The Darkness We Hide

Chapter 17

Not from Ros harming him, but from the way she spoke of Alys' father. He asked about Viserra's death and she immediately threatened him about her father? This was the second mention of Lord Arryn, painting him in such a horrible image.

Alys hardly ever brought up her childhood. He'd get an occasional story about times she'd ridden Braxes with her mother in the riverlands, but nothing more. She never brought up her father, she never talked about that night.

Helaena crept through the door with a worried look in her eyes as she looked between her brother and Ros. She beamed up at her brother and clapped softly to herself. "Oh, your sapphire."

Aemond had forgotten Ros had slapped it off of him earlier. He snuck a glare as the woman then looked back at his sister. "What are you doing here, Hel?"

"You need to bathe, brother. You look horrible." Helaena grimaced when she saw his clothes covered in blood and dirt.

"I will when she wakes. I'm not leaving her side." Aemond scowled.

"Do you think she wishes to wake to you like this after what you did?" Helaena was so casual as she spoke. It wasn't threatening in any way, but it made Aemond's face fall flat. "She will wake soon enough, brother. Now go."

Just like that he was out the door in a huff. Helaena brushed past Ros and slid under the covers next to her niece and locked their arms together. Just as they did many times in their childhood.

Ros couldn't help but smile at the sight. She remembered finding the girls like this during the one time she joined Viserra and Alys. It warmed her heart to know that bit of Alys' childhood remained between the two. At least she had an aunt on all her sides of the family, who all loved her deeply. No one could deny that.

She had her aunt in the Eyrie, who held Alys through her pleas to leave the home she was raised in. To give up her inheritance.

She had her aunt in Dragonstone, who held Alys through her fear of losing her life for what she had done. Fleeing with more than just her mother's blood on her gown.

She had her aunt in King's Landing, who now held Alys through her worst nightmare all over again. Fighting for her survival.

Aemond made quick work of cleaning up and redressing. He needed to be there for her. He hadn't even bothered to put his eyepatch on when he left his chambers.

But not even halfway down the hall, his mother's voice rang loudly as she called his name.

"Not now, mother. I'm going to Alys." He said as he tried to turn.

"Aemond Targaryen, get in here now. That is an order from your queen." She bellowed through the halls and he froze with a grunt before stomping over towards her.

"Yes, Your Grace?" He gritted through his teeth as she pulled him into his and Alys' chambers, pointing at the servants scrubbing at the bloodstains on the floors.

"Care to explain?! Do you see what happens when you go around taking things into your own hands?! He did this because of what you did to his brother! Lord Thomas almost murdered your wife!" Alicent was completely red, trembling with shock from what she learned.

"But did he die?" Aemond asked plainly.

"That is not the point! It shouldn't have happened in the first place! And just after she'd spent three days locked in this room waiting for you-after your consummation I noticed- you're off doing gods know what?!" She was furious, ready to slap him at any second.