Full of sadness confirmed:
The honorable Prince Aegon,
second of his name,
passed away a few days ago,
now confirmed by the hand of the King personally.
We, the people and all of Westeros are in deepest mourning for the prince who died too soon and express
our heartfelt condolences to
our respectable King Viserys I
the Peaceful and his family.

It had been exactly 4 days since Aegon's supposed death and only today was it publicly announced. The city seemed to be in uproar, in mourning and in shock. But everyone knew that this was only a show.

The bells rang so loudly that the walls almost shook and Edith had the feeling that her heart would stop at the next chime. With each passing day, her heart grew heavier, but her morale lightened: Aegon was now safe and she was closer to her goal than ever before.

"You should stop reading these lies." Said Aemond, who looked at his wife a little worriedly and finally took the paper from her hand and tore it up. He had read the daily papers himself and could only shake his head at the empty words.

Edith watched him tear the paper and it somehow tore her heart as well. The words might have been lies, but Aegon deserved the love of the people, even if it was not real and only caused by his seeming death.

Prince Aegon was not the most popular prince who ever lived, except perhaps among the whores. But in his last few moons here in his homeland, he went from being a nasty, to almost a real prince, until he went back to being the nasty he was, and then back to being the prince he was supposed to be.

With the distance that now existed between them, Edith seemed to know her former lover better than before. She understood his conflict; she had long cherished the same feelings.

Aegon had hidden behind his mask, his coldness and his distance to protect himself, and in the process had hurt many people. Edith had been the first to see behind his mask, even before Helaena could.

"When does the hand announce the death of the king?" wanted to know Edith.

"Tonight, but maybe not until the early hours of the next morning." Aemond played with the leather straps of his eye patch, which he took off since the two were alone. "Before-"

"Before we declare war on our families." Edith's throat was dry and her voice sounded rough as she said this, her mixed emotions audible.

They were incredible feelings, which at the moment in the Red Keep had taken over the reigns of the family.

Together with Aemond she sat in front of the warming fire in the dining room. It seemed to be the only place of retreat where the two of them could be among themselves, because Helaena still lingered in the young couple's chambers. They both loved Helaena with all their hearts and tolerated her stay as long as the older princess wanted it.

Precisely because of this love, they did not want Helaena to overhear their plans. They were afraid that the young woman would not be able to cope with this, as since Aegon had left, her dreams and visions had become worse. Helaena often spoke of rivers full of blood, of battles and especially of death.

This frightened Aemond and especially his pregnant wife. They feared bad omens and thus protected not only Helaena from bad dreams, but also themselves - because what she could not predict would not happen.

But so they remained ignorant and did not suspect what dangers would really come to them.

"I saw your dress...you'll look fabulous in it." Said Aemond convincingly, and he meant it. He was obviously trying to cheer her up and distract her, but in fact his actions were doing a better job than his words.

Aemond placed his eye patch on his lap and leaned to the right as he reached out to his wife to be closer to her. Then he squeezed her hand firmly, kissed the back of her hand, and then placed her hand on his cheek.

"You will be the most enchanting and powerful queen Westeros has ever seen, my dear." He breathed to her full of love.

Edith didn't quite know what to say to that at first, but she didn't need to. Aemond would have believed anything she said at that moment. She stroked his smooth cheek with her hand and smiled at him gratefully. "I am so grateful for what we have accomplished. How we found each other and can now be full of hope and love."

Now she leaned in too and lightly placed her lips on his. A brief tender kiss, but it sealed her true words.

That tenderness and almost innocence in the air, disappeared as Aemond picked up his eye patch again and dropped it to the floor before standing up and pulling Edith out of her armchair with him. Gently, his hands were on her hips, but he radiated his dominance by pushing her backwards until her butt was resting against the table.

Wide-eyed, she tilted her head slightly. "Aemond." Escaped her almost moaning as Aemond grabbed her tighter around the waist and sat her down on the table. "Here, are you sure?"

"Be a good princess, Edith." He breathed seductively into her ear, after which he began kissing her neck.

Edith closed her eyes in pleasure, trying to ignore where the two of them were and that someone could walk in at any moment. It was an exciting game of time and it honestly put her in the mood to do something wicked outside her chambers.

