CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
❪ devils tongue ! ❫

Several days passed by that felt like a life time to Aenemera. It could've been a week or two since the accident — she began to lose track of her days.

People at castle believed she'd start withering away.

She barely spoke to anyone besides her handmaidens. She visited Helaena the most and never joined the family for dinners.

Aenemera would roam the hall in silence most days with her handmaidens trailing behind or a guard that Alicent had given to her; since Theo was gone.

Aenemera only responded when spoke to, but every response didn't go without a bit of venom. Her distaste for the people around her, she was turning into something more dark as hatred gathered in her heart.

Occasionally she would slip out of her room and sneak around the castle to gather information about the upcoming war.

Most talks was trying to get Aegon coherent enough to pay attention to the meetings, and now Aemond took several days away from Kings Landing to do Alicents biddings.

Lyra, Aenemera's closest friend, would tell her the secrets she could conjure up from the kitchen during the morning or at night for cleanup.

Even in the walls of kings landing that was completely overrun my greens; Aenemera continuously wore red to represent her house and her mother, Queen Rhaenyra.

She would gain several looks from Otto Hightower or a few other handmaidens that weren't hers. But she easily ignored them. If anything, she liked the attention she was getting — she was making an impact.

But lately the one thing that bothered her the most was how desperately she missed Aemond. She craved him —- aches for him, but refused to give in into any type of romantic feeling. She wanted to keep her distance because every time she though of him, she pictured her brother dying.

Guilt would rush into her heart and ultimately she would blame herself in the end; but Aemond had just as much part of it as she did.

They were both guilty.

But even then — she constantly pushed him away.

Due to their distant behavior, Aemond received a new handmaiden, one to help dress him and wait on him — occasionally help bathe him. It infuriated Aenemera.

Any time the princess and the new handmaiden Genevieve passed each other in the hall way, Mera couldn't help but get a worried feeling in her gut. Whether that be jealousy or a sense of worry for her husbands safety, she couldn't tell just yet.

But Genevieve refused to make eye contact with Aenemera whenever they passed each other. Unless seen with others, Genevieve would bow and greet the princess respectfully; in which Aenemera would flicker the quickest smile in her direction before immediately dropping it.

She so desperately wanted to scold Aemond and tell him to get rid of the girl. She got a bad feeling from her and sometimes it made her nauseous, excusing the fact she was even pregnant.

But then again — it had been days since they've last spoken to each other.

Not one single glance.

Not a single touch.

And not a moment did Aemond even have a chance to greet his child in her womb.

Aenemera had her hair firmly pinned up today, going for a more proper look for a lady while her new dress showed off the base of her neck and shoulders.

The red fabric hung off her shoulders and flowed down her arms like sleeves.

She had bits of black dragon scales pinned throughout the fabric of her arm, then at the seam of her red dress that flowed heavily across the floor.

Aenemera walked along side her handmaiden Lyra as both women roamed the hallway of the castle one morning.

The guard that took care of Aenemera's safety most days was lingering towards the back, keeping a close eye on the girl.

"I believe there will be tea and a good book waiting for you in the gardens, my princess."

"I appreciate you," Aenemera smiled at her friend. "Most grateful I have you here. Come join me will you?"

Lyra corked an eyebrow at the girl but smiled. "I have other duties to attend, don't be silly. They wouldn't want —"

Aenemera stopped in her tracks and turned to Lyra while slipping her hands behind her back. "I don't care what they want. I'm requesting some time with my friends, it's my order and if they have a problem — they can deal with Knightshade here."

Mera glanced towards her guard who's eye visibly twitched at her sarcastic joke.

Ever since their first greeting, Aenemera was introduced to Gareth Shade — a man from the nights watch who was specifically requested by Alicent herself. Aenemera couldn't help herself from calling him Knightshade as if he was a secret kings landing hero that rescued cats from trees.

He was the definition of a grumpy man that refused to laugh or crack a smile at any particular joke she could make.

He was utterly impossible for her to mess with.

"Very well," Lyra laughed and squeezed Aenemera's elbow. "I'll see you soon, my princess."

The handmaiden had left quickly down the hall to finish any other duties that were lined up for her. She wanted to make time for the princess and let everyone know she was being requested personally.

For the morning Aenemera came to visit Helaena and her children, entering her chambers happily when she noticed the babes sitting on the floor playing with wooden blocks. 

Helaena was situated on her small love seat while sewing together a jacket for one of her children. When she gazed up to see Aenemera entering the room, her eyes brightened with pure happiness to see her friend.

