#pet lion

He’d had a crush on Y/n since he could remember, he was only 3 when he first remembered realizing his feelings but they had always been there. She was the one that was always there for him and he for her, whenever he needed to cry to her over his horrible brother and cousins, or when she was stressed about her days in court and people trying to force her to marry.

He crawled into her bed with her almost every night, snuggling in with her and sleeping better than he ever did alone. Aemond was the one who scared off her suitors, the boy following along when she was strolling through the gardens with one of them, asking a million questions and clinging to her skirts, making sure that the men knew that they were a “package deal” and that they wouldn’t have her without him.

By the time that Aemond was 18 he had clearly figured out what his feelings were as a child and at first he was horrified that he’d fallen for his Aunt, but when he thought about it more he realized how much his Aunt had needed him. He had given her comfort by being with her all of the time and chasing away her suitors while she had done the same for him by being there for him when he had no one else.

She had been married off to Tytos Lannister (a cousin of Jason and Tywin Lannister-twins who served the crown) after the night he’d lost his eye, Aemond no longer fighting for her and leaving her all alone. He hated himself for that. She wasn’t afraid of him, hadn’t judged him and had stayed with him all night that night while he was in agony-and yet still, he’d left her alone…he needed to rectify this and so he would.

He had been told that they were coming, the whole family, including Y/n who had still yet to bear the Lannister a single child-leaving everyone to believe that there was something wrong with her. Aemond did not believe that though, he knew that she was drinking moon tea, she had admitted to him she always would if she was forced to marry a man she did not love.

Aemond left Vhagar behind as he made his way to Casterly Rock, not willing to risk anyone knowing that it was him-even though he was sure as soon as they married that people would always suspect.

It was the middle of the night and the guards were way to easy to get around prompting Aemond to vow guards outside her door 24/7. Sneaking into the main bedroom was simple but he quickly found out that his soon to be wife’s husband did not sleep there-he also realized as he saw her pet sleeping at the foot of her bed, why she didn’t need guards at the door. As he made to go and search for him he was startled by her voice behind him.

‘Aemond?’ He winced, turning to see her in her lovely night dress, she was as lovely as the day he first cuddled her in her bed as a boy.

‘You are dreaming Issa Darīa…lay back down-‘ (My Queen)

‘Aemond…what are you doing here?’ She asked, looking down to see the blade in his hand.

‘Y/n…I would have you be my wife…your family will be in the Keep in a weeks time and I would have you widowed and married off to me…you told me you would never give children to a man you hated…you hate Tytos and I know you do. Just go back to sleep and pretend you never saw me…please Issa Darīa?’

She stared up at him for several seconds before standing and moving to his side, pointing to the right. ‘Last door on the left with his little whore. She’s given him 4 kids since we’ve been married and I would love to see all of them in the street when he’s dead…make it look like she did it.’ She instructed, leaning up and kissing his lips sweetly. ‘I would happily give you all of the babies you want from me…husband.’ Aemond’s eye widened at this revelation, honestly having been a bit worried she wouldn’t want his babies either.

‘I will see you in a weeks time and I will have everything planned for a quick wedding. No one but I will ever touch you again.’ Aemond kissed her once more before sneaking from the room and walking down the hall to the last door she indicated, finding Tytos and a sleeping women beside him. Placing his hand over the Lannisters mouth he watched as his eyes flew open. ‘You should have treated my Aunt with more respect-if you had I would have left her alone to be happy but here you are in bed with a whore. I would be honored if all she ever gave me was her perfect body and maybe if you had been content with that she wouldn’t have been drinking the moon tea all these years.’ The man’s eyes widened in shock and Aemond smirked. ‘No matter now. You’ll be dead, your whore will have done it, and your wife will see all of your bastards on the street. You should have been a better husband.’ Before he could even try and scream Aemond had driven the blade through his neck and watched him choke on the blood, wiping some of it into the woman’s hand to make it look like she had done it before leaving the room and sneaking back out of the castle, making his way home quickly and beginning to fix his chambers so that it would accommodate his wife as well.

