king for a day ¹ ━━━━ jacaerys velaryon fanfic

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- ̥۪͙۪˚┊❛ CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE ❜┊˚ ̥۪͙۪◌
BREAK
❛ i think i'm feeling it now
just like you did ❜

The wedding between Eudora Stark and Jacaerys Velaryon was simple and rushed– yet sweet. Many who were there to witness it might say it was romantic, others say it was tragic given their fates.

They say Eudora looked like her Lady Mother, Margaret, on that day. Her hair was as red as ever, her cheeks flushed with pink. Jacaerys' hair is now longer than it was, decorated in Winterfell's finest clothing. Fit for a groom, two young hearts muttering words they thought they were saving for the future.

Oh how life could be rather cruel, and how wasteful happy moments could be.

EUDORA.

Eudora always loved the snow, it was the one thing Winterfell did best in comparison to King's Landing. As a child, Margaret Karstark would watch her daughter's fascination with it whenever she came back from her visit. This day was no different.

The Stark found herself laying on the ground, white falling down to her face, covering her body– it was cold, but delightful. The North's beauty was at its highest during the winter, Eudora liked to believe so. She loved the gray sky, the colors, how her nose turns red when the icy air hits her face. It wasn't a feeling she experienced in the Red Keep, it was something she always got to look forward to when she came home. A lot of people find this childish, the heir of Winterfell, playing around as if nothing mattered. But Eudora found it the one pause in her horrendous year that brought a smile to her face. "You're going to fall ill," her mother called with a smile, walking up to her daughter, who finally sat up. "I'd rather not have you catch something drastic."

"I'm immune to such things," Eudora jested, standing from her position. Margaret looked at her, wiping off the snow from her daughter's shoulders.

"You're right, I trust you'll live a long and happy life without any complications." She then began to fix Eudora's hair, her smile slowly disappearing from her face. "Will you be staying long?"

Eudora shook her head. "Things have grown rather complicated down south, once Jace and Cregan have sorted out a few things, we'll be traveling back."

Margaret only sighed. "I would've preferred having more time with my only daughter, I've barely had any."

"It's neither of our faults."

"But I'll be the one to take the blame," she told Eudora, studying the features of her face. "It seems like every time you come back home, you're a different person. I pray to the gods that the court doesn't change you as much as they want to."

"Don't worry, I'm as hard headed as a rock." This caused Margaret to laugh, beginning to walk away from her daughter.

"Follow along now, your cousin needs to see you." Eudora nodded at her mother's words, keeping up with her pace. "Jacaerys' hair, it's longer than you have described it to look."

The younger girl laughed at her words, hugging her mother's arm. "We were young, and his hair has been growing these past few days."

"He looks more fitting in the North with it, never let him chop it off," Margaret then jested, making the two girls laugh once more.

—

A mere few days earlier.

AEMOND.

He was drenched in rain water when he came back to the Red Keep, the thought of killing his own nephew loomed over him. Was it really his fault of Vhagar's? Was the dragon out of his control of was it his intention? Every second that passed, Aemond tried to find excuses for what he bas done. It wasn't like Rhaenyra could do anything about it anymore, all there was left to Lucerys would be a limb or two— if she would even find anything. His mind raced to justify his actions, and if one could manipulate themselves into thinking they were right to do so, Aemond mastered the art of tricking himself. It wasn't something he was allowed to question at that moment, as he was standing in front of his mother who had a rather horrified look.

"Aemond!" Alicent gasped as she heard about the news, her hand gripping her seat tightly. She didn't know they would have to come to this point– killing a young boy. "What have you done?!"

"Hm," Aemond walked to sit in front of his mother, the fire crackling as the rain fell.

"If Rhaenyra finds out about her son– we are already at risk of war–"

"It was a debt they had to pay," Aemond interrupted, his eye staring at the flame. "Taking Eudora, accusing us of usurping her crown, and manipulating Helaena into leaving? We have every reason to fire back at them, it was just unfortunate that it was Lucerys who had to pay the price."

Alicent bit into her nails, not able to look at her son. "You'll be known as a kinslayer."

"Mother, you were the very woman who asked for Lucerys' eye all those years ago," Aemond bit back, leaning forward. "I finished what that boy started." His lip started to quirk up. The dowager queen couldn't believe what she was hearing. Moments like these slowly made her question all her actions leading up to that moment. Once small glance at her son, Alicent wasn't sure whether or not to be proud or disappointed. She knew that this would cause an upstir, and Aemond knew that too.

She got up, walking up to her table. There were dying flowers sitting in a vase, maybe Alicent should as someone to switch them out soon. "Word will spread quickly," she barely spoke. "So we must act sooner rather than later."

"Might I call the small council to discuss our next actions?" Alicent nodded at her son's words, she felt his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, mother. The cards will play in our favor." Aemond then left, leaving Alicent to cry into her hand. By the gods, how did she get into this mess?

(( 🐉 ))