Born to Die

Chapter 2

Aemeryn stood in front of the doors to the throne room with her brothers. She didn't want to go in there; she already knew that it was going to be an ugly fight. With a sigh, she pushed the doors open and walked in. All eyes turned and stared at the three siblings as they walked over to Rhaenyra and Daemon.

Aemeryn risked a glance over to where Alicent stood with her children. Her father, Otto, was sitting on the throne like he owned it. She glared at him before feeling Jace squeeze her shoulder. Aemeryn looked at her little brother as he shook his head. He knew that she had her father's temper. He also knew how she felt about Otto; she shared the feelings with her father.

"Aemeryn?" She turned her head once again to look at a dumbfounded Aegon. She smiled and they went to walk to each other, but both were held back by brothers. Aegon had always been her favorite uncle, and Aemeryn had always been his favorite of his sister's children. They settled on waves instead as they each took their respective sides in the room.

Aemond kept his gaze glued to her. He hadn't seen her in a gown in years, and it was a sight to behold. Her hair was loose down her back except for the sides being pulled back in braids. Her gown was black, like her mother's, but had golden dragons etched into the shoulders and meeting across her chest. Loose sleeves covered her arms from sight, but the bite mark Aemond had given her yesterday on her neck was visible under her hair.

Aemeryn caught Aemond staring and smirked with an arched brow. He scowled at her, but his eyes softened slightly. To an outsider, it would appear that the two were simply sizing each other up. Rhaenyra caught the looks and squeezed her daughter's hand quickly. Aemeryn smiled at her mother softly before looking at Aemond again.

He was wearing a fitted tunic so dark green that it was almost black. Black trousers and black boots completed his outfit along with his eyepatch. His hair was loose except where he had it pulled back to keep it out of his face. Aegon looked between the two with a confused grin. Helaena stood between Aemond and Alicent in gold and looked like she wanted to be anywhere else.

Aemeryn tuned everything out. She could care less about Vaemond's desperate plea to become the heir of Driftmark. She could care less about what Alicent and Otto had to say as they all threw cheap jabs at her mother. Rhaenyra began talking, but was interrupted by the doors opening. King Viserys slowly walked into the throne room. What had happened to him? Aemeryn watched in horror as he walked by them and stumbled to the throne. She watched as her father helped him up the stairs and fixed his crown upon his head.

Daemon walked back over and squeezed Aemeryn's shoulder. He was seeking comfort at seeing his brother in such a state. Aemeryn found her father's hand and squeezed it in return. She could feel someone staring at her and looked up. Aegon and Aemond both met her eye. Aegon grinned and motioned that he wanted a drink. Aemeryn grinned and shook her head at him. Aemond was simply staring with no emotion on his face at all. She tilted her head slightly to Aemond. When his father walked in, it was like he completely shut down.

"Say it." Aemeryn turned to look at her father, but he was staring at Vaemond. He flexed his hand in hers, and she let it go immediately.

"Her children are bastards! And she is a whore," Vaemond yelled loudly before he smirked.

"I'll have your tongue," King Viserys said as he stood with his dagger drawn. Daemon walked away from Aemeryn and sliced Vaemond's head clean in half.

"He can keep his tongue," Daemon and Aemeryn said at the same time. They looked at each other grinning before Vaemond's head came to a stop at Aemeryn's foot. With a smile, she kicked his head straight to Aemond. He simply lifted his foot on its heel to stop Vaemond's head and kept eye contact with Aemeryn.