#jace being shorter than luke >>>>>>

[bbygirl-aemond]

....tall luke truthers how we feeling rn

#“adult luke would still be a tiny uwu bean actually” tell that to elliot grihault baybie!!! #that's what good old PUBERTY does if you give a kid time to actually go through it lmao #jace being shorter than luke >>>>>> #the big little sibling dynamic makes me feral i love so much #elliot grihault #harry collett #lucerys velaryon #jacaerys velaryon #jacaerys strong #lucerys strong #jacaerys targaryen #lucerys targaryen #jacaerys #lucerys #jace #luke #luke strong #jace strong #luke targaryen #jace targaryen #luke velaryon #jace velaryon #hotd #house of the dragon

[house-strong]

— OUR LITTLE SECRET ʾ ⋆

summary ; requested by anon.

“hii i have an idea for a lucerys x fem reader !! where shes his betrothed and shes like a couples of years older than him??, also luke acting very shy bc of that.”

pairing ; lucerys velaryon x betrothed!reader

notes / warnings ; slight age gap mentioned. this was a little shorter than what i wanted but i didn’t want it to drag on,, viserys is also still alive and healthy,, hope u enjoy!

returning to court in king’s landing was something lucerys was never excited for.

his uncles, aemond and aegon targaryen, both had a shared hand in bullying the younger velaryon boy. despite having his brother jace with him at all times, it seemed that lucerys himself was always caught in a finicky situation. although his grandfather often berated aemond and aegon, it did little to help quell their hatred for their nephews, especially aemond.

however, this time, lucerys was betrothed to you and set to make public appearances before your marriage. you were originally supposed to be married off to aegon, but queen alicent ignored the wishes of her husband and instead, married aegon to his sister, helaena. whispers of calling your family ‘drunken cunts’ were rumored to have fallen from the lips of the queens mouth. though, it was only speculated.

in attempt to desperately repair an amend that was unraveling with each week that passed by, king viserys decreed that prince lucerys velaryon would take your place as your husband as prince jacaerys was already betrothed to his cousin. this was the right step in making repairs to the relationship between house targaryen and yours, as your family even agreed that it was far more suitable to marry the heir of driftmark than marrying a prince who held one of the farthest claims from the line of succession.

the only problem lucerys faced was the slight age gap between him and yourself. he always imagined himself to be with someone his age. you were older and more politically savvy; refined and pampered for royal court in ways that lucerys found intimidating. tales of your beauty and wit were never strangers to his ear which only added to the nerves that never seemed to go away.

perhaps a girl of nine-and-ten was a better match for a twenty year old man, rather than a boy shy of fifteen. however, lucerys did understand westerosi customs and gave no argument.

he’s well in thought whilst staring up at the ceiling of his private quarters. his ears are tuned to the hooting owl and the singing crickets outside the balcony adjacent to his bed. the breeze flits inside, ruffling the linen that allowed some privacy in the room. he sighs, hands clasped behind his head.

what could he do to dull this feeling of anxiety? this ceaseless dilemma of shyness that forever haunted his being like a phantom to a barren castle? he was so sure, since his life was full of constant worry, that he would be growing gray hairs like his uncle corlys. except, uncle corlys was shy of sixty and lucerys was barely a man. perhaps he’d grow fine lines like his beautiful aunt, rhaenys, or he’d grow the stern, brooding face of his father-in-law, daemon.

he wanted so desperately to be rid of the thoughts that ran marathons in his head.

a creak in the floorboards is quick to cease his torment; his mind going silent as the sound interrupts. he’s frozen in place what seems like, but he slowly removes his hands from behind his head. one hand searches blindly underneath his pillows, desperate to find the handle of the dagger.

“who goes there?” his voice sounds the least bit intimidating as the end of his sentence ends in a wavering voice crack. he curses himself, who would ever find him menacing?

there’s a warm, orange glow that appears at the bottom of the closed door; shadows dance in minuscule detail. the door opens with a soft croak and he noticed that it’s a woman covered in a shawl carrying the candlelit flame.

only when the figure comes closer and his eyes adjust to the light does he see who it is; it’s you.

“i didn’t mean to frighten you, my prince,” you say, voice bordering a whisper as you approach. lucerys’ hand abandons going for the dagger and instead, he props himself up on his elbows.

his face scrunches in mock offense, “frighten me? i wasn’t frightened. just curious, is all.”

with obviously ruffled feathers of his black hair and parted mouth with doe-like eyes, lucerys velaryon was the farthest thing from a good liar. instead of calling him out, you smile and move to light a few candles that decorated his bedside. soon, the entire room is filled with a mellow ambience. he sees your face more clearly and he’s almost left breathless.

“i don’t mean to sneak in here like a common cutthroat, but i was eager to meet my betrothed. i hope it’s not trouble?” lucerys can’t lie, your voice is like music to his ears. he feels himself sinking deeper and deeper with each word that flows beautifully from your tongue.

he almost doesn’t respond, “not at all, my lady.” he swallows the hardness in his throat and clutches his sheets in attempt to ease the wetness of his palms, “we’re to be wed.”

you sit at the edge of his bed, one foot propped up, dangling in the air while the other foot rests against the floor. you quietly set the candle your holding on his bedside table.

“indeed we are, i hope i don’t disappoint my prince?”

lucerys is almost offended for you by the notion. he’s quick to shake his head, “not at all, my lady. you are.. you’re everything i could hope for and more.”

you smile and duck your head at the compliment, hiding behind the shroud of your hair.

“can i confess something?” lucerys asks, releasing the grip he had on his sheets. he rubs his palms against his clothing and looks down while he fiddles with them. a soft ‘yes’ is heard in response and he takes a breath, releasing it slowly. “i must admit that i’m.. rather uncertain about this marriage.”

your brows furrow and you tilt your head, “how come, my prince?”

“lucerys, or– or luke,” he corrects. he blinks for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip tentatively. “you are.. my elder. i fear i won’t be as good to you as.. as aegon could be.”

aegon was the farthest thing to be compared to good. you supposed lucerys didn’t know, so you didn’t want to be the one to tell him about the rumors about his uncle.

you smile and reach for his hand, not minding the sweatiness that meets your skin, “have no fear, lucerys. i was once in your shoes,” you pause to take a thoughtful breath, “we all learn while we grow older. i can teach you some things too, if you’d like. there’s no shame in it.”

lucerys is thankful that you don’t share his same sentiment and also enjoys that you’ve offered to aid him. maybe he shouldn’t be so anxious about things. he gives you a sheepish smile.

“i’m glad you think that, my lady.”

“(y/n).” you’re quick to correct him, just as he had done to you just moments before. “if i know your name, it’s only fair you know mine.”

lucerys titters happily.

you’re first to beat lucerys at breaking the silence, “i fear it’s time for me to go, luke.” he likes the way you say his name. “before they start to miss me, perhaps i’ll see you again?”

lucerys catches himself blushing, “i would like that, (y/n).”

you lean forward and place a kiss on his cheek, wishing him a good night before grabbing the candle you originally came into his room with. you begin to sneak away, casting a glance over your shoulder to the princeling who was watching you get away.

you give him one more smile before opening his room door. you slink through the crack with practiced ease and disappear into the hallway.

#lucerys velaryon fic #lucerys velaryon imagine #lucerys velaryon x reader #lucerys velaryon #lucerys velaryon x you #hotd x reader #hotd fanfic #hotd fic #hotd imagine #my writing

[francesminos-tt]

I stumbled upon a post here saying Joff is Jacegan’s son, and I also know about a fic where Viserys is Lucemond’s love child, which make me think. A lot. How about a modern au where Joff is Jace and Cregan’s son, Aegon the younger is Rhaenyra and Daemon’s son where Viserys Jr is Luke and Aemond’s son. I am messing up some age gap here.

Please don’t take this too seriously. It’s just a quick crack post!

When Joffrey was born

Jace 20

Cregan 21

Luke 18

Aemond 23

Daeron 13

Jace gave birth to Joff when he was 20. It was totally unexpected, truly, he didn’t even realize he was pregnant until like 4 months in. He was still trying to figure out who he really wanted, Cregan or Sara. (It is Cregan. It is Cregan from the start. Even Sara knows it, if her speech at Jace and Cregan’s wedding is anything to go by.) Jace panicked all through his pregnancy, thinking himself a failure to be knocked up while still in college. He ceased that line of thought the moment he got little Joff in his arms. All is well after that. (Or maybe not, because Jace worked nonstop after Joff’s birth, trying to make up for all the missing school work and graduate in time. Cregan had to feed him real food. Humans can’t survive solely on energy drinks, obviously. One would expect someone smart as Jace, a leading debater at the school debate team, should know better. But alas. Fortunately Cregan was there to help, and he had no intention of ever leaving Jace’s side.)

Luke beats his big brother’s record by giving birth at 18. (19, Luke agues, his water broke when celebrating his 19th nameday, so technically he was 19 when Viserys Jr was born.) Unlike Jace, his pregnancy was a carefully constructed plan to baby trap Aemond. And it worked. Luke is very proud of himself. Aemond can play hard to get for all he likes, but Luke knows his scaring uncle has feelings for him. Or else who would stare at someone like Aemond does every time their extended family is forced to get together? When Luke learned Aemond would go to Citadel School of Business for a master’s degree next year, he knew he had to act quickly. He pulled some strings (black mailed Aegon, to be precise) to get Aemond’s schedule and successfully stumbled upon a drunk Aemond outside a shady bar. The rest is history. (Luke shared his pregnancy with his mother Rhaenyra, who was expecting her first child with her uncle Daemon. They made so many uncle fucking jokes that Jace had to flee the room out of sheer terror. Luke laughed until Aemond picked him up from the sofa to go get a scheduled ultrasound. Aegon the younger was born 3 months prior to Viserys Jr.)

Joffrey always feels like a big brother to Aegon the younger and Viserys Jr growing up, although he is only one year older than them. He takes after Jace, apparently, to care for the little ones, but he also inherited Cregan’s protectiveness toward his family. So when he sees Aegon and Viserys being bullied by some shitface, he rushes to their rescue. Joff took several punches, sure, but he also kicked one of the bullies on the balls. (Cregan is so proud. Jace, not so much at first, but after he learns Joff only gets in a fight to protect Aegon and Viserys, he gets Joff a Switch as reward.) Joff is at least a head shorter than the bullies, so he slowly loses his ground and is about to be shoved into a stinking pond when his knight in shining armor arrives. Daeron is on his way back from tennis training when he saves Joff from drowning in a stinking pond worse than the sewers. Joff spits out disgusting water and kicks Daeron on the shin. To his credit, Joff doesn’t need protection, he can fucking defend himself thank you very much. (Language! Jace shouts.) Years later, when Daeron nervously asks Joff to go on a date with him, Joff barely spares him a glance as he says yes. Daeron is more nervous than he goes to a Grand Slam Final. He can’t be blamed. He’s asking his great-nephew (Oh god that sounds wrong) 13 years his junior to go on a date with him.

Later at a family dinner

Cregan: Look I will allow you to date my son only if you get your tennis player buddies to sign the autograph- (Jace throwing him death glare) Never. I mean I will never let you defile my precious little Joffrey.

Daeron: Come to think of it, I am only 13 years older than Joff while uncle Daemon is like 16 years older than Rhaenyra. No offense, uncle Daemon.

Daemon (sipping wine, looking smug): None taken, kid.

Luke: I know I am not the best person to say this-

Aemond: You are not.

Luke: Shut up.

Aemond: Make me.

Rhaenyra (ignoring the gross sound of kissing in the background): Joff, dear, just remember to use protection. I have some condoms in my drawer that you may like. I believe they are coke flavor.

Jace: MUM!

Daeron: Thank you sister, but I don't think it will be necessary. I won’t even hold Joff’s hands until his 16th nameday.

Jace: YOU WANT TO HOLD MY SON’S HANDS???

Luke (finally breaks the kiss but still sits on Aemond’s lap): Now I feel like we are not the sickest couple in this family anymore.

Aemond: I can be sick.

Jace: THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION!!

Joff (stealing Daeron’s desert while frantically poking at his Switch. Damn that dragon is hard to defeat)

#aemond x lucerys #lucemond #house of the dragon #hotd #mpreg #jacegan #jacaerys velaryon #cregan x jace #daeron x joffrey #joffrey velaryon #joffron #crack

[madame-fear]

I've always had this headcanon where lucerys' young wife is a little taller than him😂 he'd get a little annoyed if someone (jace) teases him for being shorter than his wife but as they grow older together, luke gets a growth spurt and surpasses his young wife, eventually when he's in his late 20s he's about as big and burly as harwin strong was aahhhh ❤🥺😭 but he'd still have his kind look in his eyes, the type who would never hurt a fly, but is built like a mountain and can (and will) break some bones if anyone dares to hurt their loves

HSHSJJDJDDJ YESSS MY HEARTTT

I know he'd get totally teased for being a bit shorter than you. Mostly Jace would make fun of him, or ruffle his hair when Lucerys is standing by your side. Of course, seeing his reddened face at being humilliated by his brother in front of you never fails to make you giggle at him teasingly, and Hells, you'd even decide to tease him by yourself.

It's mere innocent fun, really. Just teasing him, and then you'd obviously place so many kisses on top of his head, and would fill him with so much love afterwards the little annoying moment.

With time, especially on his late teens, you'd suddenly realise that he... kind of towers you slightly, making you have to look up to talk to Luke, stare at him, and even tiptoe to kiss him. Obviously you'd notice that his body will also grow a bit big, making him seem less like a little skinny shy boy, and more like a full growing young man surpassing his wife's height. *sigh, heart eyes 🥰*

By the time he's on his late 20s, he will definitely be his father's resemblance. Another little Breakbones, big, tall, sturdy, and would definitely tease you back, still remembering how Jace and you used to tease him a little bit for being slightly shorter than you. Since you have to tiptoe to kiss him — struggling at times to do so because of his big boy size —, he'd lovingly take you on his arms and lift you from the ground playfully so you can place smooches all over his face, or would even throw you on his shoulder randomly jut for the mere fun of it.

Sweet boy would still be the same timid, quiet, loving babe he's always been. Complete sweetheart that treats everyone kindly and doesn't get in troubles. The perfect husband for you that would show you how much he deeply treasures you to no end, embracing you in tight cuddles.

But if you or someone he loves gets hurt? Oh no, he won't even flinch in making that person immediatly regret harming you or anyone else in any possible way. Would he take advantage of his height just to kick sone asses and break bones? Of fucking course he will. And even, people will slightly feel threatened by simply seeing how tall and sturdy he is.

But yes, his sweetness and lovely-ness would remain there forever, as always. 🥰 Though expect to be teased back by him if you ever tease him about having been slightly taller than him in your youth 🤭

♡ taglist : ♡

@jjamieberry@anemicroyalcore@countsmoon@tickle-euphoria@beeebo234@manuholland6@capellaadara@kyuupidwrites@tchatso@phantasyy @tasty-nutella @mstxdes @valeriecash @cookielovebooks-akie

#lucerys velaryon x reader #lucerys velaryon x you #lucerys velaryon imagine #prince lucerys x reader #lucerys strong x reader #lucerys targaryen x reader #hotd imagine #hotd x reader #hotd imagines #house of the dragon x reader #house of the dragon imagine

[targcrazies]

Moonless, Dark Night. Pt. 1

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x OC!Strong (half Targaryen) Words: 3.2k+ Warnings: Violence and Graphic Descriptions, Emotional Distress, Mature (ish) themes, Mentions of Self-Harm and Su*cide, Adult Language, Incest.

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

NOTE: I have written parts of this story before. However, I faced difficulty with linear storytelling. So, I'm trying something different. It will be shorter than I had originally planned, but better, perhaps. Hope you enjoy this. Let me know of any criticism you may or may not have, and I will surely appreciate knowing if you enjoy it. My Master's degree starts in less than a month, so I'd love to be done with this before that, lmao.

Have fun reading and thanks if you are!!

"Drip, drop, drip, drop.

Sansa listened carefully to ensure that no one had been following her. Her limbs trembled beneath her cape, her fingers frantic in the gloves. She knew well that her hair posed no threat, for it was not the silver of her husband’s. Yet, she had picked up the habit from her cousins, who shielded their silver manes whenever they desired concealment. In her eighteen years, she had never felt more like a Targaryen than she did then.

Drip, drip, drop, drip, drip, drop.

Part of her was relieved that only the droplets of water made the noises. She knew that Aemond kept her under relative scrutiny, especially since she refused him intimacy following the death of Lucerys Velaryon. “If you won’t let me near you, one of my white knights shall be here at all times.” However, he had forgotten her skills with crushed herbs and sedatives. Criston Cole had fallen gently to the ground beneath him. He was curled into a peaceful slumber, his chest heaved against the white that shielded him.

Verasys, her dragon, was kind. He was not impulsive, hot-blooded, or rash. He fed on what was given to him and only blew fire only on command. The beautiful dragon, with scales as violet as Sansa's eyes, breathed heavily in sleep when Sansa found him. Her lip trembled as she took out the keys to his steel chains. When she was done unlocking the beast, quite large for his age of only fifty-nine, she cooed him awake. He put his beak-like mouth under her chin, nuzzling gently.

“Verasys, my dear, you have to leave me behind,” she muttered in High Valyrian, tears making their way down her face like sweat. The dragon roared gently, but she shushed him. “If you stay back, they will make us commit the most heinous of crimes. They will make us kill our kin, our blood.” The dragon breathed out in anger through his nose, turning his face away, refusing to look at her. She walked to the other side, holding his face to hers. “You were born from the same clutch of eggs Syrax had sprouted from. Do you really want to fight your own sister, my dear?”

The dragon groaned in exasperation as Sansa began to weep. She used to rarely weep. “They killed my nephew,” she cried, uttering the word in relation to Lucerys- for what could have been well recognized- for the first time since the boy was born. She and Rhaenyra had made insinuations; her older half-brother, Harwin, would beam in glee whenever she played with Jace, looked after Luke, and tried to lull Joffrey to sleep.

She remembered the one time Jace addressed the abominable rumors of their bastardy to his mother, “I am a Targaryen through and through, like Sansa. Sansa also has black hair; no one calls her a bastard!” Rhaenyra laughed as she realized the concept of illegitimacy was lost on her young sons. She had explained eloquently that the black hair of the brothers was due to their grandmother, Rhaenys, whose mother was a Baratheon. “Sansa,” she gently pulled the girl closer to her, gripping her shoulders, “Has the black hair of the Strongs. She, just like the three of you, did not inherit the silver hair of the Targaryens from her mother.” Sansa’s heart leaped with joy. Many refused to acknowledge her mother’s Targaryen status due to her being a mere accident, something Prince Baelon regretted until his passing. Her grandmother, Viserra Targaryen, had intoxicated the Prince and done her deed when prancing around naked in his bedchamber did not work. Soon enough, she gave birth to their bastard, a pale-haired little girl she affectionately named Visenya as she passed. Visenya grew up in court, her older half-brothers being her only company.

