(Credits to the artists of these pictures)
Just a headcanon đ€
(Cause I know northerners know in the art of sculpture cause in the crypts are statues made for the old Lords of Winterfell)
Unlike Aemond, Cregan has that healthy kinda of worship toward mc so yes he would do something cutesy like that!
And maybe just maybe Cregan might have a statue done for mc⊠đ€
Hello đ
I hope you are well đ€
I'm writing to you in hopes that you will help me by donating, sharing, or reblogging the gofundme link. I need those donations to save my family from the war that destroyed my home and work and the death of some of my family members đąđ„
I am also five months pregnant and need proper health care and medication đš
Every donation, share, or reblog contributes to saving our lives from this war đąđ
Thank you for your trust and support đč
I can only share it, is the best I can do right now! Iâm praying for your and familyâs safety in Gaza!đ”đžđ
The art is just mwah đ€đâ€ïž
And the expression is hilarious, Iâve been laughing for 10 minutes and my stomach started to hurt đ
this is how the scene went in my head (also this is how princess looks like to me <3)
YOOOO THIS IS ART. ARTTT. I LOVE THIS YOU'RE SO TALENTED OMG!!
also the way the princess immediately gets the ick đ you just made my day better this is beautiful here's your crown for the asks hall of fame đ
Gravity Falls + colours
Are we real? Is this reality? Jean-Paul Sartre postulated that every existing thing is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness, and dies by chance. Â Â Totally righteous, bro.
I prepared myself emotionally for this
A/N- Someone makes a special appearance in this chapter!
Warning- Swearing, talks of pregnancy, violence and blood, ANGST!!, fluff, SPOILERS FOR FUTURE EVENTS OF HOTD, USING FIRE AND BLOOD, LONG CHAPTER.
Pairing- Aemond Targaryen x Velaryon!fem-reader, Cregan Stark x Velaryon!fem-reader
Episode/Pages- 449-452
(If you want to be tagged let me know)
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As if kept apart for years with just distorted words repeating in his mind, and only able to cling onto the ghost of your scent to try and keep your memory alive, when night falls and youâre laying in bed, Aemond holds onto your waist with a tight grip as if he faltered even a bit you would slip from existence. He buries his face in your lap and occasionally you feel wet kisses pressed against your flesh.
His demand to be clinging when you returned from scouting is not something that bothers you, you quite enjoy him not being able to be without you. You find solace in the warmth of his hand when you navigate through corridors, and feel giddy when you catch his lingering stares that burrow deep within you as if heâs trying to grasp the fact that youâre by his side.
Itâs all so sweet and you love it when Aemond is sweet. Yet you canât help but start to wonder why he hardly let you out of his sight since you returned from scouting.
âIs something wrong?â You finally break the peaceful silence and stroke his hair.
Aemond remains as he is for a moment before he just slightly tilts his head up to look at you between the strands of his hair that stick to his face. âDoes there have to be something wrong for me to be this way with you? Itâs not uncommon for us to lie like this.â
âI know,â you say softly as you gently tuck his hair behind his ear. âItâs justâŠI donât knowâŠI feel like somethingâs wrong with you. Are you okay?â
Aemond holds onto your gaze and tries to brush you off, but those three words seem to cause him to fight an inner conflict that makes his eye soften and then harden before a swift conclusion brings tears to his eye, causing your eyebrows to immediately furrow out concern while your breath hitches out of surprise because heâs being so expressive.
âAemond?â You whisper and slide your hand down to cradle his cheek.
Said man slowly pulls his hands off your waist to grab your hand on his cheek and press a lingering kiss on the heel of your hand, making you grow even more concerned.
âCan I just look at you for a moment?â He asks and your eyebrows knit together before you lean toward him and probe.
âAemond what is it?â You have to keep probing before your concern kills you, but your dearest husband just sighs deeply and continues with silence while he makes your hands slip off his face as he sits up with his head hanging low.
You want to keep pressing him with words, but you use a more desperate plea by brushing his hair back with your hands before you grab his face and find his gaze to plead that way. Desperately and deeply concerned.
Albeit Aemond presses his forehead against yours and draws in a deep breath with his eye closed.
âMy love,â you coo, and he keeps quiet for a moment longer before he pulls back to face you and finally speak about what's troubling him so.
âYou areâŠâ he trails off in a whisper and his gaze slowly slides off you.
âAemond,â you whisper.
Said manâs gaze slowly drifts to the corner of the room and remains in the shadows before he blinks and looks back at you with a more determined gaze.
âYou are to remain out of war councils,â he speaks in a voice slowly lacing with a coldness so you know that this is no jest. âYou are to stop dueling and scouting. And most importantly you will not under any circumstance take part in any battle be it in the sky, on the sea, or the ground.â
Your concern falls as youâre struck with disbelief. âThis,â you stammer. âThis is some jest.â You shake your head. âIt has to be becauseâitâs not funny, Aemond.â
He clenches his jaw and averts his gaze as he shakes his head. âNo, it is not some jest. Itâs how things will be from now on.â
Your eyes widen with that same disbelief still running its course within you as it doesnât fully hit you just yet that what he speaks of is real.
âYouâŠâ you trail off to slide off the bed. Aemond quickly mirrors you and follows after you as you stride away from the bed. When he captures your arm you turn around with a look of hurt painted on your faceââAm I not good enough? I can try harder, I can. JustâŠdonât make me stop.â
Aemondâs gaze softens again and he grabs you with both hands now.
âNo,â he rebuttals right away. âItâs not that. You are great, butââ
âIs it what Ser Criston said in the corridor?â You cut him off in a sudden burst of anger. âBecause if it is, he doesnât know what heâs talking about. Heâs just some low-life knight who doesnât know anything about Targaryens.â
Aemond shakes his head and swallows thickly before he interjects to finally give reason to his decision. âItâs a decision I made myself because I donât think itâs safe for you to be out there while youâre with child. Itâs a war, not some game. I canât put you at risk. I wonât.â
A flicker of hurt passes through you, threatening you towards using sorrow to argue back, but the anger and frustration burst through, drowning out the sadness that built up at his words since he knows that being cast aside is something that wounds you deeply.
