void

༺ THE SECOND SON ༻

aemond targaryen x female reader

about: you were the first woman prince aemond ever loved. the only person who ever taught him what love was meant to feel like. when the crown chose you for his older brother, king aegon, the future the two of you had dreamed of came to an end. your reunion: the wedding.

♪ angeles - enya

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"you're doing that on purpose!" you laughed, though a hint of unease lingered beneath your smile as you leaned back against aemond, pressing your legs more firmly against vhagar's scales for balance.

he only chuckled, shaking his head. his silver hair danced wildly in the wind. "never." he said. "such a thought would never cross my mind."

his arms remained around you, both hands steady upon the saddle as he guided his dragon through the endless sky. you were caught between them, enclosed by his warmth. 

though trapped was hardly the word. you had begged him countless times to take you flying with him. every request had been met with the same answer until today.

today, he had finally said yes.

sixteen summers had shaped prince aemond into someone the realm already expected to be a man. you had seen only fifteen yourself, though the burden of noble blood had never cared much for age.

your heart had always betrayed you whenever he stood too close. yet here, upon the back of the largest dragon in the realm, with nothing but sky stretching in every direction, it beat harder than ever before.

and aemond, of course, found endless amusement in sending vhagar into the occasional daring dive or sharp turn, simply to hear your startled laugh. every startled breath. every little reaction.

high above the world, everything felt lighter. the sun seemed warmer. the air thinner. the silence almost sacred. there was no court. no whispers. no duties waiting below. only you. only him.

you could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against your back. after a quiet moment, he rested his head upon your shoulder, saying nothing at all. neither of you wished for the flight to end. but eventually, even vhagar began her slow descent.

the great dragon landed as gently as a creature of her size could upon a lonely cliff of weathered stone. aemond climbed down first before offering you his hand. without hesitation, you placed yours into it. he helped you to the ground with effortless ease.

yet once your feet found solid earth again, he made no move to let go. instead his fingers slipped between yours, weaving together as though they had always belonged there. you looked up at him, unable to hide the smile that found your lips. 

"and?" he asked, tilting his head ever so slightly as the two of you began the slow walk back toward the castle. "are you happy?" - "i am," you answered softly, swinging your joined hands between you. "you made me wait long enough."

aemond rolled his eye with feigned annoyance. "as though you did not enjoy having me so close." you laughed and gently nudged your shoulder against his. "as though you did not enjoy having me so close."

he came to a stop, staring at you with an expression caught somewhere between disbelief and amusement. "what?" you asked, pretending innocence. a quiet laugh escaped him.

without another word, he lifted both hands to cradle your face, studying every feature with a tenderness reserved for you alone. as though he feared he might one day forget the shape of your smile.

he never would.

"i cherish every moment i spend beside you, y/n." then he leaned down and kissed you. it was soft. innocent. honest. nothing more than two hearts meeting in silence.

when he finally drew away, a faint flush had found its way to his cheeks. you rested your hand over one of his where it still cupped your face. "the feeling is mutual."

for a little while neither of you spoke. the evening sun wrapped itself around your figures, painting long golden shadows across the green hillside as the wind carried nothing but birdsong and the distant cries of dragons.

"wait," aemond suddenly said, almost as though he had only just remembered. "i have something for you." he reluctantly let go of your hands before reaching into the pocket of his coat. your eyes brightened immediately. "what is it?" - "close your eyes... and turn around." you smiled. "very well."

doing exactly as he asked, you turned your back to him and let your eyes fall shut. a moment later you felt his fingers gently gather your hair. "hold it for me." you did. his hands disappeared for only a heartbeat before you felt cool metal brush against the back of your neck. a necklace.

your heartbeat quickened all over again. sometimes it seemed aemond knew your heart better than you did yourself. carefully he fastened the clasp before placing the gentlest kiss against the nape of your neck. your breath caught. then he rested his hands lightly upon your shoulders and turned you back to face him.

"you may look now." your fingers immediately found the pendant. a dragon. crafted from gold, every tiny scale shaped with remarkable care. your eyes widened. you knew this necklace. it had always belonged to him. "aemond..." you whispered. "this is yours."

he gave a small nod before lifting one shoulder in an almost careless shrug. his gaze drifted briefly toward vhagar, resting upon the distant cliff. "i already have a dragon." his eye returned to yours.