When little Visenya turned seventeen, Widower Lyonel Strong joined the Red Keep with his sons. The man was fifteen years her senior, yet she was besotted by him. On her eighteenth birthday, she threw herself at her brother, the King’s feet, begging him to allow their union. Lord Strong, despite much hesitation, acquiesced, and the two were wed in a homely ceremony. Sansa was born after a stillborn, in 110 AD, a day after the birth of her husband, Aemond. It is said that Lady Strong had held onto her belly with one hand and supported the then Queen with the other as her Grace screamed and cried during her third labor. The moment the little boy’s cries were heard and he was laid onto his mother’s bosom, Lady Strong’s water gave way, and Sansa was born after a long, strenuous labor herself.

Lyonel was overjoyed, to say the least. His dear wife had named the child Sansa, a true name taken from the First Men. The King’s joy, however, was only second to his Hand’s. He held both the children in his arms. “They have the same eyes; it is uncanny,” he mused. “Aemond and Sansa. Must we betroth them, Lyonel?”

“If you insist, your Grace.” If it were some other time, Lyonel would have argued the futility of the said betrothal, how it built no new connections and produced no allies. However, at that moment, he was overcome with joy.

“They will make me kill my dearest Jace and my loveliest Joff, too, if we do not part. One day, perhaps, you will find your way to me again. Only when this has been dealt with. Until then, Verasys, you must be away. Fly, my boy, fly away.”

Verasys was not only her dragon; he also belonged to her mother. Her mother had passed shortly after the burning of Harrenhal, her frail health unable to bear the loss of her stepson, who was a dear friend, and her husband. Verasys was also one of the few belongings of her mother that had found their way to her.

She walked backward from the dragon. “Leave, my boy, fly away. This is your chance. Aegon has lost Riverlands entirely. What will follow next is the dance of the dragons. I want no part in it, and neither do you.”

The dragon looked at Sansa, his eyes glossing over her form. She shushed him again as he walked toward her, his mouth against her cheek. Verasys wiped away her tears, backed away from her, and gently flapped his wings. He was so gentle, so quiet, so sweet. Sansa knew that there would never be a dragon so calm, so very docile. Verasys isn’t one for war anyway, she told herself as she broke the chains with the dragonbone dagger that she received as a present on her wedding day from Aemond, despite knowing that Verasys could be resourceful upon need, could decimate anyone who could pose a threat to him or his Sansa. His protectiveness of even Aemond drew short, fluttered fires from Vhagar. It was Sansa who was not built for war.

-

THE NEXT MORNING was torturous. Aemond’s voice blasted through the entire Red Keep, his anger having scared away even the faultless birds. She stayed rooted in her chair, refusing to respond to his outburst. She refused to dignify his anger, she had done it enough before and had tired of it then.

“WHERE IS VERASYS? WHERE IS MY WIFE’S DRAGON? WHAT KIND OF TREACHERY IS THIS?” He refused to believe that the dragon left on his own accord, convinced that someone wilfully let him escape. “Why ask me? I am heartbroken by Verasys’s absence. How am I to know where he’s gone without me?” She spoke whenever inquired about the dragon’s absence. The Dowager Queen’s eyes shone like steel as she stared Sansa down. “Sansa, my sweet child, you mustn’t do anything that may put us at grave risk.”

“Your Grace, I do not know what you mean. Rather, I believe that what happened was for the best. Verasys wasn’t one for war. He’d have forfeited the moment Syrax would have flown near him. It is for the best, your Grace, that he left on his own accord.”

Aemond waited for his mother to depart before locking the gate of the chamber from the inside. “I do not know where your loyalties lie, my dear.”

“You accuse me of treason, my dear husband. That is unseemly and harsh of you.” Sansa trained her eyes on his, refusing to yield for fear of showing some weakness.

“I shan’t use that word, for what I assume to be treason is what you might consider loyalty.” He said, “I know of your regular consumption, Sansa. Or, I knew, I suppose.”

She knew what he meant, “I have never made a point for it to be discreet, dear husband. I am not giving birth to a child until this war has been dealt with.”

“War,” he spat, “This isn’t war; this is a defense against treason.” He sat down, facing her, knowing that another debate would ensue.

Her lips lifted in what he often called a “bitter smile.” Her anger and her sardonicism reflected in her gaze at once. “What’s defense and what’s treason here varies on perspective.”

“Aegon is the first-born son of my Father, your own uncle; he is the rightful heir.”

“The boy Uncle never once even mentioned as his heir? I won’t argue with you on who the rightful heir is. I just want you to remember that no “faction” is truly in the right here. None.” She hated herself for the partial lie she told, but she had to stay safe. Rhaenyra was her rightful Queen; she will always be. Her nephews, acknowledged by Laenor Velaryon, are her trueborn sons and her rightful successors. Her heart broke at the memory of Lucerys, at the thought of his beautiful face eaten in half.

“Why must you speak like a…” he lowered his voice and leaned closer to her face, “…a traitor?”

“You accuse me of treason again, my husband.”

“I only note the precarious implication of your rebuttals. This is no game, Sansa; this is-”

“Oh, yes, this is war. What do I, a woman, know of war? What an irony, given it is a woman you all are fighting against!”

Aemond sat back, his lips sealed tight. “I never said that dirty thing; you know it was Cole who said so.”

“And you associate yourself so closely with him, disregarding the harmful notions he poses.” She posited, “Being a freethinker, as you claim to be–”

“Oh dear wife, I believe we both can agree that you and I do not see eye to eye on something this grave. Yet, we choose to stay together, love each other. He is only a servant, as his duty is to serve.” His hand on the table had closed in a tight fist, “Let’s not argue the futility of unmatched opinions when you and I have plenty.” He mentioned 'love' in hopes of seeing her eyes soften, in hopes of irking something in her heart that once held his gaze in utmost adoration. The warmth had gone, the love was nowhere. When he looked into her eyes, he only felt cold, so unloved that it scared him.

“We do not.” Sansa was gritting her teeth by then, “You had once told me that were you to become King, you would want your eldest child to inherit the throne, be it a girl or a boy. That is a belief that could threaten Aegon and his lackeys against your support toward the throne, against me. We were never as shortsighted as our family here.”

“Sansa, my dear, do you not realize that Rhaenyra is not one of us?”

“She was never meant to be the enemy,” Sansa spoke quietly, almost under her breath, her hand covering her mouth coyly, “This is pure conspiracy succeeding over conciliation.”

There was a time, Aemond thought, when debates would lead them to bed and they’d make love. Things had changed. Lucerys’s death had left her incapacitated to feel any love toward him, even though he had emphatically repeated– like a prayer– that he never meant to kill him.

Every time he recalled having, tearfully and apologetically, informed her of the accident at the Rook's Nest; his body broke down to his knees.

“It matters little what you intended. What does matter here is what you have caused. Husband, you have waged war against Rhaenyra, against Uncle Daemon. May the Seven protect us all.” She spoke through venomous, angry tears, spitting all over him, “Uncle will never forgive this.” She had shaken her head with untenable vigour, walking away from him in pure dread, “And why should he? Would YOU have forgiven this? We deserve to burn. Poor Luke, oh poor, poor Luke. My dear ne- my Luke!”

When Aemond stepped closer to her, despite her backing away, wringing his hands, “I did not kill any of his children; they’re untouched, unharmed.” Her laughter echoed as a shriek, “You know him so little, it is dangerous to not know the man you have waged war against. You foolish, foolish man.”

He tried to hold her, fall to her feet, cry his apologies if that could calm her. She refused to even touch him, almost throwing herself out the window to evade him. He had a feeling, an instinctual irk, that she would deal with the news worse than anybody at the Red Keep. The Dowager Queen and the Hand chastised him for having murdered kin; Aegon had little to say but how conflicts such as these- almost always and without fail- produced corpses, and Helaena had blamed Aemond for procuring the most ominous out of thin air. Sansa, however, was ardently, hopelessly, fiercely grieving.

She, unlike her husband, remembered their days during childhood as happier times. Joffrey was too little and Helaena was always consumed in her own interests. The five of them used to play, practice sword-fighting, and have lessons together. After Rhaenyra left for Dragonstone, Sansa visited them on dragonback, every once in a while. She attended tourneys and had been beside Rhaenyra in all her birthings, except for the one where she had lost her little girl, her little Visenya. Sansa had grieved the death of a child not even half alive, crying and praying for the wellbeing of the soul in silence. Luke was so real; he was fourteen, a boy with his own likes and dislikes, his own quirks.

Before he knew it, she had begun to yell out the window, “Verasys, Verasys, come to me, Verasys. Take me away from this warmongering, foolish beast!” Aemond could have ripped his heart open, and it would have hurt less.

“Sansa, my love, what are you doing-” he could hear the dragon flapping his wings hard against the air; the dragon had broken the chains off himself to fly to Sansa, to respond to her cries.

“If you step any closer, I will JUMP from here, I will.” The Dowager Queen and the Hand were banging on their gate, pleading Aemond and Sansa to let them in. “I want to see none of you. I want to apologize to Rhaenyra, if my DEATH shall appease her, I will let her have it. Don’t you dare come closer, for I WILL JUMP!” Aemond did not dare stop her when she mounted the dragon and took off, barely secured in her place. The thought of her jumping to her death at his touch made his skin crawl, he found himself within he could hurt himself so bad that she'd love him again.

She returned two days later, having calmed down significantly. She handed them a treaty Rhaenyra had sent with her. They had the following demands:

Aemond the Kinslayer shall be excommunicated to Essos. Whether his wife, Lady Sansa Strong, decides to stay at the Red Keep or leave with him is up to her.

Ser Otto Hightower, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Prince Aegon, and Princess Helaena, alongside Lord Jaehaerys, Lord Maelor, and Lady Jaehaera, shall depart for Oldtown within a fortnight.

The Red Keep, the Crown of Iron and Rubies of Aegon the Conqueror, and Blackfyre should all be returned to the rightful Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm.

Refusing any of these claims, the scroll dictated, would lead to war. Aegon laughed, instructing that the scroll be thrown in the hearth.

The Dowager Queen had turned red upon reading the clauses, the Hand looked betrayed. “Have they reduced you to a raven?” Aegon asked, staring at his sisters-in-law, his cousin, in sheer disbelief.

“I did what I could for a mother who has lost her son. This is the least I could do. I have not agreed to these clauses, I only brought the scroll here.”

“Were you aware of the content of the scroll?” The Hand enquired, his voice and face both frightfully calm and cold.

“No, I was not. I was merely requested to hand this scroll to the Hand of the King.” Her eyes were transfixed straight ahead, staring nowhere, yet focused.

“How did you spend the last two days on Dragonstone?” Aemond was sitting on one of the steps to the Iron Throne, closer to the ground. Aegon now sat on the throne, Sansa grimaced at the thought of it alone. Aemond, on the other hand, had worried himself to death, having been advised against flying to Dragonstone himself, especially after word arrived right away that she was alright and needed time to sort out the demise of Lucerys Velaryon. That his arrival at Dragonstone will be equivalent to his waging direct warfare. Thus, when he finally spoke, his question sounded more like concern than an interrogation, so unlike the rest.

“We grieved, your Grace.” Her lilac eyes stared dead into his, her face contorting, ever so slightly, in disgust. Anyone who doesn’t know her well would not even notice. He was not one of them, unfortunately. He could have wept; he almost did. He felt like he had lost her forever. However much love, respect, and admiration she once had for him was gone.

It had been a week since, and she had somehow regained normalcy. While she was still cold, biting, uninviting; she was calmer, considerate even. She allowed no intimacy– something he hadn’t let his mother and grandsire know– because if it weren’t for the origin of her birth and her status as his wife, she’d have long been beheaded as a traitor. Her dragon having left did little to acquit her to his family. It was odd that she barely attempted to clear herself of any suspicion. It was almost as if she took the special treatment for granted. He’d have to remind himself every time he felt angry at her indifference that she was only half a Strong. Her grandparents were children of Jaehaerys and Alysanne, and she was just as much a Targaryen as he was, if only not for her hair. The futility of such comparison was jarring, for she looked like a Targaryen through and through. She and Rhaenys Targaryen were similar in that sense; both fiery dragonriders with hair as dark as a cloudy, moonless night and eyes startlingly lilac.

He snapped himself out of his derailed trail of thoughts to find his wife by the window, watering the plant that she had brought back with her from Dragonstone. “Will you never admit, out loud, that I accidentally killed your nephew?”

She did not pause, did not look back, “You will not entrap me in your web of deceits, husband.” She could have scratched his other eye out, to avenge her nephew, but she chose not to. Oftentimes, those days, she’d have the urge to tell him that he was a petty, shallow half-man for never having gotten over the loss of an eye. People get through so much worse. But, she stopped herself. Every single time.

#game of thrones #hotd fanfic #house of the dragon fanfic #aemond x fem!reader #aemond targaryen smut #aemond targaryen x oc #aemond targaryen imagines #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x cousin!reader #aemond targaryen x strong!reader #aemond x reader

[apricia]

For ever by your side / Aemond Targaryen x reader // Part XI

Chapter 11 - Announced engagements and heated tempers

Evening came far too quickly, and with it dinner, after the king had so urgently requested. All his family members gathered at one table. Alyssa had considered placing bets on how many severed limbs would follow. After all, that wasn't unusual for her family, considering the late Ser Vaemond.

Alyssa had held her breath when she saw the dress she was supposed to wear tonight. She didn't know if it was a gift from the Queen or Princess Rhaenyra, but it didn't matter. It was beautiful and Alyssa wanted to wear it immediately. Helaena's mysterious words had come back to her when she saw the dress: her heart is blue.

She thought sadly of her engagement. Her heart would probably never turn green, at least not if she believed Helaena's words. So her uncle wouldn't be right if he believed that she and Aemond would have a happy marriage.

To be honest, Alyssa hadn't gotten used to the idea of marrying Aemond this week. She still hadn't realized what had happened this afternoon. What that meant to her.

She would move back to King's Landing, live here in the red keep again. Together with her husband. A hysterical laugh escaped her at the thought. She would definitely need wine tonight, lots of it.

Alyssa nervously ran her hands over the blue fabric of the dress. The color reminded her of sapphires. The corsage was tight to her body and the neckline was lower than she was used to. The sleeves were made of a sheer, wide fabric that gathered again tightly at the wrists. The dress billowed around her hips and ran into a full skirt that swayed with every step. The dress was not made of the heavy fabrics customary at court. It was light and silky and Alyssa could move easily in it. The skirt offered enough room to attach her holster to her thigh, where a dagger was hidden. If there was any debauchery tonight, at least she wouldn't be unarmed.

She entered the dining room with Baela and Rhaena. Everyone was already assembled except for the king. She saw Rhaenyra and Daemon nod at them and Alyssa followed her sisters to them. Luke and Jace stood together and whispered.

Alyssa lifted her head and looked over at her cousins. Aegon and Aemond stood together, the older one already holding a mug of wine. His words were still floating around in Alyssa's mind and she looked away. Blush spread to her cheeks. She didn't want to think about Aemond in the company of some faceless whore. Certainly not today, not the day she'd been engaged to him. Actually never. 

Alyssa wanted to say hello to Helaena, but she was standing too close to her brothers and Alyssa hadn't drunk enough courage for the conversation. 

She smiled at Luke and Jace and put a hand on the latter's arm. She felt like she was being watched, and when Alyssa looked up, she saw Aemond staring at her. Not her, actually, but the hand that rested on Jace's arm. Alyssa wanted to pull her hand away, but stubborn as she was, she kept it there. He had no right to claim any ownership. 

Two chairs were set up on each of the shorter sides of the table. On the longer side, five stood on one side, that's where the king would sit, facing them were four more chairs. Alyssa wanted to sit in one of the chairs, directly across from Princess Rhaenyra, who was already seated.

„No my dear“, said the queen. „You will sit between Helaena and Aemond this evening. It was a wish of her and honestly it would fill my heart with joy if I would see you two girls together. And given the new circumstances, your place may be at your fiancé's side.“  Queen Alicent smiled brightly at Alyssa und pointed to a seat at one side of the large table. It was the green side, obviously. 

„Of course, my queen“, Alyssa murmured. She felt tension take hold of her. She could not denied Alicent any wishes, even if that would meant to sit next to Aemond for a hole evening. Her fingernails dug into her palms. Right where the scars were still visible. They were a bit faded, but nothing more. 

She slowly walked to the other side of the table. Alyssa felt like this was her way to the gallows when it was just a harmless dinner.

Aegon and Aemond looked at her and Alyssa swallowed. She saw the smirk on Aegon's face while Aemond just looked at her. She couldn't tell for sure what he was thinking. But he eyed her dress with interest.

When the king was carried into the room, everyone went to their places. Aemond pulled Alyssa's chair back and looked at her expectantly. She sat down without looking at him and allowed him to push her to the table before taking a seat next to her. Since when was he such a gentleman?

The tension in her didn't ease. Especially since she felt Aemond's eyes on her. She looked stubbornly straight and met the worried eyes of her sister Rhaena. She smiled encouragingly at Alyssa and the sight of her sister helped Alyssa breathe.

"I didn't expect you to wear that dress," Aemond whispered next to her.

Alyssa forced a look at him. "Why shouldn't I wear it? It's gorgeous." She was tired of always wearing black and red.

Aemond's mouth twitched. "Because I had it made. I didn't think you would accept a gift from me so willingly."

Alyssa gave him a startled look and looked down at herself. "That's from you?"

He nodded. "And it suits you perfectly. You look beautiful."

Alyssa blushed and immediately looked away. She bit the inside of her cheek. "Thank you," she managed to say. "For the dress." She wouldn't say thank you for the compliment, she would just pretend he hadn't said it.

"Always a pleasure," Aemond said and Alyssa heard the amusement in his voice.

He shouldn't be charming. Let alone be nice to her. Why couldn't he be the ass he was six years ago when he'd been throwing all those mean things at her? That would somehow make it easier for her because she wouldn't run the risk of losing her heart to him. Not again. The Aemond before the incident and the Aemond sitting next to her now were far more dangerous to her heart.

The table grew quiet and everyone looked at the king expectantly. He looked exhausted. Even more exhausted than before. The day must have been very tiring for him. Alyssa was concerned.

"How good it is.. to see you all tonight..together." The king looked around. His gaze rested on Alyssa and Aemond a bit longer. He seemed pleased to see them side by side. Alyssa smiled tentatively at her uncle and he nodded at her.

"Prayer before we begin?" asked the queen

"Yes."

Alyssa wasn't used to praying before a meal. They never did that on Dragonstone. There were no false idols and stars hanging from the ceiling either. She wanted to laugh out loud when she thought of Otto Hightower wanting to marry her to Aemond in the light of the seven. That she didn't laugh! Before that, she would rain blood and fire on the sept!

Alyssa clasped her hands but didn't close her eyes like the Queen's family members did. A sideways glance told her that Aemond had closed his eyes. Did he now believe more in the Seven than in the gods of Velyria? 

"May the mother smile down in this gathering with love. May the smith mend the bonds that have been broken for far too long. And to Vaemond Velaryon, may the gods give him rest."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow in astonishment, she looked at Daemon's amused face and rolled her eyes. One did not laugh at the dead. Daemon just didn't know decency!

The prayer was over and Alyssa wasn't sure what the point of it was when half of those present didn't even believe in the seven.

"This is an occasion for celebration, it seems," the king continued. He sounded strained, as if those few words were consuming all of his strength. "My grandsons, Jace and Luke, will marry their cousins, Baela and Rhaena, further strengthening the bond between our houses."