âYou,â you mutter before you yank your arms out of his grasp and push him back over and over again with each word that leaves past your lips. âItâs always you. You. You. You! What about me?!â You bark and push him back one more time before you stand up straight with your chest puffed out, your lips parted as you heave, and your gaze spewing rage and disbelief that still lingers within you. âWhat about what I want, huh?! What about what I want, Aemond!â
âI just want to protect you!â He counters back but not in the same anger you display, he just feels frustrated because youâre not understanding. âIâm protecting you, donât you see that?!â
âI can protect myself!â You hit your chest. âYou've seen that! You canât make me stand idly by your side! I will not be gawked at! I can fight,â you cry. âI can do it! I am something, I am someone! I have,â you exhale. âI have proved it. I have.â You nod gently as you lose that rage and agony returns.
âI wonât lose you,â Aemondâs voice breaks whilst his gaze is pointed at you as heâs feeling nothing but determination to defend his decision even if you keep arguing. âI wonât. I cannot lose you!â
You take a moment to catch your breath and process the agony behind his own words. When you have somewhat calmed down you step toward him and look at him softly. âYou wonât lose me. Iâm here. I will always be here with you. Iâm not going anywhere.â
Aemond drops his head and draws in a deep breath. âYou wonât. Thatâs right,â he whispers before he brings his head up and looks at you with a narrowed look. âI already told you. You will not take part in any fighting of any kind, or any war councils. You will remain Princess Regent, but thatâs all youâll be, no more Blood Dragon or Fire Demon. Iâm sure you can do a lot of Regent duties even from here.â
You nod gently and slowly lower your gaze to try and find your thoughts on the ground. Anywhere really. Yet all that you can come across is more disbelief that leaves you saying only one single word that holds no meaning. âAlright.â
You then shove past him and as you grab your robe he questions your actions that you hardly give any thought to. âWhere are you going?â
You stride to the doors and give your answer to the moist air. âThe Godswood. Can I do that?â
Aemond calls out your name to retort your sassy remark, but you just leave your quarters in a huff. When youâre in the corridor you take a torch from the wall and pace down the corridors like a ghost haunting the castle with your mind still focused on your argument, and donât snap out of your stupor until youâre outside with your feet in the cold lakes shore.
The cold water forces you to take in your surroundings and wonder what changed and why so suddenly.
Is it really because of what he mentioned? Or is it something else? Something far more complicated like him not thinking youâre good enough.
Why?
You donâtâyou canât just sit by with a plastered smile watching as the world goes on living around you like youâre some caged bird. You have to be more than that right?
Or maybe youâre not. Maybe youâre forever destined just to be unremarked and not amount to a thing. Just a forgotten name with a forgettable face.
Is that all you are to this world? To everyone you cherish?
You are more than thatâŠ
Cregan would think so. But would he have done the same thing as Aemond? You have to wonder as you look across the lake with just the stars as your company, unbeknownst to the fact that on a small hill that overlooks the Gods Eye, the soul you think of has you in his mind and wonders when heâll have to stop depending on just his memories to see you again. He wonders how you are after the death of your beloved brother, and if youâre okay; that one is heavy in his mind because thereâs only so much he hears about you and it's never what he truly desires to know. And itâs not like you can send each other letters anymore.
Even if you are so close to one another during this tragic war, it still feels like the same distance between Winterfell and Kingâs Landing stands between you since letters canât be exchanged, and neither of you can see face to face even if you are so close.
Memories are all you have, and itâs why you realize that Cregan wouldnât be much different than Aemond. Cregan is protective too, more stubbornly so. Which is why itâs not like you can go to him either, you would be stuck in the same predicament.
And the same goes for your mother, so thereâs truly nowhere you belong nowâ
Maybe at the bottom of that lakeâŠ
Nevertheless, because of the silence that surrounds you at night, itâs easy to catch the sound of footsteps approaching, and recognize that theyâre lighter than Aemondâs would be, so itâs not him. It can only be a select few, so you turn around and your curiosity is answered when you see Alys approaching.
âItâs late, why are you not abed?â You break through the sound of crickets singing in the distance.
âI wonder the same thing about you,â she redirects and then falls by your side before she continues. âTroubles with your husband?â
You draw in a sharp breath and turn around before you exhale slowly and walk over to a large rock to sit on it. âTell me why youâre still here Alys. Youâre a witch, I imagine itâs easy finding ways to leave these wetlands.â
Alys mingles by the lake for a moment before she turns around and drags her feet toward you to sit on a lower rock next to you. âThis is my home,â she puts it simply. âWhere would I go?â
You glance across the lake with a longing look and sigh deeply before sharing the first place that comes to mind. A place you havenât dreamt of going to in some time. âYi-Ti. I heard it's beautiful there, full of wonderful and bad people alike. Itâs somewhere far, where you can be something...â
Alys steals a look at you before she sits up and keeps her eyes on the horizon. âHave you considered it? You have a dragon and money that a lot of people only dream about. I imagine it would be easy for you too.â
You swallow back the lump that grows in your throat and nod slowly as you look up at the endless sky now. âI could go to Kingâs Landing and take my son and leave to never return. It would be easy, I could be something there that Iâm not allowed to be here.â
Alys nods gently in comprehension. âBut it would be selfish,â she says words that go against her nod, words that cut you deeply. âLeaving it all behind because of what? A disagreement.â
You scoff as you drop your head. âNo,â you mutter. âItâsâŠyou wouldnât get it.â
âPerhaps so. Then leave.â
You donât know her so you canât take apart her words and understand if sheâs leading you on or being serious. Thus you slowly raise your head to look at her, catching her gaze already on you with nothing but sincerity. Sheâs serious, sheâs pushing you to do what you want and that slight pressure is what makes you falter. Just enough for her to pick you apart.
âWhy is it that youâre so dedicated to your Prince?â She asks and looks with a slight smirk playing on her lips. âYour dragon is not chained and youâre not chained, you may leave whenever you desire. Yet even with your mother on that throne you still stick by him, why?â
Itâs simple. The answer is quick to come to mind and slip past your tongue. âBecause he loves me selfishly. All of me, the dark part of me. Because loving him is consuming in the best way possible. Because he understands the inner workings of my conflicted soul and to let him goâŠwould be like losing a part of my soul.â
Alys sighs deeply and doesn't fret to speak boldly. âAnd what about the Wolf of the North?â
You blink repeatedly in disbelief, and there in the depths of your chest, where your heart used to be is a faint jolt. Be it nerves or some reconnection to what you thought was lost, you donât know. All you know is that you feel it.
