BLACK BRIDE | Aemond Targaryen

1.

But in the night all she did is try to stay awake.

When she got to bed she dare not sleep because she could not bear the dreams that come.

~

There is no warm welcome for her as she arrives in throne room to hear what destiny is waiting her.

' Dowager Queen will make you your ward, until you are wed to Prince Aemond, and we hope it is going to be soon ' Ser Criston says

They move her into the royal rooms in the Red Keep and she waits for someon to command her presence.

Aegon holds his court at the Throne Room and every man who can pretend that he is green , or a long-term secret supporter of the Green cause, goes to see him and claims a reward for his loyalty.

Rhaenys waits for an invitation to be presented at court, but none comes.

Alicent orders new dresses for Rhaenys, headdresses to make her look even taller, new shoes to peep below the hem of the new gowns.

Alicent visits her so they could decide on her wedding gown.

'Dark green,' Alicent says. 'It has to be dark green.'

Rhaenys begs her for another color, and Alicent takes mercy on her, she lets her wear dark blue as her wedding gown.

Blue is safer color and doesn't represent any of the sides at war.

They start letting her go to sept, and there she spents most of her time.

Praying for her mother, brothers, Daemon and his daughters.

She is praying that they are well and that they come out of this war victorious.

She prays that they come to her rescue on their dragons.

~

The morning of her wedding day is as cold as her heart.

Rhaenys steps out of her bed and maid pulls her nightgown over her head and then offers her new, all new and trimmed with white silk embroidery on the white linen at the hem, then her blue satin gown.

Maid ties the laces under the arms while the two other maids in waiting tie those at the back.

The door opens and Alicent comes in. She is already in her green gown with her hair tied loosely at the back; later she will twist it under crown. For the first time, she notices that she has a fine scattering of grey hairs among the red, she is young no more.

'You look lovely' she says as she touches her hair.

At her touch, Rhaenys finds her throat tightening, and the tears that have been blurring her view all morning spill down on cheeks.

' Stop' Alicent orders 'There is nothing that  you can do but obey and smile.'

~

Aemond is standing at the septas steps when Rhaenys comes in through the west door.

Rhaenys walks alone; one of the ironies of this wedding is that if there was a man of her family to escort her, then Aegon would not be King and watching this wedding with a shy smile on his face.

Ahead od her is Aemond all dressed in green.

She can see his mother looking crossly from him to her, and puzzling as to why this is even happening.

The septon is waiting for them, his prayer book open, his old face smiling down as they walk towards him. His round, lined face shines on her with simple good will as she stand before him. As his kind eyes fall on her face she can feel herself slipping into a reverie, almost fainting, as if she has entered one of her dreams.