The Sapphire Dragon

Do as you're bid

Chapter 2

The cell was freezing. Rheya couldn't seem to stop her teeth from chattering, her arms wound tightly around her knees. She was filthy. She had blood in her hair from where the knight had struck her and dirt plastered to every inch of her body. Her smithing leathers were deigned to keep her protected yet cool in the heat of the furnace, so they did little againt the biting cold. Her brother didn't seem much better off. He lay in a heap in the cell across from her, barely looking her way. She tired to ask him what he had done to condemn them, but he never gave her an answer.

Finally, the day of the trial came. Rheya had been etching small marks into the wall with a rough stone for three days now, so she knew how long it had been since she had eaten when they finally came to fetch her. She stumbled when she righted herself, before she was grabbed and hauled away by a knight she didn't recognise. She was barely able to keep her feet under her as he dragged her at a vicious speed down one of the castle halls, away from the dungeons. As soon as they emerged into an open portion of the castle and sunlight streamed though the window, Rheya threw up her arm. The rays caused her to hiss out, blinking furiously. She had little time to compose herself before she was tossed into a room, the knight remaining guard by the door. The figure standing by the balcony doors told her why.

Aemond Targaryen raised an unimpressed brow at the state of her, kneeling in his chambers, tears in her burning eyes. She gave him the most hateful glare she could manage, grasping onto a nearby chaise to right herself.

"I see you have been adequately looked after." He mused, looking her up and down. Clearly he though this was the treatment her station permitted.

She took a steadying breath as she grinned at him. "Thank you for being so very accommodating, my prince." Her voice was sharp and rough from days of disuse.

"Hm. Your brother's trial is today." He stated, clearly wanting a reaction for her.

"And what, exactly, is he being accused of?" She questioned, unable to stop herself from teetering forward when she spotted the plate of figs on the low table beside the fire.

Aemond watched her closely. "You mean to turn a blind eye to his crime?"

Rheya licked her cracked lips. "I mean to ask that my clear ignorance be rectified. And a fig would be nice too."

Aemond sneered slightly, before giving a slight dip of this chin. Rheya couldn't suppress the tiny whine that she gave as she dove for the plate, seating herself clumsily on the chaise. The first bite was glorious, and she devoured the fruit in a second. She reached for another and finished it just as quickly. When she went for a third, she found a hand pulling the plate out of her reach. Aemond had seated himself in the seat across from her, one leg over the other as he pulled the plate to his side of the table.

Rheya met his gaze. "You honestly know nothing of your brothers... exploits?"

She shrugged. "My brother is a prick. I'd be the first to condemn him given the chance, but I cannot see what he could have done to barter the attention of the crown."

Aemond watched her expression closely.

"You tried to defend him back at the smiths."

"You mistake me. The moon would fall from the sky before I defended my brother. I was only protecting myself." Rheya leaned back into the chaise, her muscles straining.

Aemond snorted. "Antagonising me is your form of self preservation?"

"I would not believe that a prince would allow a simple smith girl to antagonise him." She cocked her head innocently and Aemonds lip twisted into a sneer.

"Sir Roice." Rheya stiffened as the prince called the knights name. "Fetch a bath and a maid for our guest, she is to appear before the king. Lest she look like the back street rat that she is." The knight nodded and exited the room, leaving them alone.

"I cannot bathe here." She stated calmly, her eyes roaming over the princes form.

"Don't worry, I won't peak. Much." He gave her a lewd smile and she bared her teeth.

"I said no."

His fist came down hard on the table. "Be careful how you speak to me, girl. I have little patience left for you or your cunt of a brother. You will do as you're bid." He hissed.

Rheya shrunk back in her chair slowly, more afraid of what the prince would see should she be forced to remove her leathers than the dangerous gleam in his eye.

They sat silently as the bath was brought in, the copper tub filed with buckets of steaming water. Rheya wanted to feel joy. She wanted to take advantage of the glorious bath filled with expensive oils and warmth, but as she stood before it, she could only shake.

"Get in." Aemond commanded, looking entirely bored as he licked fig juice from his fingers.

"Your grace..." Rheya managed as she looked at him over her shoulder, only to find him facing away from her and staring at the flames. So she moved with haste. Her leathers hit the floor with a thud and she hurried to settle herself in the bath. The two maids present gave a small gasp at the sight of her, and she cringed at them.

"Hurry up." She heard the prince snap, and the two women began to diligently scrub her down,  each of them more careful with her than she deserved. Her shame was thick when they finished, and she gave them each a hard but kind smile as they helped her out and wrapped her in a robe. Both women exchanged a quick look, before one went to whisper something to the prince, pointing at the lacy dresses piled on the ground by the tub.

Rheya watched the exchange, noting how his hand tightened on the arm of the chair before he stood sharply and whirled on her. She had been clutching the robe as tightly as she could, keeping the two sides closed across her chest as he strode for her. Fear tightened her throat as he grasped her arms and harshly pulled them away. A cry escaped her as the robe revealed her chest, thankfully still covering her breasts. But clearly that was not enough for Aemond as he grabbed the two sides and yanked the fabric open. Rheya tired to shout. She might have shouted 'no', or 'stop'. She wasn't sure. She was about to be defiled here, in the princes chambers, in a castle full of strangers with nobody to help her. But when she dared to glance at him, the look on his face was not one of lust. No, Aemonds face was twisted with a vicious kind of fury.

He let the robe fall closed, taking a step back.
"Did the guards do this?" He asked though his teeth.

"No." Rheya swallowed back tears. She didn't know why she cared what he thought. It shouldn't matter to her what the high born cunt thought of her body. But the disgust was evident on his face, and Rheya hurried to hide herself again.

"Your brother?" He asked darkly. She nodded. Yes, yes it was her brother who had turned her once delicate body black and blue. The bruises covering her skin were all shades of agony, the scars and fresh cuts deep and brutal. It was a miracle that none of them had festered and killed her.

"Go fetch a different gown." Aemond commanded, turning away from her and walking toward the door. "I shall see you at the trial..." the prince stilled for a moment, turning his gaze back to her, though seemingly reluctantly.

"Rheya." She supplied quietly, and he nodded once, before disappearing from the room.