Stranger - hotd Cregan Stark

6

"Thank you Aemond." Valaena tried to smile, but in truth she had been so angry for only being allowed to watch. Now only annoyance coursed through her veins.

"Of course, come stand besides me." Hummed Aemond as he outstretched his hand, which the girl reluctantly took. She tried to look away from
His when he pulled her closer to him. He acted so cold, so natural, still Valaena swore she could see him blush. "Now place your hands like this." Breathed Aemond against her face as he held up her arm and positioned her fingers on the bow.

"Knock the arrow, like Cole showed you." 

Valaena did as he told her, she hadn't realized how much tension there would be between her arm and the bow. She grimaced yet again. Frowning her brows together. "Seven hella this is heav-"

"Now let go." Interrupted Aemond her cursing as he tried to hide his grin.

Ofcourse she failed at her first attempt, not quite, but very miserably. Her arrow flew right past it's target, bouncing off the wall.

Valaena groaned, before knocking another arrow and glancing at her uncle. Waiting for him to instruct her. "Keep trying." Encouraged the Prince with a nodd.

After five days of training, Valaena had still not managed to hit the mark. Aegon had watched them the day before and loudly declared that something must be wrong with Valaena's eyes, for she couldn't hit a target and was blushing at Aemond of all people. He even dared to state they perhaps together they would make for two eyes.

The Princess had ran up to him. Ready to knock him in the jaw, fortunately for Aegon, Ser Criston Cole had intercepted, as he had returned to the court yard to fetch Aemond for sword lessons.

So on the sixt day, Valaena was nowhere near giving up. And she kept knocking and retrieving her arrows. She wondered how long it would take for Aemond to scold her, but he remained patient with her. For this she was gratefull.

"Keep your feet closer together." Encouraged Aemond his niece. He stepped forward, tapping her feet with his slightly. "Good, now bend your elbow more."  He reached out his arm, annoyance on his features for only a moment. "Not like this Laena."

Valaena took a shallow breath as she felt him wrap his arm around her. She bit her lip slightly when he lightly tapped on her shoulder. "Hold it."

"Now let go."

She hit the, well not the mark but the target atleast. The Princess broke out in a grin, promptly stepping away from Aemond. Who she hadn't noticed had stared at her for longer than he ahould have. His cheeks pink when she wrapped her arms around the Prince and hugged him. "Thank you Aemond! Oh thank ypu. I thought I was never going to hit it."

"Good." Mumbled Aemond before suddenly walking away from her, his cheeks red. She scoffed. Putting her bow down before chasing after him. "What are you doing?" Called the Princess out as she followed him inside the keep, where only last week Queen Alicent had ordered a large tapestry depicting the maiden and the crone to be hung. Valaena knew the Gods should be spoken of with reverence, but alas the tapestry was quite ugly.

"Aemond wait up." Valaena grabbed her betrothed by the shoulder. Turning him around, her cheeks red from running. She placed her hands into her sides and scoffed. "Why would you just-"

Aemond cut her off then. He'd suddenly stepped forward and planted his lips on hers. Gripping her cheek awkwardly the two nearly stumbled into the tapestry. Valaena didn't know what to do, as she had never been kissed, but mostly because she hadn't ever expected Aemond to kiss her. They were supposed to be wed one day, of course, yet still. It came as a shock to her. And that is precisely why she pushed him away, hard.