Alyssa smiled at her sisters, who seemed happy with the engagement. The Velaryon boys also seemed content. Alyssa was sure that these marriages would be harmonious, filled with love and respect.

"Also contributing to this is the engagement between my son, Aemond, and my niece, Alyssa. Childhood friends are becoming spouses."

Alyssa felt countless eyes on her. Daemon seemed anything but satisfied, Rhaenyra looked concerned, as did her sisters. Luke and Jace looked annoyed. Aegon seemed amused. Alicent and Helaena smiled at her. Helaena even put her hand on the table and held it out to Alyssa. She grabbed her friend's hand and squeezed it.

She didn't dare look at Aemond. Just couldn't manage to meet his gaze even though she knew he was looking at her.

"A toast to the young princes and their betrothed", the king ended his speech.

"Hear, hear," agreed Daemon. "I still can't believe that one of my daughters is going to marry this cunt," he murmured the last sentence into his mug, but Alyssa and probably everyone else - apart from King Viserys - understood his words.

Alyssa spat the wine she had already drunk back into her mug and looked at Daemon wide-eyed. She did look over at Aemond when she sensed his anger. Like fire on her skin. She prayed to every god she could think of that he wouldn't do anything stupid. That he was more in control than Daemon.

Alyssa put a hand on his arm.

Aemond whirled at her in surprise. He looked at her silently and Alyssa shook her head pleadingly. He nodded as a sign that he would ignore his uncle's words. For now at least.

Aemond might have been in control, his brother was less so. He leaned towards Jace and even though his voice was muffled, Alyssa could hear every word.

"Well done, Jace. You'll finally get to lie with a woman."

Alyssa closed her eyes and shook her head. "He didn't just say that," she whispered.

"Yes he did," Aemond mumbled next to her and he too shook his head at his brother.

"Let us toast as well Prince Lucerys, the future Lord of the Tides," the king continued, apparently oblivious to the teasing at the table.

Alyssa grabbed her mug and raised it to toast her stepbrother. She didn't think it was right for Luke to become driftmark's heir, but ultimately he couldn't do anything about the circumstances of his conception. He couldn't be blamed for that.

Alyssa noticed the loving eye contact between Luke and Rhaena.

"You'll be great," her sister said to him, and Alyssa felt a pang in her heart. Was she jealous of the affection Rhaena and Luke shared? Nonsense!

She looked at Aemond, who was just raising his mug to his lips. He seemed anything but pleased. He glared at Luke over the rim of his glass. Even after all this time, he still seemed to harbor a grudge against the boy who had taken his eye.

Alyssa had already withdrawn her hand, which she regretted at that moment. She wanted to calm him down, maybe even give him comfort, but she kept her hands to herself. She wasn't ready for that yet.

"You do know how the act is done, I assume? At least in principle? Where to put your cock and all that," Aegon was asking Jace.

"Let it be, cousin," Baela murmured at the same moment Alyssa said, "Aegon, stop that."

Her cousin spun around to face her. "I'm not worried about you, dear cousin. My brother knows how to do it."

Alyssa gaped at him, unable to reply. He was referring to their conversation from yesterday. Alyssa pressed her fingernails into her palms. "Aegon," Aemond hissed in warning next to her, but Aegon ignored him. "I'm concerned about little Jace here. He doesn't look like he knows how to please a woman."

"By the gods," Alyssa murmured and closed her eyes. She clenched her jaws and was about to pour the contents of her mug over Aegon's head.

To her own surprise, it was now Aemond who put a hand over Alyssa's. She looked at him startled. "Just don't listen to him." That was easier than said. Especially for him. He probably wasn't imagining doing it with a whore either. But Alyssa was downright plagued by these images.

Jace didn't seem amused by Aegon's words either. "You can play the jester if you wish, but hold you tongue before my betrothed."

Aegon grunted in agreement, but the grin hadn't left his face.

The king banged his cane on the ground, drawing all eyes on him. He struggled to his feet and Alyssa already thought he was going to collapse. Like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"It both gladdens my heart and fills my with sorrow to see these faces around the table. The faces most dear to me in all the world yet grown so distant from each other in the years that past."

Alyssa looked at the king's words to Aemond, who turned to her at the same moment. They looked at each other without saying a word. There was a distance between them that was difficult to bridge.

The king fumbled with the clasp of his golden mask until he managed to remove it. Alyssa caught her breath at the sight of him. Her uncle was missing his right eye, the skin was translucent and she could see the exposed flesh.

"My own face is no longer a handsome one, if indeed it ever was. But tonight I wish you to see me as I am. Not just a king, but your father, your brother, your husband and your grandsire and uncle. Who may not, it seems, walk for much longer among you."

Alyssa felt tears welling up in her eyes and she put a hand over her heart. She couldn't bear to see Viserys like this. It hurt her heart and she dreaded the day when he would breathe his last.

She felt Aemond move beside her even before she felt a touch on her thigh. He had one hand resting there, gently stroking her leg. As a sign that he was there for her.

Alyssa didn't know what to make of his gesture, but she couldn't bring herself to push him away. His touch was good and it felt right.

"Let us no longer hold ill feelings on our hearts. The crown cannot stand strong if the House of the Dragon remains divided. But set aside your grievances. If not for the sake of the crown, than for the sake of this old man who loves you all so dearly."

Her uncle's words moved Alyssa, reaching something in her heart. She didn't think about it as she placed a hand over Aemond's that was resting on her thigh. She didn't even look over at him. However, felt the warmth of his skin beneath her fingers and heard him take a deep breath.

Alyssa closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy Aemond's touch for a moment. To enjoy his presence as if nothing had ever happened between them.

Princess Rhaenyra rose and reached for her mug. "I wish to raise my cup to Her Grace, the Queen. I love my father, but I must admit that no one has stood more loyally by his side than his good wife. She has tended to him with unfailing devotion, love and honor . And for that she has my gratitude and my apology."

Alyssa stared from princess to queen. She had to agree with Rhaenyra's words. The royal couple's marriage was not one of love, at least not in the way Daemon and Rhaenyra's was. Alicent hadn't chosen the king but had done what was asked of her. But she had performed that duty with dignity and honor. Alyssa bit the inside of her cheek. Could she do that too?

"Your graciousness moves me deeply, Princess. We're both mothers and we love our children," Alicent glanced at Aemond and Alyssa and smiled at them. Alyssa returned the queen's smile. "We have more in common than we sometimes allow. I raise my cup to you and to your house. You will make a fine queen."

Alyssa raised her mug to her lips and drank. After the Queen's speech, the mood in the room was tense, almost depressing.

Alyssa looked at her sister Baela, who was fiddling with her hairdo. Two clamps had come loose and some strands fell wildly in her face. She cursed softly.

"Let me help you," Alyssa said quietly. She clasped Aemond's hand and placed it on the table before standing. She felt his questioning look on her. She gave him a shy smile before walking over to Baela.

"Thank you," Baela whispered as Alyssa helped her reattach the strands to the back of her head. She loved her sisters curly hair.

Then Aegon got up and came over to them. He picked up the wine decanter that was on the table between Jace and Baela. As he looked at Alyssa, he grinned.

"I regret the disappointment you are soon to suffer," he said to Baela and poured himself more wine. "But if you ever wish to know what it is to be well satisfied, all you have to do is aks."

Alyssa rolled her eyes. "Like you know how to please a woman. Your whores moan on command and Helaena doesn't look too happy."

Agon looked at her in equal parts angry and amused. "I would make you the same offer, but I don't want to get in my brother's way."

"How very generous of you, Aegon."

He leaned in and kissed Alyssa on the cheek. "For you always."

Jace slammed both fists on the table and jumped out of his seat. Aemond also slammed his wine mug down on the table when he saw his brother kiss Alyssa on the cheek. But it got lost in Jace's demeanor.

Alyssa had straightened Baela's hair and was now staring at Jace in horror. Aegon grinned at her and raised his hands defensively as if he were innocence personified. He sat back down in his seat.

"Jace," Baela admonished and Alyssa also looked at her stepbrother and shook her head. "He's not worth it, Jace." She put a hand on his arm before walking back to her seat. It was only then that she realized how tense Aemond was. How angry he was at Jace. Her fiancé also stood up as Alyssa approached him. She looked at him questioningly, but Aemond ignored her.

Everyone present looked back and forth between Jace and Aemond in irritation. Alyssa didn't quite know what to do. She tugged at Aemond's sleeve, trying to force him to sit back down.

He looked down at her, but stayed where he was.

Jace playfully punched Aegon on the shoulder before raising his mug. He grinned at Aegon and then at Aemond. "To prince Aegon and Prince Aemond. We have not seen each other in years, but I have fond memories of our shared youth. And as men, I hope we may yet be friends and allies. To you and your family's good health, dear uncles."

The cups were raised and Alyssa breathed a sigh of relief when Aegon said "To you as well" and left it at that.

Only Aemond continued to stand, scowling at his nephew.

"Aemond," Alyssa whispered softly, tugging on his sleeve again. "Sit down, please. No drama tonight, I beg you."

He looked down at her. Suddenly there was something like warmth in his eyes and he nodded. He sat down again but grabbed Alyssa's hand and held her tight. Was that the price of not going after Jace? If so, Alyssa was happy to pay it.

Then Helaena got up beside her. "I would like to toast to Baela and Rhaena. They will be married soon. It isn't so bad. Mostly he just ignores you except sometimes when he's drunk."

Alyssa looked at her cousin in astonishment but couldn't help but laugh. "Well that's a great prospect for married life, who doesn't look forward to it," she murmured.

She felt Aemond squeeze her hand and looked at her. "Ours will not be like that." She hadn't expected such words, but she didn't know what to say in reply either.

"And a toast to my dear cousin, Alyssa. You're finally becoming part of the family and my sister."

Alyssa looked at Helaena and a lump formed in her throat. She stood up, letting go of Aemond's hand and hugging her friend. "Thank you," she whispered in Helaena's ear.

They broke apart and Alyssa met Alicent's gaze. She had a hand on her heart and was smiling at the two girls. Tears glistened in her eyes.

Alyssa smiled at the queen and sat back down, but didn't let go of Helaena's hand. Maybe being Aemond's wife wouldn't be so bad. At least that way she would be able to spend time with Helaena again and with Alicent.

"Let us have some music", the king demanded and immediately the musicians began to play.

Her cousin had managed to lighten the mood in the room, even though it probably wasn't Helaena's intention. Nevertheless, her friendly and kind-hearted manner manages to make everything better.

The music was upbeat and exuberant, and Alyssa felt her tension slowly release. Perhaps the evening would not turn out to be as disastrous as she had feared. Everyone present still had their limbs and no one was seriously offended. She prayed it would stay that way.

Jace got up and came around the table. He asked Helaena to dance, who looked surprised but accepted the offer. Alyssa found her stepbrother's gesture very kind, as she doubted Aegon would ask his wife to dance, and her cousin deserved some frolic and joy. Jace was just a gentelman through and through.

"Why are you grinning like that?" Aemond then asked softly. Alyssa hadn't noticed him scooting closer to her.

"I love to see Helaena happy."

"Hmm," Aemond agreed and she saw him eyeing your sister and his nephew suspiciously.

"And I'm glad he didn't ask me to dance."

Aemond whirled on her, one eyebrow raised. "How come?"

"Dancing is not one of my strengths."

"But fighting on the Stepstones does? Can you tell me what you were thinking?"

Alyssa looked at him confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Do I have to tell you how dangerous this is?"

Alyssa chuckled. "Be careful Aemond, otherwise one could assume that you are worried about me."

"Because maybe I am. You're way too inconsiderate sometimes."

Alyssa's eyes narrowed at his words. "Don't pretend you know me. You know absolutely nothing about me."

Aemond looked at her, shaking his head. "It may be years since we met, but you're still the same, Alyssa. I know you, probably better than anyone in this room."

She clutched the fabric of the dress and clenched her teeth. He shouldn't say that. He wasn't allowed to say that.

Aemond sighed when he saw her tense posture. "It's time we moved on. I may not know all facets of you anymore, but I should get to know her as your fiancé."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow. "Oh, should you? Here's the first lesson: I hate being patronized. How I spend my free time, whether fighting on the Stepstones or dancing naked in the gardens, is none of your business."

Aemond looked at her, blinking in confusion. But then the corners of his mouth turned up. "Dancing naked in the gardens? Is that some kind of fetish?"

Alyssa's cheeks flushed and she bit her lower lip. "That was just an example. I don't dance naked through any gardens."

"That would have surprised me too. Or is that the reason why you don't want to dance now? Is the dress in your way?"

Her face got even hotter if possible and she swallowed hard. "You know very well that I didn't mean it like that."

Aemond looked amused and Alyssa couldn't remember the last time she saw him like that. Certainly not since her arrival. "So if I asked you to dance, would you--?"

"Say no? I just told you that dancing is not one of my strengths. I will hardly do it voluntarily. Especially not with you."

Aemond leaned forward further, his fingers trailing over the rim of his mug. "And why not with me? I'm your fiancé, by the time we get married we'll have to dance together."

Alyssa's expression hardened. "I'm planning on getting a strain or a sprained ankle by then that will prevent any dancing, so don't worry."

Aemond chuckled. "I missed your fire."

"Do not say that."

"Why not?"

"Just don't do it. We may be engaged, but things are certainly not going well between us, Aemond. And I'm not going to pretend otherwise." She just couldn't. Not when she thought of all the pain and tears she'd had because of him. It would be a betrayal  to herself to just forgive him or act like nothing happened.

The smile faded from Aemond's face and he nodded haltingly. "Understand."

"Good." She wanted to get along with him, for her own sake and for a halfway happy future, but she wouldn't make it easy for him. Not if he didn't do anything to earn it.

Aemond's grip on the mug tightened and a hard pull was around his mouth.

"Dance with us, Aly," came Helaena's voice and she waved her cousin over.

Alyssa forced a smile. "No, I'd rather not do that."

"Come on, Alyssa. You can't always shy away from any dance," Jace teased.

How she hated him in that moment. She sighed heavily. "Would you believe me if I said I had a sprained foot?" she asked her stepbrother.

"No, I wouldn't, so come here."

"Hmm, that's a pity. Then I guess I have no other choice." She rose, ran her fingers down her dress, and joined Jace and Helaena. They both offered her a hand, which Alyssa took. She hated dancing. Even if it resembled a sword fight in some way, she didn't like the strange sequence of steps. She lacked the steel in her hands.

For a brief moment, Alyssa enjoyed the company of her entire family, she even enjoyed dancing with Jace and Helaena, even though she was clumsy and had even stepped on Jace's foot twice. She always acted like it was on purpose. Most of the time she felt Aemond's eyes on her, but she couldn't tell what kind of looks they were. Jealousy? Grudge? Fury?

But then the king was taken back to his chambers. He didn't look well, exhausted and weak. 

The happy mood was cut short when Aemond jumped up, slammed his fist on the table and raised his mug. Alyssa looked at him startled. His violent reaction was unexpected.

„Final tribute," Aemond began and Alyssa suspected that this speech would not end well. The music stopped and Alyssa, Jace and Helaena finished their dance. All eyes in the room were on Aemond, who was staring down at Luke.

"To the health of my nephews: Jace," Aemond looked at Jace, his gaze gliding briefly to Alyssa who was standing close to her stepbrother. A frown spread across Aemond's face, but that was nothing to the cold anger as he averted his gaze and looked at Luke. "Luke and Joffrey."

Alyssa didn't know what Aemond was up to or why he was doing what he was doing, but automatically she moved closer to him. Aemond's sudden anger had to have a reason and she knew why when she saw the pig lying on the table in front of him. She looked over at Luke, then back at Aemond. She remembered all too well the situation six years ago when Aemond had been teased by his brother and nephews.

"Each of them handsome, wise.." Aemond cocked his head as if trying to think about his words. 

Don't say it, please don't say it, thought Alyssa's mind. But their wishes were not answered.

"Strong," Aemond finished. Alyssa closed her eyes and shook her head. So much for no drama tonight.

"Aemond," the queen said warningly, but her son ignored her.

"Come, let us drain our cups to these three strong boys."

Aegon chuckled and immediately raised his mug. While Alyssa approached Aemond and gave him a warning look. "What's that about?" she hissed at him.

Jace was immediately behind Alyssa, she could feel the anger emanating from him. "I dare you say that again." Alyssa put a hand on Jace's chest and put her hand back.

Aemond squinted at the gesture. "Why? 'Twas only a compliment. Do you not think yourself strong?" Aemond asked provocatively and Alyssa stared at him in horror. Why did he have to say that? Why today? Why in front of all these people?

Aemond stepped towards Jace and Alyssa immediately blocked his path, but she heard the angry growl of Jace behind her, who now rushed towards Aemond. Aemond pulled Alyssa aside and Jace's fist immediately hit his face.

Alyssa cried out in horror. "Jace! Stop this instant!"

Luke got up as well, going to help an older brother, but he was grabbed by Aegon, who slammed his face into the table with full force.

Aemond hardly seemed to feel his nephew's punch, he laughed and stepped towards Jace and shoved him to the ground with a single hand.

Alyssa turned to Ageon and pulled him away from Luke. "Find someone in your regards, Ageon." She stood between Aegon and Luke, knowing that the younger didn't stand a chance against Aegon. Not that Jace could hold his own against Aemond, but the two men were still far enough apart.

That was when the guards stepped in. But the boys were already in a rage, Jace scrambled to his feet and made to charge at Aemond again, but Alyssa stood in his way.

"Stop it, everyone! It's enough now! Six years have passed and nothing has changed, that's incredible!" With a sad expression on her face, she shook her head and looked at each of the four boys. "Pull yourself together, dammit." 

Luke wiped his face with his hand and looked at her blankly. "He called us-"

"I heard what he said, Luke,“ Alyssa interrupted him immediately.  „We all have. Get over it." 

Luke's eyes widened in surprise. "Get over it? I can't believe you're still defending him."

"I had just defended you! Or do I need to remind you of pulling Aegon away from you?"

Luke glared at her and shook his head. "But-"

„No buts, Luke."

Aegon laughed beside her. "Are you attached to Alyssa's skirts now, little one?"

She spun on Aegon and glared at her cousin angrily. "I said enough, Aegon. Just shut up. And you two," she looked at Jace and Aemond. "Sit back down and behave like the princes you are." They all acted like spoiled little brats, not like princes, and certainly not like grown men. It was just ridiculous!

Jace lifted his chin and stared at Aemond. "Not until Aemond has taken back his words."

Aemond chuckled. "And why should I do that, nephew?"

"Aemond," Alyssa said warningly. "Enough is enough."

They stared at each other, then he looked away but nodded.

"No," Jace said through clenched teeth. "He can't say that without consequences."

"Jace, let it be." It wasn't like he could challenge Aemond to single combat to restore his honor. Aemond had told the truth and nothing would change that. It wasn't wise of him, let alone appropriate, that's be true.

"You're on his side, after all this time, you're still taking his side." Alyssa looked at Luke who glared at her angrily. "No matter what he does or says, you stand by him. I don't understand it. Even after what he said to you back then. And now you will marry him.“ 

"Luke," Alyssa said in a warning tone.

