CHAPTER SIXTEEN

DAEMERYS clutched the necklace her mother gifted to her when they first arrived in Kings Landing, she closed her and eyes and breathed in the scent of Lavender coming from the bath she had. She couldn't remember the amount of times she had scrubbed at her skin, still feelings his hands on her.

Daemon and Criston hadn't left her side all day, standing outside the door of her bath room in case something were to happen — she was grateful but she felt like she couldn't breathe.

Daemerys felt thankful when Rhaenyra came in and ushered them away — Ser Cole only leaving when he heard the woman call for him to leave when her mother was growing frustrated that the man wasn't listening to her.

Rhaenyra had washed her daughters hair whilst eyeing her, her face was paler than usual, bags under her eyes stood out and her lips became chapped. Now the woman stood behind her daughter as she smoothed down her dress, face still pale, bags still heavy under her eyes and lips less chapped but she looked better — if she could even say that at a time like this.

"Have you seen Aemond?", Daemerys asked her mother who turned her head to look at her.

Rhaenyra had only guess that in the week they had been away something had changed between the two. She thought it would've taken longer but perhaps feelings were always there.

"I have", she responded, eyes in slits but not in a judging way in a more concerned way. "What plagues your mind, my sweet girl?".

Daemerys looked away from the mirror, not being able to look at the bruise on her face any longer and turned to her mother, "What if...", Rhaenyra watched as she stopped and bit her lip, hands fidgeting, "What if he doesn't want to wed me anymore because of what has happened?".

Rhaenyra frowned at that, "My brother may be many things but cruel isn't one of them, he loves you, I saw that when we arrived and he was sitting outside that door sulking like a child yet fumed with anger like a true dragon. That fire burned for you".

The woman shook her head at her mothers words, feeling stupid, "I don't feel that fire in me anymore, after what's happened. I don't feel like... me".

"Give it time, you may not be a Targaryen by blood but you are your fathers daughter and fire doesn't always run through veins but can also be taught. I see that in you", Rhaenyra walked over and clutched her hands with a motherly smile on her face, "You're our daughter, our love is fire enough".

Lucerys stumbled into the room, breaking their moment — the two women moving apart to look to the boy that was huffing and puffing, "Sister, can we go to the gardens?", he smiled hugely at her which made her heart beam.

"Of course, but we mustn't be late for supper", Daemerys kissed her mothers cheek and walked to the boy, running her fingers through his hair messily and dragging him out her chambers — the pair laughing as they nearly fell through.

"Mother would throttle us if we were to be late", Luke joked and dodged a swat that his mother sent his way with a cheeky smile.

"Tis true, so don't be late", she scolded the pair and ventured off to find her husband, hair swaying behind her back as she rubbed her belly.

Criston Cole followed the pair silently as they walked towards the stairs, descending them until they reached the gardens. Helaena had brought her here a few days after she was left behind, showing her, her favourite insects that Daemerys looked at fondly — ignoring the judgemental eyes of the court as the two girls kneeled in the dirt.

Lucerys wrapped his hand around his sisters arm as they walked and looked at her with furrowed brows, "Are you well?", his voice was small and timid like he was scared to ask but had been wondering it for a while.

The pair stopped at a bench under a tree, Criston stood a few feet away but kept eyes on them, more now than he ever did. Daemerys took her brothers hands in hers and smiled down at him, "I will be. I do not want you worrying about me".

"It's hard when you're here and I'm away. We shouldn't be apart, I can protect you", Lucerys spoke eagerly and straightened his back to look more intimidating but Daemerys merely chuckled.

"I know you can, my sweetling, but duty comes first you know that. You will be staying at Driftmark soon with your wife, so we would be separated anyway".

Lucerys deflated at that, eyes moving from her to the ground with a frown, "It's not fair. I should've been here".

Daemerys cupped his chin and forced him to look at her, eyes serious, "You could not have prevented what happened to me any less than anyone else. He got in because of a secret passage, there is nothing anyone could've done", when the boy shook his head in denial she cupped both his cheeks, "Lucerys I am unharmed. I am well".

