WARNING: SA
┊͙✧˖*°࿐ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

𝐑𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐨 Aemond at all on the walk back to their shared quarters. The silence between them was tense. The silver-haired man had known he had hurt her, something he never meant to do.

Rhaella hadn't defended him, only her brothers.

The same brothers that made Aemond break his promise to her. Lucerys and the pig brought back memories he tried to forget.

He couldn't forget the look in her eyes when he finally looked down at her, the pain her violet eyes held as she held onto herself.

Rhaella merely shook her head when he suggested the maester come and check on the babe. He had wanted to refuse and insist anyway because she had been in so much pain he nearly had to carry her back to their chamber. But once to the room, she shoved away from him, making her way over to the window and sitting on the ledge that was decorated in covers, and assortments of pillows. She heard him shuffling behind her as he took off his leather top, leaving him in his white tunic. The girl turned her head to look back out the window when he lifted his head.

Her hand reached up and swiped at the trail of tears that made its way down her cheeks, the betrayal of having her husband call her brothers bastards and indirectly call her a bastard as well was a pain she hadn't felt since she was a child. Only this time it wasn't Aegon making jokes it was her husband, the man she had loved her entire life. Hearing him whisper her name should have made her blood boil, but it only made another tear fall from her eye as she refused to look at him. She rested her head against the cool glass, her hands falling onto her stomach.

"Rhaella," Aemond attempted once more, his voice barely above a whisper. He wanted her to know he never meant to offend her, the harsh words would never in his life be spoken towards her from his mouth. "My words were not intended for you or meant to cause you harm."

The princess would have laughed at his words but she couldn't find it in her. The silence in the room was tense, his eyes never wavering from her form, he watched as she held herself protectively as if she was trying to hide herself from him. That sight alone nearly made him recoil but the anger he felt was almost too much.

Rhaella heard the man sigh in defeat when she did not move to respond. She thought he had finally laid in their bed and she could sit in silence. She could only flinch when the sound of glass shattering against the wall echoed throughout the room.

"I've tried my entire life to please you," He scoffed, reaching up and gripping the worn and weathered patch from his face, throwing it in her direction. The small object fell in her lap as Rhaella could hear the anger in his voice, anger that had never once been directed at her. "even after your brother took my eye. My promise was almost kept, it wasn't I who broke it, Rhaella."

She didn't seem to understand his anger toward her, and he felt as if he needed to try and make her for her own good.

Closing her eyes, she squeezed her hands together, trying to stop them from shaking harder than they already were.

"You defend them. Why you continue, I will never fully understand." His words were slow and softer now, the sight of his wife's shaking form made him stop. But the anger was still there. "My loyalty has always lied with you." His violet eye fell back onto Rhaella who had turned to face him, a sad look adorning her features. "Your loyalty should lie with me, your family in Kings Landing. Not the family you haven't seen in years, the family you have only spoken with through letters."

Rhaella shook her head, they were her family, her brothers. "They're my family, Aemond. I love you and you have my loyalty, you always have. But so will they, you can't take that away simply because that is what you wish."

This time Aemond scoffed before he laughed darkly, frightening her. "Family? How have you been so blind to the truth?" His words made Rhaella purse her lips, eyes sinking back down to the floor. "The minute they saw you in the training yard they saw you as a traitor. Their eyes full of hatred when they saw that you carry my child."

The princess's chest rose and fell as she tried to keep her tears at bay, wanting to spill no more tears that were of his doing. "You know nothing, Aemond."

She had no more to say to him, watching as he walked over to the fire and stood in front of it, his own chest heaving in anger as he faced away from her.

Her nose crinkled in anger, she turned back towards the window, curling her knees up as far as the dress and bump would allow. She heard him sigh once more before she heard footsteps and the sound of the chamber door slamming roughly. The silence and the realization that Aemond had finally left made the sobs finally break free, her body shaking as her eyes watched the rain hit the window harshly, the sound of the storm raging on drowning out her cries.

~

Rhaella didn't know when she fell asleep or how long she had been. It couldn't have been very long seeing as the rain had stopped and it was still dark out. Her head turned, eyes falling on the figure who was laying on their back on the bed, bare chest uncovered by the blanket as his silver hair lay on his skin and around the pillow.

It was only at that moment that she realized that she had a small quilt covering her form, and it would have made her smile if she hadn't thought of their argument not long ago. Uncovering herself she made her way quietly over to the chair, gently grabbing Aemonds dark cloak that covered her whole body inside, being as quiet as possible wincing when she nudged the table making it creak. Aemond was a light sleeper, the smallest noise would wake him up so she had to be careful if she was going to make it out of the room.

She tugged the cloak closer to her body as she gently pulled the chamber door open, only a creak was heard as she peaked out to see if the guards were still standing outside, only to see that Aemond must have dismissed them when he returned. Rhaella tugged the door close behind her, checking both ways down the hall before making her way to the front of the Keep. She took one of the hidden passages that lead her down into the streets of Kings Landing, a path that went under the gates to avoid the guards.