But Luke had already talked himself into a rage, he was filled with anger, incomprehension and probably also shame. "He drove you away with his words and yet you're defending him."

The queen intervened and looked from one to the other. "What does he mean? What words were said?" Her gaze found Alyssa's, then the queen looked at her son. She wanted an explanation.

Alyssa looked away from the queen and looked at Luke instead. Her hands clenched into fists. „Nothing, Luke didn't want to say anything.."

He glared at her, she could see that he was considering his next words or actions. But his anger won. "Aemond called Alyssa a bastard and a whore on the day he lost his eye."

Silence. Suddenly there was an oppressive silence in the room.

"He.. what?" The horror was visible on Alicent's face and she stared from Alyssa to her son. Disbelief, disappointment, incomprehension. All of this was visible on the Queen's face.

Luke laughed bitterly. "Then he wished her dead."

Alyssa's face went pale. She felt all eyes in the room on her. None of the adults had known what had happened back then on Driftmark. What mean words Aemond had said to her. Now they knew.

"It's good not to be the disappointing son for once." Aegon looked at his brother, a sad grin spread across his face.

Alicent could only stare at her son, she was stunned. That was not how she had raised Aemond. She had never believed that he had thrown those things at Alyssa. She believed that things had been said or done in the childish skirmish that had divided them. But she hadn't expected this. These were not words for harmless banter.

"And now this little piece of shit is going to marry her, I can't believe it," Daemon muttered angrily.

A dangerous silence fell over the room and Alyssa didn't know what to do. Run, run, run. A voice in her head seemed to urge her to just storm out of the room. Just like she had done back then. Running away and not facing up to what happened. But she was no longer a little girl who just ran away. She was a grown woman now. So she arched her back and lifted her chin.

"What's done is done. And he was right. My mother was a whore,  so I'm a bastard. Let's put it aside." She pressed her fingernails into the palms of her hands. Left crescent-shaped imprints there. She looked up and met Alicent's eyes. The queen looked at her sadly, Alyssa could even see tears in the older woman's eyes. Alyssa gave her a smile. "It's okay. It's been a long time."

An angry cry erupted. "Then it's okay that he wished you dead?"

Alyssa sighed heavily. "No, Luke, it's not. But unlike you, I don't make a scene. You want to be the next Lord of the Tides, then act like it.“

Jace stepped forward. "You agreed to marry him, Alyssa. It's not okay for him to talk to you like that." 

"We all have our responsibilities, Jace. Let it go."

"No, I won't," Jace closed the distance between them and placed a hand on her forearm.

Before Alyssa could react,  she was pulled away from Jace. She met with a hard chest and looked up at Aemond in astonishment. He had one arm wrapped around her waist as if to protect her from Jace.

"Touch her again and next time I'll make sure you don't get up again, Lord Strong.“

Jace and Aemond glared at each other angrily. Alyssa broke free of Aemond's grip and took a step away from him. "Aemond will learn to fulfill his duties as well. And I call it irony that he will now marry a bastard and a whore's daughter. Perhaps this is his punishment for the things he said." Alyssa looked at Aemond, who met her gaze. He looked like she had slapped him in the face. 

Then she looked at Aegon, who grabbed his mug and downed the contents. Baela and Rhaena stood on the other side of the room, clinging to each other. Daemon now stood between Jace and Aemond, stopping them from attacking each other again. Princess Rhaenyra stood behind her husband, hand cupped protectively over the curve of her stomach.

"I'm afraid this dinner is over. With your permission, Your Majesty, I would retire now." She would not forget who she was. How to behave in the presence of the Queen. Aemond and Jace might have forgotten that, as did Aegon and Luke. But not her.

Alicent looked at her wide-eyed, coming around the table toward her. "Alyssa-" There was concern in her eyes, compassion. But Alyssa didn't want any of it. "I'm fine. It's been a long day and I'd like to go to bed, if you'll allow me."

Alicent looked like she wanted to contradict her. As if wanting to straighten out the situation and set things right about what her son had done or said, the queen forced a smile and nodded. "Of course, child. Rest and sleep well. We'll talk tomorrow."

Alyssa nodded, but she knew she wouldn't want to discuss the subject with the Queen tomorrow either. She had always suspected that Aemond hadn't told his mother any details. That Alicent didn't know what really happened back then. And who should have told her? Aegon and Helaena hadn't been there. Only Aemond could have told her the truth, but didn't.

"Good night, my queen," Alyssa said stiffly, turning away. She found herself eye to eye with Aemond looking at her.

He towered over her, but she saw concern in his eyes. Saw the regret.

Say something, she wanted to yell at him. Finally apologize!

But Aemond did nothing.

"Who's the coward here?" she asked him sadly, walking past him.

"Alyssa", she heard his voice, but she didn't turn around.

___________________________

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#aemond targaryen imagine #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen x reader #house of the dragon fanfiction #house of dragon fanfiction #aemond targaryen one eye house of the dragon house of the dragon fan fiction

[avonne-writes]

everybody thinking Lucerys is the one blessed with the Valyrian gene of men being able ti reproduce (bc he was tiny at 14, but he’s long since hit a growth spurt) and he’s overtly cautious, whenever aemond tops they always use condoms (throw cation to the wind when Luke goes though, it’s not like aemond can get pregnant, right? He has none of the typical features that would be attributed to somebody with the gene-)

that is until aemond presents Lucerys with a positive pregnancy test and perhaps the scariest scowl on earth…Luke should be terrified but he’s kinda excited! he didn’t have the gene! aemond did !

aemond pregnancy cravings though? that’s what terrifies everybody. he’s moody now…jsut see what he’s like in a few months.

Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing it. 💕

Imagine Luke coming home to a completely dark flat. He finds Aemond curled up in the bedroom. Thinking it's the same sickness that has been plaguing Aemond in the past few weeks, Luke sits down behind him and strokes his arm.

"Is it your stomach again? Are you nauseous?"

Aemond barks an accusing laugh. Suddenly, he jumps up and storms out of the bedroom to the kitchen, where he opens the fridge. Luke follows him warily and asks what’s wrong.

"I saw a doctor today." Aemond says while pulling out a jar of pickles and some peanut butter.

Luke begins to worry. Aemond has been throwing up almost non-stop in the past month, what if it’s something serious? When he peers at Aemond’s face more closely, he sees that his eye is red-rimmed and his cheeks seem pinker than their usual pale colour.

"What did they say?" He swallows, putting a comforting hand on Aemond's back. He tries to ignore the mournful way Aemond devours a pickle with a spoonful of peanut butter.

"Do you remember the night after we went to the movies?"

"Of course."

How could Luke forget? It was a warm summer night, and Aemond's kisses were sticky-sweet and loving. They savoured every moment as they undressed each other and stroked their hands over bare skin. Luke asked to top, and Aemond, pliant and drunk on affection, let him do it without a condom. Why would they need one when Aemond couldn’t get -

Luke freezes. "What?"

Aemond takes a few steps away, fists clenched, then grabs an envelope from the counter and slams it down in front of Luke, next to the massacred pickles. Luke’s hands are trembling as he opens it - it can’t be that Aemond inherited the gene, right?

What falls out of the envelope is a series of ultrasound pictures. Black and grey globs that don't make any sense to Luke, shapeless smudges... and letters that swim in front of his eyes as though he forgot how to read.

"What?" He croaks again, looking up at Aemond with a pounding heart and a sense of elation that starts to rise in his chest like a tide.

"What do you think?!" Aemond snaps, face getting redder in rage. "You knocked me up!"

Luke gapes, glancing at the images again. "Baby B?"

Aemond pinches the bridge of his nose and bursts into tears that he struggles to swallow. "It's fucking twins."

"Oh my God." Luke's lips split into a smile. He raises his eyes to grin at Aemond but finds him turned away, standing by the window and taking unsteady breaths. It's a sobering sight. Luke remembers how scared Jace was when Cregan got him pregnant, and those two had actually planned the baby. And he and Aemond got a two in one deal!

"Hey. It's okay. We're gonna figure it out." Luke says gently as he approaches Aemond and wraps his arms around his waist.

He’s shorter than Aemond, but not too short to rest his chin on Aemond's shoulder and rock him from side to side. At first, Aemond refuses to move with him, but Luke has always been stubborn and eventually manages to melt the ice. He thinks of those grey little globs, somewhere under his palms, and his heart swells.

"We’re getting married tomorrow." Aemond mutters, voice rough as gravel.

Luke doesn't tell him that's literally impossible, just smiles into Aemond's neck. "Does that mean you're keeping them?"

"You’re an idiot." Aemond growls. "And don't think I won't fuck you while your spawn is in me. This doesn’t change anything."

Luke chuckles. "How about you show me it doesn’t?"

Aemond twists around in his arms, then gives Luke a biting kiss. He tastes like peanut butter, but Luke doesn’t mind. "Bedroom. Now."

-----

Then, of course, everyone is scared of Aemond's pregnancy mood swings as you said, but they're all in for a surprise because Aemond is utterly mellow in his pregnancy until the very last stages. He’s calm, content and agreeable. Luke wants to keep him pregnant forever. It's only a few weeks before his due date that he gets unbearably angry at even the slightest inconvenience.

#lucemond #aemond targaryen #lucerys velaryon #mpreg-au #anon #thank you for the ask! #my writing

[sunfyresrider]

Romeo & Juliet AU

Part 1

Synopsis: Two households, Targaryen and Velaryon, both alike in dignity in Westeros, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes. A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose piteous misadventures buries their parents' strife. 

pairing: Jacaerys Velaryon x Reader warnings: kissingg and mutual simping word count: 6k + note: I used a mix of Westeroi, modern English, and Shakespearean language so I hope it's still an ok read. I never realized how fast paced it was until I read the screenplay and scripts, so this is a shorter series than others.

ACT I

It was excruciatingly hot, even at eight o’clock. King’s Landing was coming to life: people poured out of the houses and filled the streets while market traders set up their stalls in the grand piazza. It was an excellent place for business of those who lived and worked in the rich houses that lined King’s Landing’s main square. The Targaryen mansion was by far the largest – filled with servants and king’s guard, always buzzing with activity. 

Lately, Jacaerys had been faithfully ignoring his dear brother due to a recent heartache. Lucerys had carefully planned out today how he was going to catch him off guard and bless him with good tidings. Lucerys strolled slowly behind his brother and down the street. “Hi.” he spoke as he got near to Jacaerys, his tiding was ignored. 

Lucerys ran in front of Jace and bent his head to catch his brother’s eye. “Good morrow.” Jacaerys pretended not to see him. Lucerys wrapped an arm around his elder brother so he could ignore him no longer. “Good morrow,” Lucerys sang. 

Jacaerys sighed a long, mournful sigh. “Is the day so young?” Lucerys walked in unison with him carefully studying his face. “Only just past eight.” He sighed again, “how slow time goes when you’re depressed.” Luke raised a brow, “What sadness plagues you that makes time drag so?” Jace rolled his eyes, “not having what I need to make it go fast.” Luke gasped, “not in love…!” His brother stopped walking, “no, out… Out of the favor of the girl I love.”

“Oh my,” Lucerys whispered, attempting not to giggle. “It’s a hard life. Love, tis’ such a gentle thing, yet so rough when it comes down to it.” Luke did not know much of love, but he knew this was just another crush that failed to come to fruition. His elder brother was quite talented at being overly dramatic. “Tis’ true,” muttered Jacaerys. 

The youngest brother was struggling to hold his composure as he listened to his brother's woes. Jacaerys shook his head sadly. “The world is filled with hate… I’m thinking only about love. Oh, everything feels upside down.” Jacaerys ears perked up when he heard a hushed giggle behind him. He whipped his head around and looked sharply at Lucerys. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Would I do that, dear brother o’ mine,” jested Lucerys. “You make me want to cry.” The elder brother grew tense, “Why?” Luke patted his back, “because you’re so pathetic it’s saddening.” Jace scoffed, “It’s love that makes me pathetic, but don’t give it another thought.” His eyelids slowly began to brim with tears. “If you start feeling sorry for me it’ll only make things worse… So go home.”

“Be serious right now. Tell me who has caused such despair.” Jacaerys pouted like a child, “I won’t dare speak her name… but she is a girl.” Lucerys made his best attempt to not tease “Oh. well done,” remarked Lucerys. “I assumed that when you said you were in love.” His elder brother smiled to himself reminiscing on his memory of her, “Her name is Baela and she’s beautiful.” That she was her skin glistened with the oil she used to soften it. Her dark eyes glistened brighter than any star and her lips were plush and red like the most beautiful rose. Luke was growing bored and mildly annoyed. “Good for you.”

Jacaerys plucked a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at his eyes. “She’s not interested in boys says she never will be. When our eyes meet, she looks the other way…. I’ve even offered her coin, Lucerys, coins!” The younger brother sighed, “Well. She’s determined not to have a man.”

“Oh Gods,” Jacaerys groaned. “She’s so beautiful, Lucerys. And she’ll go through life alone and when she dies all beauty will die with her. She says she’ll never love anyone, so I’m destined for a living death.” Luke could bear no more of the self-pity, he grasped Jacaerys’s wrist. “If you trust me, I can tell you how to forget her.”

“Impossible… Tell me how.’ Jacaerys stopped crying and lifted his eyebrows. His eyes were as bright as the sun gleaming above them.  “Easy task,” exclaimed Lucerys. “Get out and about. Look at other girls.” Jace’s joy melted away and he nearly let out a sob, “It’s no use… Whenever I see a girl from now on, I’ll only think of one who is even more beautiful.” Luke chuckled to himself, “I’m taking that as a challenge, I’ll sort it out, don’t you worry big boy.”

-

It was high past noon when little Luke returned with a grand plan to free his brother from wallowing in sorrow. After a deal was made with their less than adequate cousin a plan had been hatched. He rushed through the humming streets and slammed the door open to their lush apartments. “Aha!’ shouted Lucerys announcing his arrival. “We have just gotten invited to the most lavish party, dear brother. We have finally made our way into a Targaryen affair!” 

Jacaerys leapt from his seat and rushed over to where his young brother stood. “Who shall be in attendance?” Luke waved his ticket proudly, “Your dear Baela, among some of the finest girls in King’s Landing. Let us go to Targaryen’s party, Jacaerys.” He shoved the ticket into his brother's hand. “I’ll show you that the girl you think is a swan is nothing more than a crow.”

“A girl more beautiful than Baela?” His eyes widened before they dulled once more, “never. The sun’s never seen a more beautiful woman since the world began.” Luke wanted to vomit, he had heard enough of this, “Rubbish! Every time you’ve seen her she’s been on her own. You need to make comparisons and I bet there’ll be hundreds of girls who’ll put Baela in the shade.” Jacaerys thought to himself for a long while, clearly he believed his brother but refused to admit it. “Alright, I’ll go,” spoke Jacaerys. “But not because I think you can show me anyone better. I’m going only so that I can see her.”

-

Lady Targaryen came into the sitting room where her daughter’s nurse was sewing a pattern onto a handkerchief. She gazed around the room before speaking. “Where’s that child o’ mine? I wish to speak to her.” The nurse stood from her place on the settee, “Ladybird!” she called. “My little lamb! Where are you child? Y/N!”

“Coming,” a soft voice called, and you came running in from the adjoining room. The surprise on her face was evident when she saw her mother. Lady Targaryen was so busy as of late she rarely had time to visit you. “Mother! What do you want?”

“We need to discuss a private matter,’ spoke Lady Targaryen. It was a private demand for the nurse to leave. Thus, the nurse got up reluctantly, but before she reached the door, Lady Targaryen called her back. “You might as well stay,” she sighed. “Your advice would be helpful.” Lady Targaryen cleared her throat. “Y/N’s getting to the age when…” She frowned, searching for the right word. “Let’s just say she’s at a pretty age. She’s going to be fourteen in two weeks.”

“Oh yes,” exclaimed your Nurse. “On Maiden’s Day she’ll be fourteen. She was the same age as my Susan when she died, God rest her soul. Anyway, on Maiden’s Day she’ll be fourteen. I remember it so well: it’s eleven years since the earthquake…” She took no notice of the impatient tapping of Lady Targaryen’s fingers on the table, nor the glances you were giving her to cease her gabbering. “And you stop dead now too, please, Nurse,” you pleaded.

“I swear I have finished.” The Nurse bowed her head. She tenderly gazed upon your face before opening her trap once more. “But I must say it. You were the most beautiful baby I ever nursed. If I could live to see you married, I’d die peacefully.” Your mother, Lady Rhaenyra Targaryen grinned, “Married… That’s just what I’ve come to talk about!” She clapped her hands together and motioned for you to sit on her lap and so you did. Though she now shifted under your weight unlike when you were young. “Little lamb, what do you think about getting married?’

“I’ve never even thought about it,’ you sighed. You knew where this conversation was headed. “Well give it a thought now, girls younger than you are already mothers. As a matter of fact, I was your mother when I was much the age you are now… The Count of Casterly Rock wishes to marry you.”

The Nurse clapped her hands together. “Now there’s a man, the perfect man.” Rhaenyra smiled, “The best in King’s Landing.” Your nurse’s voice reeked of excitement, “without doubt.” Your mother ran a finger through your hair.  “Well? Do you think you could love him?’ You had no clue to say. It was too unexpected and far too soon. The idea of marriage, especially to an older man did not suit your fancy. You had heard nothing but bad things about the Lannisters. They were greedy and too ambitious to trust. “You’ll see him at the party, take a good look at him. He has sound prospects and many riches.” 

You felt all the joy you once had for this evening being slowly drained away with every word she spoke. Riches and prospects… you did not care much for those either. “Come on, what do you think? Do you like the idea?” You knew a simple no would not suffice. You spoke carefully, “I shall look at him but I’m not going to rush or do anything that I haven’t thought about.”

A knock at the door caught both of your attention. One of your father’s servants came in, “Madam, the guests are starting to arrive. My master wants you.” Lady Targaryen stood up and brushed off her skirts. “I have to go, come on Y/N, the Count’s waiting.” You glanced back at your nurse praying for aid, “Go and meet your love.” The nurse was no help after all, traitor. 

-

Jacaerys was impatiently tapping his foot. “Are we going to make some excuse for coming? Or shall we just go in and see what happens?” The three boys stood in the piazza, watching the huge front door of Targaryen’s mansion open. Aegon, the one with the invitation, and Jacaerys’s best friend, sat on the ground. He was making it clear that he was the only one to have been invited and the other two were stowaways. The reason for his invitation was that he was a Targaryen too.

Lucerys was the first to stand up and speak. “Speeches are out. No-one makes speeches when they arrive anymore. We’ll just go in and pretend we belong. Tough luck if they don’t like us.” Jace nodded, there was no need to draw attention to themselves. He sighed, “Give me the torch, Aegon. I’ll carry it: I’m not going to dance.” Aegon rolled his eyes, “seven hells… No, you're dancing. That’s the entire point.”

Jacaerys sat down beside his friend and relinquished his hold of the torch. “Come on kid, lovers are always in the mood for dancing.” He wrapped his arm around Jace’s shoulder. “Not me. It’s because of love that I’m not in the mood.” Aegon laughed, he did not have the same restraint as Luke. “What a fuss about nothing.”  Lucerys hid his face as he chuckled. “So now you laugh at me?” He was offended to say the least. Of course, a scoundrel like Aegon could never understand love. He was too in love with himself to feel the agony Jace did. “You don’t know what it’s like until you’ve felt it. It hurts like hell.”

