Born to Die

Chapter 9

Aemond stared at Aemeryn silently from where he was laying on the bed. She was frowning as she closed the door slightly harder than she meant to.

"What happened?"

"We leave in a few days. Never dress me in anything green again, Aemond." Aemeryn scowled as she tore the dress from her body in disgust. She could imagine what her parents were currently thinking on Dragonstone. "They will label me a traitor."

Aemond stood and walked over to her. He placed his finger under her chin and forced her to look at him. "If they brand you a traitor, then they are far more stupid than I gave them credit for."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Aemeryn asked as she glanced down. "Gods, Aemond, put on some clothes." Aemond smirked as red colored her cheeks at seeing him before her completely nude.

"It's nothing you've never seen before, lady wife."

"It looks like a limp noodle," Aemeryn said with a chuckle before glancing back up at his face. Aemond's mouth had popped open slightly at her words.

"Now you've done it," Aemond muttered as he picked her up. Aemeryn let out a shriek as she kicked to be let down. He smirked as he tossed her on the bed. Aemeryn bounced slightly before she tried to get away.

Aemond simply grabbed her ankle and pulled her back across the bed to him. He crawled on top of her and sat on her hips.

"Aemond Targaryen, what are you-?" Aemeryn couldn't finish her question before Aemond was tickling her sides mercilessly. "No!" She cried as she began to laugh and fight off his hands.

He smiled and continued to tickle her. She thrashed under him and kicked her feet while prying at his hands, but it didn't do any good. Aemond was having too much fun tickling her, and she needed to laugh for once.

"Aemond, please," Aemeryn begged as tears began to leak from her eyes. She felt Aemond move his hands and place them by both sides of her head. She opened her eyes and blinked into his intense violet stare. His eyepatch was off, and his sapphire shone by the light in the fireplace.

"You look like a limp noodle," he whispered as he ran his nose down her own. "You're not a traitor. You're going to them the moment you can."

"They're going to question why you are with me."

"Because I'm your husband?" Aemeryn rolled her eyes and smacked at his chest.

"This is going to have consequences, Aemond. I fear no matter the choice we make, something terrible will happen."

Aemond stayed silent as he stared down at his wife. He wasn't sure if these were normal worries for her, or if Helaena's words had affected her that much. He did know that if she wanted to talk about it with him, then she would.

Aemeryn and Aemond left for Dragonstone two days later. Aemond flew below Aemeryn to catch her on the off chance she fell off the giant beast that was Vermithor. Aemeryn smiled and let her head fall back as they soared over the ocean. Flying was possibly Aemeryn's favorite thing in the world to do. She never felt quite as free as she did when Vermithor took to the skies with her.

Aemond, on the other hand, was going to have a heart attack watching Aemeryn on dragon back. Vhagar might have been the biggest dragon currently alive, but Vermithor wasn't far behind her. He kept his eye on the dragon above him in case he saw a small body go flying off the side. Logically, he knew that Aemeryn was a decent rider and that Vermithor wouldn't harm her, but that didn't stop the building panic in his throat.

Aemeryn circled the island and frowned when she saw her entire family gathered on the cliffside by a burning pyre. She landed Vermithor slightly behind her family and ran over to them. Luke and Jace grabbed her before she reached her parents, and she frowned.