#she walks in starlight | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

arcielee · 1 year

Text

She Walks in Starlight

Summary: There is a promise made, a choice that will forever change the cosmos. Paring: Aemond!Hades x OFC!Persephone Word Count: 5210 Warnings: Mention of character(s) death. It’s HotD and Greek mythology, so there will be incest. Author’s Note: Thank you @aspen-carter for being my beta reader! She has been such an influence on my writing and I owe so much to her! Make sure to check out her stories. Artwork source. ♥ Also! Gō vys is Valyrian for Under world, lēkia is brother, mandia is sister and kirimvose is thank you. Enjoy! Tags (Tumblr kindred spirits): @aaaaaamond @sirenofavalon @annikin-im-panicin @watercolorskyy @schniiipsel @aemondx @fan-goddess @babygirlyofthevale @hb8301 @iiamthehybrid @deltamoon666 @dahlias-and-marigolds @nina2697 @fantasticpeaceharmony @silverwinged @melsunshine @remus853 (bold means Tumblr has forsaken me and I could not tag you) Series: Act I - Act II - Act III

Mother you don't understand; I made Hades run to me. He saw my bones beneath And offered me half his kingdom. Do you really think I ate the fruit unwillingly? by a.davida jane

ACT III

It could be considered that immortality was both a blessing and a curse to the gods, for it allowed a leniency with their beingness which meant moments, their intimacy and their importance, would be muffled insignificance within their eternal stretch of existence.

Despite the structure built beneath, Aemond inevitably found himself lost with the monotony of death and the mediocre ache that accompanied it. This is why he allowed himself the annual endeavor of resurfacing and enjoying spring, solely for the reminder of the genesis of life and its beauty, a reminder of its importance. He cherished these moments, but its elation was fleeting and only coaxed him through the upcoming year.

But on this night, on the mountainside beneath the heavens and the fiery comets that streaked above, this moment began to etch itself in intricate detailing within the mind of the king of the Underworld. This moment would be treasured, something he would cradle to his chest, next to the pinned snapdragon, as it would be a memory that was now forever embedded into his very essence.

It began with the softness of her lips that felt so sinful, so right against his own, and the tentative touch of her tongue along the bottom of his lip. He hummed his pleasure and dared to indulge, moving his hand to gently take hold of the back of her neck, his fingers threading into her curls. She sighed sweetly and he deepened their kiss, with the languid motion of his tongue that allowed him to savor the taste of her mouth.

Their kiss was unhurried, tender, and he took care to match with her rhythm, allowing her to explore at her own pace.

Her hands fluttered to rest onto his chest and his skin rose from the warmth of her palms, her touch seemingly cementing him to the mountain. There was a tingling sensation of electricity in the tips of her fingers and he felt it pulsate throughout his being.

The intrusive thought flooded his mind, as he realized he could not recall the last time he had ever…

Kore was almost tactful with her touch, gentle with him in a way that was unfamiliar, but welcomed. She was careful to shift her weight and press against him, until he laid back onto the silver grass. She leaned forward and paused, looking at him with her smile aglow on her kiss-swollen lips.

Aemond awed at her beauty, how her dark curls spilled forward with their subtle floral scent and how it lingered with her every touch, the reminder of the first day of spring. His eye drank the flush of pink at the tip of her nose and how it dusted her cheeks, and the soft rise and fall of her chest with her every breath. She leaned closer, her smile so sweet, and he felt the tickle of her tresses that spilled onto his chest, the enticing curl of her rose lips.

And he faltered to the roared echo of his sister’s voice.

Do not damn her.

She saw his hesitation and withdrew, her expression sending a surge of torment through him. “Kore,” his tongue wet his lips, a nervous tick of the god of death. “I feel compelled to say that this is not owed to me. Please, I…” he gave a vague gesture towards the heavens and at this moment, it was as if the moon and the stars had blown out. “I wanted to do this for you.”

I needed to do this for you.

Her brow quirked with the slight tilt of her head, processing his words. “Aemond,” and how she spoke his name would also be carried alongside that memory of their kiss. “I am not sure what you mean. I…” the rose color that flushed her cheekbones burned crimson when she confessed, “I want this.”

I want you, she did not say.