Aegon groaned, “It'll stop hurting once you’re inside. Hand me a mask, Aemond.” The other three boys gathered around him. “Now as soon as we’re in let’s all get down to some serious business.” Lucerys declared in the most serious voice he could manage. Jacaerys was reluctant, “I know we mean no harm and all, but I don’t think it’s very bright to go to this party.”

Aegon furrowed his brows in confusion. “Why?” The eldest boy sighed once again, “I had a dream last night.” His ears were filled with a symphony of groans from his friends. 

“If we don’t get a move on, all the food will be gone by the time we get there.” Aemond spoke quickly as he bounced on his feet. Jacaerys glanced at the door and realized there was a hoard of people going through the doors. “I have a strong premonition that something’s going to happen tonight. I feel it’s going to end in my having to repay a debt with my life.”

“Pray tell, when did you become a dragon dreamer?” Aemond raised his brows at him. The boys glanced at each other once last time and threw their heads up in laughter. Fools, Jacaerys realized he was surrounded by jesters. He shrugged, “Alright then, off we go.”

-

The servants were running rampant trying to clean up after the dinner and prepare for the dancing. A few bumped in Jacaerys’s shoulder causing him to become more annoyed at being here. There was no joy to be found here unless it was with Baela. 

They stood off to the side as Lord Targaryen walked upon a raised floor and waved to the crowd.  “Welcome, gentlemen. Once there was a time when I could wear a mask and charm a girl by whispering a story in her ear. No more, no more, no more. If you aren’t old like me, all the ladies who aren’t suffering from corns on their feet will dance with you. Ha ha! My ladies, now which of you will refuse to dance now? If any of you acts shyly, I’ll swear she has corns. Come, musicians, play. Make room in the hall! Make room! Dance, girls.” Jacaerys realized again at that moment his family’s greatest foe was a fool. 

You didn’t arrive early, nor did you arrive right on time. Lady Targaryen decided to arrive late to make an entrance and that you did. For a second all eyes were on you and the more than revealing evening gown you were forced to wear, twas not to your liking. Your father, Lord Daemon Targaryen had already begun making a spectacle of himself atop the hall.

Your nerves ached as you stared at the crowd in front of you. Instead of listening to your mother speak about how you need to charm your way into the Lannister’s heart you slipped away into the crowd. The guests took kindly to you and gladly swung you around as they danced. If you ever were filled with sorrow, dancing was sure to ease that pain. 

Jacaerys noticed you too late, you were already dancing with other people. He had never laid eyes upon such a beautiful maiden in his entire life. Thus, his agony from earlier melted away and soon became long forgotten. He leaned over to Aegon, “Who is that girl on the arm of that man over there?” 

“I do not know. Perhaps a cousin o’ mine by the hue of her hair.” Jace’s heart raced as you glanced over to him before quickly being spun the other way. “She teaches the torches to burn bright! Her beauty is too precious for this world like a white dove in a flock of crows, she surpasses all the other women. When this dance ends, I’ll note where she stands, and then I’ll touch her hand and bless my ugly one. Did I ever love anyone before this moment? Renounce that love, my eyes! I never saw true beauty until this night.” Aegon looked at his friend and began laughing to himself. “By the Gods, you are pathetic.” 

You finished your dance quickly and bid the lord good night. The room was quickly becoming suffocatingly cramped so you moved to a pillar by the back wall. You watched the crowd sway in a trance-like state until you heard a voice from behind. The masked boy gently took your hand in his, “If I offend you by touching your holy hand with my own unworthy one, like two blushing smallfolk, then my lips stand ready to smooth my rough touch with a gentle kiss.” 

Even though he wore a mask you could see his handsome features underneath. You couldn’t help but blush, “you are unfair to your hand. Your hand shows proper devotion by touching mine, just as smallfolks reach out to touch the hands of septas. Holding palm to palm is like a smallfolk’s kiss.” Jacaerys squeezed your hand, “Don’t septas have lips? And smallfolk, too?” 

Quickly your cheeks became heated... was he flirting with you? Your face blessed his eyes with a smile, “Yes, smallfolk lips they’re supposed to use to pray.” His eyes were soft, and his smile warms your heart. “Oh septa, let lips do what hands do: pray. Grant my prayer or my faith will turn to despair.” Your heart beats with excitement, “Septas don’t move, though they do grant prayers.” He leaned in slowly and his voice turned into a hushed whisper, “then remain still while I pray.” 

Your lips touched in the gentlest embrace. You weren’t sure what had driven you to behave like this, but something drove you to him. Mayhaps it was the poetry he used to lure you in that drove you to madness. “Thus, your lips have cleaned the sin from mine.” 

You gazed at his charming smile, “Tis’ my lips that have the sin they took from yours.” He pulled your hand to his chest and studied your features, “Sin from my lips? How you goad me on to another crime. Give me back my sin.” It was impossible to resist the taste of affection he granted you. You leaned into his lips, “You kiss as if you’ve studied how.” 

Your lips touched once more, this time you basked in their subtle warmth and tender flesh. You tasted sweet, like strawberries freshly picked from the garden. There was never a more perfect being than you, Jacaerys thought. 

“Y/N, your mother needs to speak with you.” Your nurse’s voice immediately caused you to pull away. Jacaerys watched you walk away, and curiosity took over his newly healed heart, “What is that girl’s name, nurse?” 

“Y/N Targaryen, daughter of the good lady Rhaenyra Targaryen.” Jacaerys stood frozen at her words. What a price I’ve paid, I’ve fallen for the enemy, he thought. Love must be a monster to make him love his worst enemy. 

-

Jacaerys couldn’t stand to leave the Targaryen property until he laid eyes upon you one last time. His heart had been trapped here — nowhere else. Besides, he knew what would happen on the way home. His friends would jest at his expense, and he could frankly live without that. They would go on about Baela. Baela? Who was Baela again?

“Jacaerys! Hey Jacaerys!” The boys walked faster than he thought. He hopped behind a stone wall as they quickly approached where he was hiding. “Brother! Where art thou hiding?” Aegon began drunkenly shouting, “Ja-cae-rys! Ja-Ja-Ja-cae-rys!”

In a quick attempt to escape he climbed atop the wall and laid flat as they walked below him. Aemond, the tall lad, nearly saw him. “He’s run off home to avoid us,” Jace listened intently to Luke’s voice. “He’ll be in bed by now.” Aemond turned in in a circle and stood on his toes trying to peer over the wall. “No, I swear I just saw him a moment ago. I’ll bet he climbed over this orchard wall.”

“He’s vanished like a ghost… Let’s see if I can conjure him up.” Jacaerys lay, trying not to make a peep, listening to their drunken giggling. They huddled in a circle until Aegon emerged and began proudly shouting. “I conjure thee, Jacaerys Velaryon, in the name of Baela’s bright eyes!” Aegon spoke in the formal tone of a priest. “By her plush lips. And her round bum.”

Lucerys and Aemond burst out into a fit of giggles. “And quivering thighs! And everything else in that region!” Aegon held a hand in the air, “appear to us! Appear to us in the likeness of… of… yourself!” Lucerys slapped a hand over his mouth, “If he hears you, he’ll be furious.”

“Raising him in the name of his beloved would make him furious? That sounds fair to me,” Aegon placed his hands on his hips. “Let us waste no more time,” spoke Aemond when he had stopped laughing. “Since love is blind, leave him in the dark.” Aegon sighed, “oh well. Goodnight to Jacaerys” Lucerys raised his hands in defeat. “I’m going to bed. You’ll never find someone who doesn’t want to be found.”

-

He was stuck atop the wall he climbed onto. The moon illuminated the dark part of the world he was trapped in. On one side was the orchard and the overwhelmingly large Targaryen mansion. On the other was the alley his friends escaped through. He stared at the mansion and began wondering to himself. You were in there. What were you doing? Were you thinking about him? Have your thoughts been consumed by him as his thoughts had been consumed by you. 

A single window lit up and it reminded him so much of the sun. You were his sun and so much more beautiful than the moon. A goddess of the morning, you were. The gods granted his prayers as you opened the doors to your balcony and walked out. It’s my love, he whispered to himself. 

Jacaerys wished you could see him sitting there, mayhaps it would be less creepy. You were talking but he couldn’t hear it. Surely, it wasn’t about him. As he stared at you his head was whirling with thoughts. How could someone be so beautiful, like two of the most radiant stars left the sky and told you to take their place. Your eyes shined so brightly in the heavens that you would believe it was daytime. 

He watched you place your hand on your cheek and nearly fainted. Oh, how he wished to be a glove on your hand so he could touch that cheek. Jacaerys decided he had to get closer, he jumped off the wall and landed on his feet. He crept through the orchard until he was below your window barely hidden by a tree. 

You sighed as you watched the stars paint the night sky. Your mind had been overcome with thoughts of the boy from before. You spoke out loud to yourself to ease your heart. “Jacaerys, Jacaerys, why must you be a Velaryon.” He wanted to reveal himself but chose to stay still and listen. 

“It’s only your name that’s my enemy… If you loved me, I could take yours.” You paused and wondered about the strife between your families.  “What is a “Velaryon”? Tis’ not a hand nor foot, nor arm or face. What’s in a name anyway? The dragon we call Balerion would still breathe fire no matter its name. Whatever name Jacaerys had would make no difference: he would still be perfect.” 

Jace couldn’t handle it anymore. He leapt from behind the bush and lifted his arms. “I’ll take you at your word, just call me ‘love’ and that will be my new name,” he proclaimed. 

You stumbled back, it was shocking to hear someone out there. You couldn’t recognize the voice at all. “Who’s out there? Coming here, watching me and eavesdropping like this?” He sighed, “I can’t tell you my name since you hate it so.” The voice was familiar, you leaned over the balcony, excitement lacing your voice. “Is it Jacaerys? Jacaerys Velaryon?” 

“Neither” he said, “Since you dislike both names.” You glanced at him, “How and why did you come here? This place is dangerous, considering who you are. If any of my family finds you here your life may be forfeit.” He smiled back at you, “I climbed over the wall with the strength your love bestowed upon me. Do not fret for my safety, your eyes are more powerful than twenty of their swords. Just give me one look and I’ll be invincible.” 

“Who told you where to find me?” Jacaerys found it impossible to be serious. “Love told me. I’m no navigator, but even if you were living in Asshai I would find my way to you.”

Your cheeks flushed slightly, “It’s a good thing it’s dark or you would see me blushing… Do you love me?” Jacaerys opened his mouth to respond but you kept rambling on. “Oh Jacaerys, if you do love me, please tell me honestly… Or if you think I’m too fast tell me, and I’ll put on an act and be coy and play hard to get. I’m so in love with you: that’s why I’m being so forward. I should have been all shy, I know, and would have if you hadn’t overheard my real feelings. So, forgive me.”

He rushed to speak, “I swear by the moon…” You leaned over the balcony, “don’t swear by the moon! The moon’s too changeable.” Jacaerys’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What shall I swear by?”

“Swear by yourself and I’ll believe you. No, don’t swear. Although I love you, I don’t like this – making commitments like this. It’s too sudden, too fast. It’s not a good idea.” Jacaerys couldn’t understand what you were doing at all. You said you loved him and now you’re saying it’s not a good idea? He couldn’t let this be. “Are you just going to leave it like that?” 

You sighed, “What more could we do tonight?” He paused to think. “Make faithful vows of love.” It was high past your bedtime, and you could hear your nurse calling from the other room. You couldn’t just leave him so quickly after you said all of that. “Just a few more words and I must leave, dear Jacaerys. If you really mean it, and you want to marry me, send me a message tomorrow. I’ll send someone to you, and you’ll tell them where and what time you’ve arranged a wedding.”

You leant over the balcony and reached out towards Jacaerys. “If you’re trifling with me, please leave me alone to wallow in my sorrow.” You turned and ran towards the sound of your nurse calling. He was left dumbfounded, you left without a goodbye and claimed he did not mean it! It felt as if the sun itself had been burned out. Jacaerys turned to leave but your voice carried him back. 

“Psst! Jacaerys! Pssst!” He walked over and gazed up at you. “Jacaerys. What time shall I send someone?” He chuckled to himself, “at nine.” You laughed, “It’ll feel like twenty years till then… Oh! I’ve forgotten why I called you back.” He smiled up at you, “I’ll stay here until you remember it.” 

“Then I’ll never remember it, so that you’ll stand there forever.” He blushed, “I’ll keep standing here, hoping you’ll keep forgetting. And I’ll forget that I’ve got any other home but this.” You bit your lip and thought about speaking more but the sun peaking over the horizon caught your eye. “It’s almost morning, you must leave now.” You spoke in a hushed whisper. After you gave him one last lingering gaze you took off towards your room.  

Jacaerys had healed his heart and found a wife in the same night. He took off out of the orchard and towards the chapel to tell Septon Daeron what had happened. 

-

Septon Daeron was up early. The clouds in the southern sky were streaked with light as the night scurried out of the way of the advancing day. He wanted to fill his basket with a mixture of poisonous and healing herbs before the sun came up to dry the dew.

“Morning, Septon,” he shouted from across the field. Jacaerys ran up to him heavily panting. He looked over the boy's features, “Who’s this then, visiting me so early in the morning? Is there something wrong, being up so early?” Jace smiled, “You’re wrong, I had a better rest.”

“Gods pardon you, have you been with Baela?” Jacaerys’s brow furrowed. “Baela? No. I’ve forgotten that name and everything about her.” Septon Daeron smiled, “that’s my boy! But where have you been then?” Jacaerys spoke quickly, “I was dining with my enemies when suddenly one of them wounded me and you’re the one who can heal me.” Daeron looked at him confusingly, “I don’t understand what you’re getting at.” 

“To put it plainly, I fell in love with a Targaryen’s daughter, and she with me. You must marry us, and you must do so today.” The Septon stopped dead in his tracks. “By the seven! What a turnabout. Have you forgotten Baela? Am I to understand that young men love with their eyes and not their hearts? You cried buckets for Baela, the sound of your groans is still ringing in my ears.” 

“You told me off all the time for loving Baela.” Septon Daeron debated, “For being infatuated, not loving, my boy.” Jace sighed, “And told me to bury my love.” Daeron scoffed, “Not to dig another one up.” Jacaerys grabbed his hands. “Please, don’t reprimand me. The one I love now loves me in return. The other didn’t.”

‘Because she could see you didn’t mean it.’ Friar Lawrence was thinking. Marrying the two young people from the feuding families would be a disaster and he couldn’t possibly agree to it. Or could he? It may be the best way of bringing the families together. It could just be the salvation of Verona. It took him a second to decide. ‘Come on then, you young rascal,’ he said. ‘Come with me. This is one thing I can help you with. This could be the answer: the thing to turn your households’ hatred into love.’

-

“Where in the seven hells could Jacaerys be?” Aegon and Lucerys sat in the shade of the fountain’s wall. It was another dull day in King’s Landing. “Didn’t he come home last night?” Lucerys continued playing in the dust, “Not to fathers house.” Aegon huffed out a laugh, “Who would have thought it? The cold Baela should have the power to drive him crazy.”

“Hey!” Shouted Lucerys as Jacaerys ran towards them. “Here he is, the man himself.” Aegon stood up, “look at him. What a lad.” He bowed, “ Rytsas Jacaerys, sesīr kipi! How’s that for a nice Valyrian greeting? You cheated us well last night.” He stopped in his tracks, “Excuse me?” Aegon wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Don’t you remember kid? You gave us the slip.”

“I’m sorry Aegon. I had important business.” Aegon didn’t accept that as a proper excuse. They began making fun of each other, exchanging insults. Jacaerys’s friends were pleased to see that he was back to his normal. At least they thought he was normal again. “Isn’t this better than groaning for love? Now you’re sociable – you’re Jacaerys again, the Jacaerys we all know.”

Jacaerys was unable to take the big grin off his face. He kept looking around the square: whenever he saw any movement he looked up. And alas your nurse all dressed up in full skirts and a billowing train appeared in front of him. So, this was the messenger you had sent for him.  Jacaerys, and his friends joined him as he ran to greet the Nurse.

Aegon grabbed the train and flapped it up and down for a jest. The Nurse turned and gave him a backhand which sent him flying into the dust. “Good morning, gentlemen,” said the Nurse. “Good afternoon, fair gentlewoman,” mocked Aegon, rubbing his jaw. “Is it afternoon already?” she asked sincerely. “Oh yes, the rude hand of the dial is now right on the cock of noon.”

“Disgusting! You disgusting man.” Aegon and Lucerys burst into giggles. “Can any of you wastrels tell me where I can find young Jacaerys?” Everyone peered over at Jace.  “I can tell you, it’s me. I’m the youngest of that name. For better or worse.” 

“Well said.” The Nurse grinned. “That was well said? You’re not hard to please, are you?” Aegon grinned wider. The Nurse waved him away and he threw himself on to the ground dramatically, lifted her skirt an inch and peeked under it and received another well aimed slap for that. “If you are he, I’d like a word with you… without the scoundrels you surround yourself with.” She winced and blew on her stinging hand.

“I think she’s going to proposition him,” Lucerys leaned over and whispered to Aegon. “A whore, a whore!” cried Aegon, “Tally ho” The young men came closer and began walking around her. “Leave us alone, children.” She swatted them away like flies. Aegon finally ceased his teasing after she spouted a fair share of insults. “Farewell, old girl,” sang Aegon, walking backwards, bowing. “Lady, lady, lady.”

“Who’s the cheeky one? All those tricks!” She watched as they walked away with a face laced with clear disgust. “Just a fellow who loves the sound of his own voice.” She looked at Jacaerys. “As I was trying to say, I want a word with you. My young lady told me to find you.”

“Tell her to find some way of going to confession this afternoon and there at Septon Daeron’s chapel she’ll be given absolution and married, all at the same time.” He pulled a little bag out of his pocket. “No,” she said as she took the money and hid it in her clothing. “Not a penny. This afternoon, you say? Well, she’ll be there.”

“If you’re loyal to us I’ll pay you well. Goodbye, give your mistress my love.” She grinned, “bless you, bless you, Sir.” Jacaerys shouted as she walked away, “give her my love, Nurse!” The nurse was all smiles twirling the coins in her pocket. “Of course! With pleasure.”

-

You could see by the way the sun hung over the distant hill that it was twelve o’clock. Your Nurse had been gone three hours! She had promised to return in half an hour. Mayhaps she hadn’t found him! No, that couldn’t be. The messengers of love should be as light as thoughts, traveling ten times faster than sunbeams, pushing all doubts and fears away, as light does to threatening shadows.

If your Nurse had any feelings – any passion whatsoever – your message would travel as fast as a tennis ball. The Nurse would be the ball. You would serve and Jacaerys would return it just as fast. But like all old people, the Nurse might as well be dead. You stuck your head out of the window every few seconds, searching the alleyway along which the Nurse would come.

And alas, there she was!

You rushed downstairs and into the garden, meeting the Nurse as a servant was opening the gate for her. You flung yourself at your old friend. “What did he say? Did you find him? Send your servant away.” The nurse didn’t expect to be bombarded with questions as soon as she returned. She turned to her servant and forced him to leave. 

