Born to Die

Chapter 45

It didn't take Aemond long to find Aemeryn after she had left the small council chamber. She was sitting in the window of her own chambers, staring up at the sky.

"Em," Aemond said softly as he closed the door behind him. Aemeryn didn't turn around to acknowledge that he had entered the room. Aemond let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. "Can you at least give me a hint as to what it is I have apparently done to offend you?"

Aemeryn scoffed and finally turned to look at him. "You should have stayed here with the Greens." Her voice was clogged with unshed tears as she spoke. Aemond frowned and looked at her.

"Come again?"

"That's what you said to me last night when I found you in that fucking cave. That and that I've been your curse since I was born."

Aemond's frown deepened, but he didn't move to go near Aemeryn. "I don't even remember last night after I left, Em. Are you really going to take the ramblings of a drunk man to heart?"

"That's when men tell the truth," Aemeryn spat as she stood suddenly. She wrapped her arms around herself as she glared at Aemond. It was his turn to scoff.

"So everything that Aegon has done while drunk is how he truly is? My brother is a fool- ask anyone in the family. But he turns into a different person while drunk." Aemeryn frowned because Aemond was right.

"It still hurt me."

"I'm hurt, Aemeryn! My mother is fucking dead. She's dead because she was going to kill both of us trying to get to you! I'm sorry about Daemon, truly. And I'm sorry for something I don't even remember saying. But I thought if anyone would be there for me, it would be my wife." Aemond turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.

"Aemond!" Aemeryn called after him as she ran to the doorway. She opened the door and collided with Aegon.

"Whoa, hey there, Em," Aegon said with a grin as he reached out to grip her arms. Aemeryn looked over his shoulder in time to see Aemond turn the corner and disappear from sight. Aegon followed her gaze with a frown. "Having a fight?"

"I think I fucked up this time," Aemeryn said softly as Aegon let her go. "Would you take the ramblings of a drunk man to heart?"

"As someone who is normally a drunk man, no. I take it you found him last night?"

Aemeryn nodded and began to walk in the direction she saw Aemond. Aegon followed silently with his arms crossed behind his back. "Is there any reason that you're my shadow today, Uncle?"

"Only the fact that I want to keep my head," Aegon said with a grin. Aemeryn shot him a look and kept walking. "Your mother is worried about you. She asked me to keep an eye on you."

Aemeryn smiled sadly and nodded. "That explains a lot."

"Want to tell me why she's so worried?" Aegon asked softly as he looked over at Aemeryn. Aemeryn sighed and slowed to a stop before opening the door beside her. It was empty, and she continued her walk.

"I tried to kill myself. Twice." She said it so simply that Aegon thought she was joking at first. Aemeryn opened another door and slammed it when she discovered it was empty.

"Wait, you're serious?" Aegon asked as he grabbed her arm. Aemeryn stared at him until he let her go. "Em, you can't just drop something like that and act like it's not a big deal."

"It's not a big deal," Aemeryn muttered as she began to open doors again.

"Um, it's a very big deal. That explains what Rhaenyra meant about Driftmark and Luke. Em, you just lost your father, and your mother is waiting for you to snap."