The place was cold, and rotten. Maellery, since her engagement to Aemond Targaryen, had spent most of her time confined to her chambers out of choice not will. She had just turned 10 and 6 years, perfect age for bearing pure Targaryen's for the house. Maellery's children would never be her own, they were a puzzle piece their father could move around a giant chessboard, removing and replacing them whenever he needs. Her daughters became pieces of meat, offered up to the highest bidder before being shipped across the world to be locked away, producing nothing but heirs and spares. Her sons, thrown into battles and wars before spending the last of their years exploiting the young women they wish to. She knew the fate she held, the same fate her daughters would face, identical to the fate her mother had accepted, her mother before her also.
It was also full of whispers; her handmaidens had often discussed if she was mad. Perhaps, she often dreamt of the prince shouting through the halls of her madness and denying the betrothal. Thus far, he did not. He also did not see her, she had seen his face a handful of times, often disappearing around corridors or training out in the yard. He did not speak, she did not speak, and they ignored each other's presence until it had vanished. He knew why she was here; she knew why she was there, no reason to discuss it between them. They each had a duty to complete, and they would do it in seclusion.
The sound of scuffling slowed, and a mutter of words was quickly spread over the maids. Maellery stood, much to her disappointment and bowed slightly before returning to her seat by the window. She didn't understand why she was not happy, the gardens were beautiful, filled with flowers she didn't even know existed. She had all she ever wanted, a betrothal to the son of a king, a chamber the size of a castle and everything she had ever hoped of in a marriage. The people of kings landing would swap positions with her in an instance. She would visit them soon enough.
"Hello" she turned slightly, to get back to her daydreaming, Maellery hadn't took the time to see who was there. Her eyes became crinkled at the corners, and for the first time in about 12 hours she smiled. Princess Helaena was the second daughter of the King, first of the Queen Alicent and married to Aegon, the first son of the pair. Maellery had spoke regularly to Helaena who expressed her joy of another joining her house. Maellery often thought Helaena was the God's way of bringing hope to her lost cause. In the last weeks Maellery had been there, Helaena had come to visit her friend more times than any other, the two bound together by the love of embroidery and discussions of the marriage Helaena had entered with her brother. Their presence was enough of a comfort for the two, they never touched once in these meetings, Helaena had found it disgusting and Maellery didn't mind, happy that she chose to spend time with her instead.
"Good morning, Helaena, would you like some tea?" Often, she would find that majority would drink wine, whatever time in the days and so Maellery offered tea instead, it reminded her of home, but it also allowed people to understand that wine and drinking was not to be done in her chambers and instead meant to be done outside with the rest of the vulgar world.
As she often did, Helaena accepted and both took a seat at the table centred in the room, each maid scrambling for things to satisfy them with. "Then we shall have tea".
"Has Aemond come by the chambers yet?"
"No, not yet. I am happy to be left by myself, do not worry Helaena. How is Aegon?"
She shuffled slightly, her shoulders pushing back, and her eyes drooped. Everyone knew of Aegon and Helaenas marriage, how he was unfaithful and cruel to the girls of Kings landing including Helaena. The queen knew also, Maellery failed to recognise why a mother would allow her daughter to endure such a nightmarish act, why she didn't scoop up Helaena in the middle of the night and cast her off to some far away land filled with the bugs and flowers Helaena desired. Yet again, fate upon fate.
"He is fine. He is drunk" She replied hastily, a sign that she wanted to move on.
"I want to visit the people here, the orphanages and things. Have you ever been Helaena? Can you tell me how it is?"
"Mother does not let me out of the castle, she said they are dangerous but do tell me what happens. I would like to teach others about the many bugs and flowers that grow on their lands."
Maellery hummed softly in response to this, offering a smile to the sweet princess who had now began embroidering. Maellery sat staring, the princess in front of her would be the thing Maellery would describe if anyone asked her for proof of angels. She was soft and kind, never once treating Maellery anything other than what she was, a human.
"Marriage is not all bad Maellery" she didn't answer.
"It is lonely, and it can be hard, but it is not all bad. I am not going to tell you that there's love there, you will not believe me" Maellery snorted quietly, earning the stare of Helaena who gleamed at her. "This is fun, we have each other now".
"Is this what my life is going to consist of?"
"Yes" She was unhappy with her answer, the truth of it.
"You know- "She was interrupted by Helaena looking at the door, she followed her gaze. Both girls had stood, bowing to the prince that stood in the pair's chambers. Maellery had no reason to interact with the prince, so she abruptly sat down and urged her friend to do the same.
"The maids have just made tea if you would like to join us My Prince." Maellery didn't speak with a spiteful tone or with any anger, she was not angry with the prince much to surprise, she was understanding that he did not want this marriage either and instead allowed him to do his routines uninterrupted so that the pair would not be filled with hatred.
