The Realms Rose | Aemond Targaryen / Daemon Targaryen

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Aurora suddenly sat upright with a gasp, her eyes wide and wild as her heart pounded in her chest. She clutched at her chest, her breathing ragged as she looked around, bewildered and disoriented.

Aemond had been dozing by her bedside, his head resting on one hand as he held her limp hand in the other. The sound of her gasp jolted him from his light slumber.

"Aurora." He breathed, his eyes widening as he watched her sit up. "You're awake."

Aurora's gaze darted around the room, still disoriented and confused. She touched her belly, as though surprised to see it still swollen. "What happened?" She whispered, her voice hoarse from disuse.

Aemond's heart nearly stuttered in his chest at the sound of her voice. For 4 hours, she had lain in a silent, unresponsive state. No matter how much he had spoken, shouted, or even wept by her side, there had been no response. Now she was awake. Talking. Alive.

He tightened his grip on her hand and leaned forward. "You... you don't remember anything?"

Aurora's brow knitted in confusion as she tried to recall the events that had led her here. "I... I remember... the blood..." She whispered, her hand hovering over her stomach. "And... pain... so much pain..."

Aemond's breath caught in his throat at the mention of her pain. He looked at her stomach, his eyes tracing the slight rounding of her form. But what did Aurora remember?

"And after the pain?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper, as though he feared her answer.

Aurora's eyes drifted down to her stomach, and her hand moved to cup it protectively. "I remember... emptiness." She murmured, her voice wavering. "And... darkness. And... you."

Aemond's heart stuttered again as Aurora mentioned him. What did that mean? Had she been aware in her deep sleep, her subconscious mind hearing and seeing all around her? Had she truly heard his words, his pleas?

He reached out, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "What do you remember about me?" He asked, his voice soft.

Aurora's eyes focused on Aemond, and she was suddenly struck by how gaunt and weary he looked. His eye was rimmed with dark circles, and his normally neat hair was disheveled and unkempt.

She squeezed his hand. "I remember... your voice." She said softly. "You spoke to me, didn't you? You called my name..."

Gods, he had missed touching her. Seeing her eyes open, hearing her speak, it was almost too much.

"I did." He confirmed, his voice thick with emotion. "Every second, I spoke to you. I called to you, begged you to wake... to come back to me."

Aurora's heart ached at the desolation in Aemond's voice, knowing that he had endured these past few hours without a moment of reassurance or comfort. She reached out, using her free hand to cup his cheek, her thumb running along the dark circles under his eye.

"I'm here now." She whispered, her eyes searching his singular one. "I've come back to you."

Aemond's eye fluttered closed as Aurora's hand caressed his cheek. The feel of her skin against his was like a balm to his soul, soothing the anguish that had coiled in his heart since the moment she had collapsed.

He leaned into her touch, his breath shuddering as he exhaled. "The babe." He murmured, his voice shaking with barely-contained emotion.

As Aemond mentioned their child, Aurora's hand moved instinctively to her stomach, as though to reassure herself that the baby was still there.