It had been far too long since she visited the dragon pit, Aemond refused her the minute she told him she was carrying his child. The streets of Kings Landing at night were dark and sent chills down her spine. The men near the dragon pit had never dared touch her when Aemond or one of the Kingsguard was with her but this time she was alone. At the thought, she pushed her silver hair back as far as she could from view inside the cloak.

Taking the same alleys that Aemond took her down she was at the dragon pit in no time, men had called out to her but she kept her head ducked down, and when they tried to follow she lost them down a different way.

The sight of the dragon pit was one she would never grow accustomed to. Though she wished to see her dragon free to fly where he pleased no one could take away from the pit's architectural beauty. Making her way up the steps, she nodded her head towards the keepers who didn't dare say a word to the princess, keeping to themselves as they watched her disappear further into the darkness, the only light being the flames that lit up the halls.

Dropping the top of the cloak from her head Rhaella noticed that most of the dragons were still resting in the very back of their cave. Hearing the shuffle of dirt as she grew closer to Daelys brought a smile to her face that she hadn't seen since the start of the dinner. The sight of her dragon crawling toward her was a sight, she had missed him more than she thought she could. His head raised above her, staring down at her, watching as she made her way into his cave.

Reaching her hand up she chuckled as his large head came down to her, nearly causing her to fall back.

He had grown immensely since she had last seen him. Daelys was now almost too big to fit inside the pit, it wouldn't be long before he was able to roam the skies freely at night with Vhagar. His chest rumbled as he nudged his nose against her belly. His wings encased her close to him, keeping his rider from falling from the weight of him against her.

The sound of chuckling made a growl rumble deep from inside Daelys' chest, his head rising from his rider to stare down at the intruder, his teeth baring as the sight of silver hair came into view.

Rhaella followed the dragon's gaze, tensing when Aegon appeared in front of her, leaning against the stone wall as his eyes watched the dragon whose own had not yet moved from his figure. The princess placed her hand against Daelys' chest.

  "Lykiri, Daelys, Lykiri." The words fell smoothly from her lips, her hand caressing the rough scales, his chest vibrating against her palm as he moved his head down. His eyes still not moving away from the prince. ( calm, daelys, calm )

  "Magnificent beasts, wouldn't you agree, dear niece?" Aegon spoke, tongue poking out to glide over his lips. His arms crossed over his chest, his feet moving closer to her making the older dragon bare his teeth in warning. "A dragon's loyalty to its rider can never be questioned."

Rhaellas brows furrowed as she watched him move slowly over to her, he only made it so far because of her hand resting against Daelys. Her teeth chewed on the inside of her cheek as her nerves began to get the best of her. Aegon didn't seem like he was deep into his cups, rather he seemed calm and himself, which for Rhaella was a rare sight to see. But she didn't know if it was good for her that he wasn't falling over in a brothel but rather standing here with her.

"The beast would lay down its life if it meant protecting yours."

Rhaella tilted her chin as she felt him come up behind her. "What do you know of loyalty, niece?" As his words fell from his mouth she knew Aemond had gone to his brother after he had left and told him everything. "You know a rather great deal of it not belonging to my brother." His hand rested on her shoulder, smoothing her hair to one side making her try to step forward but his hand gripped her waist. "I can't say I blame you, the twat doesn't deserve the loyalty you may have to offer."

Rhaella saw Daelys watching them with careful eyes, but she knew she couldn't let her dragon act, no matter what Aegon did.

So, she tried to remain still and calm as to not alert the dragon.

  "It was meant to be me. It always had been, ever since the moment you were born. My father wished it to be us, but mother refused." Aegon's voice mumbled into her ear, the princess only now smelling the alcohol that she believed he was not under the influence of as he kept her body trapped against his. "Now my brother has what should have been mine, and he has no idea what to do with our bastard niece."

Rhaella felt weak, trying to will her body from shaking as his hand gripped her dress, pulling the material upwards made her eyes squeeze shut.

  "I'm rather shocked he managed to put a babe inside of you." His hand that had been holding her arm reached around toward her chest and placed his hand on her breast, ripping the material and making the princess gasp as she began to try and force her body away from his.

  "Aegon, please," She begged, if Aemond found out her uncle would not live to breathe another day. "don't."

Her words did no good as his hand slipped underneath her dress, the moment she felt his fingers rub against her she managed to break out of her state of shock. Rhaella threw her head back, and the sound of a crack could be heard, alerting Daelys who lowered his head to Rhaella to push her closer to him. Standing with her body close to her dragon who wouldn't let the prince touch her any longer, the pair watching Aegon grip his nose. The blood poured down as he laughed, he moved toward her only for Daelys to lower his head, shielding his rider from sight as his teeth bared once more, the rumble from his chest warning enough for Aegon as it shook the dirt beneath their feet.

Rhaella released a shaky breath, looking down at her ripped dress that nearly exposed her, pulling Aemonds cloak tighter around her. Her heart was rapidly beating in her chest as she watched the prince send her one last smirk, holding his nose as he didn't dare move closer to her under Daelys' protection.

The thought of Aemond finding out was all that clouded her mind. Once the Queen saw Aegon's face there would be no hiding it, her mother would be gone by morning and she would be left to face the wrath of the Hightowers all alone.