And what the two did now was not the first time, however, the first time in this room - in which so much had already happened.

"But first, you should kneel before your future queen to prove your loyalty, my prince." Edith smiled at him just as seductively and effortlessly pushed him to his knees with her hands on his shoulders.

Aemond had to grin as he knelt before her and he swore this would not be the last time he would kneel before his wife. He pushed up her skirt and pulled her forward to the edge of the table before finally disappearing under her skirt.

His hot breath made her center twitch and tingle with excitement. A longing awoke in her, which she hadn't felt for far too long, and it was soothed only after she felt Aemond's lips between her legs. He spread soft kisses on the inside of her thighs and kissed his way between her legs, where he then delighted her with his tongue.

His warm tongue and the intense feeling he gave her made the princess tremble. Edith had to put her legs on Aemond's shoulders and support herself with both hands on the table so that she wouldn't fall over.

Aemond loved his wife and he had made love to her many times, but very rarely had he made love to her as he did at that moment. Edith couldn't even remember the last time he had his head between her legs.

All the more often Aegon had done this for her.

At this thought Edith opened her eyes and shuddered. Why did she have to think of her former beloved now, out of all times? Why didn't her head give her a break from the wicked prince for once!

It was as if her head was playing tricks on her for all the mistakes she had made and was yet to make.

"Aemond."

She tried to straighten up and slide back, but Aemond held her tightly in his grip.

He was doing a good job, very good in fact, but the memories made it hard for her to enjoy it. So Edith lifted her skirt to pull him back up by his shoulders, but then he looked up at her and her head went blank again.

She knew she was married to a very attractive man, if not the most attractive man in all of King Country, but just looking at him between her legs almost made her climax.

Aemond looked so angelic and his sapphire eye shone as brightly as Edith's insides felt.

She moaned his name longingly and put her hand to his head, burying her fingers in his silver hair.

Finally, he took one hand off her hip and now ran his fingers over her pulsing core, letting one finger brush teasingly over her before he thrust into her with it, making Edith gasp in surprise.

He didn't stop moving his finger inside her, even as he rose from his knees and stood. Now he was taller than her again and leaned forward to her. "I thought you might like it, my dear."

Edith wrapped her legs around his hips and leaned her upper body against his own for support. He looked deep into her eyes and studied her every reaction, enjoying the beautiful sounds that came out of her mouth. But it was all the more intoxicating to him when she tightened around his finger and came gasping against him.

"My queen." Smirked Aemond as he pushed her head back to get a better look at her and for her to see him better, because at that moment he pulled his finger out of her and licked it clean with pleasure.

Her insides began to tingle again. How could she ever get enough of him?

"Please take me, my king." She asked him full of longing and lust.

Of course Aemond couldn't refuse her request and he enjoyed the way his future title sounded coming out of her mouth. He let her help him undo his pants and pull them down slowly and while Edith held her skirt, he placed himself between her legs again and entered her.

