A Song of Love and Dragons [Aemond Targaryen]

Chapter 1

   During the months away from king's landing Maera thought of it many times. Well maybe not kings landing itself, but more the people in it. The trip back from Dragonstone was not pleasant for her nor anyone and made even worse due to the severity of her dreams the nearer they were to king's landing. She became quiet again, something they hadn't seen since arriving at dragonstone.

   She had always been very shy, but willing to call you out if you did something she didn't like. That's how Rhaenyra raised her. But now on the ride back to kings landing they had never seen her so quiet, like she was constantly walking on eggshells. She dreamt of many things, including a sapphire in the empty eye of her friend. She also dreamt of being in the shadow of the largest dragon she had ever seen.

   Her and Aemond had always had a complex relationship. Not complex in a toxic way, but complex because she always wanted to be around him, and he reciprocated the sentiment.

   She was always closer with her uncles and aunt than her other siblings were. She always believed they held less prejudice because she had the same features as them.

   Maera wanted to be close with all her family no matter what her parents or siblings thought. She spent time with her grandfather as well as her step grandmother though she always held some resentment towards Alicent due to her treatment of her mother.

   When Aegon realized she really wanted to be friends with him, the animosity he held for her disappeared, though he never outright showed it in public, to the eyes of others.

   Helaena and Maera were always close due to being the only girls. They both held a sort of sisterly love for each other.

   Out of all the children though, Maera and Aemond were the closest. Servants and staff would always see them running through the halls holding hands. Aemond would also speak up for Maera when she was having a bad day or would be too shy to say anything. He was her protector.

   And if he had any say it in, he always would be

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   When Aemond heard Mera had claimed a dragon he was filled with envy. Though that soon all disappeared when he heard she was on her way back from Dragonstone and she would arrive in king's landing in 5 days.

   He became elated to finally have her back. Aemond wanted to hear all about Dragonstone and how she claimed Cannibal, but more than anything else he wanted to know how she had been while away.

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   After five days king's landing finally came into view and Maera couldn't be more relieved to be back and able to sleep in her own bed in the castle after many days on a boat. The same bedroom across the hall from Aemonds. The same Aemond who would always check on her whenever he heard even the smallest sound expressing distress. The same Aemond who after she had a bad dream wouldn't interrogate her and try to get her to tell him everything, like most would, but he would just be there and hold her until she fell asleep, and even then sometimes he stayed to hold her until she awoke the next morning.

   Maera thought about many things when she couldn't sleep and stayed awake all night. One of the things that most frequently ran through her mind though was Aemond. So the first person she went off with after being welcomed home by everyone was him.

   They thought they snuck off unnoticed but quite the opposite. Both Rhaenyra and Alicent noticed and when they did they both looked at each other with an idea popping into their heads.

   Rhaenyra didn't specifically want to betroth her only daughter to Alicents son. But Alicent couldn't think of anything better, so she went to Viserys with her idea.

   Viserys loved the idea and although his daughter seemed reluctant he persuaded her to agree.

   Maera was only 7 when she was told she was now promised to someone, and didn't understand why they would want her to marry Aemond. She was even more confused because he was her uncle and best friend. Rhaenyra told her much about their house and their ways but she had always told her daughter she would do anything she could so that Maera could marry for love.

   She didn't know if she loved Aemond, much less she had no clue what love even meant.

   Aemond was 12 and he didn't know what it was to marry; the only examples he had of it was his half sister's marriage that made nothing other than bastards. And his mother and fathers union, which from what he heard was not all sunshine and rainbows.

   Though he thought if he was to marry anyone he is glad it is Maera, his best friend, the only one he really thought could love him for who he was and not just his title.

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   Maera stayed in her room after she found out as soon as she came of age she was to marry her best friend. Eventually Aemond realized that she was avoiding everyone including him, so he went to find her himself.

   "Maera?" He calls after knocking on the door. He gets no answer besides the rustling of sheets. After minutes of waiting he knocks again "Maera?" No answer once again. He decides to just walk in.

   He opens the door expecting to see her room filled with sunlight as it is normally. But he sees only darkness and a small lump of what he believes to be her under her covers with soft  muffled sniffles.

   He walks over towards her bed wordlessly, and removes the covers from over her head. Catching sight of her tear streaked eyes, almost brings him to tears. He sits next to her on the giant king sized bed and brings her into his arms trying to give her some kind of comfort.

   "Please don't cry." His voice is quiet in the large room. "I can't stand hearing you cry." He whispers into her hair.

   She stays silent continuing to cry, but the new tears are muffled with his shirt as she buries her face further into his body.

   "I beg you Maera, say something." He pleads with her.

   She lifts her head and looks at him with red red rimmed eyes and messy hair, "why must we marry Aemond?" She whispers hoarsely.

   He feels his heart break a little. Of course she wouldn't understand his love for her, she's 7 for god sake. "Our parents believe together we will mend the rift between our family's." Aemond explains.

   "Why us though," she asks Aemond, not realizing she's slowly breaking his heart. "Why can't Helaena and Jacaerys marry?" Maera pleads, trying to find a way out of the union.

   "Helaena and Aegon are to marry." He explains, her tears start again realizing this is inevitable. He watched her face drop and the tears start again as she buries her head back into his body.

   "Shhh it will be ok." He holds her tighter.

   She lets out a deep breath and with it more tears. "How will it ever be ok Aemond?" She sniffles, her nose now stuffy.

   "It could be worse, we could both marry strangers we've never met." He elaborates.

   She slowly looks up, but not at him, she stares at the wall as if just realizing how lucky she truly was. She was to marry her best friend, not some stranger she doesn't know, or someone she knows she could never be loved by. But she is to marry Aemond, sweet Aemond she had spent her whole life growing up with. The same boy who when she had a nightmare stayed with her until he knew she was alright. Aemond the boy she thinks she might already love although she doesn't even know what love truly means. That Aemond.

   "Do you promise we'll still be best friends no matter what." She inquires of him.
  
   He turns her head so she's looking directly at him "Yes Maera, I promise you." He wipes her tears with his thumbs. "No matter what."

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   -Thank you so much for reading my story this is the first real chapter published and I sincerely hope it turned out good and you enjoy it!

   Maera (my-ruh) (myra)

   That's how I imagine it to be pronounced but you can imagine it however you want :)