ᴘᴜʀᴇ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅᴇᴅ : ʜᴏᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ

Chapter 61: Mending the Broken

"You can stay loyal, or you can stay away."

Alaesys did not wait for her husband to be crowned the victor. She had rushed over with her mother to the medic tent. Daemon's shirt had been all but torn from him. Alaesys expected her father to bare a bloody wound that no medicine could cure.

But there her father was, pushing away the healer  with curses under his breath. His rib cage and chest were only badly bruised, a possible broken bone. Rhaenyra sat on the makeshift bed beside her husband and rubbed his arm. Alaesys stood in the corner with her sisters as they watched from afar.

It seemed like the only thing mortally wounded was Daemon's pride.

Alaesys reached over and grabbed Rhaena's hand. Her father had angered her countless times, but seeing him wounded by her own husband made her heart shatter into a million pieces. Daemon noticed his daughters gazing upon him and shooed the healers away. Rhaenyra placed her hand on her husbands cheek, thumb rubbing against his slit cheek.

"Girls, come here." Daemon pushed himself up with his hands, groaning at the stretch of his side. His daughters came to their fathers call. Rhaena and Alaesys sitting on either side of him while Baela took a seat beside Rhaenyra, who comforted her. "I am alright. It will take a lot more than a wooden stick to harm me."

Daemon's smile was crooked in a lie, but it was enough to smooth over the worry. Baela wrapped her arms aroundDaemon who rubbed her back to soothe her tears. Rhaenyra leaned over to kiss the side of her head.

The tent flap flipped open and in strutted Aemond, with two peace offerings cradled in his arms. His head adorned a twisted black crown with the crescent of a dragon bejeweled on the center. Alaesys immediately stood to approach her husband. "The boys wished to see their grandfather."

Alaesys did not know if Aemond made such attempt as a sign of good faith, or to push Daemon's face back into the dirt. Regardless, Daemon fixed himself to sit straight, reaching out for his grandsons.

Daemond and Laenys were both bright eyed and bushy tailed. Rhaenyra could not keep her hands off of both babes, petting their hair and kissing their rosy cheeks. "My beautiful boys. I am sure the excitement woke you."

"Their sister was still deep in sleep." Aemond stood a few feet from Daemon's bedside, hands folded behind his back. Alaesys rubbed his lower back. She could physically feel his nervousness oozing from his body.

He was never the nervous type.

Alaesys leaned forward into Aemond's ear.

"How is Alester? I wish to speak to him."

"No." Aemond's response was much louder than his wife's. The entire room turned their heads to the two. Alaesys was a happy wife, never being told no by her husband. So when the word came out of his mouth, Alaesys brows furrowed and she grasped at her dress.

Rhaenyra stood from her seat and beckoned her daughter and nephew from the room. Alaesys wanted to pout and act like a child but some anger still boiled deep in her blood. She could not be upset with her husband for trying to protect her.

Rhaenyra looked between the both of them with a stern wrinkle in her brow. "Do I even want to know what you asked of him Alaesys?" Alaesys felt like a young child being scolded again. She wanted to roll her eyes and stomp in the direction to find Alester but knew that was not wise.

Aemond folded his hands behind his back and looked down at his wife. "She has foolishly asked to see the man she nearly beat to death."

"I did not."

"I believe you did."

"Enough!" Rhanyra was not one to raise her voice often. Both young adults clasped their mouths closed and just stared heatedly at each other. Alaesys had her husband wrapped around her finger but knew he would not budge on this matter. "Alaesys, it is dangerous for you to do so. He almost killed your child. Is that truly someone you want to face?"

"I need to know the truth. I am tired of hiding behind my husband and pretending our lives are not in danger." Alaesys jaw stiffened and she narrowed her eyes at Aemond. "If my husband does not have the sack to approach him. I will take his place." Aemond reached out and grabbed Alaesys face in one hand, fingers digging into her jaw line.

Rhaenyra grasped a hand tightly around Aemond wrist, nails digging through his riding gloves. The three found themselves in a dangerous tango, nobody acknowledging the other.

Then, Aemond laughed.

Then leaned forward and kissed Alaesys with a fiery taste upon his lips. Rhaenyra knew her daughter was in no danger and released her half-brother. The Princess cleared her throat, alerting the both of them that she was still very much there.

Aemond pulled away from a breathless Alaesys.

"We shall go together. I beat his brother to death, perhaps this time he could be a snack for Vhagar." Husband and wife shared a wicked smirk. Rhaenyra felt her stomach twist in worry. Alaesys gave a quick nod to her husband before turning to her mother.

"My family, blood or not, is precious to me. If someone threatens it, they will have to answer to me and Cesyja." Alaesys tightened her fist in her dress skirts.

Rhaenyra gave the smallest of smiles, leaning forward to kiss Alaesys on her forehead. "My little Dove has finally found her roar."Alaesys held hands with her mother for a second before taking Aemond's arm.

Aemond lead her through the drunken crowd. Alaesys almost could not take her eyes off of her husband. His jaw curled up to his lips. His hair had fallen from its braid, now slightly dark from the dust. The crown fitted him perfectly. It intertwined with wild wisps of his hair and Alaesys thought her husband was beautiful.

Aemond would scoff at such a descriptive word but would accept the compliment anyways.

Infront of Alesters tent stood two guards that straightened their stance when the couple arrived. Aemond stepped forward to enter the flaps of the tent, but both swords of the soldiers crossed. The metallic sound of the swords connecting made Aemond freeze in his tracks.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aemond's voice was low with anger. Alicent pushed back the tent opening to lock eyes with her son. Alaesys grabbed tighter to Aemond's arm. Alicent forced a thin smile and the guards removed their swords.

"You are a winner, dear son. What are you doing here?" Alicent voice was so sickeningly sweet it made Alaesys stomach turn.

"I think the real question is why you are here, dear mother."

Alicent's facade dropped and she cleared her throat. "My grandchild was nearly crushed to death. I would have the perpetrator in chains." Alaesys looked around Alicent who swiftly shut the opening to the tent.

"Perhaps he is not who should be in chains." Alaesys hissed.