Ashes In The Castle ||| Aemond Targaryen

six

Naerys returned to the castle with haste and first checked on Rhaenyra, who hugged her. And then scolded her for doing something so reckless.

Her next stop was her brothers. Luke had a broken nose, which he claimed he was given after fighting with Aemond.

"Yes, you took his eye. What were you thinking, bringing a knife to that fight?" Naerys knew what he did was extremely serious. And despite her hatred of him, unfair.

"He called us all bastards and attacked Baela!"

Naerys shook her head. "I understand that. But you have taken a boy's eye. It isn't something that will heal, like a broken nose. Just... stay out of trouble."

When she'd dealt with her sibling and felt the guilt of being absent, Naerys left the quarters and returned to the landing from the previous day. She needed to clear her head.

Instead, though, she found Aemond. He had a great big length of bandage covering his left eye. The one that Luke took.

"You finally have a dragon. At a cost, I see." Naerys voice caused the boy to turn. He held his head high, though, when he saw it was her.

"A fair exchange. Vhagar, the biggest dragon of all accepted me as her rider."

The girl shrugged. "She's old. A lapse in judgment."

"It does not matter. She is still mine. And now you remain the only Strong sibling without a dragon."

He was only trying to hurt her. Naerys shot back immediately. "There are riderless dragons on Dragonstone. One of them will be mine, one bigger than all except Vhagar."

"Yet you still haven't claimed one. And it has been weeks. Maybe you really don't have any Targaryen blood. The hair must just be for show."

Aemond walked back towards the castle. He thought Naerys' silence was a sign of his victory. She was not finished.

"If you ever dare to speak to me like that again, I will have your other eye. Don't forget it."

He paused at the entrance to High Tide. His family would be leaving soon.

"I'd like to see you try. I'll take yours before you take mine.

Naerys smiled and looked at him. "The next time we meet, you will not recognize me. That is a promise I make to you."

They stared at each other for a moment. Nothing but loathing passed between them.

Until a knight collected him. Naerys held his state until he had to break it to go to the port.

She hated him.

***

"This will cost Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys their only remaining child."

***

There was no way the weeks could become worse. Truly.

It only turned up when Laenor tried to be more present for his children. He spent the nights with them, reading them stories and recounting stories.