CHAPTER TEN ─── weddings

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𝕸en were simple creatures, that much was known.

Alaelanna took a deep breath, twisting the last of her braids into some form of crown as she watched herself in the looking glass. She supposed that she looked like her mother when the elder woman had married, but there was no happiness in this day. The morning had come, bringing forth the official news of her grandfather being dead and the news of both a wedding and a coronation to happen in the same few days. Yet, if they thought that it would stop a war then they were truly fools. 

Nothing would stop her mother, not even a marriage between Alaelanna and Aemond, though she knew the Small Council thought it would. 

The girl turned away from the mirror, slumping by her bed as she finally allowed herself to feel some form of fear. She had been tossing and turning for the remainder of the night, thinking of ways that she would be able to manipulate Aemond and she had never truly given herself the time to think that she would be married by the time the noon bell struck.

She was to be married, and her parents were not with her, nor her brothers and it was not even to a man she cared about. 

Her dress crinkled under her fingers as she tried not to allow herself to feel anxious, or stressed about it. She could not show fear. Not now, not in this snake pit. A shaky breath left her mouth, before finally her fingers unclenched from her dress and she straightened once more.

A knock sounded on the door, before it was opened.

"The Queen Mother." Alaelanna looked up, standing and narrowing her eyes as she watched the entry way. She had no weapons on her body, as they'd been hidden where the palace guards could not find. The princess did not doubt that they had already searched her room, trying to find something to charge her with.

Alicent was dressed in green, a crown sitting on her auburn hair as she looked at the small girl with wide eyes.

"You look like your mother."

"Why are you here?" Alaelanna replied, before remembering her manners. "Your Grace."

"It is customary for a mother to see her child before her marriage. As your mother is not here, I thought..."

"My mother is not here because you demanded it so." Alaelanna shook her head, taking a deep breath. "You have taken me from her."

"We have not taken you..." Alicent shook her head. "Alaelanna, we have not stolen you away."

"So if I were to ask to leave, to return to my home in Alterwoode, you would let me?"

"I-You know that I cannot let you." Alicent sighed. "Aemond's place is here."

"He is married to me, not the other way round. He should go where I demand to go, and I wish to go home." Alaelanna pleaded, trying one final time to cease this plan of hers before it went forth. "I wish for my mother, and my father. I wish to go home, please."

"Alaelanna..."

"You were my mother's closest friend." Alicent watched the girl cautiously, seeing Rhaenyra in her. It was ever present in the wide, violet eyes, the scared expression and trembling fingers. She had seen Rhaenyra like that too many times. For a moment, she faltered. "Please."

And then Alicent remembered her own father, her daughter and her sons. 

"I came to gift you a cloak, to represent the Thorne house as your parents did not gift you one." She placed it onto the bed, before leaving. She could not bare to see the girl, who reminded her far too much of her mother in every way possible.

Alaelanna watched the door close, before her knees threatened to crumple and she went sinking onto the bed once more. It had been her last hope at not having to marry Aemond, not having to manipulate and lie to him, not have to kill her uncle as she feared she might and Alicent had not helped. 

In that instant, Alaelanna knew that Alicent had doomed her sons to die, for they would never live whilst the Thorne siblings roamed the earth. Alaelanna would see to that herself.

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She was to be wed in the main hall, as her mother had been. Alaelanna smoothed her dress of green and silver, tilting her chin up defiantly as she took a deep breath. A hand found her arm, and Alaelanna did not need to turn to know who could have touched her without permission.

"My dear niece," Aegon smiled cruelly, finally feeling as if he had trapped the small girl. "I might have to pay a visit to you later."

"I am sure that my new husband would not appreciate that." Alaelanna bit her tongue to keep from cussing him out, as the doors opened to an almost silent hall. The pair began to walk down the stairs, towards where Aemond and his mother stood at the far end, with a Septon. "Nor would your wife or the whores you keep on the road of Silk."

Aegon merely scowled, before leading her to Aemond. He was dressed plainly, all in black with a dark red, Targaryen cloak, though his eye did not show any emotion whatsoever.

"She is all yours, brother. Beware her bite." Aemond merely hummed, taking Alaelanna's hand gently. Alaelanna tried not to tremble, she truly did, her eyes wide at the sight of the Septon.

"You may now cloak the princess under your protection." Alaelanna couldn't turn or move as Aemond leant closer to her, undoing the buckle of her cloak and letting it drop to the floor with a heavy thud. She let out a little whimper of fear, which was completely accidental before Aemond was wrapping his own cloak around her shoulder.

A strand of hair fell down by her cheek, though she could barely move, terror coursing through her. This was truly happening, and she did not wish for it. Aemond reached up, placing the stand of pale hair behind her ear as her eyes went wide. To the court, this must have looked romantic, but Alaelanna just felt fear.

"Now, look at me and repeat these words."

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger. I am his and he is mine." Alaelanna's voice trembled, her inside tensing as the Septon continued to speak.

"Let it be known that they are one person, cursed be he who seeks to tear them asunder." The Septon untied their hands, before motioning to the pair.

"With this kiss I pledge my love." Aemond's voice was soft, as his hand rested on her cheek, leaning down to slant his lips across hers tentatively. It did not feel like the time they had kissed in front of Balon's statue, which had been rough and quick, full of anger and hatred. This was soft, and in a bizarre way, tender.

Alaelanna's hand fell onto Aemond's chest, before she pushed him away discreetly. He stared down at her, his lips twisting into the familiar awful smirk she despised so deeply.

"You are finally mine, wife."

The girl could form no response, because in every legal way, she was now considered to be Aemond's property until she died. All she could do was try to speed along that process.

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Hiya,

Alaelanna is terrified at the moment, Alicent won't help her and her uncles are prats. I also love that she's just all here for speeding up the killing of Aemond, no regrets at all, just pure fear. Poor girl is not having fun.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx