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Aemond stood on the tree branch waiting as he normally did in the mornings. Today was special, for it was that time of year when she would emerge. Every time his time to go back up to his cave in the winter mountains came around, he would be able to spend almost a moon's turn speaking and walking with her. Interacting only when his time allows. The ice in his veins felt warmer when she was near, the coldness of his winter months easier to deal with. He neither could explain what drew him to her, nor did he want to ignore it. He never loved spending time with the other seasonal god, Aegon when he arrived. The few short weeks in which their time together either consisted of fighting or bickering about what his winter ice did to his beautiful leaves. Something Aemond couldn’t control, yet with a single touch from her, the ice on the trees melted into water.
A few times he had tried to stay longer than he should have. The effects would begin to make her wither, a sickness overtook her and her power grew dimmer. Her bright eyes still shined and her smile bright yet he saw her withering away like the flowers and leaves did under his touch. Never again he stood too close or kept his time with her longer than should be since that dreaded frost nearly stole her from him forever.
So here he stood overlooking the ice covered meadow that was their domain. What happened within their sight affected the world that was beneath them. He knew there were four, yet he never met the one, their paths never deemed worthy of crossing. Movement from a bed of Dendrobium orchids began to turn a brighter blue, a rustle happening as she emerged from beneath. A hand stretching up, as her teal dress flowed around her, a smile on her lips as she viewed the world for the first time this year.
His beautiful Helaena, goddess of spring touched one of the flowers, the ice he had crafted falling away with ease. Her eyes scanning the field of cold, the frozen pond just off in the short distance and the trees in which he stood. He wanted to go to her, hold her, yet to do, so would put her back to sleep for a few more weeks and he knew that cut their time short. Her power was just surfacing, like his when he emerges from his mountain during the fall. Allowing himself to come at least a little closer, he stopped a good ten strides away. She blinked at him, slowly waking up and enjoying the bright light above them.
“It's been a long time, Helanea.” He called her name for the first time, speaking for the first time since Aegon had left.
“Has it Aemond? My naps always feel so short.” Haelanea giggled, touching another flower, watching the vibrant color grow brighter at her touch. Taking a seat the ice path he had under him crushed with the movement. The cold never felt cold to him, until her presence was near.
“Aegon has been gone for many months.”
“Ice will disappear.”
“Spring brings change.” He retorted to her riddle.
“Frost will die under the touch of spring.” Her eyes only held a warmth, yet her voice gave away her sadness.
“Well, with you it never feels like death” He smiled for the first time in a year, earning a brilliant one from her. “At least I look forward to melting every year rather than freezing things every fall.”
“Aegon is decay.” She began to stand, finding her footing.
“You are rebirth.” He watched her walk a few steps, the flowers under her still some covered in ice, yet her power started to grow.
“Daeron is Fire.” she named the summer god, one Aemond never has met, She took a few steps over to him. “Aemond is Ice.” She held out a branch, the leaves had already started to spring under touch. Aemond took the other end, watching the cold within him crawl along the wood, turning the leaves to brown and falling off, saving him a few inches away from her touch.
“Your power is still too weak.” He let go of the branch, standing and taking a few steps away.
“Then tell me how our dear Aegon is.” Helaena sat down staring up at him with her smile and curious gaze. He began to tell tales about the fall god, his eye glancing at the branch, knowing that when her power grew just a few more inches, he would be able to hold her hand instead. For he had long for her touch over these cold winter months. Long for his spring, his warmth, his Helaena.