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𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘞𝘢𝘢𝘭 - 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥
✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

"Let me go immediately!" screamed Edith over and over again, but the two men did not let go and only gripped her upper arms even tighter.

The three guards took her back to her own chamber, where, to her surprise, the queen was already waiting for her. "What is this, your grace?" the girl asked again.

She still could not believe what the men had just told her, but the queen confirmed it to her again. "You promised me a wedding and it is today. In a few hours to be exact." Alicent sat relaxed in the rocking chair and sent the men out. In their place, four maids immediately entered.

"Already? But-"

"No buts, Lady Edith." Alicent opined in a warning tone, causing Edith to flinch. Uncomfortable goosebumps formed on her skin and she immediately felt cold at their presence. "I thought I had a few more days... I don't have a dress either." She tried to argue, but only fell on deaf ears.

Just at that moment one of the maids hung a dark garment bag on the window frame, then she opened the bag to reveal a pure white long wedding dress. Edith would have liked to break at the irony.

Where had Alicent gotten this dress so quickly? The queen must have planned the wedding long ago, before Edith's arrival in King's Landing.

Alicent just looked at the young girl meaningfully and then signaled to the maids. As if in a trance, the dark-haired girl spent the next hour being dressed. They washed her, put some cream on her, then they styled her long hair and put her into the tight corsage of the dress.

It was a beautiful dress, but never would Edith have chosen it. Never had she thought to marry in white, since it was indeed unusual in the seven kingdoms.

It made her look so innocent and young.

She didn't want any of that. She didn't want to look innocent and pretty. And there was no way she wanted to get married or was even close to being ready for it now.

Edith had known she would have to get married quickly, upon her return, but she hadn't expected it so soon! She had not been here a day and had not had time to prepare. Although there was no way to prepare for a forced wedding.

"It's not fair." Edith whined softly. She looked beautiful, but she was by far the saddest bride ever.

"Life isn't fair, little Edith. All you can do is try to come to terms with it." Alicent stroked her cheek and her expression suddenly became sad itself.

There was so much honesty and a real hurt in her words. She had been forced into a marriage herself back then and could understand Edith's feelings, but she couldn't be soft now. Otto, her father, had been right, because they needed that connection to the other side.

Alicent shook his head slightly and then walked past the girl. "Try to smile, then no one will see how hurt you really are. That could be used against you." She advised to her and then disappeared.

The maids finished getting the bride ready and then the guards came back to escort her. It took a total of six guards to drag the girl to the throne room. She did not want to give up without a fight and tried to resist with all her might, but she was too weak.

She would have liked to have a big wedding, surrounded by her family in the dragon pit and with the person she loved. But all she got was a small wedding with the most important lords and ladies, as well as the royal council, in the throne room. At least only a few saw her embarrassment that way.

"Let me go... I can't run away now anyway. Please let me have a little more grace..." She asked the men and indeed they let her go as they stood in front of the throne room door.

Someone pressed a bouquet of flowers into Edith's hand and then the doors were opened.

She felt paralyzed and yet her treacherous body moved toward the throne. Her ears were ringing and she could hear nothing else. The guests present looked curiously at the bride and whispered, but Edith did not give them a glance.

Her hands were clasped painfully around the stem of the bouquet. In fact, she squeezed so hard that some stems broke and the bouquet lost flowers. She did not notice that either.

Her eyes remained stubbornly fixed on the ground and even when they were standing in front of the bridal arch she did not look up.

It was noticeable that it was a quickly organized wedding and yet they had not spared on costs and efforts. After all, it was still a royal wedding, but not a traditional Valyrian wedding and that made her even sadder. She would have loved to have a celebration similar to that of her parents, with all the traditions and customs of the old land, as her ancestors had done many years ago.

Only faintly could the bride slowly hear the voices, especially the whispering of her future mother-in-law. Alicent was restless and not at all satisfied, because she was afraid that something else could happen and disturb the wedding ceremony.

She briefly looked to her left, where her eldest son was standing and next to him was Helaena. With a serious face they both looked at the bride and groom and Alicent feared bad things from Aegon. He was the type who could ruin such a celebration and if he didn't do it, the black ones would.

Sighing, she looked ahead again and signaled the maester. It was all taking far too long already.

