House of Ashes | Aemond Targaryen

Seventeen

Chapter seventeen

The storm outside mirrored the turmoil within Aemond's heart as he strode through the rain-soaked corridors of the Red Keep. His clothes clung to him, drenched from the relentless downpour, and his hair plastered against his face. Each step echoed with a mix of urgency and dread, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Guilt gnawed at his conscience, a relentless specter that haunted his every move.

A guard stationed ahead of him stiffened and called out, "Prince Aemond—"

Aemond dismissed him with a swift, imperious gesture, not breaking his stride. His walk was deliberate, almost predatory, each step a display of unyielding dominance. He reached a door and, with a curt command, told the guards to leave. They hesitated but obeyed, casting curious glances as they departed.

He pushed the door open and entered the dimly lit chamber. Vaiana sat before a mirror, her hair cascading in waves as she brushed it, her nightgown shimmering in the low light. She looked ethereal, an angelic figure in the midst of the storm's wrath.

Startled by his sudden appearance, Vaiana set the brush down and turned to him, confusion etched across her delicate features. "Aemond?" she began, her voice soft.

Aemond closed the door behind him, his eyes avoiding hers. His wet clothes dripped onto the floor, forming small puddles at his feet. He finally looked at her, his gaze intense and filled with unspoken torment.

Without a word, he reached out and cupped her cheeks, his hands cold and damp against her warm skin. He kissed her with a desperate urgency, pressing her back against the table. Vaiana's initial surprise gave way to resistance, and she turned her head away, breaking the kiss.

He didn't like the rejection. With a firm grip, he gently but insistently turned her face back towards him, his eyes pleading and full of unspoken need.

"Vaiana," his voice strained. "I need you."

Vaiana searched his face, seeing the turmoil etched in his features. Her initial confusion turned to a deeper understanding, and though she still didn't know what had transpired, she could sense the gravity of his need. She softened, her resistance melting away as she placed her hands over his, holding them against her cheeks.

"Aemond," she murmured, her voice a soothing balm to his frayed nerves. "I am here."

Aemond's breath came heavy as he looked into Vaiana's eyes, the intensity of his gaze deepening. His fingers moved with deliberate slowness, reaching up to the eye patch that concealed his most vulnerable secret. With a measured motion, he removed the patch, revealing the sapphire that glinted where his eye once was.

The room's dim light caught the sapphire, casting a faint glow. Vaiana's breath hitched, her eyes widening slightly in recognition. The sapphire was the one she had given him when they were children, a token of friendship and a symbol of a bond that had now grown into something far more complex.

Aemond's voice was husky, tinged with an unexpected softness. "I want you to see me today, entirely, every inch of me." His words were a blend of a plea and a command, an invitation to witness the man he had become, scarred yet defiant.

Vaiana remained silent, her expression a mixture of surprise and understanding. Her silence was her answer, granting him the permission he sought.

With a sudden, controlled urgency, Aemond pushed her gently against the table, lifting her to sit on its edge. His hands found her hips, firm yet reverent, slowly pushing up her nightgown. The fabric gathered around her waist, and he paused, tracing the curve of her waist with his fingers, his gaze locked onto hers.