News of his “Uncles” death reached them and none of them cared but Aemond who told his mother that Y/n would be remarrying him. She had refused at first but when he threatened to take Vhagar and burn the whole of Casterly Rock and everything the Lannisters have, she gave in.

He saw her again for the first time in the throne room. She walked in with her sister and nephews and right beside her was the Lannisters house sigil, a large lion that didn’t seem at all bothered by anyone around them. He had heard that the Lannister idiot had gifted his Aunt a male lion cub for their wedding (having seen it sleeping in her bed instead of her husband) and it seems that she had trained it quite well as it strolled beside her, not looking at anyone who jumped away from it, terrified. Every person who was brave enough to speak to her was growled at, though the lion did not lunge at anyone, only stepping forward when a man got too close.

As they stood across from their family Aemond moved forward, standing in front of Y/n and bowing, holding out his hand and taking hers, planting a kiss on it, all without her pet making a single sound. Though he was staring at Aemond intently.

‘I was very sorry to hear of your loss, Aunt Y/n.’

‘Sure you were…’ Jace mumbled under his breath.

‘Despite that, I am very happy to see you again. It has been too many years since I’ve set my eyes upon your lovely face.’ She blushed a dark pink shade and he was proud that he could make her feel like that.

‘Don’t you mean eye?’ This time it was Luke who mumbled and as Y/n kicked him in the ankle, the large beast beside her looked over and bore his fangs at Luke whose eyes went wide as he stepped back, the lion stepping closer before Y/n pet him softly, the rough looking fur making Aemond curious, only having seen these creatures in Lannisters cages (which is where she was meant to keep it but she raised it from a cub and the cub was entirely subservient to her, completely eager to please her).

‘His name is Aera. Would you like to touch him?’ She offered and Aemond looked up from the animal in surprise. ‘I don’t offer that to just anyone, keep that in mind.’ Aemond couldn’t help his smile as he nodded his head.

‘I would be honored.’ She took his hand into hers and pet Aera with her other hand before placing his hand onto the beasts head. He was right, the fur was rough and course but still somehow soft and softer still when she moved his hand under the lions chin to scratch him making the animal rumble out a happy noise. ‘He’s amazing. You’ll have to come out with me and meet Vhagar tonight. I promised you a flight-‘

‘I don’t think that would be appropriate actually brother. Y/n’s husband has just passed and a Targaryen princess her age with no children is…coveted to say the least. We are trying to find a new match for her and her being out alone with her Uncle would not help that matter.’ Rhaenyra explained and it made Aemond scoff.

‘And yet, you are not in charge of my lovely Aunts care, my mother is. We shall go flying tonight my love. You have my word.’ He promised making Y/n smile.

‘I look forward to it, Nephew.’ She stated, Aemond bowing once again before going back to his spot beside his sister.

It took several moments before the meeting started however just as Aemond had requested, his mother announced the proposal first. ‘Before we begin this meeting I must address the tragic passing of Tytos Lannister, husband of our own Y/n Targaryen. A Targaryen that has been left unmarried. It has come to my attention that my own son has agreed to take Y/n to wed, a wedding that will be held in 2 days time and I am sure you will all join me in wishing them the best of luck in marriage and for children.’ Many people were stunned, however none of them were family members, all of their family was seemingly expecting something like this.

‘Well, if this is the way of it then I believe it would be more appropriate that I stand with my betrothed.’ To say that Aemond was pleased would be an understatement-he was ecstatic. Finally, after all these years, he was finally getting the one thing everyone tried to convince him that he could never have.

Y/n moved to stand beside him, Aera moving with her and sitting between him and Helaena. While the inheritance was dealt with and Vaemond said his peace, Aemond watched as Y/n had knelt to the ground and stopped Jaehaerys and Jaehaera from touching Aera without her permission, instead having the lion lay down and allow the children to pet him, telling them never to go near him without permission but happily letting the twins pet Aera-who seemed quite content to be scratched as Y/n stood back up just as the King entered the throne room.

