Every woman is a queen

But nothing was good. Time passed and Aethelflaed couldn’t hide it anymore. You didn’t leave her bedside. ‘Y/n,’ she started with a husky voice. ‘Spare your voice my lady.’ You comforted her. ‘I want you to be happy. I won’t imprison you in advising my daughter when somewhere out there something is waiting for you,’ Aethelflaed whispered. You rubbed a hand over your wet cheek, she knew. ‘You know.’ You whispered. She smiled, a warm and kind smile before she nodded. ‘There is nothing more thrilling than loving one of them. I couldn’t have this kind of happiness but I urge you to follow your heart.’ She said. You knew this was a goodbye. You nodded before you laid your head down in her embrace. There would never be a woman stronger and braver than the lady Aethelflaed.

She died later that day, in the arms of the man she loved. You stood in the hallways when Uthred carried her inside her room. You weren’t them. You weren’t Eadith or Uthred, you collapsed right there and then. The woman you had grown up with your entire life had died. Sihtric pulled you in his arms the moment your feet were too weak to carry you. Your hands clutched around his arms as you watched with blurry eyes how they laid her in the bed. Eventually, he brought you to your room. He helped you in bed and covered you with a blanket. ‘Don’t go,’ you said in between your tears. He crouched down beside the bed, taking a hold of your hand. ‘I can’t lose you to Sihtric.’ You whispered while squeezing his hand. The heartbreak and concern displayed on his face just told you how much he didn’t want to lose you either.

Your attention however slipped when you felt something behind you. ‘And,’ the voice spoke as his chest contacted with your back, his lips moving just beside your ear. ‘what have you learned?’ He asked. Another person you had a certain admiration for. You turned your head, looking at his lips before you scoured your eyes up to his. Or at least, one of them. ‘Aemond,’ you greeted him with a soft smile. ‘wasn’t sure if you planned on showing up.’ You said as you diverted your eyes back to the audience. He hummed, his lips still close to your ears. The sound of it resonated through your entire body. Aemond always made it perfectly clear that he needed you, wanted you. Till this far you had always managed to keep him at a distance. But just as Daemon displayed a certain power, so did Aemond. And you couldn’t help but feel hungry for that power. ‘You didn’t answer the question.’ He said. His chin so lightly leaned on your shoulder as he studied your expression. You took in a breath, turning your head, facing his from so close. ‘You don’t want me to spill their secrets, you want to hear mine.’ You whispered. A half smile came on his lips. ‘Can’t help that the only interesting person in this room is fighting me.’ He explained. ‘I’m married.’ You reminded him. Yes, sadly enough you were. To a husband that gives zero fucks and only exists to provide you with children. Which he still wasn’t able to do either. You felt his hand sneak around your body. You leaned into his chest, closing your eyes on the feeling. ‘I don’t see him here.’ Aemond noticed. You opened your eyes and scoured the dancefloor. No, he wasn’t here. He probably laid somewhere either wasted or asleep. Aemond pressed his nose under your ear and you willingly tilted your head to the side. He pressed his lips against your neck. Targaryens weren’t easily ashamed. Honestly, you forget all about the people around you. ‘Shouldn’t I kill him?’ He asked as his lips softly kissed down your neck, right into the curve towards your collarbone. It send a warmth through your entire body, a feeling you hadn’t felt in the years you had been married. It was the feeling of wanting something so badly that you planned on caving. You woke up out of the feeling and pulled away, turning around to him. ‘To what end?’ You asked him. You didn’t wish harm upon your husband. Yes, sure, an unlucky accident would free you from his grip but still, murder was a line you weren’t willing to cross. ‘So that I can marry you.’ The confidence of all of this made you a little on edge. ‘If you even think of planning on killing my husband I will never marry you. You won’t win my heart with this.’ You warned him. He lightly smiled, such a smile that promised nothing good. ‘It’s not your heart I desire.’ He confessed. His one good eye went down over your body and you put your fingers under his chin to restrain him in his hunger. ‘Don’t.’ You warned him again. ‘You want me to so,’ he paused as he grabbed your fingers from underneath his chin. You looked at one another. Too long, and too intense. Something had to be cracking on your expression because he smiled. He nodded as he pulled away and walked away. Shit.

