There wasn't an ounce of life in the Red Keep. There was no overwhelming cheer for their new king. Support from many, sure, but no joy. No laughter. No smiles. Nothing.
A once bright and vibrant room full of tender and intimate memories, now full of sorrow and loss. He'd lost her, truly lost her. It was like the air was ripped from him, every breath weighing heavier and heavier on him.
An ache crackled in his heart nonstop, like a knife slowly twisted until he had nothing left in him. He needed Alys. Even if he was still in the Red Keep, he felt no love. No happiness, no light. All of that turned to ash when she ran from him.
After everything he'd said and done, after he still chose to help Rhaenyra, he'd lost his Alys. She was gone. Did she really not trust him? Did she have no faith in his words?
Aemond stared blankly at the fireplace with his coat on and scroll in hand.
Deliver this message to Lord Borros. Betroth Daeron to one of his daughters. Any of them.
That was his mission.
Not to see his wife. Not to bring her home, where she belonged. Not to storm Dragonstone and demand to know how she could leave him so easily without so much as a single word.
Not to remember the moments after she fled from him.
"I told you! I told you it didn't matter if you used your fucking dragons or not to burn your father's body!" Alicent panicked, pacing back and forth as she picked at her cuticles anxiously.
"He's no father of mine." Aegon rolled his eyes while Aemond remained by the window, frozen in place as he stared after where Braxes had vanished.
"He is your father. As he is Helaena's, Daeron's, Aemond's, Rhaenyra's and Viserra's." Both turned to their mother in surprise. She'd never spoken of Viserra until now. "And now Viserra's daughter as well as cousin are both on their way to inform your half sister of what has transpired."
"So what?" Aegon grumbled and was met with a swift slap to the face. He was too stunned to say anything, but Aemond smirked just slightly.
"And you..." Alicent looked over at her other son, marching over to him with a slap of his. This one even harsher than the last. "...I trusted you to take care of that girl and protect her...and I find that she's been locked in a cell this entire time?"
"What?!" Aemond's eye widened slightly and his nostrils flared.
"Your grandsire found her with your father. He was already gone, but she was there with him sleeping and-." Alicent continued to rant, but all Aemond saw was red.
His wife. In a cell. Frightened. Alone. No knowledge of anything going on. At the hands of his grandsire.
No wonder she ran from him. She'd been some caged animal this entire time at his family's hand. She was scared. His wife was scared.
And she didn't come to him for safety.
Aemond practically shoved through his mother, knocking her back against the table as he tried to make a run at the door shouting. "WHERE IS HE?!"
"Dragonstone." Aegon called out casually and Aemond stopped in his tracks by the door with his fists trembling at his sides. "I'm getting her back here, brother. For now you're needed at Storm's End. She'll be here when you return."
It was the only thing keeping him from falling apart. Promises from the brother he had threatened multiple times over the same woman.
Aegon was Aemond's last hope to see Alys.
And he didn't trust it one bit.
Nor would he.
Alys found little to no sleep since her return to Dragonstone. She remained at Rhaenys' side, still unsure of where she should be.
She felt like a child clinging to her mother once again.
Her brothers were relieved to see her, but Jace refused to meet her eyes. Her cousins gave small smiles, but remained loyally by their betrotheds. Daemon and Rhaenyra stood on opposite ends of the painted table, both with very different ways to go about this treason.
Yet Alys worried she would be considered as a part of this treason. Rhaenyra and Daemon would never declare her as one, but that didn't mean anyone else in the room wouldn't.
Daemon was in the middle of arguing battle strategy while Rhaenyra was trying her best to avoid any bloodshed. They were all interrupted by Ser Erryk, their newest Queensguard, informing them of green banners from a ship nearby.
When Daemon inspected the intruders, he was met with Otto Hightower and his mens. It was almost too good to be true. Like a gift perfectly wrapped and delivered for him to rip apart.
When Rhaenyra inspected, she made an entrance. She showed the strength of House Targaryen, flying in on Syrax as she had so many years ago to retrieve a stolen egg from her now husband. Ah, to look at them now. Now both of them were enemies to the very same lord hand in this standoff.
Otto listed off Aegon's terms, with Daemon not even bothering to listen to the ridiculous offer, but Rhaenyra was listening. Always listening. It was where she and her husband differed. One cautious and always thinking of the next step, while the other reckless and vicious. Balance.
