warnings: blood, violence, self-harm and references to sexual assault.

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"LADY Baela found me. When Ser Arryk reported to her about why I was detained. She almost fought him, prepared to threaten his post. It was then I was released and allowed to return to patrol. I regret not being there when you fainted." Ser Rodrik said.

"You are not to blame. I am sorry for the treatment you received," Daenys said, hushed.

They walked at a quick pace through Maegors Holdfast, only a torch to light their way. Guards patrolled, but only a few. Rodrik often stared at his Lady when he could. She looked peaky, and the glow that flooded her face dimmed.

"My Lady. You are not to blame," he replied.

She nodded curtly, "I guess, we are both blameless."

The distance between them was closing as they continued to their destination.

The castle was not silent, the rats squeaked and rat catchers followed. Some chatter was heard but the footsteps of guards and the crackles of fire around the Keep were unmistakable.

"Indeed," The Knight agreed, his dark eyes refusing to leave her, "can I ask why you wish to be escorted to your Lord husband's private chambers?"

"I have some business that needs to be dealt with." Aemond should be their marital chambers. He told her he hardly visits his apartment, only unless he desires to be alone. Daenys desired answers, her father's accusations were... something, but she could not drop it, could not let it settle, even when weakened. "I only trust you to take me there. My Father is gone. Baela and my Grandmother must remain abed."

Ser Rodrik was quick in response, "As should you."

Daenys ignored him, then nodded to the torch, "Put that out." They could not attract trouble, "My Lord Husband, should not know you are not being detained near the chambers of the Kingsguard. But once he's made aware... we have little time. Not put that out."

"I do not think this is wise," he referred only to their plot. One he still did not understand.

Daenys urged, "Ser —"

"My lady, you must rest."

"You cannot command me," she said, annoyance dripping from her tone.

He ignored that.

"No, but you know in your heart what is true. The babe needs you to be well."

He was slowing down in his stride and finally, he stopped.

Daenys exacerbated, looking around for any sightings of other guards, "I am well."

"No, you are not," he said, stepping closer, and gripping onto the torch.

The fire burned brightly. It was no bother to the Dragon that anxiously stood before him, but with that, all he could see was how she was not faring well.

She whined, like a child, lips curling as if to scowl, "Take me to my husband's chambers."

"I cannot."

She scoffed, "You can't? You can and you will or I'll scream."

He tried again, "My lady."

"Rodrik, take me to Aemond's fucking private quarters. Now." Shock flashed through his eyes, and a grumble threatened to escape his lips, but he huffed and they started walking once more.

She breathed out, "Thank you."

He said nothing and put out the torch like she once demanded.

When they finally arrived, Daenys dropped her skirts and pushed open the door, "You may leave."

Rodrik stared in disbelief, "No."

She sighed, leaning against the cracked open door, "I'm not fond of hearing you say that."

"I won't leave you. I am sworn to you. I'm sworn to protect you. You and that child in your womb and the twins I've grown to care for," Rodrik's eyes softened, as he spoke, "My lady, you fainted today. I am sure stress is the cause as are other matters. Your duty has a huge weight, on your shoulders, as does mine. I will never leave your side."

Daenys struggled to combat that, her eyes darted elsewhere briefly, "I am only asking for a moment. One moment, Rodrik please," The Knight realised that it was the second time she named him, but he couldn't react. "Report back to Baela that I am safe."

"The Lady Baela – Your sister, will bring me harm if she discovers I have left you to your own devices, without protection."

"And what do you think I'll do to you?"

"Call me my name once more," he jested despite himself.

Daenys wanted to laugh. In another moment she would've, but greater thoughts rested on her mind.

"Please, this is something I must do alone. On the morrow, I will report back to you."

His head gently shook, "You do not have to do that, my lady."

"You are my sworn protector. I do not hide things from you. Can I?"

Her soft words ran through his head as he departed. Regret filled his mind and ached his heart. He should not have left her. Forsaken her in such a vulnerable state.

She was His Lady, and he, her Sworn Protector. If not for Duty, he would have ignored her wishes and remained at her side.

Rodrik grimaced as he picked up his stride, only to be cut off by two White cloaks. He squinted, without a torch, he could not see much. But they stepped closer.

Ser Criston and Ser Arryk.

Before he could speak, they grabbed, "What –"

"The Prince has reasons to believe you wish to bring his Lady Wife, Daenys Targaryen Harm, Ser Rodrik," the former spoke.