“Whew, I‘m exhausted, leave me alone for a while.” She sank down onto a bench and started to fan herself. You wanted to scream with impatience. “Would you just give me your news! Please, Nurse, I beg of you, tell me. Please, dear, dear Nurse, tell me!”

‘Gods, what a hurry you’re in! Can’t you wait a minute. Can’t you see I’m out of breath?’ You rolled your eyes, “How can you be out of breath when you’ve got enough breath to tell me you’re out of breath?” The Nurse shook her head sadly. “Well, all I can say is that you’ve made a bad choice. You’ve no idea how to choose a man. Jacaerys! No, not him, he’s not the one.”

She got up suddenly and yawned. “Off with you now, girl. Get on with it. Have you had your dinner?” You huffed out a breath filled with growing annoyance. “What did he say about us getting married? What about that?”

The Nurse slid back on to the bench and lay, reclining. “Lord, what a headache I’ve got. It’s pounding so hard that it feels as though it’s going to break into twenty pieces.” She tried to stand up. “Oh, my back. Shame on you, sending me all over the place like that. It’ll be the death of me.” 

You scoffed, ‘Honestly, I’m very sorry you’re not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet Nurse. What did my love say?” The Nurse heaved a huge sigh. ‘Your love says, like an honest man, and a courteous, and a kind and a handsome, and, I have no doubt, a good-” She stopped and looked towards the house. You pondered if she was doing this to drive you mad! “Where’s your mother?”

You through your hands in the air, “in there, where do you think she is? What a strange answer. Your love says, like an honest man, where is your mother?” The nurse groaned in pain… though it seemed like false pain to you. “Good Gods, my dear young woman, bad tempered with me? Is this the thanks I get for my aching bones? Do your own dirty work from now on.”

“This is impossible, come on, what did Jacaerys say?” The Nurse stopped rubbing her back and took your hands. “Have you got permission to go to confession today?” You nodded excitedly as a smile blessed your face once more. 

“Then get yourself to Septon Daeron’s as quickly as you can. There’s a husband waiting there to make you a wife.” She smiled at you genuinely before turning you and patting your bum. “Off with you. I’m going to have my dinner. Go on Hurry.”

-

The chapel was chilled today even though the sun was boiling the ground outside. Jacaerys watched heat waves rising above the wildflowers which grew unhindered across the hillside. Septon Daeron was going on a small tangent about how feelings can lead to disaster and to be careful.  But Jacaerys wasn’t listening. He had been watching the brow of the hill and when your head appeared he sprang up and rushed to the door while the Septon was still talking.

You came, running so softly that it was as if you weren’t touching the ground. You didn’t even have a chance to say hello before he embraced you. Jace clung to you like a newborn babe and kissed you again and again. Septon Daeron pulled you apart gently. 

“Dear Y/N, if you are as happy as I am and can express it better, then tell me how much happiness you imagine we have when we add it all up.” you laughed and shoved his shoulder, “as usual, you say ridiculous things… People who can count their wealth are poor: my true love has grown so huge that I couldn’t measure half of it.” 

“Enough of this nonsense. Let’s get on with it. Follow me.”  The Septon forced you two to refrain from embracing each other during the ceremony; thankfully it was quick. You both were told to sit on your knees and pray before vows were exchanged. You pretended to be praying as you snuck glances at your soon to be husband. 

Daeron told you both to stand, neither of you had cloaks to exchange so instead you skipped right to the vows. It was painfully obvious to Daeron how ill prepared and immature the two lovers he was marrying were. A subtle feeling of dread washed over him staring at the pair. 

You intertwined your hands with each other upon command. “With this kiss, I pledge my love. And take you for my lady wife.” You smiled bigger than you ever had before, “With this kiss, I pledge my love. And take you for my lord husband.” The Septon cleared his voice and declared, “one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever.” 

Your lips crashed into each other in a searing embrace. A short-lived embrace as Daeron cleared his throat behind you. Your happiness was short lived as you both were quickly pulled apart. 

A plan was already in motion. Once the sun set and the moon rose over the horizon, the nurse would sneak out once again and inform your beloved it was safe. Then you would let a ladder fall from your balcony which he would climb up. It was the same place in the orchard where he watched you the other night.

 You would finally be able to consummate the marriage, and no one would be able to separate you. Not your parents, cousins, church, or state. Only the gods would be able to tear you from your true love… Soon you would realize how cruel the Gods could be.

#jacaerys velaryon #jacaerys x reader #jacaerys x you #jacaerys x y/n #jacaerys imagine #jacaerys fic #jacaerys fluff #house of the dragon #hotd #hotd fic #hotd au #hotd imagine

[alexagirlie]

September Song Challenge

Day 29: A song you have/want to download

Choke by Royal and the Serpent Fandom: House of the Dragon Rating: M Jacaerys Velaryon/Aemond Targaryen warnings/tags: nephew/uncle incest. hate sex. choking. frottage.

The war was over, the blacks had won and his half-sister Rhaenrys had taken King's Landing and taken the throne for her own.  His brother Aegon, his grandfather and every other member of the small council that had supported usurping the throne from out under her had been executed. 

For reasons none had ever bothered to explain, Aemond was spared, along with his mother, Helaena and her children. He couldn't fathom why his sister would leave any member of his family alive but Aemond decided to not do anything to make her change her mind. He wanted to live, he wanted his mother and sister and his niece and nephews to live.

He was allowed to train and wander the keep as he wished so long as he stayed within its wall and did not go into the lower town. It wasn't so bad being a nobody.

What he could do without was the shadows which followed him wherever he went. His nephews thought they were being subtle and unseen but they were not. He could hear their steps upon the stones and the annoying breaths they took. Luke was worse then Jace but today it was Jace who was his shadow and he was done with it. 

Aemond would never confront Luke, not after almost killing his nephew in the courtyard at Storm's End at the start of the war. Not after he lost control of Vhagar and the massive she-dragon had killed Arrax as his nephew had tried to escape, nearly killing the boy as well.

But Jace? Aemond had no issue finally confronting his eldest nephew.

He stepped around a corner and pressed his back against the wall and waited as soft steps came closer and closer. He waited until Jace had turned the corner himself then he reached out, grabbed his nephews collar and pulled sharply and slammed Jace against the wall and caged him in between his arms.

He leaned in menacingly and smirked at the shorter man. "What do you think you are doing?"

Jace scowled back at him. "It's none of your business, Uncle."

Aemond arched an eyebrow and leaned even closer. "No? Not my business when it's me you're skulking around after?"

Aemond smirked as Jace's cheeks turned an alluring shade of pink as the crown prince was called out for spying on his uncle. "You're lucky you're not in chains!"

"Do you think I will hurt you Nephew?" Aemond maybe shouldn't have goaded Jace quite so much as in the ensuing scuffle his comment caused the Targaryen prince found himself on his back with his nephew straddling his hips. 

Aemond should fight back, should try and escape his nephew's grasps but he doesn't. His cock had filled and hardened in his breeches and was pressed in a hot line against Jace's arse. The pink flush on the crown prince's cheeks had darkened into a deep red blush and Aemond could see that his pupil had eclipsed the brown of his eyes.

He was aroused.

Aemond groaned and grabbed his nephew's shoulders and pulled the younger man down to meet his mouth in a hungry, devouring kiss. 

The next few minutes were a blur of lips and tongue and the scrap of teeth as Jace yanked Aemond head back by his hair to bare his throat to the younger man. 

Their hips had begun to grind together, both men chasing the sparks of pleasure as their cocks rubbed against each other. Aemond moaned and arched his back and couldn't help his mind conjuring thoughts of what Jace would look like bare and stretched open on his cock. He knew that he would be breathtaking.

All thoughts of his nephew speared on his cock were pushed from his mind as a set of hands wrapped around his throat and squeezed. Aemond bucked and struggled against the hold but Jace was stronger than he thought and he forced himself to relax into it, to accept the way it heightened his pleasure.

His nephew was barely letting any air into Aemonds lungs and his mind went hazy and his vision blurred as he came in his breeches so hard he shook and spasmed and if he had the breath he would be screaming.

Jace ground down a few more times before he stilled with a moan and collapsed down to the floor at Aemonds side, a shuddering, beautiful mess.

They laid there panting, chests heaving as they both worked to get back under control. As the sweat cooled on his skin Aemond wondered what this would mean for his future in the Red Keep.

#kirstin's chronicles #sept song challenge #day 29 #House of the Dragon #HotD #Jacemond #Jacaerys x Aemond

[whichwoods]

Wow I just caught up with Like the Stars That Shine and this is one of my favorite modern fics out there. Thank you for sharing this with us for FREE I feel like I should be charged to read this. Did you know early on that you wanted to write a modern AU for Lucemond?

thank you so much!! 🥹 i'm having a lot of fun sharing with you guys and hearing everyone's thoughts

i knew pretty early on that i wanted to do a modern au for lucemond, though i had a few other long fics i was planning before i decided to go with lsts! such as luke being warded to king's landing in canon-time and another modern au where lucemond and jace road trip across westeros to pick aegon up from rehab 🥲 (the second is canon to the lsts-verse actually, when they're 17, 18, and 19, pre first hook up)

i chose lsts to write first because i was originally envisioning a shorter fic to kind of dip my toes back into writing, then i decided to go and make the story about so much more than them just having a baby 🫠 also i went a little crazy with world-building

#ty for the q!! #lsts #wynch writing

[bbygirl-aemond]

Characters' Heights in Stormbreak

Hi hi! I got a question about how tall everyone was and I realized I do actually have very specific opinions about this haha so I figured I'd list out the heights I'm imagining everyone as in the fic. I'm basing this partly off of the actors with known heights, but I also like the idea that Valyrians tend to be taller than other races and that Strongs tend to be, well, big and strong. :)

First, let's start with the Strong Boys:

Jacaerys will be 6'2" when fully grown (idk how to explain this one it's such a Jace height like he's tall enough to warrant admiration but not so tall he's intimidating)

Lucerys will be 6'3" when fully grown (sweet gentle giant Luke is my dream do you see the vision)

Joffrey will be 6'0" when fully grown (wanted to keep the feral little gremlin vibes his younger actor has which I adore)

Now let's go to the Velaryons:

Corlys is 6'3" (Steve Toussaint is huge)

Rhaenys is 5'10" (like Eve Best)

Baela will be 5'10" when fully grown (like her grandma to emphasize the parallels between them)

Rhaena will be 5'9" when fully grown (like Laena's actress, since Baela says she resembles her mother)

Next, the rest of the Blacks:

Daemon is 6'1/2" (like Matt Smith but a teensy bit taller)

Rhaenyra is 5'10" (I know Emma D'Arcy is a bit shorter but I love me some tall Targ women okay?)

Aegon will be 6'0" when fully grown (just like his daddy)

Viserys will be 5'10" when fully grown (more in between his parents' heights)

And finally, the Greens:

Otto is 6'2" (Rhys Ifans is a giant)

Alicent is 5'5"" (she's pocket sized, y'all)

Criston is 5'10" (average, but cute height difference with Alicent)

Helaena is 5'8" (her momma is short so she's not as tall as other Targ women, but she's still part Targ)

Aemond is 5'11.5" (listen it's so funny if he's less than an inch shorter than Daemon. Do you know how much Daemon will lord it over for him. Also being a full 3.5" shorter than Luke will break him)

Daeron will be 6'1" when fully grown (tall like his grandpa to emphasize the mad genius parallels, also I love the big-little-brother trope)

Aegon is 5'10" (like Tom Glynn-Carney, but also it's funny to make the eldest brother the shortest one)

Jaehaerys will be 5'10" when fully grown (like his daddy)

Jaehaera will be 5'8" when fully grown (like her momma)

Maelor will be 6'0" when fully grown (again, big little brother vibes)

Only height(s) we're missing might be Aemond and Rhaenyra's kid(s)...

#listen i have a talent for having very specific opinions about everything under the sun #you name it i will have an opinion INSTANTLY #and back it up with an argument i think up on the spot #and it works every time #ask #asks #answered #hotd #house of the dragon #fic #fic: stormbreak #stormbreak #aemond targaryen #daemon targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #rhaenyra #daemon #aemond #daemyra #daemond #rhaemond #aemyra #jacaerys velaryon #lucerys velaryon #joffrey velaryon #corlys velaryon #rhaenys velaryon #baela targaryen #rhaena targaryen #aegon targaryen

[horizon-verizon]

Then up spoke the queen’s eldest son, Jacaerys. “We should bear those messages,” he said. “Dragons will win the lords over quicker than ravens.” His brother Lucerys agreed, insisting that he and Jace were men, or near enough to make no matter. “Our uncle calls us Strongs, but when the lords see us on dragonback they will know that for a lie. Only Targaryens ride dragons.” Mushroom tells us that the Sea Snake grumbled at this, insisting that the three boys were Velaryons, yet he smiled as he said it, with pride in his voice. Even young Joffrey chimed in, offering to mount his own dragon, Tyraxes, and join his brothers. Princess Rhaenyra forbade that; Joff was but eleven. But Jacaerys was fourteen, Lucerys thirteen; bold and handsome lads, skilled in arms, who had long served as squires. “If you go, you go as messengers, not as knights,” she told them. “You must take no part in any fighting.” Not until both boys had sworn solemn oaths upon a copy of The Seven-Pointed Star would Her Grace consent to using them as her envoys. It was decided that Jace, being the older of the two, would take the longer, more dangerous task, flying first to the Eyrie to treat with the Lady of the Vale, then to White Harbor to win over Lord Manderly, and lastly to Winterfell to meet with Lord Stark. Luke’s mission would be shorter and safer; he was to fly to Storm’s End, where it was expected that Borros Baratheon would give him a warm welcome.

Fire and Blood, by George R.R. Martin, pg 407-408

#fire and blood quotes #asoiaf quotes #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #Fire and Blood #the velaryons #jacaerys velaryon #lucerys velaryon #joffrey velaryon #the blacks and the greens #dance of the dragons #dying of the dragons #rhaenyra's children #fire and blood characters #kinslaying #the blacks #the black council #the velaryon boys

[zorilleerrant]

my batfam height headcanons:

Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are all the exact same height. that’s why they group together in team photos.

Alfred is the exact same height as Bruce, too, in order to look him in the eye and scold him when necessary, but he’s slight, so he looks shorter. or taller, from a distance.

Lucius is taller than Bruce, on account of he needs to tower over him slightly to be properly mentoring and cautioning.

Luke is not as tall as his dad, which annoys him, because Jace is taller than Lucius so much taller than Luke, but he is taller than Bruce and a little smug about it.

Dick is just slightly shorter than Bruce. in the right shoes, they look the same height; when he wears boots, sometimes Dick looks taller, but it’s not on purpose.

Jason is the exact same height as Dick, which makes him endlessly mad, especially since Dick hasn’t noticed yet.

Duke isn’t fully grown yet, so he’s quite a bit shorter than the rest of his family, but he’s going to be taller than Bruce, barely.

Cass is already the same height as Bruce. however, she also is not fully grown yet, and will be the tallest of the batfam.

Kate is a few inches shorter than Bruce, which makes her very short in the batfam, but not in real life. Beth is almost as tall.

Damian, likewise, will grow to be quite tall for human height averages, but not enough to compete with the rest of his family.

Helena is just shorter than Dick. it’s not enough to be noticeable compared to him, but it is compared to Bruce.

Babs would be taller than Bruce if not for her wheelchair. this is significantly taller than Jim, who is just taller than Kate.

Steph will grow a little more, but only to be average height.

Tim’s just short.

anyway if you take Bruce being 6′3″ then Gothamites are fucking tall

#look i said something #batman #batfam

[cjfritos]

In Dreams Begin (Jessa wedding story)

Obviously written by Cassandra Clare. I own no rights to this. This was included in first editions of The Lost Book of the White by her and Wesley Chu. It tells the story of Jem Carstairs and Tessa Gray’s wedding and explains why no one remembers it.

Unfortunately it does include some spoilers from LBW so if you have not read it yet, I don’t recommend reading it. Otherwise, enjoy :)

~~~

Magnus Bane was scheming.

         To an untrained observer, the High Warlock of Brooklyn wouldn’t look like he was doing much of anything at all. For one thing, he was wearing purple silk pajamas. For another thing, he was in bed, leaning back against a pile of pillows with a spell book open in his lap.

         Beside him, Alec Lightwood was stretched out on his side, deeply asleep. Earlier that day, Alec had taken their son, Max, to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. This had been at Magnus’s request—he wanted Max to have ample opportunity to tire himself out before bedtime. It worked almost too well. Max had made fast friends with a werewolf toddler named Eliza, and the two of them tore around the gardens blissfully for about three hours straight, Max crawling while Eliza ran, albeit unsteadily. Eliza’s mother had been quite surprised the first time Max levitated. Luckily, he was glamoured so only she and Alec noticed.

         Though not possessed of much vocabulary, Eliza clearly wanted Max to levitate her as well. Fortunately, Max did not yet have that sort of skill. Alec and Max returned home happy, covered in mud, and—best of all—exhausted. Magnus really wanted them all to sleep through the night.

         Magnus shifted position and peered across the room at the mantel clock atop the dresser, a hideous thing covered in putti that Ragnor had given him years ago. The room was lit only by a candle that burned with a blue flame on the table beside him, but he could make out the numbers. It was one forty-five a.m. Surely that was late enough. Surely even the Shadowhunters and Downworlders of the West Coast would be turning in. He’d given Catarina and Jem and Tessa a heads-up, after all, and as for the Blackthorns and Emma Carstairs, they were kids! And not even babies, with their bizarre and erratic relationship to sleep. Surely the would be asleep by now, worn out from running around on the beach or whatever it was that the residents of the Los Angeles Institute did all day. Yes, it was time.

         Snuggling a little farther under the blanket, Magnus looked fondly over at Alec’s sleeping form, his black hair like spilled ink across the ivory pillowcase. He closed his book and set it on the bedside table. He mentally reached within, feeling about for a particular pocket of magic folded away deep inside, a self-contained bubble. I had been two weeks since he’d been freed from the influence of the Svefnthorn, and while the markings on his skin had faded, his teeth had shrunk back to their normal size, and the overcharged magic of the artifact had left his system, this one reserve of magical energy had lingered.

         At first, Magnus had considered hanging on to it as a sort of insurance policy. A little extra magic went a long way, especially when the magic was this potent, and Magnus was quite certain that he and Alec and their friends would have plenty more dangers to face in the years to come. That was their job, after all. But clinging to the magic out of fear of imagined dangers didn’t feel good. It felt like letting demons have a small victory over him, playing right into their scaly, demonic hands. No, instead he had resolved to use the power in a decidedly un-demon-sanctioned manner—to create joy.

         Magnus shut his eyes. Oneiromancy, the study and practice of dream magic, had never been one of his specialties. But with the added kernel of power from the Sveftnthorn, he felt quite confident that he could pull of this one feat, even as complex as it was. The trickiest part, it seemed to him, was holding himself in that drowsy state between waking and sleeping, while maintaining enough awareness to cast the spell. He lay back against the pillows, letting his eyelids flutter shut for just a moment….

~~~

When Magnus opened his eyes again, he was standing in the middle of Blackfriars Bridge, the panorama of London spread out around him in all directions.