He was aware of how her ichor thrummed with renewed vigor in his presence, how she was a golden beacon that called to him. His eye trailed the curves of her porcelain skin that peaked beneath her peplos, her nipples peaked beneath the thin folds at her chest and how the flush of her skin dipped between the valley of her breasts.

Aemond could feel her eyes watchful of him, her expression curious but she remained quiet. He appreciated the silence, for anything spoken by her would shatter his resolve; he found there was comfort with their quiet and he was able to gather his words.

He confessed to her the true cause of Baela and Rhaena’s sudden demise, explaining the cursed flower that had been placed by Aegon.

The shadow of her sorrow flickered across her features, but it came and went like a mortal heartbeat; when he finished, she looked at him. “But why would he do this?”

Because he knew all too well my complacency to just admire you from the shadows. “I promise to tell you one day,” he began, only then daring to meet with her somber gaze. “Please understand that mortal lives are expendable to him.”

“Did you ask it of him?”

Aemond knew he would not lie to her, but felt relief at her question, “I would never do that to you.”

She shifted, with her arms placed behind her and her palms against the earth, allowing her chest to arch as she looked up towards the night sky; her eyes followed the dust trail that her friends streaked amongst the stars that returned.

“I would not hold you accountable for the actions of your brother,” her voice was soft and her stare remained above. “I know there is more you wish to tell me, so I wish to know, what is it that you want, Aïdōneús?”

He felt as if his seams began to split with the struggle to contain his desire. You, little goddess. Persephone, the goddess of spring and the goddess of nature. To him, she was intimately Kore. Irrevocably, unquestionably, he would forever await her beckon call as he only wanted to be placed at her side as long as eternity allowed.

But instead, he only said, “I want you to return home, to sleep well and truly understand what a life in the Gō vys would be.” She turned her head to face him and he hummed a beat. “If you desire it, then return to me and I swear that my kingdom is yours,” a curl to his lips as he finished, “that I am yours.”

He saw her fire, unbridled beneath her skin, but also saw how she swallowed it down to restrain it. Kore looked down to her lap, managing a curt nod before she pulled herself to her feet. “If this is what you ask of me, if this is what I must do to show you how I…” her words faltered, her jaw steeled, and he saw determination burn in her eyes when she offered her hand to help him to his feet. “I will do what you ask, Aemond.”

He stood up and she pressed close to him; Aemond wrapped his arms around her waist and there was comfort in the embrace, hope. They returned, wordless, to the edge and he was careful to set her down.

As he pulled away, Kore caught his wrist and he looked at her, watching as she lifted his hand and pressed her lips against his open palm. “Aemond, I will come back to you,” she promised.

That kiss rooted him to the earth and he remained there, admiring the grace of her motion as she left him, leaving behind the lingering floral fragrance and the glimmer of hope.

+ + + + + + +

The hour was uncertain, but Kore saw that the moon began its descent into the curvature of the horizon, though the sun had not begun to crest in response. She flitted across the silver fields, her footfalls soft against the cool earth, but with enough pressure for the blossom of blood-red peonies to sprout beneath her every step. Her kiss-swollen lips pressed together with the taste of him, a melody hummed that was inspired with the emotion that was swelling within her chest.

“You seem pleased, Kore.”

She halted her motion to see Jacaerys leaning against a tree, his arms folded in front of him and a small smile to his lips. Her mussed curls fell and rested on her shoulders and she swore she saw a glint of something hidden behind his dark eyes. “Mother wishes to see you,” he continued. “Now.”

She followed him to the horticulture their mother crafted, where she groomed life during the winter months. It was her mortal endeavor, the glass casing bewitched to be able to hold the golden glow of sunlight throughout the night.

Her brother stopped at its golden archway, holding his arm to almost present its entrance and she moved past him, towards where Rhaenyra was working. She saw her mother hunched over a clay pot, her silver hair braided back and her focus on the seedlings, packing fresh soil within.

Rhaenyra paused as she heard her daughter approach and there was an unease that swelled around, the heat before a storm.

You smell of death.

Her mother’s words were accusatory and malicious, and Kore, impassioned from the night, returned her fury. Their rage spilled and their words clashed violently, hurtled with intent. Rhaenyra was heartsore, angry, and unable to comprehend this infatuation that her daughter continued to kindle for the god of death.