"i thought... this way, a part of me will always remain with you." the corners of his lips lifted. "and if you refuse to see it that way..." he paused with the faintest smile. "...then you simply have a dragon necklace. i know how much you like dragons."

a laugh escaped you despite yourself. "you fool." your fingers closed around the pendant. "i shall wear it in your name, aemond." he froze. hearing his name spoken so gently from your lips painted his cheeks pink once more. "you mean everything to me, y/n."

before another word could leave him, you wrapped your arms around him. he embraced you without hesitation, pulling you close against his chest as though he never intended to let go. his chin rested lightly atop your head. there, in his arms, the world always felt quieter. safer.

after a comfortable silence, he spoke against your hair. "we should return to the castle." you sighed softly. "dinner will already be waiting. and if we arrive late..." - "...we shall both hear of it." you laughed quietly. "you're right." 

reluctantly, you pulled away. even then aemond was slow to release you. he brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear before offering you his hand once more. you took it without hesitation.

together, hand in hand, you made your way back toward the castle, while the last light of the setting sun followed faithfully behind.

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three years had passed since the day aemond had fastened his dragon necklace around your neck. three years since he had promised that a part of him would always remain with you. back then the world had seemed so light. so wonderfully simple.

the love between you and aemond targaryen had only grown stronger with every passing year. your families had forged their alliance long before either of you could walk, leaving the two of you to grow up side by side.

somewhere between childish games and endless afternoons spent chasing one another through castle corridors, the boy who had once been your closest companion had quietly stolen your heart.

to everyone else, prince aemond was distant. reserved. even as a boy, he had rarely smiled as freely as other children. he carried himself with a discipline that belonged to someone far older, and there was always something unsettling about the calm with which he looked at the world.

but never with you

with you he became someone else entirely. his shoulders eased. his guarded gaze softened. you were the only soul capable of smoothing the sharp edges of the prince everyone else found so difficult to know.

no one had ever taught aemond what tenderness was meant to feel like. not as a prince. not as a son. affection had always come with expectations, duty or disappointment. until you. somehow, loving you had taught him a language he had never been allowed to speak.

you were everything to him. not because you were beautiful. not because your families expected it. but because, for the first time in his life, loving someone did not feel like something he had to earn. and as long as he still drew breath, no harm would ever reach you. he truly believed nothing could ever take you away from him.

until that day

you sat within your chambers when a servant entered with a respectful bow. "lady y/n. your parents request your presence." - "i'm coming." you rose without another thought, blissfully unaware that your happiness would soon be torn from your hands.

the great hall was already occupied when you arrived. your parents sat beside one another at the long oak table. opposite them sat queen alicent herself. the sight of her immediately brought a smile to your face. had aemond come with her? your eyes instinctively searched the room. he was nowhere to be found.

"lady y/n," alicent greeted warmly as she stepped forward to take your hands into hers. "look at you... you've grown into such a beautiful young woman." - "you honor me, your grace." you lowered yourself into a graceful curtsy before looking toward your parents once more.

"you sent for me?" your father's smile seemed almost strained. "we have wonderful news, my heart." he glanced briefly toward the queen before continuing. "you are to leave for king's landing." your heart leapt.

king's landing. aemond. every single day.

the thought alone filled you with excitement. "what have i done to deserve such an honor?" your mother reached across the table, gently placing her hand over yours. "after many discussions with her grace..." she smiled. "...it has been decided that you are to marry king aegon."

silence

every trace of joy vanished from your face. "...what?" your father answered before anyone else could. "it is a tremendous honor for our house, y/n. this match was decreed by the crown itself. you should be proud."

proud. the word echoed hollowly inside your chest. because they all knew. every person seated at that table knew whose name should have been spoken instead.

your eyes instinctively found queen alicent. there was no triumph upon her face. only sadness. a quiet sort of grief hidden behind years of royal composure. she knew what this would do to the son she had watched spend a lifetime hiding every wound behind silence. 

you had become the only person before whom he no longer felt the need to hide. and now, even that would be taken from him. first, the crown had passed to aegon. now the woman aemond loved would become his brother's queen. for the briefest moment guilt flickered across her features.

