Marriage of noble women and princesses has always been considered the most important event in society, shaping the fate of women and determining their role in the family hierarchy. But marriages were not always concluded for love, not always intertwining hearts with each other forever; men have always had more rights in marriage: while they could have mistresses and make bastards, women were only given the care of children, pleasing their husbands (whether they wanted it or not), maintaining fidelity and honor. Their fates often depended on the character of their spouse; at best, they could expect love and respect, at worst..

«Are you unable to calm him down?»

She was unlucky in this. Her husband was not kind to her, preferred to ignore his wife, did not want to answer the most ordinary questions, as if she was a worthless piece of trash under his boots, who did not deserve at least one answer where there was no mockery or anger. She tried so hard to please him: during the day she looked after not only herself, but also the children, spending time with them, reading them stories of Ancient Valyria, telling them about the great conquerors (of course, they were still small, but they always listened with interest, although looking at pictures was much more fun), and at night she spent in his chambers, waiting for him to pay attention to her and take his mind off the books and parchments. What papers were more interesting than his own wife, who clearly yearned for the love she had never received from her husband even in bed?

Aemond slightly pursed his thin lips, watching his tired wife, who was trying to calm the child, who was crying so loudly and heartbreakingly, as if someone had hurt him, although the baby himself woke up in the middle of the night, blowing up his parents, who did not expect a scream in the silence of their chambers. How much had passed already? Half an hour or an hour? Or more? His son was screaming, soaking his mother's shirt with tears and snot, his face red from hysteria, his mouth open