#this is so Aemond centric tho...my goal is to write more Rhaena centric stuff soon...

[dontforgetoctober3rd]

Short little Rhaemond drabble about Aemond doing The Most™️ when helping Rhaena with her hair...

👉👈😙

(A no Dance AU, they are long since married, everyone happy yada yada yada etc. )

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THE LESSON

Aemond Targaryen was not particularly showy in public with his affections in the beginnings of his marriage. However, this did not mean he held no love for his wife. He was very much in love with Rhaena, but his rigid upbringing did not make him feel comfortable expressing his emotions openly the way so many others did and instead Aemond at first channeled his love into acts of service involving his bride’s hair.

The prince would make a habit of arriving to Rhaena’s chambers early enough that she was still getting ready for the day, and every few weeks he would simply sit and talk with her while her maids went through the process of freshening up her tresses. Until one day to her surprise, the fifth time Rhaena was getting her locks tightened and maintained, Aemond shooed away the maids and set to the work himself.

“I did not know you were experienced in the art of hair care, my love,” Rhaena joked, moving her head at his slight nudges whenever he selected a new loc.

“I’ve seen the maids at it often enough.” Aemond fastened a clutch of locs to Rhaena’s head with a long pin, getting them out of the way of the one he was to work on next. “I can do this for you just as well as they can.”

“So you can,” Rhaena smiled to herself. His hands, so adept with a sword and so skilled with the bow, were soft on her scalp. He was gentle as could be.

“I’ve also found a new tonic for your hair. To brighten the color with your regular washing in between your maintenance days...”

“Oh?”

“Queen Visenya would use it. Her own recipe. Not that you need it but I know how much you admire her and her famous concoctions. This one was buried deep in a food recipe book, of all things.” Rhaena hummed and enjoyed the information Aemond dumped on her as he would continue his work.

As time went on, Rhaena felt more comfortable asking Aemond for his opinions over a new accessory or headpiece to wear, often among guests at a ball or feast. He was usually seen toying with a strand of her hair, growing more comfortable himself in openly showing his love.

Being a royal, people often talk of you and your habits and with Prince Aemond and Lady Rhaena it was no different. First, it had been of the unlikeliness of their betrothal due to their less than amicable childhood. Now, the topic was of Rhaena having her hair looked after by her husband.

Many men of the keep thought it unseemly for a husband to have a fascination with his wife’s hair. Men were supposed to be warriors and rulers of their household, not lower themselves to participate in such frippery as looking after their wife’s hair...

One unfortunate day, one man was bold enough to voice this very opinion at training. Aemond swiftly and without hesitation shot an arrow through his jaw, not killing the man but doing it in such a way that his tongue was skewered through and rendered useless. No one rushed to the man’s side. Aemond called for a maester as he would call for a fresh horse. He tossed the bow to a shocked squire and walked over to the sword table, picking one as he spoke loudly and clearly.

“Let this be a lesson for all of you: my habits concerning my wife are not up for you to discuss,” he declared, picking up a sword and brandishing it. “I’m loathe to have all of you think me weak-willed and unable to handle a jest or hearing your opinions, so let me put you at ease: you can say whatever you wish of me. Talk of my missing eye, like you have for years. Continue talk of my position as a lowly second son. Talk of my lack of decorum at Lady Laena’s funeral all those years ago.” Aemond’s manner of speaking was light, not a hint of wrath in his voice, making his words all the more chilling.

The men remained frozen, the injured man continued screaming as the arriving maester attempted to staunch the flow of blood. Prince Aemond continued. “However, if you feel the need to speak of my lady wife in such a way that the things I do for her are to be perceived as....demeaning..know that your blood will be spilled. That is all.” With an unconcerned air, as if he had just finished giving instructions for the day to an attendant, he turned to clash with Ser Criston and continued training as the man he injured was dragged away.

Needless to say, no man in the red keep felt the need to give voice to such views again and Prince Aemond continued to care for Lady Rhaena’s hair.