CELTIGAR - House of The Dragon

Duty

All eyes turned from Rhaenyra and her husband to Rhea whose own eyes left her adopted sister's to look at the prince sitting next to her. Silence filled the room once more, everyone waiting for anyone to say something. Rhea thought for a moment, she could not have heard correctly, she must have been mistaken. Aemond's cheeks flashed with red, ever so slightly as his eye stayed looking into Rhaenyra's. His back was straight, his hand still on Rhea's thigh yet he did not turn to look at her. Rhea's face had confusion all over it, her brows knotted as she looked at her prince through her eyelashes. She had to stop herself from raising her hand to his upper arm, instead, she turned her head towards the King and Queen, trying not to show the turmoil stirring her insides.

Daemon and Rhaenyra sat back down, Rhaenyra seeking her sister's attention which she failed at catching.

"I, uh, have to admit it would make for a profitable match," the Queen finally broke the loud silence in the room. "What do you think, husband?"

The King seemed deep in thought. He then let out a weak laugh and coughed.

"I only wish it had been my idea, so I could have all the credit," the King added.

Rhea could not focus on a single word she heard, her face all flustered. She scratched her throat.

"I am sorry, but I fail to see how this would be a profitable match," she managed to utter.

Aemond finally turned to look at her as he knew perfectly well what she was about to say and it broke his heart.

"Well, first of all, sister, you are acquainted with my brother, and you have known him your whole life. You seem to enjoy the other's company enough, which I can say is more than most matches," Rhaenyra began.

"Yes, I agree on that part," Rhea interrupted her. "But Aemond is a prince and I-"

"You have been raised as one," Rhaenyra interrupted her in turn. "You, as Head of House Celtigar, are a fine match on your own, a great one, at that. But you have grown up in the Red Keep, you know of its political life, of its people. You know what it is like to occupy a position of leadership, as you have proven many times in the years you have sat in your House's seat."

Aemond nodded ever so slightly, agreeing for once to his sister's every word. Those were along the lines of what he had told her so many times, which broke his hearth further, knowing she would refuse him yet again, in front of his whole family.

"I must agree," the Queen revealed. "For years you have lived among us here, and you have been my son's greatest ally, supporting him through anything life threw at him. You two already share a special bond, I can see now it would make sense for you two to marry. You are already a trusted, valued member of this House, all you lack is its name. I do not know why I have not had this idea myself, but I must commend you on it, Rhaenyra."

"Might we ask the main interested parties their thoughts on the matter?" Aegon finally spoke up.

Rhea shot him a distressed look and she took a sip from her cup, trying to ground herself.

"Yes, Aemond, is it a match you would consent to?" the King asked his son.

The prince knew that whatever would come out of his mouth next would surely be decisive in the matter, but he could not bring himself to lie and say he did not wish for his lady Rhea to become his wife. He would kick himself all his life if he did. He glanced at the young woman next to him, whose hand was clutching her cup so hard her knuckles had turned white. He watched as her chest rose and fell fast, her breathing betraying her anxious state. Her face, however, showed no emotion.

"I would consent gladly to such a union, if that is what your Grace command, father." Aemond had chosen his words carefully.

"But would it be a happy union, rather than a necessary one?" the Queen asked further under her father's angry gaze.

The Hand looked terribly displeased at what was happening around him but could not express it freely, as everyone around him, except maybe Lady Rhea herself, appeared to be enthralled by the idea. Aemond glanced at his lady again, but she still would not look at him in return.

"Nothing would make me happier," he finally admitted in front of his whole family.

He felt such relief to be able to say what he had been hiding, at last. His mother, the Queen smiled a truly proud smile and she took a deep breath, clutching her hands to her chest. Aemond turned to his lady, a sorry look on his face, knowing he had just trapped her in a betrothal she had expressed many times she did not want, yet he could not stop the smile on his face as he realise she would soon be his wife, should his father bless their match.

The King turned to look at his ward, trying to prevent his family to see the amount of physical pain he was in.

"My child, what about you? Would you consent?" the King asked her.

Rhea smiled softly. She was a dutiful woman and would not dare refuse the man who had taken her in as a child, shielded her for the most part of it, the man who had made a deal with her cousins to ensure her birthright. The man she loved as she loved her father. She strongly felt she was not a good enough match for the prince, but if everyone else in the room failed to see it and wished for them to wed, especially her adopted father, she would not refuse him.

"How could I refuse when all of you have come out with such praise about me?" she simply stated which led to the King to raise his cup cheerfully.

Aemond, who was convinced she would refuse him, taken aback, retrieved his hand from her thigh and set it on his own. She frowned lightly and he knew she would have preferred his hand to remain on her. He smiled as his brother rose to congratulate him, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Then it is settled, my son Aemond and my ward Rhea will marry in a fortnight," the King announced, gesturing to the servants and ordering them to send word of the joyous news throughout Westeros this instant. "There is no time to waste, it fills me with such pride to know you will soon be wed."

Rhea smiled, still not fully comprehending how the night could have taken such a turn. Deep inside her, she was happy to not have to hide her true feelings for the prince any longer, but she felt sorry he was not trapped in an alliance with her. He could have married anyone else he wished to, what she failed to see was how he never wanted to marry anyone else but her.

"My child, please, come to me so I can hold your hand," the King asked his ward.

She rose from her chair, her legs unsteady and her whole body shaking. As she caught up to the King's seat, she leant down closer to him and he took her hand in his.

"I am truly happy to know you will soon marry my son. Soon, you will truly be my daughter, and a princess of the realm. Soon, you will carry my grandchildren in your womb and bring them to meet me, you have no idea how blessed I feel, this instant. Thank you, for agreeing to this, Rhea. Your father would be so proud."

At the mention of Rhea's father, the Hand turned and inched closer to listen to the King, unseen by all members of the family.

Rhea felt a tinge of boldness and she knew it was her chance to tell the King how she truly felt.

"I love your son, my King. I do," she spoke quietly next to him, just so the Queen and him could hear. "and I hope I can prove worthy of the trust you have put in me."

The Queen smiled at the young woman lovingly.

"Aemond deserves the world, my Queen," Rhea whispered as she finally dared to look at her betrothed. "And I intend to give it to him."

The Queen cupped her soon to be daugther by law's cheek and her green eyes glinted with pride at her.

"I only wish to be worthy of it," she then said to herself, sitting back next to her prince.