Climbing Into Bed

Late at night in the Red Keep, only the torches in the corridors still flickered.

Aemond climbed the cold stone steps back to Maegor's Hold.

He had just returned from the Dragonpit, where he and Vhagar had circled above Gods Eye Lake for two full hours.

The freezing wind at high altitude had long seeped into his bones. Now, the cold pierced him like fine needles, stabbing into his skin.

His cheeks were stiff, his fingers nearly numb, and every breath condensed into white mist.

At the staircase landing, the two Guards on night watch immediately straightened their backs upon seeing the Prince.

Not far away, Ser Criston Cole stood outside his door.

One hand rested on his sword hilt, his stance alert. As Aemond approached, his gray-blue eyes turned toward him, and he dipped his head slightly.

Aemond's expression did not change. He gave Cole a slight nod and pushed open the door.

The room was much warmer than the corridor, and the fire in the hearth had not yet gone out.

Aemond was just about to relax when he suddenly stopped.

His gaze fell upon the bed.

In the moonlight, a distinct human-shaped bulge lay beneath the satin bedding.

Aemond slowly walked to the bedside. His right hand settled on the dagger at his waist while his left pinched the edge of the blanket and lifted it.

The unimpeded moonlight spilled down, illuminating the young body on the bed.

Elise Hightower, fourteen years old, lay with her brown hair spread across the pillow and her blue eyes wide open in the darkness.

She was completely naked, her skin gleaming like milk beneath the moonlight. Her carefully cultivated curves were on full display: full breasts, a slender waist, and long legs lightly crossed.

A few rose petals were scattered beside the pillow, their fragrance mingling with the scent of the girl.

She looked shyly at Aemond as he stared at her. Her lips parted, and she said in a pitiful voice, "Your Highness... I-I was too cold, and I couldn't find my room..."

"Could you... take me in for the night?"

Aemond simply looked at her in silence.

The silence spread through the air.

Then he smiled, the smile slowly curling at the corner of his lips.

"Cold?" he said softly.

"Indeed, the nights in the Red Keep are very cold. Especially..."

He paused, his calm gaze sweeping over her exposed skin. "When someone like you lies defenseless in my bed."

Elise's heart trembled.

The Prince's reaction was completely different from what she had expected. He had neither pounced on her eagerly nor rebuked her. He had not even put on a show of refusing.

There was only that smile, one that chilled her to the core.

"Your Highness, I..." She tried to sit up, covering her chest with her arms, making herself look even more pitiable.

But Aemond had already turned away and no longer looked at her.

Elise froze on the bed, unsure how she was supposed to continue her performance.

The Prince pulled open the door.

Ser Cole was still standing guard outside and turned his head at the sound.

"Cole," Aemond said calmly, "this gift is not quite to my taste."

Cole's brow twitched. "Does Your Highness require me to handle it?"

"Mm." Aemond leaned against the doorframe, casting a languid glance toward the bed.

"Wrap her up and send her to the lower barracks of the Red Keep."

"Tell the soldiers on night watch..."

He paused, watching Elise's face turn deathly pale as his smile deepened. "Tell them it is a reward from the Prince."

"Remember to remind them not to break her. After all, she is a young lady of House Hightower."

"This..." Cole fell silent upon hearing the Prince's arrangement.

"No!" Elise screamed. She tumbled from the bed, frantically snatched up a bedsheet to wrap around herself, then crawled and stumbled to Aemond's feet as tears poured from her eyes.

"Your Highness! Spare me, Your Highness! I know I was wrong!"

"I shouldn't have climbed into your bed without permission! Please! Don't send me to the barracks!"

She wept piteously.

Aemond looked down at her, his voice cold. "Now you know fear?"

"Why did you not consider the consequences at the beginning?"

Elise sobbed so hard she could barely speak. "I only wanted... to become your lover... I meant no harm..."

"Oh?" Aemond crouched down to meet her gaze. He pinched her chin and lifted it, not with much force, but with no room for struggle.

"Then let me ask you a question, Elise Hightower."

"Answer honestly, and perhaps I'll reconsider."

Elise nodded desperately, tears sliding over the back of his hand.

"Who put you up to this?" Aemond lowered his voice until only the two of them could hear.

"The Queen?"

"...Or the Hightowers?"

He stared into her eyes. "Tell the truth."

Elise trembled all over. "N-no one put me up to it! Truly!"

She gasped for breath. "It was me... it was my own idea! I only wanted someone to rely on, Your Highness!"

"Enough." Aemond lifted her chin, forcing her to raise her face. He looked at the self-important girl, who still refused to tell the truth.

He shook his head.

"Forget it..."

