I once again owe alyssrivrs a huge thanks. thank you boo

"That's my foot, Visenya," Helaena spoke softly.

Visenya groaned and pulled away from her Aunt and clenched her fists in frustration. "I am never going to get it, Hel. I have stepped on your feet multiple times."

"That's because your frame is awful," Aegon said from the bench with Aemond, both looking over some sort of parchment. "I thought you said you were working on stance with her?"

"It's different when you are fighting," Visenya rubbed her arms.

"Not really," Aemond responded. "Fighting is like a dance itself if you do it right. Swordplay, at least. Which you are nowhere near. At this point, you are months away from even being ready to hold a real blade."

"Aemond, don't be crass," Helaena responded.

"She needs a better teacher," Aegon stood and smiled at her. "I happen to be an excellent dancer."

"It is true," Helaena nodded. "Aemond has taken every lesson but I have never seen him dance at an event, but Aegon dances at all of them and when he is not drunk, he is quite swell."

Aemond tensed in his seat as Aegon took her arms and held them out in position. "There you go," He nodded and grabbed her hands. "It's all about being in sync with your partner. The man leads so just put your feet on mine for now."

Visenya nodded and placed her smaller feet on her oldest uncle's. Helaena nodded for the harpist to start playing again and Aegon straightened his back to prepare. "Stop slouching, Visenya," Aegon rose a brow.

She let out a groan and fixed her posture, trying to avoid his eye contact. She caught a glimpse of Aemond's fist and he was clenching so hard his nails were digging into his skin. Was she that bad?

Aegon started to move his feet and she noticed Helaena was right, he was a decent dancer. His legs moved like they had a mind of their own. Visenya looked down at their feet and he lifted her chin. "Don't. When you look at your feet, you start to make mistakes. Just move and trust yourself."

Visenya nodded and Aegon placed her hand on his shoulder and his on her waist, their other joined hands out in front of them. "Your hands will be positioned like this during a reception dance."

"Okay," She nodded.

They danced like for a song and Aegon nodded. "Already much better. Now let us try with your feet on the ground."

Visenya looked over and noticed Aemond had left the dance room and it was just Helaena watching. "Where did Aemond go?"

"He left in a hurry for something he had planned. You are doing much better, Vis." Helaena had a smile on her face.

"Aw, miss him already?" Aegon smirked. "I was wondering how long it would take."

"How long 'what' would take?" Visenya asked.

"You have both eyes and yet you are more blind than Aemond. But then again, he is as blind as you. But I see it," Aegon grinned.

"See what, Aegon?" Visenya frowned.

"Nothing. It would ruin the surprise," He winked and got into position as the new song started. Visenya got into position with him as he led her in the song.

The number of times she stepped on his feet decreased significantly and she was able to dance without any errors on the third time. Helaena was clapping for her and Aegon bowed. "Well done. A little bit more practice and you might be able to wow Aemond at your own wedding."

Visenya smiled and noticed Brella at the door with a worried expression. "Thank you, Uncle. Your lessons were most appreciated. If you don't mind, it seems I have some matters to attend to."

As she walked away, Aegon sat next to Helaena and she watched them make a cute exchange before turning her attention to Brella. "What is it?"

"Your mother and Daemon have arrived."

Visenya's palms got clammy and her heart started racing. It was a few days before the wedding and she was a fool to think she could put this off any longer. She started biting the inside of her cheek and Brella grabbed her hands.

"I will come with you. There are still some last-minute alterations on the dress I want to go over with you, like the embroidery you requested."

"Can you still do the dragons?" Visenya asked.

"Yes, the queen had asked why you weren't wanting the Velaryon sigil but I explained you were embracing your new house. She completely ate it up as if it were the truth," Brella said with a smile.

"It is partially true. But I am trying to find the inner dragon everyone seems to be obsessed with. It just may not be the dragon they want."

Brella and Visenya approached the hall to her room and the sight of her younger brothers made her smile.

"VISENYA!" Luke yelled and ran to her. She wrapped her arms around his smaller body and tears of joy welled in her eyes.

"My sweet Lucerys," She smiled. Jace smiled and ran to her as well and the three hugged tightly. "I missed you all so much."

"We missed you. We wanted to write but Daemon and Mother agreed we needed to allow you time to focus on your duties here," Jace explained with a smile.

Of course.

"Yeah, but we still tried to beg to visit. Even Joff wanted to but he's still too young to remember you like we do," Luke added.

