She ran through the Red Keep, careful not the trip on her dress. "Princess Viserra please!" Tristane commanded at his charge's heels.
No she would not slow down. Her sister Helaena's labors had begun. She would not miss the child's birth again.
Last year Helaena birthed two beautiful children, Jahaerys and Jahaera much to Viserra's dismay she had missed the labor. She'd paid a visit to Casterly Rock, the home of the Lannister's.
Viserra briefly thought of her sister, all alone in that infernal room. She had only been fourteen. A child having a child. How could her grandfather stomach this? When she arrived, the maids paused to curtsy to her. But right now Viserra cared not for them only for Helaena.
"Helaena!" she exclaimed rushing over to her sister, lying on the bed. She kneeled on the floor beside her and grasped her hand.
"Viserra, it hurts. Make it stop. Make it stop hurting, please. Please!" Helaena cried. The midwives shushed her smoothing her hair back. Viserra felt frantic.
"I'm sorry Hel, you can do this. Just push it'll be alright I swear". But how could she swear? Viserra had prayed to the Mother to give Helaena an easy labor but she was no fool. She'd read books on the birthing process and the female anatomy, much to everyone's horror. She knew that the younger a woman was the more likely there was for danger during the birth and after too.
She remembered taking her findings to her grandfather and father but they both waved her away.
Now, the maesters and midwives milled about. Gods there was so much blood. Why did the sheets have to be so white? Her stomach turned but Viserra forced herself to calm down. Helaena needed her.
"Push Princess I can see the head" the midwife announced. Helaena strained against the bed "Gods Viserra please, help me".
Suddenly a wail went through the room and Helaena sagged back onto the bed sighing and heaving. The babe!
"Oh thank the Mother" Viserra said watching carefully as the maester took the child and cleaned the blood. "A boy Princess". Helaena smiled sadly, her eyes prickling with tears. "What's wrong Hel? Does something hurt".
Helaena only shook her head closing her eyes off to the world and kept mumbling imperceptibly to herself.
The midwife handed the babe to Helaena carefully, as if worried she was going to drop her own son. Viserra held back a scoff Helaena was an incredible mother.
Her sister looked down at the bundle in her arms "Maelor" she said. Viserra smiled, it was a lovely name. "Prince Maelor Targaryen, the first of his name" Viserra said loudly so they all would hear her. She kissed Helaena on the forehead and thanked the midwives and maesters.
"I'm...proud of you Helaena" she said uncomfortably. She wasn't used to all of this. Motherhood and child bearing. Viserra hated how women were just expected to understand all of this. Now more than ever she wished their mother was with them.
Viserra held back a yelp as she had the urge to scratch at the scars on her arms. The ones on her thighs were still bearable. But the others simply hurt too much, the need to examine the wounds again ate at her but she pushed it down, she'd deal with all of it tonight.
She left Helaena to rest with her newborn and walked towards the Tower of the Hand where her grandfather and father would be waiting for her no doubt.
When she arrived Viserra found the Kingsguard waiting outside the door, they nodded to her and moved away for her and Tristane to enter the chambers. Normally her guard would have been expected to stay outside but Viserra demanded that Tristane never leave her side, she'd had enough people abandon her already.
She walked inside the room not bothering to spare a glance at the other lords in the room. "Leave us" she commanded. They left. "Father" Viserra said smiling as she leaned down to kiss her father's cheek. She seldom saw him these days.
"Ah Viserra, my darling girl. Tell me how did it go, is your sister well?". Viserra understood her father's concern. He'd lost both his wives in childbirth, it was horrifying and painful way to die.
"A boy, father. You have another grandson!" she said excitedly. Her father and grandfather both grinned at that. Of course they were happy. If it were up to the men here, Helaena would spend half her life on the birthing bed as Queen Aemma had. But Viserra would not allow that.
"Yes, quite exciting" she said sitting down on a plush chair ignoring the pain cascading over her arms and legs. The fiery, burning need to scratch at her scars. "She has named him Maelor".
"Good. A Valyrian name" her grandfather spoke. Viserra gave him a tight smile. "However" she began "This ought to be the last one.". Both men turned to her with confused expressions.