Rodrik fought against them, "Let me go!"

He kept fighting, pushing Arryk whose grip loosened, before Criston called out and another Knight rushed over. He attempted to Grip Rodrik's neck, only groan when Rodrik's head collided with his.

That Knight had his helmet on, and Rodrik did not.

He did not even seem disoriented, only angry.

The Bear of The Red Keep would not go down without a fight.

He tussled, he yelled, grunting when a punch hit his face and then another.

It took three grown men, three Knights to stop him.

"You escaped The White Sword Tower," Criston accused, wiping the blood from his split lip.

"I did not escape," Rodrik spat.

"You have been seen dragging Lady Daenys through Holdfort like a criminal. She is a Married Lady. Wed to our Prince," Criston said, condescendingly shaking his head. "You have been heard cracking unwise jests, speaking of the Lady's cunny. Guards, take him to the black cells. Perhaps He will speak the pure truth on the morrow. Or he should lose a finger, or his cock, since that is what he desired to forcibly use on Lady Daenys, was it not?"

"Ser Arryk you were there, Tell him! Let me go!" Rodrik struggled in their hold, he would scream the bloody castle down. "I would never cause harm to My Lady."

"Where have you taken her?"

"Let me go!"

His screams faded the further they travelled to black cells.

Voices called out to Daenys who rummaged through Aemond's Chambers. She had very rarely visited her own private quarters, believing their marital bed was a haven not cold and sterile, far from it.

"Where is it?"

The moonlight was her torch as she lifted old books, uncaring of their bindings, whether they fell to the ground, but the sound of them plummeting did make her curse out. Be smart Daenys, she repeated. Eyes glancing through the room. A candle would be wise, but it would alert others.

If she did not find what her father suggested... stated, then it was he who was a liar. A schemer. Aemond always said that was the pure truth. Tormenting her with gifts, flowers, the flower she favoured. A cruel prank.

Daemon did not visit, when he had the time, time he dedicated to her stepbrothers and half brothers, time he brought to his third wife. The one who he has desired and loved for years. The heir to the throne.

Yet, she could not stop caring or loving him.

What was she trying to prove?

She let out a low groan and palmed her stomach, the babe kicked, harshly and unforgivingly.

"Fuck," when she stumbled back, shifted his canopy bed.

Beneath it was a wooden tile that creaked and moved ever so slightly.

Had she not been looking she would not catch it.

Thankfully, the moon guided her, as she kneeled to the floor, and wafted the dust from the air.

Daenys stilled after pulling up one tile because as one was removed, another shifted in its place. Revealing what she believed was not meant for her eyes.

Stacks of letters, all engraved with the Targaryen sigil.

Some appeared ripped and torn, others looked like they had been scorched ever so slightly, like one tried to burn them.

The sigil of the Seven hung above her head, almost mockingly.

Daenys kept staring, wishing that her glare would change the contents of each letter.

But with every broken seal, she discovered her name.

One hundred and twenty-three letters if not more.

A sob broke through her lips as she saw inquiries and detailed descriptions about her sisters' misbehaving, and the reports on the birth of her youngest brothers, Aegon and Viserys, with how Rhaena tried teaching them her name, each of her sister's names. Namedays were wished well as were her children's name days.

It was all there.

Warmth flooded her chest, only for it to be overridden with a chilling feeling.

She did not flinch when the chamber door was pulled open, nor when the set of heavy footsteps stalked through and halted behind her.

Neither Daenys nor Aemond moved.

But she would be the one to speak first.

"I never spend much time in my apartment. My own private chambers. I thought if I devoted myself to my Lord Husband, our union would be fulfilled. That we would be whole. Over the years that passed, our love grew but my doubts never faded. Warnings boomed in my mind. But you... you were so good, so gentle with the babes and Helaena's children. It reassured me and allowed me to overlook certain details about the inner workings of your mind. How it led you to strike my sisters. Betray me. But perhaps in the peak of my anger, the anger I felt for you, to you, I found you. Sought you out, with our healing wounds. Our blood seeped through the stitches and bound us together that day. And you have remained with me ever since. I could never be rid of you Aemond."

"And I, you."

She shivered at his voice.

How dare he speak.

She finally turned, meeting his eye, which was blown wide with her discovery.

"I don't understand why would you do this. Why would you keep them from me?" She gripped and fumbled the letters.

"I did this to protect you. You know that much is true."

"Is it?"

"You question my need to protect and preserve your peace," Aemond eyed her accusing as she found her footing.