âHe,â you whisper with no control of your words, itâs easy to speak to her. Even if you donât know her you know for some reason that nothing you say will be spread like a disease. âHe has this way that he looks at meâŠlike no matter how dark, how far, or how many people may be swarming him he only has eyes for me. He will always find me. He looks at me like heâs found salivation, hope. Loving him is exciting,â your words come easy, and a faint smile tugs at the corner of your lips. âMaybe it was because it was a secret, butâŠI donât believe that to be true.â You sigh shakily and drop your head once again.
Alys hums and gently hits the side of her thigh before she quips. âI donât envy you. Loving two people sounds exhausting.â
You shake your head to contradict her and try to say itâs the farthest thing from the truth, but you donât want her to ask you to pick one so you stay quiet. Not because itâs hard, itâs easy. You truly, honestly, and deeply love them both.
You do. Itâs selfish, yes, but itâs true.
âYou canât leave,â Alys returns your conversation to what you were initially speaking of before she sidetracked you. âNot to Yi-Ti, and not to Kingâs Landing. Not yet.â
You drag your leg up to prop your elbow on your knee and rest your chin on your hand as you look at her with confusion. âWhy is that?â You probe. âAt least in Kingâs Landing, I can be with my son.â
Alys draws out deeply and slowly meets your gaze. âBecause then all of that wisdom that I let you see will be for nothingâŠâ
You blink slowly in disbelief and sit up as your face goes hard. âWhat do you mean?â You ask in a threatening manner.
âJust that. I let you see the truth about your father and your mother's plan. It was me,â she reveals, and it clicks. Thatâs why she was so familiar. Thatâs why it feels like you know her, because of that vision in the fire that she gave you.
âWhy?â You deadpan without blaming her for anything. Youâre honestly thankful that she let you see the truth.
âBecause you would have died otherwise,â she shares, making you scoffââAnd that canât happen yet. I needed you to go down a different path in life.â
âYou know,â you interject and get up to look at the stars with an inkling of frustration. âI am getting sick of people telling me I am going to die, and trying to save me from it.â
Alys follows you to your feet and takes a step forward to grab your attention and make sure youâre meeting her eyes and not lost in the stars as she reaches deep within her to share what you need to hear. So you know that you donât need to exhaust yourself to prove yourself. So you can see clearly what you are, what people like Aemond and your mother see, but you donât. She wants you to know who you have been all along.
âListen to me, I know how you feel. I have lived a long time, I have gone through the trials you are facing in life, and itâs why Iâm telling you that you need to stop thinking that youâre lesser than you are. Itâs not true. I saw it, everyone that resides in this castle saw it, and you know it.â
Your eyes water and for the first time since Jacaerys died those tears break out and roll down your cheeks. âHow do you know?â Your voice quivers.
Alysâ eyes dig deeper in your watery gaze to connect deeper with you so you know that every word that is going to come out of her is the truth. âI know because thereâs already whispers about you traveling throughout the Kingdoms. They whisper about the Fire Demon born to the Queen. The Fire Demon who damned the Triarchy. Fear is gripping onto them because of you. Because of what you are and what you were gifted with. The Princess who rose from the ashes. A warrior and so much more.â
The corner of your lips twitch to a smirk, but that pride that starts to rummage within you doesnât get a secure hold of you yet. Disbelief and confusion still linger.
âThatâs who you are,â she presses confidently. âBut not all you will be.â
You tilt your head up as you start to grow smug.
âYou need only keep walking down that path, if you steer away because of your own doubt and insecurity you will lose and everything that you fear will come true.â
Self-doubt whispers in your ear to not trust her, it sinks its claws deep in your flesh and wants to sabotage you. It threatens to. âHow do you know? How do you know I wonât steer? Hope?â Your doubt speaks for you, making Alys raise her head and scoff.
âHope is folly. Hope doesnât make change, we do.â She speaks with confidence laced in every single word, reassuring you, and fighting off that doubt that gripped onto you until you donât even feel it linger. You trust her completely and get rid of that doubt you carried about yourself and that tormented you after your argument with Aemond.
Alys sees that with a glimmer in your eyes and her own smugness only heightens. And itâs also because you choose to trust her blindly that she steps back and points to the Godswood in the distance. âCome, I need you to see something.â
She walks ahead while you linger behind and look back at the lake with a flicker of longing to see those grey eyes that paid your mind a visit.
Yet you donât linger behind too long, you catch up to Alys and she leads you right to the base of the Weirwood tree where youâre face to face with the weeping face, and hear it again. The whispers from before. And like the other times, they are incoherent, but louder and louder, urging you to reach for the white-wooded tree. Yet no matter how inclined you are to come in touch with the dripping sap your eyes are the only thing you keep on the tree.
That is until Alysâ cold hand wraps around yours and she lifts it for you.
âAre you sure?â You ask as you drift your gaze to the corner of your eyes, and all she does is hum her response before she connects the tip of your fingers to the crimson sap that falls down the white bark.
Right away the whispering is silenced and a soft humming fills your ears with a melody you recognize as a haunting one from the book of songs and ballads Aemond gifted you. It slowly grows louder and goosebumps slowly grow along your skin while the red sap that runs down the bark grows thicker and flows down faster, covering your hand completely before it drops on the ground.
You follow the substance down with your eyes and there reflected on the surface of the thick sap is a pair of eyes that are not yours. This pair of eyes are sharper, they carry a venom in the blue of their eyes.
You want to identify who it is. You want to narrow your gaze to see if the answer will become clear, but then the gaze turns away and disappears from the puddle of red sap. You quickly look up to try and catch who it is you saw, but suddenly youâre transported to a battlefield stained with splotches of thick blood, littered with bodies both cut up and burnt and lively with bodies still alive and fighting. Night is turned to evening, and the sun is a raging red with all the smoke that pollutes the sky.
The pair of eyes you saw reflected in that puddle of sap now has a womanly body with gold-silver hair gathered in a long braid. She carries the Valyrian sword, Blackfyre, in one hand thatâs stained with blood, and carries another object in the other, but thatâs something you donât see, all you know is that itâs leaking blood and that you grow insatiably curious to the point that you follow the woman in a stomping stride.
