Spoiler: this is an extra long chapter.

There was an awkward silence as Edith walked out of the Red Keep with her husband Prince Aemond and her uncle Ser Adrik. Aemond had not spoken to her when the two had retrieved their cloaks from their chamber, and Adrik had only nodded politely to the two when they met as arranged.

Edith wore a dull gray cloak over her dress without any adornment or sign of wealth. It was inconspicuous and it made her unremarkable, for the cloak reached her ankles and the hood hid her hair and part of her beautiful face.

Aemond wore a similar cloak to his wife's only that his reached only to his knee. His brown and black clothes underneath were clearly visible, as were his blindfold and his weapons, but not his long silver hair.

The knight who accompanied them wore a brown cloak and the hood also went deep into his face.

They all wanted to be as discreet as possible, but still the three received curious glances as they walked through the streets of King's Landing.

In the background Edith could hear bells ringing from a distance and turned to look with interest, however Aemond put a hand to her back and turned her back to face forward so she was paying attention to the path. They were walking down a rather steep path with single steps and Aemond could not use an injured wife right now.

He hated having to walk the streets looking for his brother. Aegon obviously didn't want to be found and that was fine for him, but not for his mother and the rest of the family.

Besides, he didn't know how Aegon would react when he saw that Edith was with him. He had sworn not to bring his brother near his wife again and now he did. On his mother's orders. But Alicent was right, Aegon had a soft spot in his heart for the young princess and would listen to her.

At least that's what everyone hoped.

"Where exactly are we going?" wanted Edith to know from her companions. She held onto Aemond's arm a little as they walked down the path after turning off the main trail. Wherever they were running to, this was not the right place for a young woman like her, she could feel that and smell it too. "What's that smell?"

"The people, the rats, kind of everything." Adrik answered his niece to her second question. Aemond answered the first question in return. "To the Street of Silk." He said, and then bit his lips hard.

Something broke inside Edith. Of course, she too knew what was going on in the street and why Aegon was probably right there. He had been there many times before she came to King's Landing. So why wouldn't he continue to go there if she was here?

The young woman remembered a conversation she had had with the older prince a few moons ago. Aegon had promised her not to seek out another woman when they started their secret relationship, but it had been over longer than it had lasted. So why did the thought of Aegon being here bother Edith so much?

"Are you sure he's right here?" she asked, therefore, uncertain and somehow hopeful. She was glad that her face was not visible under the hood.

"This... place is Aegon's favorite. It's where the most attractive women are." Replied Aemond, turning briefly to see if Adrik was still there.

The street was quite narrow and due to the many people, Adrik had to walk behind the couple so they could get through at all.

Edith followed Aemond's gaze before leaning closer to him. "It seems like you know what you're talking about." She muttered somewhat bitterly.

It was selfish of her not to want Aegon to be here. But the idea that her own husband Aemond had also come here to get some passion almost killed her.

"Are you jealous, my dear?" he provoked with a cheeky grin.

The young woman with brownish hair looked at him warningly, but didn't answer him and instead paid more attention to the path and where she stepped with her feet. She definitely didn't want to step on anything or anyone.

"Mhm, you really are jealous." Stated Aemond quite pleased.

He wouldn't even frequent the Street of Silk willingly if he wasn't married. It was not his demands and a woman should belong to him alone and not make other men happy. Aemond wanted to own a woman who would satisfy him and with Edith he had that, he didn't need a filthy whore from the alley for that.

"As long as you don't bring home a bastard, do what you can't help doing." Said Edith with a sour undertone, which made Aemond laugh silently.

The brief conversation had only worsened her already tense mood. She didn't even want to imagine or think about all this. Yet he would never father or bring home a bastard, but she didn't know that and you could never tell with a man. Aemond would not be the first man in Westeros to do such a thing.

"I never knew that you knew the Street of Silk too well, my prince." Adrik was again closing in on the two as the path widened a bit and joined in the conversation, none of which he could understand before.

Edith had to bite her lips hard to keep from becoming inappropriate towards her uncle. Why did he have to start this topic now, too? In the end, they were all just men.

"Aegon brought me to the Street of Silk on my thirteenth name day. It was his duty as my brother, he said, to ensure I was as educated as he was." Aemond answered his mother's guard honestly, not looking at his wife. "At least thats what I understood him to mean."

