𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐄 ~ aemond targaryen (discontinued)

1 ~ The Pink Dread ~ 1

"Behold," the boys chanted in unison as I began to cringe, especially once noticing Aemonds own face of distraught. "the Pink Dread!"

They had offered Aemond a pig decorated with false wings, snickering at his embarrassment.

"We managed to find Khaelyra's final living relative." Aegon circled me, snorting in my face, the two dark-haired boys laughing at his unimaginative jest. "It may even be your mother. You both do bare an uncanny resemblance."

"Im sure you're getting confused Aegon. Is this not the beast you take to bed each night, I heard she was an ugly creature but surely your eyesight isnt so terrible to confuse a woman with a farm animal?" I quipped, hands clasped innocently by my sternum, posing as the ever so perfect princess, even if the realm did not consider me as such. "I cant deny, however, you both seem the perfect couple. A shame she had to settle for such a horror." My smile was passive and sweet.

Aegon's grin became nasty, the joyous delight in his eyes birthed from terrorising Aemond and I melting away. My half-brother tended to forget, I too had wit. Only mines was better, his was reduced to finding pigs humorous, or attractive, by my own implications.

Aegon moved to speak in Aemonds ear as the boy watched the pig which was sniffing the dingy ground of the pit. "Be sure to mount her carefully; first flights always rough."

"You would know." I muttered, too quietly for my oldest brother to hear over the sound of his own snort.

I peaked up at Aemond once the boys had left, their quiet snickering still echoing in the large chamber. "Pay them no heed, Aemond, theyre just bored."

"They gave me a pig." He gritted out, swallowing down his tears of rage.

"They're the pigs." I shrugged, "Plus, even I, who has a dragon, still gets poked fun at. Best to take it on the chin." I smiled with pursed lips.

"How are you so unbothered?" Aemond squinted up at me, swiping a fist at the single, runaway tear, "Aegon called your mother a pig."

"If I allowed myself to rise against every insult thrown my way, I would spend my entire lifetime doing so. I would need to make a career from it." I stepped up to clap the rather large pig, fat and round and likely dearly missed by the poor farmer who lost him. "In my opinion, the thoughts of others are none of my business, even if they revolve around me and my supposed pig mother, they are not my own."

"But your mother isn't a pig," he kicked at a stone, "Its the truth that I dont have a dragon. They make jest on the truth."

Picking up the rope, the pigs make-shift leash, I knew it would be cruel to leave the poor animal here where it would surely be flamed alive and consumed. Though most would agree that was the entire purpose of a pig, whether eaten by human or dragon.

"You're due to have a dragon some day, Aemond. But for now its best not to obsess over something that can't be changed and to take action when it can."

"It's them who obsess." He grumbled and I flicked his chin in response.

"Take it on the chin. Who knows, perhaps one day you'll fly a dragon larger than the Black Dread and make them eat their words." I began to lead the pig from the pits, aware of Aemonds gloomy presence at my back.

"Thats as likely as your hair turning silver and your blood becoming pure." He snarked a bitterness in his voice I knew wasn't entirely directed at me. I didn't allow his words to hurt even if they may have in the past.

I glared at him anyway until he realised his contribution to those insults I had no choice but to ignore. Hearing them come from my closest and perhaps only friend still managed to sting just a little, even though he hadn't meant them.