Beauty and the Beast HOTD AU (Aemond x reader)
Chapter 1
Synopsis: Your father doesnât arrive him as quickly as he promised, so you go to look for him, unaware youâre about to take his place as a prisoner in a large seemingly abandoned castle.
Tags: Aemond Targaryen x reader, Aemond Targaryen x fem!reader, reader isnât described physically in anyway, reader comes from a village (not a noble house), no talk of current rulers, Aemond Targaryen as a dragon hybrid, there will be smut in future chapters
Notes: Hihihihihi! Itâs been sooooo long since Iâve written anything! Your girl has been on a break. I got the idea for this, because Iâm a sucker for stories (especially) fanfiction based on old fairytales. This is not proofread I fear.
If you have anything youâd like to ask or any suggestions for future chapters please let me know in my asks! Iâd love to hear your ideas or predictions!!!
When you were a little girl, before your mother passed, she would tell you the same stories before bed every night.
She would tell you of a time where there were dragons that flew through the sky and breathed fire, of rulers with hair that seemed to glow like the silver moon itself.
Most nights it would be happy stories, ones of dragon-riding heroâs. Then there were times when your motherâs gaze would darken when she would look out into the midnight sky, and she would tell you about how the dragonâs destroyed themselves.
When your mother passed, you were five years of age. No one would tell you what had happened to her. Just that the gods decided that her soft soul was ready to lay to rest with them.
Your father was a kind man, but he loved his wife more than anyone. Anyone could see that a piece of him left with her.
You took up a lot of responsibility within your house. You were not a noble family, by any means, but there were things that had to get done.
By twelve, you were skilled with cooking and cleaning, and being able to have it all done before the sun started to set.
It wasnât easy, watching your father getting wearier everyday, as gravity pulled him back down.
You found your solace although. You loved to read. So many characters, and places, and scenarios. You could lose yourself in it, and forget about anything that worried you.
It was getting colder out, but there was an evil colder chill in the air that made the people in your village tense. No one was sure what felt wrong, but something was off.
âMy darling girl! Have you seen my damned boots? Theyâve seemed to run off by themselves!â Your father calls you in the early hours of the morning. You were saddling his horse, and sighed. It seemed you always had to remind him at least three times before something really sunk in.
âI told you papa, you left your shoes in the hallway last night by your door,â you say, when you step inside, already walking up the narrow staircase to pluck his shoes from their spot. Theyâre a sorry excuse for boots, weathered and worn, you donât think heâs replaced his shoes since at least three winters ago. âPapa, you are in a terrible need for new boots. Youâre going to lose your toes out in the cold,â you scolded.
He groaned and shook his head. âTheyâve barely been done in yet, love, donât worry about me. I wonât be out long this time,â he promises, pinching your cheek, even as you swat his hand.
âPapa, thatâs what you said last time. Itâs colder than winters been sinceâŚâ you trail off, knowing the last time it was this frigid was the winter your mother passed. âWell, itâs freezing papa. Promise me you wonât try and pitch a tent out in the snow. Spare a couple of coppers for an inn, alright?â You ask, holding on of his hands between yours.
He sighs, finally conceding. âAlright, my girl, Iâll make sure I have a warm place to stay.â
You smile, kissing his cheek. âSnowpelt is saddled. Sheâs ready to go,â you inform him.
Your father nods, before eyeing you. âYou know girl, itâs getting awfully close to your name day isnât it?â He asks.
Now that you thought about it, it was. You were born during an ice storm during the twelfth moon.
âI suppose it is papa.â
âWell, Iâll tell you what. You pick out something you want and Iâll make sure I bring it back for you,â he says, watching you expectantly.
âOh, papa, you know I donât really need anything-â
âNonsense. Of course you need a gift for your name day. Give me an item girl, or Iâll come back with a bucket full of garden snakes for you,â he threatened playfully.
You laughed, before frowning in thought. âHow about a rose?â You asked. No matter how many beautiful flowers you got to bloom in the garden at home, roses just wouldnât grow. They were your favorite, and your motherâs too.
âJust a single rose?â
You nod.
âYou know I canât say no to my beautiful lady. The most gorgeous rose I can find then!â He proclaims loudly, before bounding up. âI should be off, so I can make it to an inn before the sun sets.â
You follow him out, patting Snowpelt on the side as he mounts her. You wave him goodbye, watching as he starts off down the path through the village and into the woods.
The next few days pass quickly, and you busy yourself in deep cleaning the house. Thereâs not much else you can do. Most everyone has been warming themselves by their fires with how frigid the weather has gotten.
Itâs when the fourth day passes you start to worry slightly. You know papa was only supposed to go two villages away, and the snow has been dreadful, but you still canât help but worry.
The same evening, thereâs a brisk knock at your door. When you open it, the little newspaper boy is outside.
âMy lady, I do not wish to alarm you, but your fatherâs horse has come back,â he says softly, pointing to Snowpelt, who stands restlessly outside the house.
