𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐀. | Aemond Targaryen

【𝟕𝟕】

"It's the Queen!"

Levana heard one of the men on their ships shout as Vermithor flew above them. The Queen could see the damage from the sky and turned to King Besian who looked concerned about the numbers.

"Most of the downed ships are of the Blacks, Your Grace," King Besian stated, "there is one ship with a dragon on it," he pointed at one of the ships surrounded by others from the Velaryon Fleet. Galatea turned to Levana, "does the dragon look familiar, My Queen?"

Levana shook her head, "it must belong to either Aegon or Viserys," she muttered as Vermithor suddenly flew to a different direction. The Queen noticed that an arrow had been aired towards them; muttering a curse, Levana commanded her dragon to dive down toward the ships - unleashing fire upon the fleet.

"Retrieve the princes," Levana ordered, "I want my brothers alive."

Galatea and Besian nodded at each other before fending off the ships from the Velaryon Fleet. Levana took it upon herself to deliver her orders to the ships - as much as possible, she didn't want any of her siblings to perish because of the war.

"Fly low, Vermithor," Levana commanded, "get me as close to that ship as possible."

At her command, the Bronze Fury swooped down and unleashed fire upon the ships of the Velaryon Fleet. Once she was close enough to jump on the ship, Levana took a deep breath and leaped off of her dragon, stumbling slightly as she landed on the deck.

She looked around to see that most of the soldiers on board had already abandoned ship - this meant that only her brothers were left on board.

"Viserys!" Levana shouted, "Aegon!"

The dragon on deck growled at her but she approached it with no fear, she held her hand out and touched its snout. The small dragon immediately reeled back as Levana heard stumbling from one of the rooms.

"Aegon? Viserys?" Levana called out as she approached the door, pushing it slightly to reveal her younger half-siblings huddled in a corner.

"Mother?" Aegon squinted his eyes, as if he were trying to decipher who she was; Viserys, on the other hand, separated from his brother to run towards Levana. He hugged her leg and the Queen noticed that he had a dragon egg in his arms. Aegon, on the other hand, looked at her warily.

"You needn't be afraid," Levana said, "I will make sure that you're safe."

Aegon took a good look at her before slowly standing up from the floor and walking towards her, just in time for the ship to start sinking. The Queen cursed under her breath as she was forced to pick-up Viserys and take Aegon's wrist, pulling him out of the room.

"Silverwing! Vermithor!" Levana called as the Bronze Fury approached her, she mounted Viserys on her dragon first before picking up Aegon and doing the same. She turned toward Silverwing and then at the dragon who was chained to the deck, "break its chains."

Silverwing growled as the Queen mounted Vermithor who then began to fly. She turned to see that Silverwing was right behind them with the whelp in tow; a sign of relief escaped Levana's lips as she flew towards her fleet.

"Galatea, King Besian," Levana shouted, "fall back!"

"Ana!"

The Queen turned her head to see her younger brother, Jacaerys, flying towards them. She muttered a curse under breath as Vermithor continued to fly; faster this time. Vermax, however, was relentless in his pursuit.

"Ana!" Jacaerys called, "I want to talk!"

Levana sighed deeply as she commanded for her dragon to land in one of the islands. As soon as she did, Cannibal followed. She unmounted quickly from Vermithor and commanded it to return to the Iron Islands with her younger brothers. The Bronze Fury bellowed in distaste but followed her orders nonetheless - just in the nick of time for Jacaerys to land his own dragon.

"Is it true?" Jacaerys asked, "did you really raise your own banners?"

Levana nodded, "the Golds."

"Why?" Jacaerys asked, "why are you doing this?!"

"Rhaenyra never told you, did she?" Levana asked, "how typical it is for her to put the burden on my shoulders."

"Ana, please," Jacaerys walked towards her but he couldn't get too close as Cannibal immediately roared at his approach and the prince could do nothing except take a step back. Levana placed a hand on her dragon's neck as she approached Jacaerys.

"Daemon murdered my children," Levana stated bluntly, "Baelon and Aemma were taken from me as 'payment' for Lucerys."

"Mother wouldn't allow that to happen..."

"It already has," Levana looked at the ground, "and I am only carrying out the wishes of King Viserys to end the war of his succession."

"Do you not desire the Iron Throne for yourself, Ana?"

"The Iron Throne is my birthright," Levana stated, "as it is our mother's but I will not allow this war to carry on at the expense of people's lives, Jace."

"I don't want to fight you, Ana," Jacaerys said, "and I don't want you to fight mother either."

Levana looked at her younger brother with a sad smile, "I've lost Queen Rhaenyra as a mother the moment that she married Daemon," she said, "I have the truth of it now from our father."

"Father?" Jacaerys raised a brow, "our father is long gone, Ana."

"Lord Laenor Velaryon is alive and well, Jacaerys," Levana stated, "he deeply misses and cares for you and Joffrey."

"Lies."

"Our mother and Daemon arranged for our father to escape to the Free Cities in the guise of a death," Levana explained, "so they could get married and Queen Rhaenyra would have a proper King Consort by her side."

Jacaerys was speechless.

"Our father loves you, Jace," Levana said, "he loves all of us regardless of what has happened."

"I refuse to believe that our father is alive," Jacaerys shook his head, "for what reason do I have to believe you?"

Levana walked towards her younger brother and wrapped her arms tightly around him, "I have never lied to you, Jacaerys," she whispered, "I kept nothing from you," she added before placing a kiss on his cheek.

"What you do with what I have told you is up to you, brother."

Levana walked to Cannibal, mounting him before taking one more look at her younger brother and smiling, "the Iron Islands remains open for you and our other siblings, Rhaena and Baela included."

"We can just fly there?" Jacaerys asked, "we won't be shot down like grandmother?"

"Princess Rhaenys is alive," Levana stated, "she presently serves as my Hand."

"Grandsire will go against mother if she finds out that grandmother is alive," Jacaerys stated, "is that what you want?"

"Like I said, Jacaerys," the Queen sighed, "what you do with the knowledge that you have is up to you and even if you choose to pick up your side and fight against me, I will respect that because you have made that decision for yourself."

Jacaerys watched as Cannibal spread its wings to prepare for flight, "I never betrayed our mother, Jacaerys, but she betrayed me," Levana stated before Cannibal took to the skies and disappeared into the clouds.

The young prince was left to his own thoughts.

Who was he to believe now?