However, when you reach a large boulder right in the center of the battlefield and catch up to the woman, she slowly starts to peer back, but you can't stop storming forward. You canât stop. Thereâs a certain ferocity that fuels your blood, one so hot that you burn but donât hurt. The burning is delicious and enthralling. When you get to the point that you go through the woman you were following, the woman that was guiding you to that boulder in the middle of the bloody battlefield, you can see in a pool of blood around your feet that who you see looking back at you now is yourself.
You can see yourself clearly in that pool of blood, donning a black chainmail gown with a gold chest plate slathered in blood. Meanwhile, your head is covered with gold chainmail, and over your face are blood-soaked chains that fall down your face like a bleeding veil, and donât hide the venom in your eyes that matches the woman you can now identify as Queen Visenya Targaryen. She was the one guiding you here, through the thick of the battle, and now you took her place. Now you hold the blood-soaked sword andâŠa head.
Itâs you. All you. Itâs your future. Itâs not something thatâs said, but it is something you know for certain. This is you. You stand on the battlefield and you climb up the boulder dragging the tip of Blackfyre against the stone. When you reach the top you stand over a battlefield thatâs a lot thicker and bloody, filled with large men with grey beards, and others that all fight under the same banner as you; the banner that belongs to your mother, the Queen.
Once again nothing is outright spoken to you, but you know the context deep within and you grow proud, just like you grow proud of the head you carry. Albeit unlike the knowledge just given to you, this time you canât identify the head you carry. They have manly features so you know theyâre a man, young too, with blond-silver hair, and one brown eye that stares off at the ground because the other has an arrow punctured through it. Which only feeds your curiosity, but you donât grow ravenous to put a name to the face, you grow enthusiastic and malicious as you tilt your head up and face the army of men.
âThe Daring is dead!â Your voice booms, and when the attention of your men is given to you, you throw your hand up to show off the head like a trophy and all the men cry out cheers.
âBLOOD DRAGON!â
âBLOOD DRAGON!â Is scattered around the field and more goosebumps grow along your skin.
âFORââ you cut yourself off as a large shadow is cast over you, and when you roll your head back to look up, you catch a small dragon torpedoing to you with its mouth open. Yet even if you see the dark she-dragon filling her mouth with fire as she comes at you, you don't run because you know Astraea is behind you and flying directly toward the threat to protect you. And you especially donât try to take cover or shield yourself from the fire because you know you wonât burn. You welcome the rain of fire with a wicked smile.
Nevertheless, as the dragon fire bathes you, suddenly the hot blazing flames are not what hits you. Suddenly youâre smacked with a sharp and bitter coldness that forces you to turn your face away to shield your eyes.
After the breeze passes you slowly drop your hand, open your eyes, and get greeted with a fresh blanket of snow in every perimeter your eyes can see. When you fulfill your need to lift your head, youâre now hit with a wave of emotions that is not laced with venom; all the emotions are warm and blissful which make your heart swoon rather than race with malicious excitement because what you see is joy.
Thereâs no question about it. Youâre overfilled with joy as you see a young man with dark brown curly hair wearing thick and warm winter clothes, and a thick grey fur cloak clasped over his back.
âMother,â a soft voice speaks and you canât help but gasp at the sound of his voice that you know deep in your bones does not belong to Aerion. This young man is different, younger than your Aerion, but he is still yourâŠson. Your youngest boy. You know that, you feel that deep inside you. He calls out to you from where he stands in front of a large Weirwood tree in a familiar Godswood up North.
âMy boy,â you whisper softly and he drops his clasped hands before slowly turning to you, causing your breath to catch in your throat when you meet his big soldem grey eyes.
âYouâŠâ he trails off and flashes you a charming smile. âLook at you.â
Tears fill your eyes and before you know it you march over to him and the first you do is grab his face. âLook at you,â you redirect and caress his cheeks, making him drop his head to hide his timid smile.
â<Please stop crying>,â he whispers in High Valyrian. â<Weâll meet again. When our time comes.>â
He lifts his head and his eyebrows furrow as his gaze grows just as serious as a man you know.
â<You look like your father>,â you comment as you study his face.
The young man scoffs and grabs your hands you keep on his face. â<Listen>,â he says and makes you find his gaze.
â<Let me look at you>,â you plead, making a warm smile melt that ice-cold expression. â<How can I see you again? How can I be certain that our paths will cross?>â
The same serious expression returns to his features as he gives you an answer. â<You must go home, mother. You will come across a crossroads again. Youâll know it when you get there, and when you do, you need to go homeâŠback to her. Thatâs where you belong, sheâs never forsaken you. Neither of them ever did.>â
You nod even if deep inside you donât know if you mean it. How can you with the shattered heart that she took part in breaking?
â<After that you must deliver them to victory. Lead them. Be the great fire, for Winter is coming, Mother, and we need to light the way for The Prince that was Promised.>â
He then points his finger to the side and as you follow the direction he points to you donât come across the thick of the forest that fills the Godswood, you see an endless dryland horizon that is cast by a blazing sun and there sitting in the midst of the drylands is a woman sat with no clothes, sheâs nude, and giving her back to you.
Yet even if her back is to you, making her unidentifiable thereâs a sense of familiarityâno, thatâs wrong, you have seen her before in another vision. You know her. And this time she carries with her three hatchlings; a black, a green, and a cream-colored hatchling that all cling to her.
There she is, The Prince that was Promised. And then she isnât. All of sudden youâre back in the cover of night at the Godswood of Harrenhal, feeling an emptiness, and a deep aching longing to be returned to your youngest son.
âLet me see him again,â you break the silence and spin around, coming face to face with Alys. âPlease. One more time.â
Alys shakes her head stiffly. âNo. You will meet again.â
You swallow back the lump that grows in your throat and even if you want to argue you just keep your head down and accept it, letting a silence seep in.
âYou know what you must do. You know your place now,â Alys interjects as she reaches over and grabs your shoulder to make you slowly find her gaze.
âIâm a woman. How can I lead anyone?â You place doubt in yourself and your place.