“You will wilt without the sun,” her mother cried. “Why would you do this to me?”

Kore choked on those words; she felt her heart break, shattering within and how the shards began to dig into her chest, her breath aching with her exhale. She prayed for reason to be found and dared to confess to her.

“Mother, I love him.”

She spoke the words as if it was a simple truth, her factual tone spilled as though it was always this way and would always be.

Rhaenyra was quiet and the unease from earlier returned to accompany the sickly silence between them. She watched her daughter and how she glowed with her bold proclamation, unaware of the repercussion that her words would have.

In the darkness of her daughter’s eyes, beneath the passion that brimmed them, Rhaenyra had a thought, a memory recovered; it was something dear that she cradled to her chest.

She remembered these eyes from before, how they belonged to Harwin and in this moment, she saw him looking at her once again. Rhaenyra recalled his embolden gait and gaze, how he had approached her one spring with an eagerness with his every step as he followed her. She had refused him, at first, for fear of how Daomon would react.

Harwin was both stubborn and determined; he declared he would face any challenge, that his world had been shrouded in darkness whenever he left her side and that he only truly could enjoy spring as color returned with her.

Rhaenyra remembered his large palms when they took her hand, calloused but gentle with his touch, and how held her palm to his chest as if it was the most precious thing. She had been careful to tuck away these memories, as their recovery also brought the cumbersome grief and pain knowing it was her love that had killed him.

She knew their love was damned and she did not want this same fate for her daughter.

Rhaenyra only then realized her daughter peering at her, as if she was trying to hear her thoughts. She saw that Kore was still burning with the conviction of her words and she knew that she would never recant, for it was Harwin’s stubbornness and determination that intertwined with the very ichor weaving within her veins.

At that moment, Rhaenyra knew what must be done.

The vines began to sprout from the ground, knocking over the clay pots and wrapping itself around her legs and arms. Falling to her knees, Kore cried out and saw her mother’s intention to leave her; a ferocity began to burn within, a fire to her dark eyes and she began to tear away at the green iron hold. With each one broken, two more came forward, staggering her steps forward as they coiled around her legs to halt her.

Rhaenyra could not watch her relentless struggle or listen to her daughter’s screams. She walked to the golden archways and whispered to seal it.

She, after all, truly knew what was best for her daughter.

+ + + + + + +

Helaena was the queen of the gods, with a harmonious understanding with the sky and the stars above, a soral bond that gifted her a multiscient ability that allowed her to thrive with her role as the goddess of matrimony; she had an ability that both the mortals and the gods envied, which was her insight on what the future held.

Yet, she did not gloat about this ability and only her brothers and sister were aware of her peculiar gift. This had been after the Titanomachy ended, how the cosmos seemed broken and Aegon’s insatiable want for control came to fruition. When he learned this of Helaena, he declared his love for her, but she was aware of his self-serving ambition and how he only wished to control her power.

She also knew it was a power that came of its own volition, as well if she accepted his proposal and became queen of the cosmos, her role would best serve the realm with the puissance crowned upon her head.

Helaena accepted and allowed her husband his freedoms, for the distasteful whispers which sung of his infidelities did not bother her, as her attention was needed elsewhere.

The Moirai were intrigued by the queen. Before the war, they long grew bored of the insistent desperation and prying questions of the future, choosing to recluse themselves to the shadows of the Gō vys. They shed their physical form and became a fog that would roll over the realms when it served them, able to pour in and fit where it was needed, this sense of touch allowed them to see much more than the eyes they once had.

It allowed them to be unnoticed, but Helaena was always aware of them, however they did not mind the company of the queen, solely because they understood that she also wished to be unseen, unbothered. The king of the Underworld allowed her free rein to come and go, which allowed her to slip away to visit with Vhagar, to have a moment alone to remove her crown and a moment alone to find the clairvoyance she needed before she returned above.

Here, she was able to see things with clarity, with an understanding that not even the Moirair would dare question.

They would often speak, she would ask them questions and they would chide in return on how fate was fickle. Helaena disagreed, for her visions were resounding, nestling into her consciousness and replay until they would come to pass.

