Innocence// AEMOND TARGARYEN ✔️

Chapter Forty-eight

Lucerys was not at all pleased nor at easy when he arrived at Storm's end to find Vhagar present.

He took a deep breath as he approached the guards, doing his best to ignore the thumping in his chest. He would not let it show that he was nervous.

"I am prince Lucerys Velaryon" he tried his absolute best to keep his voice steady and sound stern "I bring a message from the queen"

The men stationed at the entrance escorted him to the hall where Borros awaited him.

As soon as Luke walked into the throne room his gaze immediately landed on his uncle, Aemond Targaryen. The older boy had his hands clasped behind his back as he eyed the younger boy, like a predator eyes his prey.

It amused Aemond how easy it was for him to intimidate the younger boy.

Luke looked away from him and toward Borros as he spoke.

"I bring a message from the queen" he told as he revealed the scroll form underneath his cloak.

"The queen?" Borros mockingly chuckled as one of his guards brought him the scroll Rhaenyra had sent with Luke "yet earlier today i received an envoy from the king. It seems as if the house of the dragon does not know who rules it"

Luke was not amused.

"Where's the bloody maester?" Borros yelled.

Luke refrained from rolling his eyes. Did the man not know how to read?

He kept his gaze fixated on the ground as Borros' maester read the letter Rhaenyra sent, while Aemond continued to stare at the younger prince, relishing the fact that he was getting intimidated by him.

"Remind me of my father's oath?" The lord bellowed, not at all happy with the tone Rhaenyra used whilst writing her message to him "king Aegon at least came with an offer, my swords and banners for a marriage pact to his brother Daeron. If I do as your mother bids, which one of my daughters will you wed?"

Luke looked at his daughters, who all seemed to be quiet older than him in comparison. Had the lord lost his senses? Why would he want one of his daughters wed to a boy almost half their age?

"I'm not free to marry, I'm already betrothed to another" Luke informed as he cast a nervous glance toward Aemond.

There was something that made him quite uneasy and he wished to leave as soon as possible.

"So you come to me with empty hands" Borros gave the boy a nasty look "go home pup, go back and tell your mother that I am not some dog she can whistle upon when she needs"

"I shall take your answer to the queen, my lord" Lucerys briskly responded, keeping his resentment amiss in his tone.

"Wait" Aemond called out as soon as Luke turned to leave "my lord Strong"

The boy stopped in his tracks. He most certainly did not wish to stay for a conversation with him.

"Did you really think you could just fly about the realm" Aemond smirked "trying to steal my brother's crown at no cost?"

"I will not fight you" Lucerys spoke calmly "I came here as a messenger, not a warrior"

"Fight would be little challenge" Aemond reached up to take off his eye patch, revealing his sapphire eye that the boy had yet not seen "I want you to put out your eye"

Lucerys took a step back.

"As payment for mine" Aemond smiled as he pulled out his dagger and threw it at the feet of the boy, the metal clanging against the stone floor "only one will serve. Out of respect for you being the brother to my wife, I will not blind you"