âI already told you why you can lead. You know who you are at this point of our story,â she reassures you as she holds your gaze intently. âDonât underestimate faith, Princess. They see you, the Princess unscathed by fire, and they see all their prayers answered.â
Without speaking a word you ask with your eyes alone if sheâs sure, and without saying a word in return she looks at you with a hint of smugness mingling in her smirk.
You hold her gaze as you draw out a deep breath and push out all the lingering doubt with it to mirror her smirk in the darkness of the Godswood.
ââ
*4 MONTHS LATER*
Itâs been four months of being in the Riverlands, at Harrenhal, which has not turned out to be so bad with Alys becoming your best friend. Youâve been inseparable since that night at the Godswood, much to Aemondâs dismay. And the only thing you can say since those four months is how much you hate about being away from Aerion for so long.
Itâs been four months since youâve seen his little face and his little smile, and itâs been four long months since youâve heard a single word of him. All you know is that heâs 9 months old now and probably spoiled rotten by your mother. Vanessa hasnât been able to send anything on any matter, nor can you send a raven asking for an update because of the tension between the fractions. Youâre left in the dark with only Alysâ reassuring word as an offer.
She says youâll see Aerion soon, and you believe her. You wish she could say more, you want to know more, but she can only tell you so much because she says that knowing too much of the future is a burden you donât want. And you donât argue about it either, you know Helaena, and you know how her dreams weigh down on her. And with everything already going on, you donât want to carry that on your shoulders, so you donât bother to ask about the future, itâs already changed you as it is.
You canât say it hasnât, because it has. Itâs changed your fight. Once you fought for your own selfish desire to stay alive; and yes even now that instinct still resides within you, but thereâs also something else that lives within you; a need to fight for something grander.
You must light the way and so you shall. Thatâs what youâre meant to do. That guarantees that the future of your house, your bloodline, and that of your family's bloodline, flourishes. That guarantees the birth of the Prince that was Promised. But how can you leave Aemond?
You could leave on top of Astraea any time you wanted, Aemond canât chain her and he wouldnât follow you to the Red Keep, butâŠyou canât find the need to leave him. You canât part from him, and you canât fathom the thought even if heâs changed as well.
Being at Harrenhal seems to have made Aemond paranoid, and more protective, and has him lost in thought a lot of the time which only leaves him more erratic. Heâs more violent and prone to bursts of anger. Have you made it easier? You canât say you have. You admit it. Youâre still upset about what he forbade you from doing, of keeping you like a caged bird unable to be part of any war councils. Youâre not riddled with those insecurities that once took a hold of you before, but he still has you trapped and estranged from anyone who wanders too close. Youâre like his shadow, or some tapestry only good to admire. Thatâs what you are to him. All he lets you be to everyone accompanying you.
Yet thatâs why itâs easier to hide in the shadows with Alys. No one bothers you there, only each other.
âYou were right,â you tell her as you come to a stop on the balcony that overlooks that massive grande hall and see Ser Criston and Ser Gwayne preparing to leave with the army of men, but without Aemond and you.
It seems last night they had an argument about what it is that needs to be done. Food is starting to run short, horses and men are dying to sickness and hunger, and forging parties have to go past burnt fields and burnt towns alike to try and get what is needed.
Yet no matter how many forging parties leave, none return. And those Western men, well, Cregan and the Northman have really made a name for themselves when they joined forces with the Rivermen because they demolished the Western army. They took heavy losses, but at the end of the battle that the men call the Fishfeed, banners for the Queen are all that were seen.
You wish you could see the glory, but the best you could do was hear about the glory through the mouths of people who werenât there, and Alys who paints a much more gloomy picture. Yet itâs through those words that you can say the Battle by the Lakeshore impacted your stance at Harrenhal; the glory that Aemond wanted to take from Daemon did not even grow twice the size, it was just a sad attempt that failed miserably.
And even then he refuses to leave, you can assume thatâs why Ser Criston and Ser Gwayne are taking the army. Thereâs no need for you to be here anymore so you can only imagine theyâre going to join the Hightower army now. If the Rivermen and the Northmen allow them to that is.
âYou should bid your farewells,â Alys suggests as she stands by you and watches over the same scene below.
âShould I really?â You quip and press your hand on your swollen belly as you drift your gaze to focus solely on Aemond. And even if tension lies between you that has turned you both distant, you still look at him like heâs the brightest star in a sky littered with smaller and duller stars. You admire the way he stands so poised and has his jaw clenched, flexing his sharp features. You admire the way he silently damns the men with his pointed glare. And you smile softly like you do when you admire the brightest star; the morning and evening star.
âYou know how much I detest Ser Criston,â you grumble to Alys. âIâm actually thrilled heâs finally leaving.â
âWhat of Ser Gwayne?â She then brings up. âHeâs quite charming.â
You drift your gaze to her and slowly but surely realize sheâs right so you push yourself away from the balcony and turn away, at that moment missing the way Aemond lifts his gaze and catches the way your gown twirls as you turn away. When youâre in the corridors and know that no soldiers are lurking in the shadows you interject. âWill it bode them well to leave?â
Alysâ gaze falls on you and she responds but with a question. âWhat do you think?â
You draw out a deep breath and share your running thoughts. âWith the Northmen and Rivermen now standing triumphant, Iâll say they will be walking into a field of fire they wonât be able to evade.â
Alys stays quiet so you continue sharing your piece of mind. âIf I had been at that council I would have advised them to do as Daemon did, take the host around the enemy and evade a fight to be able to join forces with the Hightower army. Lands there arenât destroyed, thereâs food and more horses for the taking.â
Alys turns her head as you do and you catch a proud smirk on her face, showing that she praises your response.
âAlas, you were not there. Donât worry yourself of their struggles anymore,â she says as you both continue to look ahead.
Once you reach the great hall where Ser Criston, Ser Gwayne, and Aemond are, they all stop what theyâre doing to give you their attention.
âI have come to bid my farewells,â you tell the pair of men ready to march. âGood luck in your battles to come, Ser Criston. I hope we see each other again,â you lie straight through your teeth and offer him a sweet smile before you glance at Alys to flash her sly smirk.
In return, she offers you a slight nod that you alone catch before you slide your eyes back to the knight and lift your hand to offer it to Ser Criston Cole.
