Violent Delights (House of the Dragon- Aemond fanfic, Ewan Mitchell fanfic)

Chapter 36

Chap 36

Episode 8 part 2

Morning came as it always did, the sky lightened and sunlight streamed in through the windows. Aemond was barely awake, the sound of the birds outside keeping him from falling back into slumber. His face was half buried in his pillow as he tried to avoid the sunlight. A creaking of his door opening alerted him to someone entering unannounced and uninvited. He slid a hand under his pillow where he kept a small inch long dagger hidden, but almost immediately tossed aside the idea of a threat when he heard the hurried padding of tiny feet across the floor. Not long after tiny hands started pulling at him and he felt the small body of a two year old start climbing into his bed. A smile pulled at the side of his mouth.

"Unk Aemond! Unk Aemond!" Jaehaerys called as he tugged at the sleeve of his uncle's nightshirt. "Time to get up!"

He groaned and had the wind knocked out of him when Jaehaera plopped herself belly down onto his back. He rolled and grabbed her, flipping his only niece over and gave her a raspberry on her stomach. She giggled loudly, grabbed her belly and rolled away from him to the other side of the bed. He propped himself up on his elbows as Helaena approached and leaned on the bedpost by his feet.

"Apologies brother but they have been up for an hour and have been dying to see you."

"It's no problem at all Helaena." He grinned, "There are much worse ways to wake up."

He hoisted Jaehaerys up and onto his lap as he noticed the missing sibling.

"And where is Maegor?"

"He takes after Aegon more in his ability to sleep until noon." Helaena explained with a smile, thinking of her youngest. "These two though, always took after you, up with the dawn. I would have thought you would be up by now as well."

"I had a late night." He muttered looking away from her and back to the children. He had been indulgent, instead of his usual self sacrificing nature. Maela snuck in almost every other night and last night he had waited up to see if she would appear again. To no avail. He still had no idea how she was pulling it off. Perhaps she had mastered some form of sorcery, they were the blood of Old Valyria and Valyria was known for its magic after all.

Regardless, his routine was suffering for it. Oddly he did not care. Not one bit. His time with Maela had become something precious. The privacy they had in his chambers in the dark of night was serene and peaceful. They would sit by the fire together, sometimes they would talk, occasionally in only High Valyrian, other times they would sit in silence while she brushed his hair or braided it. Some nights she would sing or hum. Sometimes she would bring her egg and they would sit it close to the embers and watch for any sign of movement.

"Mmm hmm." His sister hummed smirking like there was gossip to be heard. For a moment he wondered just how close his sister and Maela were. Women liked to chat about seemingly everything, he felt a twinge of worry at what the two might have shared regarding him. Jaehaerys started tugging on him again in want of attention.

"Jae, could you get me my eyepatch?" he pointed to the desk not far from the bed.

"Why?"

"Because I need it when I dress for the day."

"Why?"

"Because the others are not fond of my scars."

"Why?"

"Well. . .it's a bad reminder."

"Why?"

"He learned a new word." Helaena chimed in.

"I can see that." Aemond chuckled, "Inquisitive. That will get him into trouble."

"Shall we sick him on grandsire later?" Helaena smirked like a child suggesting stealing sweets from the kitchen.