Aemma Velaryon was the spitting image of her mother; she had pale silver hair, fair skin, and dazzling blue eyes. She was a Targaryen in all sense but her last name which she bore from her father Laenor Velaryon. She was the younger twin of Lucerys...
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"You truly mean to go?" Aemond asked, watching as Aemma fumbled with the buckle of her breastplate, her hands stiff.
"I am." Aemma frowned as she glimpsed in the mirror. A weak girl looked back at her; the vast amount of grief she experienced in such a short time reflected in her appearance. Aemma looked as youthful as ever, but her eyes looked as if they aged a hundred years.
"Shall I go with you?" Aemond's hands pulled Aemma's away and fastened her buckle, smirking as she frowned.
"I would rather not be near Vhagar." Aemma turned away, facing the window, her mask returning. She glanced sideways at Aemond as he stood beside her, his eye closed in thought.
"I do want to see you go against your family." Aemond reached out and ran his fingers down Aemma's braid, pulling it over her shoulder so that it flowed down her back. "And I don't want to see you harmed."
"I can take care of myself, I do not need you to protect me." Aemma frowned, her gaze still focused on the window. "I am not going against my family, either. This is for their protection, you will know that soon enough." Aemma turned away from the window, fastening her sword to her side.
"You're awfully prepared for someone who is simply flying around on dragonback." Aemond looked pointedly at Aemma's armor and weapons.
Aemma simply shrugged as the sun began to break over the horizon, signaling that it was time to leave.
"Aemma," Aemond called out as she threw open the door. Aemma paused, turning her head to look at him. Aemond crossed the distance between them, crushing his lips to hers in a fiery kiss.
"Be safe," Aemond whispered.
Aemma simply hummed in acknowledgment and left, leaving Aemond in her chambers alone. He glanced around the room that was usually kept pristine but was now littered with maps and letters. A particular stack of letters that were folded neatly caught his attention. As Aemond picked up the letters, a flash of black curls rushed by in the corner of his eye.
"You must love this, nephew," Aemond mumbled to himself. Whether Luke had truly haunted him, or Aemond was just finding an odd way to cope with his guilt and grief, it bothered him all the same.
Aemond sat down at the desk and began thumbing through the letters, settling on the very last one. It was a letter addressed to Aemma, from Luke and Jace. They detailed how much they missed her already, and their daily routines on Dragonstone. Aemond found himself chuckling as he read, amused by the two boys.
"This must have been when Rhaenyra first left." He said to himself as he set aside the letter. The next seven or so letters were relatively the same, but the eighth caught Aemond's attention.
Aemma
I wish you could visit more often. The weeks without you feel so long and boring. Baela and Rhaena are nice enough, but they aren't you. Daemon got mad at me again for standing in the doorway until he woke up. He says it's creepy and he might do it to me one night, so I know how it feels. I wish you were here; you would have woken up right away and then I could come sleep with you. Mother sometimes makes Daemon sleep in a different room when I get scared so I can have the whole bed with her. I miss you, and Jace does too. I think Arrax misses Terrax, he gets sad sometimes and there's never much I can do. Sometimes, if I think of something really hard, I think you feel it too. Can you feel it right now? I was thinking of apple tarts. Maester Gerardys tells me I have to go now, but he says to tell you hello. I think I'll see you in a fortnight.
Lucerys Velaryon
Aemond chuckled at the letter, wishing he had known this side of Luke when they were younger. Aemma had mentioned him some, but never to Aemond. He felt the feeling of regret settle on him as he realized he would never get to know this Luke, unless it was through letters. Aemond continued to read them, feeling slightly less bothered by the young boy who stood beside him.
~~
Aemma thought she was going to vomit from her nerves as she mounted the saddle. Terrax had been happy to see her, and even more happy to be ridden. He had missed her, but he knew something was wrong.
"It's okay, Terrax." Aemma patted his neck and swallowed, knowing she was running out of time. "Fly!"
Aemma squeezed her eyes shut as Terrax took off, what used to fill her with excitement simply reminded her of the feeling of falling through the air. Her stomach did flips until Terrax eventually evened out.
"Stay low, Terrax." Aemma was not ready to return to the clouds where it all happened. She wasn't sure if she would ever be ready. Aemma looked down, hating that she knew what it felt like to be falling.
Sensing his rider's anxiety, Terrax descended slightly, trying to bring Aemma some form of comfort as they made their way to the Riverlands. It wasn't too long of a flight, the sun had begun to creep higher in the sky, illuminating the world beneath her. Aemma could see the Red Fork now, and she knew she was close.
"Lower, Terrax. I need to see." Aemma urged, and Terrax obeyed her, flying as low as he dared. Aemma could see the massive army of House Blackwood, slaughtering House Bracken and all the men that served under them. As Terrax flew overhead, shrouding them in shadow, she heard some men cheer, some curse, and some scream.
Aemma could see dozens of men running away on both sides, desperate for survival as Terrax made another pass. Aemma knew she shouldn't attack, she was just there to deter, whatever that meant.
"Gods, help us!" Aemma could hear the screams of Bracken soldiers as they were slaughtered, and Aemma knew she could not let this slaughter go on. Aemma steered Terrax to the rear guard of the Blackwood army.
"Dracarys!" Aemma commanded, and Terrax spewed flames, the screams of the Blackwood soldiers filling Aemma's ears. Terrax made another sweeping pass, his flames leaving the soldiers begging for mercy.
Aemma's heart ached as she took in the amount of lives she was ending, but she knew it was for the safety of her family. If her mother were to amass a massive army, she would not hesitate to march on Kings Landing. Her tears felt cold compared to the heat of Terrax's flame.
Aemma urged Terrax to land, dismounting quickly as she fumbled for her sword. She rushed forward into the battle, cutting down any man that stood in her path. They had been poorly trained, or Aemma was exceeding at battle. Either way, the smell of blood clung to her as she cut her way through the army, determined to find Ser Amos.
Terrax continued his assault, spewing flames and ripping apart any soldier that dared to approach the massive dragon.
As Aemma cut down soldier after soldier, she wondered if this was Alicent's plan all along; to have Aemma chip away at her mother's forces. She doubted it, reminding herself that it was her choice to intervene.
She was suddenly grateful for Ser Criston's reflex training, as she narrowly dodged an arrow meant for her face. She cursed to herself as she picked up a shield from a fallen soldier, using it to shield her face as she approached her attacker. Another arrow hit the shield, its tip breaking through the wood and leather. Aemma was about to continue her approach until Terrax took to the skies, igniting the entire battlefield in flames.
Aemma felt the heat from many paces away as screams filled her ears. They were terrible screams, ones she would never forget. When Aemma finally lowered the shield, she saw the charred bodies of thousands of men all around her. Some were still alive, and near the trees, there was still fighting. Aemma wiped away the sweat from her brow as she made her way through the maze of bodies where Terrax landed, smoke billowing out of his nostrils.
He bent down for her to climb into the saddle, letting out one last ear-shattering roar as he took to the skies. As he ascended, Aemma felt her stomach drop as she looked down at all the death and destruction she had caused. She was doing this for her mother's safety, to ensure she would be forced to accept terms of peace, but at what cost? How many fathers had lost their sons today? How many fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands died at Aemma's doing?
Aemma flew back to Kings Landing, trying to convince herself she was doing the right thing. For the first time, she hoped her father wasn't watching over her so that he did not see what she had done.
