Year: 125 AC

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"Ser Arthur Blackwood, son of Ser Jonah Blackwood, champion of the tourney at Harrenhal."

Daenys leaned against the balcony railing, her gaze drifting lazily over the collection of knights in the courtyard below. The sun bathed the knights in a warm, golden glow as they stood in their gleaming armour, their shields adorned with sigils that represented their houses. Ser Harrold Westerling's voice droned on in the background as he presented the various knights to her, listing their accomplishments and feats. Daenys nodded politely every time he said something but her mind wandered and she found it difficult to pay attention. King Viserys had asked her to select a new member of the Kingsguard, stating that he would like her to have a personal shield and protector. 

Ser Harrold eyed the bored princess with equal parts amusement and exasperation. It seemed that history had a way of repeating itself, as he remembered Princess Rhaenyra's bored expression when she was assigned the same task years ago. Her daughter now stood in the same spot, sporting the same disinterested look as she idly traced a finger along the intricate patterns of the balcony railing. 

"Lastly, Princess," Ser Harrold declared, "I present to you Ser Atticus Frey, son of Ser Desmond Frey. Knighted at four and ten. He has defended the Riverlands from bandit raids and led a rescue mission to save a village besieged by marauders."

Ser Atticus Frey stepped forward, his armour adorned with the distinctive twin towers of House Frey. His gaze met Daenys's, and there was a spark of something different in her eyes. It was as though his introduction had stirred her from her momentary reverie, capturing her full attention. He looked to be only a few years older than her, and as Ser Harrold continued with the list of his heroic deeds, Daenys made a decision. Ser Atticus Frey would be her sworn shield. 

"Ser Atticus Frey," she said. "Your deeds and dedication to the people of the Riverlands have not gone unnoticed. You have my gratitude and admiration."

A smile graced Ser Atticus's lips, and he gave a respectful bow, "Thank you, Princess."

Daenys turned to Ser Harrold, "I choose Ser Atticus."

The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard nodded at her and as the knights below scattered, Daenys considered herself dismissed. She hurried away to find Dyana who was waiting for her in the adjacent hallway.

"Did they let you go?" Dyana asked.

Daenys grinned and linked her arms with the girl, "They might as well have, I'm finished with this Kingsguard business. Now please take me to see Helaena."

Dyana laughed, leading Daenys through the bustling corridors of the Red Keep. They soon arrived at Helaena's chambers, where she sat in a comfortable chair by the fireplace with two infants babbling at her feet. The twins, a boy and a girl, had inherited their parents' silver hair and indigo eyes, and their giggles filled the room as they reached for their mother's feet.

Helaena looked up as Daenys and Dyana entered, "Ah, you're finally here. I believe it is time to make the formal introduction then."

Daenys beamed, practically vibrating with excitement as she dropped to her knees in front of the children. 

"This is Jaehaera and this is Jaehaerys," Helaena pointed to each child in turn. 

Daenys's eyes lit up with delight as she looked at the adorable pair. She carefully extended her arms and took Jaehaera into her embrace. The little princess immediately seemed taken with her, her eyes wide and curious as she reached out to take a fistful of Daenys's hair. 

"Oh, look at you," Daenys cooed, her heart melting as she held the child close. "You're absolutely precious, Jaehaera."

Jaehaera babbled in response making everyone in the room chuckle. Meanwhile, Jaehaerys was far more reserved, hiding his face in his mother's skirts as if seeking comfort. Helaena gently patted his back, trying to reassure him. Daenys couldn't help but chuckle at the little prince's shyness. She continued to hold Jaehaera, rocking her gently and making funny faces to elicit a giggle or two from the toddler.

"You know, it's bad manners to haunt doorways like a spectre."

Aemond stood at the entrance of the room and before he could even realize it, Aegon appeared beside him and slung an arm around his shoulders. 

"I'm not haunting anything," Aemond scowled.

"Then stop standing here sulking. You're scaring my children."

Aemond rolled his eyes and shrugged Aegon's arm off him. 

"Do you even know your children's names?"

"Don't change the subject, Aemond," Aegon's gaze followed his brother's and then his face lit up with understanding. "Ah, perhaps there is something else that has captured your attention. Or should I say someone else?"

Aemond tried to maintain his composure but couldn't help the faint blush that crept onto his cheeks. He cleared his throat and glanced away. 

"I simply came to speak with Helaena."

"Is that so? Then let us go speak to her," Aegon gripped his brother's shoulder and pulled him into the room.

Aemond resisted but Aegon's grip was too strong and once they were close enough, Aegon's eyes flashed mischievously before he winked at his brother and shoved him to the floor, making him go stumbling right into Daenys, who was sitting with Jaehaera in her lap. Daenys instinctively raised one hand out to prevent him from crashing into Helaena's toddler and Aemond in his desperate attempt to steady himself found himself closing his fingers around her wrist. 