"Where are Joff and Aegon?" Visenya asked.

"In your room with Mother, they are waiting for you," Jace responded.

Visenya held their hands as she walked into her room. Rhaenyra was sitting on Visenya's bed with her two youngest sons and Joffrey got up. Visenya ran to him and lifted him into her arms. "My little Joff!"

"S-Sissy?" Aegon babbled from Rhaenyra's lap.

"Yes, that is your sister," Rhaenyra smiled and bounced him in her lap.

"Hardly," Daemon mumbled from the other side of her room. Visenya looked over at him and she could feel herself pale in fear.

"Jace, take your brothers so we may converse with Visenya," Rhaenyra said, handing Aegon to her oldest son. Visenya set Joff down and Luke led him away.

Brella stood by the door and Visenya walked over to her, grabbing her hands. "It's okay," She whispered.

"I will be close with a guard," Brella whispered in her ear before leaving the room.

Once the door was shut, she turned to face her parents. "You waited until the last minute to arrive."

"We had matters to attend to. You will have another sibling in a few months' time," Rhaenyra responded.

Visenya held her head up and nodded. "Congratulations."

"I figured you might be pleased."

"She's been turned by the Green cunts, remember?" Daemon sneered. "You conniving little snake."

"I beg your pardon?" Visenya asked.

"Don't play stupid with me, girl. We have barely received any letters from you and yet they are all vague. 'Grandsire attends court once a week', 'the only one pleasant to me is Helaena', 'Aemond ignores me', and my personal favorite, 'They make me a prisoner in this castle, I am not allowed to leave.' That is what your letters have said, do you deny this?" Daemon asked.

Visenya's facade started to crack. Had he caught her lies? Had she truly been so awful at this? "I don't deny it. I have been nothing but honest."

"Visenya, we heard the reports of them freely allowing you to fly to Driftmark. Baela told us. And we just visited my father. Do you really think I believe he has been to court in his condition?" Rhaenyra asked with a sigh.

Visenya dug her nails into her palm and held her hands behind her back. "That has only been recent -"

Daemon lounged forward and wrapped his hand around Visenya's throat. His grip was tight and she gasped for a breath she was never going to be granted.

"You dare to continue to lie, girl? At least one of my daughters isn't a lying cunt. Has he already stuffed you with his cock enough to have you stupid? Are you already with his child? You allowed the greens to fucking recruit you, Visenya. You are weaker and more stupid than I could ever believe."

"S-Stop -" Visenya gasped, clawing at his hand. Her vision was getting spotty from a lack of oxygen and he was lifting her enough for her feet to not be firmly planted on the ground below her.

"You are under my control, Visenya. He will never love you. No man will ever love you. Do you really think you have any worth to the people in this castle? They use you, Visenya. They don't actually care about you. All acts of care are a front. You have no worth, nothing to inherit. Do you really think gaining a dragon makes you strong? You claimed the weakest and most pointless dragon of no worth."

Attacking her was one thing, but he was verbally attacking her dragon. Grey Ghost may have been overlooked as an unclaimed dragon but he was mighty. He was still a dragon and he was hers. He chose her.

Visenya's vision continued to falter as she reached for a vase that was on a table next to her. She grabbed it and swung to hit his head but faltered and broke it over his shoulder and the glass shattered around them.

Daemon let go of her and she fell on the fresh glass. She hissed at the pain and cowered away from him, curling into a ball on the floor and hiding her face between her knees. She started rocking from the immense amount of fear she felt.

"Daemon, you agreed not to lose your temper."

"She lied right to our face, Nyra."

"Let's go. Just let her have her space and we can talk alone."

She didn't hear them leave, she didn't hear anything.

Just her cries of pain.

-

When Aemond got word his Sister and uncle had arrived with their brood of bastards, his mood was instantly ruined. But one concern had continued to overcome his every thought.

Visenya.

He knew she would probably skip their Valyrian lesson later that day and the thought irritated him. He didn't know why it bothered him but his concern lay with her and the reunion with her parents. She would never admit it but he noticed her reaction anytime someone brought up her parents.

It was a small flinch, one that could only be seen by paying close attention. Her eyes would fill with her, her fists would ball up, and she would start biting her fucking cheek. The habit annoyed the hell out of Aemond. He didn't understand the stupid habit but it happened every time someone mentioned Rhaenyra and Daemon.

