Thicker than Blood

Chapter 4

I slip out of the throne room the first chance I get. I pray to the Seven that I am not followed, I need some time to think.

I swiftly make way to my chambers and quickly realise that thinking is bad. The inconceivable sense of dread is ever rising and my pace quickens as I try to outrun it. I am breathing harder now. Harder. Faster. And now I can't breathe.

This corset is too tight.

Is it? Or are my thoughts too loud?

I hear footsteps behind me but who was watching closely enough to notice the state I was in? Jacaerys? Mother?

"Niece."

Fuck.

My footsteps hasten as I decide that I can make it to my chambers before he catches up with me. I hope that nobody sees me fleeing from my dear uncle.

"Viserra, stop!" He uses my name, how informal, how interesting.

I stumble down the hall and finally make it to my chambers and I leave the door open in my haste.

This corset is too tight.

I start to hyperventilate more. I bend and clutch the side of a table with one hand and my stomach with the other. I am crying now.

Why am I crying?

Why is this happening?

"Serra?" Aemond appears in my doorway, a look of concern on his face. "Are you well?"

"Do I... do I look well?"

He comes to my side and holds my arm to steady me.

"What is happening?"

"I-I don't know. I can't breathe." I look around frantically for my handmaiden.

"Shall I fetch the maester?" He asks.

"Untie my corset."

"What?" He asks, incredulously.

"Untie the bloody corset, I can't... I can't fucking breathe." I say frantically.

"I um... okay." He looks slightly shocked but he obeys, his nimble fingers moving to untie the back of my dress. His touch is soft and delicate... careful. A shiver runs down my spine as his cold rings brush my bare skin. He struggles with the laces.

"Faster!"

"I am trying!" He sounds frustrated.

He is not moving quickly enough, my panic is building. I feel as if I am going to faint.

"Aemond..."

"Fuck this... stupid, intricate dresses." He pulls out his dagger from his belt and swiftly cuts down the back of the dress.

I don't know if it is the release of pressure from my chest or the shock from the fact that Aemond just cut the back of my bloody dress open, but my panicked state starts to settle. I clutch the front of my dress to my chest as I turn to face him. My breath hitches at the realisation of our close proximity. We stand in silence for a moment and it gives me this odd desire to study his features. He has become quite handsome, and tall. My gaze flickers to his arms. And strong.

I break the silence.

"You ruined my dress."

"I'll buy you a new one." He says, almost immediately.

"I quite liked the one I was wearing." I say and he gives me an annoyed look.

"A simple 'thank you' would have sufficed. I only did as you asked."

"I asked you to unlace it, not ruin it."

"Hmm... you, a young, unwed maiden told me to unlace your corset in the privacy of your bedchambers. And it is I that did something wrong?" He has this irritating, condescending look on his face as he speaks.

I now realise how bad this situation is. How bad it would look if someone walked in.

"Well I wasn't really thinking straight, was I?" I say, defensively.

"And why is that? You seemed to be in a panicked state. Mayhaps from your stepfather's bloody display?" He asks, inquisitively.

"That is hardly any of your business."

"Or was it from your brother's betrothal..."

Why must he be so observant?

"Do not speak of things that you don't understand." I say with venom.

"Are you always hostile to people that attempt to help you?" He walks about my room.

"I am hostile because of how you provoke me!"

He hands me a glass of water.

When did he get that?

"And yet I have sufficiently distracted you so that you are no longer in such a state." He doesn't look cocky for once.

He is quite right, I realise. I am no longer shaking or having difficulty breathing. I am perfectly content.

"Oh."

"Drink up. You'll feel better."

I take a few hesitant sips of the water.

"Thanks." I say, softly. I flush red, feeling embarrassed by how I had acted and by how vulnerable he has now seen me.

"If you are still upset by the dress then I shall buy you one far lovelier." His words are sweet and comforting, like it's honey dripping from his lips and not unimportant assurances.

"It um... it was never about the dress."

"I thought as much."

The room falls into silence and we both stand there a bit awkwardly. He is the first to speak again.

"Are you... okay?"

"I don't know." I let my words out in a whisper.

"You can tell me anything, Serra. You know that, right?"

"Can I? Because when I went to Dragonstone... you never wrote to me. Never responded to my letters."

"I know." Is all he says.

"Are you going to tell me why?" I hope that I'm not pleading too pathetically.

He just looks at me for a moment. A long moment.

And then he just walks out the door like nothing happened.

Cunt.

***

The next morning, a box is delivered to my chambers. I open it hesitantly and scoff when I see what was inside.

In the box lies what might be the most beautiful emerald green dress that I have ever seen.