Your pulse spikes, as you step outside, grabbing a measly shawl. âWhat do you mean? Only Snowpelt? No sign of Father?â
âIâm afraid not, my lady,â the news boy responds. âShe was quite shaken when she came through. I was just outside and I thought Iâd take her hereâŚshould I get a search started?â He asks.
You shake your head immediately. âNo. No search, thereâs not a need for that. Iâll find him. He canât be far,â you say. You know that the search would more than likely be led by Addam, the towns strongest hunter. He had been relentlessly attempting to court you for the last few moons. You didnât need him thinking heâd earned your hand by finding your father.
âI donât think thatâs wise my lady, youâll freeze to death-â
âI donât want you running around telling anyone Iâve left, alright?â You cut him off. âStay quiet,â you press, before putting two coppers into his palm. âThatâs for bringing Snowpelt, and for your silence. Go get something warm to eat,â you say, beckoning him off.
The little news boy doesnât say much more before bounding off. You pat Snowpelt softly.
âItâs just you and me, Snowpelt. Letâs go find papa.â
Youâve never been too far out of your village, so you start to feel slightly intimidated once youâve gotten Snowpelt into the woods.
Suddenly thereâs a strange fork in the road. A large tree branch covering one side, so thereâs only the option of the other way.
âWell, SnowpeltâŚI suppose weâre going this way. Is this the way to papa?â You ask her, knowing she really doesnât know.
Youâre not sure if itâs just your imagination or if itâs really getting colder as you continue down this road. Just as you feel like maybe you should turn around, you see a strange light in the distance. You click at Snowpelt, and speed up slightly.
Getting closer to the strange light, you realize itâs a castle. Snowpelt clops over a stone bridge, as you gawk at the large structure. How could a castle like this be so close? How has no one told you about this before?
On the outside of the stone walls, there are old worn flags. They have a strange symbol on them, but you canât really make out what it is. You think it might by a dragon, but push the notion away. By the doors there are two lit lanterns, explaining the light.
You tie Snowpelt onto a tree outside, before tentatively walking towards the entrance to this seemingly abandoned castle.
You catch a glimpse of something in the distance. A rose bushâŚblood red petals standing out amongst the snow. Youâre sure your father has to be near. Maybe heâs just taken refuge here.
You knock on the doors, using the heavy knockers. Now youâre sure these are dragons. As you trace one of the metal dragons snouts the door pushes open, but you donât see anyone awaiting you.
Maybe it was just the wind, you think, before stepping in carefully. Closing the door behind you.
You look around. The castle isnât completely pitch black, thereâs actually quite a few lanterns around the foyer.
âExcuse me!â You call, trying to get the attention of whoever may be lurking around here. âIâm looking for my father! Iâm sorry to disturbâŚâ
Thereâs a strange noise you hear now. A soft crying, andâŚpleading. As you step closer to the dark hall it seems to be coming from the more the voice sounds familiar.
âPlease, I just wanted a rose for my daughter, I didnât mean to steal from you!â
You gasp softly, realizing that the voice belongs to your papa. Quickly you start down the hallway, and up the winding staircase where you can hear him. âPapa!â You call out.
When you get up to the level of where you heard him, you see itâs darker up here than downstairs. âPapa?â
âMy girl, you must leave, now! Do not come closer! Itâs dangerous here! Go back home!â Your papa pleads, but you go to him anyway.
Heâs in a stone room, a barred cell door locked shut at the doorway.
âPapa! Who has done this to you?â You gasp, reaching through the bars for his hands.
He grabs your hands quickly, looking around. âShhh! Shhh, heâs listening. I know heâs here somewhere.â
âWho, papa, who?â You ask, quieter now.
âIâm not sure what he isâŚbut heâs dangerous. I could barely see him, but he was hot. Like fire burns within his veins. He pushed me in here, and told me I have to serve a sentence. I just saw those beautiful roses, and I thought they were perfect for you,â he says, his voice cracking, and a tear rolling down his face. âYou must go, now, before he comes back.â
You shake your head. âNo, papa, there has been some kind of misunderstanding, he canât just keep you here! Youâve done nothing wrong!â
He shushes you again frantically. âMy daughter, he cannot be bargained with, please go,â he pleads.
âNo!â You say, your voice louder than itâs supposed to be. You stand up sharply at the sound of a low growl reverberating throughout the hallway, but youâre not sure where itâs coming from. It could by levels up, or levels down, even right beside you. It resonates heavily like thunder.
âRun! Daughter, run!â Your father cries, but you donât move.
The growling has stopped, but there is are heavy footsteps. One after the other, they feel like they cannot belong to a mere man. They stop right before the turn into the hallway you stand in.
âHow touching this isâŚa family reunion,â a low voice drawls. Itâs got the cadence of someone who comes from a much more proper background, but itâs still off. Thereâs a bass low beneath the surface.