The second the knight catches what you seek from him, his eyes find Aemond to speechlessly ask for an excuse to not do what you want from him and what will make him bow to you, but Aemond only backs up your request by lifting his chin and expecting the Knight to go ahead.
And thus, the Knight lowers his head from its ever so prideful hold, letting his gaze fall on your face for a second, and in doing so making you lift your nose in the air to show off your power over him because no matter if heâs a forced to be reckoned with and a legendary swordsman, all that amounts to nothing compared to you. You will always be above him in every way, and he hates that you are, he hates knowing it, and he hates seeing it on your face as you look down on him with the thick gold circlet around your head gleaming against the ray of sun that shines over you at that moment. As if the gods themselves approved of youâre holier than thou status in this world.
Then again, nothing outshines the wicked mischievousness that plays in your eyes as his gaze falls on your hand decorated with expensive rings. When he takes your hand he does so with the most delicate touch, not because he thinks youâre delicate, but because itâs eating at his pride. Thatâs why he's hesitant and slow as he bends down and presses his lips on your knuckles. All while you lower your head, making the chains attached to your circlet lightly clink against each other whilst your eyes show off the smugness you canât show off with a smirk.
Once Ser Criston has done his part he pulls his hand away and stands to his given height. Yet youâre not done tormenting him yet. You proceed to step forward and press a light kiss on his cheek.
âThank you, Princess,â heâs forced to say.
You pull away and offer him a teasing smile you manage to play off as sincere.
âFarewell, Ser,â you offer him one last time before you roll your eyes away and face Ser Gwayne with an actual sweet smile. âGood luck to you Ser. I hope you see many victories.â
Ser Gwayne offers you a warm smile and he willingly takes your hand to press a kiss on your knuckles before you offer him a gentle kiss on his cheek.
âPlease tell Daeron we send our greetings,â you tell him before you go. âAnd that weâre looking forward to joining forces with him and Tessarion soon.â
âI will,â he assures you and presses his hand on your belly. âYou take care, and learn a new song so I may hear it when we reunite.â
You flash him a grin and nod in agreement before you reach over to give his arm a squeeze and then step away. After you offer both men one last look you then turn with the intention to leave, but first steal a glance at Aemond, catching his gaze on you so you let your own gaze linger on him.
âCome find me at the Godswood later,â you break the silence that was between you. âOkay?â
A flicker of relief and shock flickers in his gaze as heâs not hesitant to nod in agreement, letting you offer him a genuine and sweet smile that he doesnât take for advantage. He cherishes the smile you offer him, the smile now rare to see directed at him. A smile so captivating he canât help but admire you and almost leave it all behind to follow your lead at that moment as you finally walk away.
Yet even if his body turns towards you as you get further and further away, he doesnât follow after you, he stays put and keeps in mind your invitation to go find you later.
âHas there been a sighting of Sunfyre?â You ask Alys as you make your way to the Godswood while the men that occupied the castle slowly file out. âThe Golden Dragon?â You clarify.
âNo, not beside the time he flew away from Rookâs Rest.â She says news you already knew but still welcome to let an idea form in your mind.
âHe lived by miracle, which is great, but weâll have to kill him,â you mention your idea. âOr his rider. Whichever it is, we can't let them reunite. The Blacks may have the numbers, but a dragon with a dragonrider is still a threat. And with the crown having the people against them, regaining Sunfyre is an advantage we canât have.â
âWhat do you suppose you can do from here?â Alys remarks, making you slowly look at her with an annoyed look before you scoff and retort.
âYou want me to leave you alone?â
Alys tilts her head and her lips turn to a slight smile. âI could never forget you for as long as I live.â
âMemories donât make you laugh. I make you laugh, me,â you quip and she scoffs before she leans towards you and bumps into your side.
âI already told youâŠâ
âWeâll never be out of each other's lives,â you finish for her since sheâs already assured you of that piece of the future. âI know, butâŠâ
âYou canât avoid your mother forever,â she adds for you, making you drop your gaze as you keep walkingââitâs not possible with the state of things.â
âI canât leave Aemond,â you mutter and look back at her with a conflicted gaze. âHe needs me too. I need him.â
âWhat of your son?â She counters with a comment that makes you go quiet and sorrowful all the way to the Godswood, and when youâre sitting on a boulder a few feet away from the Weirwood tree.
You can't seem to break the solemn silence that Alys cast over you as all that occupies your mind is guilt for the little one who hasnât felt his motherâs warmth in 4 months because you canât stop being petty, and have all your attention centered on your husband.
Aerion deserves better than that. He deserves a mother whoâs there for all his needs, for all his firsts as he nears one years old, but instead, youâre here still trapped and foolishly dedicated to a man you have a strain with. Youâre being selfish and meanwhile, heâs growing up without you.
âHere.â
You lift your eyes off your hands and look up to see Ser Jason approaching you with a beautifully decorated cord in his handââSo when you miss your son you have this to remember him by when youâre apart,â he continues sharing as he comes to a stop in front of you and shows off a beautiful cord decorated with beads, shells, and an orange pearl.
âI just know how much you long to see him again, and well I thought it would be nice,â he begins to ramble nervously. âMy own mother made one for me so I could remember her when I was away. Of course, I was young but it was reassuring.â
You blink repeatedly as your cheeks begin to burn out of heartwarming disbelief. âOh,â you gasp and carefully take the cord. âThank you, Ser. How sweet,â you coo and gently brush your thumb over the enchanting orange pearl. âHow beautiful. Are you sure? This pearlâŠit looks rare.â
Ser Jason nods rapidly and then takes a seat next to you. âYes, Iâm sure, and it is rare, but who better to have it than you?â
A smile creeps on your lips. âThank you, Ser, youâre sweet. And,â you pause and swallow thickly, feeling that smile fall all too fast. âIâm sorry for having you stay here,â you finally address the guilt that you carry about him. âI know itâs not ideal, it's always so gloomy here, and resources are running scarce.â
âDonât be ridiculous,â he lets the word slip, making you giggle which in turn causes him to catch what slipped out of his mouthââForgive me thatâs no way to speak. Sorry.â
You shake your head. âDo not worry, Ser. Itâs alright.â
Ser Jason keeps his eyes on you for a second longer as he quietly scolds you for not really correcting him the way you should, but since you donât add on the matter he leaves it be and instead continues with what he was going to say. âIâm your sworn protector, my place is by your side even in the darkest of days.â
Your eyes soften and a smile slowly reappears on your face.
