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"Alicent?" Aemon barely let out as he stood in the doorway, watching Alicent struggle to calm her daughter. Alicent looked up at him, seeming desperately tired and exhausted. "May I?" He extended his arms out to the babe before Alicent readily handed her over. Aemon made cooing noises at the little girl as her cries began to soften and her eyes closed.
"How did you do that?" Alicent questioned, "She barely ever stops crying, even for the wet nurse."
Aemon looked up at her and smiled, "She senses your stress at her cries." He said gently, moving the blankets around her to cover her more as she shifted to seek comfort. Alicent let out a deep sigh as she relaxed into a chair. "What's her name?" Aemon questioned, running the back of his finger over her soft cheek.
"Helaena." Alicent breathed, watching what lay before her. Her mind instantly wished for another context. For that to be his child in his arms.
"After your mother?" He asked, looking up at her and Alicent nodded. "That's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He said smiling at the babe before smiling at Alicent.
"She's just a baby." Alicent had a dead tone.
"She's your daughter, she'll be a very beautiful lady." Aemon kept up his smile, gently rocking the baby as she found sleep.
There was a soft silence between them as Alicent looked around the room, finding all of the nurses and servants had left, finally feeling as though she could breathe as Alicent for once and not The Queen. "He treats you well, yes?" Aemon said, his gaze never leaving the sleeping baby.
"The King?" She questioned, Aemon nodded, still not meeting her gaze. Alicent started nodding before slowly opening her mouth. "He does not love me, I don't think he's able to really, but he treats me as best he can."
"I'm sure that is not easy." Aemon sounded somber, finally meeting her eyes.
"No. It is not. I always imagined a knight sweeping me off my feet like some fairytale but that was childish." Alicent smiled at the brief thought of how foolish and childish she'd been not even four years ago.
"Well, not all fairytales end happily. My mother was swept off her feet by a knight twice, one landed her in a marriage to a man who dishonored her with her sister and died by the sword of her father, and the other... well... here I am." Aemon said half-heartedly, looking back down at the baby.
"At least your mother knew love before her story ended." Alicent reasoned.
"You knew love." Aemon stated plainly, looking back at Alicent and she had no response.
Silence passed between them again, however, this one was not so gentle as the last.
"I am glad you're back, Aemon." Alicent said, sitting up more in her chair. "I've been quite... lonely without you."
"Oh come now, you're the Queen, you have ladies at your disposal to keep you company." Aemon let out a dry laugh.
"Ladies who want something from me. Each of them wants something, a marriage most likely, or a marriage for their cousin, niece, or sister. I can't be Alicent with them. I am the Queen first and foremost." The sadness in her voice was breaking Aemon's heart, "You are the only one who does not expect anything from me when we speak. You never have."
"And I never will," He assures before slowly standing, "I should get going." He moved to give her the baby, her slightly fussing as she was placed back in her mother's grasp.
As Aemon reached the door he belayed his exit and rested his hand on the handle. "I'm glad I came back too, Ali."
WRITER'S WHINING ― this is a short chapter but its mainly filler.
