Aemon Targaryen

-Chapter 84-

-POV Laena Velaryon-

I woke up gently, feeling my husband's arms wrapped entirely around me, but I made no sound nor did I turn around to avoid waking him or hurting him further.

'Even though I doubt I could inflict any pain on him, considering the strength he showed in lifting Aegon despite his injury,' I thought, gently caressing the hand resting on my abdomen.

"Have you been awake for long?" Aemon asked, his voice hoarse from sleep.

"No, I just woke up."

"What time is it?" he asked, raising his arm to let me turn around.

"Late, judging by the position of the sun," I said, noticing the sun was at its zenith.

Aemon opened one eye before closing it again and said, "It's fine, I can sleep a little longer."

'I didn't know this side of him,' I thought, somewhat amused by this aspect of his personality.

'A more normal side of him than what he usually shows.'

"You are the lord of Runestone; it seems to me you should open the court and hear the petitions of your subjects today, given your long absence."

"I've only been gone for a few weeks but... it's true, today I must meet with the captain of the Runestone Guard," Aemon said, his eyes still closed.

"Why?" I asked casually.

Aemon said nothing but opened one eye and looked at me for a moment before closing it again and smiling slyly.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said, but I could tell that wasn't true.

'I can sense when he's not being entirely honest with me.'

"Come on, tell me," I said, trying to push him to be fully honest.

'A united couple is a stronger one. If he doesn't trust me, I'll never be able to support him properly and be the Lady of Runestone, instead of just any woman meant to bear him heirs.'

"There's nothing wrong, but I didn't imagine castle affairs would interest you that much," Aemon said, with a slightly teasing tone.

"I am the Lady of Runestone," I said with a slight smile, realizing he had finally seen through my intentions.

"That you are," Aemon said, smiling more and more, nodding seriously all the while.

"Then tell me everything," I said, almost giving an order.

"Is that an order, my Lady?" he asked in a teasing tone, noticing the authority in my voice but not offended by it.

"It might be," I said, moving closer to him.

Aemon smiled, then finally said, "I struck a deal with some influential mountain clan leaders. In exchange for a generous donation from House Royce, I would provide them with all the information they need to destroy the lands of Jeyne's vassals."

I widened my eyes in shock and said, "That's treason."

Aemon shrugged, then replied:

"That is, if they could accuse me of such a crime. As I was saying, it was in case I didn't get from the king what I expected, but I got it."

"You mean the Vale," I said, already knowing what he wanted from the king.

"Exactly," he said, not hiding his ambitions.

I smiled, appreciating his honesty, and asked, "But you didn't get it, because if I'm not mistaken, Arnold Arryn will be Lord of the Vale?"

"Indeed, I'm not the Prince of the Vale, but it's close enough," Aemon said, shrugging slightly.

"I don't understand why you trust this Arnold Arryn so much," I said, not understanding beyond his training what truly united Arnold Arryn and Aemon.

Aemon smiled and said, "Because he's one of my uncles."

I frowned, surprised I didn't know that, and asked, "Close?"

Aemon nodded and then said, "Since my mother didn't have any brothers or sisters, I'd say he's one of my closest relatives on the maternal side, as Arnold Arryn's mother is my grandfather's sister, making him my mother and Gunthor's cousin."

"So even though he's an Arryn by name, he's really a Royce by blood and upbringing," I said, finally understanding the ties between them.

Aemon nodded but spoke in a darker tone: "But something bothers me about him, he craves power."

"Isn't ambition a good quality?" I asked, knowing it was a trait my father highly respected.

"It is, but not when it turns into greed that overrides everything, including family ties," Aemon said.

'He's afraid of potential betrayal,' I thought, watching my husband, his eyes gazing into the distance.

"What will you do if it turns out he does indeed have that flaw?" I asked.

Aemon turned his gaze toward me, locking his eyes on mine without blinking, before finally looking away and saying:

"I don't know, but I don't think he'll like what I become when that time comes."

'He'll kill him,' I thought, convinced by his gaze that he would.

"But if he kills him, he'll lose the ability to manipulate the Lord of the Vale, as the next one will surely not accept being under Aemon's thumb and may seek support elsewhere."

'Now that Rhaenyra is married to Laenor, if she quickly consolidates her position by having heirs capable of bonding with dragons, she could shift the power balance in the realm and rule properly. Since I wouldn't go to war against my brother, which is also true for my mother.'

"You look worried all of a sudden," Aemon said to me.

"It's nothing," I said.

He raised an eyebrow and then said, "You're the one keeping secrets now?"

'He's right, our relationship must be based on honesty from both sides,' I thought.

I smiled, then said:

"I was simply thinking about what would happen if your uncle betrayed you."

"And…?" he asked, sensing there was more.

"And I was thinking that you should have a backup plan in case the day comes when you have to… do without him," I finally said.

Aemon smiled and sat up slightly, proudly saying:

"Why do you think I'm keeping Jeyne Arryn alive?"