Edith, on the other hand, felt that time had stopped and except for her heart beating loudly, she could then hear the older man's words. "We stand here in the sight of the gods and men to witness the union of man and wife: one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever." She didn't know the man and she would certainly never see him again, but she knew the words and they were burning painfully into her brain right now.

She had never felt so betrayed, especially by herself. She had agreed, had made the proposal herself, and yet it was all so unreal now.

She was really standing at the altar getting married. This was really happening.

The corsage tightened almost by itself and cut off the air the longer she stood here motionless.

Finally she dared to look around the throne room and her eyes immediately fell on the crowd behind her. She didn't know any of them and none of her family was present! This could not be fair...

Then her eyes wandered further forward to where the royal family was standing. First she saw Queen Alicent, who was nervously pulling at her fingernails, and behind her at some distance stood her personal guard and Edith's uncle Adrik. Bitterly, Edit noted that at least one of her family was present after all.

Next to the queen stood only three of her four children, since the fourth was standing next to the girl at the altar. The king was not present.

Aegon's violet eyes looked sadly in the direction of the bride, and Helaena also had the same expression on her face. His heart had never ached as much as it did now, and for the first time in his life he felt something like lovesickness, after all, he had to watch the woman of his heart marry his brother.

He had not slept all night and had only been able to watch her, because he feared that it was the first and only time when he had the opportunity to lie so close to her.

Helaena even kept Aegon's hand hidden behind her back, so much the situation affected her. She wished her friend all the happiness in the world and wanted to have her here in King's Landing with her forever, but still she felt sorry for her and it hurt her soul to see her so broken.

Edith's gaze then wandered to the young man next to Helaena. Startled, she looked at him in his festive clothes and his encouraging typical smile. And suddenly it became clear to her who she was marrying.

There were only two possibilities, and in the last few moments she hadn't given it a second thought. After all, so many other things had distracted her.

Nevertheless, Edith now looked at her groom for the first time to make sure who was standing next to her, but she was not mistaken. The tall man with the silver hair and the eye patch stood next to her and did not dignify her with a glance.

Aemond didn't look thrilled at all, since he had been just as caught off guard by his mother's plans as Edith had been. When he had gotten up this morning, he had not believed that he would get married today. Moreover, until now he had hoped that his mother would have mercy on him and marry the girl to his brother instead. No matter which one.

Edith could only with difficulty suppress the tears coming up and swallow them. In the meantime a lump had formed in her throat, which was at least as big as a dragon's egg.

"I ask for the attention of all present." Spoke the maester loudly, emphasizing especially the word of all, for hardly anyone was listening to him, and especially not the bride and groom themselves.

She took a breath and tried to show at least some respect to the older man, even if she had already lost respect to herself.

Next to the old man now stepped a young man, almost still a child, he held a long dark robe in his hand, which he now gave to the maester, who in turn handed it to Aemond. "Now take it and cloak your bride in your protection and promise her to love and defend her always. Now and forever."

Almost the bride and groom laughed.

But Aemond took the ornate cloak and placed it around Edith's shoulder. It was a thick and therefore heavy fabric, which made it even more difficult for Edith to stand.

„Please now say your vows and give yourselves to each other."

Slowly the bride and groom raised their arms and the man wrapped a ribbon around both their hands to bind them together. Not only was the corsage tight on their bodies, but now this hideous ribbon was too.

The two tried to make as little body contact with each other as possible despite the tight band around their hands and arms, but it wasn't working.

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger." Still the two did not look at each other as they spoke the words simultaneously. Edith's voice trembled while Aemond sounded rather annoyed.

"I am his and he is mine."

"I am hers and she is mine."

And with that, the two were bound to each other forever. Married.

The lump in her throat grew larger as Aemond lifted her veil and cleared her face. Then the two hesitated and just stared at each other without moving until the maester nudged the two rudely.

Then, only minimally and for less than a second, the lips of the two touched and the guests present began to cheer.

Alicent was by far the happiest in the room and more than relieved. Her plan had worked and now it could no longer be prevented. Inwardly, she exhaled in relief and clapped her hands. Her children next to her did not clap.

"What do we do now?" asked Edith Aemond quietly, watching as the maester loosened the ribbon on her hands again and finally took it off. "We should smile and leave." Suggested Aemond, roughly taking her hand in his.