Yet like before the smile is all too short-lived when suddenly a booming voice rips through the Godswood. âYOU!â
Your eyes snap up and there stomping over is Aemond with rage twisting his face and keeping his focus locked on the man sitting next to you.
âWho do you think you are?!â He barks out. âLeave her alone!â
You stand to your feet and as you reach out to try and stop his blinding rage, Alys grabs your arm and pulls you towards her whilst Aemond reaches Ser Jason and rips him off his seat to drag him back against a wall.
âAemond!â You bellow out. âStop it!â
Said man wraps his hands around Ser Jasonâs throat and slams his head against the stone wall, making your eyes widen with horror and confusion as to what brought this on. Ser Jason was only being nice, he wasnât even touching you, he was just sitting next to you. Thatâs all!
âAemond, leave him alone!â You try to get him away from your sworn protector, but itâs like he canât even hear you, like once again heâs lost in a completely different world than yours.
âYouâre nothing more than a bastard,â you hear Aemond sneer at your sworn protector. âYou are nothing. You will never be anything, do you hear me? Do you?!â
Ser Jason manages to bring his hands up and tries to pull Aemondâs hands away, but your husband only tightens his hold, making the knight start to gasp for air.
âDo you think Iâd let you get away with it?! Do you think I would let you hurt her?! Kill her?!â He keeps exclaiming and once again slams him against the wall so hard Ser Jason groans at the impact. âSheâs mine,â Aemond growls. âI wonât let you hurt her!â
âAemond!â You cry out and rip away from Alys to run over and try to pull Aemond off Ser Jason, but when Aemond feels your hands wrap around his hand he doesnât even turn his rageful glare toward you. Itâs locked on the man before him so he doesnât see that itâs you, he just swings his arm back so hard that you lose balance and hit the floor on your side, feeling a flash of fear when youâre on the cold ground.
âAlys,â your whisper trembles and itâs at that moment when your voice hits his ears that Aemond snaps out of his blinding rage and finally sees you frozen on the ground, whilst the woman you called for rushes to your side and is quick with her efforts to help you.
âHere letâs get you up,â she insists in a hushed tone as she grabs your arm to help you to your feet. When she starts to be overbearing and examines your side, your fear slowly fades away and youâre left with a stinging pain on your side and palms.
Even then you try to play it off as youâre in disbelief as to what just happened. âIâm fine,â you try to assure her. âI think I just scraped my side.â
Alys doesnât see any blood coming out from your sides, nor does she notice any coming out from between your legs so she then grabs your hands and yanks them towards her, noticing at that moment that your palms are the only ones that are bleeding.
âNot fine,â she quips.
You pull your hands away from her grasp and insist otherwise. âI am fine, just tend to Ser Jason. Please,â you press with both your words and your eyes.
Alys seems hesitant, but when she glances back at the man behind her standing in horrified disbelief as to what he caused, she gets the hint of what you want to do and does as you said.
However, even when she walks away with Ser Jason, you fail to face Aemond. Your mind is running wildly, bouncing from thought to thought and feeling to feeling as itâs all in shambles not knowing what to do or what to think next.
All thatâs clear is that Aemond hurt you. He might have not meant it, but he hurt you. He did. And it might not hurt, it may not scar like when he accidentally slashed your cheek, but the scrapes sting and you remember the short-lived fear that you had because of the twins youâre carrying.
âIâŠâ Aemond trails off and you hear him stepping toward you. âAre you okay?â
Those words. Those damn words always work to bring out your emotions and this time itâs no different. Yet rather than feeling cared for when he asks, you instead feelâŠanger. Anger that only heightens when you finally look up and meet his gaze filled to the brink with tears, worry, and guilt.
âIâŠâ he trails off again and once again he steps towards you, but this time without stopping. He reaches you and his eyes wander your body for any blood. âI didnât see you. I didnât knowâŠI,â his words quiver and he finds your gaze, finding nothing more than anger in your eyes. Thereâs no warmth that lets him feel reassured, that lets him know youâre truly unaffected by the accident. All your anger is accumulated in your eyes at this very moment and it all stares right back at him in the face. There's not even angry words that escape you that help him work this out, which actually tells him a lot more than words ever could.
At this moment, as you glare at him, and he looks at you, he sees a decision. He sees the path that you both walked down hand in hand coming to a crossroads and breaking you apart by your choice alone. If it was up to him he would always choose to walk down the same path hand in hand, but he sees as clear as day that youâre drifting down a different path.
âIâm returning to Aerion,â is all that your anger lets you say, and itâs all that you actually want and need to say to express your resolve.
Thereâs no more confusion or disbelief. Only anger and resolve. Where there was once hesitance to leave Aemond, now thereâs an urgency to leave. Which is why you swiftly spin around and storm away toward your quarters to try and get the belongings you can carry. Youâll have Ser Jason bring the rest by horse. You just canât and wonât stay. No matter how much he starts pleading and spewing out apologies.
âYou cannot go, your place is here with me,â Aemond says after you, but you donât respond, you just pick up your pace.
âAre you listening?â Aemond calls out in response to your silence. âWhere will you go?!â
âTo my mother,â you snap back, making him lunge forward to grab your arm and turn you around to face him.
âYou will be a traitor,â he sneers with his anger returning but faltering all in the same while.
âThen kill me. You canât burn me, so you will have to kill me, Aemond,â you counter spitefully before you tilt your head and become bold. âBecause I am a traitor. Before I found out my mother lied I was sending her letters about the plans you and your Green council made.â You snicker and feel a smirk twitch on your lips. While Aemond blinks in disbelief and lets you go as he tries to search in your eyes if youâre lying just to have him let you go, but all he sees is sincerity. Youâre speaking the truth and when he realizes that his lips part and a breath escapes him.
And even if the sadness in his eye makes you falter, and aches your own soul, you donât let it take over. You canât stay a moment longer, this is not your place anymore. Not after what he did, so after a deep breath you slip away from his hold and return to your raging path.
Once you reach your chambers you donât hear him after you so itâs easy to collect your immediate belongings and stuff them in a bag. Heâs not trying to stop you like before, heâs not snatching your things out of your hands so itâs all easy.