"i wish..." she began softly before stopping herself. she lowered her eyes. "there are sacrifices the crown asks of us all." it was not an apology. but it was the closest she could offer. she could not undo what had already been agreed upon. she could not ask for a different match. and perhaps worst of all, she could not even prepare aemond for what was coming.

he had remained in king's landing. completely unaware that, at that very moment, the future he believed belonged to the two of you was being given to someone else.  the next time the two of you would stand beneath the same roof, you would no longer belong to him.

your father continued speaking of alliances, honor and the future of your house, but every word faded into distant noise.

aegon targaryen

the man who would become your husband. the prince who rarely drew a sober breath. who knew every brothel in king's landing better than its own streets. whose temper was as quick as wildfire. who had mocked aemond since childhood, calling him weak, calling him less than a man. 

and whenever your families gathered, he never missed an opportunity to mock the closeness between you and aemond. whether it amused him or simply gave him another reason to taunt his younger brother, you never knew. 

he would grin and tell you that one day you would come to your senses and choose the elder brother instead. soon, he would stand beside you at the altar. not because he had chosen you. but because the crown had.

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and so, the news eventually found its way to aemond as well.

once the agreement between your families had been reached, queen alicent departed for king's landing. several days later, upon her return to the red keep, she requested that both of her sons join her for supper. the invitation alone was unusual enough to raise suspicion.

aegon lounged carelessly in his chair by the time she arrived, already helping himself to the wine. opposite him sat aemond, as composed as ever. one hand rested around the stem of his goblet while his gaze lingered quietly upon the candlelight dancing across the table. he had never been a man of unnecessary words.

"mother." aegon greeted with an easy grin. "this feels awfully formal. should i be concerned?" alicent offered only the faintest smile before taking her seat. "i have returned with news." she said calmly. "news concerning the future of this family."

aegon leaned forward with obvious curiosity. "i'm listening." she folded her hands neatly before her. "after lengthy negotiations, an agreement has been reached. you are to marry." aegons brows lifted. "am i?" - "you are."

a laugh escaped him. "well, you've certainly caught my attention. who is the fortunate lady?" for the first time since the conversation had begun, aemond lifted his eye from his goblet. alicent's gaze lingered on him for only the briefest moment before returning to aegon.

"lady y/n."

silence. aegon had just raised his goblet to his lips. he immediately coughed into his fist before lowering it again. "...y/n?" another pause. "our y/n?" aemond did not move. his fingers remained wrapped around the goblet exactly as before. his gaze rested somewhere beyond the long windows overlooking king's landing, though it was clear he no longer saw the city at all.

aegon let out a quiet, almost disbelieving laugh. "well," he shrugged lightly "i suppose that could've gone worse." his eyes drifted toward his younger brother. "look on the bright side, aemond." the corner of his mouth curled into a crooked grin. "...you'll still get to see her every day."

nothing. not a word. not a movement. the smile slowly disappeared from aegon's face. across the table, alicent watched her second son in silence. she had seen him endure ridicule. she had watched him hide pain behind discipline, but never had she seen him look quite so empty.

"aemond..." her voice was scarcely more than a whisper. only then did he rise. slowly. carefully. he placed his untouched goblet upon the table with such measured precision that the faint sound of metal against wood seemed to echo through the entire hall.

without looking at either of them, he inclined his head ever so slightly. "if you'll excuse me." and with that, he turned and walked away. neither aegon nor alicent tried to stop him. for there was nothing either of them could say that would return what had just been taken from him.

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aemond found no sleep that night. nor the night after. nor the one that followed. he never left his chambers. every knock upon the door went unanswered. every invitation refused. every attempt at conversation met with silence.

his bed remained untouched. his desk, however, had become buried beneath your handwriting. little notes collected over the years.

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i miss your voice. promise me you'll take me flying again soon. come home soon, my aemond.

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he read each one until he no longer needed the ink to remember the words.

the day the crown had passed him over in favor of aegon had wounded his pride. this... this was something else entirely. for the crown had not only given his brother a kingdom - now, it had given him you.

how was he meant to remain beneath the same roof as you? to pass you within the halls knowing you belonged to another? to watch you disappear behind the doors of aegons chambers each night? to watch you one day place his children into your arms?

from that day onward, aemond swore he would never allow himself to love again. it had taken him a lifetime to understand what love was meant to feel like. only for the gods to tear it from his hands the very moment he finally did.

and for the first time in his life, the thought of dying no longer frightened him. living did.

