"Thanks," Aemma grinned, looking down at the pond that held numerous small fish, "And I suppose she wouldn't. Though my mother has been talking about marrying Jace to Helaena, to strengthen the Targaryen line. Your mother would like that, one of her children being Queen consort like herself,"
Aemond frowned at the statement, but Aemma was too enraptured with the fishes movements to notice.
"I guess if you really wanted a dragon, you'd have to marry me," Aemma grinned, her eyes sparkling as she finally turned to Aemond.
The frown slipped away from Aemond's face at the words, preventing Aemma from seeing it altogether. While another boy would have smiled at the thought and ignored the impossibility of it, Aemond was not any other boy.
"Mother would never allow it," Aemond said, glancing down at the pond.
Aemma furrowed her brows, staring at Aemond. He didn't look up to meet her eyes.
"Why not?"
"Because you're bastards," Aemond said truthfully, shrugging his shoulders, "Harwin Strong's bastards,"
Colour drained from Aemma's face as she stood there like some sort of fool. Her heart seemed to have stopped entirely as Aemma stayed silent for the first time in her life.
The feeling was washed away quickly as white-hot anger filled every fibre of her being. She could hardly think, hardly speak, her anger taking up so much space in her body that it squeezed at her heart and forced it to the side. She barely felt in control of her own body, but as she stared at Aemond, she knew her next actions were entirely her own doing.
A loud splash broke through the silence, causing others in the garden to look towards the two. Aemma was standing beside the pond, her hands balled into fists as she stared loathingly down at the water. Aemond was drenched, sitting in the pond with leaves adorning his hair, as he stared up at Aemma incredulously.
"What the fuck!" Aemond shouted.
He stood up, his hair sticking to his face as he looked at his soaked clothing in disgust.
"Never call me that again," Aemma seethed.
She was unsure why the words affected her so much. It's not like she believed those lies. Ser Harwin had always been so sweet to her, and while she wished he was her father, she knew Laenor Valaryian was her real father. To say he wasn't was to question Aemma's position as a princess. She knew what such hateful words could mean. Her mother had told her multiple times.
"It's the truth!" Aemond shouted back.
"I was once told that you and your siblings were bastards, and I didn't believe," Aemma shrieked, standing between Aemond and the exit from the pond, "I thought you better,"
Aemond opened his mouth to retort, but Aemma turned and stormed off away from him. Leaving the white-haired prince to stand in the pond alone.
Aemma had uncharacteristically pushed through plenty of servants on the way to her room, her eyes brimming with tears for anyone willing to glance at the young princess. She should have known such a scene would surely result in her mother being informed, but Aemma had hardly given any thought since she had heard the vile words leave Aemond's mouth.
But as she lay on her bed, tears streaming down her face and onto her blankets, she should have realised.
A soft knock at the door rang through the room, but Aemma buried her face further into her sheets.
"GO AWAY"
The creak of the door informed Aemma that her request had been ignored. Still, she refused to move her face from her bed. She didn't want anyone to see her face or tears.
A soft hand brushed some of Aemma's hair away from her face, causing Aemma to mumble out a noise of annoyance.
"Aemma, what happened?" Rhaenyra's voice was soft as she sat beside her only daughter.
Aemma turned towards her mother, her eyes alight with rage and sadness.
"He called me a bastard!" Aemma shouted, shoving her face back into her blankets.
Rhaenyra didn't say anything, instead soothingly stroking her daughter's dark hair. Aemma's tears finally began to dry as Rhaenyra sat patiently, waiting for Aemma to be ready to talk to her.
"Why would he say that?" Aemma's voice was soft, broken and muffled.
"Some people wish to undermine my claim to the throne. It has nothing to do with you, my sweet," Rhaenyra promised, "Who called you this?"
"Aemond," Aemma said sourly, sitting up to look at her mother, "It's not true, though, is it?"
Rhaenyra was heavily pregnant with her fourth child. And the stress from everything was clearly getting to her, with dark bags under her eyes. Still, Rhaenyra always had time for her children, regardless of her own mental state.
"You are a Targaryen. You are my child," Rhaenyra said, cupping Aemma's cheek in her hand tenderly, "The Queen despises to see me on the throne one day. She will say anything to stop that from happening,"
Authors note:
Aemond getting way too comfortable with Aemma and thinking calling her a bastard is okay. Nah, he's mad messed up. But there are still plenty of chapters before act II, so lets see what other bullshit he gets up to.
Why do I imagine the guy who gets thrown out the window to be Rhaenyra's biggest supporter, Daemon himself
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
If we saw Daemon as a child, I feel like he would lowkey be like Aemma. But maybe smarter lol.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
