The Gathering Storm | Aemond Targaryen

Chapter 6

The moon had only just risen when Haera departed for dinner with her brothers at either side of her. She had changed from her yellow dress into one of deep blue that reminded her of Stormdancers scales, the lace trim shimmering a translucent gold.

The first person Haera laid eyes on as they entered the dining room was Ser Criston, the man staring at her with a lethal look that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

She was undoubtedly on the bad side of him after throwing the Targaryen Prince in the mud the way she did earlier.

Haera only glared back as she walked past him, allowing a servant to pull a chair out for her as she sunk down into the seat next to Daemon who had been talking to her mother.

"I hear you threw the one eyed cunt into the dirt earlier." He leaned over slightly, keeping his voice low enough for only the two of them to hear.

"You heard correctly. But he was the one who started it." Haera spoke casually as she raised a full wine goblet to her lips. Eyes trained on the door as she waited for her extended family to walk through.

"Showed him the storm did you?" When she gave him a knowing smirk he grinned, reaching for his own goblet. "Good."

Sinking down into the seat across from her, Jace gave her a knowing look. "He was throwing insults, he deserved it."

His words were clearly too loud because they caught Rhaenyras attention, her gaze looking up to bounce between her eldest and second eldest. "Who was throwing insults?"

Haera took another sip of her wine, leaning forward to look across Daemon towards her mother. "It's was nothing I couldn't handle mother."

Rhaenyra opened her mouth to respond but held onto her words as Alicent and her father entered shortly followed by Aegon and Haelena. Once their annoyingly long introductions were finished, the princess turned her attention back to her children, lowering her voice as she did, "do try to not cause problems while we are here. This is not Dragonstone."

"Yes mother." The three Velaryons chided in unison, though Haera had doubts that Luke even knew what was going on, her younger brother too occupied with the bowl of grapes in front of him.

Just as she was starting to believe dinner would go smoothly, it was disrupted by the insufferable voice of Alicent Hightower.

"Aemond you're late. Where have you been?"

The entire table looked up in unison, some turning to loom over their shoulders as the younger Targaryen brother strode into the room, looking as calm and neutral as ever. With her hand half way to her lips with a piece of bread, Haera froze slightly, watching him carefully.

"Forgive me mother," The Prince spoke, rounding the table to place a kiss to the Queens cheek. "I did not realize how late it had gotten."

As Aemond moved to his own seat, Haera rolled her eyes. Somehow by some miracle Aegon the idiot had made it to supper on time unlike his so called perfect brother.

The moment he sunk into his seat, his eye went to her, the two quickly sinking into a stare off from over the seemingly endless array of dishes and goblets.

Haera could barely make out the hint of rage in his eye but when she did a small smirk crawled across her lips. He really was a sore loser. Unlike before, he was easier to read now. The twitch in his jaw, the intensity of his gaze, the way he was white knuckling the empty fork in his hand.

And her smirk only worsened it which made it all the more funny.

If there was one thing Haera was good at it was getting under peoples skin. She learned that from Daemon though her mother wasn't amused with it.