The Dragon and the Rose | Aemond Targaryen

Chapter 10: Driftmark

Lady Laena Velaryon was dead.

It had happened a few days after Aemond's nameday, but word hadn't gotten to the King until several days after, his brother and him still not seeing eye to eye.

Though Alysanne had never met her except in infancy, she had heard tales of her fearlessness, like when she claimed Vhagar upon her mother's death. Vhagar was a tough creature, and she would only allow those with a warrior spirit to claim her.

She also admired her for how much she had doted on her daughters.

It was those daughters that she thought of the most, as they would now be without a mother just as she was. It was a tragedy on all ends, the Targaryen curse of death by childbirth had struck again.

The King had immediately declared that they would make their way to Driftmark for her funeral, and to pay their respects.

They departed for Driftmark the very next day. Though a somber affair, Alysanne took comfort in the fact that her aunt and cousins would be there as well, since Laenor was the brother of the late Laena.

While the rest of them were traveling via ship, Helaena and Aegon had been given permission from the King to fly to Driftmark atop of Sunfyre and Dreamfyre.

Aegon had made a point to offer Alysanne a lift, reveling in the discomfort she felt at the subject of dragons. He had also mocked Aemond for having to travel via ship with their parents, as he still did not have a dragon.

Aemond had disregarded the statement, but Alysanne knew it was plaguing him, watching him look out into the waves from where they stood on the deck of the ship.

"I'm sorry about what Aegon said."

He turned to look at her, giving her a dismissive wave of the hand. But she knew it was bothering him.

"You'll claim one soon, and it'll probably be a better one than his."

He gave her another smile, this time a genuine one.

"You really think so?"

"I know so," she emphasized, returning his smile with one of her own.

She turned back when she heard coughing from the other end of the deck.

Her passage via ship had not been kind to her grandsire in his illness. He had vomited several times, and was in a lot of pain, groans and coughs and hacking emanating from him every couple of moments.

Alicent, ever the dutiful wife, had been by his side since they began their trip several days ago, tending to his ailing health.

Alysanne could not bear to see her Grandsire in such a condition, so she had helped in whatever way she could; by offering a paste made of Mandrake, Henbane, and Yarrow Flower.

It was a concoction meant to relieve pain and help with healing wounds. She'd tested it on his sores previously, and upon seeing success made sure to have some ready for him for the trip, packing it into small vials.

"Found a whale!" they exclaimed at the same time, Aemond pointing to the right.

"That's another three points for me," he boasted, laughing when he saw her glare at him.

"Nuh-uh, I saw it first!"

They had made a game out of who could spot the most whales, fishes, and sharks within the water as they voyaged. The bigger the creature, the more points they would get.

Aemond was obliterating her in their game, having found a whale and four schools of fishes compared to her three schools of fishes and one whale.

Aemond knew that he had seen it first, as she had been preoccupied looking at the King. But she had been so enthused in the game, and he knew she needed the win more than he did at the moment.