A Beautiful Tragedy

Chapter Twenty Six

When Verena found her eldest son and Rhaenyra's sons they were watching Aemond fight Ser Criston.
Aemond was so much older.
Verena felt as though her nephew was a different person.
She watched as he dove out of harms way from the swinging ball Criston was flinging around.
When the fight ended and Aemond had won the crowd erupted in a cheer for him.
He without turning around stated,

"Nephews have you come to train?"

Jace and Luke looked taken aback as he turned around with his black eye patch and stared expectedly at them.
His eyes found Verena's and she smiled slightly and walked towards her nephew.
He stood staring at her unsure what to do.
Verena spoke warily,

"Hello, nephew...
You're so tall.
It seems yesterday that you were a small boy."

He stood still speaking,

"You would know if you had been here."

"Aemond, I wish I could've been."

She stepped closer to him and pulled him in for a hug.

"I'll make up for it.
I promise....
As long as you leave your nephews and cousins alone...
Despite what your mother says,
We are family."

He just nodded unsure what to say.
And with one last smile she took the boys away from the training grounds.

Rhaenyra after seeing her sons met with Princess Rhaenys to create an alliance through the betrothal of her sons to her grandchildren.
Baela would be queen of the seven kingdoms and Rhaena will rule in Driftmark with Lucerys.

Rhaenys did not give her an answer before walking away.
She told Rhaenyra,

"Tomorrow I must stand alone."

Rhaenyra stood their feeling worse than wear.
Making her way to plead her father for aid.