The Snow Princess - Aemond Targaryen

Forty Five

(TW: SEXUAL ASSAULT - Will not be explicitly described)

Aemond paced the room as the maester checked his wife. He was worried, and his expression was fearful as he paced and paced, looking at Alyarra every so often. She would smile back weakly as the maester assessed her body. The man hummed and turned to Aemond with a wide smile.

"Congratulations, your grace. The Lady Alyarra is expecting your second born." Aemond felt the world crash around him at the news the maester has spewed. He would have been ecstatic, if it were not for his rising suspicions about what Benjamin had done to his wife. How could Aemond ever know that the child was his? He would have to wait nine months to see it's features.

The maester left the room, leaving them alone. Alyarra gave Aemond a small smile as he moved to sit down next to her frame in their bed. She could tell by the look on his face that something was bothering him about this. "Does this make you unhappy? Baelon will get a sibling." Alyarra said with a small smile. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but perhaps a new baby could help heal their broken relationship.

"Not at all, my lovely. I am very much happy that Baelon will get to be a big brother." Aemond stated with a small smile, though Alyarra was not convinced. "Can I... if... if she is a girl... can we name her Catherryn?" She asked quietly, and Aemond felt his heart strain for his wife.

"Of course we will. She will be remembered through our daughter." Aemond agreed. Anything to see his wife happy once more. Alyarra smiled and leaned her head back, a small tear rolling down her cheek as she thought of her best friend.

"Aly... I... I have to ask you a question. I have to know because it is quite literally haunting my days." Aemond spoke quietly. How did he bring this up? How could he ask his wife if she had been raped? She clearly was not in her right mind when it happened, if it happened.

"What is it, Aemond?" She asked, sitting up slightly to get a better look at her husband. He looked like he had seen an actual ghost.

"W-When I was gone... I know you took a lot of poppy milk but I just, I need you to rack your brain. Did... Did Benjamin ever touch you? I need you to really think, to try to remember this. I know you swore nothing happen, but perhaps... ut is because you can not remember it..." He spoke almost in a whisper. Alyarra's face fell, and she shook her head frantically.

"No! He would never! I told you..." Alyarra trailed as she leaned her head against the headboard and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, and really tried to remember the nights she spent without Aemond. And she couldn't remember anything at all. "I can not remember the nights..." She mumbled, her fingertips trembling slightly as she thought of what Aemond had suggested. Could Benjamin have done that? Could he have raped her?

Could Benjamin have done something so vile to her? They were friends. He had always been respectful, and he always took care of her. Could it have happened? Alyarra felt slow tears roll down her cheeks as she looked to her husband with a frown on her face. It could not be. No. She refused to believe it.

"Aemond..." She shook her head. She did not remember. She could not remember. Her mind blanked when she tried to. "My love... I am right here." Aemond whispered, taking her hand and planting a soft kiss on her knuckles. The child could be Aemond's, they had sex plenty of times since war had started. But if his suspicions were right, then it could very well be Benjamin's.

"What if... what if you are right? What if he did something and this child..." She could not bear to say what the child would be. Instead she burst out crying, and Aemond pulled her into a tight hug to comfort her to the best of his abilities.