#kingmaketh

she loves her eldest son with the inherent ferocity felt by many mothers towards their firstborn but the love she bears him does not mean she is blinded to the glimmers of faults. he has lived a coddled life and she fears it will make him complacent. 'should he ever need it, I have no doubt that aegon will be able to rely on aemond to be his sword and shield but I would that he were not so lost in the pleasures of youth.' she fears her eldest does not understand the importance of moderation. 'aegon's future will not be smooth simply because he wishes it to be so. you know as well as I that there are many at court who would wish him harm if only because he is the king's firstborn son and my child.' it is unlike her to speak with such candor but if not with ser criston then who?

__________✨    THE    ROOM    IS    STARTING    TO    COME    TOGETHER    NOW    –    the   painted   mural   they   worked   on   together   has   dried,    the   rocking   chair   sits   in   the   corner   awaiting   the   late   nights   that   will   soon   arrive    –    the    last    piece    to    fall    into    place    is    the    crib.    she   laughs   under   her   breath   to   see   the   mess   of   parts   spread   before   him,    before   she's   moving   down   to   sit   next   to   him   on   the   ground,    her   hand   on   her   growing   belly.    she's    slower    than    she'd    like    in    the    movement,    but    the    babies    are    far    enough    along    now    she    can't    even    see    her    toes    !!    she   reaches   out   for   the   instructions,    her   brow   scrunching.    she    can't    tell    if    he's    on    step    two    or    step    four,    it    all    looks    the    same    to    her.    ❛    you   know,    i   think   it   would   have   been   easier   to   try   to   work   out   actual    swedish    than   these   pictures.    ❜    with   a   sigh,    she   takes   another   look   at   the   parts    &&    tries   to   picture   how   it   all   assembles   together.    ❛    it's   almost   lunch.    we   could   always   order   in    &&    see   if   someone   has   a   youtube   video   putting   this   together    ??    what   do   you   think    ??    ❜

For  him,  she  was  willing  to  risk  it  all.  Well,  everything,  except  perhaps  for  his  safety.

Fuck.

her hands lay gently upon the rocks of the balcony, the cool surface something welcoming while gaze is trained upon the sun slowly going down infront of them. and for a few moments, the preparation inside, the death of the king, it is all put at a distance. a dull ache inside her chest. there, but not what is in focus. a weight lifted off her shoulders. a whirlwind of emotions coarsing through her, not sure which one to grasp and hold on to. the fear of whats to come when rhaenyra comes to know. she will, after rhaenys made her escape on the wretched dragon of hers. the freedom of not being the wife, the caregiver anymore. the grief of a companion, no matter the twists and turns, no matter how their marriage came to be. not been aware just how close he had stood, it felt like he belonged there. next to her, close. as he had been for years now. and when head turn, there's a moment where lips ghost against his. and a moment where everything else disappears fully. a small jolt she can't quite explain rushing through her frame, a uncertainty following while gaze lift up to meet his. not pulling away, awaiting his reaction.

__________✨         SLEEP         STILL         CLINGS         TO         HER         AS         SHE         TILTS         HER         FACE         UP         TO         MEET         HIS         GAZE.         sunlight    has    begun    to    filter    into    the    small    room,         gently    trying    to    coax    them    out    of    the    bed    they    share.      soon     the     keep     will     be     up     to     start     the     day.         soon     they     will     have     to     part     before     rumors     start      (         their    dornish    homeland    would    be    kinder         …         but    she    is    often    remind    that    this    is    not    dorne     &&     she    now    lives    amongst    the    vipers      )         lithe    fingers    delicately    trace    circles    across    his    chest    before    finding    his    hand     &&     entwining    together    with    his.         there    are    scars    there.         nicks    from    battle     &&     sparring.      she     bears     her     own     on     her     back     from     dragonfire.         how    they    had    taken    their    time    soothing    those    aches    last    night.      perhaps     they     could     never     truly     forget,         but     they     could     try.         a    kindness    in    a    cruel    world.      ❛     &&     what    is    it    that    i    say     ??         do    i    tell    epic    tales    of    bravery     ??         or    mayhaps    it    is    a    balld    of    love    instead,     full    of    trials     &&     tribulations     ??     ❜      there    is    a    hint    of    teasing    in    her    voice,         but    she    pulls    closer    all    the    same    to    listen    to    his    answer.      they     will     have     to     leave     this     moment     behind,         but     for     now,         she     steals     what     little     time     she     can.

             fingers clutched at the horn of the saddle .      the adrenaline is ever prevalent , but now that it doesn't have complete control over her , her thoughts are able to run wild . the horse began to slow into a mild stride , the forest of which blanketed their presence was possibly the sole reason why they weren't riding as hard anymore . head twisted to glance at him , he appeared to be just as much as disheveled as she felt . ❝         you look like you've got something to say .         ❞        there was a nod of her head , because yes there was so much she wished to air out . ❝         you shouldn't have saved me .         ❞ the nagging feeling prickling at the base of her neck became even more apparent . it felt like guilt . ❝         anthony , he's head of our house , you should've went for him , or my mother .. ────         ❞ knuckles begin to whiten , her grasp tightening . ❝         or ──── or ──── ... anyone .         ❞