Midnights // Aemond Targaryen // Aegon Targaryen (2)

18. Reds and Blues

"I killed Rhaenys." Aisha said as Aemond held little Laenor in his arms. Corlys nodded hugging her.

"I know. Im proud you had the strength to stand up for your family." Corlys assured her.

"You are not mad?"

"Honey im not mad. I love you. I missed you. I love you so much. You are the only one that has been fighting for this family from the start. Im sorry I didnt do a better job of protecting you... im sorry I was gone for so long. I was stupid for leaving I should have been-"

"But you are here now. Addam and Alyn are here now. We are together." Aisha declared.

+

"Aegon, I want you to meet your nephew, this is Laenor Targaryen." Aisha whispered sitting beside Aegon as he drifted in and out of consciousness. 

He reached out in a hazy state and touched little Laenor's leg. Aisha leaned into Aegon side trying to hold back tears but she was a wreck. She was a wreck of emotions and pain and love. Love for her little human, this boy she brought into the world. She was sick with worry as Aegon was healing so very slowly. She thought he looked quite similar to Viserys did when he was passing. Weak and frail. Drugged to help with the searing pain. 

Aisha kissed his forehead before going to Maelor and Jae's room. She dismissed the hand maiden and sat on the floor with them. 

"Brother?" Jae asked as Maelor crawled closer. 

"My son, your cousin..." Aisha offered. 

"Brother." Jae repeated touching Laenor's cheek. She wasnt much for words, or emotions but Aisha saw a light in little Jaehaera. 

"Yes." Aisha agreed. They didnt have a mother, they didnt have a father at the moment although Aegon was never too thrilled with his own children. 

Aisha broke down right then and there. Laenor didnt get to know his sons, Addam and Alyn. He did love Jace, Luke and Joffrey and Aisha had so easily thrown them aside. She felt like a monster. Maybe it was the hormones, maybe it was her grief, maybe it was realization but she needed to speak to Jace and Joffrey. They were her family. She didnt want to be a monster. She had treated them like the enemy but Laenor did love them. She used to. When did she become so one sided that everyone was the enemy? 

Jace and Joffrey were alive, they were alive and Aisha needed to make amends. It was possible, quite possible that they were his. Rhaenyra's mother's side of the family had dark hair, it was possible. Yet Aisha was hand delivered two boys, Addam and Alyn that looked like Laenor, had his hair and smile and welcomed them with open arms. 

She had loved Jace and Luke and Joffrey, but all she had seen was red. Targaryen red, not Velaryon blues. 

+

"They have my fleet." Corlys remarked to the council. ''They have claimed driftmark for themselves." He scoffed out. "But I had enough allies at the step stones. I already wrote to them, they will take no other Velaryon except myself, Aisha and her kin or Addam and Alyn."

"Aisha and her bad ass pirate husband legitimized us." Alyn declared. 

"Am I ever not going to be pirate?" Aemond asked and Daeron laughed out. 

"nope." He answered innocently. 

"And I was going to knight you." Aemond mused.

"Really?" Daeron asked excitedly. 

 "Nope." Aemond teased nudging his little brother. 

"I got word back," Corlys went on. "Admiral Sharako Lohar of Lys has captured the young Viserys Targaryen. The younger Aegon is back at dragonstone."

"They were trying to flee?" Aemond questioned confused. 

"They were sending their princes, their heirs to safety." Corlys agreed. 

"So in case if we all died they would have an heir tucked away." Alyn declared. 

"Didnt seem to work." Addam remarked. 

"Vermax, Jacaerys dragon... he crashed into the sea." Corlys relayed. 

"What of Jace?" Aemond countered. Corlys stared back at him wordlessly. "Alright..." Aemond agreed letting out a sigh. "What news of Sunfyre?" 

"Gone." Ser Barnes declared. "Must have been well enough to fly."

What they didnt know was that Walys Moonton retook the rook after the battle had cleared and wanted Sunfyre dead as a show of strength and power of his own. But he was killed but Sunfyre himself and when the true crowns men got back to check on Sunfyre he was gone. 

"I believe that Daemon is at Harrenhal." Aemond remarked. "The north fights against us, but as Aisha said before it will take time for them to come so while they gather their forces we deal with territories a bit closer to home." 

"What would you do your grace?" Criston asked. 

"We take harrenhall," Aemond declared. "But first we take our men and I ride Vhagar and head to the riverlands."

"An excellent plan, your grace." Criston agreed. 

Aemond quite liked that. Your grace. He was only protector of the realm in Aegon's stead but Criston, hand of the king treated Aemond with as much respect as if he was the king right now, for all his days not just for the moment.

+

"Four thousand men you say?" Daemon countered. "Fucking hell." 

"What will you do my prince?" 

"Get the fuck out of here." Daemon remarked. 

Daemon found out about their plans before they even left the capital. Daemon hastened south on Caraxes, staying well away from Criston's line of march, if they were going to win this they needed to be smart, Daemon needed to be smart. 

"Be careful." Aisha begged. 

"A king cannot run and hide." Aemond remarked. 

"A king should also be alive long enough for a formal coronation." Aisha countered hugging him. "I want to go with."

"No." Aemond said immediately.

"Aemond this is dangerous, you know Daemon-"

"I do know Daemon which is why I want you safe and sound right here." Aemond agreed. "Aisha I cant, I won't lose you. You have to think about Laenor now." Aemond reminded her glancing to his crib. 

"I'm thinking about you too." Aisha corrected. "I love you. I don't want Laenor to grow up without a father."

"Have faith in your husband." Aemond whispered kissing her again. 

"I love you."