"YOU'RE PLOTTING," VALAENA commented from her chair in front of the fire, turning the page of her book as she briefly glanced up at her father, who had yet to stop pacing since they returned from dinner.

He stopped in his steps, lips pursing as he turned to meet her gaze. She raised an eyebrow at the look behind his eyes, closing the book as she leaned forward curiously.

"Who are you plotting to kill this time?" she questioned. "Is it finally Otto Hightower?"

"There is no plotting happening at the moment," Daemon told her with a sigh as he walked up to the fire, leaning against the mantle as the shadows of the flames danced across his face.

"Right," Valaena snorted as she leaned back in her chair. "And I'm the best dragon rider in Westeros. Seriously, who is it? Tyland Lannister?"

Daemon didn't answer as she gauged his reaction, continuing to list names.

"Hmm, Laris Strong? Alicent Hightower?" She continued to list off names to no response. "Aemond?"

Daemon's eye twitched as the name as Valaena paused her questioning.

"Seriously?" she asked in disbelief. "That's who you're spending all this time pacing about?"

"I told you, there's no plotting of murder going on," Daemon repeated as he pushed away from the mantle to face her.

"Oh, please," Valaena rolled her eyes at him. "You'd have a better time trying to stop me from setting the library on fire."

"Besides," she continued before he could respond. "You're not allowed to kill Aemond. I've already laid claim to that."

"You've laid claim?" Daemon raised an eyebrow at her words.

"Yeah," Valaena replied with a firm nod. "I'm the only one who gets to plot his murder. I've done it a hundred times in my head already. Now it's just a matter of execution-"

Daemon let out something between a scoff and a laugh as she began muttering to herself again, though a flicker of relief softened his expression.

"Besides," Valaena continued as she reopened her book, paging through to find where she had left off. "Why would you even want to murder Aemond, besides him an annoying prat."

She missed the look her father gave her as she settled back into the cushions, the fire crackling softly as silence settled over the room.

A moment passed. Then another.

"We should go down to the dragon pits tomorrow," Daemon said at last, breaking the silence that had taken over.

Valaena's eyes snapped up, panic bubbling in her chest at his words. It had been a long time since Daemon had even suggested dragons to Valaena, much less going down to the dragon pits to claim one. Her mind flashed with memories of dragon flames and the scent of burning flesh, the image of her stepmother forever engrained in her brain.

"The dragon pits?" she questioned, hoping her voice didn't shake as much as she thought it did.

"It's been a while since we've gone," Daemon told her, the look in his eyes telling her he was serious. It was not a suggestion, that much she knew.

"Okay," Valaena felt the words stick to her throat as she spoke. "Let's do it."

⁂           ⁂          ⁂

Hiding between the bookshelves of the library wasn't exactly how Valaena intended to spend her morning, but anything was better than being led down to the dragon pits. Besides, she didn't mind going through the many books in the royal collection, sitting between the bookshelves with a book in her lap as she read about war plans and historic battles in Westeros.

The library was a quiet oasis, leaving her and the books to themselves. It had taken a while for her to ditch Ser Donnel, and while she felt slightly guilty about it, she knew it would be impossible to hide from her father with him trailing behind her. Then it would be down to the dragon pits for her.

"Usually, I'm the only one here."

Valaena released an unintentional squeak at the sudden voice, throwing the book up to cover her face as if it would hide her from being caught.

"You know," the voice said again, clearly amused. "I've never seen someone try to hide behind a book. Admirable effort. Poor execution."

She peeked over the edge of the pages, finding Aemond leaning against the bookshelves only a few feet away with arms folded and looking far too pleased with himself.

"Oh, it's just you," Valaena sighed as she dropped the book back into her lap, ignoring the puzzled look Aemond gave her as she leaned forward to glance down the shelves to ensure no one else had entered.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were hiding from someone," Aemond commented, stepping away from the shelf to peer down the aisle she'd just checked.

"I'm not," Valaena replied a little too quickly, grabbing the book again and flipping to a random page.

"You're sitting on the floor behind a shelf with your knees tucked up like a rabbit pretending the hawk can't see it," Aemond teased her as Valaena scowled, refusing to look up and meet his burning gaze.

"And yet," she responded with a snarky voice. "The hawk always seems to show up exactly where he's not wanted."

He gave a low hum in response, as if unsurprised by her response. He stepped around the end of the bookshelf, boots quiet against the stone as he stopped at the shelf opposite to her.

"So," he said, arms crossing as he watched Valaena refuse to look up from her book. "If it's not me you're hiding from, who is it?"

"I'm not hiding," she snapped, flipping a page with more force than necessary.

Aemond didn't look convinced. He took a step closer, too close as Valaena tensed up when he stopped at her feet, but she refused to look up. Until he reached down and plucked the book right out of her hands.

"Hey!" Valaena scrambled to her feet as Aemond stepped back, holding the book just out of reach as she grabbed for it.

"You know, for someone who's not hiding, you're awfully jumpy," Aemond remarked, turning the book in his hands as if inspecting it for signs of guilt.

"Because you just ripped my book out of my hands, you lunatic," Valaena snapped, lunging for it again. Aemond stepped back with ease, lifting the book over his head and out of her reach.

Valaena narrowed her eyes as she stepped back, barely resisting the urge to punch him in the ribs. That would lead to more trouble than trying to hide from the dragon pits.

"Psychological Warfare in the Age of Dragons," Aemond read the book title aloud, lifting a brow. "Planning to wage war on someone?"

