Born to Die

Chapter 14

A week had passed when Aemeryn received the first raven bearing the Targaryen seal. Jace watched as his sister's face fell, and the scroll was crumpled in her hand. She didn't know that Jace knew that she cried herself to sleep every night. She didn't know that Jace had almost barged in there multiple times to comfort her. Jace approached his sister almost like he was approaching a cornered animal. Aemeryn turned and watched Jace walk over to her.

"Why don't you read it?" Jace asked as he motioned to the crumpled scroll in her hand. Aemeryn looked down and stared at the paper. "It's from Aemond, isn't it?"

"More than likely." Aemeryn didn't recognize her own voice when she heard it. She popped the seal off and opened the scroll.

         Em,

I know you don't want to hear from me. In fact, you'll probably never read this if I work up the nerve to send it. I understand if you hate me, truly hate me now. Yet, I need to tell you how I feel. This isn't an attempt to earn your forgiveness or an attempt to get you back. Nights are empty without you by my side. Sometimes I think I see you in those moments between sleep and wakefulness. Aegon has put me on the small council. I'll try to let you know his plans as I know them. I want to right my wrong, little dove. Avy jorrāelan.

              - Aemond

Aemeryn quickly rolled the scroll back up and glanced at Jace. He was looking everywhere but her while she read the scroll. She cleared her throat, and he gave her his attention.

"Why did you let him go, Em?" Jace finally asked the question that had been bothering me since he watched Vhagar fly off with his mother. Daemon hadn't even mentioned it much to everyone's surprise.

"You wouldn't get it, Jace."

"Try me." Jace took Aemeryn's free hand in his own. Aemeryn took a deep breath as she tried to make it make sense to him.

"Losing Aemond twice has been hard enough. Losing him in death would kill me, Jace. You saw how I reacted to the news of Luke. Imagine if I lost Aemond the same day."

"You truly love him?"

"Unfortunately. Think of it like this, if Baela had killed me, would you be able to kill her?" Jace immediately shook his head and then frowned. "Just like Mother and Kepa wouldn't be able to kill each other."

"What did Aemond tell you happened?" Jace asked to try to make himself feel less uncomfortable by her words.

"Aegon killed Luke."

"Aegon? Why was Aegon there?" Aemeryn shrugged and sighed.

"The only people that know what happened are Aemond, Aegon, Luke, and Lord Baratheon. Aemond already told me his version of events." Jace and Aemeryn began walking back to the throne room to join Rhaenyra and Daemon.

Rhaenyra held a scroll in her own hand similar to the one Aemeryn held and looked at her children as they entered. Daemon kept his gaze away from Aemeryn. She had noticed that he wouldn't meet her eye since she came back home, and she wasn't sure why. He still hadn't apologized for his behavior when she came home, and she was pretty sure he never would.

"Aegon forced Highgarden to join his cause," Rhaenyra said as she tossed the paper to the side.

"How? They said they wanted to remain neutral when I went there."

"With the threat to burn them all," Daemon said as he finally turned to look at Aemeryn and Jace. "Aegon is losing his fucking mind on that throne. That usurper cunt should never have been crowned king."

Aemeryn received another letter the following week. Once again, she fought with herself on whether she would open it or not. In the end, her curiosity and missing Aemond won out.