Chapter 15
Three days.
That was how long Aegon and Aemond had been on Dragonstone.
They had seen Helaena who had become a stranger in the month she had been away. Neither could deny that she was visibly happier than she had ever been in King's Landing. She was almost always smiling, laughing, and talking with whoever was with her. Unless Aemond happened to be walking by, her eyes would harden as she pointedly turned away from him.
Her children had easily integrated themselves with the Younger Aegon and were causing chaos on a basis daily with the help of Joffrey. And they all took great pleasure in tormenting Aemond.
In only three days, he had been subjected to numerous pranks that included his boots being filled with water, his food getting salt thrown on it when he looked away for less than a second, and small crabs placed in his bed. There were many, many more, but at this point, Aemond was just glad they had not chosen any bugs to put in his clothes or temporary chambers.
He had seen the children get scolded for their mischief, but all that did was earn a promise not to use crabs again.
Aemond was certain Aegon or Jacaerys had helped them collect the creatures. There had been far more than what four children could carry.
And speaking of his eldest nephew, Jacaerys had made sure to keep an aloof, icy air around Aemond, but, no doubt by the orders of Rhaenyra, said nothing outright hostile toward him. Unlike Baela.
Baela Targaryen had no problem letting her feelings about Aemond known. He found himself on the end of many verbal lashings with vocabulary that would make Aegon turn red.
Rhaena, on the other hand, mainly ignored him. But the hatchling that clung to her shoulders hissed and growled with smoke coming out of its small mouth anytime Aemond entered the room.
Like his granddaughter, Lord Corlys ignored the prince, if only to glare when he opened his mouth or made any type of noise in his vicinity.
And like her oldest granddaughter, Princess Rhaenys had verbally lashed him. But while she had not used words that would have made Aemond's mother fall to her knees and pray to the Seven, she still made him long for Baela's vulgar words and curses.
His uncle always regarded him with an indifferent expression. Studying Aemond, no doubt waiting to catch any excuse to have Corlys drag him back to King's Landing. And when he was not under the careful eyes of the Rogue Prince, two guards were following at a distance.
Rhaenyra had made herself scarce, and Aemond had only seen her twice outside of meals. She never spoke to him, and he never tried to initiate a conversation with her.
And while his welcome had been, unpleasant, Aegon's was the opposite.
Of course, their nephew and cousins were wary of him and their uncle and Corlys regarded him with suspicion while Rhaenyra and Rhaenys constantly checked with the staff to see that Aegon had not crossed any lines.
But, he was pulled into playing games by his children, and by extension, the Younger Aegon and Joffrey. This then led to him being a part of their mischief, though, Aegon swore he did not partake in the pranks against Aemond.
As the children became fond of him, Helaena began speaking with him, Jaceaerys, Baela, and Rhaena following after her. Somehow, all of them enjoyed his brother's company, despite all his lewd comments. Morning didn't even lift her head when he approached Rhaena.
But, in these past three days, Aemond had not seen Lucerys or his daughters.
His fingers dug against the barrier as he stood on the ramparts that overlooked the training yard and grit his teeth.
Ever since Aemond had arrived at Dragonstone, there had been, a feeling that he could not describe itching the back of his mind. It left him restless, agitated, and unable to sleep.
The last few nights had been spent pacing the room he had been given and Aemond had gone on a flight with Vhagar the moment the morning meal was over. But not even that could help. If anything, it made everything worse.
He could feel Vhagar's agitation through their bond and the dragon had turned toward Dragonmont after landing on the beach once again. Aemond had listened to her call to her fellow dragons, but her only answer had been silence.
Vhagar was still calling, the prince could hear her from where he was walking across the Outer Bailey toward the Sept, searching for something as her rider pressed at the spot where his shoulder and neck connected.
The skin was smooth underneath the leather, unmarked and unscarred. The place where Lucerys' mark should have been. The day after their wedding should have been when the Omega marked him, but Aemond had shoved him away.
The doors to Dragonstone's Sept creaked open as Aemond stepped in, fingers still digging into his shoulder.
The layout was the same as the Royal Sept located in the Red Keep. The Statues of the Mother and Father stood across from the doors with a small marriage altar between them while the Smith, Maiden, Warrior, and Crone lined the edges of the vaulted room. The Stranger stood farther away, almost unseen in the darkened corner he had been placed in.
The only difference, besides the size, was that there was no large altar in the center to place candles. Instead, there were small alcoves carved around the statues' feet where candles burned, their flames flickering against the darkness.
Aemond stood in front of the marriage altar and pressed the hand not digging into his skin atop the cold stone.
The last time he had stood before a marriage altar he had kissed Lucerys for the first time.
"With this kiss..." Lucerys' voice was so quiet Aemond strained to hear it in the silence of the Royal Sept,
"I pledge my love," Aemond leaned down and pressed his lips to the Omega's.
It could have barely counted as a kiss, the Alpha's lips had only brushed against Lucerys' before he quickly pulled back while the High Septon raised his hands and exclaimed to the small, waiting crowd,
"One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever!"
