Midnight Rain // Aemond Targaryen // Aegon II Targaryen (1)

18. Closer to You

Wonderland // Ned Stark // Peryr Baelish out now!

Vaemond Velaryon spoke for his niece's funernal as they prepared her casket to be sent to sea. As was the Velaryon way. Aisha held tight to her brothers hand. She couldn't believe she was gone... just gone. It seemed just a tame word for what had happened. She was burned alive. She wanted to go out with a dragon riders death. It seemed a normal thing, to die in childbirth. Aisha looked over at Baela and Rhaena. They had known her sister longer than Aisha had. They got more years with her, Aisha would never get that again.

''We join today at the seat of the sea to commit the lady Lena of house Valeryon to the eternal waters and domination of the Merling king where he will guard her for all her days to come as she sets to see for final voyage the lady Laena leaves to true born daughters on the shore though their mother will not return from her voyage they will all remain bound together in blood salt courses through velaryon blood. Ours runs thick. Ours runs true. And ours must never thin.'' Damon chuckled at that. And at that her casket was sent into the waters. Aisha took a step forward watching it sink. Her sister. Gone.

Massacred by her own dragon.

''My gentleness may the winds be as strong as your back you were sees as calm as your spirit and your nets be as full as your heart. From the sea we came. The sea we shall return.'' Daemon's daughters stood with their grandmother while Daemon was impatient to get on with it. Aisha stared back at Daemon, he didn't look sad. He was married to her sister for almost 10 year and he had a smug smile on his face. Aisha wanted to drown him.

+

''Have you seen your father?'' Rhaenyra asked coming up to Jace. ''Your little cousins have lost their mother. Aisha lost her sister. They could use a kind word.'' Rhaenyra offered glancing to Daemon's daughters.

''I have an equal claim to sympathy.'' Jace countered.

''Jace.''

''We should be at Harrenhal, mourning Lord Lyonel and Ser Harwin.'' Jace countered.

''It would not be appropriate. The Velaryons are our kin and the Strongs are not.'' Rhaenyra reminded him, Jace scoffed. ''Look at me. Do you understand?''

''Hand turns loom; spool of green, spool of black; dragons of flesh weaving dragons of thread. Hand turns loom; spool of green..." Helaena remarked finding a spider on the ground she eased it into her hand

''We have nothing in common.'' Aegon scoffed downing his drink

''She's our sister.'' Aemond reminded him

''You marry her, then.'' Aegon sneered grabbing another drink "I have my sights set on someone else and now... Gods." Aegon groaned. He looked around for Aisha but she was nowhere in sight.

''I would perform my duty, if mother had only betrothed us.'' Aemond said obediently but he was glad it wasn't him either.

''If only.'' Aegon said with a scoff.

''It would strengthen the family. Keep our Valyrian blood pure.'' Aemond reminded him

''She's an idiot.'' Aegon corrected

''She's your future queen.'' Aemond retorted.

''We actually do have one thing in common. We both fancy creatures with very long legs.'' Aegon mused with a chuckle as he walked off, leaving Aemond to sneer at him hatred.

''Wench! Another!'' Aegon declared clasping his hands together joyously.

''Aegon.'' Aemond hissed

''...dragon's flesh, weaving dragons of thread." Helaena went on trapping the spider between her hand and a geode.

+

"Can you feel her?" Laenor asked.

"No..." Aisha said softly.

"Neither can I."

"Did you know? Did you feel it when she passed?" Aisha asked.

"I had a dream... I woke in a sweat and..." Aisha pulled the waves in towards them. Bringing the sparkly currents in. She had lost Laena and Aegon.

She had thought for years that Alicent liked her, she thought for years that Aegon would be hers but now Alicent had announced the union between Aegon and Helaena. It broke her heart and then the news of Laena's death hit their ears and Aisha felt her world just shatter. Her nieces were strangers, Laena's husband was a stranger with a wicked grin. Aegon was her sense of security but now he wasn't hers anymore.

They were supposed to go to Dragonstone, Aisha put up a fuss saying she couldn't leave Aegon. She couldn't she was to be his wife but then Alicent and Viserys made the announcement and Aisha couldn't even look at Aegon. All their promises for the future gone.

Gone. Such a tame word. Overused. But everything felt like it was slipping away. All her plans and goals her future. What she thought she once knew, gone.

+

''Lyonel Strong's son's been staring at you since the moment we arrived, Your Grace. Unabashedly.'' Criston remarked

''It is only a look of pride, Ser Criston.'' Alicent corrected ''Larys is the new Lord of Harrenhal.''

''Both my seat and High Tide will be yours one day, Lucerys.'' Corlys remarked. ''Your brother will be king, of course. He'll sit on endless councils and ceremonies, but Lord of the Tides rules the sea.'' But Luke shook his head softly.

''Sorry. I don't want it.'' He whispered.

''It's your birthright, lad.'' Corlys reminded.

''If I'm the Lord of Driftmark, it means everyone's dead.'' Luke corrected as he walked off.

''I'm very sorry." Jace said coming up to his cousins.

''Thank you.'

''Thank you.'' The twins echoed. Rhaena grabbed Jace's hand keeping him with her as they sat in a sad silence. But Rhaenys came up to her granddaughters and Jace stepped aside.

''Grandma..." Rhaena sobbed ''I don't want Mother to be gone.''

"Have you met your aunt Aisha?" Rhaenys asked them. "I know she would love to meet you..."

"we read the ravens she sent..." Baela told Rhaenys.

"We haven't seen her since they put mother in the water." Rhaena agreed.

Laenor and Aisha stood in the waters he wouldn't move from the seas needing to be closer to their sister.

"Retrieve your patron." Corlys hissed to his protector. Aemond looked over the cliffside to see Aisha laying back in the water.

"Brother." Vaemond said pulling Corlys back, he begrudgingly released ser Qarl.

''Your girls are the very image of their mother.'' Viserys remarked ''A comfort and an anguish, as I well remember.'' Viserys added. ''The gods can be cruel.''

''It seems they've been especially cruel to you.'' Daemon remarked and Viserys chuckled.

''Yes.'' He agreed ''You should return with us to King's Landing. It's time that you came home.'' Viserys insisted

''Pentos is my home... and that of my children.'' Daemon corrected.

''Daemon... I know we've had our differences, but let them pass with the years. There's a place for you in my court if that's something you should need.'' Viserys said softly.

''I need... nothing.'' Daemon corrected.

''Brother." Viserys begged as he passed.

''I'm sorry for your loss, my Prince.''

''No matter how fat the leech grows, it always wants for another meal.'' Daemon sneered as he passed