The Gathering Storm | Aemond Targaryen

Chapter 26

The moment Haera landed in the courtyard everything around her erupted into chaos. Gaurds were rushing around yelling, some being orders to go get Princess Rhaenyra while others were pestering Haera with questions before she had even slid from the saddle. several dragonkeepers rushed forward, taking the reins that Haera had dropped.

The courtyard seemed to become like a disturbed wasp nest, the commotion having even Stormdancer screeching in protest.

"Would you all shut it!!!" Haera screamed, the sudden noise and pestering having drained the rest of her energy.

The courtyard fell quiet at her command.

She was tired and hurting and the last thing she wanted to deal with was noisy guards and dragonkeepers.

"I have had a very long journey, I'm fucking cold and I haven't had a hot meal in days!"

Haera hadn't planned on getting emotional but as she spoke her voice cracked. She blamed it on her exhaustion and hunger.

"Haera!"

At her name Haera whipped her head around, watching as Jace and Luke emerged from the main doors to Dragonstone, her brothers faces full of surprise and relief.

Whatever remaining strength in Haera broke at the sight. "Luke! Jace!" A broken sob left her lips as she unbuckled herself from Stormdancers saddle and slid from his side. 

Unfortunately she had all but forgotten her broken leg and the second she made contact with cobblestone ground of the courtyard an scream of pain poured out from her lungs, her knees buckling as she fell to the ground.

Jace and Luke were besides her in an instant, Jaces hands hovering over her as he inspected her for whatever injury that had made her scream. On the other side of her, Luke was slipping his hand into hers, squeezing it tightly.

"What happened?! Where have you been?! Are you alright?!"

"Jace, as happy as I am to see you—" Haera breathed in deeply, "shut the fuck up-"

"Oh how good to see you haven't lost any of your attitude-" Jace mocked, his tone still filled with worry as he carefully rolled up the sleeve of Haera trousers, eyes widening at the sight. "Luke go fetch mother. . . And a maester while you're at it."

Luke nodded quietly, giving Haeras hand one last squeeze as he rose to his feet. "I'll be back, I'm happy you're home."

"As am I little brother, now go. I'd rather not spend longer than I have to on the ground of the courtyard.

Luke only nodded before turning on his heel and dashing back up the steps, disappearing into the bowels of Dragonstone.

"What idiotic trouble did you get yourself into?!" Jace breathed, his eyes bouncing between his sisters face and her leg.

Haera never did inspect the damage herself but the look on Jaces face told her all she needed to know.

It was bad.

The entire left knee was a deep and ugly purple, some portions even black and blue. And it was swollen to the point that it remained Jace of the large grapefruits he used to pick from the gardens in Kings Landing.

"It wasn't in a fight if that's what you were thinking. Stormdancer crashed, the impact broke the leg buckle and when I was thrown my leg went the wrong way."

Jace, shot her a slightly amused look, eyebrow raised just a smidge. "You crashed your dragon? What happened to 'I'm the best dragon rider in our entire family'?" He mocked, raising his voice to mimick Haeras in a terrible impression.