"You did it so I would be under your thumb," she jabbed a finger at him.

He denied, "No."

Of course, he would.

"So I would not see him," she realised.

Aemond scoffed, "He married so soon after your Mother and Uncle passed."

"Stop it," she whispered, her throat felt so raw.

"Should you think so little to ignore that he had a part to play in your Uncle's demise? I did this to protect you. I always will protect you. No matter the cost. You are my wife. My dearest wife.  The little letters I concealed from you do not compare to the ones you attempted to send."

"I wanted to send them," Daenys rasped, "I wanted to write more."

"You wanted to yield yourself pain, he causes you pain, I wanted to save you from it lest you find yourself in tears because of him."

Aemond stepped forward, the moonlight illuminated his anger.

"You didn't give him a chance."

"He should have never been given the chance," he gritted.

Tears fell from her eyes, "He is my Father."

"And? He jumped at the chance to fuck his niece. He merely waited for the occasion. You are already blinded from him that, you forget he did not choose you," she flinched at his rising voice. She brought a cluster of letters to her chest, "He did not back you and your claim to Driftmark. Which I helped you secure. You owe him nothing."

"And I owe you everything?"

She softly scoffed at the seconds he took to respond.

"Not everything."

"How can you say such a thing?"

He stepped forward and she managed to step back, unintentionally trampling on her findings.

"Because I warned you all that would happen if he were to wed Rhaenyra. What would happen to you if you did not heed my advice. And you lived it, endured his forsaking."

She shook her head, "That you partially curated."

"That I accentuated. Gods, Dany, I love you. I would do anything for you."

Her bloodshot eyes practically burst from her head, "You would?"

"Yes," he did not hesitate.

"And you would do anything to me? Am I wrong?"

Aemond did not care for the insinuation and ripped the letters she held dearly from her chest and threw them to the ground, rendering her frozen and his chest rising and falling.

She had noticed his ire before, she maintained a safe distance from it, using a blissful, no, willing ignorance for when it appeared. Dragons rage, common knowledge for all who knew the name Targaryen. She knew her husband, or so it seemed. She understood him, they had an understanding, but it was clear she never truly remained alert. Love. She loved him, was in love with him, perhaps that's the price she priced for her blindness, for him to be able to shape his cloak of truth around her.

"I know you do not care for the small folk, it was all a show, to sway Viserys' decision. You were right to do that."

"It was a means to an end Aemond."

"As was concealing those letters."

"That... was out of spite."

"Spite?" He shot her a droll look.

"Yes spite," she repeated.

"And you, wife, never act selfishly?" he cracked a wicked smile, "Do not play the innocent, claim to not see what your eyes caught many years ago. This marriage subdued the rage I felt, by the lack of consequence they received." the anguish he endured after his nephew had cut him, the relentless, sleep-depriving, seemingly endless, pain, for months and then years. He never received justice. "That they always received. I dedicated myself to us, this union, and despite claiming to be the virtuous and level-headed maiden you only stirred my temperament, my rage. Presenting  Ser Laenor's letter was all you Daenys. You wanted to use it, yet you didn't. Suppressed your darkest desires."

Daenys stiffened, "How can one suppress what ceased to exist?"

"Do not spew that nonsense to me. I know you, do not kid yourself or make me a fool for believing such. Our rage and sense of justice brought us together. You said it yourself. Guided our paths so that they became one. And now you received what you desired, you no longer have use for me."

"You are wrong," he was her husband.

He cocked his head to the side, "Am I?"

"You are my husband. My treacherous husband Aemond. You hid and you stole from me."

"I stole? I could not take what was not there. Your father simply did not care enough to mount his Dragon and visit you. I did not steal anything."

"You planted seeds of doubt."

"No my love, he did that. Your consciousness gripped those seeds in your loneliness and grief!"

Daenys grabbed the nearest thing to her and launched it, fueled by anger and rage, she did it again.

Aemond dauntingly stepped forward.

"Don't," he warned when prepared to try to launch something at him. When she tried, he had an iron-tight grip on her, causing the object to fall from her hand with a clatter. She whimpered, attempting to pull her wrist away but he did not relent. "Don't ever do that again."

"You betrayed me. Admit it. Say it so I know. You betrayed me," her voice trembled, but glare trained on him. He did not loosen his grip, only brought her closer to him as his eye glimmered with mirth. "Let me go."

