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Apologies for the delay and for this being a bit short. The next chapter will be longer and will cover more between Liliyana and Aemond.
Also, she's a real lucky girl if this week's episode is any indication (if she ever gets to have sex again and actually enjoy it).
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Tyland's sister didn't speak about the second child again, despite his trying all night.
Contemplation sunk into his skin. He needed to find Aemond--but he did not want to be the messenger. Tyland did not trust a guard right now, though, or anyone for that matter.
Liliyana had mumbled something about men, strange men who were definitely not Aemond. It led Tyland to believe that her husband was innocent...at least in this regard.
He stared at her slumped against the armoire. He had some lingering milk of the poppy and convinced her to take some, hoping it would knock her out. But all it did was put her into a half-asleep state.
But the medicine allowed him to wrap her arm... It would need stitches, but her skin would never be the same again. Someone flayed his sister.
Anger threatened to overwhelm Tyland. Somewhere, a piece of her skin layed. Who could have done this and why? His sister was innocent. A simple girl from a simple house. Unless...
He stopped walking.
This was done to spite Aemond.
"Another child is dead."
Tyland's heart fell. Had something happened to one of the king's children?
He minded his sister's blood trail. It was now dried, dark and paste-like, and led into the queen's apartments. Tyland turned a corner and instead went into Liliyana's and Aemond's rooms. Even if he remained with his sister until sunrise, the trail would lead to his room. And then being the messenger might not be the worst thing to happen to him.
With a shaking hand, he knocked on the prince's door.
And was met with silence.
Maybe he wasn't in...
Tyland tried again, harder.
The lock inside Aemond's room clicked and the door opened, revealing him in black leather and riding shoes. Was he going to train?
"My prince."
"It is early, Tyland."
"I apologize. But you are...needed. In my quarters. I needed to find you before the rest of the Red Keep awoke."
Trepidation fell over his sharp face. "What has happened?"
"My sister is...unwell."
His door suddenly slammed shut. "Take me to her."
Aemond followed at Tyland's heels. He felt the prince's anxiety, his rising anger. But Tyland could only walk so fast for fear of alerting others. He did not want anyone else to know what happened to his sister.
But then they turned the corner and Liliyana's blood trail slapped them both in the face.
Tyland looked behind him and the prince was stopped, still as a statue and staring at the trail.
"My prince," Tyland began, unable to hide the fear in his voice, "this way."
Aemond blinked and realized, without Tyland saying so, that the Lannister knew whose blood this belonged to. He wanted to be sick. A twisted sharpness cut his insides apart. Aemond did not want to believe what his instincts were telling him.
They came to his ajar door and Tyland pushed it open. A sigh of relief left him when seeing Liliyana in the same place he left her in.
A harsh exhale left the prince's throat. He barreled past Tyland.
Liliyana felt a warm pressure on her cheek. Then fingertips over her exposed neck. She tried opening her eyes, but they were too heavy, too swollen from crying. For a moment, she forgot why she was crying, but then it came back like a hurricane.
"Shh," a voice cooed. "Rest."
She was lifted into arms. Cold leather met her exposed skin. Was she still bleeding?
Liliyana tried touching her arm, but a hand grabbed her and stopped her movements.
"What the fuck happened?"
Aemond?
She never heard him like that. Even during training, when he believed she wasn't there. He could speak cruelly to people. Liliyana witnessed it firsthand, but this was not something she heard before.
"I-I am not sure," she heard Tyland tell him. "She crawled into my room last night and spoke of...a child being dead." Her brother paused. "She did not allow me to leave her side."
Aemond tightened his hold on her. "I will take her from here."
A pause. "Of course."
Liliyana left with Aemond. Her eyes crept open as he carried her out the room. She felt like a small child being held by their parent.
Aemond kept his eyes ahead. Jaw clenched and breathing steady. Liliyana wanted to feel safe with him--and she supposed she did--she just worried on how he would be after discovering the truth of her injuries and what happened to his sister and nephew.
Her heart gave a nervous leap. Aemond's room came into view and she came to the horrible revelation that she would not be leaving this dragon's lair willingly.