When you prepared yourself for bed you couldn’t help but relive the feeling Aemond had left. His brother had always been incredibly cruel, a cruelty that went beyond your understanding. But Aemond, he wanted you and yet he hadn’t taken it. Which meant he respected certain lines. Lines you had been playing with. You stood before the window as you combed your finger through your hair. Something clicked in the room. It wasn’t the door for that piece of wood that made too much nose. It was one of those secret doorways. You turned your head, finding Aemond walking into your room. ‘Why me?’ You asked him as you turned back to the window, looking outside in the darkness. ‘Because I can’t help,’ he paused as you felt him closing in from behind. His chest again contacts with your back. You closed your eyes, letting your head fall back against his shoulder. ‘recognizing your beauty and strength, this raw personality.’ He pressed his nose in your hair, smelling it. ‘I want you Y/n, please let me have you.’ He softly said like you were some kind of treatment he couldn’t live without. His hand sneaked to your hip as he slowly dragged up your nightgown between his fingers. ‘Will you stop pursuing me if grant you this?’ You asked him with a shaky voice. He smiled against your hair. ‘Probably not.’ He admitted. His fingers reached the first part of the naked skin of your hip. He flattened his hand and slowly roamed your bare skin. You couldn’t help but open your mouth to the feeling. His finger scoured towards your tights and you nodded. ‘Fine.’ You whispered. His other arm wrapped around your body as if you would need the support. Offcourse you did. As soon as his fingers touched your sensitive flesh you caved. ‘Aemond,’ you moaned as he brought a finger inside of you. So very slowly, so very teasingly. His breath hitched against your ear and your legs were weak on the feeling he gave. You admired his restraint. For a man that wanted you for so long he kept his pace agonizing slowly. You were the first that completely gave in on is as you turned around to him. Your lips clashed in a heated kiss, one that you dominated with everything you had. But as his fingers peeled down your nightgown you realized something. You pulled back, watching him with big eyes. ‘My husband.’ You said. ‘I made sure he won’t be disturbing us.’ Aemond smiled as he gave your nightgown a little tug before he followed your body down until it lay at your feet. A sight he had to enjoy for several seconds. ‘You killed him?’ You asked. This would be a mood killer. But his gaze became serious as he looked from your body back to your eyes. ‘You asked me not to.’ He stated. And for some reason, you instantly believed that. Aemond was honorable. Not so honorable to leave you alone but still, enough to do as you asked. With that, the subject was dismissed as he wrapped his arms around you and dragged you to the bed. He undid himself off his shirt as you yourself lay on the bed, watching him as he stripped himself from his clothes. And he never took his eyes from you. Your eyes scoured his naked skin while a heat started spreading through your body. You didn’t believe for thinking this, but you needed it. You needed a man to make you feel like a woman again.

‘How long I have been fantasizing about this.’ He whispered as he studied your body. A smile rose on your lips as you gestured for him to come with your finger. As he leaned forward you reached to his head, pulling off his eyepatch before your fingers disappeared into his hair again. With your consent, Aemond did not hold back on you. It had been months since you last shared the bed with your husband so the feeling of him invading your body was an adjustment you needed a moment for. Aemond studied your face as you lay there, eyes shut while adapting to him. There were no words to describe the feeling this gave you. When you opened them again he lowered his lips onto yours and started to move. You lost control of your breathing, your voice, your body. Aemond had to wrap his hand over your mouth for you couldn’t stop repeating his name. ‘Please,’ you begged him. He buried himself as deep as possible, provoking the release you were searching for. Your body quivered around him, sounds that made him slip over that edge just as easily. ‘Y/n,’ he whispered your name. And it what way. It was like all of a sudden you were the center of his world. You tried to catch your breath as Aemond slowly started kissing every single inch of your body. You felt drowsy from enjoyment and exhaustion. ‘Can we just,’ you paused as your fingers tangled in his hair. He looked up from kissing your belly. A look from underneath his eyelashes that said so many things. He wanted to drag this out the entire night. ‘sleep?’ You asked. Something of a smile rose on his lips as he laid himself down aside from you. ‘You’re still the most interesting woman in this castle.’ He admitted. You smiled weakly. Knowing what that meant this wasn’t something that ended here. And how could it, neither one of you realized that over 9 months you would have a child. A bastard that was.

