𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐈𝐄 | aemond targaryen

𝟎. prologue

❝the earth is littered with empires 

that believed they were eternal❞

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Visenya Velaryon was a bastard.

She knew it from the way Laenor Velaryon looked at his daughter, from when she examined her features in the mirror trying desperately to prove any inch of her was the blood of the sea snake and discovering nothing. 

Over time, she accepted this fact and at the mere age of ten she no longer cared and it seemed no one else did. Visenya looked the part of a Targaryen and that was all that mattered to petty whisperers within the court of the red keep. That she had 'inherited more of her mother.'

Then why was it that her mother seemed to be the only one to treat her like a bastard?

Rhaenyra Targaryen was the heir to the throne and had all the makings of a true queen, she was a kind woman who loved her children with all her heart. But with each new son bore from the affair she was pursuing with Ser Harwin Strong, it seemed she cared less and less for her only daughter.

Visenya knew she was not Harwin's daughter, she had little idea of who her true father was but did not truly wish to find out. She wondered if perhaps her father had something to do with why her mother had withdrawn from Visenya.

However the child had not let this be her ruin, finding comfort in her mothers old friend Queen Alicent.

The green clad woman had observed as Visenya was left in her chambers as Rhaenyra and her bastards would go riding with her paramour or simply not acknowledge her daughter's existence at the dinner table.

Truly, at first Alicent only sought out the girl to make Rhaenyra angry. Alicent wanted to prove that she could take something from her old friend for once rather than let her prance around all high and mighty. But then, over time the Queen's heart grew soft for Visenya who reminded her of younger self. Alicent decided if Rhaenyra would not be a mother to her child, she would.

And so started Rhaenyra's downfall.

Visenya practically became a fifth child to Alicent and in turn, held the affections of all of the Queen's children. Even Aegon warmed up to his niece but no one so much as Aemond.

As the second children were so close in age, they found astounding similarities within each other. One of the main ones being, their bitterness at their lack of dragons.

The two would sit for hours, talking of the adventures they could have once they took to dragon back. Visenya wanted to visit dorne and fly above the country and see if they could smell the spices from all the way up in the air. Aemond had wrinkled his nose at that, having no true fondness for the Dornish but when his friend threw her head back in laughter he was truly undone. Maybe Dorne wouldn't be that bad.

Alicent, who had overheard this conversation as she entered the library where Amenond and Visenya usually spent their time while the rest of their family trained their dragons, was pulled back into a memory of her and Rhaenyra in the gardens talking of very similar things.

The Queen pressed a hand to her chest, brow furrowing in a melancholic way. She hoped their dreams would go much better than her and Rhaenyra's had.

As the years progressed, many others had noticed the two's fondness of one another. One being the king himself.

Visenya's grandsire adored his only granddaughter, to the point that it was obvious who his favourite of his grandchildren were although he never believed anyone noticed. She was the only one to sit with him as his health began to deteriorate, telling him little stories that she had read in the library that he knew by heart but still asked her to tell him again and again.

Visenya seemed to be the only one who did not see him as a means to the iron throne.

And because he was more observant than others would assume, he saw the looks his son and granddaughter would send one another at dinner in silent communication and how it seemed Aemond's eyes would never truly leave Visenya, even when she looked away.

"I propose a betrothal." Viserys announced to his small council. "Between Visenya of house Verlaryon and Aemond of house Targaryen."

"Pardon?" Rhaenyra said, raising an eyebrow at her father as Alicent studied her expression carefully. "You wish to join my daughter and your son in marriage?"

"I think it a fine match, your grace." Corlys said, with a nod of his head. Like most he knew Visneya was not his grandchild but truly, that did not matter to him. She looked the part of the blood of old Valyria and not much else mattered, and she truly was a charming little girl.

Rhaenyra looked around the table, seeing none who objected to the betrothal. Even Alicent had a small half smile on her face at the idea of making Visenya a lawful part of her little family.

"Come, daughter." Viserys said with a smile. "Don't you want what's best for the future of the realm and the preservation of old Valyria? The two seem quite fond of one another so you don't have to be worried about a loveless marriage."

Rhaenyra wasn't worried about that, she hadn't given much thought into her daughter's future let alone her marriage. She was more worried about the promise that a part of her would be forever linked the Alicent.

"Of course." Rhaenyra said with a forced smile. "A fine match indeed."

Viserys was triumphant in his matchmaking skills and seeing his lady wife with the most pleased expression he had seen on her features in so long solidified his opinion not he matter.

When the news was announced to the children themselves, they were quite content with their betrothal. Visenya professed to Alicent that she couldn't see herself living life without her 'closest companion' at her side and was glad she wouldn't have to.

Aemond himself was overjoyed. He had already requested to be assigned to Visenya as her sworn protector once his training was over so as to spend as long as possible with her before her mother inevitably married her off to some Lannister cunt so finding out she would be marrying him felt as though how he imagined riding through the air upon a dragon would feel.

And so, binding of Visenya and Aemond through marriage had begun. While the binding of their souls had begun much earlier, some would say, even before birth they were made from the same flames and destined to become one. No truer love had been known since the good Queen Alysanne and Jaeharys so many years ago.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.