The Fire That Burns Within US - Aemond Targaryen

Bitter-Sweet Goodbyes

135 - Red Keep

When Visenya first woke up, she was confused about where she was; the walls of her old room had become unfamiliar. Visenya had woken up before Ben, choosing to get ready herself and let the man sleep. She had dressed in her regular clothes with her black dragon-scale chest plate and put her hair up into a ponytail, not braiding it. Visenya had left her chamber to see her family off and tell Luke that he should apologize to Aemond for laughing at the pig and edging him on.

Even the crisp morning air of King's Landing smells like shit, and the sun shines into the courtyard, and Visenya will miss the greyness of the north and lack of sun in the morning. Visenya squints her eyes at the sun and tries to see through her blindness. Joffrey is the first one to spot Visenya. The two siblings have not seen each other yet, but as he shouts out her name, Visenya knows what's coming. Visenya crouches down as Joffrey comes barreling towards her. Visenya picks up her little brother and kisses him all over the boy's face.

"My goddess, you have grown. You'll be as tall as Luke soon," Visenya tells Joffrey, and he wraps his arms around her neck. Both of them had missed each other dearly. Visenya kisses his cheek and whispers in his ear. "Father was right about you. You will make a fine knight in no time,"

"Are you coming back with us?" Joffrey asks Visenya; for a split second, she does consider going back to Dragonstone with the rest of the family, but she can't.

"I'm afraid I am not, but I will only be a short dragon ride away, and if you send me a raven, I will fly to Dragonstone to see you," Visenya tells him. If she is to stay in King's Landing, she will visit her family when she can.

"Or I can fly to you,"

"And what dragon would you ride? Has Tyraxes gone as much as you have?" Visenya humours her brother. She doubts that Tyraxes has grown enough to ride yet. She had seen the dragons fly overhead, and her brother's dragons seemed smaller than they should be. Perhaps Morghon was not as spoiled as the other dragons.

"I can fly another dragon. Like Syraxs," Joffrey answers, and Visenya clicks her tongue at her brother's words.

"You can't ride a dragon that has already been claimed," Visenya tells him; she would hate for her brother to be foolish enough to try and mount an already claimed dragon. "I promise that I will come to visit you, and we will see each other again at my wedding,"

Joffrey looks around the courtyard, liking being at a taller height in Visenya's hold. Behind them, leaning in the archway of the entrance of the courtyard, is Aemond. The prince has his arms folded behind his back and a cold, unfriendly look in his eye. Jace and Luke had told him stories about how cruel Aemond was after Visenya had left. The prince lives up to the story in appearance for Joffrey. Sensing Joffrey's discomfort Visenya looks to where he is looking, and she gives Aemond a nod which he returns. Aemond had come to apologize to the Strong boys as Visenya had him too. He doesn't expect Luke to apologize to him.

"He's scary," Joffrey whispers to Visenya, and she has to hold back a laugh.

"Don't tell Aemond I told you this, but he is a big softy. Like Morghon," Visenya whispers back to him. She would like at least one of her brothers to get along with Aemond.

"Joffrey," Rhaenyra calls out for him. She and Daemon had both been watching the interaction between Visenya and Joffrey. Upon hearing their mother's voice, Joffrey looks over to her, and Visenya puts him back onto the ground.

"I'll see you soon, okay," Visenya promise him, both of them hugging each other tightly. "I love you,"

Joffrey goes back to the royal carriage, and Rhaenyra moves towards her daughter, a hand gently rubbing her belly.