BLACK BRIDE | Aemond Targaryen x oc | part two
Maid comes to her rooms, her face pale, a letter in her hand.
‘What do you have there? Nothing good by the looks of it.’
‘It’s news from battelfield, about blacks and your family, my lady.’
Rhaenys takes the letter from maid hands. ‘What ?’ she ask. ‘What does it say?’
Rhaenys starts to scan the paper unable to break off. She is nodding her head, as if she is lost for words, nodding and saying nothing.
She has a hand to her mouth to hide her trembling lips.
Then she gives a little gasp, almost a laugh.
The letter tells her about lord calling their banners and marching their armies. The forces of House Blackwood of which had declared for her mother , invaded the lands of the green aligned House Bracken putting villages to the torch and despoiling septs. The Bracken forces were surprised by the Blackwoods while on the march and were ultimately defeated in the battle. The survivors turned back to Stone Hedge only to find it had been seized by the blacks in their absence. The Brackens yielded and thus Aegon lost his last supporter in Riverlands.
Her mother started gathering even bigger support, so it was only matter of time before she set march for King’s Landing.
There is talk about greens marching to meet black in open battlefield, before her mother’s army’s can reach capital.
They are to be lead by no other than Aemond.
‘But what about me?’ she says mostly to herself ‘What about me and my baby?’
Harsh truth is that in her mothers kingdom there is no place for her baby, and possibly in this circumstance not even her.
She is ruined, now she is used and useless spoil of war, no longer fit to be her mothers heir and call herself Princess of Dragonstone.
In the weeks before Aemond goes to war he comes to Rhaenys room and sleeps in her bed every night.
He does not touch her, since to do so would be to damage the child that is growing in her belly, but mostly because they don’t have such wishes.
Since she told him about being pregnent, they are most of the time on friendly terms.
But still not as close as one would expect housband and wife to be.
And how could they be when there is so much blood split between them and their sides of family.
Some nights he comes in late from sitting with his brother, grandfather and mother, some nights he comes in a little drunk from laughing with his friends.
He admires only three men: his brother Aegon, his grandfather Otto and Sir Cole.
‘Husband, I would talk with you.’ Rhaenys says while sitting at the fireside in her nightgown, a green robe over hershoulders, her hair brushed loose.
‘It’ll be about your mother,’ he guesses at once disagreeably, taking in my preparations in one quick glance. ‘Why else would you attempt to make me comfortable? Why else would you go to the trouble to look irresistible? You know you are more beautiful than any woman I have ever seen in my life before. Whenever you wear green and spread out your hair I know that you hope to entrap me.’
‘It is about her,’ she says ‘ I don’t want her to be harmed by our hand or any of my family. ‘
He sits in the chair facing the fire and says nothing for a moment, looking at the logs that are burning down to red embers.
‘I understand that you don’t want them to be harmed ,’ he says quietly. ‘And I’m sorry for you. But they wish nothing more than to see my family cold in their graves, and that I am afraid now includes you and the baby you carry. Nothing has changed for them with this marriage and with your pregnancy. ‘
Rhaenys stirs about to make up some reassuring lie; but he holds out his hand and puts her cold hand in his and he pulls her towards him, to stand before him.
‘Think of it if your mothers sides wins best solution for them would be to put our child in a grave and make you silent sister. ‘ he says
Sulkily Rhaenys nods her head.
Then Aemond drops a kiss on the top of her belly.
Seining that there is no point in further talk she retires to bed.
At some point during her sleep, Rhaenys felt herself being stirred by his arms. She was so tired that she just whined at the disturbance. ‘Allow me to put my hand on you belly for a moment.’ Aemond’s voice said.
She accepted it and felt herself picked up by him again.
Automatically she started to tremble.
‘Sleep, I am not forcing myself on you. Rest.’ Aemond promised her. Rhaenys closed her eyes again.
‘Gods you’re cold.’ He realized, he wrapped an arm around her belly and pulled her against him. She let out another whine which he shushed. “Shhh shh sh. It’s just sleep. You’re safe.” he whispered.
After weeks of preparations green forces are finally ready to leave and fight blacks.
Aemond is to ride out on Vhagar and lead arym.