"I wish I had a brother or a nice cousin who would have bought me something like that." Joked Adrik with a laugh, making Aemond grin as well.

The Prince knew about Ser Adrik's years-long relationship with his own mother, of course, but it was something that was hushed up and never mentioned by anyone. It was a matter for the Queen and as long as she was happy with it and only the family knew about it, Aemond wouldn't say anything about it either.

"Apparently you didn't have a nice sister to buy you something like that either." Joked Aemond now with a sideways glance at Edith.

Adrik tipped his brown cap and shook his head. "She's always been far too nice to even suspect there was such a thing. A miracle that-" Adrik wanted to answer, but he was quickly interrupted by Edith.

"Stop! You're still talking about my mother here so curb your tongues!" warned Edith still pissed as she stopped and held the two men by their coats so they would stop too.

"Forgive me, Princess." Adrik lowered his head to hide his grin.

Edith lightly slapped the knight's upper arm to get him to look at her again. "At least pretend you mean it when you apologize, uncle." She advised him, shaking her head in annoyance before letting go of their cloaks and continuing on her way.

It wasn't far from here and the three stopped at a large brown wooden door. Aemond grabbed the knocker and slammed it against the Old Door.

"Why on your Thirteenth Name Day?" asked Adrik of the Prince quietly behind Edith's back.

The two men had always gotten along well, but this was information the man didn't yet know from his friend. Besides, Adrik had always been curious by nature.

"He said, 'Time to get it wet'." Aemond answered honestly and knocked on the door again.

Edith's eyes widened. "Will you stop that already!" begged the young woman with red cheeks. She was more than uncomfortable talking about such an intimate subject with the two men, even though one of them was her husband and the other her uncle.

In that case, Edith was a bit of a prude and she didn't want to reveal such things, especially not here in the Street of Silk.

Fortunately, before any of the men could answer, the door was opened by a woman older than Edith. She wore thin clothes through which her skin and curves were clearly visible.

Edith thought she was beautiful and when the other woman opened her mouth to ask the three what they wanted, Edith's heart began to beat faster. She knew this woman.

She had met her before, right here a few moons ago when Edith had walked with Daeron in the streets of King's Landing shortly after her arrival here and had gone with him to this brothel. At that time Daeron had disappeared behind one of the curtains, while Edith had looked around curiously and finally had met Aegon.

He had been lying all alone behind one of the many curtains, drinking his beer. They had talked and Edith had drunk some of that nasty brothel beer. Eventually, the two had kissed for the first time. Never before had Edith felt a man's hands on her body or his tongue on her neck or in her mouth.

And even if it had only been a kiss, it had been magical.

Nervously, the young princess looked around and pulled her hood deeper into her face. She could only pray that the woman didn't recognize her, too.

"Sometime last night, we... misplaced our drinking companion. Knowing that he has been, in the past, a patron of your fine establishment, we thought to inquire here as to his whereabouts." Adrik began, trying to speak to the whore as respectfully as he could.

"And describe him." The woman with the golden chains asked the three people present in front of her.

"That is a delicate matter." Adrik seemed less self-conscious than he had moments ago as he leaned forward uncertainly and whispered the next words to the woman so that no one could overhear the four. "You see, the man we seek is the young Prince Aegon. I may trust, I hope, in the discretion of your trade."

The woman laughed, then shook her head. She seemed to find the knight's behavior equally amusing, while Aemond and Edith seemed rather annoyed.

"The Prince is not here." She said in her soft voice just as quietly.

"Has he been here? Earlier, perhaps?" wanted Adrik to know, visibly not seeming to relax.

It was an important task to find the prince as soon as possible and especially as the first. Adrik seemed to be under special pressure, because he didn't want to upset the queen or get into trouble in any case.

"Quite a bit earlier. Moons ago, in fact." She replied.

Edith would have preferred to exhale. After all, she now knew that Aegon had not lied to her about that. Still, that fact would not make up for everything.

"But more recently?" asked Aemond now, saying something for the first time in this conversation.

The whore seemed to realize this as well and looked curiously at the unknown man, whereupon Aemond lowered his head to hide his face under his hood. Then she also noticed the petite person behind the prince, who immediately eyed her.

Edith had felt safe and had kept her head up to watch the woman herself talking, not paying attention to her own disguise and now staring directly into the whore's eyes.

The older woman's eyes widened for a brief moment and then she began to smile knowingly. Edith grew quite warm under her cloak, knowing that she was now unmasked.