"Only if you keep talking," Valaena threatened, narrowing her eyes as he tusked at her with maddening amusement.

Aemond began to walk, slowly and casually, flipping open the book as if it belonged to him. He strolled past the rows of shelves with the deliberate indifference of someone who expected to be followed.

And, of course, she did.

Valaena trailed after him with arms crossed tightly over her chest, irritation simmering just beneath her skin.

"I didn't take you for a psychological warfare enthusiast," Aemond remarked as he flipped a page. "Although I suppose if one can't win a physical fight..."

Valaena shot him a glare sharp enough to cut through Valyrian steel.

"Say one more word and I'll test the structural integrity of this book against your skull," Valaena snapped as she brushed past him to snatch the book again to no avail. Aemond laughed under his breath as he held the book out of reach once more, snapping the book shut as he watched her glare sharpen.

"Do you usually hurl threats and attempt to bludgeon unsuspecting princes with books?" Aemond questioned as Valaena jumped for the book again, missing by inches.

"Only the smug ones," she huffed, falling back onto her heels in annoyance. "And you're lucky it's not a heavier volume."

Aemond smirked as he held the book up.

"I'll make you deal," he said, holding the book just out of reach like bait. "Tell me who you're hiding from and I'll give it back."

"I'm not hiding from-"

The sound of the library door creaking open cut her off as her eyes widened in panic, especially when she heard Baela call out her name from across the room.

"Shit," Valaena cursed as she dropped down to the floor, scrambling under the nearest reading table and narrowly avoiding knocking over the chair beside it.

"Gods," Aemond muttered as he glanced at the now vacant spot beside him, crouching slightly to peer under the table. "You are hiding."

Valaena shot him a warning look from beneath the table.

"If you so much as breathe too loudly, I'll burn that smug little smirk off your face," she threatened.

Aemond looked entirely too entertained by the situation as he crouched further, resting his forearms lazily on the edge of the table as if they were simply having a normal conversation.

"Your ladylike composure is truly something to behold," he teased, although his voice was below a whisper as if trying not to get her caught. "Does hiding under furniture and threatening royal family members usually fall under your morning routine?"

"So help me, Aemond," Valaena hissed to him with narrowed eyes. "I will kill you,"

"Convincing," he drawled, then held up the book teasingly. "Still want this back?"

"Oh, stuff it," Valaena rolled her eyes.

"Charming as ever," Aemond drawled as he dropped the book down at his side, footsteps approaching in the distance as Baela called out her name again. She was much closer this time.

Aemond straightened at the sound of Baela's voice growing closer, the mischievous glint in his eye dimming just slightly as he looked down at Valaena hiding under the table. With a dramatic sigh and an eye roll for good measure, Aemond turned on his heel and walked out of view.

Valaena could hear her sister's surprised voice around the corner where Aemond went, but she couldn't make out what was being said as their voices drifted to where she hid. She strained to hear, but their voices remained frustratingly muted as a few more exchanges passed before silence crept in.

The breath caught in her throat as she waited to be caught, only to be surprised when the quiet click of the door shutting broke the stillness. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved or irritated when she caught a pair of boots walking back around the corner, stopping at the end of the table where she hid.

"You can come out now," the amusement obvious in his tone as Valaena closed her eyes in embarrassment.

"I'd rather not," she muttered, cheeks turning a burning red as she buried her face in her hands.

"Come on, bunny," Aemond coaxed as the Valyrian slipped past his lips, moving beside the table and dragging the chair out of her way with a scrape.

Valaena released a groan, but she rolled out anyway, landing on her back with a huff. She stayed there for a moment, glaring up at the ceiling as if it personally wronged her, before Aemond moved into her sight with a tilted head and amused smirk.

"Don't call me bunny," she warned as she sat up, glancing over her shoulder at the door Baela left through.

"You know, you're not as intimidating as you think," Aemond pulled her attention back to him at his words.

"I will stab you with a quill," she threatened.

"I'd like to see you try," Aemond responded as he extended a hand to help her out, watching as she hesitated. "Just take my damn hand, Valaena."

She released a dramatic sigh, but complied as she allowed him to help her onto her feet. He didn't release her hand immediately, and she raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"Thinking of another threat?" he asked as he finally let go.

"No," Valaena said dryly, brushing off her skirts. "Just deciding which window to toss you out of."

"That's not any way to treat your savior," Aemond remarked, the usual smugness curling at the edge of his mouth. He continued before Valaena could explode in anger. "Here."

He held the book out for her to take, watching her mouth close around whatever scathing remark she had prepared. Valaena narrowed her eyes suspiciously but took the book nonetheless, snatching it from his hand with a huff.

"I don't recall you suddenly growing a conscience," she muttered, flipping through the pages to make sure he hadn't damaged it. "Or manners."

"I'm not a complete monster," Aemond said, quieter this time.

"Of course not," Valaena replied without thinking, eyes still scanning the book. "Just an annoying pain in the ass."

She didn't see the way he paused at her words, the silence stretching just a beat longer than it should have. Tucking the book under her arm, Valaena turned to leave the library. She made it a few steps before hesitating, glancing back over her shoulder to meet his gaze.

A sigh escaped her lips, as if it pained her to say what came next.

"Thanks," she muttered quickly, then turned and walked away without waiting for a response.

Aemond stood in place, unmoving as he watched her disappear beyond the shelves.