Surprise Adoption.
Aradia rocked little Teddy carefully as he drank down his bottle. His tiny hands curling inward to her shirt as he fed happily away, with not a care in the world. The Malfoys sat quietly, sipping their tea (Lucius had fire whiskey) as she pondered over small parts of a story, they had just told her. She was sure they left out a lot of details, major details even, but she didn't want to push that issue now.
"So… We all share this mutual ancestor, Cassiopeia, who was a powerful witch. She had children with a Valyrian noble, then ran away using magic. Right across to another plane of existence, to HERE, taking all her daughters with her…"
"And her future husband… Her one TRUE husband." Lucius added with a harsh bite to his words. He had yet to calm down and was still angry over whatever perceived slight she had offended him with.
"All her daughters and ONE TRUE husband… and this ring is from that culture? Valyrian?" she said, not bothering to hide the interest in her voice.
"YES…" Lucius hissed again, pointing to the ring in question. "The steel is obviously Valyrian steel; You can tell because steel that is treated and tempered with Dragon fire during the forging process, which can imbue it with magic, nearly always turns the metal black with wave-like patterns… The rubies also form the three headed Dragon of house Targaryen. One of the Four Valyrian houses to survive the Doom. The only family of Dragon lords."
"This is a bonding ring… When someone of Valyrian blood, normally someone in the family or closely related, puts the ring on it helps led them to the person that they are…most compatiblewith. The wearer and the person the bonding ring points them to will almost always marry… In fact, I've never seen a bonding couple who did NOT wed."
The smile of joy that spread across Airy's face at that information was one she couldn't control. It was quickly noticed by Narcissa, who just gave a small, knowing smile. The uncomfortable look that crossed Draco's face nearly made her smile bigger. She didn't care. Let him be uncomfortable. She was on track to marry the man she had been dreaming with, and she couldn't be happier to hear it.
"There was one bonding ring brough with Cassiopeia, from house Qoherys. The Malfoy family and the black family also have ones similar… But that ring is neither of those. So how did you get it?"
"It was in the family vault with other belongs. When I was going through one of the bags after I left, I found it. It… Kind of called to me. So, I put it on. End of story." Airy said, but from the look on Lucius's face, he wasn't buying it.
"Forgive me if I have a hard time believing that…"
"Lucius!" Narcissia rebuked as she looked embarrassed. Her eyes darting back and forth from her husband to the young lady Infront of her.
"And why would you have a hard time believing that?"
"Because I do… An item such as that should belong to someone with the Blood of old Valyaria in their veins. While the Potters took a few Blacks to be their brides, there shouldn't be enough of their blood in you to allow it to work…"
"LUCIUS!" Narcissa snapped loudly, and to Airy's shock, slapped his arm. Hard. From the reaction Lucius and Draco gave, this was quite a rare event indeed.
"If there was not enough blood for the bond to point her to someone, the ring would simply not work. It wouldn't even bother to stay attached to her. The ring would just slip off and she would go about her way…" Narcissa hissed, as she glared.
"Stay attached…" she squeaked as the words registered quickly in her mind. She instantly grabbed at her hand, making sure not to jar Teddy as she did. She put her thumb and pointer finger on the shining black and ruby ring and tried to yank it off. When that failed, she tried a second, then a third time.
Sure enough; the ring refused to be removed.
"SEE. The Ring is also already glowing… Looks like it's almost completely done gathering the Magic it needs… She OBVIOUSLY does have 'Enough Valyrian blood'…"
Lucius somehow managed to look both shocked and embarrassed at the same time…
"Now Lucius Malfoy… You will apologize. This instant!"
Airy didn't know why she kept letting the Malfoys come and visit her. And escort her places. And take her and Teddy shopping. And join her and/or invite her to meals.
Maybe it was because they were coming to see Teddy? They were related to him, and she didn't want to get in the way of Family. She had very few family members in her life, and she didn't wish that for Teddy. And sadly, until they were settled, she couldn't risk Andy visiting.
Her and Draco were also familiar with one another, so may be that helped? They still bickered at one another. He was still far less cruel than he had even been before. She knew this change had started in him during their 6thyear, so she believed it… Still, it was weird. There was also still too much history for her to 100% forgive him yet.
