Born to Die

Chapter 38

"What?" Aemeryn asked again. She could hear the words coming out of her father's mouth, but it was like her brain was refusing to process them. "Why would we storm King's Landing now? There has been no fighting for months."

"Exactly. I'm sure that cunt has been planning his next steps while we have sat around doing nothing."

"Daemon!" Rhaenyra barked from her seat. Daemon glanced over to his wife before resuming his staring contest with his daughter.

Aemond kept his gaze glued to Aemeryn as he always did when Daemon was around. If Daemon only knew what exactly they had been up to with Aegon, he would be eating his words. They are the reason that Rhaenyra is winning the war. Aegon is the reason that his men have left King's Landing. Aemond and Aemeryn are the reason so many of Aegon's men lie dead.

"Why, exactly, have we been sitting around doing nothing, Kepa?" Aemeryn's voice was dangerously quiet. Part of her wanted him to admit it was because she had gotten pregnant. Part of her wanted him to snap again so it wouldn't hurt as bad when she lost him. Daemon opened his mouth to answer in his rage but quickly snapped it shut again. He had just gotten his daughter back, and he wasn't about to lose her again.

"You didn't need to be in harm's way anymore, my moon. It is a sacrifice I would make again in a heartbeat." Daemon smiled at Aemeryn softly before dealing his next blow. "I was wanting Aemond to accompany me to Harrenhal to prepare for the final battle."

Helaena's words came back to Aemeryn in a rush as she stood too quickly. The chair fell backwards, and Rhaenyra began to stand, but Aemond beat her to it. Aemeryn could barely register Aemond's hand on her elbow as she stared at her father. His words were innocent enough as was the bewildered look on his face.

"No," Aemeryn finally said. All eyes went from Aemeryn to Daemon. His expression remained cool as he looked at his daughter.

"No?"

"With all due respect, Kepa, Amara was just born. Aemond needs to be here with us until the final battle. He needs to be with his daughter. If anyone can understand that, I think it would be you."

Daemon stayed silent but nodded as he stood. Aemeryn wasn't sure if he was even planning on harming her husband, but she wasn't about to take that chance. Helaena hadn't been wrong so far, and Daemon had been after Aemond since the wedding. Aemeryn watched as Daemon left the dining hall before she turned on her heel and left as well.

She heard Aemond's familiar footfalls behind her on the stone floor as she walked quickly to the nursery. Harwin turned his head from his post outside the door and nodded to Aemeryn.

"Princess."

"Oh, cut the shit, Harwin," Aemeryn grumbled. Harwin smiled at her and opened the door before following Aemeryn and Aemond inside. Aemond reached the cradle before Aemeryn did and immediately picked his daughter up. Amara had been lying awake but hadn't been crying. Aemeryn assumed that her wet nurse had already been by to feed her this morning and watched Aemond with a soft smile on her face.

"He seems to have taken to fatherhood rather quickly," Harwin said softly as he stood next to Aemeryn. She looked up and smiled softly at him before looking back to her husband that was now approaching them. Aemond looked up at Aemeryn with a huge smile on his face before handing her Amara.

"I'm inclined to agree," Aemeryn said as she smiled down at her daughter and rocked her gently back and forth. "Have you held her anymore other than the one time, Harwin?"

Harwin looked at Aemeryn with something akin to shock before shaking his head. "I can't say that I have, Em."

"Why not? You have just as much right as anyone else in the family to hold her. In fact, you're just as much her grandfather as Daemon is." Aemeryn shifted and handed Amara to Harwin. He cradled the small babe to his chest and smiled down at her before smiling at Aemeryn. A gasp from the doorway made the three of them turn in unison. Rhaenyra stood in the doorway with a hand on her chest as if she just received a shock.