Chapter 11 - Flaws

110 Ac

"Always and forever are three simple words that've set the realm on fire." - Prince Aemond Targaryen

Adella pov

"Is there a new fashion I'm missing in Kings Landing? The soot and dirt are not a good look on you I'm afraid," I said whilst smirking.

Aemon sighed and said, "A gift from Dreamfyre." He spoke in an agitated tone. He seemed tired. It took me a few months, but I got him to let down his mask fully whenever we were alone, so his emotions were not hidden behind a mask of indifference and apathy as they were at all other times, baring his time with his mother and siblings.

"So that's three dragons who have rejected you, so where do we go from here? I know you haven't been asking me to buy all the brothels in King Landing and all the other kingdoms because you have decided to step down as Prince and become a whoremonger." I'm a bit sceptical about this. I know most lords are unfaithful to their wives. My own father has a few mistresses, but it's unexpected of Aemon to do this, so there's more to it than simply quenching his lust.

"No, I haven't lost my mind, and having bastards would only create trouble down the line. I need no more women; the ones I have now are too much to handle as is," he said, displaying that arrogant smirk he has whenever he thinks he has the edge in a conversation.

"Oh, my prince I didn't know I had such a firm grip on your cold heart if the women in the red kept find out, they would surely rip me to ribbons," I teased.

"A lioness scared My, oh my, what an unexpected development," he mocked. He always has to have the last word. He really is arrogant, but somehow it works with his charm rather than against it. That handsome violet-eyed git

"I need you to contact me to write to your father at the rock and tell him to expect a few visitors from Lys and to transport them to KL with complete discretion." He spoke in a serious tone, so it seems business has started.

"Whores from Lys, then he could view this as an insult to him, me, and our house, asking him to transport whores for you." This could go wrong in so many ways; surely he'd have seen that if word got out about him buying whore slaves from Lys, his reputation would be ruined.

"Astute as always, buy these whores; they are not easily identified as whores, and I had a merchant bring them from Lys for me with spices and silks and frame them as his daughters, so I don't think your father would care much nor would the faith in me buying slaves," he said in a monotone voice.

"I see how many are coming and why I do seem to recall you hating slavery with a passion." It was odd; he seemed to detest the idea of slavery more than anyone, yet he was buying slaves. He's too proud to be a hypocrite.

"They are not slaves; they are free women from the minute I bought them. I'm just bringing them here to train the whores in our brothels. They were the best in Lys, and I need them to train the whores in our brothels to kick up traction. They should be around five, so split them up between the expanse of brothels. Send at least two to the reach, one to the river lands, one to the storm lands, and the other one here," he said calmly.

"I see and then have them train from brothel to brothel till all the whores are trained between all the brothels that we acquired; it should take a long time." I speculate the whores from Lys were known to be the best in the world, and so having our own whores trained from there would be a huge benefit to us.

"Quite so, it was good you had so much money saved up; it helped kick this plan into action much faster than I originally anticipated it to happen," he said calmly.

"Careful, that almost sounded like a thank-you, Aemon, so mind clueing me in on your plan?" I spoke calmly.

"Yes, I will be sending Teach to teach the women on whose conversations to listen to and which Lords have lips to loosen with wine and whores. This will be our spy network as well as our money-making machine, as whore are the greatest commodity for profit," he said in a calm voice.

"I see a financial incentive for them to loosen Lord's lips would also help with this. the average whore makes seven silver stags in a year, we could offer twenty to anyone who gets good enough information for us. It won't matter either if our earnings keep going as they are now," I suggested.

"Quite so. I also need to keep my hands clean of this, so do you, so Teach will be the only one visiting them and talking to them," he said in a voice that expressed finality.

"Is that sell sword trustworthy enough for this?" I spoke, still sceptical.

"Yes, he knows better than to cross me, seeing as I know where his daughter and wife live, and I also pay him well enough; he has no reason to turn, and if he does well, heads walls and all that," he said coldly.

This was just like him. The ruthlessness I had seen displayed so often, especially when people got in his way. The way he used that selling sword to persuade people who didn't want to sell their brothels, he truly lacks any regard for human life. Everyone who isn't family is a tool for his plan.

I'm sure I would have fallen into the category of a tool if not for a shift in my conduct of acting like his mother visiting the septs with her. I did this after seeing the insane attachment he has to her. This was my way to get close to him to make myself indispensable. Last, I may have been hoisted by my own petard, but through the time we have spent together, I have grown closer and closer to him and wish to not marry anyone other than him truly human emotions are too volatile to predict who would have guessed that I would fall in love with this arrogant prince.

"You have been visiting orphanages in Kings Landing and handing out coins and food every other week," he said in an amused tone.

"You disapprove," I asked.

"No, it's good. It's a queen's job to be loved by the people as the King. I will not be loved, only feared and respected, but I can't gain the love of the common folk if I am to rule effectively, so every king needs his queen to win over the small folk. The mother does it for the old fool. Alyssan did it for the old king, and I want you to do it for me, love," he said in a calm voice.

"King, you say?" I spoke hesitantly, so his plan has fallen into place. He's making his move for the throne sooner than I expected.

"Yes, King, will you be my Queen Adella?" he said, sticking out his hand.

I grabbed it and spoke, "What was it you said? We are bound now our fates attached to each other, so I will support you always and forever."

"Alwyas and forever," he spoke back in a voice that held some warmth.

The end

How was it?

I have exams, so I have been busy. I will be till mid-January.