THE 7TH MOON [Aemond Targaryen]

Ten - Objects.

"How did you sleep dear girl? Well I hope?"

"Fine Otto. Will Grandfather be joining us this morn?"

"The Maesters have commanded him to bed rest until further notice."

"You cannot addle him with milk of the poppy forever-"

"Will your family be joining us this morning Laenora? Or have they imposed you upon us instead?"

Laenora sighed. The dark haired child sat alone, as always, staring at empty seats at the empty table. There was no Jace, no Luke, no Joffrey, not even her mother or Daemon. Not a single one of them had woken as early as she had that morning, and so she had been the soul member of her family to show their face for breakfast, leaving her in the grasp of the Hightowers. And the biggest cunt of them all, Otto.

"I am not sure where they are." She mumbled

"Taking extra rest I suppose." Otto suggested smugly.

"Perhaps preparing matters for our wedding, hm?" Aemond spoke up from beside her, taking both the weight from her shoulders and his grandfather's eyes off of her in an instant.

"Yes perhaps." She agreed.

"See Grandfather? Tis no matter at all." The one eyed prince said, almost in a warning tone and Otto quietened down most quickly.

Laenora let out another sigh but this time it was one of relief, never had she been so grateful for Aemond than in that moment. To save her from one of Otto's interrogations, she couldn't have been more thankful to her betrothed, despite the glares he gave her.

As the family sat in meagre silence, food began to be delivered to the table, mostly plates of cooked meats, mushrooms, and bird eggs as it was far too early for anything much else. Aegon looked as if he would vomit at the sight, his hands gripped the edges of the wood table ever so desperately, and the future queen worried that if he could grip any harder he'd have splinters in his fingers.

"Aegon?"

Alicent watched him in pity, rolling her eyes at the boy before they landed on Laenora, raising a brow to her, but the princess only shrugged.

"Whatever is the matter with you Aegon?" She asked

"I believe he's just hungry mother." Aemond smirked, shovelling heaps of smoked boar onto his brother's plate before sliding it closer to him. "Eat up."

In an instant, Aegon was on his feet, dashing out of the door as the sound of his gagging followed. Aemond was quick to let out a cruel laugh, his hand unknowingly grasped Laenora's, squeezing it, as he watched his kin flee.

"Aemond." Alicent pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I will go check on him." Laenora declared.

It was only when she stood that Aemond felt the loss of her touch. His hand was empty. He suddenly felt empty.

His smirk faltered as he watched her leave him, stepping from the hall in search of his older brother instead. His mouth was consumed by a familiar taste, not one of mushrooms, or birds eggs, but one he'd known far too well not so long ago, bitterness. It had returned to him. Just as she.

"Aegon, may I come in?"

The vile echo of the Prince's vomiting followed swiftly. The bastard took that as her queue to enter, and once she did she was quickly at her knees beside Aegon, rubbing his back as he vomited profusely into a wooden bucket left at his bedside, no doubt from previous night's ventures. Aegon gagged and gagged until he was practically spent, and the young man collapsed against his chamber wall, still gripping his niece's hand as if his life depended on it.