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and so the day arrived

far sooner than either of you had wished. though if it had been left to the two of you, it would never have come at all. you had been in king's landing for three days now. and not once had you seen him.

your heart felt unbearably heavy within your chest. the journey here had broken something inside you long before you ever passed through the gates of the red keep.

for years, this road had always led to him. to aemond waiting outside before your carriage had even come to a halt, already smiling as he stepped forward to pull you into his arms. tightly. as though he feared you might disappear if he held you any less.

now he was nowhere to be found. you did not blame him. truthfully, you would not have known what to say had he appeared before you.

one handmaiden pulled the laces of your corset tighter while another carefully arranged the final strands of your hair. piece by piece, the bride before the mirror came together.

outside, the bells of the great sept echoed across king's landing. announcing to the realm that today you would become its queen.

not much later, the chamber doors opened once more. queen alicent entered alone. "lady y/n." she said softly. her steps slowed as she reached you. "you look beautiful." but the words died almost as quickly as they had left her lips.

your eyes were red. hollow. your hands trembled despite every effort to still them. alicent gently took them into her own. for a long moment neither of you spoke.

"i know how difficult this is." she whispered at last. "but today... you honor both our houses. you will be a wonderful queen." another tear escaped before you could stop it.

you never wanted to be a wonderful queen. you only ever wanted to be his. yet you had been born into nobility. and noble daughters learned early that duty always stood above love. always.

"thank you, alicent." you managed, your voice scarcely more than a whisper. she brushed away a tear with the back of her fingers before offering you her arm. "they are waiting."

together the two of you left your chambers. and with every step toward the sept, it felt as though you were walking farther away from aemond.

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you stood before the great doors of the sept, your father's arm linked with yours. your breathing felt impossibly heavy. you knew that the moment those doors opened, everything would change. from that moment onward, it would no longer matter who had once loved whom.

or who still did.

you drew one slow breath, your eyes briefly lifting toward the towering ceiling above. your father's hand tightened ever so slightly around your arm. supportive. "are you ready, my heart?" you nodded, though your voice barely rose above a whisper. "let's get it over with."

the great doors slowly creaked open. at once, the music swelled throughout the sept, revealing the long aisle leading toward the altar, where aegon and the septon already stood waiting.

along either side, the gathered nobles rose to their feet as one. your knees threatened to give way beneath you. "my lords and ladies..." the septon's voice echoed through the vast hall. "the future queen."

your father took the first step. you followed. your gaze remained fixed upon the man waiting at the end of the aisle. aegon smiled warmly the moment he saw you. every step felt heavier than the last. the music faded into little more than distant noise. everything around you became a blur.

when you finally reached the altar, your father gently placed your hand into that of your future husband. before stepping away, he pressed a soft kiss against your forehead. "i'm proud of you." you could only nod.

aegon took your other hand into his as well. his smile never faltered. "you look breathtaking, my queen." you forced yourself to smile. "thank you... my king." he gave a satisfied nod before gently turning the two of you toward the gathered guests.

and then... your eyes found him. as though they had been searching for him all along.

aemond

standing among the first row of guests. for weeks, you had wondered how he would look at you when this day finally came. nothing could have prepared you for the emptiness in his gaze.

he looked exactly as you remembered. silver hair resting neatly upon his shoulders. the black leather eyepatch concealing the eye he had lost all those years ago. his hands were clasped neatly behind his back. his posture flawless. every inch the prince he had always been.

and yet he looked nothing like the man you loved. there was no warmth left in his gaze. no quiet smile waiting just for you. no softness. only silence.

his jaw remained tightly set. his shoulders impossibly straight. his expression unreadable. you knew him well enough to recognize what no one else ever could.

the tighter he held himself together, the closer he was to falling apart. for one foolish heartbeat, you found yourself hoping. hoping he would smile. hoping he would look at you the way he always had. he didn't. he simply stood there. watching. and somehow that hurt even more.

because the man who had once looked at you as though you were his entire world, now looked at you as though he'd already lost it.

