One Month Later

"I need to tell you something," Aemond mumbled, closing his eye. He rested his ear against her bump, placing his hand over her skin.

"Do you have a whore?" Visenya asked, wiping the sweat off her forehead from their previous activities.

"Fucking kill me if my answer is ever yes to that question."

Visenya laughed and ran her fingers through his hair. Not that she ever expected his answer to change to that question. Aemond had the kind of undying loyalty that all women wanted in a man. "What's wrong, ñuha jorrāelagon?"

"Right before I found you with all that blood, Larys told me. He made it sound like a threat, almost like he wanted to expose you for being mad. As if hurting yourself makes you crazy. But that means he's spying."

Visenya looked down at him and noticed he was shaking. "Aemond," she said softly.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. Part of me is terrified and it's so foreign to me. I don't like being so vulnerable and emotional but when it comes to you, everything is foreign. I wouldn't even want to live if anything happened to you, Vis."

Visenya wrapped her arms around him as best she could, kissing the top of his head. "Hey, I'm right here. And I'm okay. We're all okay. You, me, and Maegor. Although Orwyle thinks I'm big enough to be carrying twins."

Twins, what a thought. Two little ones to mirror Aemond and Visenya, two children to love. Visenya knew they had enough love to share. She just hoped her little Maegor would be born first. She didn't know if she'd want the second to be a boy or a girl. She wouldn't even know what to name them.

Aemond chuckled and kissed her skin. "Then there are two little dragons to love. Either, I can't lose you now that I have you. I spent so much time hating you that I feel like we've lost valuable time."

"Aemond, we are still young. We will be okay. I know it, I can feel it. We can deal with Larys later, it wouldn't be in his or Alicent's interest to hurt us. You don't have to hold all of this yourself, Aemond."

"Tell your mother to stop worrying," Aemond mumbled against her, still kissing her bump. His new obsession, to be honest.

"And tell your father to share the burden. I'm your wife, Aemond. You don't get to be alone anymore. We share these things together now. You and me, okay? Don't you think I should know if I'm in danger?"

"No," he said with a hint of a grin.

She flicked his forehead and smiled. "Aemond, don't be an ass. We are alone in a castle of vipers. If I can't trust you with this kind of stuff, then there's something wrong. You are my rock and have helped me through some of the worst times. I want to be that for you."

His hand reached up to cup her cheek, his thumb rubbing over her cheekbone. "Iksan sīr vaoreznuni, dōna zaldrīzes."
*I am so sorry, sweet dragon.

"I forgive you," she smiled.

"Aren't I just the luckiest," he sighed.

"Aemond, is something else bothering you?"

He leaned up to kiss her cheek. "No."

What a damn liar. Visenya rolled her eyes and pushed herself away. Aemond practically whined at the loss of contact, reaching for her but she didn't allow him to touch. "No. Not until you tell me the truth." And that did it.

"I'm scared, Visenya!" He snapped. "I am fucking scared of everything. I am scared for you, I am scared for our child, and I am fucking terrified to be this kid's father! We have awful parents and you have used that to be something strong. I have used it to channel my rage. Who is to say I won't be just as awful as my own father? Visenya, you are the only person I am emotional around. Outside of this room, everyone sees me as an awful sort of person. I don't want our children to have what we have. I want them to have someone like you had Laenor but that's ... not me. I don't know if I can be a fun and good father. What if I am so serious and disciplined that they feel like I'm just a commanding knight?"

Visenya didn't know what she could say to put his mind at ease. His thoughts were so overwhelming and ... valid. He had every right to be worried. But he also didn't see himself the same way Visenya saw him.

"Aemond, remember back when you hated me and couldn't even fathom ever being open with me and this vulnerable? When our baby is born and you hold him in your hands, I trust that you will be ready to be an amazing father. Laenor told me everything made sense to him when they placed me in his hands. Like a missing piece was found and it just clicked. He wasn't even there for the birth of my brothers but for me he was, and he was an amazing father. That will happen to you, I can feel it. It takes a good man to be a good father, which you are."

