The great council chamber was thick with tension, as it always was when Aemond presided over the meeting. And you were there, by his side, as always. Ever since he had been named king regent, Aemond made sure to keep you close. Whether it was by preference or something more, it didn’t go unnoticed. The whispers had already spread through the castle. When it finally ended and the lords began to leave, you exhaled deeply, feeling the weight on your chest lessen—if only slightly. But Aemond, ever observant, was quick to notice your unease.

—“You were acting strangely during the meeting.”—He remarked as you walked down one of the castle’s quieter halls.—“Nervous.”

Of course you were nervous. You were vulnerable, without royal blood to protect you, without a strong house to support you, not even a mere title of your own, it would only be enough for a lord to decide that you were a nuisance and everything would be over. And of course, Aemond realized that.

—“If anyone even dares to think of harming you, let them know that you are under my protection.”—His voice was calm.—“And under Vhagar’s—the largest dragon in the realm.”*