He comes to her rooms in evening before leaving ,bringing warm tea straight from the kitchen for her to drink while it is warm, as if they did not have a hundred servants to do it
Rhaenys laughts at him, carrying the little cups.
‘Well, you’re used to having people do things for you,’ he says. ‘You were raised as future heir with dozens of servants waiting around the room for something to do. But I was not even the spare.’
Rhaenys goes to her chair by the fire, but that is not good enough for the mother of the next prince.
‘Sit on the bed, sit on the bed, put your feet up,’ Aemond urges, and helps her up, taking her shoes, and pressing the cup in her hands.
Like a pair of little merchants snug in their town house, they eat diner alone together.
Rhaenys lowers the cup and for a moment their eyes meet. In that one accidental exchange she can see that he is thinking that he is not even loved by his own wife. He is simply loveless. He spent his youth waiting for chance to prove himself, he risked his life fighting fighting to claim a dragon and now he risks his life for his brothers claim.
‘Will you not wish me good luck, will you find place for me in your prayers ‘ he asks
He sees refusal on her face, even before she says anything.
Gently he leans over and takes the empty cup from her. ‘I’ll leave it at that, then,’ he says.
A week later her maid comes to her with a letter in her hand. ‘ I have news from battelfield ‘
Aemond acted by sacking Dusksndale and having Lord Darklyn beheaded for supporting Rhaenyra. Criston then turned his attention to Rooks Redt to for House Staunton had pledged their support to her mother as well.
Lord Staunton defied his attackers and dispatched a raven to Dragonstone.
Princess Rhaenys, her grandmother arrived on her dragon, Meleys but Criston's men attacked the dragon with scorpions, longbows, and crossbows.
When Sunfyre and Vhagar also appeared, the dragons fought a thousand feet above the ground.
Meleys's jaws closed around Sunfyre's neck, and Vhagar fell upon them, causing all three dragons to crash. From the ashes, only Vhagar rose again.
Sunfyre had one wing half torn from his body, whilst his rider, King suffered several broken bones and severe burns.
Rhaenys was found completely burned next to Meleys. After the battle, Aemond and Criston took Rook's Rest and put the garrison to death.
The head of Meleys is to be brought back to Kings Landing for inspiring fear amongst the smallfolk.
With Aegon unable to rule, Aemond is to assumed the style of Protector of the Realm.
Rhaenys was sitting with Alicent and her ladies praying for Aegon’s health and Aemond safe returne.
The time has not improved Alicents view of Rhaenys.
She did not want Rhaenys to marry her son.
Rhaenys was not impresed with her devotion in praying, if she was such a good woman, then she should have taught her children better.
Finally after hours and hours of praying she was free to return to her rooms.
Rhaenys heard people whisper as she slowly passed corridors that lead to her chamber’s name Strong and she tried to focus on walking.
In her rooms she found two men awaiting for her.
‘ Surprised to see us again so soon, princess? ‘
She recognized them as Blood and Cheese, butcher and rat hunter in service of Daemon.
They were sitting on her bed, blood stained and in the corner of her chamber laid bodies of her guards and maid’s.
‘The guards were surprised as well, before we killed them’
‘We were originally sent only to deal with Aegon’s sons, but then in the last minute they added you to in request ‘butcher said, ‘ We’ll be happy to kill you all though’
Rhaenys felt a sharp, sudden pain in her right side. She had been stabbed by Cheese.
She couldn’t get a sense of how deep the cut was or whether or not it was threat to her life, but she could feel herself fading.
The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was Aemond rushing towards her.
‘ You are a grave disappointment, daughter,’ her mother said, looking at Rhaenys and shaking herhead. Her eyes were cold, as they so often were, but somehow they seemed even worse now as they looked upon her with disdain and disapproval. ‘You have failed me. You were meant to preserve our right after that boy stole my throne. You were meant to keep our hold on the throne through your heirs, but you failed. The son of Alicent uses you, my daughter, the daughter of an queen,heir to the Throne as if she were a common whore! You have failed your family! ‘
No! Rhaenys sat up and tried to plead with her mother, to reason with her and make her see that she'd done all that she could, but when she opened her eyes it was her husband's face looking down at her rather than that of her mother.
