Tales Of The Heart [Aemond Targaryen]

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

And if the devil was to ever see you,

He'd kiss your eyes and repent.
〰

The great hall fell silent as King Viserys raised his hand, signaling for attention. "The coming spring will witness both the blooming of flowers and the exchange of vows between Prince Aemond and Princess Maenya. Their marriage will fortify the bonds that hold our house together."

Princess Rhaenyra requested leave to return to Dragonstone, promising to come back to King's Landing when the flowers began to bloom.

The family proceeded towards the carriages as the ship awaited to sail. They were escorted to the gate by the queen and her family which made all of them very uncomfortable.

Daemon gestured for the children to go ahead and sit in the carriage. He ruffled Joffrey's hair, using the moment to catch Maenya's attention as the child clung to her arm. He had tried to get his daughter for breakfast, but she had refused to see him and hadn't said a word since coming out of her room.

Maenya kept her stare on the ground, her fingers mindlessly touching a ring that Daemon noticed was a new addition to her jewelry.

As she approached the carriage, her eyes met Aemond's. His gaze was intense, filled with an emotion she couldn't quite decipher. The memory of the night before flashed in her mind. A mixture of confusion and reluctance swirled within her as she looked away, climbing into the carriage.

The rest of the family followed suit, and the carriages began to move, heading towards the docks where their ship awaited.

Aemond watched as the carriages disappeared from view, his expression unreadable. His mother, Queen Alicent, placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

Back in the carriage, Maenya stared out the window, the ring on her finger feeling heavier with each passing mile. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, the upcoming marriage looming large in her future.

As they reached the ship and began their journey to Dragonstone, King Viserys had already ordered the preparations for the wedding to commence.

Arriving at Dragonstone, the growls of the dragons reached their ears, a familiar yet comforting sound. Maenya immediately got off the ship and walked towards the dragons, seeking solace in their presence. Daemon moved to stop her, worried as her shoulder was not fully recovered yet, but Rhaenyra's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Let her be," Rhaenyra said softly. "She needs this."

Maenya walked with determination, the cool sea breeze whipping through her hair. The weight of the ring felt like a shackle. She reached the dragons and paused, feeling their eyes on her. Seasmoke let out a low rumble as if sensing her turmoil.

She placed a hand on Seasmoke's warm scales, closing her eyes and letting the presence of the dragon calm her racing thoughts. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. This marriage felt like a cage, one that she was being forced into without any consideration for her desires.

For a moment, she allowed herself to feel the weight of her emotions—the fear, the sadness, the anger. She was trying to be strong, to hold her ground, but this...this was different. This was a lifetime being decided without her voice.

Daemon watched from a distance. Deep inside, he wanted to comfort her but he never knew how. She used to just tell him blatantly if something disturbed her, the communication between them was always easy.

In an attempt to climb the dragon, her foot slipped over a scale and she fell on its wing. A hiss left her mouth as both Daemon and Ser Arlan charged for her only for her to raise a hand to stop them which was ignored by both.