cruel gods [aemond targaryen]

II

Aemond stood in a corner, half hidden by a pillar, but he could still see her. She was sat on a bench covered in blankets to add some sort of comfort to it. Maellery was sat with a small boy, no older than 10 Aemond suspected, clutching his mud ridden hands with hers and listening intently. Children sat around them, edging on every soft word she spoke to them. Some were led on their stomachs, their legs kicking in the air every time she spoke to them directly.

Maellery had noticed a small child, silver hair in the crowd. She looked up at Aemond, her eyes not filled with fury or anger, but with questions and sadness. He quickly looked to the side, his eyes focusing on a small basket of good's she had bought with her. Pastries, bread and such she had asked the kitchen maids to prepare if any were being thrown to the horses. She knew her answer.

"My father was a soldier my lady," The little boy began. She returned to his side, smiling at him softly and rubbing her thumb across his hands. "He left one night; he didn't come back, and I had to come here" His voice grew quiet with every letter he spoke.

"Your father is very brave, the bravest of us all. Your father took his command seriously and we have all been saved. I shall pray for him; you shall pray for him too hm?" She took his face in her hand, rubbing softly, mud getting all over her fingers though she did not care. "I shall pray for all of you, what about you all?"

Hands raised in the crowds, each shouting over each other, each trying to grab the attention of the lady sat in front of them. She laughed, a full laugh, Aemond had not heard of her laughing. The maids had regularly spoke of her being mad, "she stares out the window nothing more". Aemond knew she was not but any girl who had been pushed into marrying a Targaryen had to be a little mad. Their destinies have been doomed eternally.

She stood, hand still clutching the boys, the other resided in the hand of a girl. She was small and toothy, gleaming up at the princess as if she were one of the gods. Each child followed her movements, outside of the orphanage and into the stench filled streets. Aemond followed swiftly behind, no children took an interest in him, in fact some pushed past him to get a view of the lady. Bastards he thought.

They followed her as she walked down the street, pulling up the cloak that Aemond had told her to wear, much to her despise. None were quiet, sprouting out words of whatever came to mind, some clutching handfuls of her dress. She spoke to the lady of the orphanage who practically begged her to return.

"You shall come to me if they require anything, straight to me. Clothes, food. Anything, I promise I will provide them. I shall pray for you too" The lady smiled at her and Maellery grabbed her hands between her two. "I will return, when I can and often." The children all expressed feelings of joy. Aemond stared, he was not enthusiastic of the betrothal, but he was thankful that his children would have a doting mother, much like his own.

They walked in silence, taking in the streets. Aemond could not recall if he had ever been to see the children, he did not know why he came. When she told him late, he felt a duty to go with her and shield her if anything happened, he did not want his mother to find out he had let his future wife leave without anyone there and he did not want to marry some girl who was bothersome. He did not like the lady Maellery, but she respected his duties, which he planned to reward in politeness.

"How do you like Kings Landing so far? Is it treating you fairly?" He asked, half turning to look at her.

"The weather is not on my side my prince" She had not resorted to calling the prince aemond as she did last night. They were not friends or even acquainted at that, she did not like calling him by a name everyone else did when she did not know the man stood to the side of her. "The days are long, my prince".