Queen of The North

chapter thirty-two

The Northmen took over the long tables that sat in the hall of the Fortress. Music played from the corner where men were singing and dancing.

"Death to the bloody traitor Northmen! Death to the usurper King" The men's voices rang in song in the hall. Men pounded their glasses of Ale on the table hollering and laughing together.

Lyanna walked into the hall, her side still wrapped from the wound. She found her brothers and husband sitting at the middle table together so she quickly joined.

"Ah princess, good to see you still in one piece!" A Northman said from across the table.

"Oh come on, one wound will never stop me." She chuckled, taking a seat next to her husband. The man nodded and raised his glass to her. Lyanna smiled, her eyes meeting a concerned looking Cregan across from her.

"Its okay to smile every once and awhile, My King." Lyanna said with a smirk. Cregan shook his head and his lips curved up slightly.

"How are you feeling my love?" Aemond whispered softly, examining her closely.

"I, am fine. I just want to celebrate with my family. We are one step closer to home." She said with a relieved sigh. Aemond nodded and squeezed her hand under the table.

Lyanna watched Errick and Cedric dance across the room in a hoard of Men. She smiled at her little brother dancing and singing along with the men. She had watched him grow up so much, he was now a man fighting wars.

Errick, Cedric, and Willam all stumbled back to the table with wide smiles.

"Come princess! Join us!" Cedric said pulling her up from his seat. Lyanna laughed and shook her head.

"I cannot, I have not danced in years." She kindly rejected but Errick took her hand in his.

"Then let us dance now!" Errick said, resting one hand on her waist as if they were in a waltz. Aemonds eyes darted to his hand and his nostrils flared looking up at the drunken Errick.

"Fine!" Lyanna chuckled, running off with the boys.

"Take it easy! We don't need anymore injuries!" Cregan warned as they continued to the floor where everyone was. Cregan smirked at the look on Aemonds face. "You could join them." Cregan said to the silver haired prince.

"I have never.. I do not think, I could." Aemond said, almost embarrassed. Cregan chuckled from across the table.

"You have never once danced? What a sad life you have lived boy." Cregan said, taking another swig from his Ale. Aemond watched as Errick spun Lyanna, the two were smiling at one another while something in Aemond ached.

He felt just as he did the night of their engagement feast. Watching the Mormont once again steal away what was his. He couldn't help but notice the way they looked at one another, like they had known one another for lifetimes. Cregan noticed the hurt look in Aemonds eye, he felt bad for him even. He looked over his shoulder to the dancing pair and smiled, reminded of what life used to be before all of this had happened.

"You must accept that he loves her just as much as you do." Cregan said, breaking the silence between them. Aemond looked over to him angered.

"Well he can never have her, he lost that chance." Aemond hissed. Cregan just rolled his eyes.

"You idiot, that girl needs you more than needing air to breath. Many men still fawn over Lyanna, honorable men, powerful men. Yet she always comes back to you, I could have annulled this bloody marriage if she asked me to but she never did. So stop watching jealously and go dance with your wife! That is a command." Cregan said jokingly annoyed. Aemond chewed on the inside of his cheeks and thought about what he said. She could have abandoned him long ago, but she never did.

Aemond sighed and stood from the table. He straitened out his leathers and walked confidently to the floor searching for the pair who were lost in the crowd. He smiled finding Lyanna, she always radiated with such beauty. Errick jumped side to side with her in his arms, he seemed so good at this. Unlike Aemond who had never stepped foot on the dance floor. He stepped to the pair and rested his hand on Erricks arm. He stayed as calm as possible and gave a slight smile to the man infront of him.

"If I may, have a dance with the princess." Aemond said, keeping his gaze on Lyanna. Errick looked Aemond up and down curious at his kindness.

"Of course. Princess." He made his farewell with a bow and kiss on her hand. A kiss that lasted a moment too long for Aemond. He made sure to watch Errick walk away from them.

"I never thought you as a dancer." Lyanna said with a smile. Aemond sighed, mesmerized by Lyanna.

"I've never made the effort, but I am doing it now." He said, taking her waist and hand into his. Lyanna smiled up at her husband who had to watch his feet as they stepped side to side.

She was reminded why she loved him, because he did have this softness to him. Though he rarely showed it for a long time it was there, he was a boy who just wanted to be loved deep down. And Lyanna, deep down she was a girl who wanted the same.