Dragonbound

Chapter five

Dancing with Aegon felt... tolerable. He looks good tonight, and I feel ashamed for even thinking that. He's always had a handsome face, but tonight he looks different. His arms are bigger somehow and his chest broader. He's been flying a lot with Sunfyre lately, they said one the dragonpit, maybe that's why. He claimed he couldn't dance, but I don't believe that. He seemed capable enough on the dance floor.

I glance at him again from across the room and see him shove Aemond playfully. They are laughing, and the sight makes me want to run across the hall and join them, to be part of their jest.

"You can't seem to keep your eyes off him, sister. Are you starting to like him?" Luke teases as he returns from the dance floor. Jace gives him a warning look.

"I do not look at him; I simply observe my surroundings. And mind your tongue, I am still your elder," I retort, but he keeps smiling.

"My apologies, it seems like it is a touchy subject," Luke replies. Before I can respond, Jace interrupts.

"Of course it is, Luke. She has to marry him." That wipes the grin off Luke's face.

"Jace, there is no need to—" I start, but Jace takes a long sip from his cup. Baela looks at me apologetically.

"Indeed, there is no need for you to marry your uncle," he says loudly enough for nearby guests to hear. I glance automatically in Aegon's direction, but he doesn't seem to have heard.

"Maybe it's better if we retire to our chambers, husband," Baela suggests, standing up.

With that, they leave, and soon after, the youngest children follow. I bid goodnight to Viserys and Aegon, who hug my legs before heading off to bed.

With Jace gone and Luke and Rhaena engrossed in conversation, I find myself alone. I look around the room and, to my surprise, I cannot find Aegon. With him gone, there's no reason for me to stay any longer, so I walk to my mother and ask her for leave. The hour has grown quite late, so she agrees.

Two guards follow me out of the hall. My dress feels heavy, and I struggle to climb the steps due to pure exhaustion. I stop midway to catch my breath and see Aegon standing at the top of the stairs, looking out a window. I order my guards to wait as I walk up the stairs.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I say. He looks down at me, and when he does, a small smile forms on his lips, making his face even more handsome. He offers me his arm, just like when he asked me to dance. I take it, relieved by the support.

"The sea looks beautiful when the moon shines on it," he says. I stand next to him, and we both face the window. I nod.

"My father used to say that too." Out of the corner of my eye, I see him watching me, waiting for me to continue. "He loved going sailing at night or riding his dragon. He said the sky looks different when the sun has set. I think I agree." I hear him take a deep breath.

"Laenor was a wise man," he says softly.

"He was," I reply.

Silence falls between us as we gaze ahead. I start playing with my dress and bite my lip.

"Aegon..." He looks at me again, and his intense gaze makes me want to crawl out of my skin.

"I know what you're going to say," he interrupts. "I want you to know I had nothing to do with this."

"I know you didn't, and I don't blame you," I say, and his eyes flick to my lips when I say that. "But that doesn't change the fact that in ten days, we will be married." He nods, listening intently.

"I want us to... get familiar with each other. So when the day comes, it won't be as scary anymore." I step closer, mere inches from his face.

I feel his breath on my face as my hands find his. He looks tortured, but he doesn't object. He lets me get close to him, allowing me into his space. His scent is intoxicating, and it makes me want to get even closer.

I don't know why I'm so bold all of a sudden; I just know it feels... right somehow.

"Aelys," he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. "Are you sure about this?"

"I am," I reply, my voice steady. "We need to try, don't we?"

His eyes search mine, looking for any hesitation. And when he finds none, he squeezes my hands gently.

Our breaths mingle, our eyes locked in a moment of unspoken understanding. The air between us seemed to crackle with a magnetic pull, drawing us closer together. Every nerve in my body was electrified, every heartbeat pounding in my ears.

His hands, warm and steady, cupped my face with a tenderness that contrasted sharply with the intensity in his eyes. I leaned into his touch, my lips parting slightly, inviting him in. The world around us seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of us suspended in this charged moment.

He hesitated for a fraction of a second, his gaze searching mine, as if seeking permission one last time. I answered by closing the remaining distance between us, our lips meeting in a fiery, desperate kiss.

It was as if a dam had burst, releasing a flood of pent-up emotion and desire. His lips moved against mine with an urgency that matched my own, each kiss deeper and more fervent than the last. My hands found their way to the back of his neck, fingers tangling in his hair as I pulled him closer, needing to feel him against me.

The taste of him was intoxicating, a heady mix of warmth and longing. His tongue traced the seam of my lips, and I opened for him, our tongues dancing together in a rhythm that was both frantic and perfectly synchronized. The sensation sent shivers down my spine, igniting a fire in my core.

His hands slid down from my face, trailing over my shoulders and down my back, pulling me flush against him. I could feel the rapid beat of his heart, mirroring my own. Every touch, every caress, seemed to fan the flames of our shared passion.

Time lost all meaning as we stood there, wrapped up in each other. The kiss deepened, growing more passionate, more consuming, as if we were trying to pour all our emotions into this one perfect moment. The world around us ceased to exist; there was only the heat of his lips, the taste of his mouth, and the overwhelming sensation of being utterly and completely consumed by our desire.

When we finally broke apart, gasping for air, our foreheads rested against each other. Our breaths were ragged, our hearts racing. His eyes, dark with passion, bore into mine.

"Wow." was all I could master to say. We took a step back both at the same time.

"That was-" I can't find the right word to describe it. He seems just as lost as I am. I suddenly remember the guards, still standing on the stairs. He follows my gaze and when he sees the two men he slid his hand through his hair.

"Do you think they heard-?"

"I-I don't know-maybe. But they won't tell anyone." He laughs and I quickly run over to him and hold my hand over his mouth.

"Do you want them to hear us?" I ask sharply. He looks at me and then at my hand in front of his mouth, his eyes hungry. I hastily take my hand away and take two large steps away from him.

"My apologies Aelys." My name on his lips feels foreign.

"Let's say our goodnights and forget this ever happened." I wasn't sure how I was going to do that.

"Yes, let's do that." He replied. "Goodnight." I wish him the same and run back to the guards.

"Shall we go then?" I ask them.