Narcissia was the one she had warmed up to her the most by far. She not only loved Teddy and treated them both kindly. She apologized after Lucius did, and she was actively working at getting to know her... She also filled her in more on the bonding ring, and how she could use it to try and find her 'dream man'. They would have to work together to figure it out a bit more, but Airy was walking on cloud nine now that she found a way to get closer to her goal.
Narcissa was still a proper lady, and yes, that threw Airy off sometimes. Always prim, polite, always on her best behavior. Never a hair out of place, and never holding the wrong spoon, and like McGonagall, slightly severe. Still, she warmed up to Aradia and let her guard down whenever it was just her and the family.
The fact that she was willing to let her in that much quickly made Airy warm up to her as well…
The most surprising to her was Lucius. He did a full 180. Once he realized she was closer to them in blood then they thought, it was like she became a part of some kind of club she had never even known existed.
He started insisting on teaching her how to speak High Valyrian. Them meaning Lucius and ether Narcissa or Draco... They would spend at least two hours a day on that task alone. If they were going shopping, he taught her the names of the items in the shop they were looking for. Walking in the park? Listing the Valyrian terms for plants, animals, and other things in nature she would need to know. While he was a stickler about pronunciation and would make her repeat it as many times as needed until she got it right, he never lost his patience with her.
On top of that, he had deemed himself her new bodyguard. She thought she was going to walk back to and from her inn alone? Lucius would walk her the entire way there and back. Picking heavy purchases? No, he was carrying them or levitating them. Crossing the Street? Not with her looking both ways, and him double checking. If he was busy, he would make Draco accompany her.
It wasn't until 2 weeks in, right after they enjoyed Krum's game (The Malfoy suddenly acquired Box seats after they learned she was attending and would be in the Box as well, as Krum's guest) When she saw Lucious giving Krum one of the most disgusted side-eyes, she had ever seen him give (Which was saying something) that the realization had dawned upon her.
She and Teddy had been unknowingly adopted…
By the Malfoys.
Whispers in the Dark.
It had been two weeks since he had last seen her in his dreams.
He had been working like a mad man, hardly sleeping at all. Let alone dreaming. He had been handling every single task his grandsire gave to him. Sorting and delivering every in-coming raven. As well as taking full command of the castle guard. With the assistance of Ser Criston Cole, he had refashioned them as the 'Red Guard.'
He had 're-assigned' a few guards to other areas, hired a few more. Assessed and then trained (sometimes re-training) them. Instead of donning them in blood red or Targaryen red, he chose to cloth his new guard in the red hue of the keep itself. This worked not only to make them look and feel like a true brotherhood but made their purpose of being the guardians and protectors of the red keep even more clear...
And if their red robes helped them hide among the walls and halls of the keep, making them harder for friend or foe to see, while nearby or far away, well... That was just an added bonus.
His time had been taken up by his new duties and tasks, but he was still completing them. Otto was preening, his mother was smiling proudly at him. His elder brother was annoyed. Thanks to his sudden growth spurt and his skill with a sword, the red guard treated him as a man grown. Not a boy nearing his ten and seventh name day.
He knew he had his ñuha dōna to thank for it... Knowing she was on her way gave him the push he needed to try and solidify a place for himself... That whole reason Otto and Mother gave him this opportunity in the first place. A chance to prove himself. Still, he had hardly any time to sleep since his new tasks began. No sleep meant no dreams. No dreams meant no ñuha dōna.
The festival of the Smith, though, opened a small window for which he could sleep in and rest. He had worked on the scheduling and rounds for the red guard and added himself among them. He did a late-night shift near the wilder part of the festival. A few guards had wanted to join in the festivities, so it wasn't hard to get the spot he wanted. After his rounds, had a good part of the next day to sleep and recover. Before having to go back to his solar after midday meal the next day, of course.
This meant a full round of sleep... and maybe, just maybe, a chance to see his ñuha dōna.
He knew he had entered the dream when the smell of Tea, Cream, and Roses registered in his nose. He looked around the low lighting of the room he had now found himself in. It looked like a room he would find inside an Inn or Pub along the Kings Road... Sparse room with just a bed, table, desk, candles and lanterns. Some of the items in the room were a little odd; but it was a comfortable, warm room, nonetheless.
Since in their last dream she had appeared in his room, this time he was appearing in hers.
He looked around the room quickly for her, but he couldn't see her at first. He had begun to pace around the room when he spotted her.
She was in that long, silken gown once again. Her vivid red hair in curls and coils as she stood with her back to him.