Holding hands as a married couple, the two walked through the throne room, past all the cheering guests and out into the hallway. His family followed close behind.

The stem of the flower was meanwhile torn by Edith's nervous puhlen and also the flower had hardly blossoms on it. It hurt her soul to see these beautiful flowers like this, but they reflected Edith's inner self. Just as they look, just as she felt.

Alicent congratulated her son and his wedded wife and kissed them both on the cheek. "I am very happy for you and I wish that you will eventually understand my decision." She justified herself with a slightly guilty undertone.

Amond's siblings did not congratulate the two. They only nodded at them and Edith hardly dared to look at Aegon or Helaena. She also could not look at Daeron as he joyfully embraced her and welcomed her into the family.

"We should now move to the banquet hall. Dinner is already waiting for us."

~~~

The dinner was as unspectacular as the wedding ceremony itself. A multiple-course meal was served for the family and for the king's council, although the king himself was not present.

The table and the room were decorated with an excessive number of candles and flowers, and it seemed as if someone had obsessively tried to create the idyll of a happy marriage. It was definitely the work of the queen.

At the head of the table sat the unhappy bride and groom, to their left the family and to their right the high council. At the other end of the table sat Alicent and her father Otto Hightower at the other head of the table.

Edith could hardly get any of the food down, although it was very delicious. There was even her favorite cake - lemon cake. She had baked them secretly with her mother in Winterfell. Now they were on the table at her wedding dinner and didn't taste nearly as good as her mother Aruna's.

She missed her family very much, especially now at a table full of strangers. But even the presence of her family would not have made this day much better.

The king's hand rose from his chair, pushing it back as he did so, then he raised his goblet with a thoughtful smile. "A toast to the happy new couple. May they have a long and child-blessed marriage." He offered his congratulations, which sparkled with irony.

It was exactly what neither Edith nor Aemond wished for. A future together and children together. A nightmare came true.

Edith wished so much to finally wake up.

"Cheers to the couple!" toasted a man from the council. The girl didn't know him, but she vowed to remember every single face here at the table and exact revenge someday. None of them had helped her, none of them had stopped this. All of them had only made sure that this happened.

With more or less eagerness, the guests raised their goblets and toasted the young couple, offering their false congratulations one by one.

One course after the next was served and time passed faster and faster and the more evening came, the worse the bride felt. She knew what her duties as a wife were and she knew she could not shirk them. Edith was anything but ready for it.

Aemond put down his goblet and then held out his hand to his bride. Confused, Edith looked first at the hand and then into the violet eyes, fear preparing itself again throughout her body.

When Aemond realized that she would not budge, he took her hand and stood up, pulling her up rudely with him. The silver-haired man pulled her slightly away from the table to an open area and placed one hand on her hip, continuing to hold her hand with the other. "What's this about?" she wanted him to tell her. Only now did she notice the musicians at the edge of the room and could hear the music, so well had she been able to block out everything around her.

"We'll dance, then everyone will be happy and we can leave." Aemond had leaned down to whisper it in her ear so no one else could hear him.

His words sounded like a warning to her, and only forcibly did she put her free hand on his shoulder and begin to dance with him. It was the first time they danced together and Edith had to realize that Aemond was actually a good dancer. She had always seen him only as a fighter and as a soldier of his mother and never believed that he could even begin to master something like dancing.

The eyes of those present were directed at the dancing couple and the couple now looked at each other for the first time today. "I didn't know you could dance." She stated.

"There are many things I am gifted at that you have no idea about." Aemond replied with a cheeky grin, winking at her with his one eye.

Edith could only roll her eyes and had to suppress a gag. She didn't really want to know that much. "Of course." She scrounged just as cheekily.

He hated her disrespectful manner towards him so much that he got the urge to scream out loud every time she opened her mouth. Amond's hand around her waist gripped tighter and pulled her roughly against his torso. "You should show me more respect." He snarled at her.

"Why? Because I'm your wife and you're my husband? I don't think so." Edith's wide eyes narrowed as she looked at him challengingly. "Not until you treat me with respect."

"Mm." Aemond turned his head away for the rest of the dance and Edith also stopped looking at him for the sake of defiance.

