The night was perfect. Elyana had not felt as happy as she did in a long time whenever she ran around King's Landing with Ser Erryk, Darra, and Erryk's friends. They would dance in bars, watch comedy shows, and run around just looking for a great time.

Ser Erryk was a very comedic man, and Elyana was surprised. Whenever he stood posted in Pricne Aemond's door, he seemed the opposite of a fun person. But he was good, funny, and even a little handsome. Even if she would never say that out loud. Elyana was grateful he had invited her, and she was happy that she came.

"Oh... this is my favorite show!" Arryk mused as they approached a corner of an alley in King's Landing, where a small theater had been set up. Actors were reenacting a supposed brawl of princes, and Erryk would smirk as he leaned into Elyana's ear.

"I reckon you'd like this show." He whispered as Elyana raised a brow, eyeing the stage. There stood a man, who was crouching as if acting like a small child. He ran towards another taller man, seemingly stabbing him in the eye with a dagger.

"My eye! You took my eye!" The man would scream. Erryk, Arryk, Darra, and the other knights all laughed, whilst it dawned on Elyana what the show was about. It was about Aemond and the loss of his eye.

"Hey... atleast it wasn't your cock, eh?" Another man would jest as all the spectators around them laughed. Everybody found the show extremely funny, yet Elyana didn't see the appeal. She did not like Aemond at all, but his eye loss was not something to jest about. Even if he was an ass.

"You're not laughing... I-I though-" Elyana cut Erryk off, she felt bad for him since he seemed extremely embarrassed that she didn't enjoy it.

"Let's go back to that one pub by the other street over... I really liked it." She told him softly, making him smile slightly. Erryk nodded his head, and turned to look at the others who were engulfed in the cruel show. Erryk smiled and grabbed her hand gently, leading her away from the others. The touch was an unexpected yet a welcome one.

Elyana walked hand in hand with him. They walked steadily in between the crowd of commoners, heading for the pub. Elyana's heartbeat quickened as for a small moment she could have sworn she saw a patched face in between the crowd. But there was no way... the prince for sure wouldn't be caught dead in the filthy streets of King's Landing, or so she thought.

-

Aemond Targaryen was not one to care about what his servants did with their free time, as long at they fullfilled the duties he asked of them. If they wished to frolick or roll around on the muddy streets of King's Landing then who was he to deny them those supposed pleasures? They weren't slaves and he acknowledged that.

But then he eavesdropped on the conversation that Ser Erryk and Elyana had outside of his chambers. The knight had invited his servant into the city of King's Landing. Aemond was confused... What business did a knight of the Kingsguard have with a servant like Elyana? It intrigued Aemond. It's not like Erryk could pursue a marriage with her. Kingsguards cannot marry... Maybe he was looking for some other pleasures.

Aemond didn't want to follow them into the city that night. He really did not. But then somehow he found himself inmersed in the shadows, following them aimlessly as the pair and their friends frolicked around King's Landing. If someone asked Aemond his purpose for stalking them, he wouldn't know what to tell them.

He couldn't deny that Elyana was terribly and amazingly beautiful... If she were a lady of a Great House, he probably would have asked for her hand in marriage. But she wasn't, and she was quite annoying and disagreeable. Aemond didn't like her one bit. She was a terrible servant, she would roll her eyes and be slow with her tasks. Yet he still kept her on his service.

Maybe it was her beauty, or maybe he adored the way her face contorted in fear whenever he drew his blade or sword. Maybe he liked the way she had looked up at him in fear that time he pointed his sword at her.

Gods if she was so beautiful when scared, imagine her face of pleasure. Aemond wanted to stab himself in his good eye because of his depraved thoughts. They were just thoughts, he would never dirty himself with a maid of the castle. He was not like his depraved brother, no. He was a good prince, a dutiful prince, an honorable one.

Maybe he liked the way her tiny fingers felt as they touched his skin... The way she would massage him so well. Fuck. This wasn't normal. Why couldn't he keep her off his mind?

He watched them from afar, steadily moving with them all around King's Landing. He kept a hood over his head and his eye down, careful not to be seen. Keeping a safe distance from them.

Aemond would watch as Elyana's eyes would dance in awe at the sight of the crappy street shows the common folk would put on. And he watched the way Ser Erryk Cargyll watched Elyana. He was clearly fond of her, even a blind man could see it. Whenever she wasn't paying attention, Erryk would sneak longing glances her way.

Aemond didn't care if Erryk wanted Elyana... But something about some other man taking her maidenhead made him feel uneasy... Was he jealous?

Aemond suddenly noticed the group was watching a show about princes, and it didn't take him long to realize it was a little play jesting about the way he had lost an eye. Fucking pitiful commoners. He could have their heads for making fun of him. Aemond was too caught up seething about the show that he did not realize that Elyana and Erryk had disappeared in the crowd. Aemond mentally cursed at himself when he noticed he had lost them.

He made it a point in his mind to command Ser Criston Cole to find and execute the little cunts who were making shows about his loss of an eye and then set out to look for Elyana and Erryk. They had left alone, where could they have gone?

Aemond walked aimlessly through tens of dark alleys but never found them again, so he finally decided to head back to the Red Keep.

All his mind could think about was Elyana. What was she doing with Erryk alone? It bothered him that they would be alone.

And it bothered him that them being alone bothered him.

-

Elyana was extremely and devastatingly tired the next day. They had stayed outside until the break of dawn. It was extremely fun. But now it was time to get back to work, and Aemond had already called upon her top of the morning. Gods he was so goddamn annoying.

