#rhae

The days after that passed in a blur. I managed to convinced Alicent to have my chain extended so I could at least sit by the window. Practice I quickly abandoned since Aemond started guarding the sky with Vaghar.

My days consist in laying on the ground, against the maesters advices, and staring at the ceiling. I tried to think of all sort of escape, nothing works, I have no allies here and I'm sure they got better things to think about at Dragonstone.

But that doesn't mean I'll stop trying.

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"Could you at least lay on the bed?" Alicent asks, she visits me every evening, she is trying to make the situation more... bearable.

"Why?" I ask, pretending to not know what she's referring to.

"Your wounds need to be taken care of, Y/n." She states.

"So I can be presentable at my wedding?" I snap, "so the people won't suspect I'm being forced to marry a murderer?"

"It was an accident." Alicent sighs.

I stand, weakly, but I ignore the pain in my bones and get in front of her.

"An accident?" I ask and she averts her eyes, looking down, "an accident, Alicent? Your son used the largest dragon to chase Arrax... Vaghar lived through Aegon's conquest, with Balerion and Meraxes at the Field of Fire... you want me to believe that Aemond was naive enough to hype her up with a chase against such a young and small dragon like Arrax?" She sighs, but still doesn't meet my eyes, "look at me, Alicent, look at me and tell me you actually believe that."

She raises her head to look me in the eyes, an expression I can't decipher.

"It was an accident." She finally says.

I nod, disappointed, stepping back.

"Fine... I see I'm not the only prisoner here." I go and sit by the window, "at least, I recognise it."

A sudden knock on the door catches our attention, followed by the door opening even without permission, though I don't look away from the window view.

"Ah! Mother, I wasn't aware you'd be here." I let out a tired sigh once I hear Aegon's voice from the door.

"Your Grace," Alicent replies, ever so proper, "I always visit lady L/n before retiring myself. Check if she is recovering properly."

"How kind of you." He says, almost mockingly, "now leave us, I'd like to speak with my future sister-in-law."

My head snaps towards Alicent, our eyes meet. I see her tensing, her son watching her closely to urge her to go. She takes a deep breath and nod her head before walking out.

"What do you want?" I ask, tired.

"Now, now... is it a way to talk to your king?" He slowly walks closer.

"You're not my king. That's for sure." I spit out.

"Aww." He pouts, hands behind his back, "we're about to become family, we should be kind to each other, my lady."

"I'm not marrying your brother." I tell him, final, standing, ready to put some distance in case I need to.

"Let's put it this way, lady L/n." He says, stopping his movements towards me, "I'm a magnanimous king, so I'll let you choose your path, would you like that?" He waits for me to answer, though I simply stare at him so he continues, "you can choose to marry my brother, show the people you've come to you're senses and you support my claim, or..." he stares at me, making me feel too expose as his eyes trails from my face to my body.

"Or?" I snap, covering myself with my arms.

"Right..." he snaps out of his thoughts, "or you could marry me."

I widen my eyes in surprise and shock by his audacity.

"How is that better for me?" I ask, "also, you already have a wife."

"I never said my options were to make it better for you, did I? And it's not the first time a king has two wives." He smirks.

"You're not the Conqueror."

"Doesn't matter." He steps closer, "I'm letting you choose."

"Why would I want to marry you?"

"Why would you want to marry Aemond?" He asks back, "but I won't lie, even if you were to marry him I'd still visit you don't worry."

I grimace in disgust at his offer, taking a few step away from him and he laughs, amused.

"You're disgusting." I say.

"You have no idea." He chuckles, "you know..." he starts walking towards the door again, I'm thankful his visit is coming to an end, "I used to touch myself thinking about you when I was younger. I'm excited for you to be part of our family." He winks at me and leaves the chamber leaving me shivering in disgust.

I go back at looking out the window shaking the thoughts out of my head, I'm more convinced I need to find a way out.

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The bed is soft, warm, it feels like home, back at Dragonstone. I take note of the arm around my middle, holding me close and my first thought is one of my lovers', making me relax lightly.

"Daemon..." I sigh.

The arm tightens it's hold and slowly I start remembering where I am.

"Guess again."

I push Aemond's arm away and slide away from him so much that I fell out of bed.

"What the fuck!" I exclaim, standing up painfully.

"Come back to bed." He demands, sighing.

"Once you get the fuck out." I motion towards the doors, upset.

Aemond simply turns to lay on his back, and I notice there's nothing covering his chest.

"Tell me you're not naked." I pinch the bridge of my nose, annoyed.

"We're about to be wed, we should be comfortable with each other's bodies." He simply states.

"Get out." I repeat.

"Come back to bed." He sits up, "don't make come and get you myself."

"I'm not getting in bed with you. Get dressed and get out." I tell him.

He looks at me, no signs of anything on his face. He stands up, unashamed, and walks towards me, something dark flickers behind his eyes, until he is right in front of me, towering over me.

"You're still weak from your wounds... I think you're in no position to give me orders." He uses two fingers to lift my face enough to look up at him.

"What?" I snatch my head out of his grasp, "you're saying you'd force me?"

"I'm patient, but not so much." He declares.

I take a step back, sadly realising my back just hit the wall.

