The servant led Aemeryn to Jace's chambers in silence. Aemond had decided to stay in their own and let Aemeryn speak to her brother in peace. He would be here for her when she returned. Thankfully, he hadn't seen Decran at all in the few minutes they had been here. Harrenhal was crawling with people, and Aemond hated it. He sighed and flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Gods, Aemeryn was having his baby. Aemond couldn't help the smile that threatened to break his face in two, but he knew something was worrying her about it. He just didn't know what.
Aemeryn opened the door and watched the two men jerk away from each other. She didn't have it in her to tease Jace and simply stared. It took Jace a moment to realize his sister was standing in the doorway, and he frowned when it finally clicked.
"Cregan, do you mind giving me a moment with my brother?" Aemeryn's voice was completely devoid of emotion, and Jace's frown deepened. Cregan only nodded as he quickly climbed out of the bed. Jace followed suit, and Aemeryn ignored their nakedness as they dressed quickly.
"Em, what's the matter?" Jace asked as he walked over to her.
"I'm pregnant," she whispered as she let her gaze fall on her brother. Jace's mouth dropped open in surprise before it slowly turned into a smile.
"You're telling me I'm going to be an uncle? By the Gods, Em, this is great!" Jace let out a disbelieving chuckle, and Aemeryn scowled at him before shoving passed him to sit at the table shoved in the corner of the room. "How is Aemond taking the news?"
"As well as you."
Jace furrowed his brows at his sister's tone and walked over to her. She was picking at the skin around her nails again, and he had to grab her hands to make her stop.
"Are you not excited, Em? You've always wanted to have a baby with Aemond."
"That was before everything," Aemeryn groaned as she let her head fall to the table with a dull thud. Jace chuckled and picked her head up gently by her hair. It wasn't the first time the two of them had done this with each other, and it wouldn't be the last.
"What exactly is everything?"
"Aemond losing his eye, Grandsire dying, Aegon usurping the throne, and a fucking war. Not to mention what Daemon said-" Aemeryn caught herself before she repeated the words, but Jace's interest was already piqued.
"What did Daemon say to you?" Jace let her hair go and kept his dark gaze on hers. Aemeryn's bottom lip quivered, and she bit it to stop.
"I can't have a baby, Jace. I can't be pregnant in the middle of this shit; Mother will need me."
"You've already been to battle pregnant, Em. You just didn't know," Jace whispered. Of course part of her fear would be not being able to finish this war. "Now, what did Daemon say?"
Aemeryn took a deep breath and stayed silent. She traced an invisible line on the table, and Jace sat with her patiently until she was ready to tell him. Jace would be angry, sure, but Aemond would kill Daemon if he ever found out what he said.
"You can't tell Aemond."
"Why would I tell Aemond?"
"Because I have no plans to," Aemeryn said with a sad grin. Jace arched a dark brow. "He said that if Aemond had a son, he would kill it to avenge Luke." Jace stilled as the words left his sister's mouth. Daemon told her that he would kill Aemond's son? "He wouldn't care if it was his grandson or not."
"When did he tell you this?" Jace wouldn't keep the rage out of his voice, and Aemeryn arched a brow at him in return.
"When he strangled me."
"Could he have just said it out of anger over Luke's death? Seven Hells, I came after you with a sword, Em."
"He didn't do anything until I confronted him over killing an innocent child. You were mourning our brother the only way you knew how. War is changing him, Jace."
"Does Mother know?"
Aemeryn let out a small laugh and nodded her head. "Yes, Mother knows. They've been on thin ice since then."
Jace sighed and pulled his sister into a hug. He couldn't remember a time he had ever seen her this terrified, and a huge part of it was due to her own father.
"Listen to me, Em," Jace muttered into her hair. "You're having a baby with Aemond 'One-Eye' Targaryen. As long as he's there, do you really think he'll let anything happen to you or the baby? The crazy fucker flew to Dragonstone knowing that Mother and Daemon wanted his head and confronted the man because he laid a hand on you. The only reason blood wasn't shed was because of you and Mother getting in between them."
Aemeryn pulled back slightly to look at Jace. He was right, and she knew he was right. Aemond wouldn't let anything happen to them as long as he drew breath into his lungs.
"Thanks, little brother," Aemeryn said with a small grin as she stood up to leave his chambers.