She tried to say something to him, but her eyes drifted closed again before she could do so and she returned to an uneasy sleep.
Rhaenys shook her head. She'd done all that she could! Why couldn't anyone see that! She could have had a better life with Aemond if her mother and Daemon hadn't killed his baby nephews, now there is no stopping this war.
‘It wasn't my fault! she tried to say, but her throat was dry and all that came out as a weak croak.Maid was on immediately to hand her water and help her drink it, and after gulping it down and soothing her dry throat, she felt a bit of her strength return.
‘What's going on?’ she asked. Her voice was weak, but she'd at least been able to form words.
‘Prince Aemond will explain,’ was all the servant would say.Rhaenys tried to get her to speak a few more times, but could get nothing more out of her than that. Food was put in front of her and the rumbling in Rhaenys stomach as she smelled the food made her realize how hungry she actually was. She wasn't thrilled about it, but she decided to deal with her hunger while she waited for Aemond to arrive.
She devoured the bread she'd been given and was in the middle of her rice when the door opened and Aemond entered.
He looked relieved to see her sitting up and eating.
‘I was told you were up,’he said, nodding at her.
‘ What happened?’ she asked after swallowing her mouthful of rice. ‘ The last thing I remember is getting stabbed in the side, and then you were rushing towards me.’ And then, blackness. She had a vague memory of seeing her mother though that was surely a dream, expressing her disapproval in her just before she woke back up.
‘Is baby alive?’she asked
He nodded his head to confirm.
‘ Yes.’ Aemond said ‘It seems that after ordering my nephews hexecution, Daemon and your mother appeared to decided that it would make for a good opportunity to get ride of you also. They waited for me to arrive, and since you came first they attempted to kill and baby as a message to me. ‘
‘ Before, coming for you ‘ he continued ‘ Cheese led Blood into the Red Keep through a forgotten passageway, and creeping through walls, they entered the chambers of my mother. After Cheese bound and gagged her and Blood strangled her bedmaid, the assassins waited for my sister and her children to arrive. Blood killed Helaena's guardsman once she arrived, and Cheese grabbed her youngest son, then he asked Helaena which of her sons she wanted them to kill. Helaena offered herself but Blood refused,
then they killed boath princess cutting off their heads with a single swing of a sword.’
‘ I am so very sorry Aemond ‘ she said while hugging him
Aemond pressed his lips together, and Rhaenys saw him reaching for the eye patch, but his hand dropped before he could do it, so she decided to touch the leather, watching as Aemond closed his eye in response.
‘ I’m sorry my family did this to you,’ she said genuinely ‘ but know this from this day baby and you are only family for me ‘
‘Do you really think so?’ He asked, doubt in his voice
In response Rhaenys shifted and moved closer towards him.
It wasn't long before Aemond left for battle again, along with the majority of the men living in the Red Keep . She was left with mostly maids and Alicent.
Three months passed and still, Aemond and the rest of the men hadn't returned from battle.
In her rooms, Rhaenys laid in bed, screaming out in agony as she gave birth to her child. One of the midwives knelt between her legs, constantly telling her
Alicent stood at Rhaenys bedside, applying a warm cloth to the her forehead.
‘I will die on this bed,like my grandmother’ Rhaenys cried out, a fearful look on her face, the pain feeling unbearable to her.
‘Listen to me,’ Alicent demanded, a stern look on her face, ‘You will not die. You will survive. You are strong. And your son will be too.’
‘Do not let my son die,’ Rhaenys pleaded, shaking her head as tears streamed down her face, ‘Do not let him die.’
‘Neither of you will die, Rhaenys,’Alicent sighed out, shaking her head.
"You must push princess ," The servant spoke up and Rhaenys immediately obeyed her.
She continued to push but there seemed to be no change.
‘Harder princess. You need to put in more effort,’The servant continued to insist, earning a frustrated look from Rhaenys.
‘Why do think I'm doing!’Rhaenys shouted as she continued to cry out in pain, ‘He is tearing me from the inside out.’
‘Take deep breaths and push, my lady,’Alicent demanded, continuing to dab Rhaenys face with her damp towel.
