Capítulo 10: First Time
"When does the mask become the woman?" Queen Adella Lannister
Aemon pov.
I looked at Adella, 4 years my elder and a budding rose in the garden of beauties in Westeros, but it was not her future looks or her family name that interested me. It was her; she had been a great ally after our first encounter and, for the months after, had endeared herself to me more and more until I found myself growing quite attached to her and considering her my one true friend in this world.
Robar was more of a pawn and my siblings were too young and immature to be friends, but in her, I found an equal, which is strange for a child of 11 name days. She had an intellect and wisdom that rivalled old crones who had lived a full life. She was a genius, a real one that didn't have the benefit of reincarnation, and an adult mind to boast with. She was an asset I wanted to acquire for the future before, but now she's a gem I don't want to lose.
Looking at her, I couldn't help but think back to our first meeting, when Grandfather had so elegantly positioned me to give her a tour of the Red Keep and to acquaint and endear myself to my future wife, a task he didn't need to tell me to accomplish.
-Flash Back-
Aemon Pov
I stood outside and kept waiting to greet the new arrivals to court with my mother and grandfather and the King and my siblings. Normally, this wouldn't be done, but the person arriving was a Lord Paramount and his daughter and only child, so it was appropriate for them to get this reception, especially with the Lannisters being the most wealthy house in all the seven kingdoms. By a long shot, seriously, easterly rock was a gold mine that was being dug from the age of heroes to the main timeline in Asoiaf, and it was still healthy and producing more than enough gold. That's the real magical thing in Westeros, not Dragon or the others, but that gold mine.
Just then, the carriage pulled up in front of us, and four people stepped out of it. Lady Johanna Lannister, née Westerling, and Lord Jason Lannister Tyland Lannister, the master of coins, Lord Jason Lannister, and the fourth one was a beautiful young girl with a slim frame, rosy red lips, and Raven black hair. She looked like a smaller version of her mother, Lady Johanna, and the woman I am meant to marry in the future, Lady Adella Lannister.
Then the adults started talking and exchanging pleasantries and platitudes, ignoring them. I focused solely on the girl in front of me, trying to grasp her character. What is she like and what are her feelings towards this match she had no doubt been told about and prepared for? Is she stupid like young Sansa and has a head full of flowers and sunshine? Or is she an Olenna Tyrell speaking of Tyrells? I need to do something about their thoughts for another time, I suppose.
That's when I noticed you giving me the sign we discussed, and I acted and introduced myself: "It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord and Lady Lannister and Lady Adella Lannister. I am sure you will enjoy the splendour of the Red Keep and King landing as my family has so many generations." I spoke softly but firmly in a diplomatic tone.
This was bullshit. No one cared about what I said just now, but it was expected of me. But this wasn't "Lord Lannister, Father, with your permission, I would love to give Lady Adella a tour of the Red Keep." The old fool like always smiled his idiotic smile and waved me off, and Lord Lannister gave me a firm nod, showing her she had no qualms with this, so Lady Adella followed me as we broke away to form the adults and started our walk.
It's been around thirty minutes, and I have shown her most of the castle's important bits and held a polite yet meaningless conversation. The most I have gathered is that she's not stupid and that, like me, she's very good at hiding her emotions under a mask.
The mask was very good; it took me way longer than it should have to pick up on it, from the polite smile to the gentle and soft voice and the short, pleasant but vague answers she was giving. She was playing the game like an old man, a feat I didn't expect to see from someone in my generation anytime soon.
I really should have picked up on it sooner, especially with having watched grandfather and mother Larys for months at court and the fake interactions that took place in the viper's den. "Always remain vigilant." The voice of Grandfather resounded through my head. I had underestimated her. I should not do that again.
So I diverted and walked towards the open garden walking in pleasant silence until we made it to a spot I knew no one would be at near the northern edge of the gardens.
"A very beautiful view, my prince," she said in a gentle voice that dripped with sweetness.
I could play along and try to gently take her mask off as I wait for her to slip up, but that would take too long and waste too much energy, so I'm just going to rip it off a direct route, which is the easiest.
"Drop it, the act though good isn't fooling me." I spoke in a harsher and more intimidating voice contrary to my thoughts. She didn't scramble or even blink twice; she just smirked.
"It seems the rumours of your sharp mind were not unfounded; it's a rare enough thing for a man to live up to his reputation," she said in an amusing tone.
"The rumours of your beauty are not exaggerated either, Light of the west." I spoke a bit, poking her to try and get a reaction to get a better read on her.
"No, they were not, although it is a shame. I was hoping that it would take you longer to see through the act," she said, sounding disappointed almost
"To mould me, I suppose. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint. I am not someone you can shape to suit your desires," I said, throwing an accusation out there to see how she would try and adapt to this; surely she wouldn't want a strained relationship with me, not if her father's plan was to go through
"I suppose not for a boy of seven name days; you are an anomaly in both body and mind. I would have mistaken you for a boy of ten and two name days if I didn't know better," she said in a calm tone.
Trying to shift focus and admit it to make me less agitated is a nice strategy I meuse. I might as well wrap this up. I think I have a good read on her and on how to move forward with this.
"Lady Adella How do you feel about this pact our families have put together? I shall have to ask for your true feelings on this matter."I spoke once again in a diplomatic tone.
She raised an eyebrow. It was unusual for a woman to get an opinion on her match and much more unusual for the match to care for her feelings. "I have no opposition to the arrangement, seeing as it's the best I could get on this side of the narrow sea, and please call me Adella. We are to wed. I would like to not have formalities between us," she said in her usual siren-like voice.
She is encouragable, trying to place as much closeness between us as she can. How fun! I suppose she's a Margery on the scale of Sansa to Oleanna.
"I see, please call me Aemon. Then we are bound to each other and now our fates are attached to the others." I spoke in a calm voice, much more relaxed now that I could work with this.
The end
So sorry for the late post I have had so much shit to work on IRL it took me longer than anticipated to upload though next week I promise we will get another chapter
Follow my ticktock @argent_mikealson_19 I will be uploading hints to next chapter and edits for this fic their also its an easy way to reach me and talk
Until next time commit war crimes
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