Knowing she could not hide it from Aemond, Elise finally broke down. "It was arranged by Lord Hand Otto..."

"Lord Hand said that you, Prince, were unpredictable in mood, and hoped I could stay by your side and learn what was in your heart..."

"And besides, besides, I admire you too, Your Highness..."

Sobbing, she said, "Your Highness, I swear by the Seven that every word I said is true."

Aemond held her chin and silently examined her for a long while.

So long that Elise felt she was about to faint.

At last, he released her.

"Get dressed." He rose to his feet. "When dawn comes, leave the Red Keep."

"Go back where you came from."

"Y-yes! Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!" Elise wept as she kowtowed, frantically gathering the clothes scattered across the floor and pulling them on without any care for her disheveled appearance.

Aemond did not look at her again. He walked to the fireplace and held his hands out to the flames.

Only when the quiet sound of the door closing came from behind him did Elise flee like a startled rabbit.

After a while, he called toward the door, "Ser Cole, come in."

The door opened.

Cole entered the room. He had already anticipated his student's displeasure.

He shut the door behind him and looked at Aemond's back.

"Do you find it a pity?" Aemond suddenly turned and asked. "Such a beautiful girl—young, vibrant, offering herself willingly..."

"Did you all think I should have gladly accepted this gift?"

"Indeed, many would have made that choice."

Cole was silent for a moment before answering, "That is Your Highness's freedom."

"But you thought I would accept." Aemond stepped forward, moonlight illuminating half his face. "Or rather, the person who arranged this gift expected me to accept."

"And you, as a Kingsguard, tacitly allowed it to happen."

"Without your approval, she could not have entered this room."

Cole's throat bobbed. "Your Grace..."

His words stopped abruptly.

Because Aemond moved.

Very fast.

Cole instinctively reached for the hilt at his waist, but a cold blade was already pressed beneath his chin.

Another half inch, and the dagger would pierce bone and drive through his jaw.

Cole went rigid. He could feel the chill of the blade, as well as the steady strength in the hand holding it.

He did not move or resist. He merely lowered his eyes to look at the Prince standing so close before him.

Aemond was half a head shorter than him, yet at this moment, his presence completely overwhelmed Cole's.

"Criston Cole," Aemond said softly and clearly, "you are very unpleasant."

His wrist shifted slightly, and the blade pressed tighter against the skin.

Cole looked at Aemond, whose eyes carried killing intent, and dared not speak.

Aemond said calmly.

"My affairs..."

"Only I can decide for myself."

"No one... no one can decide for me."

Prince Aemond lowered his voice. "You hate Rhaenyra—that is your business."

"Your loyalty to the Greens is also your choice."

"But if you think that with that pitiful loyalty and a sword, you can join someone else in arranging my life and meddling in my private affairs..."

The dagger pressed down slightly. A bead of blood welled from Cole's jaw and slid along the blade.

"Then I will let you know, teacher," Prince Aemond said, staring into his eyes, "that I am capable of killing you."

Countless emotions flashed through Cole's heart—shock, anger, humiliation...

In the end, all of them were suppressed by something deeper.

He saw clearly now that the twelve-year-old prince before him was neither a wastrel like Aegon, easily controlled by wine and women, nor a softhearted indecisive man like Viserys I.

"...I understand," Cole said quietly.

"Louder."

"I understand, Prince Aemond." Cole answered clearly, his tone now submissive. "This sort of thing will not happen again."

"Your private affairs and your choices will always be decided by you."

Prince Aemond watched him for several seconds before withdrawing the dagger.

His movements were smooth and natural. He even raised a hand and wiped the drop of blood from Cole's jaw with his thumb.

"Good." Prince Aemond stepped back. "What happened tonight ends here."

Cole secretly let out a breath. He truly should not have provoked this student.

Most of the Targaryens were mad—Rhaenyra, Daemon, Prince Aemond...

"The matter I told you to handle," Prince Aemond suddenly asked.

"How is it going?"

Cole answered at once. "Those two have already lowered their guard."

"Gales has also arranged for their family members to work in the Red Keep."

"They are very pleased and working with great enthusiasm."

He did not understand why Prince Aemond cared so much about the two men called Blood and Cheese.

At this, a smile appeared on Prince Aemond's face.

"First give people hope," he asked softly. "Then give them despair. What do you think will happen?"

Cole fell silent.

He did not know why Prince Aemond bore such immense hostility toward those two men.

This was clearly meant to destroy their hearts, but he did not ask further.

"Leave."

Cole pressed his right fist to his chest in salute, then turned and left the room.

The door closed.

Prince Aemond stood alone before the fireplace, watching the dancing flames.

Firelight illuminated the side of his face, flickering on and off...