Tales Of The Heart [Aemond Targaryen]

CHAPTER TWO

It happened just as I predicted. The week passed rather quickly. I didn't sleep much in the past week as I didn't want to have another bad dream. 

When my mother inquired about the reason behind the dark shade under my eyes, I told her I was reading and sleeping late which she confirmed with Aiday, who only saw me with books for the past week.

Baela and Rhaena had a lot to tell me about the Red Keep as we sat at the dining table. They told me about the young princes and our uncle as our grandmother also joined the conversation telling us about her childhood and how she claimed Meleys.

As they all went to rest after lunch, I came by the shore and sat at a distance from where I could see all the dragons. I noticed Caraxes was missing, and so was my stepfather from the dining table.

I stared ahead of me, at the sea trying to remember this sight even though it scared me. But we will be leaving Driftmark in a fortnight utmost, maybe back to Pentos.

My focus was disrupted by a loud growl up in the sky as Caraxes started to get closer. Soon it landed with a thump that almost convulsed the entire ground, while Daemon Targaryen stepped down in his greatness. He noticed me while caressing his dragon's neck and soon walked towards me.

"When the ship arrived at the river gate in King's Landing, I was waiting to see you come out of it." His tone was not angry but it did seem like I was going to get lectured. He settled on a rock.

"I didn't think I would feel comfortable there, among unknown faces."

"Every face is unknown until you meet them." He never liked how I kept myself deliberately away from experiences.

"Why meet strangers when I can stay between the people I know, right?"

"Wrong. This only means that you would not be able to live by yourself if they ever leave you." He does know how to ruin someone's mood.

"Why would they leave me?" I asked as my voice came out dense.

"This is life, Maenya...filled with uncertainties. You can never be too cautious with life." His life lessons frighten me sometimes.

"Then I will stop it." he scoffed at my words.

"I would like to see you try."

My relationship with my stepfather has always been affable. It was always easy to talk to him. Back in Pentos, he made sure all three of his daughters were in his sight. I don't know how good Argen Galani was as a husband to my mother but he was not a good father. He barely ever acknowledged me, so all I have for a father is Daemon Targaryen and I think he is doing a satisfactory job at that.

"What are they like?" His question snapped my attention back to him. I gave him a look that I didn't get the question.

"Your dreams. Where do they take you?" He looked quite serious.

"Did mother tell you that?" I smiled lightly.

"Well she mentioned something back at Red Keep but the darkness under your eyes tells me that they have scared you enough that you are depriving yourself of sleep." I could never hide anything from him with a plain lie, that's why I never tried.

"I am not scared, I am terrified," my eyes sting with the tears that immediately gathered in my eyes at the mere thought of my dream. "They don't leave me...they just keep coming back." I felt a tear escape my eye.

"They always bring me right there," I signaled with my finger towards the end of the shore where water meets it. "That sea...it calls me, it whispers in my ear, and I can't help but move towards it." Recalling those haunting whispers of the water, my tears fell one after another as I lost control of my emotions.