Her happiness didn't matter to him, he knew he didn't care. But something about her expression would make him pay attention. He hated her. She took his eye. So why was he paying attention? It was irritating that he even cared.

Which is why he didn't know why he found himself on the balcony that happened to be a hall away from her chambers. He heard her lady-in-waiting pacing the halls and had the urge to ask her why she was so worried but he kept reminding himself he didn't care.

Suddenly she ran down the hall and Aemond looked over. Every fiber of his being told him to stay outside but he found himself sneaking in behind to woman.

"Brianna, is it?" He asked, making the woman stop her frantic movement.

"It is Brella, My Prince," She bowed.

"You are the lady-in-waiting for my betrothed, correct?" He asked, calmly holding his hand behind his back.

"Yes, I am, My Prince."

"Then why are you out here?"

"Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon sought a private audience with her and I saw them leave her room but she is not opening her door. I can not tell if it is locked or stuck but she is not answering my calls for her."

Aemond didn't know what worry felt like, and he didn't believe this was it, but his interest peaked. He didn't even need an explanation past 'private audience' when it involved Visenya and her parents.

"Hm, allow me," He said and walked down the halls until he reached her door. It wasn't locked, her door had just caught. Whoever last left slammed the door and this hall was notorious for the old framing always getting stuck. That's why none of the royals stayed down this hall, it was meant for guests. Visenya was meant to move to his chambers soon where the royal chambers were always kept with maintenance.

After a small shove, Aemond got the door to open and Brella gasped at the sight on the floor. Visenya was balled up with bloody feet and her hair was a mess as she rocked back and forth.

Aemond knelt in front of her. "Visenya?"

He attempted to touch her shoulders and she completely freaked out. She thrashed against him and started screaming and that was when he got a glimpse of her bruising neck.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed, tears covering her cheeks.

Aemond was confused about where this gentleness within him was coming from but he grabbed her cheeks. "Shh, Vis, it's me. It's just Aemond, I am not hurting you. Snap out of it."

She was practically snarling but when her eyes met his one, she started to become aware of her surroundings and she looked around.

"Visenya, where is the blood coming from?" He asked.

"F-Feet," She gasped out. Aemond finally looked down to get a better look at her throat and it was darkening by the minute. It wasn't the worse he had seen but whoever it was had a good grip on her.

He knew it had been Daemon, he could not fool himself into believing it could be anyone else. It made him angry and it made him mad at himself. He always thought the rumors were a political tactic, that Daemon would never actually lay a hand on her. He figured the rumor had been started to make his mother dote on the girl and welcome her in since Visenya had been sent as a spy. And it worked, his mother fell into the trap.

Except ... the 'rumors' were true. Visenya had a reason for acting the way she did. It wasn't an exaggeration or her being overdramatic and emotional as Aemond had once believed. If anything, now that he knew it was true, she had done much better at managing it, most girls might spend most of their days crying or going mute.

But she got up every day and still chose to mouth off at him and get on her dragon like it was the only place she belonged. And that fact alone stabbed him where it hurt. When his father ignored him, he sulked around like a fucking child and took his anger out on everyone around him. He couldn't love this woman but maybe he could respect her.

"Visenya, come on," He said gently and picked her up. "Brella, she has glass in her foot, would you mind getting a rag and maybe some stitches?"

Brella nodded and rushed to the washroom. Aemond examined the broken glass on the floor and his nose flared in anger. What kind of man took his anger out on his daughter?

"Do you have glass anywhere else?" Aemond asked, setting her on her chaise.

She shook her head, refusing to look at him. "So where did he hit you with the vase?" Aemond asked.

"He didn't," She mumbled. "I hit him so he would let go of me."

Of course you did.

Had this happened to her months ago, she probably would have cowered away and let him choke her. But Aemond realized she was holding onto her anger and there might yet still be a dragon within her.

"Okay. Brella is going to get some supplies and I am going to take the glass out of your feet. I can call in a maester to stitch you up if you want some jagged scars but I can assure you, I am much better at it."

She sniffled and wiped her nose. "Of course, you think that. But I don't want anyone to know. Aemond, you have to promise me. You owe me nothing but you can't tell anyone. Swear it to me." She was pleading, finally looking at him with nothing but fear in her eyes. She had been hurt in the one home she thought herself safe.

And what had Aemond been doing, standing on a balcony staring at the sky? He told her that he would take every vow seriously and as her future husband, he vowed this would be a safe home.

"I swear it."