Dreams, Dragons, and Deceit || Aemond & Aegon Targaryen

White Noise

I wanted to change the dynamic a little bit and write about what the rest of the family is dealing with. This chapter's a little shorter, but I thought it was important to note what else is happening out of Visaera's sight. Back to the regular drama tomorrow!

Daemon paced back and forth in front of the great fireplace as Rhaenyra leaned over the table, dozing with her head in her hand. Neither of them had slept in two days and the Rogue Prince tried to remain quiet as to not disturb his wife. It didn't happen often, but Daemon found himself worried. It was nearly dawn and there had been no word from any if the children. Jace and Luke had further to fly, but they had saddles, they had experience on Dragonback. Visaera had neither.

Silently cursing himself, Daemon realized he had been a fool to let her go alone. Rhaenyra's head rolled and fell from her hand and she jolted awake, looking about in a panic.

"Has there—"

"Your Grace!" one of the guards called, stepping into the hall, "The black dragon has been sighted in the southwest skies!" Relieved, Daemon was the first one out of the keep and striding down toward the beach.

But the Cannibal did not land on the beach. The black beast circled in the sky, letting out a discontented roar, and Daemon felt his heart stop. The dragon landed at the foot of the volcano and the prince found himself sprinting, his lungs barely able to draw in a breath. Daemon Targaryen didn't believe in the New Gods but, for the first time in his life, he found himself praying, praying that his daughter was alright.

When he reached the foot of the Dragonmont, Daemon found the dragonkeepers surrounding Carrion, but keeping their distance. The black dragon roared in dismay, snapping and snarling at anyone who dare step toward him. Carrion was riderless.

Daemon fell to his knees. Visaera... His firstborn baby girl was gone, her body lying somewhere between Storm's End and Dragonstone. His first instinct was to lash out at the beast who had witnessed her end, and yet, as Carrion roared and shrieked with sorrow, Daemon realized the dragon was nearly as heartbroken as he was.

Only when the dragon's roars had ceased and the keepers backed away did Carrion finally calm and retreat into the Dragonmont, occasionally letting out a mournful call. As Daemon trekked along the beach and back up the dragon bridge, the sad song continued to echo in the air, adding to the weight in the prince's chest.

"How did it go?" Rhaenyra asked, turning the moment he entered the Great Hall. Daemon opened his mouth to reply and then closed it, unable to muster up the words. "Daemon?" He shook his head, already going numb inside. "Daemon, what happened? Where is she?" Rhaenyra cried, on the edge of hysteria. With another shake of his head, the Queen was collapsing. Instinctively, his arms caught her around the waist before she hit the ground, but he barely noticed his own reaction to her.

"No, no, no!" She was screaming, shaking her head in disbelief and all Daemon could do was hold her. "My girl... My girl..." Rhaenyra sobbed frantically, her hands gripping her chest as though her heart might fall out of it. "Not my only girl..."

"What's happened?" Baela asked, rubbing her eyes as she entered the hall. She took one look at the state of the Queen and her shambled muttering and then Baela was pulling Rhaenyra into her arms. Despite the tears leaking down her own cheeks, Baela whispered reassuringly in the Queen's ear, running a hand over her hair.

Daemon longed to know what happened to his girl, what events lead to her death, but merely thinking about the possibilities made him sick to his stomach. Instead, he sank into one of the chairs at the table and reached for the carafe of wine.

His baby, his little girl... Suddenly, Daemon regretted everything; hating Otto Hightower, leaving Rhaenyra at her wedding, and not being there for the first twelve years of Visaera's life. He had missed far too much and the six years they spent together hadn't been enough. He had encouraged her to go into the Dragonmont, to become a dragonrider. His proudest moment had directly caused his biggest regret.