"Helaena had the twins at a tender age father. Any more and it will be difficult for her health. She already has two sons and a beautiful daughter. So I will not have her feel pressured to have any more unless that is what she desires.". Viserra knew it worked judging by the look on her father's face. And the disapproving look on her grandfather's.
"That seems rather fair. Don't you agree Otto?" the king questioned his Hand. "Quite" the Hand replied in a curt tone. Viserra smiled at her small victory.
"Excellent, well I must go father. I believe I'm needed for tea" she gave a slight bow much to her father's delight and left promptly ignoring the look on her grandfather's face. She'd likely get a scolding for this later.
She left to find the solace of the library, Tristane waiting outside patiently for her. Viserra continued reading a book that she'd received for her thirteenth name day. She twirled a red rose between her fingers, relishing the sharp note of pain as the thorns prickled her skin.
Viserra heard a faint rustling and looked up find Aemond seating himself next to her. She forced herself not to blush. The last two years her and Aemond's relationship had barely changed. Sometimes he would be so kind, so gentle and others he was so cruel. Cruel and beautiful for he had grown more and more handsome each day. With his sharp jawline and perfectly sensual mouth Aemond was every ladies' dream.
"Hello, Viserra" Aemond said perfectly cordial. Viserra smiled at him "Hello to you too Aemond. I trust you found our dear brother?". Aegon had run away to Flea Bottom this morning as if knowing that today he'd have another to add to his brood.
"Cole helped me find one, a rather unsavory place our brother partook in." Aemond grumbled.
"How very gallant of you, to pick up after Aegon's drunken mess." Viserra joked Aemond gave her that infernal smirk of his. "Not that I had much choice, our grandfather all but threw me out to find him.".
They sank into a comfortable silence for a time, once in while Viserra would share something interesting from her book and Aemond patient as always listened to her talk.
"I heard what you said to father" he said finally. "You mean regarding Helaena?" Aemond nodded. Viserra looked up at him lightly "I only fear for her safety. This family has lost too many people to the childbed. People seem to think that a woman's only purpose is pushing out crying babes. And who else would advocate for Hel?"
Aemond seemed to understand what she meant "And who looks after you?" Viserra's brows creased in confusion "Me?"
"Yes, Viserra you. You take care of everyone but who takes care of you? You know you need not take upon these burdens, it is not your job to be perfect all the time.
Viserra was quiet for a moment contemplating her worth. She'd been gripping the rose in her hand so tight it had began to bend. "I suppose I've always been protective of the people I care about. I cannot help that, why not use my skills to my advantage. It's not like I have a dragon to intimidate people into doing what I want.".
Two years ago Viserra's dragon Dawn had gone missing. The thought still made Viserra cry sometimes, she wondered some nights where her dragon was, or was she even alive?
Aemond clicked his tongue as he noticed tiny welts of blood on her Viserra's hand. He places his slender, elegant finger across her wrist and Viserra forgot how to breathe.
"What happened here" Aemond whispered as he leaned forward and drew Viserra wrist towards him. She prayed that he would not look further up her sleeve, else he'd fine two year's worth of scars and sadness. "Just the roses Aemond".
Perhaps it was the sound of his name on her tongue, Viserra felt Aemond stiffen. Viserra knew the effect she had on men. Many lords found themselves tongue-tied or simply bashful in her presence but she never thought Aemond would be one of them. He was always so...composed.
He sighed in response before pulling a small white cloth from his pocket and wiping away at the blood. Viserra gulped softly. Her and Aemond had always been a little different to the others. Closer... in a way she assumed all Valyrian's were. Still she wasn't used to such intimacy.
She realized how close they were. Their faces were nearly touching so infinitesimally close yet so far apart. Viserra felt heat crawl up her spine as she drew in a shaky breath. She stared into Aemond's eye. The one that remained often held so much cruelty it was jarring to find hints of kindness in those soulless violet entities.
Their knees touched lightly, Viserra gasped softly and Aemond seemed to, impossibly stiffen further. Viserra noticed the tension in his body, taut as a string of a harp he seemed more statue than human. For all well he could be. These last two years Aemond had grown immeasurably beautiful. Viserra could not help notice it.