"What happened to you?" I genuinely ask, he steps closer so that his body is fully against mine and I try to ignore the repulsion I'm feeling.

"I had to grow up, no one would give me what I deserve and I realised that the only person who could was me." He cups my face with one hand, while the other is on my hip, "so, come lay back down before I do it for you."

His was a statement, and yet he makes no move to step away. Instead he starts to lean closer. I try to move my face away from him but he tightens his grip to keep me in place.

"Get... off.." I grit out, using all my strength to push him off, but he suddenly grasps my wrist and violently push them against the wall, I groan from the pain.

"Would you have accepted me otherwise?" He asks, getting right into my face.

"Otherwise?"

"If I were still that weak boy you had to console all the time." He specifies.

"I never accepted in the first place!" I snap, "and I wouldn't have, regardless."

"Mh..." he whispers, slowly letting my wrist go and taking a step back. A cruel smirk makes its way to his face.

"Now get out." I try again, though I feel less confident than before. I don't like how he's looking at me, I don't like the thoughts he might have right now and I don't want to be anywhere near him.

"No." That's all he says, not averting his eyes from me.

"Aemond, stop this and get out." I'm close to beg him at this point.

I'm afraid he noticed as he gets closer again.

"I could give you so much, so much more than my dear sister." He spits out the last words like a poison.

"I said stop."

"Why can't you just say yes to me?" He asks, caging me again as he rests his hands on the wall on either side of my head, "what else do I have to do?"

"Nothing, there's nothing." I shakily say, "I would've never accepted, not you nor your brother... nor anyone else."

"My brother?" He looks genuinely taken aback, confused.

"Oh don't you know?" I can see an opportunity, "he came in here today, gave me a choice: you or him."

Suddenly he grabs me by my neck, cutting me air off, instantly I use my hands to push his away.

"You are mine." He moves so close so his mouth is next to my ear, "you hear me, Y/n, mine. Now, get back into bed. I won't repeat myself again."

"Fuck you." I spit.

He's not fazed by it, he simply hums again and pulls me to him and then against the bed.

"We'll get to that too, my love, once you're recovered." He gets into bed and, before I can get up again, he catches me and holds me to him, "stop fighting it," he orders, "you're in no condition to anyway."

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From that moment on each day has been the same: maids coming to help me dress, sometimes they help me bath, despite my refusal; Alicent would come and talk to me, in hope I would willingly take part in this facade; sometimes Aegon would walk in and be his disgusting self; and Aemond would get into bed with me, not without a fight from me.

Except tonight.

Tonight he hasn't come. Even though I feel like breathing for the first time in a huge while, I can't help the eerie feeling in the back of my head. The war has basically started, everyone must be pondering their moves, strategies ready to be set.

I take advantage of this moment alone to stare out of the window.

It's night, so there's no one around, I take deep breaths, thinking about Rhaenyra, how lost she could be feeling right now, Daemon is furious, I am sure of it and Jace... does he know about Luke yet? He must be back to Dragonstone already. Did they hear about the wedding? Would they think I betrayed them? No... no they wouldn't.

Something out my doors catches my attention: voices, orders... a woman's voice.

Suddenly the doors open and Helaena rushes in, she has something in her arms, and just collapses on the floor next to the bed.

Alarmed I quickly walk to her, finally noticing she's holding her daughter to her. I kneel beside her, careful not to touch her.

"Helaena... what's going on?" I ask, using the softest tone I can.

"They killed the boy." She says while rocking back and forth. Dread fills my vain, eyes wide in shock.

"Who did?" I carefully ask.

"The rats."

"Did you tell anyone else?" I ask and she shakes her head no, "alright, you're safe, sweet girl." I don't even know what to say, I tentatively reach out to touch her shoulder, she lets me, probably too shocked to notice. I slowly stand and walk to the doors, "guards." I try, no answer, "guards!" Still nothing, frustrated I take a deep breath, "Guards! For fuck's sake! I'm not asking to be let out, fucking listen to me, it's about the little prince."

Finally one of the guard opens the door just enough to pay attention.

"What is it?"

"Send someone to Helaena's chambers, and tell Alicent her daughter is here." I inform him, he doesn't say anything just stares at me unfazed, I sigh, "you just saw the Princess rushing here, scared out of her mind with her daughter in her arms... do you have a brain? Go."

I turn around and go back at kneeling beside Helaena, still not crowding her too much.

"Can you tell me what happened?" I gently ask her.

"They get in and ask me which one was Jaehaerys... I offered my necklace... they didn’t want it..." she says in a monotonous tone.

"You had no choice..." I softly whisper, "you had no choice."

All of a sudden Alicent rushes in, immediately to her daughter's side, who scoops away immediately.

"What happened?" Alicent demands, and just now I notice Cole by the door.

I stand and take her arm to get her away from Helaena just enough.

"Someone fucking killed her son, Alicent." I tell her, "someone fucking sneaked in and killed that boy. No one was guarding apparently..." I glare at Cole, "hope wherever you've been has been worth it."

"Enough." Alicent calls me out, which is the explanation I needed.

"I see..." I smirk, yet there's disappointment in my tone, "hypocrisy suits you both, by the way."

I turn away and sit back with Helaena, her daughter almost unaware. There's silence behind us, so either Alicent and Cole went away or they're too unsure on what to do next.