The queen had one particular vision that lingered in the back of her mind; it showed her dear brother, Aemond, and a queenly presence, devoted, at his side. Together, they were destined to share a happiness that would stretch into eternity, with a love destined, fated to remain even after men would long forget them all.

This vision, like all, was a hint at first, but it grew with its details, becoming vivid and consuming with the start of the most recent spring season. On this morning, when Helaena awoke, she found her mind was empty; there was no replay or even an echo of the apparition that was a consistent comfort in the last few years.

Helaena dressed and left, descending into the shadow, in search of the fog.

Vhagar greeted her, as they often did, and she paused to take a moment and pet each head with care. They traveled together, with Vhagar as her escort, and they went deep until the fog rolled in, swirling around and engulfing them.

She could hear their whispered words. Today you come with a question only.

“I do,” she admitted out loud. “I wish to understand why the vision of Aïdōneús has left me.”

Fate is fickle… it began, but she stopped them.

“I know your mantra,” and her eyes began to water, not from emotion but from the thickening haze that washed over her. “And you are aware that I see things differently, consistently, and this gift allows me a deep understanding of compatibility. But today, I awoke and it was gone and now I come to understand why.”

It is gone because something hides the golden glow.

She sighed her annoyance, as they would not give more than their ominous echo; she waved her hands to push through the fog and their chuckle that echoed around. Helaena returned to the castle that loomed in the center, with Vhagar padding softly behind, still watchful.

Inside the throne room, she felt the sickening sorrow, a somber aura that matched the dark stones of the castle walls. She saw the arched windows that led to the terrace, allowing the artificial lighting to seep into the room. Helaena found her brother, his lean frame stooped and rested against the ornate balustrade, his gaze looking out; his witch remained at his side, her own worry for her king etched into her expression.

“Lēkia,” she called to him.

Aemond pushed himself upright, turning to face her with the ghost of a smile on his sharp features. “Helaena,” there was a hint of relief with how he spoke her name, an almost desperation to see her in this moment. “Have you come to visit the Moirai?”

“I already have and they are unhelpful, as always,” she smiled, watching as Vhagar moved past her and nudged his palm with one of its heads.

Aemond was devoted to pet each with care, with a smile that did not reach his eye. Her brow furrowed and her question perched beneath her chin.

What has happened?

But instead, her eyes spotted the snapdragon fastened to him, the glittering glow that emitted from the bewitched petals. She saw it and she knew its magic. “That is lovely,” and she gestured to her chest to mirror where he had it pinned.

Aemond seemed to wilt at the reminder, his gaze looked down and his slender finger touched it as if it was the most precious thing within his possession. “It was a gift,” his voice rasped and it took strength for him to meet again with her lilac eyes.

“Who gifted this to you?”

Aemond and his stoicism was something he propped as a shield, but their years together allowed her an awareness of his mannerisms and she was able to see the flicker of pain that danced across his features, the subtle bob of his neck when he managed to answer her. “It was Persephone.”

Helaena looked to Alys and the same recognition played across her own face, washing away the concern. “It is very lovely,” she offered and she looked at the witch, her lips pursed into a thin line, before she excused herself abruptly; she ran the shores of the Styx, following the pathway that curled upwards to the mortal realm.

There was a certainty to her visions and she now knew that Aemond was fated for a great love; she knew where it began and her mind was able to recall and replay it within, her purposeful steps that brought her towards Rhaenyra’s gardens, towards the glow of the horticulture centered. She knew if she could find Rhaenyra, she could beg an audience with Persephone, to get clarification as to what had happened…

Rhaenyra was nowhere to be found and instead she spotted the goddess of spring; her earthly glow was replaced with a fire, an anger that thrummed beneath her alabaster skin. Her eyes held a determination, a darkness with her stare, but they brightened when she spotted the queen.

Helaena stopped and her lilac eyes flitted over the structure, sizing the binding spell and understanding the power propelled a shield.

She now understood the words of the Moirai. It is gone because something hides the golden glow.

The goddess of spring watched her, standing in front of one of the glass panes and Helaena could see the beginning cracks that splintered. She smiled at her, now understanding what her brother saw, the undeniable strength that brimmed beneath Persephone.

The queen moved forward and the goddess mirrored her movement, her lips moving but she was muted in her gilded cage.

