ELLIPSISM, aemond targaryen

[023] back to the viper's nest

THE STARS WERE much better seen above the clouds than anywhere else, so Aemma spent most of her flight there. Meraxes also seemed to be more relaxed with the freedom she had there even though she usually didn't like trips with a given destination. Even with Aemma, she much preferred to leave things to chance and simply fly wherever she wanted.

The dark blue night sky studded with stars eventually turned a soft pink and the first rays of the sun began to warm Aemma's face.

"We are close," Aemma pointed out. "Meraxes, we must go under the clouds."

Meraxes gave in with obvious reluctance and flew lower under the clouds. The day was not as beautiful as it was above the clouds.

The clouds were dark gray, ready to start raining and the wind was stronger than Aemma expected. Because of it, she didn't hear anything and when she looked down she saw that the grass, flowers and grain in the field were barely sticking to the ground.

If this isn't a sign that I should go home, then I don't know, Aemma thought but continued on her way anyway.

After flying for a while, she finally saw the roofs of the houses in King's Landing. It looked exactly as she remembered. No improvements, no deteriorations, just old buildings that have looked the same for years.

Looking at the city, Aemma again felt the urge to turn around and go back to Luke and Jace, but now that someone had probably already seen her, it would be cowardly to go back. And Aemma would rather die than have anyone in King's Landing get the feeling that she is afraid of them. She wasn't afraid of them. Rather, she was afraid of all the memories she wanted to forget, but which the others here would constantly remind her of. That's what she was afraid of.

Despite the fact that Aemma thought for a while whether she and Meraxes couldn't land directly at the castle (whereby she might accidentally let Meraxes eat Aegon), she finally decided to head to the Dragonpit and go to the Red Keep alone.

Circling around the Dragonpit for a while, Meraxes finally descended to the ground, a cloud of dust rose from the ground as she landed on it. Aemma looked at the gate to the Dragonpit that let the dragons out as several dragonriders ran out with wooden sticks in their hands.

"Dohaerās!" One of them called as Meraxes narrowed her eyes at the dragonriders.

A really bad idea considering Meraxes was taught by Aemma what Daemon taught her: do what you want, no one has the right to order you around.

"Umbās! Rybās!"

The orders kept coming and Aemma could see that it was getting on Meraxes' nerves. Before Meraxes could burn the Dragonpit after spending about twenty seconds there, Aemma jumped off her back and placed a hand on her neck.

"Lykirī, Meraxes. Please. It's all right," she said quietly.

Although Meraxes was very reluctant to obey, she stopped showing her displeasure and calmed down. Not because Aemma ordered her to, but because she asked her to.

Aemma turned towards the dragonriders who retreated after handling the situation herself. Even though she recognized some of them as the people who helped her train with Meraxes when she was younger, she didn't see a hint of recognition on their faces. They looked at her unreadably, partly warily.

"Meraxes is tired from the journey. She will probably need food and water," Aemma said.

Neither of them moved.

Aemma raised an eyebrow. "Are you deaf? Or should I put my requirements on a paper?"

"Identify yourself," one of them called.