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

Chapter 40

Chap 40

Episode 9 part 1

The light of dawn was the dark blue-grey color that made you question whether it was a new day or the moon at its apex. Only the birds chirping told you which it was. The servants were just starting their work for the day, the castle cold, no fires burned, only a handful of footsteps were echoed along the ground. Among them were Prince Aemond's. He wore his loose tunic and black trousers as he walked about the training grounds alone, blindfold on, sword in hand. Part of him was still relishing in one upping Uncle Daemon last night, keeping his betrothal to Maela safe and intact. He had not yet had the chance to tell her, but it filled him with joy at just the thought of the look of happiness and relief on her face.

But joy was not the only thing inside him, there was also the disheartening feeling of waking up to a cold bed, before he had even opened his eye so much of him wished that he would wake and find Maela curled up into his side, that he would pull her closer still and drift back off to slumber. Instead the sheets were chilly and he was alone. Soon, he thought, soon his mornings would be like that. She will bring light to your life, his father's words rang in his head. The first real conversation he had ever had with the man, and it gave him a great deal of insight. He now knew how his father had been thinking that night on Driftmark, what his father thought of him, all his training, his studying, his efforts. You are the only one of my children I need not worry about. Not even Rhaenyra had that claim to fame. His father believed in him, approved of the man he had grown to be. Was proud. It made Aemond both happy and confused, he now had emotions inside himself he could not easily identify, emotions he would need to pick apart when in the quiet meditation of the Sept. Prayer would help him think, it always cleared his head.

While he practiced and contemplated all that, high above him, in the Tower of the Hand, his mother and grandsire were speaking in soft whispers, of an urgent matter. One that would make sorting his emotions even more difficult.

"I saw him last night, before he. . . " Alicent sighed, "He told me he wished for Aegon to be King." her father leaned forward and she shook her head, "It is the truth, uttered with his own lips. His last words to me and I was the only one to hear it." she answered the array of questions she knew he would ask. "And now he's dead."

Otto Hightower looked down at the table. He knew this day would come, death was inevitable for everyone no matter their birth. Perhaps, if Daemon had not seduced Alicent in her youth, if he had not made Otto think ill of Targaryens, if he had not planted the seed that grew into a weed of self interest and scheming, perhaps then Otto would have wept. For as Hand to Jaehaerys he had seen Viserys grow from boy to man, then see him become King, then see him become ill. He had known the man longer then he had his own wife and children. Spent more time with him then he did with his own family who were all back in Oldtown.

And yet, because those events did happen, because Otto Hightower did become a self interested man with a disdain for Targaryens, and a desire to swipe the bloodline out from under their feet, because of that he did not weep. Instead, he called together the Small Council, and he knew what he wanted would finally be set into motion

.

.

Maela woke at un ungodly hour, with an ache between her legs. She was surprised, because she had been certain her father would come for her at some point in the night. She looked to her window and heard the birds chirping away to announce the morn. He hadn't come. He had left with the others and let her be. She was not naïve enough to believe he had a change of heart, but the reasoning as to why he let her stay would have to go unanswered for now.

Or did it?

She turned to where she knew her secret door was and smiled. Quickly retrieving her robe she lit a candle and hurried into Maegor's tunnels. Because it was so early she could tell who was awake and who was not just by the light that shone around the edges of the doors. Aegon and Helaena's chambers were dark, as were Aemond's. The Queen's room was lit as was the Hand's. And the Small Council chamber.