"Don't ever stop calling me that."

~~~

Even before it was light the next day, the blonde maid slipped into her princess's chambers. With a torch in which a candle burned, she lit her way and lit nearby candles to brighten the room.

Only then did she approach the bed in which two princesses lay. She gently touched the younger of the two on the shoulder to wake her. "Princess, you must get up, it is time."

Edith didn't need to hear the words or feel her maid's hand on her shoulder to wake up. Immediately she opened her eyes and nodded slightly to Anna. Her maid bowed and stepped out of the chamber.

She felt a movement beside her and turned her head to Helaena, who was also awake and feeling refreshed. For a long time the two of them had sat nervously by the window until late at night, listening to the silence and watching for mail boys that would reveal the king's death, but nothing had happened.

At some point Aemond had sent the two to bed when he himself had returned late to the chambers. He had not said where he had stayed the rest of the day after he and Edith had enjoyed themselves in the dining room. But Edith had not asked him about it.

In just a few hours, she and Aemond would be king and queen, so they finally had to trust each other completely and rely on each other.

"How long have you been awake?" asked Helaena of her friend, still a little sleepy.

"Since Aemond left the chambers."

"Do you know where he went?"

Edith just shook her head. She didn't know, but she could imagine he was probably on Vhagar's back. At least, she hoped so.

The two of them stayed in the warm bed until the maid Anna returned with a tray full of breakfast. "You must strengthen yourselves, my princess. You both need to." the blonde smiled innocently.

She really was innocent, Edith thought. She had no idea and yet she knew what was happening today.

Many servants and allies of Princess Rhaenyra were imprisoned on behalf of the Queen and the Hand, now for a week. Edith was not an inhuman and hoped that the people were well and better cared for than Harwin had been in the dungeon for years.

Nevertheless, she was very worried about what would happen when these prisoners were free again. Would they immediately flee to Rhaenyra and tell her everything? Would they even try to attack Edith before escaping?

It was scary not knowing exactly what was happening and who was loyal to you.

During the morning hours, Edith was being anointed and prepared for the upcoming coronation. And still it felt like she was dreaming, because she could not understand that this was really happening.

The young woman had never had the desire for the throne and power. She only wanted to be loved and to be with her family. She only wanted to be herself.

But the older Princess Rhaenyra had taken away Edith's former dream, her innocence and her childhood, because she had felt threatened by the much younger girl. She had done things and tried things that no aunt should have done to her niece, for she was afraid for her own dream of the throne.

After all that had happened, Edith found it more than appropriate to make Rhaenyra's fear a reality and steal her dream as well.

The hunger for the throne, the crown and the power had risen so much in her in the last weeks that she almost understood her aunt.

This hunger for the throne, was stronger than her appetite that morning and instead of eating the delicious breakfast Princess Edith went to pray until she had to change completely in her chambers.

Among the maids was her own Anna who helped her put on her dress. It was a heavy dark blue fabric with gold ornaments. On her sleeves were golden buttons, just like on her neckline and on her waist hung a golden chain, which emphasized her belly.

Her hair was braided in many individual strands and finally tied upwards into a severe hairstyle.

Edith didn't have a chance or a choice to express her wishes for a hairstyle, but she also wouldn't have known exactly which hairstyle would be the most suitable. To be honest, she had not even been able to choose her dress, having been allowed exclusively to state her wish to the dressmaker.

No one in the room suspected what would happen today. They thought it was about the death of the young prince, which was published yesterday. Probably they thought that the family would like to announce it to the people again today.

Helaena did not leave her side for a second and went to her friend's room to get dressed. Her dress was black, her silver hair pinned back and her beautiful face was covered by a veil, just as her mother Alicent had wished.

Keep up the pretense, Edith had said softly to Helaena.

The other maids eyed Edith as she finished dressing. A dark blue dress, not a black one as it was supposed to be. The family was in mourning, but the princess wore no mourning. This was an absurdity as the maids found it.

The maid Anna, on the other hand, thought it was more than brave and admired her princess for it. She had not known Edith long and Edith had not known her maid long, but she knew she would be faithful and loyal.

"The Queen Alicent." Announced one of the girls as the door opened and indeed the current queen came into the room. Of course, she immediately sent the maids out of the room so she could be alone with her daughter and daughter-in-law.

"How do you feel?" wanted Alicent to know from the girl with brownish hair.

"Unaware." Answered Edith honestly, reaching for her mother-in-law's hands. "How could you stand it back then? I'm feeling dizzy with excitement."

Alicent had to smile sadly, squeezing Edith's hands. "I don't know, but looking back, it wasn't the worst thing I had to go through." Sighed the older woman. "And it won't be the worst thing you have to go through either, my dear child."

Edith could only nod in pity. Pitying Alicent's past and pitying her own future.

