Born to Die

Chapter 20

Dinner was, in fact, long and awkward. Daemon was quickly becoming drunk as he attempted to cope with his feelings of guilt over losing his eldest daughter. Aemond squeezed Aemeryn's knee gently as she kept glancing over at her father. She had never seen him drink so much so quickly before, and it was concerning her.

"He wouldn't need to get drunk if he hadn't laid hands on you to begin with," Aemond whispered in her ear so no one else at the table would hear.

"Aemond," Aemeryn hissed as she elbowed him gently in the side. He grinned at the back of her head and moved back to his original position in his chair.

Daemon kept glancing over to Aemeryn and Rhaenyra when neither was glaring at him. He needed to make this up to Aemeryn, but he didn't know how. He had already apologized, but that hadn't been enough for her. Gods, his brother would have killed him already if he was living to see what he had done to her. Daemon was positive Rhaenyra was close to killing him herself. She had pitched him out of their bedchambers and refused to let him in last night. He was sure tonight would be the same treatment. Daemon scrapped his chair back as he stood with his goblet in hand. All eyes turned to him, and Rhaenyra's widened slightly.

"A toast," Daemon slurred out as he moved his goblet in the direction of Rhaenyra and Aemeryn. Rhaenyra looked at her husband in shock while Aemeryn ran her hands down her face with a groan. "To my beautiful wife, Rhaenyra, and our beautiful daughter, Aemeryn. Two of the strongest women in the Seven Kingdoms. Aemond and I do not deserve such marvelous women to grace our lives." Daemon leaned down and pressed a kiss to Rhaenyra's head before standing again. "And to Baela and Rhaena, I hope I make your mother proud with how you two are turning out."

Daemon finally sat down, and Aemeryn looked at Aemond in embarrassment. Daemon hated giving and hearing toasts. He must be beyond drunk to give one now. Aemond tugged on the ends of Aemeryn's hair gently because he didn't know what else to do. The tension in the air was even worse than before. Rhaenyra leaned over to whisper into Daemon's ear and stood.

"I believe that we will take our leave now. Good night everyone," Rhaenyra said quickly as she stood and pulled Daemon up with her. He stumbled slightly but quickly righted himself to follow his angry wife. Joffrey and Rhaena left followed by Jace and Baela. Aemond and Aemeryn were the only ones left at the table, and she fiddled with a piece of bread on her plate.

"If I'm not mistaken, I would say Daemon Targaryen actually feels guilty," Aemond muttered as he lifted his goblet to drink his wine.

"I've never seen my father drunk before." Aemond turned his attention to his wife, but she was still staring at her plate, lost in thought. "I know he used to get drunk. A lot, if rumor is to be believed. Yet the second he married my mother, he didn't get drunk again. Don't get me wrong, he still drank. You saw that yourself during every horrid dinner we had in the Red Keep."

"He never was drunk," Aemond said softly. He had no clue where his wife was going with her train of thought. He wasn't sure if she even knew, or if she was just trying to get the thoughts out of her head.

Movement caught Aemeryn's eye, and she looked toward the doorway. Her chambermaid, Edith, was trying to quietly sneak past without gaining attention.

"Edith!" Aemond watched as the young girl froze in place before turning. Her brown eyes were huge as she looked at Aemond. She seemed to be afraid of him.

"Yes, Aem- Princess?" Aemond turned to look at his wife with an arched brow and a smirk. She let her chambermaid call her by her first name? Aemeryn smiled at the young girl fondly.

"Will you please draw me a bath? I'm in a terrible need of one." Edith bowed once and ran from the dining hall. Aemeryn let out the laugh she had been holding back and looked at Aemond. "She seems to be intimidated by you, lord husband."