Rhaenys closed her eyes, reaching for breath as she began to think about how alone she was. If she were to die in childbirth, it would be a relief to everyone. She would no longer be a threat to Aegon’s claim to the throne. Aemond would be grateful for her departure. Her mother and Daemon wouldn't be mourn her because they think of her as enemy.
‘He's here, princess I can see his head!’ The servant exclaimed happily, ‘ Push, princess, push!’
Rhaenys weakly nodded, obeying the woman's order. She cried out loudly, wasting no time pushing harder than she had ever done before.
Soon enough, her baby had been born and Rhaenys only realized when she heard him cry out.
She finally laid back, feeling exhausted after enduring childbirth. She let out a breath of relief, glad that the pain was over. She looked straight at the midwife, who was cleaning the baby so that he was free of blood.
‘Let me see him,’ Rhaenys insisted, her eyes becoming blury from exhaustion, ‘Let me see my son.’
‘ It is girl, you have a baby daughter.’ Alicent explained
Hours later, Rhaenys had woken up from her unexpected slumber. She frowned when she placed her hands over her belly, finding it to no longer be as large as it once was. Her eyes widened and she sat up, glancing around worriedly. ‘Where is my baby?’She shouted out in fear, "Where is my daughter?’
‘Right here,’ Alicent spoke up, causing Rhaenys to turn her head to watch as her mother in law walked in holding her daughter.
Alicent walked closer to Rhaenys, placing her daughter in her arms. Rhaenys smiled sadly, staring down at her child. She began to cry, noticing how much her daughter looked like Aemond.
The baby stared up at his mother, seeming to be calm now that he was in her arms. Rhaenys slowly looked up at Alicent, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
She was no longer thinking about how badly she wanted to be in on Dragonstone with her family. All she could think about was being a good mother to her daughter.
After a moment of silence, Alicent backed away from Rhaenys, a smile on her face. "It seems you should have some time alone with your baby girl. I will come back later to see how you're doing."
‘Thank you, Alicent. I couldn't have done it without you,’Rhaenys thanked her mother in law who smiled and nodded before leaving the room.
‘I've been waiting a long time to meet you, my daughter’ Rhaenys whispered softly to her sleeping baby ‘And you are more perfect than I could have ever imagined. I will love you no matter what. You are all that matters to me now, my love.’
Rhaenys woke up as the door opened and Aemond entered.
Aemond nodded kindly to Rhaenys as she moved from the bed and she gave him a small smile in return.
He told her that he flew to Kings Landing straight from war camp as soon as he heard that she has given birth.
‘ Aemond’ Rhaenys greeted him softly ‘ come in and see her’
Aemond sat down beside her.
‘There is no mistake?’ He chuckled and she shook her head ‘ she is perfect...and you are... also...’
The two stared at one another for a moment.
‘May I take her in my arms?’ Aemond asked and Rhaenys nodded.
‘You must support her head,’She insisted and Aemond obeyed, both of them smiling as Rhaenys placed their daughter in her father's arms.
Baby looked up at her father as he smiled.
‘I’m not disappointed in a girl,’ he assures her ‘We need a boy next, of course, but she is the prettiest little girl that was ever born.’
‘Alicent for my mother,’ Aemond says, kissing her little head.
‘ I'm a father,’ Aemond admitted softly to himself a large smile on his face. He slowly turned to Rhaenys, a thankful look on his face. ‘ I thank you, Rhaenys. For all that you had to go through for this to happen. I wish I could have been there with you during the birth.’
‘It is fine,’ Rhaenys assured Aemond as she squeezed his arm affectionately, ‘All that matters is that our daughter is healthy.’
‘I shall remain at your side during the next one,’ Aemond informed her causing Rhaenys to laugh loudly.
‘You're so sure there will be a next one?’ Rhaenys playfully questioned Aemond as she raised a brow at him.
‘ I would love to have more children,’ Aemond confessed in a calm tone, ‘This time, it will not be because we are forced to bed each other on our wedding night. This time, it shall be because it is our choice and done on our own time.’
‘I'd like that very much,’ Rhaenys replied, a small smile on her face, only to have it fade when she thought about her mother.
