Of Dragons and Oaths || HOTD FANFIC

Chapter Three: The Iron Throne

     Lying in bed with Aegon, Aemma can feel the dread rising up in her stomach. Aegon was bare, and while he was being quiet, she knew he wasn't asleep. He'd been that way since her family arrived in Kings Landing and had hardly had a reaction to his father's death. His wife, on the other hand, was devastated. She had been close with her grandfather, and they had a sort of bond over missing Rhaenyra and Aemma's brothers. Viserys' death had hit her hard, but she had closed herself off about it. "We should get ready, Aegon," she whispers. The morning was still quite early, the sky outside still dark. "My mother will be crowned queen in mere hours." she immediately felt herself still as Aegon gripped her body. His cool fingers are wrapped around the flesh of her arm as he tries to stop her from moving. 

"... we should leave this place, wife," Aegon says, his voice unusually calm as he stares at her. He had this dark look in his eyes as he pulled her closer, resting his head on her chest. "She wishes to annul our marriage; you heard her that night. I do not wish to lose you, or our son." Aegon sounded desperate now, holding her down on the bed with his weight. His worry was not unwarranted, Aemma knew that. Her mother had been furious that night on Driftmark. Rhaenyra hadn't wanted Aemma to marry her half-brother, even the young princess knew that. "My mother was angry, Aegon, but I do not believe that she will do such a thing to us. She seems calmer now, and I think she realizes that we are happy." she tries her best to comfort him, but it's for naught. "She would have married you to your brother, you know this," Aegon seethes, his eyes teary as he leans up in their shared bed. 

"Aegon-" "I am not the husband that you deserve, and Rhaenyra knows that she always has. Once she is queen, she will annul our marriage," he's desperately trying to get this through his wife's head, but she refuses to listen. "I remember, Aegon. Her fury was something vicious, but that was years ago, and we have a son together now, I do not believe my mother could dissolve our marriage even if she wanted to," she takes a deep breath before taking Aegon's face into her hands, her lips pressing against his own tenderly. "I would not allow it, Husband." 

┍━━━━━━━ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗━━━━━━━┑

The throne room was filled with people, Aemma and the rest of the royal family standing just below the steps walking towards that cursed chair. Aemma had arrived with Aegon following behind her, all of them dressed accordingly. The princess rarely wore her house colors, and this was hardly a conscious choice. She usually wore mazarine gowns to match her dragon, with the occasional purple dress in her wardrobe. However, her mother was being crowned queen today, so she wore black. The velveteen fabric was sweet against her skin, and she reveled in seeing her younger brothers wearing the same color. Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey stood with Daemon, who stood menacingly at the steps awaiting Rhaenyra's entrance to the throne room. 

"Good Sister," Aemond greets her, standing by Helaena and his mother. She nods at him, a slight smile on her face. The former queen had a worried look on her face, and Aemma couldn't help but feel the same way. She knew that her mother and Alicent had their fair share of issues, but she hoped they would be able to work through them now that her mother would be ruling. They seemed to find some semblance of peace during that fated dinner, and that was a good sign, she thought. Laenor had been left in the nursery with Althea, and Aemma yearns to be with her son. 

Seeing her mother walk toward the throne and being crowned had brought her such satisfaction, despite the sadness in her heart from losing her beloved grandfather. She did not doubt that her mother would be a good queen. The peace of the crowning ceremony was so refreshing, causing her nerves to calm. Grabbing Aegon's hand, Aemma smiles as Queen Rhaenyra sits on the Iron Throne, as she was always meant to do. This was a good thing. 

The peace, their family, and perhaps the rebuilding of Rhaenyra and Alicent's old friendship. 

They all sit for dinner once again that night, Aemma's mood light as she embraces her family in a way she hadn't been able to in years. There was no tension this time, and everyone had a smile on their face. She was so happy that she didn't see Aegon and her mother sharing looks across the table. Helaena and Jacaerys were talking with the new heir, Jace discussing who she thinks their mother's hand would be. "I suspect it may be grandsire Corlys, but I cannot say for sure," she smiled at her younger brother as he took a drink of whatever he had in his cup. The older sister's mindset was starting to come out because she almost knocked the alcohol out of his hand. "Or perhaps it will be her Grace, Alicent." she looks towards the auburn-haired woman, and Helaena claps her hands happily. "You would make a fine hand, though the decision lays with my mother, of course."