Inviolable Bindings | Aemond & Aegon II Targaryen

Chapter 41

Viserra awoke with the same anticipation and uncertainty that she had gone to bed with. But it was the start of the morning's sun and the quiet bustling of the servants' activities had caused her to wake instead of just the restlessness. She pulled herself out slowly from Aemond's heavy arms, adjusting the sheet around her as she sat up. One of the young male servants politely pretended that he did not notice her there but did not let it affect his duties.

Feeling the loss of warmth at his side, Aemond woke a short moment after. Viserra felt him close in behind her, his fingers tracing the curve of her spine before leaving a gentle kiss to her bare shoulder. Despite being in the presence of the castle staff, he seemed unconcerned with the intimacy displayed in front of them.

"I do not wish for this morning's arrival," she admitted with a sigh.

Aemond brushed the hair over her other shoulder and left a few more kisses in its place. "The last two moons have passed quickly, no doubt the next will too seem to come and go."

"That is easy for you to say, you will not be sitting around in this dull castle looking for things to fill your time," she scowled.

Without addressing her complaints, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips before he continued his way out of the bed. He found his pants from the evening prior then fetched her dress with an offer to help her into it. Looking up to him with a subtle eye roll, she realized he was attempting to hasten the morning, yet she still allowed him to slip it over her head. He had agreed to meet back in her rooms once he too had fully dressed, promising her they could walk down to the castle gates together.

Viserra left for her own chambers to ready herself with a level of impatience she did not usually have. Once she had washed, she sat restlessly as Elia braided her hair before dressing in her riding leathers. Though she had briefly considered donning a gown, she settled on the leathers thinking she might want to train or fly to ease her discontentment.

The knock that echoed through the chamber shouldn't have surprised her, not with Aemond being punctual almost to a fault. And when the girls answered the doors, it was indeed him standing there, dressed in his black armor that only slightly eased her restlessness.

"You look quite handsome for a man heading to the warfront," she teased, her eyes darting to his neatly procured hair.

Aemond raised a brow. "Is that so?"

Dismissing her chambermaids quickly, Viserra gestured for him to come sit where she had just been. He did not protest even though he was maneuvering stiffly from the restraints of the armor.

"I always braid my hair before setting out in such a manner," she explained, tugging lightly on her own long braid. "I only had to learn once that long, loose hair gave others an advantage over me."

Aemond smiled at her, realizing it was her unconventional way of showing him how much she cared for his well being . "Would it make you feel better if I let you braid mine?"

Viserra nodded and gave a short laugh. "It would."

As he took a seat in front of her, she quickly removed the patch and gathered his silken strands between her fingers. The simple act of braiding his hair seemed almost as intimate as the moments they had spent the night before. She weaved a few small strands back to keep the hair from falling in his face and connected them all in a single braid secured tightly with a leather tie.

Once finished, she circled to face him, her smile approving of her own work. "It suits you," she spoke, her gaze admiring all of him.

Aemond stood and smiled down to her. "We should be taking our leave," he urged, looking in the direction of the doors.