Aemond's face turned a deep shade of crimson as embarrassment washed over him. He quickly scrambled to regain his footing, yanking his hand away almost as if her touch had burned him. Daenys's smile from earlier faded into a look of hurt, and she scowled at him. Aemond returned her expression with an even more disdainful one and Aegon's boisterous laughter echoed in the room. 

"It seems that there is a game to be played here," he mumbled to himself and Helaena shot him a disapproving glare. 

Over the next few days, the inexplicable phenomenon of Aemond and Daenys being drawn into close contact seemed to persist. Daenys continued to spend much of her time with Helaena and Dyana, as they discussed various matters and enjoyed the company of Helaena's twins. Sometimes Daeron would accompany them as well, as he was particularly close to his sister. 

Aegon, ever the mischievous older brother, couldn't resist the opportunity to bring Aemond and Daenys into each other's orbits. He knew that his niece's presence with his wife was a constant, and he made sure to coax his brother into accompanying him whenever possible. Aegon orchestrated their "accidental" meetings with a sly grin and an amused twinkle in his eyes.

Sometimes, it was a seemingly innocent stroll through the gardens where Aemond and Aegon just happened to cross paths with the girls. Other times, it involved well-placed "accidents" where Aegon would push Aemond, causing him to bump into their niece. Each time, their encounters were marked by fleeting moments of tension, followed by the same passive-aggressive behaviour that had occurred the first time. One of them would grimace at the other and they would brush themselves off and turn away as if nothing had happened.

Aegon found their mutual hostility toward each other rather amusing, and he couldn't resist the opportunity to tease them both. He often pretended to be oblivious to their discomfort, all the while orchestrating situations that kept bringing them together. 

Aegon's efforts culminated in him recruiting his sister in his nefarious plan as well. One day, as Helaena was resting in her chambers with Daenys, she suddenly remembered a particular book about beetles she had left in Aemond's chambers. She turned to her niece with a hopeful expression.

"Daenys," Helaena said, her voice gentle and persuasive, "could you please retrieve a book for me, one I left in my brother's chambers? I'm feeling rather tired, and it's been difficult for me to move around lately."

"Your brother's chambers," Daenys sighed, "and I'm assuming that brother isn't Aegon."

Helaena rolled her eyes, "Imagine trying to read in his room, no thank you!"

Daenys hesitated, her reluctance evident. She bit her lower lip and glanced around, hoping to find an alternative solution. 

"Isn't there someone else who could fetch it for you? Dyana or Daeron, perhaps?"

Helaena's eyes filled with a pleading expression, and she clasped her hands together with her niece's. 

"Daenys, oh treasure of my eyes and queen of my heart, I understand it might seem like an inconvenience, but please, do this for the sake of a poor pregnant woman."

Daenys laughed as she glanced down at their entwined fingers. 

"You jest too much Helaena."

"I assure you, I am entirely serious."

"About me being..."

"Oh yes. You are indeed the light of my eyes, the-"

"Enough," Daenys snorted, "please enough. That's a little much, even for you."

"So you'll do it?"

"You're looking at me the way Jaehaera does when she wants to eat my last honey cake. Now I know where she gets it from. Of course, I'll get it for you."

Helaena beamed and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. 

"I am warning you though. Don't blame me if your brother ends up on the other side of my fist."

Helaena looked down guiltily, "Which one?"

"Both of them! Not darling Daeron though, he is a perfect saint."

"If saints cared that much about their hair. I do wonder what's gotten into him recently."

Daenys smirked mischievously, "Perhaps we shall make our next order of business to bribe that out of him."

Helaena clapped her hands, "Agreed. Now, Daenys my love, I truly appreciate it. Aemond's chambers are just down the hall. The book should be on the table by the window. It's got a bright red cover, you can't miss it."

"You hold too much power over me," Daenys kissed her aunt's forehead in farewell, making her way to Aemond's chambers with a touch of apprehension. 

As Daenys left the room to retrieve the book, she was unaware of the behind-the-scenes activities that were unfolding in her absence. Little did she know that Daeron, seizing the opportunity, had sprung from his hiding spot within Helaena's room. With Helaena's silent nod of approval, Daeron darted out of the room with a mission in mind. His footsteps echoed in the hallway as he raced to find Aegon and inform him of the unfolding opportunity.

Once Daeron tracked down Aegon, he breathlessly relayed the situation, whispering excitedly about Daenys's errand to Aemond's chambers. Aegon's eyes gleamed with amusement, and he quickly concocted an excuse to join in on the action.

