cruel gods [aemond targaryen]

XIV

The sun in the sky hid the horrors that this day would bring. It shone on Maellery, her bed remaining cold and empty. Aemond, gone throughout the night, she had now moved onto his side.

The maids were quiet, their moods sullen. Their beloved mistress had now begun her grief. Some of the lords claimed she had become ill, the concept of heartbreak becoming incoherent in their worlds.

Alys Rivers had joined the pack of maids addressed to Maellery, a peace keeper offered to ensure that the royals would be on their side. The mere concept of Maellery confused her, being a maid was one thing, dealing with Mae was another.

It had taken three maids and Tommen to move Maellery into a freshly drawn bath, her favourite petals being thrown in. It was almost like washing a ghost, Maellery watched as they all looked around, afraid of cracking her skin.

When she was ready for the day, she had made an attempt to leave her chambers, Maellery had wanted to go looking for her husband. Stationed outside, a man from his kings guard.

"I'm sorry Princess, you are not to exit your chambers."

"on whose orders?" Maellery asked, her voice  cracked and sore. Her father was dead, another was dead. Daemon had won the small battle she had started, it caused her a great deal of pain.

"Prince Aemonds." he let out, turning to face the empty corridor. The keep was quiet, too quiet. There were no hushed whispers, no maids being busy. It was like the keep had stopped, permitting nobody to do anything.

As her husbands name rang in her mind, she thought of the heartbreak she may have caused him last night. The breakdown of her grief may have been received by the prince as an act against his duties. This may be her punishment for bruising the ego of the one eyed prince.

Maellery sat in the bay of her window, staring out at the wilted flowers below. She remembered talking about them with her mother, when they were alive and floating amongst the breeze. Now they were grey and petals had begun to fall, coating the soil below.

When the door opened, Maellery had not taken her sight off the petals. Once filled with life, giving out their sustainability to the insects that live beneath the earth.

She could hear his footsteps, feel his breathing, smell the scent he had brought with him. Dread. Maellery turned, looking at his eyepatch, once covered in details of gold, now back to the plain one.

"Maellery" he sighed, he did not know her frown could drop further until it did. She looked tired, exhausted. He knew she had slept, making sure to wake himself to check that she had not committed an act that would relieve her pain.

"Did i offend you? Is that why you punished me? Why must i be locked in this chamber?" She muttered, her voice still aching from the night. Aemond had felt his organs stop, his heart had begun to slow, he felt as though he would drop there and then.

He forbade himself from doing so, saving his wife from anymore torment she would have to face. Instead he turned to a black haired maid, Alys Rivers from Harrenhall, given to Maellery after the events of yesterday. "Clear the room."

She did so quietly, the other maids all looking at the prince, reflecting on Maellery's mood. It was out of one's mind to understand the bond they had shared with the Princess, it was as if their souls had been combined, sharing each's emotions as they came.

"Maellery there's been an incident. I did not lock you in this chamber to punish you, no one was supposed to leave their chambers. You are free to leave now."

"What has happened?" It suddenly had caught her attention, her eyes widening. Her fingers had immediately moved to her lips, picking at them. He did not realise it, but his hand had moved to her, pulling her away softly.