How could these two possibly have a marriage? They hated each other! What had the girl done to deserve this? The queen must really despise her to do such a thing to her.

"When did you find out about this?" she wanted to know from him.

"This morning, just like you. Mother dragged me out of bed and told me the news, then you were gone and I actually had hopes that you would have managed to disappear." He told her honestly. Aemond sighed before then continuing. "But then you were found in my sister's bed." He tilted his head and looked at her curiously. "Was my brother there, too?"

Edith's cheeks turned unintentionally red at his words and she lowered her gaze for a moment, inwardly taking a breath, then said into his eyes again. "I went to see Helaena last night. I guess we talked too long and fell asleep." The girl with the brownish hair let him spin her around to the much too happy music. "Aegon wasn't there." She lied to him. Her first and certainly not last lie in this marriage, but she couldn't betray Aegon.

Maybe it was luck that he wasn't also in bed this morning when the guards dragged her out. She took it upon herself to ask him about it again anyway. She would like to know where he had been and why he had disappeared.

"Sounds like a pleasant evening." Aemond commented on her narrative.

Thoughtfully, she looked toward the table. Some of the guests were still looking at the bride and groom, the others were whispering quietly to each other. Edith didn't know what they were whispering about, but it was definitely about them both.

The queen sat back in her chair, her unhappy gaze resting on her eldest son. For her thoughts, Edith would give a whole sack of gold, and for Aegon's, a whole ship.

The first-born had his eyes clinging tightly to the girl. For him it was just as indescribable to see and experience. He had lost his heart to the girl and now probably the girl to his younger brother. Only yesterday he had thought he finally had her for himself when he held her in his arms and now his hope was gone once again thanks to his mother.

Aegon noticed how Helaena was restlessly sitting on the chair next to him. It had not been an easy day for her either and her thoughts tormented her. For Helaena, many things were new at the moment, many feelings that overwhelmed her and so many events at the moment.

Finally, Aegon released his painful gaze from Edith and looked instead into the eyes of his wife. Encouragingly, he put a hand on her knee and waited for her reaction and when Helaena surprisingly put her hand on his, he squeezed it lightly to show her that he is there and she is not alone. The look on her face spoke volumes and exposed her thoughts.

Two more dances and one more dessert and Edith could finally leave this room, though she could only do so in Aemond's company, but she could leave.

Aemond led her to his chambers, which from now on would also be hers. The bride and groom were actually not accompanied by a guard, as they were allowed to go alone, which was even worse for Edith.

When they entered the room, she realized again what would happen now.

The whole day passed by Edith like a bad dream. It had been her own wedding and her own wedding dinner, but mentally she had not been present. And now her mind was clear and focused.

She had made it through the day so far and it couldn't be that bad she tried to tell herself. Edith remembered Aegon and what his tongue had caused her a few days ago. It was a really nice memory.

"Your things are not here yet due to the fast events, but mother... Queen Alicent has a gift for you." Aemond pointed to a closet and opened it to show her the insides. What appeared were beautiful dresses and nightgowns.

Under other circumstances, Edith would certainly have felt moved at such an expensive gift, especially a gift from the Queen. But she actually had to force her joy. "They are beautiful. I'll thank her for them tomorrow."

The dresses were really beautiful, especially the daring lace on her night dresses were really eye-catching. But the color of the dresses did not excite her as much. They were in shades of red, the color of the Targaryens, or they were green, the color of the Hightowers - the color of the Queen and her side. Not a single dress was black or had black lace or a black band around the waist or in the corsage.

Aemond had gone to the sitting area, poured himself another goblet of wine, and then sat down in an armchair in front of the fireplace. One of the servants must have lit the fire shortly before the couple arrived.

Briefly Edith closed her eyes and spoke courage to herself, the sooner she started and dared the first step, the faster it would be over. At least she thought so. She grabbed one of the nightgowns and placed it on the large bed at the edge of the room, then tried to undo the corsage of her wedding dress, but failed.

"Aemond." The girl lifted the heavy skirt and moved to stand in front of him, blocking his view of the fire he had been staring into. "You need to help me." She instructed him, turning her back in his direction.

The young man hesitated, but then set his goblet down and began to undo the strings of her corsage, one by one, and finally undo them.

It was a pleasant and relieving feeling as Edith slipped the heavy dress off her shoulders and laid it across the armchair, next to her husband's.

