The Prince and His Flower

T W E N T Y - T W O

Aemma knew she should turn back, she should not show up unannounced, but something pushed her to fly to Dragonstone. As the island came into view, it was unmistakable for anything else. Dragonstone was a fortress, large, and formidable. Terrax circled the island as he looked for somewhere suitable to land, settling for the beach. 

As Aemma climbed out of the saddle, Terrax slid his body into the sand as he curled around himself. 

"You must be tired. Do not worry, you are safe to rest here." Aemma said as she rubbed his nose. She then turned and began to walk up the beach towards the narrow, winding staircase that led to the gates of Dragonstone. The air was biting, and Aemma's nose turned red. 

"Greetings, Princess!" The guard called out as the gates opened before her. It did not take much guessing to figure out who arrived by dragonback. "Allow me to escort you to your mother." 

Aemma took in a breath of air as she prepared herself to see her mother. In truth, she missed her brothers, but she had not sent a single raven inquiring about her mother. Every time Aemma responded to her brothers, she refused to even acknowledge the words written about her. Aemma had even gone so far as to write individual letters to Jace, Luke, and Daemon. She once told her brothers to tell the servants they were in her nightly prayers. They stopped including news of their mother after that.

"Your Grace, you have a visitor. Princess Aemma Velaryon." The guard announced. Rhaenyra was seated at a table with Jace by her side as they read a Valyrian book, Luke sat by their feet, playing with a wooden sword. All three of their heads whipped at the mention of the name.

"Aemma? Aemma!" Luke and Jace ran to their sister and wrapped her in a hug so tight she could scarcely breathe, but she hugged them just as tight. Jace had grown quite a bit, but Aemma stood taller than Luke now.

"What are you doing here?" Jace asked as he grinned at his sister. 

"I was flying, and I had the urge to visit." Aemma broke out into a wide smile as she hugged her brothers once more. 

"Aemma, my sweet girl." Rhaenyra said as she stood behind her sons. She took in the sight of Aemma; her dark circles under her eyes and her gloved hands, but other than that she looked healthy. Rhaenyra was nervous about how Aemma would react, but her nerves disappeared as Aemma wrapped her arms around her mother. Aemma was still angry at her mother, but she still missed her. 

"I missed you." Rhaenyra said as she kissed her daughter's head.

"I missed you, too." Aemma buried her face in her mother's side before Luke and Jace pulled her away. 

"Come on, Aemma! Let us show you our rooms!" Luke said. Aemma smiled as she allowed herself to be led away by her brothers.

"I told you she would visit." Daemon said as he entered the room, embracing his wife.

"Yes, but I fear she still holds ill feelings against us. Me." Rhaenyra said.

"More than likely. But do not dwell on it. I won't" Daemon said as he stroked Rhaenyra's hair. 

"Oh, Aemma, you have to see the Dragonmont! It's massive! Daemon says Vermithor and Silverwing are in there somewhere! The dragontrainers here are nicer too!" Luke chattered on as Aemma looked at her surroundings. The walls were bare, aside from the dragons carved into them, and the lanterns for when night fell. Dragonstone seemed like a barren island, but Aemma loved it. It told a story, and it was if she felt the ghost of Aegon the Conqueror walked these halls. 

"How is it in Kings Landing?" Jace asked her, pulling her out of her trance.

"It is nice, I feel lonely without you two, but Helaena and Aegon make the days enjoyable." Aemma smiled.

"Aegon?" Jace asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes, Aegon. He has been very kind to me these past few months." Aemma recalled when she spoonfed her breakfast and chuckled.

"What about Aemond?" Luke asked. He felt remorseful for taking his eye, but he was threatening his family. 

"We do not speak." Aemma said, all traces of her smile gone.

"Why?" Luke asked.

"Because he was cruel." Aemma said.

"Maybe he was afraid, or angry." Luke said.

"Emotions do not justify what he said." Aemma gave her brother a look of warning, silently telling him to change the topic.

"But they justify what I did?" Luke ignored the warning.

"No. It is a complicated situation." Aemma took a deep breath.

"I just think that it would be understandable if you forgave him." Luke shrugged, and Aemma wanted to smack his head. 

"There is nothing to forgive." Aemma said.

"Of course there is-" Luke was cut off.

"Luke! Enough of this." Aemma stopped walking and held up a gloved finger as Luke frowned.

"Why do you cover your hands?" He asked. 

"Because they are ugly." Aemma frowned at Luke's question. Her hands were terribly ugly, and every time she looked at them, she thought of their father, dead, in the hearth.

"Nothing on you could ever be ugly." Jace interjected. 

"Will you show us?" Luke asked.

"Luke." Jace warned him; he did not wish to push his sister, but Aemma simply closed her eyes and pulled the glove off of her left hand. It shook as she did so, moreso out of fear than its usual tremor. 

Aemma opened one of her eyes and saw Jace and Luke staring intently at her hand. It looked like waves at sea, ripples in her skin, which was red and pulled taught against the bone. On the top of her hand, the long scar where Luke had cut her remained, dark red and puckered.

"Can I touch it?" Luke asked. Aemma pursed her lips and nodded. She hadn't shown anyone her scars after they healed, and she was scared her brothers were going to find them disgusting.

Luke reached out and ran his fingers along Aemma's hand, and slowly flipped it over, so her palm was facing him. He traced the raised ripples on her skin, ignoring the shakiness of her hand.

"Jace was right. It's not ugly." Luke said as he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. Aemma could barely feel it, but she felt the pressure from his lips. Jace pulled her other hand into his.

"Can I?" He asked, glancing from her face to her glove.

"Go ahead." Aemma said. Jace slowly pulled off Aemma's glove and examined her other hand, which was completely still.

"You could lie and say you got these from a dragon." Luke said as he finished his inspection.

"I think everyone already knows how I got them." Aemma frowned as she recalled the horrific memory. 

Luke hugged Aemma's arm as he saw her face fall, but she quickly regained her composure and patted him on the head, removing her hand from Jace's grasp. 

"Thank you." Aemma said as they continued to walk to Jace and Luke's chambers.

"For what?" Jace asked.

"For not making me feel ugly." Aemma smiled as she reached out and ruffled Jace's hair, and they continued walking, together.

A\N This one was short, but next chapter she'll go back to Kings Landing and then I'll do a two-three year timejump for Aegon and Helaena's wedding.