The Grey Wolf & The Golden Dragon | Aegon Targaryen II

Painful Revelations

Aemond

His clothes had dried during the flight but, as he made his way through King's Landing in the dim light of the morning, Aemond still felt so cold he found himself shivering. Perhaps it wasn't cold, perhaps it was shock that had settled deep in his bones and shaken him to his core. Once inside the Red Keep, the prince quickened his pace, intent on making it to his destination quickly.

"That was a short trip, then?" his mother greeted, clearly on her way to the Royal Sept for morning prayer. "Aemond?" He didn't bother to answer, sidestepping Alicent and continuing on without so much as a second glance. "Aemond!"

Elin... He needed Elin. It was all her fault; she had sent him to Storm's End with his heart in pieces and Aemond needed her to know what she'd done. No... No, that wasn't it at all. Perhaps the prince just needed to feel her arms around him; to wrap himself in the familiar comfort of her scent.

Darkness greeted him as he flung open the door to her chambers, finding the rooms vacant. Where the fuck-No... She couldn't be... But she was. Aemond found Elin curled up in his bed, her face buried in his pillow; an arm reaching out as though she were seeking something. The sight brought him to his knees, the pain in his chest only increasing as he thought of how angry he'd been with her before.

Aemond had been so certain she didn't want him; that she'd never wanted him... And yet, there she was, asleep in his bed as if he'd never left.

Of course... Elin was the most selfless person he'd ever met. Of course, she'd sacrifice her own happiness for Alysanne... He'd been so fucking blind not to see it. Until he reached for her, Aemond hadn't realized just how cold he was. Her skin burned beneath his fingers as he stroked them affectionately along the side of her face. The moment he touched her, Elin shifted, her eyelids fluttering open.

"Aemond?" Her voice was thick with sleep as she peered at him in the dim light, confusion written on her expression. Even in the low light, he could see her eyes were bloodshot, as though she'd cried herself to sleep. The sound of his name on her lips soothed the turmoil that had been raging inside him since the moment he'd left. "You're back already? I thought—"

"I know what you thought, you stupid, sweet girl," he replied, his words more scathing than he intended. Before she could react, he was wrapping his arms around her waist; burying his face in the warmth of her chest. "Why, El?" he begged, clenching his jaw and swallowing back the emotions that threatened to spill from inside him. 

"Aemond, I—" Her words failed her, and Elin let out a heavy sigh, encasing him in her embrace. Neither spoke, instead, Aemond listened to the warm, steady beating of her heart, desperately clinging to the wish that they could remain there in the safety of his rooms for an eternity.

"I fucked up, El. I fucked everything up."

"Shh..." Elin's hand stroked over his hair, her embrace soothing him. "It's alright..."

"No, it's not alright. We're completely fucked and—" Elin lifted his chin until he could look into her eyes; deep pools of blue swallowing him whole.

"What do you need, Aemond?" she whispered earnestly.

"You... Just you..." he breathed, tightening his hold on her midsection.

"You have me." Elin replied, "Always..." The walls he'd been trying to build around his heart since his departure crumbled as he took hold of her, kissing her with desperation. Gods, she made him weak, but perhaps he didn't care any longer. Perhaps he could be alright with being weak, as long as it meant he could keep her.

As he tore at her nightgown, she hurriedly opened the clasps of his coat, ripping off his tunic and stroking her hands down his bare chest. "Aemond..." She whimpered his name with a sadness he had not heard from her in more than a year, the sound making his heart stop. Gods, he hated seeing her hurt.