Luke let a tear slide down his face which made her want to cry as she tackled him into a hug, her chin resting on his head — he was getting taller and she hated it, she preferred him small and young because it meant he could stay innocent and not know of what dreadful things could occur in the world.

To Luke, Daemerys was his everything. She had been there since he was young, being older than Jace made him see her as a protector — especially after she defended him and Jace that night with Aemond. She did not have to get involved but she did, for them, her family.

He held onto that all these years, viewed her as not only a sister but as a guardian angel. He wanted to protect her like she had protected him but in this moment he felt so useless, weak and pathetic.

Criston noticed the Queen approaching and called out to the lady, "Daemerys", the woman let go of Luke and looked to her knight who subtly nodded his head. Daemerys looked to see Alicent approaching before stopping in front of them.

Luke stood and bowed his head as did Criston but Daemerys sat still looking at the woman with an emotionless face. "Daemerys", the Queen greeted with a weary smile.

"Queen Alicent".

"Are you well?", the woman picked at her fingers, her voice steady and calm, contradicting her nervous like behaviour.

"Obviously", Daemerys drawled out and stood up from the wooden bench. "I was surprised to here of Lord Larys Strong travel to.. oh where was it?", she cupped her chin to ponder before raising her eyebrows, "Oh yes, Runestone, home of my cunt of a mother".

Alicent gaped at her words yet Daemerys smiled innocently, Criston and Luke looked between the two as tensions rose. "Yes, well, there was business to be done".

Daemerys leaned closer to the Queen, perhaps too much for one's liking, "Business. Yes. What business does a Strong have in the Vale? More or less in Runestone?".

Alicent struggled to not quiver under the woman's heated stare, it was like she was seeing right into her soul — looking at every bad thing she had ever done.

As she went to respond, Aemond ventured outside to see the four individuals in what seemed to be a heated, awkward conversation. "My love?", he called and Daemerys looked away from Alicent to Aemond.

"Aemond, my love", she smiled and he crossed the path to reach for her, his hand wrapped around her waist and her hand touched his chest as she leaned into him. "I was having a pleasant conversation with your mother about our wedding preparations, weren't we?", she looked to Alicent who nodded despite herself.

"Hmm", Aemond hummed before looking at Ser Criston and Luke who both nodded.

"I must check on the King now before we dine", Alicent smiled before looking at Daemerys, "I am so glad that man didn't do anything... damaging", Alicent cupped the woman's face with one hand but it felt more like a slap though Daemerys didn't falter.

Aemond's eye narrowed as his mother pulled away and walked off, "Everything okay, my love?", he looked down to his betrothed.

Daemerys looked from the Queens retreating figure to Aemond and smiled at him, "Of course. We must make haste, we shan't miss supper". She grabbed his hand and pulled Luke with her other and walked back inside.

Aemond watched his love with a concerned gaze and took a mental note to ask her why she had lied to him about the conversation she had with his mother.

Daemerys walked into the room, getting a sense of deja vu when she sat, it was only a week ago they had been in this exact room and she broke down crying in front of everyone — how embarrassing.

Aemond pulled her to sit beside him at the head of the table, Luke wandering off to the other side as he sat by his betrothed — Jacaerys sitting beside him with his own his other side.

Rhaenyra and Daemon sat next to Alicent and Otto with Helaena and Aegon sitting opposite them — Aegon sitting beside Daemerys, making her want to vomit.

Daemerys filled her plate as did everyone else as music played in the background, she smiled when Aemond rubbed her back gently and put some grapes on her plate. The man smiled himself when she kissed his cheek thankfully — ignoring everyone's shocked gazes at how they were now with around each other.

Daemon watched them with a glare, the way Aemond's hand pulled a strand of hair out of her face and how he made her laugh so hard, her head tipped back. And he watched as his daughter grabbed Aemond's hand a rubbed small circles over his skin and whispered things into his ear, making the man blush lightly.

Blood rushed to his ears in fumes until Rhaenyra grabbed his hand and smiled at him sweetly, something she'd do to get him out of his head. "I do not like this", Daemon whispered to his wife, a pout on his lips and he look down to his plate of food that hadn't been touched.

"You don't like it because you feel as though he is replacing you", Rhaenyra whispered back.