"He does not frequent the Street of Silk. His tastes are known to be... les discriminating." Smirked she.

"Meaning what?"

The whore smiled at Edith, then looked at Aemond, who, however, paid no attention to her. Then her eyes fell again on Adrik who stood nervously in front of her.

"I wish you luck, good ser. And my best to your friend and this beautiful woman." Confidently she smiled at the two behind Adrik and especially eyed Aemond attentively and with a lustful look. "How you've grown."

Surprised, Edith looked at her husband, who returned the whore's gaze for a moment with an expressionless face. There was no mistaking that the two knew each other.

She would have liked to flee or say something, but it was not her right. Edith was only a woman and Aemond only a man. It was clear to her that she had not been the first woman he had shared a bed with. But now to know a woman who had already been intimate with Aemond made her nauseous.

Yet somewhere it was only fair. Edith herself had not been faithful and honest when she went into the forced marriage with Aemond. She herself had also not been a virgin when she and Aemond had first slept together, yet he did not know that.

"I hope you find your friend quickly." The older woman smiled at Edith as she said this, then turned and walked back into the house, from which loud moans could be heard.

In the end, the whores were also just normal women like her, who had to fight for their survival. Only that the fight looked different for every woman. Somehow Edith felt sorry for the women.

Aemond was the first to turn around and continue on his way. Edith and Adrik immediately followed him hurriedly.

"What do we do now, my prince?" asked Adrik, pulling his cap deeper into his face again.

"We keep searching." Replied Aemond with the only obvious answer.

They all had no choice. They had to keep searching until they found the eldest prince. Before that, they didn't even need to return to the Red Keep, because that would only mean trouble.

"It seems you were mistaken as to Aegon's habits." Edith commented as she arrived and walked beside Aemond.

"He could be in the hands of mecenaries, on a ship to Yi Ti." Replied the prince with silver hair, and you could almost hear his eye roll. "He could be dead."

"Let us hope, for your mothers sake, that is not the case." Said Adrik with a pale face.

"Do you really think Aegon could be dead?" asked Edith, on the other hand, startled.

Aemond did not answer, which could not mean anything good. She didn't know if Aemond just thought that or maybe even hoped.

The three went on and searched for Aegon the whole morning, but they did not find a single trace. They asked passersby and knocked on more brothels, but none had seen the eldest prince.

At least Edith had the chance to see more of King's Landing, of the city itself and of the people from the lowest class. Even though there were many thieves and criminals running around, Edith felt sorry for them, because no one was born evil. Something had made people become like that.

She knew that she would have to change the situation as soon as she had more power or even sat on the iron throne herself. That was the least she could do for the people here.

What little motivation the three had at the beginning was now completely gone and the mood remained tense and uncertain, each of them had their own reason for that.

"Here I am, trawling the city, ever the good soldierin search of a wastrel whos never taken half an interest in his birthright." Aemond then muttered sarcastically. His patience was at an end as well, and he couldn't shake the thought that his mother would rather have Aegon on the throne than him.

Aemond stopped and looked around the small square, causing Edith and Adrik to stop as well.

"You are such a good brother, husband." Replied Edith in the same sarcastic undertone as Aemond. She hadn't called him just that in a long time, and she knew how Aemond reacted to it, but she couldn't suppress it.

In fact, she only got a sideways glance from Aemond.

"What are you trying to say?" asked Ser Adrik with interest, but really he just wanted to take his mind off his worries for a moment.

"'Tis I the younger brother who studies history and philosophy it is I who trains with the sword, who rides the largest dragon in the world. It is I who should be..." Aemond did not dare to speak further, for he feared he had already said too much.

Now Edith finally felt sorry for her own husband today. Aemond had always been number two everywhere, although he was obviously better at everything than his brother.

And for the first time Edith heard the words she had long wanted to hear. Aemond had as much desire for the throne as she had. Maybe the two of them had a future together and she could convince him to work with her against his brother and his family.

Edith and Aemond Targaryen on the Iron Throne would be an unbeatable couple and the idea alone gave her an excited tingle in her stomach. She wanted this, she wanted this so badly.

She really needed to talk to Aemond once they were alone again.

"I know what it is o toil for what others are freely given." Adrik moved closer to Aemond as he spoke, but Aemond turned his head away. "Mhm."

