"And um... here are five golden dragons. Just in case you find yourself in any trouble in the North. Though I am sure Lord Cregan will be kind to you, he is an honorable man, and I will make sure cousin Bernard takes care of you." Erryk spoke quietly as he handed Elyana a small sack with the dragons.

She looked up at him with grateful eyes and took a deep breath, looking at the dirty cart she would have to get into.

They stood in a dirty stable of the Red Keep, and Erryk had paid the wooltakers a few dragons just so they would smuggle Elyana to the North. The sun had set over the capital and now it was time for the cavalcade to leave and begin it's twelve day journey to the North.

"Please... tell my mother where I have ran and that I am sorry for everything I've done." She mumbled as she looked down at the mud. And she saw herself in it. Dirty and stepped on.

"Please care for her... she... she will be left alone. I-I will try to bring her to me if all goes well. In time maybe." She tried making herself feel better but it did not work well. Nothing could make her feel better.

Elyana was hopeful that everything would go according to plan, that she would flee to Winterfell and never be found again. But she knew better than that. She knew he would find her. But she hoped and prayed that maybe he would just leave her be. That he would forget her and find someone else to ruin and steal from.

"I will." Erryk gave her one nod as she pressed her lips. Her eyes were glued to his and the guilt for her actions still flooded her senses.

"I am sorry. For everything. I swear I never meant to hurt you." Her voice was low and defeated, and she leaned into his touch when he moved his thumb to swipe away one stray tear. 

"Sometimes one does not understand how good they have it until they are left battered and bruised. Now you know... when you play with fire, you get burned." He spoke with a sigh.

She had been burned and reduced to ashes by the dragon that was Aemond Targaryen, and she regretted ever putting herself in his path of wrath. But regret did nothing now. She had to live with this, and with the child he forcefully left in her.

"Aye! We leaving now! You stay or you go?" An older man shouted from his horse, and Elyana looked around to see all of the horses and carts begin their departure. She breathed out and looked back to Erryk, giving him a small faltering smile.

"Thank you for this... you need not have to. Yet you did..." She told him as the knight shrugged and walked to the beaten down wooden cart she would be traveling on. "Come on." He muttered and offered his hand for support as she climbed unto it and sat down on the hay.

"Goodbye Erryk..." She whispered as he gave her one nod and pounded once on the cart, letting the horseman know that she was ready.

As the cart moved she looked back to the good knight, their eyes locking as she fled the Red Keep. She took a deep breath and wiped her tears with her right hand, taking shallowy breaths as the horses moved through the fields.

She laid down on the hay and looked up at the night sky, her mind wandering what could have been if she never let Aemond in. What could have been if she had remained loyal to Erryk. Or what could have been if her father never faded... A thousand what ifs clouded her brain as she stared at the stars.

She drifted off to sleep easily, her mind desperate to forget what she was leaving behind. Desperate to forget Aemond and his viciousness to claim and take whatever he pleased.

She fled the capital with nothing but her babe, her wounded heart, and five golden dragons.

-

"You are mad for this, Aemond. What would your father think of this?" Alicent ranted as she watched the maester rearrange the sapphire in his socket. Elyana had some strength within her, he had to give her that.

"My father could care less about whom I wed... if he were sane and not drunk on poppy milk he would probably not even bat an eye at this. He probably does not remember my name." Aemond chuckled, trying to contain his disdain for the King within himself. Though that never worked well.

"You are a prince! And you are marrying a servant! The King would not allow this. I should not allow this." Alicent contested as she cringed slightly when the maester dug his fingers into the socket. Aemond winced but it was pain he had gotten used to.

"I am the second son, mother. Nobody cares about whom I marry; and you should be happy I will not have a dull marriage like my siblings or yourself." His words were cruel but they were of truth.

"Aemond... you are a prince nonetheless. You have duties!" She contested and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hm, which I have performed flawlessly since the day I was born. And I continue to do so. I put a babe in her womb, and I am taking charge for it. Honorable if you ask me." He said with a smirk.

"You are relentless. How will I announce this to the court? This is a slap to the face for the other ladies that wait for you to court them; you prefer a servant over them... The Lords will be fuming at me, so will the council." Alicent was getting a headache as she thought of everything she would have to deal with.

"Then tell them what I told your grace and grandsire. That if I do not wed her I will take her on dragonback to Essos and never be seen in this castle again. Is that you want? Or what they want?" Aemond said smugly because he knew the answer. They needed him and Vhagar. They could not afford for him to leave.

"All done, my prince." The maester mumbled as he wiped his hands clean off the blood of Aemond's socket. Aemond gave him a nod and stood up, approaching his mother.

He grabbed her hands in his and sighed. "I want her, mother. I want that child. She is good, and kind. She will be good." He spoke in his usual soft tone that he used with the people whom he truly loved.

"The smallfolk will adore this. A prince wedding a common girl. They will strive to be good... just so they get a chance at being close to us just like Elyana will be." Aemond spoke as Alicent gave him a side smile and cupped his cheek with her hand.

"We must put on a show. If we are to do this, they must love Elyana. That is the way they will be closer to us and remain loyal and happy." Alicent said, finally seeing some good in the madness.

"Prepare her for a feast tomorrow, your nuptials will be announced then and you will marry as soon as possible. I will send for the best gowns to be brought forth to her, and send some of the youngest girls to be her ladies." Alicent stated and stepped away from Aemond.

He nodded once and watched the Queen leave him alone in her own parlor. Aemond smirked to himself; happy that he had worn her out and gotten her on his side.

He sighed and set out to his chambers expecting to find Elyana at least a bit more calm now. He walked steadfastly and found Arryk standing in his post as usual, the knight opened the door for the prince and he was met with an empty room.