"I am the only man that is supposed to be in her life other than her brothers. Look at them", Rhaenyra turned her head at his words to see Aemond kiss Daemerys head with a smile, her laughing at a joke she must have made that made them both laugh. It was sweet.

"They're young and in love, I do not know why you're so surprised", she turned back and gave her husband a pointed look as she rubbed her free hand around her belly.

Daemon scoffed under his breath, "She took his eye. I thought he'd hate her, loathe her but instead he looks at her like she's his entire world and that speaks a lot considering the cunt only has one eye".

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes at his words and looked back to the couple, "He let it go. And we should be glad that he turned hatred into love because if he hadn't we would be at war, Daemon. He loves your little girl more than anything. Nobody will take that away".

"Alicent will. She knows", he grumbled and looked to her. Rhaenyra's eyes widened but not enough to raise alarm to her children that were laughing with their betrotheds in front of them.

"How does she know?".

"That I don't know but I heard her talking with Larys Strong. He's gone to the Vale", Daemon plucked at his uneaten chicken and shoved it down his throat in anger and worry.

He couldn't lose her. Not his sweet girl to these green vultures.

"We will sort it", Rhaenyra frowned and clutched his hand tighter, the pair looked to their daughter who smiled at Aemond with nothing but love in her eyes but that quickly changed when Alicent raised her glass and stood.

"I have news", everyone stopped and looked to the Queen. "Aemond you are to be betrothed".

Aemond blinked at his mothers words and everyone but Otto frowned, confused by her words. "Mother, I am already betrothed".

Alicent glared at her son before spitting, "Your forced betrothal to Daemerys has been annulled by the King himself, you are now to be betrothed to one of Borros Baratheons daughters. Which one, I do not care".

Daemerys gaped at her words and tuned to Aemond, his face was still as he stared at his mother. Aegon for once stood up to his mother as he was also confused, "Mother, that is the stupidest thing I have heard".

"Aegon!", she yelled to him and he drew back, sitting silently.

Rhaenyra and Daemon stood, "What is the meaning of this? My father wanted them to be wed".

"You have forced his hand!", Daemon yelled, watching as his daughter removed herself from Aemond's side and deflated into her seat.

"What happened to Daemerys was tragic and she has my upmost apology but we do not know what happened in her chambers. She could be unpure", Otto spoke for his daughter who seemed to struggle against Rhaenyra's angry face.

Daemerys felt her ears ring as the room went silent, her eyes staring ahead to Lucerys like he was her anchor — the boy looking back with soft eyes, knowing she needed someone to latch onto and he'd happily be that for her.

Aemond shifted in his seat to Daemerys and clutched her hand that rested in her lap, "I refuse".

Alicent turned to her son, he never refused her, "You have no choice".

Aemond rose from his seat too look dead in his mothers eyes, "I will not be part of your schemes to ruin this family. I love you mother, but no. I will marry Daemerys".

Alicent scowled and took out a letter, throwing it to her son. When the man opened it, it was an annulment of their betrothal with the Kings signature at the bottom making him bang his fist on the table — shocking Daemerys out of her daydream, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"You dare go behind my back, mother?", his voice was low and angry. Alicent gulped slightly but stood her ground.

"You will marry one of the Baratheon girls and be done with all this nonsense. She is a bastard!".

Aemond threw the letter across the table, it landing in front of Rhaenyra who took it quickly, "She is to be my wife! She is no bastard".

"Her father is Harwin Strong for heavens sake! A Strong Bastard!".

Silence fell across the room as a gasp was heard. Alicent looked wide eyed at her words. Rhaenyra copied her expression as nobody dared move.

Rhaenyra did not sort it.

Daemerys looked between the adults before standing, Aemond deflating at his mothers words, standing straighter and looked towards the woman beside him, "What?".

Rhaenyra swallowed harshly and looked to Daemon who looked broken, Daemerys looked to them for any sense that the Queen was telling a lie but got none — a sob escaping her throat as she looked at them betrayed.

Rhaenyra went to speak but the woman had shook her head and stumbled off — clutching her bleeding heart in the palm of her hands.