"We shouldn't give up now." Edith interfered in the conversation of the men. She wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, besides, she still hadn't eaten anything today.

"The princess is right." Her uncle agreed with her.

"And what if we don't find him, Tyrell? You are a decent men with no taste for depravity. His secrets are his own... and hes welcome to them. Im next in line to the throne. Should they come looking for me, I intend to be found." Huffs Aemond almost menacingly towards the knight.

"My Prince." Adrik had turned his head to look around as Aemond had spoken and now spotted something he called Aemond's attention to, not elaborating on the words he had just said.

In the small square in front of the three were benches under tents and on one of them sat a woman and three men, two of whom were visibly twins.

"I have seen these twins before in the Red Keep." Narrated Edith. "What are they doing here?"

"The same thing we're doing here, I'm sure." Aemond sighed in annoyance.

"But on whose orders would Arryk and Erryk be searching?" asked Adrik, slightly confused until he too recognized the third man under the hood.

The three exchanged a quick glance and immediately knew who was responsible. It should have been obvious to them that Otto Hightower would also send men out in search of Aegon.

"Shall I move closer to listen?" suggested Edith, looking questioningly at Aemond. The latter immediately shook his head. "No, the hand would recognize you at once."

They tried to stand inconspicuously in the edge of the square and watch the three men with the woman, the white worm. They did so until Otto finally disappeared under his own long cloak and Arryk and Erryk continued to search with the woman's answers.

The twins walked through the people until they stopped at a large bright building with a long staircase. The two men looked at each other doubtfully and then walked up the many steps into the building.

Aemond followed the twins with his eyes and then took Edith's hand and gently pulled her with him across the square to the large building as well. Adrik followed the two discreetly and positioned himself on the left side of the stairs, while Edith and Aemond squatted on the right side.

"Is this a memorial?" Edith wanted to know, leaning forward curiously so she could see past the wall and look at the building.

Gently, Aemond pulled her back toward him so the two wouldn't be discovered. "Something like that. I have to admit it's pretty clever of Aegon to hide here, because no one would ever look for him here." Admitted the man with silver hair.

"Do you think we can convince him to come with us?" Edith looked at her husband a little doubtfully.

"Do you want him to come?" wanted Aemond to know in return.

Edith shrugged her shoulders. "I honestly don't know." She admitted softly. "But what I do know is that I don't want to see Aegon on the throne."

Aemond looked at her in surprise. "You are committing treason against the crown if you say such a thing." He pointed out to her.

"You did the same thing earlier, my dear." She reminded him, smiling at him encouragingly. "I'm just being realistic, because your words were true. You are the better brother and no one deserves it as much as you."

The young woman smiled and stroked his cheek almost gently before kissing him softly for a brief moment. "I know you want it too." She whispered seductively in his ear.

Aemond closed his one eye and thought about her words before asking a question of his own with deliberation. "What is it that you desire?" he wanted to know from his wife.

Edith had to giggle at his reluctance. Of course, she also wanted the crown, but she wouldn't admit that yet, even though she had finally given him the first clues. Aemond would have to figure it out on his own.

"I desire only you." She breathed to him in her angelic voice and put her lips on his again briefly until the two of them heard footsteps behind them and had to break away again.

Adrik on the other side of the stairs had risen from his hiding place and now stood in the middle of the platform. In his hands he held his sword toward the building.

"I do reget this, friend." He said to the twins.

Cautiously, Aemond and Edith also stood up and looked around the corner, spotting not only Arryk and Erryk, but also Aegon, whom they were holding.

Edith was a little startled at the sight of the older prince, because he looked exhausted. His silver short hair, which could be seen under his hood, was even messier than usual and stains and dirt could be seen on his clothes. She didn't have to see more to realize that Aegon must have spent the whole day drinking again.

Aegon turned his head in the direction of Aemond and Edith and his eyes widened a bit when he spotted them. Edith thought he looked like a helpless deer.

She wanted to hate him for everything he had done to her. He had hurt her several times - physically and mentally, and yet all she wanted to do now was to take him in her arms and tell him that everything would be all right again. Just for Helaena's sake, she quickly convinced herself.

After all, just like his other siblings, he had just lost their father. Whether they had ever been close or not, Viserys had still been their father, who was now dead.

Only for a brief moment did Aegon maintain eye contact with his beloved Edith before he lashed out with his elbows and struck one of the twins in the ribs, then ran as fast as he could down the stairs.

