The Flames We Bear

Chapter 26 - Visenya

The late afternoon light filtered through the high windows of the Red Keep as I wandered through the winding halls, aimlessly letting my feet lead the way. My thoughts, however, were tangled—thanks to Aemond. His sour, brooding mood was worse than usual, so thick in the air that I felt like I was suffocating in it. He was always distant, cold, but recently there was something else lurking beneath the surface.

It wasn't new for Aemond to behave this way, but it unsettled me more than I cared to admit. Not that I'd ever say it aloud—he would probably gloat. The weight of our marriage hung between us like an iron chain, heavy and suffocating. Yet, there was an odd pull too, one I couldn't quite name, and I hated it.

I rounded a corner and found myself outside Helaena's solar, a rare refuge from the constant tension. Her humming was already drifting out into the hall, light and whimsical as she busied herself with whatever strange collection she was tending to today.

I knocked lightly on the doorframe before stepping in. "Helaena?"

She looked up from her insects—spiders today, I noted with a small grimace—and her face lit up immediately. "Oh, Visenya!" Her excitement was so genuine it almost made me forget the creepy-crawly legs scurrying in their little enclosures. "I was just thinking of you."

I smiled, letting the warmth of her welcome wrap around me. "I came to see how you were," I said as I crossed the room and sat beside her.

"Look!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as she gestured to her makeshift indoor garden. "My spiders are thriving. I think they like it here."

I tried to keep my face neutral, though it was hard not to cringe. "I'm sure they do." I glanced at the tiny eight-legged creatures. "But I doubt anyone else does."

Helaena giggled, leaning in conspiratorially. "Oh, Aegon is terrified of them. He won't even come near my chambers anymore."

"I don't blame him," I replied, chuckling. Aegon, brought low by spiders. If only the realm knew.

We settled into comfortable conversation, Helaena's odd yet infectious joy easing some of the tension I carried with me. Her company was always a welcome distraction, even if I didn't quite share her love for arachnids. But as she prattled on about their delicate webs and feeding habits, my mind couldn't help but drift back to Aemond. His brooding, his sharp words... What was it that had him so agitated lately?

I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual. "How is Aemond?"

Helaena looked up from the tiny branch she was adjusting, her expression thoughtful. "Aemond is... complicated," she said, her voice lilting in that peculiar, knowing way she had. "But you know that, don't you? He feels more than he shows."

I frowned, leaning back against the chair. "He doesn't seem like someone who feels much of anything," I muttered, crossing my arms.

Her pale blue eyes softened, and she tilted her head as though she saw something I didn't. "You're wrong, Visenya. Aemond feels deeply. He just... hides it well." She hesitated for a moment, then added with a small, almost mischievous smile, "Especially when it comes to you."

I blinked, confused. "Me?" I let out a scoff, shaking my head. "He barely speaks to me unless it's to argue."

Helaena smiled gently, her gaze never leaving mine. "He doesn't hate you, you know. Sometimes... sometimes, I think he's more frustrated with himself than with you."

Her words sank into me slowly, as if my mind couldn't fully grasp them at first. Could Aemond truly be harboring something other than disdain for me? I tried to brush it off, but the thought lingered, winding its way into the crevices of my mind. No, that can't be. Aemond and feelings? I doubted it.