I see fire ~ Aeamond Targaryen

𝐓𝐰𝐨 ~ Close an Eye

(I recommend listening to Dream On by Aerosmith while reading this chapter. If you read at the right speed the parts of the song will line up well.)

   A few months later Daenaera's entire family stood on the coast of the Driftmark for her Aunt Laena's funeral. Daenaera had commanded her dragons to stay at the top of the cliff so they did not interfere with the service.

After the main part of the funeral, Daenaera sat with her cousins.
"I won't pretend to understand your pain, but I am sorry," she said apologetically. Her two cousins looked at each other, and then Baela spoke up.
"Thank you, Princess Daenaera."
"You are my blood. There is no need to use titles."

~

Later that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Daenaera was woken by a knock on her door. Veraxes and Vhalor also awoke, and Vhalor stalked over to the door to sniff at it. Veraxes stayed curled in her spot at the end of Daenaera's bed, her head raised to look at the door.
"Dae. Let us in!" whispered her younger brother. At the sound of Lucerys' voice, Daenaera rolled out of bed and walked to the door, grabbing her winged dagger on the way.

As she opened the door Daenaera saw a teary-eyed Rhaena being hugged by Baela. All three of the children were fully dressed and had clearly been awake for some time.
"Someone stole Vhagar," explained Lucerys, "And we are going to find out who it was."
"Oh." Daenaera thought for a moment. "Well, you three go down to the dragon pit. I'll get Jacaerys and meet you there."
"But I want-"
"I will meet you there, Luce." Daenaera pulled her brother into a hug, and as she did she pressed her dagger into his hand. "Only use it for protection. For you and the girls," she whispered into her brother's ear before pulling back from the hug. He looked into her eyes and nodded.

~

   Minutes later the silver-haired princess was at her older brother's door, knocking. It swung open.
"What? Dae? Why are you here?" Jacaerys questioned, studying his sister.
"Get dressed. Lucerys and the girls need us." Her brother immediately turned back into her room to get dressed. Once he had put on trousers, they heard a young girl scream. Daenaera's eyes flashed to her brothers, and he nodded.

   The two eldest Velaryon children ran down the corridors, Jacaerys still wearing his nightshirt. Veraxes and Vhalor followed behind. As Jacaerys and Daenaera walked into the dragon pit, they saw Aemond punch Baela, Rhaena pushing herself off the floor and Lucerys running at the blond prince. Jacaerys immediately walked forward and threw a punch at Aemond, preventing him from getting to his brother. Aemond, being bigger than Jace, easily pushed him back. As Jace fell, Daenaera screamed and Veraxes roared. Hearing her scream, Aemond looked up at her, with almost concern in his eyes.

   Three seconds later Aemond himself was screaming, blood dripping from the deep cut on his face. Lucerys dropped the dagger, took three steps back and fell into Daenaera's arms. She checked that her younger brother was okay, then passed him to Jacaerys. Footsteps were coming from down the corridor, and Daenaera didn't want her brothers to be in trouble so she ran to Aemonds side. After picking up the dagger on the floor, she wiped his blood on her sleeve and put her head on the side of his face. The side blood was not pouring from.
"Aemond, Aemond stop screaming. You're okay. Look at me. Look at me Aemond." Daenaera begged him to stop screaming.
"Daeny help," Aemond mumbled between his sobs. Soon Daenaera was pulled back by a guard and began yelling and thrashing until she was released. Veraxes and Vhalor were circling the guard.
"Let go of my brothers or they will burn you all!"

~

   "What is the meaning of this?" Corlys spoke loudly, striding into his hall with Rhaenyra and Rhaenys in tow. When Baela and Rhaena saw their grandmother, they sped towards her and she immediately embraced them, checking them for wounds. Corlys and Rhaenyra ran to Jacaerys, Daenaera and Lucerys who were standing between two white beasts. The Princess bent to check her sons and daughter for any injuries, gasping when she saw Lucerys' nose.

   When asked what happened, all the children started yelling, each telling a slightly different story. Rhaena told almost the whole truth, being too tired and emotional to realise how much trouble that would get her in. Baela left out the bit where she ran at Aemond, making his attack seem more unprovoked. Lucerys was barely managing to speak but told his mother that Aemond called him and his siblings bastards. Jacaerys made Aemond's attack seem completely unprovoked and unfair, as he was older. Daenaera, on the other hand, just kept telling, "I took his eye and he deserved it!"

   That was the claim Alicent heard the loudest.

   "Viserys, do you hear her? The girl is admitting that she doesn't even regret it." the Queen cried to her husband. Viserys claimed that it was an accident, but Alicent was determined to get some form of revenge. When her husband refused to seek it and ordered his guards to ignore the Queen, she attempted it herself. Taking the decorative knife from the King's belt, she ran at Daenaera.

   Rhaenyra stopped her. Holding back the knife-wielding hand with one hand and the other grabbing Alicent's open shoulder.
"You've gone too far," Rhaenyra whispers to her oldest friend, to her sister.
"I? What have I done but what was expected of me? Forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law, while you forgot it all to do as you pleased." Alicent gasped and cried between words, her desperation clear.
"Alicent, let her go!" commanded the king. Alicent ignored him and kept speaking.
"Where is duty? Where is sacrifice?! It's trampled under your pretty foot once again. And now you take my son's eye? To even that you feel entitled."
"Exhausting, wasn't it? Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness. But now they see you as you are." Rhaenyra replied, her voice calmer and steadied than Alicent's. The Queen pulled the blade down, slicing the heirs arm, and staggered back. Rhaenyra fell into Lord Corlys' arms and Daenaera stood slightly in front of her mother; Veraxes at her side and Vhalor not far behind.

   Blood dripped from Princess Rhaenyra's arm, onto the floor. The steel dagger fell from Alicent's and dropped to the floor as well.

  It was Aemond who finally broke the silence that had divided the room.
"Do not mourn me, mother. It was a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon." His mother looked at him, and he walked over to hug her. The room was cloaked in silence for a few moments as Alicent's eyes became empty and Rhaenyra's filled with worry.
"This proceeding is at an end." ordered the King, before he stalked out of the room.

(Hiya! Thank you so much for the votes and comments. The next part should be up by Thursday/Friday at the latest, and I'm going to try and upload weekly, maybe more if I am not too busy with school :))