‘I’m fine.’ You reacted, not giving him a look as you placed the next log before you. ‘You don’t seem fine.’ He noticed. You started swinging but stopped yourself angrily, blocking the axe with your hand. You hissed as the little speed it had clashed with the palm of your hand. You looked down at the fine cut it had caused. ‘Let me see.’ Osferth stated, reaching out as he took your hand. ‘This is your fault.’ You muttered, pulling a face as he flattened your hand. He looked at you, a light smile on his lips. ‘Why is that?’ He asked. ‘You distracted me.’ ‘I was merely concerned. Let me take care of that.’ He gestured towards the house. You signed and followed him inside. He grabbed a cloth and some fresh water as you sat down in the room furthest away from the others. Osferth joined you, he put the cloth in some water before he carefully put it on the wound. You bit your tongue as you watched your hand. ‘What is on your mind?’ He asked again. ‘I care for these children. I’m afraid that we only put them in more danger by pulling them away here.’ You spilled. Osferth looked away from your hand and studied your face. ‘It’s no longer safe here.’ He stated. ‘Yes, but do they have to travel with all of you, no offense, you are great warriors but these children need something different.’ You protested. Osferth started smiling and you gave him a confused look. ‘You grew fond of them.’ ‘Wouldn’t you?’ You asked. He nodded as he looked back down and cleaned the cut further out. But he didn’t say a thing, he didn’t even manage to make eye contact. ‘Osferth?’ You paused him by turning your hand and laying it on his wrist. ‘I’m not so much worried for the children,’ he said without looking up at you. ‘as I am for you.’ Now he looked up, leaving you completely speechless and confused. ‘I can manage myself.’ You softly said. ‘I can see that.’ He pointed down to your hand. There was something of unease in his eyes. He focussed his attention on a dry fabric he tear apart to bind your wound. ‘You don’t want me to come.’ You finally concluded. ‘I rather don’t.’ He nodded as he carefully turned your hand again, laying the fabric on the cut before wrapping it up. ‘So you want to leave the children with a bunch of savages as yourself?’ You asked heatedly. You pulled your hand back and shook your head. ‘You can barely take care of yourselves, let alone three kids. Forget it.’ You got up and left the room before he even could answer that. But as you lay awake that night you realized he didn’t say it for those reasons, he said it because he wanted you safe. He said it because he cared for you. But he was a monk, he couldn’t care. He shouldn’t.

But not a single raven came. You had spoken with your father and had allied yourself with people that truly believed. You had converted them into thinking you could make it better for them once you were higher placed. Part of you wanted to believe that Aemond would see that too. But it was a part you barely listened to. So you kept yourself busy in preparing for what could be the next war. Your family had always pulled pride out of their business and for that, you were known to have the largest cavalry in Westeros. But there never came a signal and in some ways, you had lost hope. Maybe he was dead, or maybe he simply forgot about you in his own twisted world. It made you angry, to say the least. You were walking through the stables when you noticed the restlessness of the horses. Ears twisted from left to right, head high, snorting as if something was coming you mere humans didn’t see coming yet. And then it resounded, a scream, multiple screams of people in the distance. You ran outside, looking up and smothering a scream of your own as a dragon flew over. She just didn’t damage the rooftops with her wings. It took seconds before its colossal body let the sunlight back into the city. It was enormous and terrifying. With your hand still before your mouth, you watched the dragon fly over. And then you realized, this was what should have scared you in Kings Landing. This was where he wanted to impress you with, the largest dragon in the world. Vhagar. And with that came of course… Aemond.