"Viserra" he whispered. His voice came out breathy and agitated? Viserra could not tell. She closed her eyes. They were even closer now she could smell him. The divine scent of spice and leather. She could see the callouses in his palms from the hours he spent training with the sword. She swore she could feel the fleeting sensations of his touch across her jaw. Barely there. Just so.
Sinful girl. Sinful girl.
The thought came so suddenly, so violently Viserra ripped her eyes open and gasped. Aemond snapped alert, his brows furrowing in doubt and shock. She winced at the slightly hurt look on his face. "I...I" she stammered, struggling to comprehend what just happened.
This was wrong. She knew that. Apparantly so did Aemond. This was so wrong, egregious sin. Viserra felt ashamed at herself. She was a maiden! She was to remain chaste for her husband. But still, there was an allure to Aemond she could never deny. Like a moth drawn to a flame they pulled at one another like two sides of a string. Bound forever yet destined to never meet.
Aemond stood up suddenly, so swiftly the chair reeled back behind him. "Viserra, I..." be began. He made a sound of pain. Viserra took a step forward as if...to what? Comfort him?
"We shouldn't" Aemond said tightly, his lips in a flat line as if he was fighting to let the words out. "I know" she said slightly deflated. "Forgive me" he said. It was perhaps the saddest thing she'd ever heard.
"No" she said shaking her head lightly "I'm sorry. I should know better. I know how you really feel about me.". She saw her words land like a blow to Aemond's face but it had to be done. She would not allow herself and him to delude one another further. She couldn't, for her own sanity.
"I don't-" he began but he could not continue. For it would be a lie, she knew that now. Viserra tried to hope it'd hurt less now but the thought of Aemond hating her for her first sin still stung like an open wound.
She let out a shaky breath before forcing her face to contort into a smile. It was a courtier's smile, polite and courteous and yet it revealed nothing. A simple facade Viserra had mastered. "I must go, I'm to have tea with Yerene.".
But Aemond was no longer looking at her, he instead looked up towards the ceiling as if some long lost answer could solve his problems. Perhaps he thought the Gods would intervene on his behalf but Viserra did not linger to find out. She turned away, her face flushed scarlet from embarrassment and something more.
Later, she sat with Yerene in the gardens lavishing in the comforts of tea and cakes.
"No, you are the luckiest of girls Viserra" Yerene clamored. "A visit to Casterly Rock and the Reach!" Viserra giggled
"Your the one who invited me to Highgarden silly. But gods I miss it there, your right the flowers there are incomparable.".
Her friend nodded eagerly "You have to visit sometime soon. It was so very kind of your grandfather to allow you to come.".
Viserra nodded but said nothing. The real reason Otto Hightower sent his granddaughter to Highgarden was to garner support for Aegon's supposed cause. The Tyrell's army was plentiful and wheat, grain and barley were all useful resources to have. Viserra had been sent to Highgarden to treat with Lord Tyrell and perhaps been ensnare one of his many sons.
"I am grateful for your family's hospitality Yerene" she said to her friend. Viserra hated lying to her but she did what she had to do. Ever since she'd come back her grandfather had been nothing but kind to her. Did that make her a bad friend?
"Princess, my lady" Nadia's soft voice came as the girl placed a tray of grapes on their table. Viserra frowned at the formality "Nadia!" she began brightly "Come join us please" she said.
Nadia seemed unchanged "Princess it would not be appropriate." she said and stalked away. Viserra sighed and sunk into her chair. "Is she truly still angry?"
"Yes. Although I don't blame her the things I said, the things I did they were not easy things to forgive.".
"She'll forgive you eventually" Yerene said hopefully. Viserra hoped too. Nadia was her first friend, alongside Yerene the three of them were very close. They didn't treat each other as commodities like everyone in the Red Keep usually did. It made Viserra feel all the more shameful.
Unconsciously her mind wavered back to her and Aemond's tryst, if one could even call it that, in the library. She blushed, recalling how close they had been and how badly things could have gone had someone seen them.
Viserra wanted to slap herself. There were watchers in the walls of the Keep, eyes and ears that reported to anyone and everyone. For her to put herself in such an scandalous position...It would have cost her dearly.