"Glad to be of service." Jace smirked as he opened the door for Aemeryn, and she stepped into the hallway. Cregan stopped his pacing, and Aemeryn grinned up at him.
"Cregan, thank you for allowing me to speak to my brother. I'm sorry for the intrusion."
"No need to apologize, Princess. I know better than to come between a woman and what it is she wants." Aemeryn's grin widened as she walked up to the giant of a man and patted his chest.
"You're a good man. Don't hurt my brother; it would be a shame to kill you."
"Aemeryn!" Jace yelled from the doorway, and she chuckled softly before starting to walk away. "Em, wait."
Aemeryn turned and watched Cregan walk into the doorway and disappear. She arched a brow at her brother as he walked out of the room to approach her.
"What is it?"
"You need to tell Aemond."
"Why would I tell Aemond? I believe I literally just said I wasn't going to."
"He needs to know what he's up against. I can protect you while I'm around you, but obviously that is going to be few and far between right now. Aemond never leaves your side anymore." Jace pressed a kiss to her temple before backing up to reach the door again. "Tell him." Aemeryn watched as Cregan pulled her brother inside and closed the door. Since when was her brother so smart?
Aemond didn't remember when he began to pace, but he hadn't stopped since he started. His mind was running rampant with ideas about why Aemeryn seemed to dread this pregnancy. Was this normal for a woman's first child? He couldn't remember Helaena freaking out like this, but Helaena had simply shut down. Was it because of the never ending list of women in the family that died in the childbed? That thought even gave Aemond shudders. Was it because she simply didn't want a baby with him? He finally stopped pacing when the door opened.
Aemeryn walked in silently but hadn't looked up yet. Aemond stayed where he was as he watched her. She seemed more calm since she talked to Jace. Perhaps getting away from everyone was all that she needed. Aemeryn looked up and jumped slightly when she saw Aemond just standing in the middle of the room and staring at her.
"Hi?" She asked with a nervous chuckle. Hearing her voice pulled Aemond out of his daze, and he walked over to her quickly before taking her face in his hands.
"Are you alright?" His eye roamed over her face in concern.
"As alright as I can be, I suppose."
Aemond frowned and kissed her forehead softly. Aemeryn really was beginning to worry him; she was almost completely devoid of emotion.
"How can I help, little dove? Please, tell me how I can help."
Aemeryn felt her heart crack yet again. Of course Aemond would be blaming himself for her freak out. It was his fault she was pregnant after all. Jace was right; she needed to tell him about Daemon. He needed to know he wasn't the cause of her panicking.
"Aemond, I-"
A knock at the door interrupted her, and she groaned before jerking her head to the sound. Aemond scowled and walked over to the door to pull it open with one arm still wrapped tightly around Aemeryn.
Decran was leaning against the doorframe. His face immediately lightened up when he saw Aemeryn, and Aemeryn's own broke out in a smile. Aemond clenched his hand around the doorknob and was sure he was going to snap it off in his hand.
"Prince. Princess," Decran said with a nod of his head, but he kept his eyes firmly on Aemeryn.
"Lord Strong," Aemond seethed out. Aemeryn looked up at his set jaw and frowned. Decran finally let his dark eyes fall on Aemond's face and gave a forced smile.
"I simply came to invite you both to dinner and to offer an apology for not being able to meet you at the door. I trust Susanna made you both feel welcome." He shifted his eyes back to Aemeryn and immediately relaxed.
"Thank you, Lord Strong. Yes, she did, and yes, we will be at dinner tonight," Aemeryn said with a smile as she put her hand on Aemond's chest in a feeble attempt to calm him. Evidently, the two hadn't put their differences aside when she told them to at Dragonstone. Aemond attempted to smile as he slammed the door in Decran's face.
"If he doesn't stop making eyes at you, he's going to be matching me!" Aemond roared as he paced along the room. Aemeryn followed him with her eyes but made no move to go to him.
"He doesn't make eyes at me, Aemond." Aemond stared at her like she had grown two heads and scoffed. "What is your problem with him?"
"I didn't have a problem until he did!"
"Stop yelling."
Aemond took a deep breath in a pathetic attempt to calm down. Aemeryn didn't deserve to have him shouting at her, and it probably wasn't good for the baby either. "Something isn't right with Decran Strong, Em. You've only met the man four times now, yet he acts like he has some weird protective hold on you. And you go along with it! He doesn't even know you."