He finally got close to her and kissed her bump over and over again until she could feel his own tears fall onto her skin. "I will do everything in my power to be a better father. I will make sure you feel loved and I will give you more than just discipline. Just have some patience as your mother did."

She pulled him up close so that she could kiss him, wiping his tears away. "Everything about you is astounding. You are so handsome, thoughtful, and more patient than I ever was. You waited so long, already in love with me, patiently waiting for me to return those desires. You are already a good father because I know you would never force our children to do what we were."

She let her hand fall down to his waist and wrapped her hand around his cock. He began to get hard in her hand and his eyelid slowly shut as she lightly rubbed the tip with the pad of her thumb.

"What are you - fuck - doing?" He moaned as she began to move her hand around him.

"Why haven't you ever asked me to suck you off, Aemond?"

He was shocked by her question and grabbed her wrist to stop her. "What?"

"I didn't even know it was a thing until a month ago and forgot until now but you've never asked me to."

"Visenya, I don't ever expect you to do that. With the brother that I have, I always found it to be degrading because that's what whores mostly do."

She tilted her head as she looked at him. "But you ... go down on me all the time."

"Because, unlike most men, I love to. Men always want to be sucked off but it's rare to hear of a husband that even does it once. You will never have to do that and I will die happy as long as I can have my face buried between those swelling thighs. On an unrelated note, pregnancy is agreeing well with you."

She let out a chuckle at his subject change. "Aemond, it's called getting fat."

"No, it's called growing with our child. Those changes, those little slights that you think are unbecoming, are because of the insane ability you have to grow a literal human being in your body. Our love, it's created another person. As a man, it is just astonishing and incomprehensible."

Visenya laughed and playfully rolled her eyes. "Okay, darling."

-

When the sun set at night, Flea Bottom came alive. Even the lower castle halls that homed the most traffic for servants became busier. Workers were leaving for the night to go home, or leaving to relax after the intense work. Not far from the castle was an underground home that had grown in popularity over the months.

It started as an abandoned house until Brella had plans for an offsite casino-type business. It started off as bets between workers but then they all started to genuinely wager real rewards and stakes were raised. When playing a round of Meereenese cards, one party could be playing gold, and the person across from them could be playing for a week's supply of ointment. Anything was wagered now.

Brella had some ownership in the establishment, setting a price on entry. It wasn't some lowlife place of business and she didn't want trouble. People also paid for discretion. Women like Talya didn't want the queen to know she had gamblers assisting her with her daily tasks.

So business always seemed to be booming. Part of the profit went to Brella, some of it went towards funding for Visenya's orphanage in progress, and some it went towards funding for gambling. Either way, Brella was getting money faster than she could count. Nightly profits, her own occasional gambling, and her money from Visenya had really helped.

She walked around the tables and all the guests as she made her security rounds. If anyone was belligerent, cheating, or lurking without playing, they were kicked out.

"Deliver this to her door."

"Why can't you?"

"I can not be seen going there every night, stupid."

"So what's so important about tonight? I owe Loff a game of tiles."

"The maester thinks the princess is pregnant with twins. The White Wyrm has connections that would find that information useful to prep before that happens."

Brella's blood went cold. She had walked past an open door that led to an alleyway and she at least recognized one voice to be Talya's. That fucking bitch.

"Well, deliver it yourself. You work for the White Wyrm, not me. I am tired of being your little maid. I get enough of that from the prince."

"Have you ever thought of saying no?"

"No. He has a nice cock and he knows his way around a woman's body."

Brella didn't want to hear these things about Aegon but it wasn't new. Maids were always bragging over who got to fuck Aegon next. But then that meant the voice of Talya was the one that worked for the White Wyrm? Brella thought she was Alicent's most loyal spy.

