The Fire That Burns Within US - Aemond Targaryen

Duties and Promises

138 - Harrenhal

"You know that your mother is dead?" Corlys asks; he doesn't know what he should be doing right now, what he should be doing with Laenor.

He can't believe that his son is still alive; it feels like yesterday he was convincing Rhaenys to eat something in her grief and making Visenya return to Dragonstone. Unlike the two Targaryens, he had put aside his grief, busying himself with the war in the Steps Stones so that he could put the thought that his two children, his two babies, were dead.

Rhaenys had died thinking she had outlived both of her children, and Corlys doesn't know how to contain his anger towards his son for putting his wife and granddaughter through that. Part of Corlys hopes that Laenor doesn't know about his mother's death and that he is the one to tell him that it hurts him, so the knowledge that he will never see his mother again hurts him.

"I do," Laenor tells his father, leaning against the table. Laenor doesn't want to be alone in the room with his father, knowing that he would be punished for leaving like he used to be punished as a child for stealing cakes from the kitchen or pulling his sister's hair.

Laenor wants to be with Visenya and her children, to get to know his grandchild before it is too late and he returns to Esso. Getting to see the three children had put a smile on his face, even if he didn't get to hold any of them.

"She died thinking that both of her children were dead but here you stand before me with air in your lungs," Corlys tells him, taking a step closer to his son, he might not hurt him, but he will still cause him pain.

Corlys wants to hear why Laenor thought it was okay and a good idea for him to leave. For him to abandon his family when they needed him. Not just his children but his parents to help them through their grief of losing Laena. But instead, Laenor had thought it was a good idea for him to leave and cause more grief that wasn't needed.

"I left so that I could keep my life," Laenor defends himself and his actions.

"Do you know what your mother and I went through? Grieving for you and your sister," Corlys asks; he wants to know if Laenor had truly thought about what his actions caused. "What that little girl went through because of your decision to leave? Or the boys that you claimed as your own?"

Laenor can't help but look down at his feet in shame. Visenya had talked about the effects his leaving had on her and her siblings, but Laenor still wants to believe that his leaving didn't affect them too much.

"I had no choice," Laenor answers, and Corlys rolls his eyes.

He must have failed as a father if Laenor truly thought that his had no ill effect on the Strong boys and Visenya.

"So what, did Rhaenyra and Daemon threaten to kill you if you didn't comply?" Corlys asks, but Laenor just keeps his gaze on his feet. Corlys sighs before putting his hand on Laenors shoulder. "After this, Visenya will reinstate you as Laenor Velayron, and you will remarry and have children,"

Laenor knows his father is asking him to do this. He knows he expected to stay, but in truth, Laenor never planned on staying. He thought that his father and Visenya wouldn't find out who he was, that he could hold the identity of Addam of Hull and return to the Free cities once the war was won and continue the life that he has made for himself with Qarl.

"After this, I am returning to-"

"No! You have a duty to your family," Corlys cuts him off, his words echoing in the small hall they were in. "A duty that your daughter has worked hard to fulfil for you,"

Visenya had brought more honour to their house than Laenor, waging wars and winning with the name Velaryon. Marrying into House Targaryen and having children that were Targaryen as much as they were Velaryon.