She would have lost face at court and would have shamed her family. She already felt her sense of self worth depleting without a dragon, the last thing Viserra needed was to further tarnish her reputation both as a princess and a Targaryen.
She unconsciously picked at her cuts on her skin under the long sleeves of her dress. Viserra rolled her shoulders to alleviate the stress building up. She couldn't fall apart now. Her grandfather needed her. Helaena needed her.
"I'm going to visit Hel again" Viserra said standing up to leave. If she was left to her thoughts any longer she'd drown.
"Give your sister my congratulations!" Yerene said cheerily. "I will" Viserra promised, stalking away from the gardens back inside the Red Keep.
Aemond's pov
He was well and truly fucked. Aemond knew from that happened in the library he was fucked. What he did with Viserra, it stoked a fire he did not know existed.
Gods, Viserra.
She was everything. Light and warmth and all the joy in this horrific world. At the same time she was his greatest hate. Sometimes when he looked at her, Aemond could not tell if the tightness in his chest was from love or hatred.
He was a coward, he knew. What kind of man was a craven such as he?
Aemond would've kissed her. He would have. From the way she looked at him in the library. Gods he could have gotten lost in her eyes.
Fool. You fool.
The voice in his head, his mother's voice sang sweetly. Aemond grabbed his training sword and beat it against the ground. Sparks flew as metal and stone met. He cursed softly, how she could drive him insane. He'd been praying for years, for his mother's ghost to stop hounding him.
He saw her everywhere in his dreams, during training, in her.
Aemond hadn't noticed it before but Viserra's smile. It was just like their mother's. The way in which her eyes would crease at the corners not that he'd been looking at her eyes at all. But he saw the similarity. It was frightening.
Viserra wore green excessively now too. Although the color suited her Aemond missed seeing her in the vibrant blues and pinks she would often wear. But it was folly to nurture those thoughts. Viserra had changed significantly since losing her dragon Dawn.
Aemond shuddered as he recalled how heartbroken she'd been that accursed night. Though he would never admit it, he had taken Vhagar to look for her little dragon for days. But it was a fruitless endeavor. Her dragon was gone. Aemond hated that he couldn't fix it.
He rolled his shoulders easing the tension coiled up between them. He'd visit Vhagar soon. He smiled thinking of the old crone. There was a sense of melancholy to Vhagar as if she knew that he would be her last rider. Aemond had been so proud when he had claimed her. The mount of Visenya Targaryen herself.
That day was both the best and worst day of his life. It was the day he felt worthy of the Targaryen name but at the same time it was the day that, that bastard Lucerys carved his eye out with a knife. A flash of anger surged through him. One he knew Vhagar would also feel, shackled in the Dragon Pit.
His breathing became heavy as he imagined all the things he'd to do that bastard nephew of his if he ever saw him again. Perhaps he'd skin the boy alive and send him remains to his dear sister Rhaenyra. If the whore ever dared to show her face back in the Keep, that is.
Aemond hated her almost as much as he hated Luke. They could both burn in the Seven Hells.
He had become a creature of hate. He barely felt anything else. Anger and rage and sadness and grief. Viserra made it better thought. She was like a drug he couldn't stop himself from taking. The light he was always striving to find. Aemond took some breaths as Ser Criston had taught him to whenever he felt so angry.
He thought of Viserra. His vibrant, beautiful, intelligent Viserra. How their mother have had two children so vastly different. She was the brightest rose in the garden, while he was a dark storm-cloud rearing over. He wanted to love her so much. He did, love her so much. But something always held him back.
Someone, always held him back. When he was with Viserra, he could not help but think of their mother. Aemond missed her so damned much. He prayed to the gods every single day in her memory. He would do so till his last breath to honor his mother. Would she even be proud of him? Or would she hate the person he had become?
Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Aemond found himself near Aegon's chambers. Where he knew his brother would likely be doing something nefarious inside.
Aemond hesitated before sauntering inside, the picture of arrogance and contempt for his beloved older brother.
Soft sighs and moans escaped from beneath Aegon's sheets. Aemond blushed looking away. The last thing he wished to see was his brother defiling some poor girl in his royal chambers.