Aemond figured she was still in his bedchamber so he headed in only to find it empty. His heart stopped. He rushed to his bath chamber only for it to be desolate.

His breathing quickened then his fist slammed on the wall in blind rage. He stalked to the door of his chambers, exiting hastily. He unsheathed his dagger and with one swift motion was holding Arryk to the wall.

"Where is she?" He growled angrily as the knight put on a rather nonchalant and confused look on his face. "W-What is the matter, my prince?" He asked with a cock of the brow.

"Where the fuck is Elyana, Cargyll? She is not in there like I ordered." Aemond spat, pushing his blade closer to his throat.

"I do not know what happened! I left to get a drink of water but just for a moment." Arryk said and Aemond let out a frustrated groan, letting his knight go and sheathing his blade.

"I should kill you for this! Go find her. Now." Aemond ordered as Arryk nodded and scrambled to do as he was asked.

Aemond rushed to the courtyard where he knew Ser Criston spent his nights sharpening his daggers and swords. When the knight saw the prince's angry face, he knew something was wrong.

"I need you to search this castle urgently. Find me Elyana. Find her now." Aemond told him without much else to say. He needed her back.

Criston did not question him, he knew better. The knight grabbed his armor and set out to find the girl.

Aemond retreated back to his chambers, he felt doom enter his heart as he paced around. She had to be here, she could not have left. She would not leave him, she loved him.

He awaited two hours into the night until Arryk and Criston returned to his chambers. "I could not find her, Prince Aemond." Arryk muttered.

"She is gone, away from this castle. I searched every inch, my prince." Criston reaffirmed his worst fears. Aemond stared stoicly at the both of them, and he could almost feel fire running through his veins as he wrapped his head around the news.

"Find my uncle, Gwayne, and let him know whom I seek. Make sure the entire City Watch searches every corner of King's Landing." Aemond ordered, and with one nod, Criston and Arryk had set out to perform their task.

Aemond too exited his chambers, this time though, he headed to the servants quarters. When he entered the beat down servant wing of the Keep, he sought out the first person he saw.

"You." It was an older woman, who seemed absolutely shocked to see the prince in front of her. "Do you know of Lyanna Rotchamsey. Where can I find her?" He asked the woman, who frowned at the request.

"I-I do. I can show you her quarters." The woman nodded, and Aemond gave her a swat of his hand as if telling her to lead the way.

The woman scrambled, directing Aemond through many dirty corridors and a snarl overtook his face as he walked behind her. And then she finally stopped her walking in front of a wooden door. Aemond gave the woman a nod and knocked on it.

No answer. So he knocked harder. After a few moments, Elyana's mother opened the door. Her eyes widened when she took in the prince in front of her. She bowed hastily as Aemond eyed the dirty gown his mother-in-law sported.

"Where is your daughter?" Aemond questioned coldly, and Lyanna cocked her head to the side in a confused manner.

"I um- I do not know, Prince Aemond. Perhaps in her quarter." She answered rapidly.

"She is not there. Do you know of her condition?" Aemond questioned because it seemed like she did not know. But that was fair, who would tell her anyways? She was just a castle wench.

"Know what, my prince?" Lyanna mumbled as she looked up at him. She was fidgeting with the hem of her nightgown, clearly anxious for the appearance of the man that had defiled her daughter.

"Your daughter is with child. I will marry her. And I can not find her. It seems she has fled the Keep." The woman was stunned; and so she fainted foward and into his arms.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." Aemond cursed as he held Elyana's unconscious mother in his arms.  Just what he fucking needed, another nuisance.

Aemond pressed his lips together and scooped the frail woman's body into his arms, carrying her out of the servant chambers. A snarl overtook his face as he moved to Maegor's Holdfast. This was so unnecessary. Why were people so feeble these days? As he walked he found Ser Willis Fell doing his usual rounds around the halls.

"Fell!" Aemond called to him, and the knight came rushing to the prince. "Take her to my half-sister's old chambers. Get her some servants to care for her and prepare the rooms for a permanent stay." Willis was confused at the order as Aemond dropped the woman in his arms. 

"My prince?" He asked with a confused look as he eyed the woman. "She is my future wife's mother. She better be well taken care of. Now go." Aemond ordered sternly, and with a reluctant nod, the knight took Lyanna away.

Aemond could feel his head throbbing from the stress this little escape was causing him. Why would she do this? She was going to have everything she could have ever dreamed of.

Aemond walked back to his chambers to check on his sapphire eye, passing by Aegon's chambers.

Outside stood Erryk Cargyll, and Aemond glared at him as he passed him by. Cunt.

He did not bother to ask him about Elyana, he was sure that pathetic excuse of a man knew nothing of where she was.

-

The sun rose within King's Landing once more and Aemond got no sleep. He paced like a ghost in his chambers, and he almost felt like they were on fire. He paced and paced and thought about where in the Seven Hells she could have gone. She had no money, and there were no ships sailing from the port last night. Where the fuck did she go?

A knock came to his door and then without him even answering, in came Alicent and Otto. Aemond stared at them stoicly and waited for them to chastise him. "You are wasting resources looking for a girl that clearly wants nothing to do with you." His grandsire spoke first.

"You have my brother and his men trawling the city looking for her, and for what? She clearly does not want to wed you, son. This is a blessing." Alicent spoke and Aemond turned away from them just so he could roll his eyes.

"I will find her." Aemond answered coldly and he could feel his mother's judgeful glare on his back as he spoke.

"Aemond... give it up. It is best that she's fled. Why are you so hellbent on marrying her anyways?" Alicent asked, moving to grab his arm gently.

"Because! Because..." He snatched his arm from his mother. "Because I love her."