Helaena pressed a finger to her lips and then touched her ear; Persephone stopped and watched as her lilac eyes traced the edges of the pane before she brought her palms together, a soft whisper and a glow that emitted from between. She then pressed her hands against the glass and Persephone, again, mirrored the action, resting her palms on the other side, closing her eyes to focus.

The queen of the gods marveled at the strength, the vibration from the little goddess; it pulsated through and the light brightened and seeped into the cracks, spreading throughout the glass. She held her breath and watched the shards break apart, turning into petals and falling softly on the ground around them.

The goddess of spring opened her eyes, free. Her dark curls were wild and the darkness lifted from her eyes when she smiled. “Kirimvose.”

Helaena folded her hands in front, returning the smile. “He is waiting for you.”

She glowed with her words and moved, gone in an instant. The vision returned, a welcomed warmth that flowed through her, and Helaena was able to see Aemond, with the peace he long sought for, that he had fought for, and the queenly presence, devoted at his side.

+ + + + + + +

Aemond had returned before dusk even hinted at the day’s end. He remained in the shadows, accompanied with the eagerness that vibrated within, but the emotion was tucked beneath his aristocratic demure. He waited and watched as the sun dipped away and was replaced by the moon, as full as the night before, returning with its silver light. He waited as the world rotated, replaying the echo of her sweet words.

Aemond, I will come back to you.

But she did not come.

Instead, he saw his sister and with her was his answer, apparent in her eyes before she spoke a word; he saw the pity that framed her eyes and it made his skin crawl.

“I’m sorry, lēkia,” and he felt her genuine remorse. “She said it was too painful to see you again.” Rhaenyra could not meet with his steady gaze. “You must understand this, right? That this is how it was meant to be?”

He felt a resounding sadness that was suffocating, a grief that bore into him and ached his bones, his every fiber that was required for him to exist within the cosmos. His stoicism remained and he hummed his understanding, the nod of his head that weighed heavily on his broad shoulders. “I understand, mandia,” he managed to say and he made the silent vow that he would never again resurface. “I only wish the best for her. Truly.”

She dared meet with his sapphire stone and lavender eye; there was an emotion he saw play behind her eyes, but Rhaenyra remained quiet, her lips pressed into a thin line and she turned away from him. Aemond watched as she returned to her gardens before he retreated to the Underworld, greeted with the cold embrace of the darkness that engulfed the realm below.

His kingdom was deathly quiet, as the dead did not converse and the screams of his grandsire were muffled within his hold of Tartarus. His gleam of felicity had been ripped away and he felt raw, a dulled ache within his chest and its constant threat to fracture through his bones.

Aemond returned his attention to the repetitive work his realm required, unwilling to break away and allow a lull for the grief to return, as it simmered beneath.

He would hear the concerned whine of Vhagar and Alys would visit, her soft words spilling from her painted lips. “My king, I beg you, please eat.”

These days seem to mold together, without differentiation, without significance. Often, he would be perched out on the terrace that stemmed from the throne room, his gaze watchful but empty. Sometimes Alys would join him, his quiet companion other than her request for him to eat or to drink. On this day, she perked when she saw the streak of gold from his sister as she slipped away within his kingdom, a privilege he only allowed to her.

Eventually, she arrived to greet him, as she often would; Aemond loved his sister dearly, but found himself too heartsore to offer much. He noticed an exchanged look between Alys and Helaena, but they parted without a word and the witch goddess then focused on him.

“I was unaware that Kore gifted you the snapdragon.” Her voice was sharp, clarifying.

The bewitched flower remained dutifully pinned, with the red glow of its petals as his only reminder that what he had felt had been real, that it had not just been a dream. “She did,” he replied and he looked down at it.

“My king,” and Alys smiled, genuinely for the first time in a while. “Your grief blinds you more than your gemmed eye.”

There was a flicker of annoyance that played across his face and she continued on, not allowing him to speak. “That is a spell and its blossom is bound by love.”

His brow furrowed and he brought his gaze from the petals to focus on Alys, whose expression was as gleeful as the words she spoke. “My king, she loves you. I know this, as did your sister when she saw it. Kore loves you and it has been under your nose this whole damn time.”