"Fine, I will go," Talya whispered.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries and Talya took off down the alley at a slow pace to watch for followers. If the Queen knew her handmaiden worked for the White Wyrm, she would go mad.

Brella, against her better judgment (and her insistent need to hear all the gossip and drama), grabbed a dagger and shoved it into her pockets before following a cloaked Talya into the quiet alley. She probably could have grabbed a cloak of her own but she didn't want to lose her.

It was a bit long of a walk to the White Wyrm's residence, but the tricky part was finding a place to hide close enough to hear. But when a hand wrapped around her mouth, she considered herself a goner.

Until Daeron revealed himself behind her.

"What the fuck!" Brella whispered loudly, hitting his chest.

"Sorry, I didn't want you to scream!" He grinned, those violet eyes sparkling at her and captivating her attention. But she had a mission and now he was being a distraction.

She rolled her eyes and looked back to see Mysaria walk out onto her balcony in front of Talya. "Why are you here?" She whispered.

"You have been acting strange recently and I wanted to see your place of business. Is that my mother's handmaiden?"

"Shh, I have reason to suspect treason against Visenya." They both moved a bit closer, enough to finally hear.

"And the maester is sure that she will carry to term?"

Talya nodded. "Yes. And maybe even with twins. Either way, your partners on Dragonstone will be disappointed to hear she won't lose this one. I am the closest agent you have in the castle, do you want me to do something about it?"

"Only if you can without a trace. If you cannot, then let her have them and we shall handle them with time. What else do you have to report?"

"I crossed paths with one of Larys' little spies and it seems the princess has been troubled. Around six months ago, she was spotted hurting herself. Your partners would also be interested to know that she and the prince wed in a Valyrian ceremony right after. They are making a lot of moves to make themselves look legitimate. If I didn't know any better, I think Visenya is trying to make a pass for the throne, but I can not tell if Alicent is privy to this plan or not."

Brella's blood was boiling and it was Daeron that held her back.

"Well, find out, and then I will report it. I won't report things without sound evidence. But you best go before your absence is noted."

Brella and Daeron followed Talya until they were midway, far from the castle and still far from Mysaria. Brella pushed Daeron behind a garbage bin to keep him back and she lunged for Talya, tackling her to the ground. "WHY?" She yelled.

Talya struggled against her, trying to kick and hit back. But Brella's youth offered her more strength and to be honest, her rage was rampant. "Get off!"

"Do you work for Larys too, Hm?"

"The White Wyrm offers me a home and security. That bitch of a queen does nothing for the smallfolk."

"And that includes betraying the princess? She could do more for you than Lady Misery ever could," Brella hissed. "I will not let you hurt her!"

"If she becomes queen, war will follow. A war that will kill innocent people. The death of her and her children will protect many more."

Brella was blinded by anger, fear, and probably even adrenaline. She grabbed her knife from her pocket and plunged it into Talya's heart. Once, twice, thrice ... so many times that blood was splattering on her face. It was the thunder from the sky that brought her back to reality.

"Brella!"

She was shaking. So much blood. The falcon flew overhead just as her emotions became too much. Flying through the eyes of the bird. And then she was back in her own body within seconds.

"You're a warg," Daeron said.

Brella finally looked at him, tears falling freely from her eyes. "I didn't want to kill her, I didn't mean to!"

Daeron pulled her into his arms as she started sobbing. The rain started to fall, mixing with the blood that soaked into her red clothes. The red clothes she wore for Visenya, the blood that was shed for Visenya.

"It's okay, it's okay," Daeron whispered, rocking his body with her to let her calm down.

"I've got you."

An excerpt from The Dance of the Dragons, A True Telling, by Grand Maester Munkun

And from the blood of her enemy, the Red Falcon rose. It was on that night that the young servant Brella went from lady-in-waiting to the Princess' most trusted ally.

And it was on that night that Prince Daeron took her to bed.

and once again, a large thank you to phyllicheese for being the co-creator of this story and constantly listening and giving her own ideas. I think we've created something special <3