Chapter 4 - Aged flower

(Rhaenys pov)

"We can not.." A weak-willed protest escaped my lips, my body electrified from his lustful kisses along my neck, his rough hands pulling at whatever clothes he could get loose as he carried me. "Keth listen, we.. mmm." a bite was felt lightly on my skin, trying to shut my mouth, but my body responded with a moan as I covered my mouth.

"You say that, yet your body is honest.." I could tell from his playful tone, he did not care for my protest, his hand reaching to his saddle as he pulled a large fur blanket used for when taking long travels. "And your lower half is even more honest.." Placing me down, his hand ran up my thigh as he touched my garden gently, his words next to my ear as he rubbed his fingers together with how wet I was now.

'How shameful could I be, at this age still acting like a young girl in love.' my head was twisted as his breath tickled my ear, his hands pulling my dress apart, and his finger sending shocks through my body. "No.. Keth, enough!" before I could reach the heights he had sent me to many times, I pushed his hand away, moving back as he leaned up.

"Why do you keep pushing me? do you not wish to lay with me.." At his words, I hesitated, I knew from his face he was growing irritated, gripping my dress as he leaned back on his feet. "Speak! what has happened?" His words gave off a heavy pressure but I felt it was more concern than anger.

The darkness of the wing was silent, and my words seemingly caught in my throat while trying to speak. The sounds of the shore's water splashing, brought a strange comfort to the silence, harmonizing with Fortassax's long deep breaths.

"I had to lay with Corlys.. with each passing day, he became more frustrated with my faints at sickness or lies to not lay with him. He is still a man with needs, bringing on more suspicion by neglecting his needs, would be unwise." My hand trembled, looking at Keth, his pale eyes looking at me with care even as I said these things.

"Did I not already address this?" He said in a calm voice, his body moving towards me as he caressed my face, "A man still has needs, and while it hurts, until I can set my plan into motion, I know I will have to bare it. Yet I am confused, that has never stopped you before.." His eyes seemed to glow, looking at me as I pressed my head into his hand.

"It would do better to show you.." Summoning courage, I laid back on the fur, pulling my dress's straps and buttons that were left. Pulling it apart as a tight lower corset could be seen, opening it as I looked into his eyes, pulling his hand from my face to my belly. "M-m-my love, I am with child.." I said, feeling his strong hand tremble for the first time.

"My aged flower.. it seems you have a way of moving my heart even now.." He said, his eyes focused on my belly as he leaned his head down to it. "Even so little, I can not wait to meet you little one.." kissing my belly as he looked into my eyes.

"My love, that is the problem, I don't know whose child it will be. I feared you would leave, fearing if it was not yours I would never be able to bare you a child, I do not think it will happen again.. and even so, giving birth may not end.." I racked my mind trying to find words, wanting him to understand my worry, but the only thing he did was smile, before leaning in an kissing me.

His lips were sweet like a forbidden fruit, his tongue entwined with mine, as he pulled away, his forehead leaning on mine as his lips parted. "Maybe it is a wanten thought, but I feel it is mine"

His words felt calm but held a need in it, his hand reaching to my belly once more as he spoke. "And cruel as it may be, I have no care for Corlys wishes, if I see you will not survive the birthing, I will pick your life over the child's." His words continued, even though as he said this, his voice became somber.

[Heavy shit coming up so warning]

"You can not, it is our child a piece of both of us Keth.." I knew it was not an easy choice, but as a mother, dying for my child to live was something I'd gladly do. "It may be difficult, heartbreaking even, but I will not be here forever, but he or she will walk with you when I can not," I said reaching for his face, my finger running across his lips as I smiled.

"Do you think I don't know this love.. I have done many things I am proud of, and many I am not, doing many unthinkable things. Choices I wish I could take back." He said, pulling his face back as he stood, walking out of the wings cover.

My ears could hear the compounding guilt within his heart, he did not speak often of things he has done, but with me, he slowly opened his heart, I knew this was difficult, as he said before, I and Fortassax are the only things he has truly loved. My mind calmed as I pulled the fur to cover my body, it dragged the sand as I walked out. The mirror-like water reflected the moons light, shining down on him as he looked out to the sea. My hand reaching out, tracing the large art on his back, as he tilted his head to me.

"I have killed many, Men, women, and children alike.. if putting one town to the sword meant others could live, I made that choice, ripping husbands away from wives, children from mothers, pulling the family apart, things I thought there was no other choice but I still did so.. even of I tried to justify it." His hand rested on mine, my head leaning on his arm as I heard his somber voice.

"Cruel, there is no other word for it.. but I can not take back the choices I made. But this is something I will not regret my choice over.. I can always have more children, I could whore around and bed many to have them. But I can not have another you, my queen.. I refuse to give you up before your time. Cruel as it may be, i will not lose the only light left in my heart.." He spoke his words telling a tale of blood, covered in dragon fire and ash. I know many stories of him, the monster he had turned into, people said he was crazy, that it was for pleasure, yet none knew how much it killed his still beating heart.

"You no longer need to think of those things my love, I will never allow your brother to make you choose things like that again.." I said placing my hand on his heart, watching his eyes look into mine. "I will do as you say, love."

I felt that yes it was cruel, his thoughts of killing our child, but I understood him. It was painful, rubbing my stomach as the thought twisted my heart, but I knew it was not something he wished to do, and I knew deep in my heart the only thing keeping him from breaking was me. If I passed, who would be able to stop his rampage, the thought of what he could and would do was too horrific to speak or think of at this moment.

"Come, my love, lay with me until the morning light.." I say as I interlocked my fingers with him, smiling as I pulled him back into the darkness.

"As you wish, my aged flower.."