Born to Die

Chapter 42

Aemeryn felt a hand ruffle her hair and looked up. Daemon smiled down at her and pointed to the dull sword in her hand.

"I see your mother was telling the truth when she said you were amazing with a blade."

"Thank you," Aemeryn whispered as she looked at her feet. Daemon squatted down so he was eye level with his daughter.

"Aemeryn-"

"You're my father," Aemeryn blurted out as she looked at him. Daemon's brow furrowed as he looked at her.

"Well, yes, once I married your mother."

"No," she said as she shook her head and reached out. Her little fingers gripped Daemon's hair in one hand and her own in the other. "It's the same." She ran her fingers under their eyes and repeated the statement. Finally, she ran her fingers down each of their noses, and Daemon sighed. "My brothers have dark hair and eyes. I don't. I look like you."

"Yes," Daemon rushed out. "I'm your father, Em." He hadn't meant to tell her like this; it had only been a month since Driftmark. Her little face crumpled, and she launched herself at him. Daemon let out a soft grunt as he caught her, and she sobbed into his neck. "It's okay, my moon," he comforted as he ran his hand along her back.

"Are you going to leave me too?" Aemeryn sobbed as she gripped him tighter. Daemon felt his heart crack.

"No, Em. I'm not going to leave you. I'm going to be the best father for you."

"Not father," Aemeryn sniffled as she pulled away. Daemon tilted his head at her and grinned.

"No?"

Aemeryn shook her head. "Father was Laenor, and Papa was Harwin." Daemon smiled sadly when her voice cracked as she said Harwin's name. "Kepa. I want to call you kepa."

"Kepa it is then, my moon. Call for me, and I'll always come running. I promise."

Aemeryn was silent as she fell to her knees. Aemond's eyes grew as he took in the scene before them. Daemon lay on the ground with a crossbolt in his chest. His helmet was a few feet away from him on the floor evidently dropped when he was shot. Aemond could see blood on the floor from his head under him.

Aemeryn reached out to try to stop the bleeding coming from her father's chest. She watched as blood pooled through her fingers and trailed down his chest plate the harder she tried to press. In a rage, Aemeryn jerked her helmet off and threw it across the room. Aemond tore his gaze from his wife to look at the rest of the room.

Aegon was staring at Aemeryn and Daemon in horror with Blackfyre in his hand still dripping blood onto the floor under him. Helaena was partially hidden behind Aegon with her hands on her ears. Her pale blue dress was a stark contrast to Aegon's black armor, but it matched their personalities well. Aemond finally let his eye travel to his mother. Alicent, even in the middle of a war, put effort into her appearance. Her auburn hair tumbled in loose curls down her back except for the braid she had across the top of her head. Her dress was a deep emerald color, and her seven pointed star sat upon her neck proudly. Yet, she shared a matching look of horror with Aegon, and Aemond frowned. He had never realized how similar his mother and brother were in appearance until now. He followed his mother's gaze to the floor directly in front of her.

Criston Cole lay on the floor- his head had bounced a few feet away. A crossbow had fallen by Alicent's feet, and Aemond took the scene in again. It was obvious that Aegon had killed Criston after he shot Daemon, but why hadn't he stopped him before?

"What happened?" Aemeryn asked softly. She wiped her tears that were silently falling down her cheeks and smeared her father's blood on her face.

"Daemon was rather loud in his announcement of his arrival," Aegon said softly as he took a step toward Aemeryn. Aemond shook his head, and Aegon stopped in his tracks. "Criston shot him before I could stop him."