‘ Will you tell me news from battelfield now?’ Rhaenys asked Aemond curiously, ‘I have not heard anything in months’
Hearing Rhaenys request, Aemond's smile faded. He turned to Rhaenys a concerned look on his face. ‘They have not told you?’
‘ Told me what, Aemond?’Rhaenys worriedly asked, fearing the worst when she saw the look on his face.
Then he tells her about ships carrying her brother Aegon and Viserys were sunk.
Aegon managed to escape by clinging to the neck of his dragon who was mortally wounded but delivered Aegon back to Dragonstone. Viserys, having only a dragon egg, was unable to escape.
He tells her how her brother Jace flew to the galleys, quickly followed by the four dragonseeds. The warships tried to flee, but in the fighting Vermax flew too low and crashed into the sea. Jacaerys leaped free, but was pierced by quarrels.
Then he tells her how the death of her brother Jace filled her mother with anger and hatred, and that she plans to use all her dragons and invade the capital.
Rhaenys remained silent as she heard the news. She began to tear up, her heart breaking at the thought that what her mother had been throughin few months and her brothers, her poor sweat brothers.
Aemond looked uneasy when he saw the way Rhaenys was trying not to cry in front of him. He stood up and made his way over to the midwife. He forced himself to smile, handing baby Alicent over to her. ‘Here. Feed her until she is strong,’He insisted and once the woman walked away with his daughter he turned his attention back toward Rhaenys.
Aemond walked toward Rhaenys an apologetic look on his face. ‘Rhaenys..’He began to apologize to her for waiting so long to tell her of the news.
‘ No,’ Rhaenys cut him off coldly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, ‘I don't...’She trailed off, her voice cracking, ‘I'd like to be alone. Please, just leave me alone.’
Aemond sighed in defeat, wanting nothing more than to stay with her. However, by the look on Rhaenys face, he knew it wouldn't end well for him or her if he stayed.
‘I understand,’ He admitted in a whisper. He took one last look at Rhaenys and sighed, forcing himself to leave the room, despite wanting nothing more than to stay to comfort her.
Once everbody left Rhaenys laid down on the bed, beginning to cry at the thought of her brothers leaving her alone in this world.
In her room, Rhaenys stood in front of her daughter's cradle, which was made of best wood. She smiled at her daughter, who stared up at her.
Aemond entered room.He smiled at the sight of his wife and daughter, wasting no time with making her way over to the two.
When she saw the midwives around her bow, Rhaenys looked up, knowing it meant that Aemond had entered.
She slowly turned to face Aemond who smiled. Her smile, however, faded when her eyes laid upon her husband.
‘Why must you go to Harrenhal?’She asked, a saddened look on her face, ‘ It is cursed place ‘
Aemond noticed the genuine fear in her eyes.
‘ Because your mother is winning’Aemond remarked, earning a small chuckle from Rhaenys.
‘ At least you admit it,’ Rhaenys responded as Aemond wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him.
‘ But we are not them. I hope you realize that. I am not my mother. And you are not yours. We do not have to have any hostility between us. We are husband and wife now. Parents to a little princess who is us combined," Aemond explained and Rhaenys nodded in agreement.
‘Indeed,’She admitted softly
Rhaenys nodded as tears filed her eyes at the thought of being left in King’s Landing without him.
‘Hey,’ Aemond spoke up as he walked closer to her. ‘ There's no need to be afraid. I will return soon. I promise.’
Rhaenys forced a smile on her face as she looked up at Aemond.
Few weeks latter gossipe reached her.
Aemond ordered the deaths of the remaining members of House Strong at the Harrenhal castle. Aemond only spared Alys Rivers and took the older woman as his bedmate.
When informed of the new green defeat in Alys prevented an enraged Aemond from strangling the squire who brought the message to Harrenhal.
Something that even Rhaenys could not manage to do.
At the same time Aemond began burning the riverlands with Vhagar.
When Lady Frey seized the undefended Harrenhal, she found only Aemond’s whore within.
The wet nurse claimes to be pregnant with Aemond's child.
Whore eventually flew away with Aemond when the prince returned to Harrenhal and chased away Lady Frey.
jbbartram-illu
germansingergirl
kaledo-art
blakekathryn
andulkaphoto