âWho are you? Why are you holding my father captive?â You demand, your voice steady. The more you think about it the angrier you feel. How dare this man stand in the shadows, attempting to sneer at you and your papa.
âYour father is a thief,â the voice snarls.
You scoff indignantly. âHe is no such thing! How could he know that there is a cruel beast who lurks these broken down walls, waiting to pounce on the first person who plucks a rose from a bush,â you admonish.
Thereâs a moment of silence, before a low laugh is heard. At least you think itâs a laugh. Thereâs no humor in it. âYouâve got a sharp tongue. Unlike your blubbering fool for a father.â
âCome out now!â You snap. âIf you wish to hurl insults, face me! I will not have you hide within the shadows. I demand to see you,â you tell this mysterious man harshly.
âYou do not know what you ask, foolish girl,â the voice warns. âYou could very well perish in fear at the sight of me,â he says, his voice getting softer towards the end of his sentence, the brutish growl giving way to a softer more human like tone.
âLet my father go!â You demand. âYou cannot keep him here.â
âI can keep him here. I could keep you here too if it pleased me. Although, I have no use for a sniveling coward within these wallsâŚI could find use for a fiery woman,â the man tells you, pausing. âIf you agree to take your fatherâs place, I will let him go. You will stay here indefinitely, until I release you.â
âNo! Do not agree to that daughter I forbid you!â Your father, who up until now has been shivering in fear, speaks up.
You think about it, looking at your father, the man who gets wearier everyday. Heâd freeze to death here. Or heâd die of fright. You are your motherâs daughter, brave to a fault, and youâve never let anyone control you.
âIf I take his placeâŚheâll be free?â You confirm.
An affirming growl echos. âYes. He will be free.â
âNo!â Your father cries again, but youâve already made up your mind.
âI will take his place. Set him free,â you say finally.
Your father pleads against this when the man finally steps out from behind the corner.
The sheer size of him alone, makes your back straighten out of instinct. Heâs near touching the ceiling, is what you first notice, before your eyes trail over the horns that are on either side of his temples. His face isâŚhumanâŚyou could say handsome under different circumstances. Heâs lost an eye, a sapphire in the abandoned socket. Heâs dressed in a white tunic, and black pants. His fingers end in sharp claws, and his feet and curled into an animal like arch. Claws much like his hands.
What catches your attention the most though, is the large wings behind him. Then his silver hair that seems to glowâŚlike the moon.
Your motherâs stories echo throughout your head like a dam breaking, and your eyes widen.
âYour daughter has freed you. You do not have much time before I drag you back to your measly village,â the man snarls, unlocking the cell.
You watch him, his sheer height alone towering over you. He hasnât looked at you yet, just watches your father.
âPapa, go,â you say softly. Your father leaves the cell, before pulling you into his arms.
âI canât leave you, my girl, I canât. I already lost your mother, I couldnât bear to lose you too,â he whispers, warm tears slipping down his face.
âI know papaâŚbut you have to go,â you say. âIâll be alright. You know me. Whiskey in a teacup, remember?â You try to smile weakly.
Your father looks at the man who stands, watching with an almost bored expression. âI cannot leave her!â He snaps.
You donât have the chance to say anything else before your father is grabbed by the man, and hauled down the stairs. You gasp, covering your mouth to muffle your sobs as you hear your father plead to not be separated from you.
Through the window in the stone wall you can see your father roughly mounted onto Snowpelt, before the man spooks her into motion.
You step back, wiping your face in the urgency to find courage. Be brave. Be brave.
The footsteps return up the stairs, and stop behind you. Even from here you can feel the heat radiating from him.
âYou will not stay in this cell. There is a room being prepared for you,â The man says lowly.
You turn around looking up at him. âWhat do you mean? You have people who work for you here?â You try not to gawk at his imposing figure, wings and all.
He scoffs. âSomething like that. We will go over rules in the morning. Come with me,â he commands, before starting to walk through the castle hallways.
âI donât even know your name,â you say, during the walk. He pauses, before glancing at you behind his shoulder.
âAemond,â he tells you, and your breath stutters. Youâve heard that name, from your motherâs stories. You do not mention it now though.
You murmur your name back to him, and if he hears you, he doesnât acknowledge it.
You arrive in front of a set of doors, and he opens one. Inside is a surprisingly lavish room, mostly green centered, and a hearth going.
âThis is your room,â Aemond tells you.
âWhat-â
He cuts you off with a tut. âNo more questions tonight. You will sleep, and be awoken in the morning. Do not be foolish enough to run. I will catch you,â he says.
You want to ask more questions. What is he? where are the people who work for him here? Why are you not staying in a cell?
You cannot bring yourself to defy him at this time, so you step into your room. He closes the door behind you, but it doesnât lock. A clear test.
You lay down on the bed, only slipping off your shoes. You do not want to search for a nightgown, or be caught unawares in your underclothes.
As much as you fear being vulnerable once you fall asleep, the exhaustion starts to get the better of you, and your body gives way.















