CHAPTER TEN

RHAENYRA looked upon her daughters angry face. They were leaving her behind. Leaving her because she is betrothed to Aemond.

"You simply cannot leave me alone with these—", she yelled as rain poured down, soaking her and her family as they readied to leave. "—vultures".

Rhaenyra held her face with a look of sympathy, "We did not intend to but the Queen wishes you to stay, it is out of my hands, my sweet girl". Her mother felt for her, she had every intention of bringing her back home until the wedding but the Queen insisted — her not knowing that it had been Aemond who had asked his mother to let her stay.

"They will eat me alive, mother", Daemerys whined, Daemon chuckling at her words knowing his daughter was more than likely going to be the one to eat the greens alive.

"We will be back in a moons time to begin preparations for the wedding, you must get to know Aemond again", Rhaenyra spoke softly knowing how her daughter detested the man but she had hope that deep down perhaps she could learn to love him.

Rhaenyra was no fool, she noticed the way her brother looked towards the woman at supper, the looks he gave her whenever she wasn't looking — he was in love and it was remarkable giving the circumstances. Her only hope was that Daemerys could find it in her heart to let go of her hatred.

When Daemerys deflated, the princess hugged her tightly before kissing her head and taking the younger children into the carriage. Lucerys was next as he hugged her waist, the woman petting his hair like a small child and kissing his cheek before ushering him away.

Jace however looked tense, he didn't want to leave her with the likes of Aemond, "I will be fine", he looked to his sister who had spoke, her lips were tight in a smile, she was displeased but she didn't want him leaving without knowing she would be well.

His simple nod was satisfactory enough and he moved to hug her, a short hug but a pleasant one. Daemon was last in his goodbyes, he hated the situation most. "If anything happens, you send a raven and I will fly here and kill anyone who has displeased you", he swore as he brought her into a hug.

Daemerys laughed into his chest which made him smile, a rare one but not around his daughter, he always smiled around her. "I will be fine, father. Just going to miss you". Daemon kissed her head before cupping her face and sending a last warm smile.

"I'll miss you too, my sweet girl", he let go of her face and took a dagger out, holding it into her hands before giving her a knowing look to which she nodded, it was a pact they had made after she had taken Aemonds eye.

Stab and run.

It was ridiculous but she knew how to defend herself.

Her skin was ice cold and hair was dripping as she waved to the carriage that was growing more distant. A cloak was draped around her shoulders, startling her. Aemond stood behind her, tying the cloak around her neck and rubbing her shoulder to keep her warm.

Daemerys simply rolled her eyes and hid the dagger under the cloak before moving away from him and into her own personal hell. She didn't know how she would cope until her family returned.

"A simple thank you would have sufficed", Aemond spoke sarcastically to her as she strutted through the halls, him not far behind.

Water dripped onto the floor from the pair that remained soaked, shivering in the coldness. Daemerys scoffed at his tone, "Thank you", she mocked and trailed up the stairs to her chambers.

Aemond followed her, "You are to be my wife soon".

At that she stopped, stilling on the stairs before turning to face him. He was a few steps below as she stood taller than him because of that, "And you are to be my husband, what of it?".

The man smirked at the words, and you are to be my husband, of course he was because he would have killed whoever took his place even if that meant killing every man in the world to make sure he'd be the man she would marry.

"You should learn to acknowledge me", he responded to her question, hands behind his back — staring at her in something she didn't know but she didn't like it.

"I do acknowledge you, you're standing in front of me — are you not?", Daemerys raised her eyebrows but he rolled his eye. She was insufferable but he loved it.

"Not as much as I'd like", he spoke with truth. Daemerys studied him for a moment.

"What is it that you want from me?", she asked, not understanding him but if she was being honest she didn't make it any easier for him.

Aemond looked down, he didn't know what to say. "I don't want anything from you", lie.

"Aemond, if you believe this marriage is to be one of love you are deeply mistaken", the man before her watched, his eye went soft for a moment like her words had hurt him but she didn't acknowledge it.

"Meet me in the library before supper", he left no room for argument but of course, she had something to say.

"And if I don't?", their gazes pierced into each other — both too stubborn to give up.

"I will find you, I always do", he gave her one last look before turning around and walking down the stairs, leaving her speechless.

It hadn't taken her long to snap out of her wondrous gaze from Aemond's leaving figure to venture through the halls once again. She had thought about seeing her Uncle but the sound of small babbling made her stop in her tracks and walk over to a slightly opened door.

Helaena and her twins, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera were laid on the floor playing with some wooden figures, though as per, their mother laid in a daydream, "There's a beast beneath the boards".

Daemerys knocked lightly on the chamber door, making the young princess move her eyes to her and smile at who had welcomed her, "Daemerys! Please come in".

The woman smiled and walked in, closing the door behind her and manoeuvring herself onto the floor, patting the twins on the back softly as they tugged on the end of her purple dress.

"What do I owe the pleasure?", Heleana asked with a dreamy smile that etched itself on Daemerys face.

"Thought I'd come and meet the twins, haven't seen them yet. Surely you haven't been doing this alone?", Daemerys asked as she looked around the chamber, it was dull apart from the occasional bugs and flowers that laid around wherever they could. It looked lonely, but she guessed by who she was married to, that wasn't surprising.

"Mother helps sometimes, Aemond reads to them about things I do not wish for them to hear but he insists it's to educate them and Aegon, well my brother doesn't pay attention to much these days".

Daemerys smiled sympathetically at the girl, she couldn't imagine what she's been through, she'd hate her parents if they forced such a life upon her. "Well, it turns out I'm staying longer than I'd hoped, perhaps I could spend time with you all!".

Helaena's dull eyes went full with a gleam, "Oh, that would be just wonderful", her smile was brighter than the woman had ever seen and she mentally patted herself on the back for bringing it out.

Daemerys couldn't help but smile back, she wasn't a mother but she did know what it was like raising young children, she helped with Lucerys and her youngest brothers, she knew the difficulties — it pained her to know that Helaena had somewhat been doing it alone especially at her young age.

The twins crawled forward and raised their arms up, grabbing for her — the two women laughed and both picked up a child each and played around the chambers.

"I am a pirate and I've come to capture you!", Daemerys put on her serious face and ran toward Jaehaera who screamed a giggle, Helaena watched from her embroidered spider in her hands with a dreamy face.

A voice in her head made her frown as she looked upon Daemerys, not everything will live, Helaena looked down to her embroidery and shuffled uncomfortably.

Daemerys captured the first twin, "Ay! I've got you now wee thing", the other twin tripped over his own feet when running making him cry. The woman rushed forward and picked him up, "Oh, you're okay, sweet thing. Just a little tumble".

"You're good with them", she turned to their mother, "I hope you and Aemond have many children together".

Daemerys swallowed harshly and nodded in thanks but they both knew she didn't know what to make of the statement, because she was right, though Aemond was the second son, he was still obliged to have children — children that Daemerys would have to bear.

The woman carried the twins to their cots, singing lightly to them, she continued until Criston eventually found her and the twins fell asleep and brought her back to her chambers before supper — Daemerys promising to see Helaena soon.