-Chapter 94-
-POV Laena Velaryon-
Upon entering our quarters, I noticed a young servant carrying a small bucket of water, and judging by the steam behind the screen, I understood that Aemon was taking a bath.
"Leave it here," I said, taking the bucket and dismissing the servant.
She seemed slightly afraid to leave, but Aemon said, "It's alright, you can go, Maria."
"Where were you?" Aemon asked, even before I passed the screen.
"Finalizing the last preparations for our guests," I replied, noting his slightly aggressive tone.
'He must have run into his mother on the way,' I thought, mentally searching for an explanation as to what could have put him in such a state.
"You know it's not the king who's coming, just those damn mountain savages," Aemon said, particularly furious and disdainful toward a people with whom he was, nonetheless, willing to ally.
I frowned slightly and said, feigning acknowledgment of his disdainful and aggressive tone:
"This is the first time I've heard you talk about them like that."
Aemon furrowed his brows and opened his eyes to look at me as I prepared to slowly pour the hot water into his bath, and he said:
"Because I force myself to pretend, so as not to insult them at the moment, even though, honestly, I would like to kill a good number of them."
"You seem quite troubled," I noted, sensing that his persistent irritation was not entirely related to the mountain clan barbarians.
Aemon hesitated for a moment before saying, as he closed his eyes while I slowly poured the water into his bath, "I ran into my mother."
"Hmm," I said, continuing to pour the water, waiting for him to speak more about what was bothering him.
"With her mutt," he added.
'Ouch,' I thought, realizing that his persistent annoyance was more due to the conversation he'd had with his mother than to the arrival of the mountain clan barbarians.
"Oh, and?" I asked nonchalantly, running my fingers through his beautiful silver-gold curls and gently stirring them.
Aemon leaned slightly toward me to settle comfortably and said, with his eyes closed:
"So, I may have lost my temper a little, but I only told her the truth, and she…"
"What did she do?" I asked, curious to know what had actually happened between them.
"She insinuated that I had forgotten how Daman died and that Gunthor might take it badly that I'm welcoming these savages," he said, frowning but continuing to enjoy the scalp massage I was giving him.
'From the way he emphasized "take it badly," it implied that it could lead to betrayal because of this,' I thought, not fully understanding my mother-in-law's approach, as even with my limited experience with Aemon, I could see that this would only make him more resistant.
"Daman?" I asked, trying to remember who he was to grasp the full context.
'He seems to be someone important, but I don't remember meeting him.'
"The first son of Yohn, and the elder brother of Gerold and Gunthor, as well as William's father. He's dead," Aemon explained, reminding me that he had spoken of him before but without going into details.
'That's why I didn't remember him,' I thought, realizing the importance of this member of House Royce, though still not understanding why he mattered to Aemon, as apart from Gunthor, no one seemed close to him.
"Oh," I said, understanding why I had seen Ser Yohn Royce storming furiously around the castle all day. "How did he die?"
Aemon opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on me for a few moments, causing me to momentarily stop the massage, before he closed his eyes again and said:
"He was killed in an ambush by the savages."
I frowned, and as I continued my massage, I whispered in his ear:
"Why didn't you kill them? You don't seem like someone who would let such an affront pass, and Urrax is certainly big enough to turn them to dust."
Aemon shook his head slightly and said, "Because I need them."
"Gunthor didn't say anything?" I asked, curious about the thoughts of Aemon's right hand, who was also the victim's brother.
"Never," Aemon said confidently.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because he is loyal to me, and he knows how much I valued Daman," Aemon replied. He opened his eyes and, looking at me, added, "Originally, it wasn't Gunthor who was supposed to be the captain of my personal guard and my right hand; it was Daman."
'They were that close, and he never sought revenge,' I noted, understanding that what bound Gunthor and Aemon went far beyond simple trust.
"What will you do?" I asked, curious about what Aemon would do after this discussion with his mother.
'She's one of the few people who could make him change his mind.'
Aemon frowned in confusion, not understanding what I meant, and I clarified:
"Are you going to change your plans?"
"For them? Never in my life," he said, almost laughing.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I have a clear vision of my future, and nothing will make me change my mind as I stand on the brink of full control of the Vale," Aemon said with confidence.