House of the Dragon Oneshots

Lucerys

A/N: I am still emotionally recovering from the finale. I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself for the next two years. 😭 Also, I apologize in advance for the unhinged meme I'm about to write:

Aemond: I want his eye!

Vhagar, an elderly veteran experiencing war flashbacks: You want him to die? *CHOMP*

Aemond: 👁️👄💎

I'm so sorry, anywaysss...

Pairings: Aemond x reader

Description: You, the daughter of Rhaenyra, are pregnant with Aemond's child and go to meet your husband upon his return from Storm's End to discover he has killed your brother.

Content warnings: angst, pregnancy, a brief labor scene, subtle hints at postpartum depression (everything turns out okay, though).

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You reach the edge of the steps leading down from the Red Keep to the courtyard. Your personal guard stands protectively behind you as you cup your hands over your protruding belly. He had tried to convince you to wait in your rooms for your husband's return but as soon as you spotted Vhagar in the sky, you insisted on hobbling your way to meet him in the courtyard.

As you slowly made your way through the Keep, you heard the whispers. The whispers that quickly quieted as you walked by. Your pace quickened until you were standing there atop the stairs, looking down at your husband.

He looks up at you, standing there stoically as a gentle breeze ruffles your long white dress. He can barely lift his gaze to meet your pleading eyes. When he does, guilt grips his heart once more. The expression on his face tells you all you need to know.

Feeling as if the ground was crumbling beneath you, you place a hand on the stone railing to steady yourself. Aemond moves towards you, but as his foot lands on the first step, you turn to your guard.

"Help me back inside."

"Yes, princess," he answers, taking you by the arm.

Aemond watches, frozen in spot, as you re-enter the Keep. He clenches and flexes his hands, still feeling Vhagar's reins in his grip like a ghost. Alicent places a hand on his shoulder but pulls back when he flinches at her touch.

"She will need time," she advised her son.

Without removing his gaze from where you once stood, he snapped, "How much time does it take to heal from losing a brother?"

~~~

The day passes in a numb blur. You haven't seen Aemond since the courtyard and you can almost pretend he still hasn't returned. You can pretend that the news hasn't arrived that Lucerys was gone—killed by your own husband.

You can pretend, at least, until he walks through the doors of your shared room.

He speaks your name but you do not turn to look at him from where you lay upon the settee, resting your swollen feet on a soft cushion. He calls to you again.

He places a hand carefully on your shoulder and says something, but you do not hear it over the sudden blood rushing through your ears.

"Don't touch me!"

Your whole body flinches away from the man you love. He pulls his hand away, clenching his fist. Never before had you reacted with such disgust at his touch. He did not expect differently, but it didn't stop the rage and misery it summoned within him.

"Please, you must listen to me—"

"How could you?" you hiss, "They say you demanded he carve out his own eye and chased him out of the castle when he refused."