𝐀𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐀|𝖣𝖺𝖾𝗆𝗈𝗇 𝖳𝖺𝗋𝗀𝖺𝗋𝗒𝖾𝗇

𝒙𝒙𝒊𝒊𝒊. Perception

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CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
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AENORA WAS IN THE GARDENS WITH her children when she was summoned to the council chambers. Somehow, she immediately knew what it was about. She knew her father found out. She had a feeling ever since she woke up in her bed alone. Daemon hadn't come to find her or the children all day. How her father found out, though, was the question.

Aenora left the three children in the care of Lydia and Emely and began to quickly walk through the castle. She felt like her heart was beating outside of her chest. She was so anxious she could throw up.

Though, before she could get any further through the halls, Rhaenyra pulled her into a room.

"He called for you too?" Rhaenyra asked. Her voice was shaky, Aenora could tell she was just as anxious as her.

"Yes. Do you know who told him?" Aenora leaned against a table.

Rhaenyra furrowed her eyebrows. "It was so obviously Otto."

"How do you know?" Aenora questioned.

"How do you not? Otto would do anything to ruin me, you as well for that matter. I'm sure he has spys everywhere." Rhaenyra responded.

Aenora was a little mad at herself for not thinking about that, but then she realized, Daemon did. He had to know. He, of all people, knew how Otto was. Daemon knew this was going to happen. Anger filled Aenora. If it wasn't because her father talked with him first as to why she hasn't seen him all day, it was because he was avoiding her.

"Rhaenyra, listen to me very carefully," Aenora said. "Nothing happened. All we did was go for a walk."

Rhaenyra gave her sister a nervous look.

"What?" Aenora asked.

"I might have told Alicent he took us to a tavern but got too drunk and left us. So, we came back to the castle." Rhaenyra replied.

Aenora sighed. "Well... you could've said something worse, I suppose." Aenora paused, "We're going to tell him that I'm the one who told you to come. And if he asks anything else, let me answer. Understand?"

"You cannot take all the blame, Aenora." Rhaenyra told her.

"Rhaenyra, I am your older sister, and I am the one who got you into this. I shouldn't have put you in this position, you are the heir. Let me try to fix this." Aenora sounded sympathetic.

Rhaenyra only nodded before they left the room.

The two continued at their fast pace and soon they were at the council chambers door. They shared one last nervous look to each other before entering.

"Father," they said.

Viserys turned from the window, a disappointed expression prominent on his face. He stared at his two daughters for awhile, unable to find the words to say to them.

Aenora stood their thinking about what Daemon had done, and what his motives were. She knew he loved her, but what could possibly reason for jeopardizing her and her sister. She knew she wasn't innocent, she agreed to go. She just wished she had listened to her intuition.

Viserys looked at Rhaenyra, "Jaehaerys would've disinherited you."

"For what?" Aenora asked.

"No!" Viserys yelled. "For going to a brothel and doing Gods know what with you and Daemon! How could you do this Aenora?"

Aenora laughed. The accusations were pathetic.

"You believe these accusations, father?" She asked.

"Daemon didn't deny it." Viserys replied.

Aenora wanted to kill Daemon in that very moment. If she wasn't angry before, she most definitely was now.

"Of course he didn't. He was too drunk to even remember what happened." Aenora stated. "The truth, father, is that Daemon got too drunk and eventually we lost him."

Before she could say anything else, Viserys spoke, "The three of you were seen leaving a brothel, for Gods sake!"

"You didn't let me finish, " Aenora forced a tear to fall from her eye and sniffled. "Rhaenyra and I went to go look for him where we thought he might be, which was a brothel, you and I both know how Daemon is. So, yes father, my husband is unfaithful. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Rhaenyra stared at her sister in disbelief. It was only then, she realized how far Aenora was willing to go to save her.

But, all three of them knew how this looked.

"Rhaenyra I wish to speak to your sister alone." Viserys said.

Rhaenyra nodded before exiting the room.

Viserys looked at the ground, "If this is true then why did Daemon ask me to name you as heir?"

Aenora almost choked when those words came out of her fathers mouth. She was beyond furious. She could feel body heating with anger. But nonetheless, she took a deep breath.

"Like I said before, you and I both know Daemon. He is an ambitious man. I told you once, I do not want to be queen. I never did and I never will." Aenora said.

There was another moment of silence.

Aenora was fighting the urge to run out of the room to go look for Daemon.

"Well, now you don't have a choice. I can save your reputation, but I cannot save Rhaenyras. You will be my successor, Aenora." Viserys told her.

Aenora felt her knees weaken. She wasn't even angry anymore. Honestly, she didn't even know what she felt, but it wasn't good. She sighed in defeat.

Daemon got what he wanted.

Aenora nodded, "May I go?"

"Yes. Send your sister back in." Viserys said.

After Aenora sent her sister back in she quickly went to go find her children and Lydia and Emely.

The feelings she felt where indescribable, even for her. She thought about everything but the main question she kept asking was if Daemon ever truly loved her. He knew this wasn't what she wanted. He went against her wishes and almost ruined her sister.

She didn't know if she could ever really forgive him for that.

"Lydia?" Aenora said as she walked into the Aevas chamber.

She found the five of them sitting on the floor. They were having Lydia read to them.

"Yes, Princess?" Lydia stood up.

Aenora looked down, "Ready the children and yourselves. We're leaving."

"Where to?" Emely asked.

"Dragonstone," Aenora replied.

Aenora said no more before walking back to her own chamber and gathering all of her things.

It wasn't long before the six of them departed on a boat from Kings Landing. Though, Aenora knew she'd have to return for the ceremony for her to be declared as the heir, but she needed to be home to collect herself and her feelings before that could happen.

Aenora prayed Daemon would stay in Kings Landing or anywhere other than Dragonstone. She didn't want to even be near him in that moment.

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AUTHORS NOTE
very shittyly written chapter, but i'll edit it later.
thoughts?