Sun and Fire ~ Aemond Targaryen

07. What is love?

The usually sunny climate of Highgarden was surprisingly veiled by dark and threatening clouds, hinting at rains and, worse yet, storms. Daemma had not exaggerated to Joffrey Velaryon when she confessed her fear of these natural phenomena. The thunderous booms and powerful lightning capable of splitting trees in half and, in the most unfortunate cases, extinguishing lives with their deadly electric discharge had always been a source of deep fear since her childhood.

Fortunately, no storm had unleashed its fury at that moment, but the sky remained gloomy, and a cold wind hammered against the windows of Prince Aegon Targaryen's mansion where everyone was gathered in the main hall. Kassaia lay serenely on a sofa with crossed legs and an undisturbed expression. At the other end, Meria and Daemma sat together on another sofa, forming an L-shaped arrangement of furniture in the room.

Aegon, for his part, occupied an individual chair facing them, leaning forward with elbows on his knees and hands clasped near his chin, as he delivered with a subdued countenance the news he felt compelled to share.

Upon hearing about the proposal to marry Aemond, Daemma visibly paled, remaining seated in silence without moving a single muscle. Countless thoughts swirled chaotically in her mind, but she was unable to articulate a word, though her lips parted slightly.

She felt the thumping of her heart resonating in her chest, a strange buzzing in her ear, unsure if it was her imagination or a genuine physical response. For a moment, she believed she could perceive for the first time the flow of her own blood coursing through her body. Could it be possible to experience something like this?

Thousands of sensations flooded Daemma, but what struck her most was that despite the confusion and astonishment engulfing her, her face remained impassive. Only her partially open mouth and widened eyes betrayed her. The weight of her parents' gazes, especially Aegon's, who seemed to be searching for any hint of her internal feelings, felt heavy. However, all attention shifted to Meria, who quickly stood up with a look of disgust and raised her voice.

"What did you say?!... Repeat that, Father!"

Aegon clasped his hands over his mouth and looked down, while Kassaia ran her hand over her forehead in annoyance, eyes closed as she sighed.

"For the gods' sake, Meria... Do you want the whole world to hear?"

Daemma felt immense gratitude toward her sister; unconsciously, Meria had given her the necessary time to recover at the right moment. She felt the air filling her lungs again as Meria continued to be the center of attention in the room, expressing herself with intensity.

"But Mother, did you hear that?"

"I heard it as clearly as you did... A marriage alliance is expected with Prince Aemond" replied the Dornish princess seriously, staring into space for a moment before turning her attention to her husband.

"Why aren't you concerned about this? What are you all thinking...? You can't allow a union with that man" the younger daughter snapped, glaring disapprovingly at everyone present.

"Meria, the announcement surprised me too, but it was the decision of my brother, our King... it's not a simple situation" Aegon added without moving from his position, but his daughter didn't stay silent. She turned her brown eyes towards her father.

"The King's decision? Or the decision of the Hightowers behind him?"

Her words hung in the tense air, and everyone looked at Meria with surprise, including Daemma. Kassaia's eyes showed a mix of slight admiration for her daughter and sternness. They couldn't afford to think that way; it wasn't productive. Before Kassaia could intervene, Aegon rose from his seat, defending his stance with a severe tone.