ELLIPSISM, aemond targaryen

[067] meaningful dreams

"HOW EXTENSIVE IS THE damage?" Aemma asked, looking into the darkness of the hole below them that Meleys had created with her rather dramatic exit. Aemond stood beside her, resisting the urge to pull her back when he saw how she was leaning to get a better look.

She wouldn't be the first to be irretrievably lost in it.

"Not so extensive that the whole building collapses, My Princess. However, we cannot guarantee that it will remain so if the damage is not repaired," retorted the Dragonkeeper, a boy only slightly older than Aemond and Aemma, who was the only dragonkeeper not busy helping the wounded or carrying the dead from the depths of the Dragonpit.

"Do you even have men to make such repairs?" Aemond joined the conversation, hands folded behind his back and voice far less friendly and light-hearted than Aemma's. He communicated with him and looked at him as if he was talking to a lower form of life. Then again, Aemond talked to almost everyone like that.

It was almost admirable that the Dragonkeeper was not affected by his tone and remained as professional and neutral as when he was talking to Aemma. "I believe so, My Prince."

"The question is how much time it will take. And you don't even have to answer me to know that it will be too long," Aemma stopped the Dragonkeeper as he opened his mouth to protest. "We will send more men and provide funds. I want the damage in the Dragonpit to be repaired properly."

"Where do you plan to get those men? Take them from the Kingsguard?" Aemond asked her dryly and she shot him a look before turning back to the Dragonkeeper.

"Announce around city that anyone who comes to help with repairs will be provided with food and a bed for the entire time they work here," Aemma explained. "If you find more dead, try to find their families. The Red Keep will provide compensation to these families if they have lost their breadwinner."

The Dragonkeeper watched her for a moment before nodding. "That is very generous, My Princess."

"King Aegon does not want the innocent to suffer because of Rhaenys Targaryen's reckless actions," Aemma said firmly, her eyes blankly looking at the ground near them, where there was still blood on the floor from the dead body the guards had just recently dragged away. "Let it be known to them too."

The Dragonkeeper bowed his head before leaving to fulfill her orders. He seemed hesitant about her orders though, as if he still didn't trust them, and Aemond didn't blame him. Anyone who knew at least a little how much love the Targaryens have for the smallfolk knew that much kindness cannot be expected from them.

"To be honest with you," Aemond began as he stood beside her, watching the surroundings as she did, "I don't think Aegon gives a shit about what happens to them."

"Are you suggesting that I leave the whole thing as it is?" Aemma scoffed and looked at him.

"I'm not saying that. I just see no reason to lie to them about Aegon caring about them," he replied calmly as he turned to her as well. From his searching look, Aemma understood that the unknown reason why she said it interested him more than what she said.

She turned back to the hole in the floor, so deep that no light could reach the bottom and undoubtedly deeper than any other place Aemma had been in. Even after years spent flying and reading about other places, the Dragonpit was still, in a way, the most impressive place Aemma had ever heard of. The idea that it was so easily destroyed by Meleys' body without even using fire was terrifying even for her and she was a Targaryen who had been riding since she was a child.