         He took a deep breath of river-tasting air. The sky was a dark violet, the sun only just beginning to rise. There was no traffic, which was a distinct advantage to throwing a party on a dream bridge rather than on the real thing. There was a warm breeze in the air, and the Thames danced beneath it, silvery in the dawn light. Had he ever noticed wind in a dream before? Magnus wasn’t sure. He admired the view from the bridge—it seemed just about right, though he hadn’t been here for a couple decades. Perhaps some ugly new construction had taken place since then, but who would fault him for omitting that?

         “Magnus!”

         He turned and saw two figures hurrying toward him. It was Tessa and Jem, both in what Magnus assumed was their pajamas. Tessa’s were gray with white rabbits on them. Jem’s were dark-green-and-navy-blue plaid. They were barefoot, but that wouldn’t matter on a dream bridge. He started to smile as they got closer and he could see that they were both giddy and laughing, a hint of disbelief on their faces.

         Tessa threw her arms around him, knocking him off-balance. He marveled at how solid and real she felt.

         “It’s working!” she said in wonder.

         “A magical discipline unexplored is always worth exploring,” Magnus said, stepping back. “I may be late to the game with oreiromancy, but I plan to make up for my tardiness all at once, right now. Is that what your planning to wear to your wedding?”

         “It’s not traditional, but neither was the yellow cotton shirt dress I wore for the courthouse wedding. And I do love bunnies,” said Tessa. “I’m all right with it if Jem is.”

         “I would marry you if you were wearing a barrel,” said Jem.

         “But why would I be wearing a barrel?” said Tessa.

         They were both grinning at each other stupidly. Magnus decided something needed to be done; he wasn’t sure how long his magic would hold out.

         “I won’t have it!” he said. “If I’m to throw you a dream wedding, you must be properly dressed for the occasion. It’s in my contract. I do hope you read the fine print.”

         He snapped his fingers, and Jem’s pajamas were replaced by an exquisitely cut black suit. Magnus aimed for something that suggested the style of the Shadowhunter gear Jem had worn long ago, in the first years he knew Tessa. Wedding runes were intricately embroidered on the lapels in gold thread. As Jem marveled at the excellent fit, Magnus turned his attention to Tessa.

         “I know,” he said, “a wedding dress is a highly personal choice. But as our other guests will be arriving momentarily, and time is of the essence, I’m going to take a stab at it.”

         “You have my express permission,” Tessa said.

         Magnus snapped his fingers again, and the Tessa was wearing a beautiful sleeveless gown of pale silver, with a full skirt that reminded Magnus of the first time he’d met her, at a vampire ball. A couple more flicks of his fingers, and her hair rearranged itself beautifully into an updo, with a few tendrils loose around her face. One more gesture, and Tessa’s familiar jade pendant appeared around her neck—as did the pearl bracelet she always wore, a gift from Will on their thirtieth anniversary.

         Tessa looked startled, reaching up to touch her hair, then brushing her hands over the gown. “How do I look?”

         Jem looked very young again as he gazed at her, his dark eyes full of emotion. “Ni hen piao liang,” he whispered. You are very beautiful.

         Magnus turned away to give them a moment—and felt familiar arms close around him.

         Alec kissed Magnus on his forehead—being slightly shorter than Magnus, he had to pull Magnus down a bit to do it, which Magnus didn’t mind at all—and muttered, “You’re a sentimental bastard, aren’t you?” in his ear.

         But he was grinning all over his face as he turned to greet Tessa and Jem, congratulating them. They both looked delighted to see him.

         “So let me get this straight,” Alec said. “You, me, Tessa, and Jem will all remember this with perfect recall. For the other guests, they’ll remember it at first, but then it will fade away, the way dreams do?”

         “That is correct. They won’t recall it the way we will, but their souls will be present, and glad for it. Well, mostly glad for it,” Magnus said.

         “What do you mean, ‘mostly’?” Jem said nervously.

         “I mean that I’m not sure how Church will feel about the whole thing.”

         “Church!” Alec and Jem exclaimed at the same time, and turned to see the grumpy Persian cat sauntering toward them down the center of the bridge.

         Tessa laughed. “Well, he does sleep twenty hours a day. I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised.”

         “I took the liberty of adding him to the guest list you gave me,” Magnus said. “I’m trying to get on his good side.”

         “Why?” Alec asked, incredulous. “He’s a cat.”

         “So he won’t hate me forever when I do this.” Magnus snapped his fingers, and a silver bow in the same fabric as Tessa’s dress appeared around Church’s neck. Church’s eyes widened for a moment. Then he sat down, and after a moment, became very focused on cleaning his front paw.

         “Now,” Magnus said, “I simply must get this bridge decorated.”

         “It’s decorated perfectly,” said a voice from behind him. Turning, he saw Clary, who was holding Max. Behind her was Jace, followed by Isabelle and Simon, who were leaning together, whispering conspiratorially. Jocelyn and Luke were there, looking slightly unkempt, and Magnus remembered that they were in the process of remodeling a barn at Luke’s farm so Jocelyn could expand her painting studio. Ragnor and Catarina had also appeared, as well as a whole gaggle of kids—the Blackthorn clan. Julian and Helen, Tiberius and Livia, Drusilla and Octavian. Emma Carstairs was with them, though she broke away from the group immediately, running to hug Clary. They were the same height now, Magnus noticed with amusement. Max had escaped from Clary and was riding on Alec’s shoulders now, babbling a story to Helen Blackthorn and her wife, Aline. They looked very amused, though it was unlikely they understood even a quarter of what he said.

         Maryse and Kadir were there too, already deep in conversation with Jocelyn and Luke. Kadir hadn’t been on the guest list Jem and Tessa had given Magnus, because they didn’t really know him, but Magnus had added him as Maryse’s plus-one. It never hurt to butter up your boyfriend’s mother, especially when she was willing to babysit for days at a time.

         A couple Silent Brothers had appeared—Enoch? Shadrach? Magnus was slightly embarrassed to admit that they all looked alike to him, now that Jem was no longer counted among their number as Brother Zachariah. Magnus hadn’t known if the Gregori would be able to attend, since they didn’t normally sleep. One of them—Enoch?—inclined his hooded head slightly at Magnus, acknowledging this mad thing he was doing as worthwhile. At least that was how Magnus chose to interpret the gesture.

         Octavian was climbing Jace like a jungle gym. Clary was talking with Julian and Emma, while Tiberius stood near his older brother, looking around at London with fierce curiosity in his gray eyes. Livia and Drusilla were perched on the railing of the bridge, Livia chatting animatedly with Simon and Isabelle, Drusilla looking around shyly. Catarina went to lean beside her, asking her a question. Magnus looked at the motley assortment of clothing on the assembled group. Mostly casual, though there were more pajamas as well. Magnus made two sweeping gestures, and all at once everyone was looking very sharp in formal attire. Even better, they barely seemed to notice the change. Magnus was impressed. Oneiromancy—who knew!

         A hand gripped his arm. It was Tessa, who looked close to tears. “Magnus. I can’t believe you’re doing this for us. I…” She trailed off, at a loss for words.

         Magnus regarded her fondle. “Tessa, most people’s idea of a dream wedding is not a literal dream wedding. But since yours is, I am happy to oblige. Shall we get this show on the road?”

         Jem and Tessa took their places on either side of Magnus, and the guests gathered around. The sun had climbed well above the horizon, casting rays of warm light between the long shadows of the wedding guests.

         “Dear friends,” Magnus said to Jem and Tessa, “we are honored to share this moment with you, and I am doubly honored to be given the chance to speak. Several hundred years ago I got very drunk and woke up as ordained minister. Today I have decided that doing so was a wise choice after all.”

         Jocelyn snorted, then looked embarrassed. Luke grinned at her.

         “Joking aside, it is impossible to stand here with you all and not feel that there is some greater plan at work, some greater force that has brought these two souls across more than a century to be joined as one.”

         Clary’s eyes were glistening. Jace reached into his pocket and offered her what looked like a handkerchief but was more likely a soft cloth for polishing blades. She gave a wry smile of recognition, and sniffled into it.

         “I debated which customs to follow in officiating this wedding,” Magnus went on. “Whether to conduct a Shadowhunter ceremony, or a warlock ceremony, or even a mundane ceremony, for many worlds have been united in the two of you. But none of these traditions seemed quite appropriate on their own. So I’ve attempted to tailor a ceremony that will honor your unique paths.”

         Magnus nodded to Jem, who reached into his pocket and produced a gold ring. Jem had requested a single word etched around the outside of it: Mizpah.

         “It has been said,” said Magnus, “that when two people are at one in their inmost hearts, they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze. Theresa Gray, are you at one with James Carstairs in your inmost heart?”

         Tessa’s eyes were wide, her face serious as she gazed at Jem. “I am,” she said, offering her hand to him. He slid the ring onto her finger.

         The Magnus nodded at Tessa, who produced another ring, this one from thin air. Magnus had to suppress the grin that threatened to break his calm officiant expression. It delighted him that Tessa was engaging in a small amount of oneiromancy herself, and Jem looked as pleased by it as Magnus felt. This ring was the exact match of the first, and he knew what it said as well: May the Angel watch between me and thee when we are absent from one another.

         “James Carstairs—Ke Jian Ming—are you at one with Theresa Gray in your inmost heart?”

         “I am,” Jem said, delight visible in his dark eyes. Tessa put the ring on him, and they stood for a moment, holding hands and smiling at each other like they couldn’t quite believe this was happening.

         “For I am persuaded,” said Magnus, and Jem and Tessa both looked up at him, recognizing a piece of the old Shadowhunter wedding ceremony, though he had altered the wording, “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate these two.” He stretched out his arms. “Therefore I am overjoyed to declare this marriage consecrated, here in the presence of your friends and family. Tessa Gray and Jem Carstairs, you are married, and the world is better for it. You may kiss each other, not that you really need my permission.”

         The assembled crowd cheered as Jem and Tessa kissed, a kiss that had been long delayed. The kiss continued, and Magnus slowly backed away, joining the cheering audience. “Let’s give them a moment,” he said, and happy chatter swelled around him.

         Magnus noted that Alec was looking very foxy in his Armani suit, laughing with Maryse. Ragnor and Catarina were cackling over something, glad to be reunited now that Ragnor didn’t have to pretend to be dead—or at least, didn’t have to pretend with them. Clary had her arm draped over Emma’s shoulders, and Jace was arguing with Simon about how to properly tie a necktie. Tiberius and Drusilla were watching this argument as though it were a tennis match. Julian had lifted Octavian up so he could look down at the river flowing by beneath. Isabelle was joking with Livia, who was giving Max a piggyback ride. It was a miraculously good wedding.

         Here they were, his friends. They’d literally gone into Hell twice with him now. He found himself reflecting on how much had changed. At first his life had felt like Magnus against the world. Then for years and years it had been Magnus, Catarina, and Ragnor against the world. Now his community was a much larger group, one that had spread wide enough that instead of Magnus and his friends against the world, it felt like Magnus and his friends, a part of the world. Probably the best part of the world.

         It was a good feeling.

         “Look!” a girl’s voice cried. It was Drusilla, pointing up into the sky, eyes wide with wonder. There was a collective gasp as the crowd saw what she had spotted. Two figures flew overhead, riding a translucent white stallion with two gold hooves and two silver. One of them was a blond boy in ragged clothes, who looked down at the Blackthorns and waved. The figure in front of him was harder to make out—a gentry faerie in clothes just as ragged, only he was as translucent as the horse. The blond boy must be Mark Blackthorn, Magnus marveled. He’d “invited” the whole family, not knowing whether those who rode with the Wild Hunt could be summoned by dream magic. He had his answer, but it came with another mystery. Who was this companion, so close to Mark that they would appear together in a dream?

         The riders made a circle overhead, while the Blackthorns shouted and waved, and Mark waved back, smiling an odd smile down at them. Then they faded away into the morning air.

         Magnus saw with relief that Jace, Clary, Simon, Isabelle, and Alec had all move in around the Blackthorn kids, giving them an opportunity to talk about what they had just seen—their stolen brother, visiting so briefly.

         He glanced over and saw Tessa and Jem still standing by the railing. There was a shimmer beside them, at the edge of the bridge, and the hair on the back of Magnus’s neck rose.

         He knew Will Herondale had never haunted the moral world, because he had lived and died happily and had no unfinished business among the living. While Magnus didn’t subscribe to any specific set of beliefs about reincarnation or the afterlife, he had always had a strong sense that Will was waiting on the other bank of a dark river—be it Lethe, or some other border between the living and the dead. He was there among the green grass, the sky above as dark a blue as his eyes, waiting patiently for Jem and Tessa to join him, that he might lead them by the hand to whatever wonders lay beyond the veil.

         The philosophers of ancient Greece had believed dreams and sleep to be the twin of death: Morpheus and Hades, standing side by side. And here, in that space, Magnus would not have been surprised if Will stretched out his hand to those he had loved best in life—to Jem and Tessa.

         He was, after all, a Herondale, and very stubborn.

         Alec sidled up to Magnus, leaving the Blackthorns in the capable hands of his siblings and their partners. The kids seemed to have taken Mark’s appearance as a sort of wedding favor created especially for them.

         Alec twinned an arm around Magnus’s waist and pulled him close, kissing him on the temple. “It was very kind of you to use the last of your Svefnthorn magic on this,” he said.

         Magnus leaned into Alec. “Well, it wasn’t enough magic to send us to the moon, or get us into the front row at the Alexander McQueen runway. So I figured, next best thing.”

         Alec smiled at him pointedly. “Actually, I happen to know that you did it because you are an incredibly kind person, and that is one of the many things I love about you.”

         “Oh dear,” Magnus said, turning to face him. “You know all my secrets.”

         Then they were kissing, and kissing in a magical dream turned out to be just as perfect as kissing in the waking world.

#jessa #jem carstairs #tessa gray #magnus bane #jessa wedding #the lost book of the white #tlbotw #lbw #tsc #the shadowhunter chronicles #cassandra clare #in dreams begin

[lovemalecforever]

Chapter 13

Not bonded by blood, but united by love.

Before Izzy could say, her phone buzzed and her expressions went from excited to soft.

"What?" Alec asked.

"Mom and Luke are here, you're ready, Alec?"

Alec sighed. "Let's get this over with!"

"With what? What's going on?" Jace asked, having a light frown on his forehead.

"Please be patient, Jace," Alec said calmly. "I'll be talking to you and Clary at last about it, just know that it's important and you both are part of it."

Jace exchanged a look with Clary, but feeling his Parabatai's nervousness, he let it go and nodded reassuringly.

"Thank you. For now, I need to talk to Mom and Luke. Iz, where are they?"

"They're in my office," Izzy said, holding Alec's hand, and giving it a gentle squeeze. Alec smiled then left the room.

_____________________________

Maryse was leaning against the desk, a deep frown on her forehead while Luke was pacing in front, waiting for Izzy to arrive.

"I'm really worried Luke, what are they gonna think?" Maryse spoke. "Are you sure we've made the right decision? I know it's what we both want, but I'm scared. Plus, we have no idea what Izzy wants to talk about." Worry was laced in her voice as she bit her nails.

Luke sighed, walked towards her, and cupped her face. "Calm down Maryse, don't freak out like this. Let's hear what Izzy had to say first, our news can wait, okay? There's no rush for it."

"But Lucian-"

"Hey," he gently tucked the strands behind her ears then leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Just calm down."

Maryse nodded and let out a deep sigh. Gently, she put her hands around Luke's waist and looked deeply into his eyes. Slowly, Luke started leaning in and locked their lips in a slow and gentle kiss as his fingers trailed towards the thick strap of her dress and pulled it down, exposing her bare shoulders then broke their kiss and started trailing soft kisses from her neck to the shoulder and down towards her chest.

Alec was walking towards the office, his hands were sweaty, and he was able to hear his heartbeats as the distance became shorter and shorter. As soon as he reached the office, he halted, scrunched his eyes shut, and put his hand over it as warmness cascaded all over his face. Biting his lower lip, he cleared the throat.

Startled, Maryse and Luke pulled away from each other and glanced at the doorway when they heard the clearing of the throat and their eyes widened when they noticed Alec standing there.

"Alec..." Maryse breathed out, voice filled with shock.

"Are you people... decent?" Alec stuttered out.

Maryse quickly fixed her dress, exchanged a look with Luke and then turned towards Alec after clearing her throat. "Yeah, come in."

Alec peeked through his fingers to make sure they were decent and when he was sure, he sighed and slowly walked towards them and hugged both his parents.

"Hey mum, Sorry to cut your vacation short."

"Alec, it's nice to see you after a long time. What are you doing in New York? Izzy didn't tell us."

"I was actually going to surprise you both, but..." he trailed off.

"You saw nothing!" Luke exclaimed, and Alec put up his hand in surrender. "Anyway, where's Magnus?"

"In Idris, it's just me. I wanted to talk to you peop... what's that?" He frowned when a bright light reflected on his face. Reaching out, he held Maryse's hand when he noticed that was the source, but his eyes widened when he saw a beautiful Graymark ring on her ring finger. "M... Mum? Luke?"

Maryse exchanged a look with Luke, worry visible in her eyes. "Alec, we can-"

"By the Angel! You guys are engaged. Oh, Angel! I'm so happy for you, Mum." without wasting a second, he hugged her tightly and Maryse's shoulder relaxed.

"You're not against it, son?"

"Why would I be? You deserve this happiness, Mom."

"Thank you, Alec." Maryse had tears pooling at the edge of her eyes when they broke the hug.

"It's beautiful!" Alec said while examining the ring. "When did you two... you know?"

"Luke proposed to me a few days ago, we were going to come here after the end of the vacations, to talk to you people about it. But Izzy called us, so we reached here as soon as we could." Maryse explained.

Alec smiled, walked towards Luke, and gave him a bone-crushing hug. "I'm happy for you both. Take care of her Luke, she's all yours now." He whispered in his ears.

"I will boy, don't worry," Luke reassured. "Alec, since you're here, I'm happy that you took it positively, but I wanted to say something." He looked at Maryse then at Alec who nodded, so he continued.

"You're well aware that Jocelyn had a special place in my heart, the way I loved her, no one can take her place, but that doesn't mean Maryse means any less to me. I love her, that's why I decided to marry her. In all these years, I've seen her in a completely different way, the way she was before all the chaos of The Circle began. She has completed me, and I want to spend the rest of my remaining life with her. I just hope that Clary will also take it positively." He was in tears by the end of his speech.

Alec put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Don't worry Luke, I'm sure Clary will be happy to hear about it."

"Umm, Alec, where's your sister? She told us to wait here, it's been long now. She said she wanted to talk." Maryse asked with a worried tone, looking between both men.

"It's... it's not Izzy, it's me. I wanted to talk to you all, it's more like permission."

Maryse frowned. "Is everything okay, sweetheart?"

"No, it's not." Alec took a deep breath before speaking again. "It's... related to what happened a month ago!" Alec looked at them, then started explaining to them about Magnus' emotional health, his nightmares, everything that happened over the course of one month. His constant fear of losing him in a battle, to death, his emotional condition because of it, then his own research and wish to become immortal, not just for Magnus, but for himself too. His findings, to the procedure of becoming immortal. Everything. When he was done he looked at them, ready to argue if needed, but to his surprise, they had a look of understanding, neither shock nor anger.