"Good morning," Aenemera grinned and she kneeled down by the twins. "What are we doing today?" She tilted her head at the babes while getting herself comfortable on the floor.

"Mother says being around children while carrying a babe in the womb is good health." Helaena commented while her delicate fingers continued to make work of her jacket.

"You tell me that every morning," Aenemera laughed gently.

Jaehaerys lifted one of his blocks towards the princess and she immediately accepted it like it was a gift.

"You seem different today," Helaena muttered to herself while trying to remain focused.

Aenemera smiled at the twins and started stacking the blocks together before tipping them over with her finger, causing the boys to laugh in sync. "How so?"

"Can't tell."

Aenemera hummed. She was growing used to Helaena's language, how sometimes she spoke in riddles or with very few information.

"Why don't you join me for tea later?" The princess asked, gazing up at her aunt. "We'll be reading — my handmaiden Lyra will be joining us."

"Is it for the babes?"

Aenemera tucked a free strand of hair behind her ear and sighed gently. "I don't know if it's going to be twins — remember? And I don't want to accidentally manifest it."

Truthfully after witnessing her mothers last birth to her baby sister, she held trauma to what her own birth could mean.

With everyone saying it's a dragon but a miracle and yet telling her the process could be painful — she was terrified.

Aenemera would match rather have one just to get it over with.

The fear of being a horrible mother lingered in her mind. How could she raise a babe when two of her families are separated and at war? She couldn't even think of it without making herself sick.

"Tea is good," Helaena smiled at the princess while lowering her work onto her lap. "I would love to join after I get the twins settled."

"Perfect," Aenemera grinned.

The door to Helaena's room opened and Aenemera peered over her should to see Aemond standing in the door way with shock written over his features.

They've done well avoiding each other. This was the first time they were seen in the same room together in days.

Aemond cleared his throat and slowly walked towards Helaena just as Aenemera quickly glanced back down at the children.

"Sweet sister," he greeted her with a small smile. "I'll be off again for a few days. I'll be riding by boat this time — taking a break from dragon riding for awhile. Mother wants me to do some of her bidding to gather supplies through shipments."

Aenemera knew she shouldn't be listening to their conversation, but she couldn't help but listen closely while staring at the blocks.

He was leaving again for a few days by boat. Which meant he won't return fast enough and she'll have to eagerly wait for his return to make sure he's okay.

He decided against riding Vhagar for awhile.

Aenemera stood from the floor after ruffling the twins hairs as a sign of goodbye. They smiled up at her like they always did.

Aemond excused himself after finishing his talk with Helaena, spinning around so fast to remove himself from the equation quickly.

Without a single glance towards his wife, he bid his goodbyes and walked past the princess with their fingers grazing each other.

It was like Aenemera had been electrocuted all over again.

Almost like the first time they made love.

"He wanted you to know."

Aenemera got pulled from her thoughts and turned to Helaena with a curious hm

Helaena gazed towards the door, once it was acknowledged as shut, then placed her sewing down on the cushion beside her.

"He mostly mutters very few details of his travels to me, she explained with a small frown. "But he saw that you were here — he wanted you to know."

Aenemera swallowed the thick lump down her throat once she had the nerve to peel her eyes away from Helaena, now centered on the floor. She nodded once with confirmation that she understood but her heart swelled against her chest.

"I'll see you for lunch," Aenemera bowed her head then slipped out of the room.

Her guard Gareth was patiently waiting outside for her return. His blonde wavy hair almost covering his face and hiding any inch of happiness that could be expressed.

Aenemera always wondered if he was born miserable.

"Come now," she wiped her sweaty palms along the skirt of her dress; forgetting everything that just happened. "Let's eat and read under the sun. The flowers are blossoming today."

"I don't read." He deadpanned.

"You also don't enjoy casual conversation," she muttered to the man. "I plan on changing that."

Gareth rolled his eyes at the princess but kept his focus straight ahead as they walked. Something in his gut knew she wasn't keen on giving up to a challenge.

❪ dylan ❫
It's only been like two days and I miss them so much. i genuinely cannot live without aemond and Aenemera.

this part of the story is going to focus on her pregnancy and the distance between her and aemond. there's going to be some battle scenes that are tied in and we get to see Aenemera when she's most angry. plus some new characters like our grumpy boy Gareth who is played by Heath Ledger (a knights tale, Patriot) my love <3

the time frame might get wonky because I don't know how they're going to set up everything for season two, so as for now... just go with it. <3