“You lie,” he hissed. “I was told she did not even wish to see me-”

“Was this from her lips?” She challenged him, squaring to face her king with a fearlessness to correct him, as always. “Persephone told you she did not love you?” Alys moved closer, one finger touching the snapdragon and it sparked, a crimson glimmer in the muted throne room. “I know this spell, Aïdōneús. She loves you as much as you love her!”

The grief that interlaced throughout his being seemed to unleash with her words, the torrid of the moments shared poured over him with a renewed ardor. He could not ignore it, this emotion was a curse that had its hold of him still. “Then where is she?”

As he spoke, he already knew the answer. The emotion he had been unable to pin in the moment of his shattering grief, the one that played in his sister’s lavender eyes.

Guilt.

Aïdōneús was the god of death, the king of the Underworld. His ichor thrummed with bloodlust, a strength he channeled when he ended the Titanomachy with a ferocity that was unseen before or since. With his realization, the silver of his hair, the white tones of his skin glowed as he swelled with a black flame that framed his movements; Alys placed his crown on top of his head, iron and ruby glowing, and he tore from the Gō vys.

When he surfaced, it splintered the edge and the nymphs cried and scampered away from the gods’ wrath. His fury brought him to his sister’s gardens and the greenery wilted from his rage. “Rhaenyra,” his low baritone growled from his chest.

He noticed how Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey were watchful, perhaps unaware of their mother’s treachery, but unwilling to allow Aemond to kill her, as he looked capable of at this moment. But he did not wish to slay his sister, he wished to find Kore and bring her back, as she had promised him, as she wanted.

And he should have never doubted that.

Rhaenyra appeared, her eyes red rimmed and she scoffed at the swell of her brother. “You are too late,” her voice broke. “She is gone.”

“Skoriot gōntan ziry jikagon?”

Where did she go?

She looked at him, her jaw tight when she said, “I believe you already know, lēkia.”

He was gone from the mortal realm, slipping beneath. He looked at the grey shores and recognized the silhouette of her footfalls that lead forward, with the petals of peonies that trailed her steps.

Aemond followed, his emotions ravaged him raw and he thought of how he failed her, that he believed that she would not show and he swore he would spend their eternity to make amends…

He continued to the Asphodel fields and he saw her golden glow, complemented with hues of pink that touched her porcelain complexion. She was sitting beneath the tree with one of Vhagar’s heads resting on her lap and her hand petting. The ears twitched and Vhagar pulled away to trot towards Aemond; her dark curls spilled when she turned to see what caught their attention.

It was as if Kore blossomed at the sight of him, the flush of pink spread across her cheekbones with her smile. “Aemond,” she sighed, pushing to stand and face him.

He wished to run to her, to wrap his arms around her with the solemn vow that he would never let her go; he ached to taste her lips, to shower her with affection and beg for her forgiveness.

It was all reserved beneath and instead his arms crossed behind his back. “Little goddess, I had gone to rescue you.”

She hummed at the pet name and her eyes glittered.

“I arrived and learned you were already gone,” he finished, his expression almost sheepish with the confession. His gaze met with hers, “I had thought you would not return.”

“I promised you that I would.”

Her tone did not scorn him, but she said it factual and he felt the returned burn of his disappointment that he had ever doubted she would. “Kore,” he took a tentative step towards her, drawn to her golden glow, a need to feel the silk of her skin once more.

She remained stance beneath the tree, her smile reaching her eyes. “I did as you asked of me and I had time to make my decision,” and she reached above to pluck a pomegranate from a branch. He watched her hands palm it between and how her fingernails broke its skin. Her fingers scooped the seeds and he watched her bring them to her mouth, red lines of its juices that dribbled down her chin. “I do not wish for anyone to try and keep me from you again.”

It was another moment that etched within his mind, the sight of his queen and the red juice that stained her chin and her smile, the same smile that allowed a glimpse of spring within the Gō vys.

She then closed the space between them and he tilted his head to meet her lips with his own, savoring the bittersweet kiss.

#she walks in starlight #aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x ofc #aemond targaryen x oc #greek mythology hotd au #aemond!hades #aemond!hades x oc!persephone #slow burn #hotd fanfic #hotd fanfiction #aemond fanfic #aemond fanfiction #it's an ever after ending

183 notes · View notes