The Dance Of Sapphires

6 - The Beasts We Create

Jaerionna

"It's him," Baela said firmly. "It's me," he answered. I looked at Aemond and I felt my breath get stuck in my throat once again. I wanted to cry, how could he do that.

I knew what was coming, every person I stand beside will hate him and his family, whilst he and his family will hate us. Anything that might have happened to save us is now on fire. And it's all his fault.

"Vhagar is my mother's dragon!" Rhaena shouted, her voice echoing in the empty pit.

"Your mother is dead. And Vhagar has a new rider now." He said looking at us with disgust. I looked at him with sorrow and pain. I was left alone, dragonless and any sort of friendship that was formed with Aemond is now dead.

He showed himself. He revealed his rotten self that was hidden by a carefully acted mask of charm, but the mask was shattered on the ground now. And everyone here saw Aemond for who he was - a beast. A roaring dragon. Just like any of us. And soon enough all of us will reveal ourselves and show what was hidden all those times.

I am afraid. I am terrified. What happens when I show myself? What if I am worse than any of them? What if I'm a monster ready to feast on anyone who dares to get close to me? What if I am chaos? What if I am a gaping pit ready to swallow us all? But chaos is not a pit, chaos is a ladder and perhaps I will climb through my true self, to come out of here alive!

"She was mine to claim!" Rhaena was furious, she believed that she was robbed, she was robbed from her mother's biggest memory. "Then you should've claimed her!" Aemond shouted.

"Maybe your cousins can find you a pig to ride. It would suit you." He hissed like a snake.

Everyone was so angry. And I was standing in the back, too afraid of doing anything. I hated myself in that moment, I was a coward, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't stop it all.

I grasped Lucerys' hand as strong as I could. I needed some reassurence, I needed remorse and I hoped that someone could give that. Anyone, I begged in my head for anyone to come here and help us. But they didn't, nobody returned my prayers and the gods were silenced.

Rhaena threw herself at Aemond wanting to hurt him, but the boy shoved her to the ground.

Baela saw her twin on the ground and started running towards Aemond, yelling with a lifted hand. Ready to punch Aemond in the face.

She punched him in the nose and Aemond lost his balance from the strength of her punch. Aemond became even more angry and punched Baela back. Lucerys went closer to all the action and I was left alone, standing in the corner. 

Jacaerys joined the fight, but he was soon on the ground too. Then Lucerys ran to Aemond and started hitting him, but once again Aemond fought him off.

Everything was such a mess and I only watched in horror. I couldn't bring myself to hurt Aemond, but I couldn't watch as he beat my brothers and cousins. But then he did something even I could not for see.

As Lucerys was on the ground and Jacerys was in Aemond's grasp, the silver haired boy took a rock in his other hand and swung it, wanting to hit Jace. "You'll die screaming in flames, like your father did. Bastards." Aemond yelled out.

"My father's still alive." Luke said confused. He threw sand in Aemond's eyes and I did something unforgivable.

I took my dagger that was hidden in my nightgown and ran towards Aemond. Just like he swinged the rock in front of Jace's head, I swinged my dagger.

My dagger sliced his eye. I heard the sound of a blade cutting skin. The smell of iron and blood filled the air and numbness swallowed me whole. A roar from Aemond killed the silence and my shallow breaths stopped. Suddenly the world around me stopped spinning and I watched with narrow eyes as my dragon showed itself. My mask - the dagger, still bloody in my grasp. Aemond was crawling on the ground, yelling in pain and I felt nothing.

He called us bastards. He called us something that insulted not just us, but our mother too. He might have not said it, but he meant it, he meant that our mother is a whore. And I will not allow, shallow men like Aemond, call my mother a whore and us, bastards. Of course, that was not the only reason I took his eye for, but the anger and fury he triggered, made me make the biggest mistake of my life. But I will defend my honor and my family till the day I lay dead in the seas.

I watched as the beast I created was pulled up by a guard and the other one pushed me away. But I didn't quiver. I didn't see the looks of horror thrown my way, the looks of pure disgust. I only saw Aemond looking me in the eyes, groaning from pain and gripping some guard's arm.

I wanted to run away, to climb a dragon and fly to the free cities. Run from what I have done, but I didn't have a dragon and there was no way for me to escape. I had to take responsibility for the beast I created.