The Targaryen honorably turned his head away and looked back into the flames, trying not to look at Edith. Because she was now wearing only her undergarment.

Of course she noticed his behavior and somehow it hurt her. No other man would have shied away from looking at the beautiful girl at this sight. Edith was truly an attractive young woman and the thin undergarment clung perfectly to her body, accentuating all the right places.

"What?" she asked him in response.

"What?" he repeated her question, looking at her with annoyance.

This was not how she had imagined it all to be. Edith had heard so many whispers about the married act and even her mother had enlightened her, but more as a warning. Her first time was supposed to be something beautiful with someone she loved, but this was now beyond her and she had kind of resigned herself to it.

"Shouldn't we...?" Edith looked between the bed and the young man behind. The whole situation made her more than just uncomfortable, and her cheeks were reddened by more than just the warmth of the fire.

"Don't you dare ask me such a thing, Edith." Aemond stood up with his goblet in his hand and walked toward her. "I will not touch you. Not today, not tomorrow." He breathed almost dangerously into her ear as he leaned down to her.

She'd be lying if she said his words didn't reassure her. She had already imagined bad things that might happen.

"And how are we going to explain this to the maid who will make our bed tomorrow?" she demanded to know from him. The bride crossed her arms in front of her chest, and the new posture flattered her breasts a lot.

Aemond didn't want to, but it was hard for him to look her in the eyes like that, but he didn't want to give her the satisfaction. "We'll think of something." He replied, walking over to the sideboard and filling his goblet again. He even filled a second one and handed it to his new wife. "You're still a virgin?" the silver-haired man stated, somewhat shocked.

"Of course I am!" she answered him quickly, taking the cup firmly in her hand. "How can you think so badly of me?"

The man shrugged his shoulders in disinterest and undid the buttons of his top with his free hand, then drank his wine again and set the goblet back down. "Forgive me." A request which she had never heard from his mouth before. In anger, Edith drank her wine goblet empty as well, then watched him continue to undress.

Aemond placed his leather top over her wedding dress, which lay across an armchair. He then unzipped his perfectly fitting trousers and removed them as well, until he stood before her in only his white tunic, which reached his thighs. His long legs then carried him to the double bed, from which he took a pillow.

"Have you changed your mind?" asked Edith shyly and quietly as she followed his every move.

"No."

Aemond was really not a man of many words as Edith kept finding out.

With slow steps she also went to the bed and lay down for the first time in her new bed - in his bed. But he moved in the other direction back to the sitting area with the pillow in his hand.

Edith decided not to say anything and sighed in relief. The two fell into silence and when no one moved, the girl decided to get up again and replace her uncomfortable undergarment with the new nightgown, glancing in his direction to make sure he wasn't looking in her direction. Then she undid her tight hairdo until her brownish curls fell over her shoulders and quickly lay back in bed, covering her body with the light-colored bedsheet.

"Do you want to sleep in the chair?" Edith lay on her side facing the fire. Aemond, on the other hand, had to turn his head in her direction to look at her. He sat back in the armchair and continued to hold the pillow in his hands. "At least tonight. Tomorrow I'll make sure we get two separate sleeping chambers if people think we've done our duty." He explained.

"Don't be such a baby, Aemond." She rebuked him, annoyed. "The bed is big enough for both of us. I won't touch you either." Demonstratively, she slid to the edge of the mattress to give him as much room as possible.

Aemond turned his head away again, because he actually had to grin at her naivete. She annoyed him quite a bit, but her manner also amused him and there was never a boring moment with her. He hesitated for a moment and then he went back to the bed with his pillow and lay down on the other edge. The only thing that connected the two spouses was the big blanket, which they had to share.

Somehow proud of her success in convincing Aemond to do something she had to smile slightly. "Good night, beloved husband." She teased him cheekily and with a grin.

"Don't say that." He instructed her and then extinguished the candle next to the bed, leaving only the fire in the fireplace to provide light. Only when he then turned his back to her, did he take off his eye patch. After her reaction when she had seen him without the eye patch again for the first time in the dragon pit, something had subconsciously hurt him.

"Good night." Repeated the young bride, amused, and turned around as well.

"Night."

***

It happened! My baby is married...

Aemond is more protective and respectful than expected, right?

What did you think of the chapter?:)

Until the next one, enjoy yourselves♡