"King Aegon has also commanded the return of his niece, Lady Alyssa Arryn." Otto begrudgingly added and both Rhaenyra and Daemon snuck a glance at each other. "She is to return as well as her beast."
Daemon chuckled dryly with his hand resting on the pommel of Dark Sister. "Go ahead. Try to take her, Otto. If you can get past me, Alys is all yours."
"Lady Alyssa is married to Prince Aemond. She belongs in King's Landing at her husband's side." Otto argued, but it burned him to say the words. He needed her dragon on their side...he needed The Vale. His little prisoner should've remained a prisoner like she was supposed to.
"You will address my niece by her proper title." Rhaenyra stepped towards Otto, ripping his Hand of the King pin from his tunic and tossing it over the bridge. She glared up at the older man, remembering the first time Otto had chased out essentially her entire family. Aemma, Viserra, Rhaenyra, and now Alys. Now there was no more running, not for any of them. "My niece will bear her mother's house as well as title. You will address my niece as Princess Alyssa Targaryen unless you wish to lose more than your stupid fucking pin."
Otto sneered as Rhaenyra strutted back to Daemon. She turned and gave Otto one last stern look. "Tell my half siblings if they bend the knee, I will welcome them all back with open arms. Tell my half-brother that I will have my throne, or I will have his head."
Alys stood awkwardly off to the side after Rhaenyra and Daemon returned, but to everyone's surprise so had Lord Corlys. She lit up when she saw the man limp in with a cane to support him. Familiar. Family. Comfort. That's what she needed.
Corlys snuck a small smile at the girl before looking to Rhaenyra for answers as to why another sat the throne. It was unclear to most if the Velaryon lord would declare for the blacks, but Alys knew. She didn't need a vision to know where the man's head was on the matter. Because despite the Velaryon's speculations of Laenor's death, he wouldn't stand to serve another moment to House Hightower.
But now they all stood around the painted table, wondering what they're next move was. Daemon wanted to surround King's Landing with all of their dragons and men, which wasn't necessarily a bad idea, Alys thought.
The greens had 4 dragons, only one with true battle experience. Helaena would never fly her dragon into battle, she never viewed her dragon as a weapon, but simply a friend. Aegon would ride Sunfyre into battle, but could he come out victorious against the rest? Daeron's dragon was relatively small, from what she'd heard, so he wasn't even registering to her as a threat. Just a prick.
But the one she feared the most, she didn't know if she could face him. She certainly couldn't fight him if it came down to it. As angry as she still was for the past few days and as hurt and betrayed as she felt, she still loved him. Just the thought of Aemond in battle made her stomach churn. Even if she couldn't have him, she still couldn't lose him.
"And what of The Vale...princess?" Jace looked like he had been sitting on this question all day, trying to contain the bitterness that picked at him for the last time Alys made her choice.
All eyes were on Alys, who peaked up from the table finally. A tingle shot down her spine as she looked from person to person, before landing on Rhaenyra. Rhaenyra, who had always been there for her since the beginning. Rhaenyra, whose loyalty never once could be questioned when it came to her family.
"I will speak with my lady aunt, but I can assure you, the Vale will always follow me if called upon." Alys would do the same. She stood tall with her head held high, turning her head towards Jace, who had just finished rolling his eyes. She cleared her throat and looked over at Daemon, who gave her a subtle nod of support. "I will treat with Lady Jeyne myself straight away."
Luke's face filled with concern at the idea of Alys returning to the Eyrie. It had been years since she'd even flown anywhere near her childhood home. Alys always swore she'd never return, yet here she was offering to go with more stubbornness than confidence.
"As Prince Lucerys will go to Storm's End, and Prince Jacerys to the North. If war is to follow, then we must gather as many allies as we can." Rhaenyra declared and everyone nodded in agreement, except for Alys.
"Fight would be little challenge."
That voice. It was Aemond. She saw him, but where was he? He was faintly smiling, but there was something dark about it. Something off.
What was wrong with her? Why was she this anxious? Why did she have this sense of impending doom at the sound of her husband's voice? At the sight of him?
The whole room had cleared when Joffrey came running up to her, along with Luke, Baela and Rhaena. They'd missed her terribly, and were relieved to have her home with them.
Most of them.