Aemeryn frowned and chewed on her bottom lip. Things had just always felt natural with Decran, but she couldn't tell Aemond that. He was already hanging on by a thread as it was. He walked over to her and pressed his forehead to hers.
"He's not Harwin, Em."
"I know he's not Harwin, Aemond."
"Do you? He looks just like your father, and now he's being protective just like Harwin was."
"Ser Harwin wasn't my father," Aemeryn whispered as she closed her eyes. Even saying the words hurt her soul because he was.
"Em, don't give me that shit," Aemond muttered as he pulled away. "Harwin may not have sired you like Daemon did, but he raised you better than Laenor did. That man was your father in every way."
"What does this have to do with your hatred for Decran?" Aemeryn asked as she blinked back her tears. Aemond's face softened, and he kissed her gently.
"Don't cry, baby. He's questioned our marriage openly, and it is obvious he has an intense dislike for me. I've done nothing to that man."
"I know," Aemeryn whispered as she kissed the side of his mouth. "I'm going to talk to him just as I'm talking to you. Perhaps you're right."
Aemond arched a brow and fought off the grin that threatened to form on his face. Aemeryn was admitting he was right about something? She scowled at him and shoved at his chest, but he didn't budge.
"What am I right about, little dove?" Aemeryn rolled her eyes and shoved at him again, and Aemond laughed as he gripped her hips in his hands.
"I'm using him to replace Harwin."
-------
Aemond found himself sitting between Aemeryn and Jace at the long dining table. Lady Jeyne was still making eyes at Aemond and Aemeryn, but they had gotten better at ignoring her. Aemond, however, couldn't ignore the fact that Decran sat Aemeryn down beside him. He made Aemeryn's plate for her again with food that he knew wouldn't make her ill. Aemeryn smiled at him softly before Decran pulled her into a conversation.
"Give her time," Jace muttered next to Aemond. Aemond turned and looked at his eldest nephew. His eyes were set on the back of Aemeryn's head before he flicked his gaze to Aemond.
"Time for what, Jace?"
"To accept the fact that you two are having a baby. When did she find out?"
Aemond sighed before he gazed at the back of his wife's head. "This morning."
"Seven Hells, no wonder she's freaking out. I'm assuming you're already wanting to know what's going on in that blonde head of hers?" Aemond frowned and looked back at Jace. If he kept looking around, he was going to twist his neck. Jace smirked and popped some meat into his mouth.
"I'm simply a concerned husband."
"Right, which is why you used to do that when we were children? It drove her insane then too, Aemond." Aemond frowned again. Just how much had Jace paid attention to the two of them while they were growing up? "Somewhere buried under layers and years of hurt, grief, and rage is a little girl that is excited that she finally married her childhood love and is having his baby. Give her time to let her out; she's scared shitless."
"That's just it. I don't understand why she's scared; she won't tell me."
Jace popped more meat into his mouth and started talking before he finished chewing. Aemond had to fight himself to not wrinkle his nose in disgust. "Well, she's pregnant in the middle of a war with family that she's always loved dearly. Plus there's the entire shit that Daemon said." Jace's eyes widened when the words left his mouth. Aemeryn was definitely going to kill him.
Aemond narrowed his eye at Jace. Daemon fucking Targaryen. Of course he had something to do with this. He had been the one that Aemeryn had her gaze glued to when she started panicking this morning.
"What did he say?" Aemond asked through clenched teeth.
Jace paled softly and shook his head. "Nope, that's Aemeryn's story to tell. Quite frankly, I'm more scared of her than you, and she's going to come after me when she hears that I let that slip."
Aemond smirked and shook his head. He thought his nephew had been afraid of him for a while, but he had been afraid of his sister more. "She won't kill you, idiot. She came here for you."
Beside Aemond, Aemeryn was having her own heated discussion with Lord Strong. Why couldn't the two of them understand that she wanted them to get along? It would make her life so much more simple.
"Decran, I need you to stop this shit with Aemond."
Decran frowned and sat his fork back on his plate. "He doesn't deserve you, Aemeryn. He's brash and violent."
"That is not your call to make, Decran. I understand that you have some strange need to protect me, but you're not Harwin."
Something flashed across Decran's face and disappeared just as quickly. He picked his fork up and nodded quickly. "Of course, Aemeryn. I'm simply trying to do right by you."