Elyana got ready in the same dirty dress she would always use and made her way to his chambers. She stopped in front of Ser Erryk, who gave her a coy smile as he spotted her. "My good lady Elyana... How are you this morning?" He asked in a playful tone.

"Devastated... I had the most outrageous night yesterday." Elyana jested dramatically as Ser Erryk chuckled, his eyes going over her face and then dropping ever so slightly to her lips. Elyana noticed, and she couldn't help the blushing color that rose to her cheeks.

Neither of them knew what to do with themselves so Ser Erryk simply opened the door to Aemond's apartments for her. Elyana stepped into the always dark quarters to find Prince Aemond sitting on his desk. He was staring straight at the door, as if waiting for her to come into his apartments.

"Elyana... took you long enough." Aemond said bitterly, the words made her seethe but she kept her face straight. She did not want any trouble so early.

"I am sorry, my prince." Elyana mumbled quietly. Aemond's one eye ran over her body rapidly, making her shift uncomfortably on her feet. She always felt as if his eye could see into her mind. His gaze was too intense.

"Did you have a good night's sleep? Are you well rested for your duties today?" Aemond asked smugly. Elyana swallowed the lump on her throat, and bit her lip. Did he know she went into the city? Did she truly see him in the crowd? Was it him?

"I did. I am well prepared for my duties of the day." Elyana stated as Aemond eyed her. He was analyzing her, he was studying her. Testing her.

"Have you ever studied philosophy?" Aemond asked suddenly, earning a confused look from Elyana. Why would he care if she had studied philosophy? 

"No... never. I have only studied history. I can sew too..." Elyana admitted, almost embarrassed to confess that she had never studied the subject. Aemond hummed to himself and narrowed his eyes on the girl.

"Go get a plate of cheeses for us. I will be teaching you about philosophy." Aemond ordered as Elyana frowned. She was baffled at the order. Why would he even want to teach her about this?  Elyana stood there dumbfounded, making Aemond snarl at her.

"That is an order, Elyana." He said sternly. Elyana nodded her head and scrambled out of the prince's apartments. Ser Erryk gave her a confused look when he watched her exit the prince's room in a haste.

Elyana huffed. "He is unpredictable." She breathed out as she hurried down the corridor. Erryk chuckled as he watched the girl disappear. He knew the prince was a tough man.

Elyana got a plate of cheeses ready as fast as she could for the prince. The plate held mostly gouda, and mild cheeses; The ones that she had learned were his favorites. And she made haste to go back to his chambers. She did not wish to upset him.

Aemond had laid out about six books on his desk, and he was waiting patiently for Elyana to come back to his apartments. He didn't truly know why he wished to teach her about philosophy. Maybe he didn't even wish to. Maybe he just wanted to keep her close to him. Maybe he only wanted an excuse to talk to her. Maybe he was looking for a way to get close to know her on a deeper level.

Maybe he just wanted to keep her cooped up in his chambers. He didn't quite know. But to be fair, he didn't know why he did a lot of things. Elyana came back to his chambers hastily, and set the plate down on his desk in front of him.

"Great. Grab two goblets of wine." He ordered as she complied. Gods Aemond loved controlling her. He loved watching her scrambling through his apartments. It was oddly satisfying. She finally served the wine and then sat down next to him. She would slightly move her seat away from him, and that made Aemond amused. Was she that scared of him?

Aemond grabbed her seat and with little effort pulled it closer to his. Elyana was clearly stunned, but she didn't complain. Of course she wouldn't. She knew better than to complain.

"Philosophy is something that I really enjoy. It is the study of the nature of ourselves, and that we have around. It helps me understand people... What makes them tick. What makes them excited." Aemond started as Elyana simply listened with a stoic look on her face. Aemond leaned in just a little into her. "What makes them scared..." He whispered.

Elyana shifted uncomfortably on the seat as she heard his words. He was somehow staring at her like she was some sort of prey. Like he was a dragon, eyeing it's goat.

Elyana listened to Aemond drone on and on about philosohy. And at first she wished for somebody to sedate her because it was so damn boring. But as he began reading a book about it, she became more interested. She would lean into him as he talked, and would listen intently at everything he said. He was really intelligent.

"So he states that fire is desire, and one should never play with fire." The line caught Elyana's attention more than the rest. Fire is desire. The words lingered in her mind as Aemond comtinued his reading, but then he suddenly stopped. His gaze had found her face, and he noticed she was thinking deeply about something.

"What is your desire, Elyana?" Aemond asked in an almost soft tone, making her head snap towards him. Her heart raced as her eyes locked with his one eye.

"I-I... I don't know." She stuttered as he smirked slightly. He was enjoying this. "I know my desire." He told her, shifting his gaze back to the book. He simply continued reading, but Elyana couldn't keep her eyes from him.

He was so handsome. Gods if he was so evil, why did they make him so good looking? Elyana was blatantly staring at him. Her eyes were travelling around his facial features shamelessly. His face was even more perfect from up close, and his hair... Was just so silky... So smooth. She wanted to reach out and touch it. She wanted to touch him. In her mind lingered the memory of her fingers going down his back

Fuck Elyana. She would curse at herself. Get him out of your head. But how could she?

She was done for.

-

Author's note:

Hi! Thank you for reading! I really really want to skip ahead and get to the drama, but I swear it's coming.

I adore how obsessed Aemond is in this, and I love how gullible he is to it. I'm not gonna lie, I adored writing this chapter more than most. As always do not forget to comment your thoughts!

Thank you for reading x

(Also if you are confused I announced that Allyn's name was changed to Darra because of Alyn of Hull.)