Chapter nine
Rhaenyra Targaryen had whisked her children out of Kings Landing and onto Dragonstone in the blink of an eye, allowing no time for departing words. Aemma had tried to evade her mother, futilely searching for Aemond around the castle before her mother found her and pulled her away. Aemma hadn't been able to say anything to Aemond and hadn't even had the chance of a parting hug.
The boat ride to Dragonstone was filled with Aemma begging her mother to bring her back to Kings Landing, offering the idea of marrying herself to Aemond. Aemma, of course, had positioned it as a way to bring the separate factions of the same house together. It matter little, whatever her reason was, for Rhaenyra hardly toyed with the idea, coldly telling Aemma she wouldn't dare sell her daughter off to a family of snakes and miscreants. Rhaenyra had promised Aemma, holding Aemma's hands in hers as the realms delight softened at her daughter's teary eyes, that she would marry a prince worthy of her love and affection. A prince who was good and just, who would respect her and defend her to the ends of the earth.
But Aemma didn't want a prince like that.
Aemma wanted Aemond.
Aemma knew Aemond would respect and defend her, she knew he would stand loyally by her side until they died in old age. Aemma didn't want some stuffy prince who smiled crookedly and slept in another bed while boasting that he was oh so loyal to her.
Luckily, it seemed the Gods also wanted Aemma to be with Aemond. For it had only taken a few days of misery for the two to be reunited.
The funeral of Laena Velaryon was not the best place to be reunited, however.
Aemma stood beside her father, clutching his hand as she stared up at him. She'd never seen him so broken, as though a part of him was within the casket with his sister. She wasn't yet fluent in High Valyrian, so she understood little of what was being said by her great-uncle. So instead she chose to watch on, keeping most of her attention on her father.
She watched as the casket slowly made its way into the sea, holding her father tightly in case he tried to jump in after her.
People began moving around them, but Aemma stayed by her father's side.
"Would you like me to lead you up to the castle, father?" Aemma asked, glancing into Laenors misty eyes.
"No, no that's all right," Laenor said, using all of his might to glance down at his daughter and offer her a small smile, "I think I'll stay here for a little while,"
"I can stay too,"
"No..." Laenor took a deep breath, the tears threatening to spill, "I'd like to be alone for now,"
Aemma stood by herself, the time away from her living father giving her the chance to mourn her biological father. She had been lucky enough to be gifted two fathers and hadn't even been aware until one was banished and then killed. She had been given two fathers and, as she glanced down at the beach, she feared she was about to lose both in the blink of an eye.
"You're sad,"
Aemma took her eyes off her father, her watery eyes meeting Aemond's crystal blue ones.
"You're an idiot," Aemma replied.
The two stood there in silence for a moment. It didn't take long for Aemma to break, striding forward to enwrap Aemond in a bone-crushing hug. Aemond, who was still getting used to comforting people, stood rigidly. With a sigh, Aemma grabbed his arms and brought them to her back, causing Aemond to lighten and hug back properly.
"This is shit," Aemma mumbled, using Aemond's shoulder to dry her eyes.
"It will pass," Aemond told her.
The words would have seemed ill-fitting coming from anyone else. Telling a person their emotions were only fleeting when they were so deep in their sorrows was almost cruel. It was not cruel when it came from Aemond. It was Aemond being as comforting as he could.
"I don't know if I want it to," Aemma confessed, breaking their hug to look down at their connected hands, "I don't want to forget,"
Aemma had practically whispered the words, not wanting anyone but Aemond to hear her. The wail of Laena's dragon, Vhagar, answered her calls.
"Perhaps you should get some rest," Aemond said, glancing up at the sky, "You need a break from the thoughts,"
Aemma nodded, their hands dropping from one another's as she brushed past him.
Aemma rushed down the steps of the halls, racing the meet with her brothers and cousins. She had elected to get changed out of her nightwear before facing whoever had stolen Vhagar. Her cousins and brothers were already dressed, not wasting time waiting for her to dress herself.
She arrived much later than her brothers and cousins, noticing the fight with the unknown thief had already begun. As she hurried down the last bit of stairs, she gasped as she caught sight of Aemond holding Luke by the throat.
"You will die screaming in flames just as your father did," Aemond said cruelly, "Bastards,"
Aemma watched in horror, having never witnessed such a side to Aemond before. She understood him to be angrier than other children, but as she stared at him under the darkness, she finally saw his whole being.
"Stop!" Aemma shouted, striding past Jace and her cousins as she made her way up to Aemond, "Drop him, now!"
Aemond's grip on Luke loosened, his face turning to a mixture of shame and shock as he stared into Aemma's eyes. They were alight with fire, nothing could extinguish the fury that was locked behind her eyes, clambering to be set free.
"He stole my dragon!" Rhaena shouted, noticing the hold Aemma had on Aemond.
"It's not hers," Aemond shouted back, dropping Luke to the floor, "I claimed her. A dragon rider died. That dragon is anyways to claim. Just as you once told me,"
Aemma was too far gone to see reason, the branding of bastard on her ears all she could focus on.
"He called us bastards," Luke cried, glancing at his older sister for reassurance, "But we aren't, are we?"
"No, we're not," Aemma said resolutely, glaring at Aemond.
"You're not, are you?" Aemond tested, jutting his chin out in challenge, the power of having his own dragon overcoming his sense of reason or love, "You have always been awfully... Strong for a girl,"
Jace, who had taken up a position beside her, unveiled a dagger.
"No, he's mine," Aemma seethed, stopping Jace with a single wave of the hand, "He'll pay for what he's said to us,"
"I would never be yours," Aemond retorted, narrowing his eyes at her, "I'd never marry a bastard,"
The final chord had been struck within Aemma. She screamed at him, leaping at him with both fists ready. Landing the first punch, Aemma attempted to slam him into the wall beside them. Aemond was quick, ducking out of the way and grabbing her. She bit down on his hand, pushing him away. Aemond didn't topple, advancing quickly to punch her and throw her to the ground.
Jace stood in front of his sister, holding his dagger towards Aemond. Aemond quickly fought him, sending him to the ground beside his sister in a matter of moments as the dagger flew out of his hand.
Luke, just out of sight, began to crawl towards the dagger.
Aemond took one last glance at Aemma, who held only contempt in her eyes as she stared up at him. Jace took the opportunity, hurling sand into Aemond's eyes and temporarily blinding him.
More blood than Aemma had ever seen spurted out of Aemond's eye as Luke slashed him across the face with a scream. Aemma raced towards him as Aemond let out an ungodly cry, softly pushing Luke away from the scene.
"Someone get the maester!" Aemma shouted, all of her once hot-blooded emotions draining into two simple emotions, fear and concern, "Baela! Go!"
Baela turned heel, running back up the steps to retrieve someone, anyone who could help.
"Aemond, Aemond, look at me," Aemma said softly, kneeling beside him.
Aemond leant into her touch as Aemma held him, trying to see what exactly had happened to him.
"What happened to me?" Aemond asked, Aemma holding him closely, "What happened, Aemma?"
Aemma looked at the blood pooling out from his hand, her emotions falling into a coldness she'd never experienced before.
"You called us bastards,"
Authors note:
Awww shit, here we go again.
Aemond has now called her a bastard twice, and Aemma is fucking PISSED. Had he not done that, she probably would have been on his side for the Vhagar thing, but Aemma isn't going to forget about this cruelty anytime soon.
I feel like, in the moment, Aemond would be way too wrapped up in his victory of finally getting a dragon to even think about Aemma. Again, they're still kids.