You took a horse outside the city, towards the direction you could still see the dragon. If you could see its head from one end of the city you weren’t entirely sure if you wanted to stand in front of it. But as you left the city you couldn’t douth anymore. The large dragon doomed up before you, underneaths its wing a small figure appeared. ‘It’s fine.’ You said to the guards as you came out of the saddle and stepped a little closer. He seemed different, distracted, like something had happened. And how angry you wanted to be for him not writing you, you couldn’t. Because something was up. As soon as he was close enough his gaze jumped up to you. You kept a neutral expression before you bowed. ‘Prince Aemond.’ You greeted him. But he didn’t greet you back, he just looked at you and you could read all of his distress. ‘What happened?’ You asked him alarmed. ‘I killed Rhaenyra’s son.’ He spilled. Not a single emotion, no remorse, nor anger. Your first reaction was to look towards your guards, hoping they wouldn’t have overheard. ‘Do they know?’ You asked. He shook his head. ‘She just,’ He paused and your eyes went towards the dragon. She couldn’t be controlled. And that brought you right back to your first conversation with him. He couldn’t rely on that dragon alone. He was here because he needed you. One thing was sure, if they found out Aemond killed their son war would break loose and all dragons would start dancing.

In the public eye, Aemond came to the city to strengthen whatever alliance was formed in between your house. But he didn’t speak, he barely looked at you. All that anger you had felt came back up. You just had to wait until he was brave enough to face you. You were looking outside your window towards the dark sky. If you looked really hard you could find the dragon at the edge of the city. A knock made you look back to the door.

‘Yes?’ You asked. And there he was, hands folded behind his back, an attitude that was both cold and distant. ‘What can I do for you Aemond?’ You asked him equally as distant. ‘I came to ask for your aid in the upcoming war.’ He started. You shortly smiled before your eyes went back outside. ‘You dare to come here, after all this time, asking for this when I heard nothing. When you act like I’m nothing.’ You pointed towards his attitude. ‘Give me one good reason why I should even consider on giving you my father’s cavalry.’ You followed in a low voice. You saw his jaw clench and you knew if you had stood close enough he would have acted out. ‘Go on, be angry with me. I’m equally as angry with you. You don’t want to know what that looks like.’ You warned him. You guessed it had to be something of a smile on his lips, one you didn’t like. ‘You can’t deny a Targaryen, you told us you would serve the crown.’ ‘Watch me,’ you hissed as you stepped forward, pointing a finger toward him. ‘I told you I would serve you, if you deserved it. And I believed in that human part of you, that small part of vulnerability. But it seems you have lost that the moment Vhagar crushed that boy.’ You were almost shouting it. You could make his life as miserable as he was making yours miserable now. Maybe this was a line too far. Aemond grabbed your hand and pulled you harshly towards him. His hands wrapped around your face before his lips crushed down on yours. Entirely startled by his kiss you started fighting him. You slammed your fist against his chest until he broke loose from you. ‘I need you.’ He said half out of breath because of his own emotions. With your fingers clutched around his tunic, you looked at him. ‘No,’ you warned him. ‘You don’t get to do this.’ You followed. His hands still cupped your face, a finger almost gently stroking a strand of hair out of your face. ‘What?’ He asked. ‘Poisoning me with words like that.’ You answered. You didn’t step away, you didn’t let go of him, you just looked at him. How that burning fire in his eyes started to smolder. How his jaws relaxed in the comfort of your presence. How bits of the broken boy showed again. How he almost screamed for help just by the way he looked. Your anger slipped as your fingers slightly loosened around his tunic. And before you even well realized it you pulled him closer again. More willingly you opened your lips to his. Whatever anger there had been it melted as his hands explored your body. A heat set off your nerves as your fingers tangled in his long blond hair. His lips left yours as they traveled to your neck, your collarbone. Your fingers slipped towards his tunic where you started to untie his clothes. Aemond pulled back and studied your face. You just looked at him before you lifted a hand and touched his scar right underneath his eye patch. ‘May I?’ You asked quietly. For a moment you saw doubt. He probably hadn’t allowed this, by nobody. But he nodded and your fingers crawled up, carefully removing his eyepatch. He kept his eyes closed for a moment before revealing the gemstone embedded in his eyesocket. Deep blue, detailed by the scar that would tell the tale for the rest of his life. You got on your toes as you kissed his scar. And from there on he lost it. He turned you around as his fingers loosened your dress. His lips pulled a hot line over every bit of skin he could find. You undid yourself of your dress and Aemond grew quiet for a moment as he admired your body. From there on you felt nothing and everything at once. He joined you on the bed, wrapped a hand over your mouth so you wouldn’t moan too loud at the sweet sensation he gave you. To feel this passion, his body so perfectly on yours, his movements so in sink with yours. You didn’t care what he could do to you, all you cared for was this.