"And you betrayed our love by not allowing me to feast on the heartbreak in those bastard's eyes when they realised that their father did not love them. But cast them astray for a newly introduced relative. What was written in grief shines on what is true."

"What Is decided in mourning is to be heavily regretted when peace and serenity follow," she blurted, carelessly. His grip tightened, making her cry out. "Your anger for Jace, Luke and Joffrey is... Luke took your eye and did not receive a punishment fitting for his crime, Jace teased and taunted you, and only received a pat on the back. Yet Joffrey was a babe Aemond. Aegon should bear your wrath as they do, he moulded your fury towards your nephews. You want their suffering, but not your brother's?"

"My Nephew almost slit your throat! When all you did was try and save me. And my brother..."

"Aegon is a monster. He was the puppeteer In your torment, he carved your desires to his bidding and when you were out isolated from a mother's hold, that whore embraced you, confused you. Yet Aegon escapes your ire."

"He does not."

"Lies."

"He cannot! But you. Had it not been for my support, me vigorously plotting to take back your inheritance from that bastard, where we would be? What would have occurred?" He raged. "Where has your fight gone? Where did your wrath go? You direct it onto me. Wrongfully so."

"You betrayed me Aemond, you swore to never betray me again."

"But it is clear our terms of agreement do not speak to you and have not for quite some time. You failed."

"I failed?" she gasped.

A shrill of pain escaped her, with one last squeeze he let her go, stepping back as she held her aching wrist. It would soon bruise, she was sure of it. When she glanced up, regret seemed to flash across his face.

But that only lasted a second.

"You were not mine. Not fully, but that will be remedied," he said lowly.

"You speak this, to compensate for your guilt. I wed you," her voice rose.

"And yet you never forgave me for claiming a Dragon. You have never mounted Vhagar as a passenger since. I took pride and celebrated your accomplishments but you would leave me to wear mine with shame. I shared your political headaches, the pains you bear, the harm you self-inflict. Even our children. You are with child again and I see your desire to stray from me, it is in your eyes."

It revealed there was never any balance in their marriage only the facade of such.

The contempt she held, he pushed aside, for their alleged justice, for her throne and his indulgence. That was true but not pure, far from it. It was withered and wrapped with... venom. The same venom that drove him to inflict physical pain on his wife.

"You betrayed me."

"I am your husband."

And Daenys was still his wife. His mother had instilled in him since he was a boy that any woman he would take as his wife should always be treated with respect, for she was an image of the Mother. However, Alicent was surely not picturing Daemon's eldest daughter as his favoured. Daemon was an obstacle in their marriage, that Aemond knew, and did best to keep him away.

An elephant. A rat, a Snake, that was Daenys' husband. And no, she was not vigilant enough. She let tenderness guide her, and shape her choices.

And now a babe grew again. Shaping her body as they gained strength that previously made her heart flutter, but now just beat with the pain they caused. Just like Aemond.

"I have no wish to hurt you, you are my wife. Issa gevie ābrazȳrys. The mother to our children," he stepped closer, and all her attempts to flee him did not discourage him. He grabbed her, gently. his fingers dug into her bruising skin. This time she did not whimper, or whine. She would not show him any weakness. "Our child needs us. We will cradle this newborn in our arms. Blood of our blood. Family is all we need, it is what will make us whole again." he settled his other hand on her bump. A smirk twitched on his lips, seeing her grow with his seed was what he deeply favoured. She looked so womanly, so mature, virtuous. "I apologise for deceiving you. I underestimated what I do for those I love. And I love you so dearly."

Daenys tearily stared through him.

A low noise rumbled in Aemond's throat, annoyed she did not respond.

"Ao jāhor dōrī sagon rid hen issa." Nor a more truthful vow would be spoken.

They both knew that in truth.

"Now I'll have a maid clean this up. We shall return to our chambers like we should have an hour ago. There is no reason to ever come back to my private chambers. I'll fetch the Maester. You'll need fire milk for your injury," he said with a cat-like smirk kissing his lips. "Come, first light, it shall be a fresh start for us."

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a/n:

things are getting scary around here.

i was building up to aemond's explosion of anger towards daenys for a while. he tends to gesticulate to suppress his impulses. similar to daenys who inflicts self-harm. it is canon that aemond is quick to anger, i was more gradual in my exposure i guess, however, it was shown when he was a kid. when he married daenys his possessiveness grew.

sorry to the daenys and aemond fans, (aenys, i think that's what you're called) their union was built on anger and blood. hardly a match for the ages.