While Adrik crossed his sword with the other twin, blocking the way, Aemond ran after his older brother.

Sternly, Edith looked to both situations and then decided on the safer option and followed the two brothers down the stairs, however she did not run as fast as the young men.

Aemond had quickly caught up with Aegon at the bottom and grabbed him by the waist, pushing him to the ground with him. At the sight, the young girl got a déjà vu moment and thought of the evening in the dining room shortly after Aegon had ended the secret relationship with her.

There the two had fought with each other on the ground and she had only been able to stand by until she had also been drawn into the fray and had been hit.

That evening Aemond had learned of her pregnancy and it had also been the evening she had last seen Aegon.

"I was hoping you disappeared." Said Aemond to his brother as he was bent over Aegon holding him, trying not to hide his disappointment.

"Is our father truly dead?" Aegon wanted to know from his younger brother with a laugh. He wondered how much he had drunk today.

"Yes... and theyre going to make you king." Aemond mocked hurt.

The two brothers looked into each other's violet eyes until Aegon destroyed the moment and spat at his brother. Disgusted, Aemond wiped Aegon's spit from his face and Aegon took advantage of the situation to break free and flee.

Just at that moment Edith arrived at the two and Aegon literally ran into her arms. Without giving it a second thought, she wrapped her arms tightly around the prince's body and pressed herself tightly against him to hold him close.

"No! Let me go!" cried Aegon frantically, trying to free himself.

"Sssh Aegon! It's me Edith. Please calm down!" said Edith as loud as she could so that Aegon could understand her even despite his screaming.

She had trouble holding him, but when he heard her voice, he slowly calmed down and looked at her face, startled. "Edith?" he asked in disbelief. He had seen her on the stairs, but had mistaken her for a figment of his brain.

Before Edith could say anything back, Aegon was torn from her arms. Aemond had put his own arms around his brother's body from behind to hold him himself. It had not suited him at all to see him so close to his wife.

"Brother! No!" As Aegon became aware of his lack of closeness to Edith he began to scream again. "Let me go right now!"

Aegon looked desperate as he tried to free himself again, but Aemond was stronger and held him tightly to himself.

Edith, on the other hand, walked toward the two brothers with shaky legs. She was afraid that the situation would escalate again as it had in the dining hall, but she had no choice.

"You need to calm down now, Aegon." She directed the older one in a gentle but uncertain voice.

"I have no wish to rule! You know that, Edith! No taste for duty! Edith! Im not suited." Said Aegon almost tearfully and his voice also sounded shaky.

He regretted so much what he had done to her. He had loved her and yet he had corrupted her. Aegon had defiled Edith and used her because she had finally made him feel comfortable and alive. But even then he had known that their love could not last forever and had ended it to protect her. To protect her from himself.

All he ever wanted was her happiness and happiness never came to him, which was why he had had to let her go.

"Youll get no argument from me." Retorted Aemond bitterly.

"You let me go, brother, I will find a ship an sail away, never to be found." Aegon had managed to twist in Aemond's grip so that he could now look at his brother and put his hands on Aemond's cheeks.

It was the easiest solution to get what Edith wanted and also for what Aemond wanted. You could literally see that Aemond was thinking about which ship would take his brother the farthest away from here.

The sound of swords clashing had already stopped, but Edith didn't realize it until she saw Adrik stop beside her and put a hand on Aegon's shoulder.

"The Queen awaits." He interrupted the moment between the brothers.

Aegon and Aemond continued to look into each other's eyes for a long time and you could almost see the tension. Edith, on the other hand, felt sick as she waited for a reaction, what exactly it was she didn't know, but she blamed it on her hunger.

Even after a few more seconds, none of the Targaryens moved, so Ser Adrik grabbed Aegon by the shoulder and pulled him along. This time the prince did not resist and he did not say anything, because he knew that now he had no chance to escape.

"Aemond." Edith addressed her husband carefully and stretched out a hand to him. "We will find a solution for this as well."

The young man turned his head to Edith. His gaze looked lost as he reached for her hand and joined her in following Adrik and Aegon back into the Red Keep.

He didn't really know what his wife meant by that and at the same time he didn't know how he should ever find a solution for this situation.

***

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Feel free to leave your thoughts and wishes in the comments:)

See you in the next chapter♡