When you opened your eyes you felt more exhausted than when you fell asleep earlier in the night. You turned around, watching Aemond pull on his eyepatch as he scrambled his shirt from the floor. ‘You were gonna leave me.’ You said with a hoarse morning voice. He sat down on the edge of the bed, not looking at you. ‘They don’t need to find me here.’ He explained. You shortly smiled. ‘I take care of myself Aemond, there are no servants waiting on the other side to come in when the time is right. Nobody comes in here unless I tell them to.’ You said to him. He paused in pulling on his shirt as he turned to look at you. ‘Besides, I hope we still get to marry.’ ‘After everything I did?’ He asked. You pushed up on one elbow as you rested your head on your hand. ‘There is darkness in every single one of us. Don’t tell me last night meant nothing for you?’ You whispered softly. He looked away and for a moment it was completely silent. You got up, crawled to the side of the bed, and embraced him from behind. ‘Let me be your strength, let me unravel everything inside of you and care for it.’ You whispered against his ear. He had his eye closed before his hand reached up and touched your arm. ‘Does this mean I deserve it?’ He asked. He turned his face a little and you smiled tenderly. ‘Love me like you did last night and maybe you will.’ You muttered. He hummed, closing in the distance as he kissed you again. As the hunger had faded over the past night his kiss was almost tender. He shifted his body, hanging over you as he pressed your back into the bed. He pulled back a little, studying your face. ‘Come to war with me?’ He asked. You nodded dutifully. You would follow him. That was your path to walk, to support a man in marriage and life. This was your man.

As the carriage arrived in Kings Landing and stopped before the castle you expected at least a welcome. You didn’t aim for the king, but it would have been nice to meet the person you would have to spend the rest of your life with. But no, instead there was only the queen Alicent Hightower. ‘Show them what power truly looks like my daughter.’ Your father said before stepping out of the carriage. Your eyes rested on the queen before one of the servants handed you his hand to help you out. You stepped out of the carriage, a dress dark red to represent the colors of your house. Every other would adjust to the situation, were their colors. But you weren’t them. You and your father walked up towards the queen before providing her with a respectful bow. ‘My queen, thank you for having us.’ Your father said politely. But Alicent had no interest in your father, she was watching you and you watched right back. ‘Y/n, it’s an honor to finally meet you in person.’ She said, laying a hand on your arm to put some extra compassion into her words. ‘It’s an honor to finally be here. Kings Landing is more magnificent than I imagined.’ You smiled while looking up towards the castle. And there he was, lurking from one of the windows, Aemond Targaryen. Shame he had to hide behind the curtains of a hallway. Maybe his mother kept him hidden until she was sure you weren’t a threat. Or maybe he was just a coward that didn’t want to show himself.

