Dragons' Den

"You are right. We should ideally share a bed. I just want to mak sure that... this is what you truly desire. The servants will talk about us either way." He shrugged. "No matter what we do."

Oh, he wished he could stay. It wasn't that he wanted to flee her. But how was he supposed to explain his dreams to Auriel. How could he ever communicate the perfect horror of dreaming the future in such gruesome ways.

"If that is what you deem acceptable...then that is quite alright with me."

She kept her expression carefully composed as she returned to her nightly routine, refusing to let even a measure of disappointment cross her features. Years of courtly life had taught her how to hide such things well, to suppress and shove down her emotions as though they never existed in the first place. It was simpler that way -- easier to swallow -- her hands moving through familiar motions while her heart sank within her chest.

What else had she expected?

This was not a marriage born of love nor of grand romance. It was an arrangement of convenience, forged from necessity and practicality rather than affection. They had agreed upon that much themselves on the night of Ashford, before the party had departed for King's Landing. It was a fool's idea to think it could ever be more than that.

Rising from the vanity, she crossed the room toward the bed, careful not to look in his direction. She could feel his presence even without meeting his gaze, and she feared that if she did, the fragile mask she just crafted would crack. Reaching the bed, she pulled back the covers and slipped beneath them alone, settling into the vast expanse of embroidered blankets and cool linen. The mattress dipped softly beneath her weight, yet the space beside her felt impossibly large.

She turned onto her side, facing away from him, and drew the covers a little higher. It was foolish, truly, to feel disappointed by an arrangement that was unfolding exactly as they had agreed. Yet disappointment settled heavily inside her regardless, so she closed her eyes and pretended not to feel it. That was what she was good at, right?

Daeron wanted to be better for her so badly. He wanted to be a good husband, to fulfill her every wish but this one thing he could not do. Auriel was too good to be burdened with his weakness. This wasn't a love marriage and wasn't she supposed to be free with him? Not burdened with his troubles.

His eyes followed her as she crossed the room. She didn't even look at him...

When she had settled under the covers on her side of the bed, he wanted nothing more than to crawl under the blankets with her to hold her and be held in return. What a silly thought.

This is wasn't a love marriage he told himself over and over again in his head. Why was he feeling these things for her then?

Daeron lay back on the covers staring at the canopy in the dim light of the candle on his nightstand. Maybe it was just a silly little crush because of their wedding night. Part of him knew very well though that wasn't true. He had known her for so long, knew her better than most people and if he liked her it was because she was strong and smart and incredibly beautiful.

But when she called him cousin just then it was like a kick in the stomach. Was that all they were? Cousins in a marriage of convenience?

All these thoughts ran riot in his mind while he waited. Waited until her breath came deep and regularly in the heavy silence of the room. Waited until he thought she was finally asleep.

Daeron couldn't take it anymore. He got out of bed, careful not to make a noise and snuck out of the room. When the door closed behind him, he released a heavy sigh. Seven help him, he needed a drink to stay awake. And drink he did. More than usual. He had cut down on the wine since the marriage ceremony but tonight? No. He needed this he told himself. DReaming wasn't an option.

That night he drank his troubles away. Hoping to numb the dreams. To numb the pain in his chest that were her words. Cousin. He was her husband. She was his wife. And he was helplessly falling for her.

Perhaps she should not have had that last goblet of wine before dragging her husband onto the dance floor. Then again, if she was being honest with herself, she likely would have done it regardless. The music had been lively and incredibly infectious, echoing through the hall and stirring something restless inside her. And her husband, surprisingly, seemed to be enjoying himself as well. There had been a lightness to him all evening that she did not often see, a warmth in his smiles and laughter that made it impossible for her to stop looking at him and she decided she had wanted to dance with him. So she had taken his hand and pulled him into the crowd before he could object.

What had begun as innocent enough soon became something else entirely. By the time the song slowed, her pulse was racing. Partly from the exertion, perhaps, but mostly from him. From the weight of his hand at her waist and the way he guided her through each turn as though she were the only woman in the room. From the way his eyes never seemed to leave hers as the world around them gradually faded into little more than distant music and blurred colors. There was only Daeron. Her husband.