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before long, the celebration was nearing its end. following the ceremony, the festivities had moved into the great hall, where tables overflowed with food, music filled the air, and laughter echoed from every corner. nobles danced until their feet grew sore. one by one, lords and ladies approached your table to offer their congratulations.

they spoke of fate. of honor. of what a perfect match the two of you made. aegon accepted every blessing with an easy smile. for you every kind word felt like another blade driven into your heart. each congratulations only reminded you that this was no longer a nightmare from which you could awaken.

it was real.

the evening wore on. the music grew louder. the laughter less restrained. and aegon drank. and drank. and drank.

his laughter rang across the entire hall, louder than the musicians themselves. all day long, one chair beside your table had remained empty. the seat reserved for prince aemond. he had never come. you understood why. still, its emptiness hurt almost as much as his presence might have.

"another round!" aegon called, raising his goblet high above his head. the hall answered with cheerful applause. a moment later he stumbled back toward you, wine spilling over the rim of his cup.

"my queen," he grinned, extending a hand toward you. "one dance?" you offered him a tired smile. "forgive me, my king. i need a little fresh air." - "very well." he laughed before turning toward one of the young handmaidens nearby. "then you'll dance with me instead."

the poor girl dropped into a hurried curtsy, her cheeks already burning. "it would be my honor, your grace." using the distraction to your advantage, you quietly slipped away.

the heavy doors closed behind you. almost instantly the music became little more than a distant echo beyond the stone walls. the cool night air greeted your skin. for the first time all day there was silence. real silence. enough to hear your own heartbeat. enough to remember how to breathe.

you wandered farther until you reached a secluded balcony hidden from the celebration. at its edge you came to a stop. before you stretched the countless lights of king's landing. your home now. forever.

you closed your eyes and drew a slow, trembling breath. when you exhaled, it left your lips unsteadily. your arms instinctively wrapped around yourself, searching for a comfort they could never give.

then... something made your heart falter. a presence. you slowly glanced back over your shoulder. at first there was only darkness. then a familiar silhouette. leaning silently against the cold stone wall.

silver hair caught the moonlight. a tall, slender figure. features you could have recognized anywhere in the world.

he remained where he was for several long moments. neither of you spoke. then, at last he pushed himself away from the wall. every measured step brought him closer until he came to stand beside you. close enough that you could hear him breathe. close enough to remember what home had once felt like.

he rested his forearms against the stone railing, his gaze settling upon the sleeping city below. he never looked away from it. "...my congratulations."

god. his voice. you hadn't realized just how desperately you had missed it until you heard it again. for one impossible moment, it almost felt as though nothing had changed. until you remembered why the two of you stood here.

you swallowed against the ache rising in your throat. your eyes remained fixed upon the city before you. "thank you..." your voice almost broke. "...my prince."

silence settled between the two of you once more. only the distant laughter spilling from the great hall reminded you that a celebration still carried on behind those walls.

aemonds gaze remained fixed upon the sleeping city below. "you should return inside." he said quietly. "they'll be wondering where their queen has gone."

the words cut deeper than you had expected. their queen. not his. never his. you lowered your eyes. "is that truly all you have to say to me?" he remained silent. "aemond..." still nothing. your voice trembled.

"does none of this mean anything to you?" his jaw tightened. "what it means to me is no longer of importance." he straightened ever so slightly, as though forcing himself back into the prince he had spent a lifetime becoming.

you lowered your gaze toward the countless lights scattered across king's landing. for a long while neither of you spoke.

"...we once meant everything to each other."

the words scarcely rose above a whisper. "yes," he answered quietly. "we did." slowly he turned to face you. for the first time that night, your eyes truly met. it burned. holding his gaze demanded every ounce of strength you had left.

you shifted ever so slightly. the movement caused the moonlight to catch against something resting upon your chest. gold. a small dragon. his dragon.

aemond's gaze fell to the pendant. and stayed there. he simply stared. then his eye began to glisten. the moonlight caught the tears gathering beneath his lashes long before they ever had the chance to fall. seeing him like that made your own vision blur.

his hand lifted almost unconsciously. hesitantly. as though he no longer believed he had the right. his fingertips brushed the little golden dragon before coming to rest lightly against the side of your neck. the warmth of his touch made your breath catch. you searched his face.

and with it, the first tear slipped silently down his cheek. he closed his eye for only a moment. "...losing the crown to my brother was one thing." his voice faltered. he drew a slow breath, trying desperately to steady himself. "...but losing you..." the words refused to come.