However, as surprised and relieved as you are that thereâs no fight. It was too easy indeed because the moment you turn around with the intention to walk out, the door is slammed shut and you hear a key turn before you hear something blocking the door. And since only one person was after you trying to stop you from leaving, you realize your revelation didnât affect Aemond the way you wanted it to. He didnât care in the grand scheme of things.
âAemond,â you call out with confusion and drop the bag to run to the door and try to open it, but itâs locked and youâre met by an overpowering force. âAemond?â You call out again desperately.
âIâŠhad an inkling you were never loyal to our side. Not until you found out the truth,â his voice travels through the wooden door. âYou always detested Aegon, and I always knew you had a blinding loyalty toward your mother, so as shocking as it is to hear you admit it, I expected it.â
You try to open the door again but when youâre met by the same force you tap the door with your palms. âThen just let me go. Aemond, please.â
Something presses against the surface on the other side before he speaks softer. âThat was in the past, It doesnât bother me all that much. What bothers meâŠwhat I cannot stand is you leaving, because if you leave and somethingâŠhappens when Iâm not there to help you Iâll lose youâŠâ he trails off and a thump hits the door. âI donât want to lose you.â
âAemond,â you whimper and drop your forehead against the door. âPlease, my love. Please donât lock me in here.â
âI will leave men here to make sure that nothing happens to you and make sure that you stay here. They will also guarantee that the witch brings you food and cleans what it is that needs cleaning while Iâm out okay?â He says through the door. âIâll return soon.â
Your eyebrows furrow. âWhere are you going?â You query.
Silence follows for a moment before he responds. âWeâre surrounded by traitors. Itâs time they pay the price, and once word reaches Rhaenyra of what is happening, Daemon will come to meet me so I stop burning their allies' lands. Thatâs when Iâll finally rid this world of my uncle's existence. We can win after that.â
âAemond,â you cry out as you shake your head against the door. âPlease, please donât do this. Please.â
You hear him sigh before he speaks quietly. âI love you. Thereâs no one I love or could ever love more than you. Itâs why Iâm doing this. Itâs for your own good.â
Tears slip out of your eyes while your chest clenches as you start to realize that nothing you say will change his mind. All the pleading will amount to nothing at this moment in time because he believes that what heâs saying is right. He believes that he is doing right by you.
But heâs only hurt you more, doesnât he see that? Doesnât he hear it in your desperate pleas?
âAemond,â you whimper.
Said man doesnât respond with words, his shadow lingers under the door frame before it departs as you hear his footsteps recede.
âAemond?!â You call out louder and pull your head away from the door. âAemond?!â You cry out with tears streaming down your cheeks. âAemond! Let me out! Let me out! Please! Let me out damn it!â
Yet no amount of shouts or desperation changes his mind. He leaves you trapped in your chambers. He leaves you alone in Harrenhal as he mounts Vhagar and ascends the skies without you.
.
.
.
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Tagged- @namelesslosers @stargaryenx @chainsawsangel @lauftivy @winxschester @cloudroomblog @llarue @padsdarlg @sofietargaryen @gracielikegrapes @dreaming-of-the-reality @itzelpeyton @patdsinner33 @mrsdominickstark @elaena-aerrin @todoroki-slut @snh96 @urmomsgirlfriend1 @nifujiswhore @sweethoneyblossom1 @kaetastic @lightdragonrayne @squidscottjeans @oh-you-mean-me @wallacewillow0773638 @icefrye19 @thescottpack @fiction-fanfic-reader @crazymusicgirl104 @r-3dlips @strangersunghoon @just-pure-trash @ethereal-athalia @missyviolet123 @callsignwidow @xunquish-blog @tabathastan @weepingfashionwritingplaid @answer-the-sirens
I want more people to know that while the Palestine Olympic team consists of only 8 athletes, at least 69 Palestinian Olympic athletes have been killed since October 2023. This includes athletes who were going to compete in these games and retired athletes such as Majed Abu Maraheel, the first Palestinian Olympian, who died of kidney failure in a refugee camp product of lack of medical treatment.
Remember them during these games.
I knew it đ
You guys are really gonna like chapter 18 of Moonlight, and the chapters that follow!!
How does tumblr feel about Primrose
(edit: some folks are asking if this is taxidermy. This is a real living dog, I promise)
please survive
Princess would do anything for her sweet auntie Helaena đđ
Hola đ
Iâm finally back again with memes and there still some in work in progress đ€
Princesses point of view:
She wouldnât even waste her time ranking that dornish c*nt đ€Ł
The princess is a true one đđ
She loves her sweet auntie sm đđ
This is literally themâšđ
And these ones are so canon đ
Okay Iâm going to finish the other ones byeeeđđđ
THE ONES WITH HELAENA đ MY BABIES
I literally forgot to put the question if Astraea sensed mc distress for Haelena, and thank for giving me the answer for it!!!!
Does Astraea actually has her own little bond with Haelena? Cause Iâve read the new chapter and Astraea came in to take Haelena and Alicent to safety when the riot was happening.
Did she feel Haelenaâs distress when she was flying by?
Then Haelena said she wanted to go thank Astraea for saving her and her mother and bringing them back to safety, after she was comforted by mc.
Is it possibly that Haelena and Astraea spend some time before the war happened? and Mc was just pregnant with Aerion so she wasnât allowed to go to the dragonpit cause it would be quite alright with the dragon smell, yk?
Also (I know Iâve already asked this question with all the dragons and I got my answer but you said that mcâs dragon has three besties dragon and only named two of them, I know it wouldnât be Sunfyre cause that is her golden man) is Dreamfyre besties with Astraea since sheâs Haelenaâs dragon and Haelena is kinda friends with Astraea.
Do they sometimes fly together without their riders just to enjoy some free time? Like in these gifs that Iâve created.
Astraea felt Mc distressed over Helaena, so Astraea went in search of her and protected her for Mc. (Iâm sure it explains it in the chapter, sorry if itâs not clear)
And helaena thanking Astraea, was just her wanting to just to thank her in general, you know? Thatâs it, just like a cute little interaction :) nothing special
And yeah I would say Astraea and Dreamfyre are friends, they spend time together when Dreamfyre is let out of the Dragonpit