It was the warmth of his body as he drew her closer, the feeling of his breath against her skin as they moved to the music. When the dance finally ended, neither of them stepped away.

Daeron’s forehead came to rest against hers, her chest rising and falling as she tried and failed to steady her breathing. She could feel his hand spread across the small of her back, holding her as though he had forgotten there were hundreds of people surrounding them. And Gods help her, she was certain she wanted him to kiss her. The thought had barely formed before his hand tightened ever so slightly at her waist and his lips were on hers.

Auriel melted into him with a quiet moan, damn near drinking him in as her fingers curling into the fabric of his doublet, kissing him back. The noise and celebration around them vanished completely as she lost herself in the familiar taste of wine on his tongue. She had kissed him before, many times in fact, but somehow it felt different this time. Perhaps it was the music it could have been the wine. Or perhaps it was simply that she was, despite not wanting to ever admit it, hopelessly in love with her husband.

Whatever the reason, she found herself pressing closer, unwilling to surrender even an inch of the precious space between them. Her hands slid down to rest on his hips, drawing him flush against her, and she felt her breath catch.

When they finally parted, her cheeks were flushed, her lips tingled, and her heart felt as though it might beat straight out of her chest.

"Come with me," she whispered.

When Auriel pressed closer to him, melting ino his kiss - right here in front of everyone - he knew she enjoyed this, too. He'd done something right. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her and he'd follow her to the end of the world and beyond that, too.

With her hand clasped tight around Daeron's, she hurried through the corridors with barely restrained excitement. Her cheeks were still flushed from dancing, her pulse was still racing, and there was a mischievous gleam in her violet eyes. At the first opportunity, she tugged him through the door of a small side chamber, pushing the heavy door shut behind them and sliding the lock into place the second they were both inside.

Perhaps she should not have had that last goblet of wine before dragging her husband onto the dance floor. Then again, if she was being honest with herself, she likely would have done it regardless. The music had been lively and incredibly infectious, echoing through the hall and stirring something restless inside her. And her husband, surprisingly, seemed to be enjoying himself as well. There had been a lightness to him all evening that she did not often see, a warmth in his smiles and laughter that made it impossible for her to stop looking at him and she decided she had wanted to dance with him. So she had taken his hand and pulled him into the crowd before he could object.

What had begun as innocent enough soon became something else entirely. By the time the song slowed, her pulse was racing. Partly from the exertion, perhaps, but mostly from him. From the weight of his hand at her waist and the way he guided her through each turn as though she were the only woman in the room. From the way his eyes never seemed to leave hers as the world around them gradually faded into little more than distant music and blurred colors. There was only Daeron. Her husband.

It was the warmth of his body as he drew her closer, the feeling of his breath against her skin as they moved to the music. When the dance finally ended, neither of them stepped away.

Daeron’s forehead came to rest against hers, her chest rising and falling as she tried and failed to steady her breathing. She could feel his hand spread across the small of her back, holding her as though he had forgotten there were hundreds of people surrounding them. And Gods help her, she was certain she wanted him to kiss her. The thought had barely formed before his hand tightened ever so slightly at her waist and his lips were on hers.

Auriel melted into him with a quiet moan, damn near drinking him in as her fingers curling into the fabric of his doublet, kissing him back. The noise and celebration around them vanished completely as she lost herself in the familiar taste of wine on his tongue. She had kissed him before, many times in fact, but somehow it felt different this time. Perhaps it was the music it could have been the wine. Or perhaps it was simply that she was, despite not wanting to ever admit it, hopelessly in love with her husband.

Whatever the reason, she found herself pressing closer, unwilling to surrender even an inch of the precious space between them. Her hands slid down to rest on his hips, drawing him flush against her, and she felt her breath catch.

When they finally parted, her cheeks were flushed, her lips tingled, and her heart felt as though it might beat straight out of her chest.

"Come with me," she whispered.

When Auriel pressed closer to him, melting ino his kiss - right here in front of everyone - he knew she enjoyed this, too. He'd done something right. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her and he'd follow her to the end of the world and beyond that, too.