Before there was a formal dinner where you would be properly introduced to the man you had to spend the rest of your life with you decided to be quicker. A servant led you to his room and one of his guards stepped into the room to introduce you. With your hands folded behind your back, you stepped into the room. A room said often a lot about the person living in it. This one was dark, smoldering, gloomy maybe. Aemond Targaryen was seated before the fire. He didn’t look at you, he didn’t stand up. You lifted your chin as you stood still and the door closed behind you. ‘Is this what we will do the rest of our lives?’ You asked him calmly. From where you stood you could only see the side of his face. And for a moment you could swear to see a grin. ‘I don’t need you in my life.’ He spoke. He turned his head and looked at you. Fairly, he wasn’t that bad looking. The eyepatch even gave in something more. You had always loved … scars. ‘So you are gonna conquer this world all by yourself, with just one eye and,’ you paused because he reacted to it by getting up and stepping over to you. ‘Careful now.’ He warned you. ‘A dragon.’ You finished your sentence. You studied his face now he was this much closer. ‘I can give you so much more.’ You softly said. He brought his head closer. ‘I don’t need more when I ride the most powerful dragon in the world.’ He whispered. You smiled, kindly almost as you tilted your head to the side. ‘And like all things she can die. Our marriage provides you with a whole lot more. If you earn it that is.’ You explained. He squeezed his eye a little closer as he looked at you. ‘I’m not a poor girl that needs saving my prince. I’m the one that is going to kill the people that harm me or my family,’ you paused while looking him straight in the eye. ‘And I don’t need a fucking dragon to do it.’ You followed. While taking a step back you give him a small bow. ‘I’ll see you at dinner, where we get properly introduced. I hope to find you more willing,’ your eyes shortly went over his body before you looked back. ‘and mannered.’ You nodded before leaving the room again. That would give him at least some time to think this through. If he wasn’t showing up later today at dinner you knew just how big a coward he was.

And he did. He showed up, more willing and mannered, like nothing even happened. During that whole dinner, you caught him watching you. With that, you knew you had piqued his interest. And like you said, you were willing to give him everything. But he had to earn it. After the dinner you left with your father, you kissed him goodbye before heading towards your own room. ‘Y/n,’ You turned around to Aemond. ‘You remembered my name.’ You noted. ‘I wouldn’t dare to forget it.’ A sarcastic comment you didn’t quite like. But you let it slip as you folded your hands before your stomach. ‘What can I do for you, my prince?’ You asked him politely. His attitude was different from the dinner, he tried to dominate something. He tried to make you feel like you were less. ‘I want to show you something if you are up for it?’ He suggested as politely as you had sounded before. You smiled, knowing all too well where this was headed. ‘I have no interest in your dragon Aemond, just as I’m pretty sure she has no interest in me. If you want to scar me or show me power you will have to do it to me in a different way.’ You swiftly denied his request. And something snapped as he grabbed you around the throat and pushed you against the closest wall. For a mere second, there was that insecurity in his expressions. Something that came from a youth he wasn’t part of, the trauma he had to suffer of losing an eye, and a brother that would one day be king while he was far more suited. He didn’t squeeze your airway shut, he just lost himself and tried to scrabble back together as he watched you from this close. ‘I’m not the woman you can threaten with your dragon, nor am I the woman that is easily scared. But I will be at your side, I will make you feel powerful.’ You softly said. Your hand lay around his wrist that was still wrapped around your throat. Your eyes were steady and focused on him. He clenched his teeth, watching your face closely as he shook his head. ‘I don’t need you.’ He hissed. And still, his eyes kept lingering, studying every single detail of your eyes, your nose, your lips. ‘Kiss me and say that again.’ You challenged him. He didn’t even think. Full of emotions and frustrations he pressed his lips against yours. You opened your lips, slowing down his dominance but not holding back on all the rest. He was eager for this, these feelings, this control. He wanted it, more than anything in the world Aemond wanted to be heard, seen, and maybe even praised. Your fingers folder around the edge of his tunic as he slapped his hand against the wall aside from your head. You let him in, let him explore your mouth, let him cage you between the wall and his body. But you never let him control you. Your hand pushed against his chest, forcing him out of this passionate kiss. He leaned his head aside yours, his chest heavy with longing, his breathing quick from the thoughts of it. ‘You need me.’ You whispered against his ear. He pulled back, his dark eye scouring your face before the faintest of smiles appeared. You smiled back, lightly, promising while stroking your fingers over his pale face. ‘Now go, I’ll find you.’ You pushed against his chest. For a moment he hesitated as he mesmerized the sight of you before turning around and leaving that hallway. You smiled, watching him walk away as you touched your lips. He had changed his mind. He would marry you and honestly, this kiss gave you a whole other perspective on this too. It wouldn’t be so bad to marry him.