"I wished to speak to you, Maellery".
"Ah, well Princess Helaena has joined me for some tea I'm afraid so that will have to wait".
"I will leave, it is no bother" Helaena replied, before standing and exiting much to the despair of her beloved friend sat across. Maellery had the urge to run after her, sinking to her knees and begging the princess to stay until she either called the guards to throw her into a cell or came back with her.
"We are to be wed".
"A good observation My Prince, tell me how you found that out" he stared at her.
"I do not want to be wed; I am perfectly fine with living alone".
"I don't disagree my prince".
"hm"
They stood for a few, allowing the air to sing in the silence.
"You may take up a lover if you wish but take precautions. I do not want to end up with bastards, one Targaryen has already tarnished the name, I will not be responsible for further damage." He was referring to Rhaenyras children, who are rumoured to be her guards' children rather than her husband.
"What about our marriage?"
"When we are wed, we will perform the necessary things that our marriage commands us to. We will have children, as many as you can carry and we will attend public events together. I will sleep in this chamber, but we will not together. I shall spend my days as I do now, and you will do as you please."
"What do you do now my prince?" Maellery did not know why she asked this, only she gained to know any knowledge about the prince that seemed to disappear throughout the days.
"Do you understand?" He ignored the question and in turn, a slight nod was given back to him. He quickly fled and all that was left was the echo of the maids bowing and mutterings of prince. Maellery made her way to the window seat once more, staring out into the gardens below.
She thought about the princes offer. A lover, one of brilliance and a sweet tasting laughter. One who made her eyes go fuzzy with adoration and made her content with the life she was pushed into. One who came in times of solace and laughed with her, slept with her and liked her. One she could discuss the world with who would just agree in return. One who's lips became oxygen and the craving of them when they left. Maellery dreamt of her lover in return, sat in the window, staring out at the garden.
She thought of Helaena, of her husband running around with lovers galore, how her head hung in solace and how her body tensed at the mere thought of him. She thought of the sweet angel of nature and her husband's cruel ways.
Maellery would not take up a lover.
The next time Maellery would be reunited with her betrothed, the moon had taken her place in the sky. Maellery was reading, she could not tell you what about even though she was a quarter way through, she had pulled the book from a random shelf she had found whilst the maids fussed over the cleanliness of her sheets. Aemond had sat himself on the forme in front of the fireplace. He led back head poking out from the armrest, his sight firmly on the ceiling above.
"Many women here don't know how to read" his gaze stayed firmly on the ever so amusing designs of the ceiling.
"Hmm" she hummed in response, the pair sat in silence for a few moments. "My mother taught me. She was taught by her mother. It became a comfort to me especially- "She hesitated a few, he did not take his eyes off the ceiling. "I plan to read to my-our children."
"Compile a list and I will get the books for you".
"I do not need physical books, all I need is my mind" she replied, smiling at the memory of her mother reading and the stories she had made a priority to memorise.
"I do not doubt that" he sighed, almost in annoyance with her statement. "But I do not want my children to be raised on your myths and legends alone. I will acquire the books you want to read, and the books I want you to read to them."
She stayed quiet for a few, he had said my children, not ours, she had a pang of sullen enter her. She did not want to argue with the prince, afraid of what may happen.
"Thank you, My Prince" she replied, she was convinced that only mice could hear her. Her saddened mood became evident. Aemond turned his head, she had stopped flicking her pages and her mouth was now pricked downward at the corners. Her eyes not full of tears, but despair and grief. She was grieving the relationship she would have with her-his children.
"Aemond" She looked at him, one eye open and cold. She wondered what had happened to him as a child that he would grow up to become a man of no affections. No mistresses or secret love affairs. No gossip or rumours that spread through the airs. He was simply the one-eyed prince, tormented and in a lifetime of suffering.
"Thank you, Aemond".
"I am planning on visiting Kings landing tomorrow, the orphanages and the streets, perhaps a few bars. Would you care to join me?" She didn't know why she was asking him to come with, only that it seemed rude to speak about adventures and not offer an invite.
"Why?"
"I did it back home often" She began, placing her book on the nightstand promising herself that she would pick it back up another time. "These people are burdened with misery; it is nice to have someone come and listen to you. The children get excited to tell you stories, I have learnt a lot from the unfortunate. Maybe you can to." Her voice slighted raised at the end of the sentence, as if asking him a question.
"I have training in the morn".
She did not expect him to say yes, which made her contempt with his answer. He trained often and she should've known by now, she didn't. She nodded at him a few times, as if digesting the information he had given her. He just stared, thinking for a moment.
"I shall see tomorrow Maellery".
She blew out the candle, he put out the fire and the pair were left in darkness.