An Eye For A Lie

11.Our Wicked Games

Her sisters didn't hold back their laughter.

Baela recounted more outlandish stories that Lady Merryweather had generously spilled, ranging from secret affairs involving scandals and courtships, to some questionable clandestine preferences that some lords harbored, beyond their regular pursuits of hunting and whoring.

As they continued to indulge in more gossip and pastries, Aelyria surveyed the feast, her eyes flitting from one face to another in search of Aemond.

"Look what we've got over there," Baela discreetly pointed towards the other corner of the hall. "Our 'charming' cousin slash uncle is making a fool of himself with Maellery Tyrell and Cassandra Baratheon."

She glanced in the direction Baela was indicating, and she spotted Aegon who was drunkenly flirting with the Tyrell girl. Maellery seemed not to be bothered at all by Aegon's attentions, while Cassandra was vaguely disinterested.

"Well that is predictable as ever," Rhaena quirked a laugh. "Aegon, unsurprisingly drunk again, and chasing every woman that is not his wife."

"According to Lady Merryweather," Baela shared eagerly, "Cassandra and Maellery have high aspirations of marrying into royalty."

"They're barking to the wrong tree then," Aelyria scoffed, her gaze fixed on both of them. "Daeron is in Oldtown, not likely to return anytime soon, and Aegon isn't an option. If they are smart, they'll steer clear of him."

"There's always Aemond," Rhaena added, chewing down on her cake. "Though his abilities as a suitor are renowned as the parched harvests from the Reach and Storm's End sunny days. I doubt either of them will be impressed."

"Rhaena..." Aelyria warned, her mouth moving against her will, irritation coloring her tone.

"What?" Rhaena arched an incredulous brow. "Since when are you defending that twat?"

Not wanting to hear more from her sister, she crinkled her nose and stayed quiet.

Before she could process it all, Aemond arrived at the scene, his tall figure storming Aegon with authority. Aemond moved with intention, aiming to take away his brother, probably in an attempt to spare Helaena from public humiliation. He grasped Aegon by the arm, but Aegon jerked his hand back.

A few curt, low-spoken words passed between them, the vitriol clear in the exchange, and Aegon's eyes narrowed down on Aemond with contempt, as he turned away and parted ways with his brother.

Cassandra Baratheon was eagerly approaching the now solitary Aemond, greeting him with a hand on his shoulder, that he removed quickly and disdainfully, as Maellery offered him a coquettish smile, and something within Aelyria began to stir, stinging inside her like a pointy spine.

"Apparently they are impressed, Rhaena," Baela pointed out, much to Aelyria's dismay.

A dry huff slipped past her lips, as she watched Cassandra and Maellery vie for her uncle's attention, while Aemond's eye lingered on her, evidently awaiting her reaction.

It dawned on her then that she was being irrational, unreasonable even, to pretend that Aemond wouldn't eventually get married off one day, just like her, forced to adhere to their duties—the same duties that her mother had taken to remind her of, especially as of late.

It felt like a futile clash against the oncoming slaughter, a vain resistance in the face of the inevitable destiny that both of them would soon have to confront. This shouldn't bother her, and it shouldn't evoke the jealousy that it did, yet here she was.

What goes around truly comes back around, Aelyria mocked herself.

Ironically and inadvertently, Aemond repaid her with the same coin and doubled it, but what Aemond didn't know was that she didn't care for irony or fairness, as long as it concerned him.