As Daeron breathlessly informed Aegon about Helaena's request and Daenys's current location in Aemond's chambers, Aegon couldn't help but grin mischievously. He saw this as a perfect opportunity to further his playful scheme. With a casual nonchalance, he remarked, "Oh, how silly of me! I've just remembered that I left my favourite book in Aemond's chambers. Daeron, why don't you accompany Aemond and assist him in finding it?"

They were in Aegon's room, playing a casual game of cards and Aemond had not heard Daeron's message. He looked up at his brothers with a scowl at the mention of his name.

"You don't read Aegon, you have no favourite book," he pointed out, matter of factly.

"Did I say book, I meant ring. Yes, I left my ring in your chambers, you know the one grandfather gave to me for my last name day."

"And you just realized it was missing?"

"Yes!"

"Aegon..." Aemond sighed. "What were you doing in my chambers anyway? How could you lose your ring?"

Aegon winked, "You probably would not like to know the kind of activities I got up to that caused the loss. You know, privacy matters and all."

"You what? Don't tell me you-"

"Uh-uh, I don't kiss and tell."

"Aegon!"

"Now hurry along and go fetch it for me brother. Or else I'll take my next escapade to your room too. Something about your desk is simply superior for bending-."

"Enough! Stop, just stop. I'll get your stupid book, just...keep your vile activities out of my chambers," Aemond made a disgusted face. 

"Wonderful. Now my ring should be by your desk, naturally. You shouldn't have too much trouble locating it."

"You're disgusting!"

"Ah yes, but oh so loveable, right? Now Daeron accompany your brother. It's best if both of you are searching."

Back in Aemond's chambers, as Daenys continued to search for Helaena's book, she couldn't help but be distracted by the room itself. Aemond's living space was a reflection of his scholarly nature and his penchant for intellectual pursuits. Tall bookshelves lined the walls, and they were filled to capacity with books of various sizes and colours. Some were neatly arranged, while others were stacked haphazardly. Books spilled out onto a large wooden desk in the corner, where an assortment of inkpots and quills were scattered. Parchment, filled with Aemond's neat yet hurried scribbles, lay strewn across the surface. It was clear that this was where he conducted his studies and penned his thoughts. The soft glow of candlelight from a desk lamp illuminated the pages of open books, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. 

As Daenys leaned over Aemond's desk, her curiosity piqued by the writings scattered across it, she reached out to pick up one of the pieces of parchment. Her fingers brushed against the edge of the paper, and just as she lifted it, the parchment slipped from her grasp and fluttered to the floor. With a soft curse under her breath, she bent down and crawled into the space under the desk to retrieve the fallen paper, unaware of Aemond's approaching presence. 

Meanwhile, Aemond, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of Aegon and his vexing schemes, entered the room with an air of annoyance. He muttered to himself about his brother's "filthy activities," unaware of the presence of anyone else. His frustration was evident in his furrowed brows and the tension in his shoulders.

Just as Aemond reached the center of the room, his voice echoing his irritation, a sudden noise from beneath the desk startled him. Daenys, in her haste to retrieve the fallen parchment, had inadvertently knocked her head against the bottom of the desk. She swore loudly, emerging with a frown. 

Aemond's head snapped down, his eye widening in surprise as he finally noticed her presence.

"What in the seven hells?" he exclaimed, his anger misdirected from his brother to the intruder in his room.

Daenys, her hand clutching her throbbing head, looked up at Aemond with a mixture of embarrassment and pain. 

"Sorry, I was just...Helaena asked me to fetch her a book," she tried to explain. 

Aemond's frustration, which had been simmering just below the surface, had finally reached its boiling point, and she found herself at the receiving end of his ire. His voice thundered through the room, his tone sharp and accusing. 

"What in the name of the gods do you think you're doing?" His eyes blazed with anger, his chest heaving with agitation. "Why are you snooping through my room now?"

Daenys, still dazed from the impact and now taken aback by Aemond's outburst, struggled to find her voice. She stood up slowly, rounding the table to stand in front of him.

"I... I wasn't snooping," she stammered, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of pain, embarrassment, and frustration. "I was just... I dropped a paper, and I was trying to pick it up. I didn't mean to intrude. I told you..."

Aemond took a step closer, his expression stern and unforgiving.

"Stop making excuses," he retorted sharply, his voice laced with frustration. "I'm tired of your constant intrusion into my life. First, you follow me around like some shadow, and now you're trying to look through my things. What's the matter with you? Are you so obsessed with me that you can't give me a moment's peace?"

Daenys's frustration and anger boiled over, and she snapped back at Aemond with a fiery intensity. Her voice, though quivering with emotion, held a determined resolve.

