The Dragon in the North - Aemond Targaryen

12.

TW: Drug use

Vyara

I enter the room; I am again taken aback with the grandeur of King's Landing. Aegon has a large room ready for what seems to be a huge party. There are already over thirty people here. Multiple golden tables are set around the room, lined with drinks in fancy goblets. There are huge plates piled with powder that I assume is sleet. There are musicians in every corner of the room and servers floating around the groups of people with trays of glasses filled with a scarlet red liquid.

Everyone turns as we enter, but I can hear nothing over the music.

I thank the Gods that I dressed nicely, everyone is wearing their best finery.

"Cousins!" Aegon approaches us and kisses us all on both cheeks. He is drunk again, she stinks of wine. "I'm so glad you've come, I've been telling everyone about you all, especially you Vyara! Dragon thief!" I inwardly cringe at this nickname. He puts his arm around my shoulders and whisks me to the group of friends he was talking with and grabs a drink from a passing server, putting it into my hand.

I'm nervous but I can't let it show, so I beam fake confidence. I drink some of whatever it is and it's lovely, I've never had something like this before, it's extremely sweet and fruity with an undertone of some kind of spirit. I note to myself to not drink too much. Rickon and Arya are still by my side thankfully, others handing them drinks.

I get introduced to so many people. I already know most of the ladies as they pop in and out of Alicent's chamber. I don't know most of the men. There's a few looking at me like they would devour me whole, but I ignore their glances.

More and more people flood in. My anxiety is surging, and I look at the plate of sleet that Rickon has in his hand now. I've taken this drug years ago and if I remember rightly, it alleviates anxiety. I creep over to him.

"Give me some of that brother," I whisper in his ear.

He laughs, "no need to whisper sister, no one cares, everyone is doing it." I look around, he's right.

I take the plate from him and snort a line of it, within thirty seconds I feel more relaxed and start chatting to a few of the ladies I know, Arya and Rickon are off somewhere.

I'm laughing with the ladies about who is the most attractive King's Guard, I'm arguing for Criston Cole, when I see a silver haired head in the outdoor corridor. I pray it's anyone but Aemond and my stomach lurches. I look anywhere else and laugh along with the ladies, but I feel like I might throw up from nerves. Why does he make me feel so nervous?

Arya walks over to me now, trying to contain a laugh and pokes me in the stomach, "Guess who's here?" she whispers in my ear. I glance over and it is, of course, Aemond, I knew it before he even entered the room. I immediately advert my gaze and look in the opposite direction. I can't believe he would come here. I make a bad job of trying to hide behind the other ladies, but I can feel eyes on me.

"You need to keep him away from me," I whisper aggressively to Arya, "watch him for me, if he's coming over tell me and I'll run," Arya starts laughing and I want to strangle her. I look at my cup and realise I've drank it all. Shit, I feel a bit tipsy. Fuck it, I grab another one from a passing server.

"He's staring at you," she whispers in my ear and my eyes widen and my heart skips a beat.

"What do I do Arya?"

"He's coming," the fake smile fades from my face as I look around, trying to make an exit. I see my brother at the opposite end of the room and walk hurriedly over to him.

"Are you OK sister?" he looks at me amusedly.

"Hide me," I whisper.

"Why! Who from?" he laughs, looking around, he doesn't move to hide me. Why is no one helping me! I jump behind him. My anxiety is through the roof.