"I never asked for your approval, and I regret that very much. Not in choosing for your husband, let alone the day of your wedding. Neither did I ask for your approval for this task." They were the most honest words Edith had ever heard from Alicent's mouth.

Over the last few moons a friendship had developed between the two and Edith had long ago forgiven Alicent. Without her urging, Edith would never have known the truth, would never have fallen in love with Aemond, and most importantly, she would not be where she is now, physically and mentally.

"I hope I can make you proud and be your equal, my queen." Said Edith, without responding to Alicent's apology.

The two had spoken three days ago, two days after Aegon's supposed death, three days before the upcoming coronation. Alicent had told her about the ceremony, about her duties and what the preparations for it looked like, after which she had commissioned her dress.

Edith did not want to wear black, because this day should be a new beginning. For herself and for the blues.

"Do they know yet?" asked Helaena curiously. She stood at the window, as straight as a candle, looking down at the residents to read their faces, but their faces told her nothing.

"No, we've changed our minds. We'll announce it at the coronation." Alicent looked to her daughter for encouragement, but Helaena turned her head away again to look outside.

"So you want to keep up the pretense that we mourn Aegon and now King Viserys before you crown us?"

"We mourn Aegon of course and that's not a pretense." Said Alicent quickly. "But people expect us to mourn him publicly and if we connect all the news and events, then no one has a chance to think about it or oppose us."

"They have to accept it and believe it before they realize they had a choice." Edith concluded the Queen's line of thought. It was clever, a good plan.

Edith only hoped that the people of King's Landing were really that gullible and would quickly accept her and Aemond. For years Aemond had hidden allies, but they would not be enough if it came to war. They needed more.

At the same time, the lords who had sworn allegiance to Rhaenyra more than twenty years ago were long dead, and old oaths rarely survived death.

Besides, Aemond was a man, the son of a king, a prince, who was certainly more respected by many gullible townspeople than Rhaenyra was as a woman, the daughter of the king.

Edith had never hoped so much for the stupidity and the loyalty of so many people at the same time.

But rightfully she and Aemond were the rightful heirs to the iron throne, since Visery's last wish was to have his firstborn son on the throne. And who would succeed the deceased firstborn son? Of course, the second-born son, not the daughter.

"A letter came for you earlier. It bears your mother's sigil." Alicent handed Edith the letter, which had previously been in the pocket of her dress.

"Did you read it?" wanted to know Edith and Alicent shook her head. "No, but I'm not sure this is the right time. We should probably be on our way." Replied the queen.

Edith moved a few steps away and sat on the edge of her bed. "It's a letter from my mother, your Grace. I will always have time for her."

"My beloved daughter Edith,

we have just received the news of the death of the young prince Aegon.
I hope you are well and the grief is bearable and does not overwhelm you.

There are evil tongues that say that the prince was ill or poisoned. No matter what, I hope it was not an assassination and my little daughter is in danger. Please tell me how you are, I am very worried.

It is already late in the year. Are the flowers still blooming in the castle garden?

Forgive my rare letters, but there is a lot to do here in Dragonstone. Besides, your brothers and sisters keep me busy.

Perhaps you and Prince Aemond can visit again soon, when the situation has calmed down a bit. Your siblings and your father would be very pleased.

Well, your father Daemon and Princess Rhaenyra are busy discussing the upcoming weddings full of excitement. Soon Prince Jacaerys and your sister Baela will marry before Lucerys and Rhaena do.

Wouldn't this be a nice reason for a visit? I'm sure invitations will be waiting for you in King's Landing soon.

We miss you very much here, especially I miss and love you very much,
my beloved daughter.

I can't wait to read from you again and hopefully soon be able to hold you in my arms again.

With love forever,
your mother."

Edith realized how many secrets she now kept from her family and sadly, from her mother. She had become so disconnected from her roots over the past few months that she hadn't even noticed.

Her family didn't know so many things that had happened here in King's Landing. Her mother didn't even know that Edith was pregnant and would soon be holding a child of her own.

Aruna and Daemon would be grandparents and they didn't even know about it. It was really hard to admit that.

But the letter had proved to Edith that her mother did not know a lot more. Her parents still seemed to be clueless about Rhaenyra's plans. And as long as they knew nothing about it, they were safe in Dragonstone, or so Edith hoped.

In just a few hours this would be over and just a few hours further, the news would reach Dragonstone as well and then Rhaenyra would react.

Rhaenyra would vent her anger and then Aruna and Daemon would see her true colors. She knew that Daemon could protect himself and his family, and yet it scared Edith even more than the upcoming coronation.

Would her parents be on her side and swear allegiance to her?

Or would they continue to be on Rhaenyra's side? She desperately needed to finally claim a dragon and free her family from Rhaenyra's claws. Edith was a Targaryen and still didn't have a dragon, it was a real shame and another thing she had to take care of.

***

It's getting serious!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter♡

I would be very happy about your comments and your opinion :)

See you in the next chapter!