Children of Dragons | Aemond Targaryen

IV

Of course, this did not go for Aegon's marriage to his sister, Helaena. The wedding was scheduled and planned, and the day arrived all too soon.

Aemma was walking with Helaena, arm in arm, through a sunny hallway. They were accustomed to daily walks, sometimes they walked even more than once a day. Helaena was not overly talkative, but they discussed among themselves what interested them. Helaena kept a log of botany and insects she discovered within the castle grounds, and she recounted to Aemma the newest additions. Aemma - after swearing Helaena to secrecy - told her about the story of legends and mythology she read last night in the library. She had waited for the maesters to leave and had brought her own candle to read the volume.

Helaena laughed lightly at Aemma's dramatic retelling of the story. "It sounds wonderful."

Other than Aemond, Helaena had become Aemma's closest confidante. She did not seem to mind Aemma's parentage, her family's exit from court, or her betrothal to Aemond. She was kind and graceful and poised.

"It was," Aemma sighed. "Until I fell asleep before the septas this morning."

Helaena shook her head, "Now that must have been terrible."

They laughed together again, a content peace settling over them. They had stopped in front of the Great Hall where servants bustled in and out cooking, decorating, and arranging for tomorrow evening. Seeing as her nameday had passed and she was now twelve years of age, Helaena's marriage to Aegon was being prepared for the next day.

Aemma looked at her sideways, not knowing how to broach the subject. Helaena rarely spoke of Aegon, positively or negatively.

"So..." she began, "how are you feeling?"

Helaena smiled at her, "About what exactly?"

"About the wedding?"

"Well, not much I suppose."

"Really?"

Helaena's smile remained, yet it was a different one than before, one Aemma did not believe to be true.

"How am I meant to feel?"

Aemma did not know the answer to this. If she was engaged to be wed to Aegon... Well, she was just glad it was Aemond and not his elder brother.

"I'm not sure," she replied honestly.

"Aegon and I have an understanding on such matters," Helaena said, adjusting the sleeve of her pale green gown. "We both know what is. We may yet care for each other as man and wife but until then..." Her eyes darkened slightly and she bit the inside of her cheek. "Well until then, we are still bound to our duties."

Aemma admired Helaena greatly. And yet she also felt saddened for her. How could she be so willing to accept such a terrible fate?

"It is not such a terrible thing, you know," Helaena was saying. Aemma whipped her head at her, but Helaena was oblivious to what she had said, how she had somehow known exactly what Aemma was thinking. "We are lucky in other ways."

Aemma did not reply, not having anything to say to that.

The next afternoon, Aemma was in Helaena's quarters seated on a chaise before the fireplace. She heard the servants' quiet voices in the bedchambers as they dressed Helaena. Aemma was tracing the lines of her own gown, another green dress with criss-crossing lines embroidered in a darker green shade. Queen Alicent had continued to insist on green gowns during feasts and events before the court. She supposed she was lucky the queen had yet to forbid the black, gray, and red dresses she was accustomed to wear on the day to day. She had seen Aemond briefly before she entered Helaena's room and he had been handsomely dressed in a dark suit, with red detailings. So, the insistence on the green was a personal command made especially for her. Aemma knew her annoyance was obvious to him and yet she still had ignored his silent questioning.