No one but Helaena had clapped as they turned, the Targaryen cloak he had placed on Lucerys' shoulders swallowing the Omega under it as the bottom dragged across the floor.
The Alpha did not look at the Omega as they were led back into the Red Keep.
Aemond had only addressed Lucerys after Lord Corlys had left and Aegon had exclaimed that they should commence with the bedding ceremony. While the Queen scolded Aegon, Rhaenyra had to grab Jacaerys' arm while Rheana held onto Baela, Aemond took Lucerys' hand and pulled him from the hall.
The Prince had no love for the Omega he was dragging behind him, but a growl was rattling in his chest at the thought of taking what was his under the gaze of Aegon, the Queen, and Rhaenyra.
And during the bedding, Aemond had allowed Lucerys the decency to undress while he faced the wall, but that had been the only kindness he had given the Omega. When Lucerys had finished and settled on the bed, Aemond had roughly rolled him onto his stomach, then fingered him until slick wet his hand before begining to fuck into Lcuerys.
Then the next morning, he left the Omega with the humiliation of being rejected.
Half-bonds, where the Alpha is the only one who leaves a mark, were common in Westeros, but what Aemond had done...
The Alpha had summoned the servants early and they were doing their duties around the chambers before Lucerys had even stirred. But when he awoke and hesitantly asked Aemond if he should do his part, the Alpha had loudly rejected him in front of the others.
Lucerys had been visibly ashamed, and once again, Aemond found he held no joy in tormenting the boy who had maimed him.
Then, when they began spending time together after discovering that Lucerys was pregnant, the Alpha had begun to yearn for a completed bond and had wanted to ask his mate about completing it. But, Aemond had pushed the Omega away and humiliated him, what reason would Lucerys have to believe his question to be sincere?
The Omega had been distrusting of him, which Aemond understood why. Aemond's unkindness and coldness from the beginning of their marriage had been a prominent fixture for the two of them. And when he began showing his attentions toward Lucerys, the Omega hesitantly accepted them with thinly veiled distrust.
But when Lucerys had invited Aemond into his bed to rest, as they grew closer, the Alpha had begun to contemplate asking Lucerys to mark him. And as Aemond continued to ponder the idea, as his little Omega began warming up to him, the Alpha found himself longing for more.
That connection he had only heard about when people spoke of the Old King Jaehaerys with his wife Queen Alysanne, his grandfather, Prince Baelon the Brave with his sister-wife Princess Alyssa, and his father with his first wife Queen Aemma. He wanted that, longed for it even. To always feel his mate, no matter how far apart.
Aemond had thought of different ways he could ask Lucerys to complete the bond but would fall victim to cowardice before following through. He had wanted it to be right, to be perfect. Aemond wanted it to be a way to show he wasn't just going along with everything for the sake of duty. That he wasn't wanting a completed bond for the sake of the pups or duty, but because he had grown...
Fond didn't seem like a good enough word to describe what he had begun to feel for Lucerys, for his Omega, his mate, and his husband.
And disgusted was not a strong enough word to describe how Aemond felt about himself. For his weakness, for how quickly he became susceptible to the lies surrounding Lucerys.
And for how he treated him when they wed.
The Prince harshly dug his fingers into his shoulder and gritted his teeth as Vhagar's cries rattled in his ears through the Sept walls until the pitch in her roars changed. It became lighter, almost happy, even.
The change had been so sudden that Aemond quickly exited the Sept doors and stared at the sky, wondering if he could see what had caught his mount's attention.
His answer came in the form of a familiar dragon flying over the castle.
Vhagar called for the smaller beast and lifted her head so the top could be seen from where Aemond was standing, but Arrax veered sharply away from where she was resting. The pearlescent dragon hissed as she lumbered to her feet and dove away from her, landing somewhere beyond the Wind Wyrm Tower and out of Aemond's sight.
Vhagar's neck stretched over the ramparts as she once again called for Arrax. She received no reply and continued her calls, but each one became lower and lower in pitch and sadness until it trailed off, leaving the island in silence once more.
The Prince turned his gaze toward where Arrax had disappeared.
Was Lucerys close? Was that why Arrax was nearby and not with the rest of the dragons?
He trailed his eye toward the gate that led into the gardens that were overlooked by the Wyrm Tower. If he could go there, just take a quick look, just catch a glimpse of Lucerys and the pups, then maybe...
Aemond found himself standing amongst the dark trees and thorny shrubbery that had small red berries within the leaves. The Prince heard the sound of laughter and began walking along the path toward the noise.
The large bushes began to diminish in size as Aemond drew closer and the berries turned into twisted, wild roses that bloomed beautifully under the sun. He could only smell the fragrance of the flowers, but Aemond inhaled deeply as he rounded the corner, hoping to catch the familiar scent of lemons and cream.