"Aegon" he called but went unheard. His voice drowned by a soft giggle. Aemond swore he could hear Aegon whispering into the woman's ear. At that he grew impatient. Did Aegon truly have so little honor?
He walked to the bed and ripped the sheets off. The woman seemed unaffected while Aegon scowled at him.
"Brother" Aegon said, his words slurring "Care to join?" he asked a smirk on his face. Aemond's frown deepened.
"You fucking mongrel" he hissed to Aegon. The woman beside him flinched at Aemond's tone but frankly, he didn't care much.
"Off all days you choose today to carry yourself like this. Helaena just gave birth to your son you monster. Aren't you ashamed? You humiliate her by not being at her side.".
"My Prince you didn't tell me the Princess was delivering today" the woman said meekly to Aegon. Aemond felt a pang of guilt for her. She didn't know better.
Aegon rolled his eyes "Go back to your keep Maryse. Now" he commanded. The girl said naught more. She collected the scrap of clothing that must have been her dress and promptly left.
"Thank you for that brother" Aegon said. Aemond grabbed him by his shirt and pulled Aegon to his feet. He gasped and stumbled and Aemond, regrettably caught him.
"Aren't you the least bit excited? You have a son. You should be jumping for joy and kissing Helaena senseless.".
Aegon blanched "The last thing she probably wants is for me to ruin this day. Besides I already have a son last I checked. A daughter too." He had the nerve to laugh at that.
Aemond's lip curled in derision "That's your queen. Those are your heirs. What is wrong with you Aegon.".
Aegon's eyes widened in surprise. "So your on board with that too? I suppose it was only natural. Our dear mother wanted it too. You lot seem to think I'll be a king.".
Aemond's throat constricted at the mention of their mother. Aegon knew, he could tell by the satisfied smirk gracing his face. He swallowed tightly and continued, an icy sort of anger taking him over.
"You are the King's firstborn son. The throne is yours by all rights. Only a fool would deny that yet here you are. Drinking and whoring like some misbegotten child of sin. How you carry the weight of your own shame surprises even me. But, for the sake for Helaena and the Realm you'll do as I say.".
Aegon stopped smiling.
"You will go to Helaena's chambers. You will see your son, hold him, kiss him, whatever it is you shall do. You'll thank her and spend the rest of the day with your wife and children. Understand?".
Aegon nodded glumly, but Aemond wasn't satisfied yet. He took a step toward his brother. He'd grown taller than even him these last few years. He towered over all his siblings now. Aegon staggered back, as if fearing his brother would strike him.
"Should I hear, you have committed yourself in a manner that is ungallant I will gladly cut your balls off and feed them to Vhagar. As you said, you do not need any more children do you.".
Aegon stared at his younger brother in horror. What had he become? Aemond pretended like his own brother's horror did not affect him so. "Go. Now Aegon.".
Aegon stumbled away diligently before turning back in fear "The-the whore. She'll talk.". Aemond frowned. Of course. "I'll deal with that.". Aegon nodded like a lost dog and scrambled from the chambers.
Aemond closed his eyes and took deep breaths. He turned to the 'secret' passageway where the girl, Maryse had left from. Aemond sighed as he stalked towards it, as usual he was stuck cleaning his idiot brother's idiotic messes. Perhaps he'd pray on it later. Or perhaps he'd add it to the growing list of things he seemed to hate about his family.
Far away, in the Dragonpit, Vhagar stirred in anger. Spitting and hissing at any that drew too close. The dragon seemed to emulate her riders' emotions. After nearly three hundred years of life the old dragon was more restless than ever. Her brother and sister were long gone. She was all alone in the world. All except for that tragic boy she had allowed to claim her. He would be her last. Finally.
The she-dragon knew that something great was coming. A war unlike the ones before. This one, bloodier and crueler. She awaited, with fire and blood.
Were back guys so sorry for the delay. Yr 11's started and I'm drowning in work. Help. I've started working on another story as well 'The War of Five Queens' it's another hotd fic so I hope yall can check it out.
As always leave a comment it's so motivating. And I hope you liked this one <3