Aemeryn frowned. Of course Decran was upset now. "He's a better man now, Decran. I promise."
"And your father?" Decran turned and looked at her. His dark eyes were blazing with rage, and Aemeryn sat up a little straighter. She had only seen that look one other time, and it was when she almost broke her leg from a dare Aegon had given her. Harwin had been furious, and Rhaenyra had to intervene before he did anything stupid.
"What about Daemon?"
"Aemond might be getting better, but Daemon is getting worse. He told me what he did one night when he was drunk." Aemeryn sat in silence as she watched Decran drink his wine down in a single gulp. "My purpose on this earth is to protect you and your brothers. Don't expect me to stop."
-------
Two days had passed since dinner. Aemeryn still had no idea what had gotten into Decran that night, and she hadn't seen him since to ask him about it. What had he meant that he was going to protect her brothers and her? Even as their uncle, it wasn't his place to do that. It was Daemon's as their father. She felt Aemond press a kiss to her temple and smiled up at him.
"This is, quite possibly, the worst library I have ever seen," Aemond said with a grin as he looked at the books with Aemeryn. He was right. All Decran had in his library was war books.
"Well, this is a fortress, Aemond. Were you expecting fairy tales?" Aemeryn teased as she tugged the ends of his hair. He watched with an amused expression as she walked from one side of him to the other.
"I was expecting some sort of variety at the very least." Aemeryn giggled softly, and Aemond wrapped his arms around her from behind as he rested his chin on her head. His hands found her belly easily, and Aemeryn held her breath slightly.
She was accepting the baby a little more than she did when they first arrived at Harrenhal, but Aemond touching her belly all the time still floored her. She hadn't expected him to be as happy as he seemed to be.
The tranquil moment was interrupted by the door slamming open and a man letting out a feral roar. Aemond immediately turned Aemeryn around and held her to his chest as he pushed them further against the wall to be hidden. They could hear a table being flipped, and Aemeryn jumped slightly. Aemond pulled his dagger out silently and pressed Aemeryn closer to him.
"My Lord!" They heard Susanna cry out. Decran was the one destroying the library? Aemeryn looked up at Aemond with a frown.
"The fucking nerve of that man! Does he not care about those children?" Decran roared as he knocked books off of the shelf next to him.
"What man, my Lord?"
"Daemon Targaryen." Aemeryn and Aemond shared another look with each other before Decran started talking again. "He sent a raven, Susanna. He's sending Jace to the fucking Gullet to fight Aegon's fleet alone. He's using these children as pawns in his game for the throne!"
"My Lord-" Susanna started again but was interrupted by something else crashing to the floor. Daemon was sending Jace to the Gullet alone? Why would he do that?
"Isn't it enough he sent my girl to fucking Rook's Rest to fight? Now he's sending Jace to the Gullet alone? Does he not care for them? He's already lost one of Rhaenyra's sons. How many more children is he going to send to their deaths?"
His girl? Aemond looked down at Aemeryn's scowling face. Only Harwin called her his girl ever. Everyone else knew those were fighting words. Aemond tightened his grip on Aemeryn so she wouldn't try to confront the man as he raged.
"My Lord-" Susanna tried again. Her frustration was evident in her voice. Decran roared out again as he flipped another table. He was getting closer to where the two were hiding.
"I had to look at Em covered in blood and soot, Susanna. I had to watch her burn men alive on dragonback to save us. She could have died. I can't lose another child, Susanna."
What the hell was Decran playing at? Was he truly so deluded that he thought Aemeryn and her brothers were his children?
"My Lord," Susanna tried one final time. Decran knocked the shelf down next to the one that was hiding Aemond and Aemeryn. Aemond gripped his dagger tighter in his hand and gripped Aemeryn tighter before letting her go. The shelf hit the ground with a loud crash, and Decran yelled out again. "Harwin, enough!"
Aemeryn and Aemond both froze. Had they heard Susanna correctly? Harwin? Aemond watched the emotions go across Aemeryn's face before she settled on anger. Harwin? Aemeryn rounded the bookshelf before Aemond could stop her. He simply fumbled behind her with his arm out to grab her. Susanna's eyes grew when she saw Aemeryn. Lord Strong frowned and followed her gaze before freezing himself.
"What the fuck does she mean Harwin?" Aemeryn asked through clenched teeth. His eyes glanced between Aemond and Aemeryn before he let out a sigh.
"Shit."