ELLIPSISM, aemond targaryen

[008] bastards

"FIRE IS FASCINATING, don't you think? Able to destroy as well as create, it is an essential part of life and we need it, yet it is responsible for such destruction and death. When you think about it, fire is actually like a living being."

Aemond didn't bother to think about it, instead he hummed and wrote something down in the book about dragons that he was reading.

Aemma was holding a tree branch between her two fingers, a small flame was burning at the end of the branch that was spreading along the branch and approaching her fingers.

"Despite the fact that it has a place to burn, it is not enough for it, it needs more. Maybe because as soon as fire gets something, fire destroys it and that's why it needs something new to continue its life," Aemma murmured, tilting her head, flames reflecting in her eyes. "Destruction is the meaning of its life."

The boy who was leaning against the tree trunk didn't answer her, he just blew away a leaf that landed on his book. He then darted his eyes from the picture of the dragon in the book to the sky, wondering what the dragon would look like in the sky and how big it would be.

Aemma was clearly not bothered that he did not answer her, she just let go of the branch when she felt the hot flame begin to lick her index finger.  "Fire is really like a living being, in that case, because to live it needs to destroy and also to breathe."

"Breathe?" Aemond gave her a strange look. "Where did you hear that fire needs to breathe? From Helaena after she claimed that plants have feelings?"

"Plants have feelings," Aemma said firmly and he rolled his eyes. "I actually came up with it myself." Aemma reached for the glass she had taken outside with her.

"Fire needs to breathe and it needs freedom because without it," Aemma muttered, placing the glass on the small fire. "it will die."

Aemond and Aemma watched as the fire under the glass gradually died down, one bored the other fascinated and a little sad at the same time, as if sensing a deeper meaning behind the whole action.

"I have a question."

Aemma didn't look at him. "I'm listening."

"Why are you never where you're supposed to be?" Aemond asked her blankly.

Aemma turned her head to him, head tilted. "As far as I know you should also be in your room now studying philosophy."

He watched her and then returned to his book. "Fair enough."

Aemma hadn't planned on spending the afternoon away from her family, especially not with Aemond, but after Helaena found her and told her about the offer Rhaenyra had made, Aemma needed some alone time.

However, her solitude wasn't any better company, and she immediately regretted not staying in the room with Jace and Luke, as her brothers would surely have comforted her. But then it occurred to her that Rhaenyra had to go back and she was the last person Aemma wanted to see.

So she joined the only person she found sitting outside, and despite Aemond not wanting to spend time with her, he didn't say anything to her, especially since he wasn't supposed to be there himself.

"My mother wanted me to practice dancing. Apparently, the tutors complain about me," Aemond explained after a moment.

Aemma snorted. "Dancing is not difficult if you know what you are doing."

He scoffed. "You forget that the only girls are you and Helaena and you wanted to dance together. My dance partner was Aegon."

Aemma giggled but stopped when he glared at her.