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

Epilogue V

The entirety of the throne room stood silent as Jacaerys was proclaimed Rhaenyra's heir before the court. Then the hall was filled with a cacophony of shouts and cheers, so loud Visaera had to cover Daemond's ears.

Beside her, Aegon held Aellora tightly to his chest, blocking out as much sound as he could and praying she wouldn't cry. At her opposite side, Aemond encouraged Alicaera to cheer along with the rest of the hall and she clapped her hands excitedly, the sight making Visaera's chest clench.

"Well done, my love!" Aemond approved, planting a kiss on his daughter's forehead. Jace's gaze found Visaera's, and she gave him a single, supportive nod and watched as a smile stretched across his face. Rubbing her growing belly, Helaena smiled at her husband and then turned to Maelor and whispered something to him, Visaera's nephew staring up at Jace in wonder.

A pang of sorrow jolted through her as she thought of Lucerys. How she wished he could have lived to see this, to become the heir to Driftmark. Her eyes had misted over, but Visaera didn't realize she was crying until her husband reached out and wiped the tear from her cheek.

"Are you alright?" he murmured; his eye laced with concern. She pressed her forehead to his shoulder.

"I miss Lucerys..." she breathed. Even saying his name aloud left her feeling like she'd been struck in the chest. Time had healed many of her wounds, but the loss of Luke was one that had never closed. His expression softened and he kissed the top of her head.

"I know, my love. I'm sorry..." She leaned against him, absorbing his comfort and watching as the great houses celebrated her brother.

When the ceremony drew to an end, Visaera was one of the first people out of the throne room, taking in a gulp of air. Visaera needed to avoid company. She made her way around the outside of the gardens, to the steps that wound down the side of the steep hill, leading to the stone promenade that overlooked the Blackwater. Visaera guessed that, at one point, it had been used for afternoon tea or ship watching. Now it was little more than a barren slab.

The wind kicked up, whipping her hair about as she stared out over the sea, mourning the loss of her brother. The years had dulled much of the pain the war brought, but not her brother's death. The loss of him still felt like a gaping wound carved deep into her chest.

"Vis?" She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there when Jacaerys finally found her. "Where have you been? Everyone's looking for you..."

"He's out there, somewhere, Jace..." she breathed, tears springing in her eyes once more. "Luke's out there, in the dark cold of the Blackwater..." As she squeezed her eyes shut, tears fell from the corners, streaming down her cheeks. "Luke may have taken Aemond's eye when we were children, but he wouldn't intentionally hurt a fly. Luke was pure. He was good! He was the best of us, and we fucking failed him and now he's at the bottom of Blackwater Bay!" Visaera choked on her sob, her chest aching as the wind stung her tear-streaked cheeks.

Then Jace was there at her side, wrapping his arms around her. "Our brother!" she cried. The grief she had been fighting back for years resurfaced, tearing her chest open and swallowing her whole. The pain was all-consuming, an endless nightmare she could not wake from.

"I know," he murmured, stroking her hair, clinging to Visaera, "I feel it, too."

"I tried, Jace." Visaera told him, sniffling and trying to swallow her tears back.

"Visaera, I hate to say it, but... Perhaps it was just one of those things that was meant to happen. You went to Storm's End and Luke still died. Perhaps it was just time for the Gods to call him home..."

"What sort of Gods would rip a boy of ten and five from a family that loved him?" she cried, glaring up at him.

"Cruel ones..." Jacaerys answered solemnly, tightening his hold on her, trying to lend his sister some of his strength. "You saved someone else, though..."