he let go of the pendant. turning away from you almost instinctively, ashamed of the vulnerability he had fought so hard to hide. "you were..." his voice broke. "...everything."

he gave the faintest shake of his head before letting out a bitter, breathless laugh. "all my life..." he whispered. "i never understood what it meant to love someone." another tear escaped him "then i met you."

his shoulders rose with an unsteady breath. "...and now i must spend the rest of my life pretending that i do not." finally, he looked back at you. his eye red. his cheeks damp. "...i love you."

your heart felt impossibly heavy inside your chest. every word he had spoken echoed the ache buried within your own. and yet to answer him would be treason. slowly you reached up. your fingertips rested gently against his cheek before turning his face fully toward yours.

you studied every part of the man you loved. his trembling lips. the tears he no longer bothered to hide. the eye that had once looked at you with nothing but warmth, and still did. only now it was broken. just like him.

neither of you spoke. there was nothing left to say. his gaze wandered across your face, taking in every feature as though he feared this would be the last time he would ever be allowed to look at you this close.

you found yourself doing the same. memorizing him. the curve of his nose. the silver strands that framed his face. the tear still clinging to his lashes. your eyes drifted to his lips. his followed only a heartbeat later.

without either of you realizing it, the distance between your bodies disappeared. his hands settled carefully against your waist. yours found the back of his neck. it felt inevitable. as though every step the two of you had taken throughout your lives had always been leading here.

his eye searched yours one final time. not for permission. for hope. your fingers curled gently against his neck. it was all the answer he needed.

with a quiet, trembling breath, he leaned in. his lips met yours with heartbreaking tenderness. soft. hesitant. almost disbelieving. as though he feared you might disappear if he kissed you any harder.

you kissed him back instantly. your arms slipped around him, pulling him impossibly close. it felt exactly as it always had. safe. like home. warm tears rolled silently down your cheeks. not because he had kissed you. but because you knew this was no longer the life either of you had been meant to have.

his embrace tightened. holding you exactly as though you were still his. exactly as though the world beyond that balcony no longer existed. god. how desperately you wished it were true.

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still caught beneath the spell of that kiss, you barely remembered leaving the balcony. the next thing you knew, your hand rested safely within his as he led you through the quiet halls of the red keep. toward the chambers you had once known as well as your own.

it was reckless. you both knew that. yet the hour had grown late and the celebration still echoed somewhere far behind you. aegon remained surrounded by wine, laughter and the company of his friends.

every moment stolen with aemond was worth more than anything the crown could ever place into your hands.

he walked a step ahead, yet every few moments he glanced back over his shoulder to make sure you were still there. each time your eyes met, the faintest smile found his lips. for a fleeting instant, you saw the boy you had fallen in love with.

the shy prince who had once blushed whenever you spoke his name. the boy who had entrusted you with his entire heart long before either of you understood what love truly was. you smiled back. it hurt. and yet it had never felt more right.

at last, you reached his chambers. aemond carefully pushed the door open before guiding you inside. the moment it closed behind you, shutting out the rest of the world, his hands found your face once more.

this time he kissed you without hesitation. desperately. as though every kiss he had denied himself for months had been waiting for this single moment.

never before had the two of you held one another like this. once, yours had been the innocent love of youth. the kind that believed there would always be another tomorrow. another kiss. another sunrise. another lifetime. now time had become the one thing neither of you possessed.

your trembling fingers rose to the leather eyepatch resting against his face. carefully, you loosened it. the sapphire beneath caught the warm glow of the candlelight. you smiled through tears. "you're beautiful." the words were scarcely louder than a breath.

his eye softened in a way only you had ever been able to draw from him. he rested his forehead against yours, his hand gently brushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "my heart..." he whispered. his voice carried equal parts love and sorrow.

you reached for the ties of his tunic. his hand immediately found yours, stilling your movements. there was no hesitation in his touch. only concern. "are you certain?" you looked into his eye, your own already shimmering once more.

"i want this to be ours, aemond." your voice trembled. "even if the crown was never yours... even if i could never truly be." you swallowed hard. "let this belong to us. just as we always dreamed it would."

emotion flickered openly across his face. the careful composure he had worn all evening disappeared completely. he lifted your hand and pressed a lingering kiss against your knuckles. his forehead rested against yours once again. "in another life..." you whispered. "...i would've been your queen." aemond smiled through tears.

"you already are."

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