Baela lived in a House where brothers married their sisters, uncles lusted over their nieces, and mothers got burnt down by their dragons. Baela belonged to House Targaryen, so all these things shouldn't have surprised her anymore. Yet she felt shocked when Queen Alicent made a proposition.

" We could betroth Baela to Aegon. It would be a way to restore peace to our two houses"

The room had gone quiet. For a moment, Baela was so sure her father was going to reach for Dark Sister that very moment and behead his brother's wife for such an outrageous suggestion. He doesn't. There is that expression on his face that suggests he was in deep thought about the matter, she hated that look.

" Perhaps," he says. Rhaenyra's glare hardens on him but the man doesn't seem to notice, or probably just didn't care. " That is not such a bad idea"

" Husband, are you forgetting that Baela is currently engaged to Jace"

You will come to understand it later Daemon says to his wife in High Valyrian

" Aegon is already married" Rhaenyra would not let this go. Whatever reason her husband has for considering the Queen's offer, she did not want to acknowledge it. A marriage between the Greens and Blacks? It was a disaster waiting to happen. " He is wedded to his sister"

" There is no law that said a man can't have two wives"

" And yet the title of the main wife would go to your daughter wouldn't it Queen?"

There was venom between them. Baela feels a warm hand against her own and she realized it was her sister trying to comfort her. The small gesture brings a smile to her face. Only Rhaena truly cared enough to consider whether she was hurt by the subject, it was her life being planned right in front of her after all.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Jace glaring down at his plate. Jace, poor Jacaerys. She isn't certain yet if he loved her, but she knew that her cousin had developed feelings over the years they had been together, it was rather foolish to let oneself fall in love, not in House Targaryen. Their lives didn't quite belong to them, she had made peace with that. She was nothing more but a tool in her father's hands, if he was agreeing to Queen Alicent offer then there was a reason for it, a reason that would benefit him.

" Well, I don't mind. Having one more wife is added benefit" Aegon said into his cup, this caused Haelena to chuckle slightly. She was a bit relieved, although she felt bad for Baela, at least now she wouldn't have to deal with Aegon alone. His mind would be divided now. And if she knew anything about her brother it was that he always fancied new things. Give it time.

The dinner ended with Baela not saying a single word about the matter. It's not like Daemon would have cared either way. He never did.

* * *

" Imagine it, daughter, this could be a way to keep tags on the Greens. You can be like an insider for us" Daemon's grip was like a vice around her elbow. He had seen the expression on her face earlier and something told him his daughter didn't quite agree with his decision, and so did Rhaenyra but he would find a way to deal with her. It was Baela's consent he needed to proceed with the plan. " You will marry Aegon Targaryen.

" What if I don't agree," She asked staring her father directly in the eyes. " Will you also have my head like you did uncle Vaemond?"

Daemon stares at her. A rather blank stare that held no emotion. " You will marry Aegon" he repeats. There are footsteps behind her and she realizes it belongs to her stepmother. Rhaenyra casts a glare toward her husband's direction before storming off, and with a sigh Daemon follows. He was to go and console her while Baela was left standing alone in the hallways. Daemon Targaryen didn't care. He never would.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Swallowing her bile, Baela marches out, she thinks it's easier to get to the dragon pit from here than her chamber. She couldn't possibly be able to sleep after all that. She doesn't make it to the pit before she catches sight of Moondancer flying over an open courtyard and Baela's thoughts whirl away into the dust. She calls out to her dragon in delight and the green beauty finds a place to land to await her master.

" Oh, Moondancer. You can not begin to imagine the day I've had" The dragon merely gave her a small huff, it was a sign she was listening to whatever her master had to say. " I think I just got betrothed to Aegon, my cousin Aegon! He already has a wife and...and my father already knows the way he is. He's giving me out without even thinking"

Baela's eyes felt a bit too wet for her liking. It wouldn't be ideal for her to shed tears now. Maybe if she tried, if she begged her father he might just reconsider. She only had Rhaena and her grandmother on her side, Baela didn't think she could endure being away from those two. Kingslanding was not a place she would wish to dwell in forever.

" We should run away" she blurted out to moondancer " We should go far away where no one would find us. Only the both of us"

" That sounds like a splendid idea, cousin"

Baela's smile fades. There's no need to look behind her to know who's speaking. There was only one person who could manage to send shivers down her spine with just the sound of his voice, not counting her father of course.

" Cousin" she greets flatly. She was a fool to think she'll have enough privacy to dwell in her thoughts. This was the red keep after all and not driftmark.

Desmond ignores her greetings. " But I doubt you have anywhere you intend to go. Do you think your father would not search the end of the world for you,? You are his most reliable hand tool after all"

" Couldn't you have just left me alone?"

" I could have" Aemond looms over her. He is leaning so close that Baela could feel his hot breath against her neck, it made her shiver. She was almost urged to reach for the hilt of the dagger she usually kept at her hip. " But then again, you might give in to that silly thought of yours"

" It would be for the best"

" No, it wouldn't"

She turns around tilting her head up to meet his one-eyed gaze. " You could come with me. We could leave and never come back to this cursed house again"

Aemond's face is still cast in shadow, but that infuriating curl of his lip is blatant to her. He was amused. This mere thought made her face flush in anger. " You are willing to leave your sister? My, is marrying my brother so bad?"

" It's the worse thing that could ever happen to me"

" Apart from your mother burning by her dragon's flames you mean" She looks at him with eyes filled with hatred, Aemond knew better than to believe it was truly directed at him. " Marry Aegon. He's a better match for you than my ' Strong' nephew"

" Neither was my choice." She whispered the last sentence. " I had hoped to wed you, cousin"

Aemond is closer to her now. She hadn't even realized when he had moved but now there was barely any space between them.

His lips brush her cheekbone, He trails down her cheek, towards her temple, her jawline. Baela all but snapped as she wrapped her around his neck and drew herself closer to him, she smashed her lips against his. Aemond responds to her kiss, a bit harshly but she loved it nonetheless.

It was moments like this she hoped would last forever. Baela wanted nothing more than to remain against her cousin and let him devour her whole. She hoped he would devour her whole, but like all times they shared kisses he was always the first to pull away.

" Aemond?"

" You should go back to your room. It's late"

" Aemond...you know what I said before. Maybe if.."

" Dragons don't flee Baela" Aemond never showed much emotion, not unless it was something sinister, like the look he had when her father had beheaded her uncle. But the look in his eye was stern. " Retire to your room"

" I want to take moondancer for a ride"

" Baela"

" I won't go far"

Aemond doesn't try to persuade her further, he turns around and disappeared down the dark corners of the halls. Moondancer leans down so Baela can climb easily, with a flutter of large wings they had taken to the air.

Baela flies toward the direction of driftmark. The air is always cleaner and more satisfying there, it always managed to clear her head. However the clouds were dark and the winds harsh, all this pointed to the arrival of a storm. The Targaryen princess knew she should have flown back to the red keep, but the thought of being stuck with her thoughts in the dead of the night was unappealing. It would be fine as long as she avoided marching directly into the messy weather.

Lightning flashed before her startling both herself and her dragon. " Moondancer!"

It was hard to make things out clearly with how fast her dragon was flying. Was Moondancer heading back to the red keep? That must have been it because now Baela could make out the building from the distance. She couldn't help feeling however that the red keep seemed a bit...different?