A Dance Of Scales And Shadows | Aemond Targaryen x OC

Part 26 - The Tangled Sheets

After sleeping in the damp corridor of the Dragonpit, submerging herself in hot water felt like the best thing ever. She needed a moment of silence and clarity, so Aika dipped her whole head underwater and stayed there.

Water surrounded her, and the world around her went silent, like in her dream. But instead of the terror she used to feel in her sleep, she felt safe and at peace.

This war will not end well, she thought to herself.

She tried to imagine a relatively good outcome. Her head emerged from the water; she took a deep breath and submerged again.

If we win and Aegon regains his throne, he will kill Rhaenyra, her whole bloodline, and might even kill Aemond... Head out, deep breath, into water again...

If we win and Aemond becomes king, he will kill Aegon, and it will destroy him from the inside, and Rhaenyra... Head out, deep breath, into water again...

If Rhaenyra and Daemon win, all of us will die, without exception. Head out...

Is there a possibility of an outcome where this whole thing can be resolved? Memories flooded her mind. Aika remembered Rhaenyra's moments in labor, and when Luke was murdered, how she mourned. Then she remembered Aegon and Heleana, their anger and sadness when Jaehaerys was murdered... None of that could ever be forgiven...

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

Night came sooner than Aika realized. Once it was very late, she slipped out of her bed and chamber. Her guards followed her as she made her way toward Aemond's room.

"I didn't expect a visitor this late," Aemond said as he saw Aika enter.

"I waited for you, but you didn't come," she replied with a bit of hesitation.

His room was much colder than her chambers.

"I thought you needed a calm and undisturbed night after whatever you experienced yesterday," he replied, coming closer to her.

"I feel best with you around," she said as her hands slipped under his arms and she melted into his embrace.

Aemond took deep breaths, as if trying to memorize her scent.

"You are trembling. Is it cold for you?" he asked abruptly while his hands started gliding up and down her body.

She looked up at him and planted a kiss on his lips. "Then warm me up, Aemond," she whispered before hungrily kissing him again.

As he kissed her back, with more passion than ever, he picked her up and placed her on the bed. Their nightgowns flew left and right without care. For a moment, he broke the kiss and looked at her as she panted beneath him. It was the first time he had seen her like this, and she looked like a goddess, her body bathed in the gentle glow of moonlight.

Aika looked at him, confused. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," he quickly replied. "I just love you..." And she smiled.

Then he made sure to warm each part of her body as they made love.

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

Aemond woke up as the first beams of sunlight fell upon his eye. Aika was right beside him, lying on her side, sleeping soundly. The sheets covered only the bottom part of her body, allowing Aemond to see everything else.

His eye landed on her scars once again. He had a scarred eye, the pain of which he no longer remembered. But there she was, with huge scars on her belly and waist, and a scar on her throat. Once again, the memory of her body on the stairs of the Dragonpit crossed his mind. What would Daemon do if they lose this war...

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

When Aika woke up, she was all alone in the room. Her nightgown was still on, and the fireplace was burning hot. Once she sat up, she saw a note on the bedside table. Again, not something for our reader eyes. Smiling to herself, she thought she should leave a sweet note in return. That's when she approached Aemond's desk, looking for a pen.

There was no pen on the table, so she opened one of the drawers.

"Whoops," she exclaimed as she realized it was filled only with envelopes. But while closing it, her curious eyes scanned the writing on those: 'Aika,' 'To Aika,' 'Aika Targaryen, Oldtown.'

Staring at the open drawer, she moved the envelopes with her hand. So many of them.