He had yet to see her face, just as he was sure he was sure she had yet to see his. Right now, they were just shadowy silhouettes to one another. She was still the most beautiful thing to him. He had been dying to see her... and touch her... taste her.
He carefully and quietly walked up behind her, as he always did. He grabbed her softly, both hands on her waist and held her firmly to him. His favorite way to greet her. His lips went for the sweet and salty taste of her skin. The soft of her neck was delicious, as were the soft sounds she would make.
He had been burning for this. He had been dying to see her and hold her again. It was a sweet kind of torture; Always having her on his mind but not being able to touch her. Now, here she was, back in his arms. Right in the palm of his hands... At his very fingertips.
He had hated Aegon for taking him to the street of silk on his name day years ago, but now...
Putting those lessons to good use with the right woman? He had to admit, he was not so angry at his brother anymore.
He set his mind to the task at hand, pleasing and teasing his sweet darling.
He trailed the fingers on his right hand up her sides, teasing her skin as he lifted her gown up. His left hand went up to her neck, and he made her lay her head against his shoulder. His lips still worked on her neck, as her body arched back into his. She let out a gasp, as her legs quivered. He could almost see her eyes rolling back and half-closing...
Gods, he loved this...
He loved the feeling of her little shakes and quakes, her gasps and sighs. One day soon, they would be moans and yelps. And when they were married, heavy breaths and screams. By the seven, He could hardly wait. Until then, he still had this…
"Do you know how much I missed you? Missed this, My Sweet?" He whispered in her ear in High Valyrian, as her head still laid against his shoulder. Knowing it would drive her crazy. Her thighs twitched, and his manhood pressed against her bottom responded in kind.
"Two weeks I've been without you... Do you know how much I've burned for you in that time?"
He spoke again, just as his right hand brought the gown up high enough to be able slip in-between her legs... So, he did, bringing his pointer finger gently to the small bundle of nerves right in the front of her folds and moved it slowly in circles.
"OH! Oh bloody hell, oh gods..." She yelped out as her body laid more heavily against his. Her legs shook and unconsciously opened more for him. He couldn't stop from grinding just a little... He was right. She had yelped. Now to make her moan.
"But you've been burning for me, too, haven't you, My sweet? You've been aching, just like me, haven't you?" He said, rubbing her a bit more, applying just a little more pressure.
"Yes... Yes, I have." She whimpered out in high Valyrian, before moaning almost directly into his ear. "Gods, Please, more..."
'oh, fuck...' Aemond nearly spilled himself at those sounds. He had to shut his eyes closed and hold his breath as a wave of arousal he'd never felt before washed over him.
She was here, at the mercy of his fingertips. She was moaning and speaking in high Valyrian. Gods forbid...
He snapped. He plunged his fingers into her heat. He bit into the curve of her neck and shoulder. His left hand went from her side to her front to keep her still as his other hand worked on her womanhood. The intensity fuelled both of them forward.
"Mine... You're mine…" He said, growling like a feral beast. "All mine, My sweet..."
The sounds she was making were amazing... The way her body was now shaking uncontrollably as he toyed with it was something he had only fantasized about. How she felt on his fingers as he brought her closer and closer to her peak was something he could not even put into words.
She peaked first, but at her yell of completion and her hand tightly squeezing the back of his neck (He had no idea when her hand had found its way there) He couldn't stop himself from following right after, even if he tried.
Pleasure and bliss washed over them, even as the painful ache and sheer lust died down. And for once... They didn't immediately wake.
They were laying, widthwise, on the bed when they came out of their pleasure fog. He took a moment to look at the beautiful shadow of red hair that she cast against the light of the fireplace.
She took a few more deep breaths as she laid next to him. He could swear he could feel the pounding of her heart in her chest just now starting to calm. A slight but smug smile graced his lips at that.
"Are you near?" He asked, as his one eye looked around the room, hoping to find a clue.
She smiled against his arm and chuckled.
"Getting closer, I hope... I have a lead. It would help if we knew where the other is."
Oh.
"By the gods, that would help, wouldn't it? We haven't even asked."
"Well, we have been... distracted."
The laugh that left him even caught him by surprise. The giggle that left her was Adorable.
"King's landing... I'm in King's landing. At the Red keep itself."
She jolted from her spot and his arm, obviously shocked.
"What?! King's landing?! But-"
But before she could finish her sentence, they were once again thrown out of their shared dream.