There was a bit of a rustling and some giggles until a small voice exclaimed,
"Got it!" Two heads popped up from the bush and out tumbled Little Aegon and Jaeherys.
Both were covered in dirt with leaves in their hair and a few scratches from the rose thorns on their cheeks. The pups scrambled from the bush they had apparently been digging in and stumbled onto the path, Jaehaerys almost falling over in the process,
"Carfol!" Little Aegon exclaimed as he grabbed Jaehaerys by the arm, "Don' drop it!"
Aemond could see that his nephew's hands were carefully cupped around something that poked its spindly legs between the pup's fingers,
"M'not gonna!" Jaehaerys exclaimed, "It for muna! M'ot gon' drop it!"
"By the gods! What happened?" Ser Arryk questioned as he came from one of the other pathways with Joffrey and Jaehaera scampering behind him as Dyana followed.
The Beta maid laughed as she passed the knight and knelt before the two young princes and pulled out a kerchief to wipe at the dirt smeared on their faces,
"I take it you found the beetle Princess Helaena pointed out, my Princes?" They both nodded excitedly and Jaehaerys opened his fingers for Dyana to see what they had found, "Oh, the Princess will love it!"
"She will also love a clean son, as I'm sure Rhaenyra and father will as well," Baela Targaryen said as she walked up, a smile forming on her face as she saw the pups, "Now the luncheon is almost ready. So, run along and quickly give Helaena her gift so you can wash before we eat,"
They ran off with Dyana quickly following them.
Baela looked down as a little hand tugged on her skirt and she saw Jaehaera holding a freshly cut rose up to her,
"Oh! Is this for me?" Jaehaera nodded as Baela took the rose, "It's beautiful, thank you, Jaehaera!"
The little girl ducked her head before saying, "Joff and Ser Ar'k helpeded me,"
"They did?"
"Haera picked most of them!" Joff said as he hugged his stepsister's legs, earning a soft smile and a hand gently mussing his hair,
"The Prince is correct, Princess. Princess Jaehaera has seemed to have inherited her mother's eye for nature," The knight said as he motioned to the dozen roses that were safe in his grasp.
The knight at the children began walking down the path, but Baela stopped Ser Arryk and said something that was too quiet for Aemond to hear. However, he saw the knight's face harden before nodding and following after the children.
When they were further down the path, Baela called out,
"Lovely day. Don't you think, cousin?" She turned to face where he was standing just out of view.
Aemond, knowing that it would be useless to stay hidden, stepped around the shrubbery to stand in front of Baela,
"I find myself agreeing with you, cousin," He answered cordially.
Baela hummed as she twirled her rose between her fingers,
"Part of the reason why we decided to have our meal outside," She said while her gaze sparked with fire, "The other reason, is why you should turn around, and crawl back into whatever hole you hide in,"
Aemond paused but then placed his arms behind his back, almost tearing the leather sleeves of his jacket with his fingers as he quietly asked,
"Does the... other reason pertain to my daughters-"
"Lucerys' daughters!" Baela snapped, "You may have sired them. You may share blood, but they are not yours! They will never be yours!"
The Prince stared at his cousin as she glared at him,
"I know that with my negligence that-"
"Do you? Do you really? Do you know anything?" Questioned Baela, "Do you know what Luke faced when you turned your back on him? What he suffered while you listened to rumors about my brother? How alone he must have felt without his mate and husband? The man he dearly loved? You made no effort to reach out to him, so how would you know?"
She paused for a slight breath before continuing and cutting off what Aemond was trying to say,
"I know about your flowery words, your remorseful sayings that have been spoken around the Keep. How you regret your actions and that if anyone calls the twins bastards, they will lose their tongues. Some may call that commendable on your part, but, none of us have heard you speak of Lucerys. If you regret what has been done to him-"
"I do!" He exclaimed, his raised voice making the two guards who had been following him grip the pommels of their swords, "I know my actions and words have caused Lucerys pain and I regret that I have hurt him-"
"I don't believe you," Aemond's nostrils flared as his anger spiked, but it was nothing compared to the Beta in front of him.
Even though Baela's scent tended to be neutral, akin to a light shower of rain, Aemond could see the rage building in her.
Baela's eyes were burning with dragon fire as her anger radiated the air around them, nearly sending Aemond a few steps back,
"I don't believe there is an ounce of regret in you. Because, if there was," She stepped closer to him, their toes almost touching as she hissed, "You would have realized what your actions were doing to Lucerys and would have dropped to your knees, begging for forgiveness before his pregnancy ended. But you didn't, because you can't think without Alicent Hightower dictating your every thought!
"If there is the smallest piece in you that happens to be remorseful, you would stay away from Lucerys, Aenyra, and Aemma. You would take to the skies, return to King's Landing, and never come back!" Baela hissed those last words to Aemond and began walking away.
But she called over her shoulder,
"And, perhaps in seven, maybe nine years, Aenyra and Aemma will learn about how you treated their father. Do you think, with all your fancy words and regrets, that they would want anything to do with you?"