Jace stormed off, still unable to face his cousin after all this time. Even in her "support", she still wept for that prick. She still winced at the mention of war. She was as green as her eyes, and Jace could see right through it.
"Alright, you lot get to see your cousin far more often than I do. Now scatter." Rhaenys saw the uneasiness in Alys' eyes and shooed the rest of them away, finally letting her breathe. The woman took the girl into her arms, rubbing her back soothingly. "I tried to find you, little one. I feared the worst had happened when Ser Erryk told me you were missing."
"No, just simply a prisoner. That's all." Alys humorlessly laughed into Rhaenys' shoulder with a weak headshake.
"Have you spoken to him?" Rhaenys' voice was barely a whisper. Alys just shook her head slightly. "You should, my dear. If the roles were reversed, would you wish to speak with your husband and explain a few things?"
Alys sighed, knowing her cousin was right. But how could Aemond even look at her after she jumped from a window instead of speaking with him? She'd spent so many times telling him he needed to trust her, just for her to not trust him. "What do I even say?"
"You could start by listening to what he has to say." Rhaenys pulled away, wiping at the tears lingering in the corners of Alys' eyes.
"What if he doesn't bend the knee? Nys, I cannot fight him." Alys sniffled, feeling that dread growing more and more in her chest.
"Then you are craven, as well as a traitor."
There it was again. Like a ghost coming to haunt her every move. Where was Aemond? None of that room looked familiar. There was just stone around him, a dimly lit hall. Why did he look so angry? Why did he look ready to kill? Why was his eyepatch removed this time?
"Alys? What is it?" Rhaenys saw the fear growing in Alys' emerald eyes.
"I...I don't know..." Alys knew something wasn't right. Something was wrong with Aemond, but what?
Alys toyed with her wedding ring the entire way to the Eyrie. She couldn't pull her mind from Aemond or those odd flashes she saw of him. They were visions, but of what? It was driving her insane being apart from him, being in his unknown rather than by his side.
She felt like a stranger in the halls of Dragonstone. Sure, her family had mostly welcomed her back with open arms, but it didn't feel like her home anymore.
When she tried to picture home, she'd only see Aemond. She missed having his arms wrapped around her, giving the comfort she desperately needed after the past few days.
"You owe a debt!"
His voice was echoing in her head, fading in and out of nothing as she approached the doors. She wanted it to stop, but it lingered in the back of her mind. What was going on? Was he in danger?
She reached for the handle hesitantly. Six years. Six years and the ghosts of her mother and father still haunted her. Had the blood fully vanished since? Did the halls still hold that same coldness she hated? Would she still hear the echoes of screams she had all those years ago?
"I plan to make a gift of it to my mother."
Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Get out of her head. Just stop.
The doors swung open and Jeyne was beaming brightly upon the sight of her niece. Jeyne didn't care for formalities as she pulled the girl in for a warm embrace. One Alys needed more than she thought.
"I hear my little Alys is going off to war soon." Jeyne giggled as she led Alys in, casually walking by her aunt's side.
"Ideally, no, but I'd wager that's where this is all headed. Queen Rhaenyra needs The Vale, Lady Jeyne...she needs support." Alys wasn't wasting time. Her visions were worrying her. They never came to her like this. In flashes, brief sentences here and there. Something was wrong.
Jeyne lifted a parchment for Alys to read and she snatched it, scanning it quickly. A desperate plea from the greens...Aemond's handwriting...he said his...his wife's House owed it to the crown...because of the marriage...
"When did this arrive?" Alys teared up. He used their marriage as a pawn in another's war. For someone he loathes entirely. She could feel the iciness of her heart begin to crack. Her hand flew to her chest, rubbing at it as she felt her throat closing up.
"This morni...morning...Alys, are you alright?" Jeyne stepped closer when she saw the redness growing in her eyes with her pupils dilating. Alys' skin was starting to drip with sweat, while Jeyne's voice was growing muffled.
"GIVE ME YOUR EYE OR I WILL TAKE IT, BASTARD!"
That was the last thing Alys could hear before she collapsed on the ground into nothing.
***Welcome to the shitshow***
***Also everyone go read "The Maid" by purplewriter_x !!!! Best feral Aemond story I've read. It's not even close🥰🥰🥰***
***Annnnnnnd I was already almost at 3k words for this chapter, so all my big stuff is next chapter, I swear!!! Alys finds out...first, we'll just say that.***