"Get over yourself, Aemond! I am not obsessed with you. I couldn't care less about you, not after you ignored every single one of my letters for the past five years."

Aemond's response was immediate and vehement. 

"Again with the letters. There were no such letters! You sent one cowardly letter at the very beginning, and it was filled with fake niceties because that's what you thought I wanted to hear. And then, you never sent a single one again!"

"That's not true!"

He paced the room, his voice filled with resentment, "You never tried to get in contact with me, Daenys, not after that one unanswered letter. And I had a right to not reply to that one. I was sick. I was hurt. You didn't care enough to reach out to me, even when you wrote to Helaena almost constantly. You're selfish for not trying harder, for not caring enough to find out the truth of what happened to me."

Daenys shook her head, "That's not true. you know that's not true. I wrote to you every day at first, and then less often because you never replied, but I still wrote to you every month!"

Aemond's brows furrowed in disbelief. 

"I never received them," he insisted, his tone still laced with skepticism. "I would have replied. Eventually, I would have replied. But you didn't care. You never tried to understand what I was going through."

Their voices grew louder, and their heated exchange pushed them closer and closer together until they were standing face to face, chest to chest. Neither of them seemed to realize the proximity that had developed during their argument, and the air between them crackled with unresolved tension. In this close proximity, Aemond could see the delicate freckles dusted across Daenys's nose, and she could smell the faint scent of dragon smoke that clung to Aemond's clothing. The room seemed to hold its breath, and the once-fiery argument fell into a pause.

Their eyes locked, and for a brief moment, the world around them faded away. The anger and resentment that had filled the room dissipated, leaving only silence. 

Then Daenys took a deep breath, her eyes filled with disappointment and sadness. 

"I am sorry," she whispered. "I am sorry for what my brothers did to you, Aemond. I'm sorry for not being able to stop them or help you, but I don't know what else to do. If you're going to continue pretending that I'm the reason everything is wrong with your life, then fine. I'll leave you be."

As their heated argument gave way to a charged silence, Aemond's sharp gaze softened as he looked at the girl who used to be his dearest friend. In the stillness of the moment, he noticed the tears glistening in her eyes, a stark contrast to the anger that had filled the room just moments ago.

When a single tear escaped and began its journey down her cheek, against his better judgment and driven by an unspoken impulse, Aemond's hand moved of its own accord. His fingers rough against her tear-stained skin, traced a delicate path to wipe away the solitary tear.

Their contact was tender and unexpected, a moment that hung in the air like a fragile thread connecting them. Aemond's touch was both reassuring and apologetic as if acknowledging the pain their argument had caused. Daenys's breath caught in her throat in surprise. 

Then Aemond opened his blasted mouth and the moment was ruined. 

"Fine then, leave me be," he muttered, his voice strained. "It's probably for the best that we haven't kept in touch after all."

Daenys scoffed at his words, a mixture of frustration and hurt flashing across her features. She pushed him away from her with a forceful shove, her eyes filled with a fiery determination.

"Fine, Aemond," she retorted, her voice sharp with irritation. "If that's what you truly believe, then so be it." 

With that, she turned on her heel and left, leaving Aemond alone with his regrets and a profound sense of emptiness. As the door closed behind her, Aemond cursed himself for his inability to salvage the moment. Damn him and his stupid mouth. Damn her and her stupid mouth that made him lose all reason. Damn her. 

As Daenys stormed out of Aemond's chambers, she practically collided with Helaena, Aegon, and Daeron, who had been eavesdropping just outside the door. Their expressions ranged from surprise to concern, but it was Helaena who noticed the tears on Daenys's face first as she ran past them.

Helaena's anger flared. She turned to her husband, with a furious glare. 

"You said this scheme would make things better, that it would bring them closer!" she seethed, her voice edged with frustration.

Aegon, ever the provocateur, rolled his eyes in response and gave a nonchalant shrug.

"Well, my dear wife," he replied with a hint of sarcasm, "I had no idea our brother was such an idiot. He clearly does not know how to put his desk to good use."

Daeron, who had been silently observing the entire scene, couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at Aegon's bluntness and his sister's responding smack to his shoulder. However, he wisely kept his comments to himself, knowing that he did not want to be on the wrong side of Helaena's fury.

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A/N: lol the fact that I update way more frequently during the school year while procrastinating on actual assignments is a tragic phenomenon that needs to be studied. Anyways, here's another chapter, it's a little cheesy and Aegon is behaving like a silly high schooler but the slow burn was burning too slow so a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. And I love a good missing letters trope lol, what do we think happened to Daenys's letters ;)

Hope yall enjoy <3

As usual, don't be a ghost reader. I love reading yalls thoughts so plz share ( •̯́ ^ •̯̀)