‘Are they safe?’ Aegon asked, looking down at his twins petting the large beast.

‘So long as they don’t poke his eyes or put their hands in his mouth, and of course I don’t tell him to attack them, then yes, they’re perfectly fine.’ She responded, allowing Aegon a sigh of peace.

‘If there is nothing more to be dealt with then this matter is closed-again!’ Viserys stated with great difficulty.

‘Actually Father, there is. Since my sister has been widowed it seems that the Queen has taken it upon herself to betroth Y/n with her son Aemond instead of to another house.’ Rhaenyra told him like a toddler tattling to their mother, the King looking to Alicent.

‘After all this time, the Princess has not brought forth any children of her own. My son is young, ready to have children and a younger man may make it more likely that she bear children. Aemond and Y/n have always been close, it just seemed to be the smartest decision husband.’ She explained to him and Viserys seemed to agree fairly quickly.

‘It does seem to make sense. We shall all be praying for grandchildren.’ With that the King was helped down the stairs and everyone was paying attention to him.

‘You will make a wonderful mother in a few months.’ Helaena stated quietly to her before ushering her twins out of the throne room and to their lessons.

‘She’s right you know. You will make a wonderful mother and I promise you to give you children as soon as I possibly can.’ Aemond swore, taking her arm and leading her from the room as well.

‘And I promise that I will never drink moon tea again.’

The both of them spent the next hour until dinner strolling around the castle and talking about their lives and what they want them to be here in the Keep.

‘Promise me one thing?’

‘Anything, my Love!’ Aemond swore, taking her hand in his as they walked into the dining hall and stepped towards the end of the table.

‘Promise me that should our daughters not have dragons that they will be trained to defend themselves-at least enough. I want to know that if I have daughters that they are safe…I know it isn’t normal but please, Aemond?’

Aemond considered this as he looked into the eyes of his betrothed and saw how much this meant to her. ‘Should you bless me enough in this world to give me little girls, I will train them myself. You have my word-dragons or not.’ Aemond watched as tears welled up in his brides eyes and she leaned closer to him, pulling him down to her height by his neck and kissing his lips sweetly.

‘Thank you Aemond.’

Dinner was eventful as was to be expected. Y/n at least tried to keep her betrothed from fighting her nephews but as Jace made a comment about how she would be a terrible mother when she has the kind of judgment that chooses Aemond as a husband, she was no longer willing to hold Aemond back-not that she could have anymore once he saw the tears in his brides eyes. Aemond lunged forward and took Jace to the ground, beating his face in until both Daemon and Criston Cole both got ahold of his arms and pulled him off of the idiot.

Y/n knew that her family wasn’t happy with her decision to marry Aemond but she decided that they would get over it in time-and time is what it took it seemed.

9 months after their wedding (technically 9 months after that horrible dinner) Aemond and Y/n welcomed their own set of twins into the world, 2 boys called Maelon and Maelor before having a daughter nearly a year later called Elaena. Elaena’s birth wasn’t an easy one like the twins was and after the scare that it gave him, Aemond forbid her from having any more children-instead he put a regiment in place where Maester Orwell brewed her moon tea every Sunday to ensure no more pregnancies. Many people disagreed with this and were adamant that a woman should have as many babies as possible however Aemond had broken more than one man’s face for saying such things in the presence of and Gods forbid actually saying to his wife!

Aemond and Y/n led a happy life from then on after removing themselves from the war, Aemond refusing to allow his family to use him and Vhagar as weapons-needing to stay with his wife and babies. They stayed on Dragonstone after that, Rhaenyra getting to use the idea of Vhagar being on their side as long as she kept her sons and step children away from Aemond.

After the quick war they lived out the rest of their lives with their children in the Keep, both Aemond and Y/n getting everything they wanted in the end-even if it took them a while to get there.