the beach. I took a book and a blanket to lay on the sand. Ser Westerling was accompanying us and making the whole travel even more uncomfortable.

Aemond helped me to get down some cliffs by holding my hand and waist which was also weird, but in a good way, in a way that I wanted him to keep his hands there and by the look in his eye, he wanted to keep his hand there too. Once we got to the beach, I laid the blanket down and put my book on top of it, I took of my accessories and my dress, so I was left with a soft and thin underdress. Marketti was right, he will see more than he should, although he was the man I will marry, so it didn't really matter, he will see it all sooner, than later. He did the same and waited for me to be finished in an undershirt and his pants. Ser Westerling stayed close by, but still quite far away.

"Can you help me with my necklace?" I asked quietly. "Of course." Aemond sighed and walked over. I turned around and he brought his cold hands to my warm neck. He unclasped my necklace, that he gifted to me and set it down next to the rest of my jewelry. Then came my braids, Aemond's favourite part, of course I didn't know that, but judging by the way he always stared at me when I undid my complicated braids and allowed my wild curls to run free in the wind. He adored it, I was sure of it. And just like I thought, his heavy gaze never left my hair, as I tried to untangle and brush them through with my fingers.

Although I liked when he watched me do simple things, like braiding my hair, or putting on my jewelry, he watched such simple acts with the most adoration a man can, it comforted me. Even with a one very intense eye, his gaze was the most welcoming to me, it was one the few intense gazes I didn't falter or quiver at, his gaze held me and hugged me through the air and that was the most he could do, considering that it would be inappropriate.

We rushed to the water and I held my breath in from the coldness, the day was pretty, however it was still spring and the water wasn't that warm. Though it seemed it didn't have any effect on Aemond, for he seemed just fine, or he was faking it, acting like the knight he usually pretended to be. I swam on my back, like I always did, it was the most relaxing to me, of course my hair got wet, but I felt as a water nymph floating on my back. I used to swim like this ever since I was a child, because it made me feel like I was flying and until I bonded with Bloodsmoke that was the closest feeling I got to being completely free in the skies, and I guess it stuck around to even now.

I once again felt my betrothed staring, but I didn't mind, I actually preferred it. But it felt strange, he wanted to say something, so without looking up, I asked "What are you thinking about?" "Nothing..." I straightened myself and stood on the warm sand while the waves crashed on me like I was an old cliff, standing there for hundreds of years. "Come on, what is it? You know you can tell me anything." I walked closer to him, so we stood face to face, he was taller than me, so he had to look up and he had to look down.

"You just... look beautiful." He said quietly and blushed. I blushed too. "Thank you, Aemond. Not too bad yourself." And then I splashed water on him, for being so silly and making me frustrated.

We swam around a bit longer and then decided to get dry and lay on the blanket reading. He didn't bring a book, so he looked a bit bored staring at the sea, while I enjoyed my book about a slave from Meereen that was bought and made a warrior by a westeros lord, later he fell in love with that lords daughter and she fell in love with him. Their love was so strong that they were planning to run away to the free cities and get married, however the lord found out about their love, he was so furious about the slave's ungratefulness and his daughter's disobedience, that he burned the man alive and made his daughter watch.