Burn me • Aemond Targaryen

Announcement

Chapter Eight~Announcement

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"What is this even all for?" Rhaella said to Aemond as they headed toward the banquet hall. "They haven't done flower garlands since Aegon and Helaenas betrothal." She hit one of the floral decorations as she passed it.

"Maybe they've finally found a lord who would marry you." He smirked.

She pushed his side. "Do not say that!" She scolded. "I will never marry anyone if it meant i'd have to go and live in their home."

Aemond hated that idea. The thought of Rhaella leaving him here all alone.

It was silence between them for a minute, before Rhaella asked. "How's your eye?" She knew he didn't like drawing attention to it.

He'd ignored everyone who asked him.

A month had passed since he'd been mauled.

Jace and Luke were taken back to dragonstone, they were given no punishment.

He'd pulled a patch over it, the stitches were gone and the skin that was not hidden by the leather had healed, a scar was all that was left to remind him.

And a missing eye.

Aemond cleared his throat."The same." He said bluntly, uncomfortably.

Rhaella nodded. There wasn't much she could say, She had blamed herself. Had she not stormed off in a huff, she would've been by his side and he would not of lost her eye.

Aemond blamed her too, in a way. He needed her and she wasn't there. And perhaps if he had not stolen a dragon it would not have happened, but Rhaella had told him too.

She'd been by his side every day since, Insisted on cleaning and dressing the wound herself. The queen had opposed her at first but when the grand Maester became 'ill' Rhaella swooped in and stole the role. She'd read enough books to perfect her healing.

"Must be something important." Rhaella said changing the subject. "Why else would Mother make us wear these ridiculous clothes." She pressed down on her green gown.

It wasn't like her other day dresses. It was velvet and was a lighter of greens than usual, golden strings of ivy embedded into the fabric. The sleeves were puffed only at the shoulders. And the Queen had instructed for Rhaella's hair too be be done up all fancy.

Aemond thought she looked nice. It wasn't her usual style of dress, he was used to her just pulling her hair away from her face and pulling on any old dress she saw first. He liked how she wasn't bothered by her appearance, she spent her time teaching herself things the maesters had been instructed not to because she was a girl and should've with Helaena practicing embroidery.

The sun was setting just behind the South tower, casting an orange glow on the castle.

As they approached the hall, they could hear the chatter of many a people, all gathered for some boring day the two of them didn't know about.

"Princess Rhaella and Prince Aemond Targaryen!" A guard stationed at the door announced when the two of them came into view.

They both ignored the greetings from guests and joined their parents and siblings at the table set up.

"Rhaella sit up straight." Alicent instructed. "Aemond stop picking at your food." She scolded and turned her head, before groaning when she looked at her other two children sat next to the king. "Aegon! put that drink down now, you've already emptied your cup twice." She told him. "Helaena Gods help me of that is another spider i'll have them all taken away."

The king stood up, clearing he is throat. "Good people of the realm." He started. "We are gathered here today on a very special occasion." He smiled. "Princess Helaena and Prince Aegon will be married by the months end!" The sound of applause took over the room.

"Did he forget he already told everyone this?" Rhaella whispered to Aemond, making him laugh.

But their sniggering faded when they heard what the king said next.

"But that is not all." He seemed happy. "My two youngest children, The princess Rhaella and Prince Aemond, are to be wed!"

The applause was louder now, people cheering. The line of Targaryen would be one of pureness, forever held strong.

Rhaella and Aemond turned to eachother eyes searching for an answer, a reason why this could be happening.

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Rhaella had brought Aemond outside to the sea. She did this every night, claimed it had healing properties and would help his skin heal faster.

He didn't know if it was really helping, but he liked coming out here with her.

"Do you ever think what it's like outside of westeros?" Rhaella questioned tracing patterns in the sand. They had grown cold, only the company of the other keeping them warm, but the shores outside  offered them a comfort the castle could not.

Aemond shook his head. "I doubt we will ever leave this place, nobody ever does." He sighed. "Too scared to see what lies outside of the life they know."

Rhaella thought about his words. She wasn't sure if she would like to know. She knew her ansestors to come from the east, the mighty city of valyria. She knew others lived in the east still. But what lay in the west, on the other side of the kingdom she lived in.

Nobody knew.

She didn't like not knowing things.

"Do you want to marry me?" Aemond asked her.

They were sat by the water. The moon was full again. Rhaella knew if she wanted an answer to what she had seen last time she would need to do it now. But she could not. Her mind was to busy tormenting her with thoughts of marrige.

"Will we have to have a child?" She answered his question with her own.
But she already knew the answer, the only reason the two of them were to be married was obviously to keep the name targaryen purely targaryen.

Aemond shrugged. "Maybe one, just to keep them off our backs."

Rhaella nodded she lay back on the sand, staring up at the stars. "I didn't want to wed." She sighed.

Aemond didn't know what to say. The thought of marrying Rhaella did not bother him. But he knew it bothered her. And that upset him. "But you are." He stated. "Do you hate me for it?"

She sat up quickly. "I could never hate you." She placed a hand on his face. "I just wish I could've lived my own life before I had to give life to another."

Aemond nodded. He wanted to please her, to give her something i'm return for her life being stolen. "We will have One child, and then I'll take us away from here forever." He told her. "We will fly away and discover what lies on the wall west of westeros."

She smile, a sad smile, but it was the first smile she had shown in hours. "You promise?"

He nodded.

"Aemond I want you to know, I'm glad it's you." She told him.

She was glad it was him, and she would grow to love him more than she already did.

There would never be a match as loyal to eachother as the two of them for the rest of the years that the world would spin.

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