"Are... are you both okay with it? Me becoming immortal? Mom? Luke?" He asked with a shaky breath.

Maryse walked towards her son and hugged him, having a constant smile on her face.

"If that's what you want, if that'll make you happy, then I have no problem with it. Seeing you with Magnus, seeing your love for each other, I couldn't be any prouder, Alec. Do what makes you happy." She said and kissed him on the cheeks.

"I agree, Alec. If you're happy, we don't have any problem with it."

Alec's eyes were pooling with tears. "Thank you, thank you so much. It means a lot to have your support."

"Does anyone else know?" Maryse inquired.

"Izzy and Simon do. Now you both too. I'm still worried though. Dad, I wanted to talk to him in person but... "

"I'm sure he'll be happy too, Alec. He was more supportive of you and Magnus than me." She said to reassure him.

"Yeah, I hope so. Max will be here in the evening, it's gonna be really difficult to explain to him all this. I hope he understands." He sighed nervously.

"Don't worry, honey, everyone loves you, they'll respect your decision."

"I just hope everything goes well."

"Everything will, Alec." She reassured him and kissed her son's cheek.

"What about you both, when are you telling everyone about your engagement?"

Luke and Maryse exchanged a look. "We're not sure about that, Alec," Luke said. "If something goes wrong, we're just..."

"Luke, Mom, relax. I'm sure everyone is going to be really happy. Announce it at dinner tonight, everyone's going to be there. That's what you people have planned anyway, right?"

"You're right, boy. Maryse, we should tell everyone tonight itself, let's think this through." Luke said, to which Maryse nodded.

"I'll get back to Izzy and Clary to prepare a surprise for Magnus. You guys have a good day."

They all hugged each other once again, then Alec left to talk to Izzy while the newly engaged couple went to Maryse's bookshop to discuss how they are going to tell everyone.

_______________________________

Izzy was pacing in her room, her six-inch sharp heels creating a deep straight line partition on her fluffy silver carpet. Her worries about her brother were getting the best of her, if Alec wouldn't have walked-in in her room at the time, she would have broken her heels because of her constant pacing.

"Alec! What happened? Did they take it well!?" She asked worriedly.

"It went better than I thought Izzy!" He said with a bright smile on his face.

Izzy relaxed instantly, but she knew her brother well. "But...?"

Alec sighed and shook his head. "But I'm still worried about others, especially Max and Jace."

"Don't worry big brother, they'll understand."

Alec sighed and nodded. "Let's talk about what you both girls have in mind for my dinner surprise."

___________________________

The next hurdle for Alec was his dad whom he decided to talk to on a video chat. Even if they have grown distant, his opinion still mattered to him. To his surprise, their talk went well. Robert was surprised by his decision, but he respected his choice, and supported him with it, giving him and Magnus his blessings for a happy life and future.

Alec was already exhausted and frustrated by repeating the same conversation with everyone repeatedly, but he knew it was necessary and by the end of it, only three people were remaining.

.....

Max reached earlier than he was supposed to, excited to meet his siblings after a long time, oblivious that Alec and his mom are there too because Izzy being Izzy hadn't told him anything in order to see the look of pure happiness on his younger brothers face.

Max had grown up to be a strong and brave shadowhunter. He's in his teenage years and very enthusiastic, just like his siblings. He ran towards the ops center eager to meet his siblings when he bumped into someone and hit both of them hard.

"Ow! Hey, careful there, young boy!" Jace said with a chuckle.

"Jace!" Max said excitedly and hugged him. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Maxie!"

"Hey, don't call me that!"

"Someone's here early!" Izzy said as she walked toward her brothers.

"Izzy! I've missed you!" He ran towards her and hugged her, to which Izzy gave a wholehearted smile.

"I missed you too, big boy. You know what, your surprise is waiting for you."

"But what is it? You didn't say anything!" He pouted.

"Your surprise is here, Max," Alec said while walking towards his siblings.

Max's eyes went wide seeing his eldest brother after a really long time. "ALEC!" He exclaimed and ran towards his brother making them both stumble and almost losing the balance.

"Woah, hey there! Easy, bud." Alec said with a chuckle.

"Alec, I've missed you so much!" Max said and hugged him tightly.

"Looks like we're not that important to him, Izzy!" Jace said with a mocking tone.

"Hey, don't tease our brother Jace," Alec said defensively.

"Is Mumbai Institute treating you that bad, big boy?" Izzy asked her brother.

"No, it's not bad, but it's boring there. I don't have many friends, and it's way too hot, unlike New York. I want to come back here." He said with a sad voice.

"Then ask Robert, Maxie! He's the one who sent you there!" Jace said.

Max glared at his brother for using the name 'Maxie' again and again but sighed knowing Jace would never back away. "I already did, but he says I have to be there until the Clave wants me there to be!"

"You know you've been sent there because of your brilliant work at California Institute, besides you're the one who wanted to travel all around, and that's the place you grew up learning right, what happened now?" Alec interfered.

"Nothing... it's just... I miss you all." Max confessed.

"Aww... our little brother is homesick!" Izzy said while shuffling her fingers in his hair.

"Hey! Izzyyy! I hate you, and don't touch my hair." He pouted, leaving others smiling at his adorable side.

"Okay, enough. Come on Max, let's get out of here, we have a lot to talk about." Alec said to Max to which he agreed happily. He then looked at Izzy who smiled and nodded at him.

As it turned out, Max do was a little difficult to talk to, but he was understanding compared to kids of his age, as their previous talk about 'Magnus' years ago, he was 'cool with it' about Alec becoming immortal. Alec couldn't be happier at this. The rest of their time was spent talking about their lives or more precisely Max's complaints about Mumbai Institute. When they came back it was dinner time, so they reached the dinner hall directly.

Max's eyes went wide seeing Maryse and Luke there. "Mom!" He shouted and ran towards her, hugging her as tightly as possible.

"Hey, big boy!" She kissed her youngest son on top of his head.

Alec walked in and stood beside Izzy, she raised an eyebrow at him questioningly to which he smiled widely and nodded, making her smile reach her both eyes.

Everyone was present in the hall, making it look like a grand get-together. Maryse and Luke exchanged a nervous look then Maryse stepped forward gathering her courage to speak.

"Kids, there's something me and Luke wanted to tell you all."

Everyone looked at them with curiosity.

"Mom, is everything okay?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah, it's umm..." She looked at Luke who seemed as scared as her.

"Mom, Luke, relax," Alec said gently and gave her a reassuring nod. Everyone looked between them with deep frowns.

Maryse took a deep breath before speaking. "Luke and I... we are engaged!" there was a moment of silence that was finally broken by Izzy's loud squeal.

"By the angel! Mom, I'm so happy." She hugged her tightly then examined the ring. "It's gorgeous!" Maryse looked at her daughter with tear-filled eyes and a wide smile on her face.

"Congratulations, both of you, I'm so happy for you both! You both deserve to be happy." Jace said and hugged them both, and so did Simon.

"So you both are going to be married now?" max asked. "Like dad and you were?"

"Yes, max." Maryse bit her lip. "Are you okay with it?"

"On one condition."

Maryse gulped, glanced at everyone, and then back at Max. "And that is?"

"Can I be your suggenes?"

"Oh, Max..." Maryse bent down and hugged her son tightly, as tears kept falling on her face. "Yes, you can son. Yes, you can."

"Kiddo?" Luke asked, still scared for her reaction.

Clary stood silently, without saying anything she hugged Luke tightly, before letting him go and speaking.

"I couldn't be more happy for you, Luke. You deserve to be happy, Mom would be happy for you too. You are the best father I could have asked for." She had a pool of tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, kiddo." He said and kissed her forehead.

Izzy squealed again, louder this time. "So, we have a wedding to plan now." Everyone laughed at her excitement level.

When everyone got busy talking with the newly engaged couple, Izzy cornered her brother for a private talk.

"What is it, Izzy?" Alec asked.

"When are you gonna talk to Jace and Clary?"

Alec sighed. "After dinner."

Izzy squeezed his arms gently, then they went back to have dinner with their family.

#asaab #angst with a happy ending #angst #fanfic authors #alec lightwood #happily married #malec forever #malec fic #magnus bane #malec #fantasy #fanfiction #fanfic #lightwood bane family

[bytheangell]

This is the Coda That Never Ends... Part 7

(Read on AO3) (Read from the start) Maryse & Maia 

The bell above the door rings and Maryse starts to answer without looking up from the paperwork she’s filling out behind the counter.

“Good morning! Looking for anything in particular I can assist wi--” she glances up and the words trails off at the sight of Luke standing just inside the door.

“Oh, Lucian! I didn’t expect to see you so early… nothing’s the matter, is it?” She adds, remembering what happened last night.

“Not exactly,” he says, eyes darting around the shop to see if there are any other people around. This sets Maryse on alert, a small wave of anxiety coming over her. If whatever he has to say he can’t say in front of mundanes then it almost has to be about Clary.

“Don’t worry, we’re alone. You’re the first customer of the day.” The words come with a flicker of a smile, but it doesn’t last long as Luke wastes no time getting to the point of his impromptu visit.

“You were right. Clary’s remembering. I ran into Magnus this morning and he filled me in. I’m guessing you didn’t see Jace at the art exhibit last night while you were there?”

Maryse shakes her head. “No, of course not. He wasn’t-- he didn’t?”

“He was glamoured, but Clary saw right through it. She even remembered his name, but not who he was or how she knew him. This is more than just some hazy images coming through in her paintings, Mare. We need to keep our distance until Alec and the others decide what to do.”

“Alec knows, too? I’m starting to wonder if my children tell me anything that’s going on in their lives anymore.” She frowns, but knows that she can’t really blame them. It isn’t as if she has a say in things regarding the Shadow World any longer. She has no right to be kept in the loop, and only knows as much as she does because of the positions her children hold, and her boyfriend’s involvement with them.

She considers herself lucky to be as involved as she is in general, but that doesn’t stop the sting she feels at being intentionally kept in the dark about something like this. She knows Jace well enough to know this isn’t a one-time thing he’s done. How long had he been watching Clary without telling her?  More importantly, how much more is he hurting than she realized before? Of course Maryse isn’t foolish enough to believe Jace when he said he’s fine, but if he’s sneaking around and lying about it, he’s clearly trying to cover up just how not fine he is after all this time.

“So I’m banned from doing the one helpful thing I can contribute?” Maryse sighs, the weight of the situation and her own inability to help seeming to tug her entire body down into a slump of shoulders and downturned lips.

“I know it’s difficult. I’ll be right on the sidelines with you, just until they learn more. Trust me, no one wants to make sure Clary’s alright more than me… it’s killing me to know she might remember me but I can’t go find out.” Luke tells her, reaching out a hand to take her own and give it a small, comforting squeeze. There’s a break of emotion in his voice, something sad and almost desperate in the admission that she’s certain he’s been holding in since he found out.

She knows how much it means to be the one he’s willing to open up with, and it isn’t something she takes for granted.

“Of course it is. Lucian, I’m so sorry, I made it all about me when I know how hard this is for you. I can only imagine if it were one of my children.” Maryse pulls her hand back out of his and looks down, suddenly very interested in shuffling the paperwork on the table in front of her. Of course he’d be kind enough to try and comfort her when he’s the one who should be hurting here. She only looks back up at Luke when he places a hand under her chin and lifts it gently up to meet his own again.

“Just because I’m frustrated doesn’t mean you can’t be. I know it’s difficult for you, too.” He smiles at her and she relaxes, and they both lean over the counter for a quick kiss before the bell above the door dings again and a customer walks in. They pull apart, bashful smiles on their faces like teenagers caught making out underneath the bleachers, but the woman at the door only grins knowingly to herself before turning to the nearest bookcase.

“If there’s anything you need help with, let me know!” Maryse calls across the room before turning her attention back to Luke with a light laugh.

“I suppose that’s my cue to go. I don’t want to be late for that meeting with Isabelle anyway. Take care of yourself, and call me if you need anything, alright?” He leans in for another kiss, a shorter one this time, before pulling away.

“You too, Lucian. And don’t worry. It’s all going to work out in the end. They’ll figure something out.” She trusts Alec and Magnus with her life, so she certainly trusts them with Clary’s. Lucian looks like he wants to share that total blind faith, even if he can’t quite manage it.

Luke only nods before taking his leave of the shop, and Maryse goes back to work, but not before texting Jace to make sure he’s holding up alright after everything that happened.

M: Jace, Lucian told me what happened. How are you? But no lying this time. This isn’t the first time you went to see her, is it?

J: I’m fine. And no, it isn’t. I’m sorry, I know I should’ve have. It won’t happen again.

M: I’m not worried that you did it, I’m worried that you’ve been hurting more than you told me about. Seeing her all this time and not being able to talk to her…

J: I’m fine, really. She’s fine. And that’s all that matters. Look, I have to run but I’ll call you later?

M: Alright. Be safe. Love you.

J: Love you, too.

It’s the best she’s going to get for now.

“Excuse me, ma’am? I was trying to find…” the customer in the corner starts now that she knows she isn’t interrupting anything, and Maryse quickly pockets her phone to get back to work.

---

Maia might as well be sleeping in the booth in the corner for all the time she’s spending remodeling the restaurant lately. Having Bat swing by to help when he isn’t working makes the progress so much faster, and even Simon, Jace, and Izzy swing by on occasion to lend a hand, but for the most part she’s turned this into her passion project.

The Jade Wolf saw too much bloodshed in it’s time - it became a place known for conflict and confrontation, especially after that night with the vampires. The night--

--Maia pulls her thoughts back from that night. It’s the whole point of redoing the place, after all: a bit of rebranding, to turn somewhere she once found comfort and a family and acceptance into that all over again, but not just for her, and not even just for the werewolves, but for all Downworlders and Shadowhunters alike.

Maia hears the sound of the front door open and doesn’t think twice about it at first, assuming it’s just one of them swinging by to visit, or to help, or both. Bat makes particularly frequent appearances to bring her food because otherwise she’ll work straight through the day and get so caught up in the progress she forgets to eat. But the tentative voice that calls out, “...hello?” from the other room isn’t one she immediately recognizes.

Maia sets the paint brush down carefully on the bucket she’s using - not that it matters, as she has enough of it in her hair and on her clothing, so why not the floor, too? - before climbing quickly down the ladder she was using to reach a tricky corner of the border molding.

“Hey, we’re closed, didn’t you see the--” Maia starts speaking before she rounds the corner to see who ignored the ‘closed’ sign on the door and came in anyway. Her words trail off in an open-mouthed gape at the sight in front of her. “--sign.”

Maia can’t believe she didn’t place the voice immediately. She looks amazing, with her red hair in waves and bangs that suit her face surprisingly well, and a hesitant smile on her face as she holds up both of her hands at the sight of Maia rounding the corner read to kick her out for trespassing.

“I did, and I’m sorry.” Clary drops her hands to tug nervously at the black shirt with flowing sleeves she wears tucked into a pair of floral patterned pants, untucking a corner in the process of her fidgeting. She looks torn between speaking again to justify why she ignored the sign and wanting to turn and bolt without another word. The result is her standing there, fidgeting, wordless after her hesitant apology.

“What are you doing here?” The words come off harsher than Maia intends, but that’s because she’s a little terrified, if she’s being honest. Clary doesn’t look like she recognizes Maia at all, but that doesn’t change the fact that Clary came to her. Should she call someone? Send her away? Both of those are probably really solid options, but instead Maia waits for Clary’s answer, curiosity getting the best of her.

“Would you believe me if I said I wasn’t sure? I don’t know why I felt so compelled to come in here,” Clary starts slowly, allowing her gaze to travel from Maia to the work-in-progress room around them. “But I’ve been drawn to this building at least a dozen times this month, and I couldn’t just walk by it today for some reason. I used to come here all of the time before…” Clary takes a deep breath, as if trying to inhale the essence that once was the Jade Wolf. “It feels good to be here. Like I should be here, almost? And I know this isn’t making any sense and I probably sound insane right now.” Clary laughs, a sound edged with nerves, and it’s all Maia can do not to give in to the tears she feels threaten to well over at the sound of it in her life again.

It’s overwhelming, the idea that even so many months since she lost her memories of them, Clary still has those feelings and this connection. It hurts more than Maia expects to know that Clary’s looking at her like a stranger, that she could think for even a second that Maia will judge a single thing she’s feeling right now; that Clary can stand two feet in front of her and not know how much she means to Maia and how goddamn much she’s missed by so many people.

“It doesn’t sound insane,” Maia says, her voice quiet.

“Well that’s a relief. I really didn’t want you to call the police on me for trespassing.” Clary falls silent again. Maia can tell she doesn’t want to go, but she can’t think of a reason to stay, either.  “I should leave. Sorry, I don’t want to-” Clary starts, but she doesn’t get to finish before Maia cuts her off with words that leave her lips before she can think twice about them.

“You should stay.” Maia mentally curses herself for it, knowing without a doubt that she shouldn’t be doing this but unable to stop herself just the same. After talking with Simon about Clary just yesterday this has to be some sort of fate, right? “I mean, you can go if you want to, obviously. But if you don’t want to… I’m just painting one of the back rooms, if you’re any good with a paintbrush?” Maia can’t help a bit of a smirk at the question, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah, I can handle a paintbrush,” Clary confirms, relaxing at the knowledge that she doesn’t have to leave right away. “I’m Clary, by the way.” Clary walks closer to her and extends a hand.

“Maia,” Maia says, taking the offered hand.

Maia knows it’s selfish, but for the next hour she takes in as much of Clary as she can - every smile, every laugh, every moment she gets frustrated over a layer of cheap paint not going on smoothly. They fall into an easy rhythm that’s finally broken when Maia looks over and sees what is unmistakably a rune drawn onto one of the walls.

The paint roller she holds clatters to the ground, splattering paint all over her shoes and jeans and the floor. Clary startles, looking over at Maia in concern only to follow Maia’s gaze to the marking on the wall.

“What the…” Clary mutters, taking a step away from it. “I don’t remember painting that.”

“You should leave,” Maia says, voice suddenly tense.

“I’m sorry. It’ll be really easy to cover, just let me see that roller for a second and-”

“No, Clary. You need to leave. Right now. This was a mistake, I’m so sorry, I never should’ve let you in here.” Maia mentally curses herself a million more times. What did she think was going to happen?

Clary looks hurt, she looks confused, but it’s the hint of fear behind her eyes at the sight of the marking on the wall that makes Maia’s heart ache the most for her.

“Of course. I shouldn’t be here anyway.” Clary lingers just long enough to spare a glance over her shoulder at Maia, but Maia remains rooted to the spot until Clary disappears from sight without so much as a goodbye and Maia hears the front door open and close again behind Clary.  

Maia hears the door open again barely a minute later and forces herself back into the main room. “I thought I told you to--” she starts, expecting to have to send Clary away for a second time (as if the first didn’t hurt enough), except that isn’t who she sees standing in front of her.

“Please, don’t stop on my account,” Jace says, eyeing her expectantly with his arms crossed over his chest. “I’d love to hear all about what you told Clary.”

#maryse lightwood #luke garroway #clary fray #maia roberts #shadowhunters #jace herondale #aaaaaand we're starting to get somewhere!