Sworn Fate // Aegon Targaryen II

Chapter 8

The door swung open slowly, revealing a hallway that was just as empty as it had been when they'd left earlier in the night. However, at the end of the corridor someone had lit the torches that rested in the sconces along the walls, giving the end of the hallway a warm glow.

Aerion regarded the flickering flames with distrust.

"Do you think something has happened?" Aegon asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Aerion shrugged, leading the way forward. Before they had even reached the halfway point of the corridor, Ser Harold Westerling of the King's Guard turned the corner and quickly spotted them.

Instead of regarding them with anger or disappointment, he looked relieved by the sight of them. "Are you both alright?" he asked.

Aerion shared a quick look with Aegon before nodding. "We're fine. What's going on?"

Ser Harold glanced away from them, expression grave. "There's been...an incident."

"An incident? What is that supposed to mean? Is someone dead?" Aegon broke in. His voice was almost challenging, but Aerion could hear the fear beneath it.

"By the grace of the Gods, no. But..." Ser Harold trailed off. Aerion had never seen the Commander of the King's Guard as anything but fully confident and in control. To see him at a loss for words scared him in a way few other things could have.

"Please Ser Harold, tell us what happened." Aerion couldn't stand the suspense for another second.

He quickly shook his head. "You'll see for yourselves soon enough. Both of your mothers sent me to collect you once it was realized you were also missing from bed."

Also? Did that mean whatever happened did have something to do with Rhaena and Vhagar?

Ser Harold led them both towards High Tide's main hall. As they got closer, they were able to hear the sounds of people arguing, though it was impossible to make out distinct voices. From outside the door, it sounded only like a cacophony of shouts and anger.

Ser Harold pushed the doors of the hall open and the sounds of shouting cut off, everyone in the room stopping their arguments to turn their attention to the newcomers standing in the doorway.

"I found the princes, Your Grace," Ser Harold announced. "They were unharmed."

"Aerion!" his mother called out, already striding across the floor to reach them. She pulled him into a tight hug that Aerion slowly returned, feeling confused.

He glanced up, studying the somber expression on his mother's face. "What's going on?"

She grimaced slightly at his question, eyes shifting towards the center of the room. "Your brother cut out Aemond's eye."

The words didn't register. One of his brothers had taken Aemond's eye?! He followed his mother's gaze to the center of the room where a maester was standing in front of Aemond. From this angle, he still looked completely normal. A part of Aerion hoped that when Aemond turned his head he would look completely normal, proving all of this was some horrible joke.

All the color had drained from Aegon's face. His eyes were riveted on his brother as Aemond slowly turned his head to look at them. Along the left side of his face was a brutal line of stitches that started from Aemond's cheekbone and went up to his brow, straight across his eye socket. Aerion was no healer, but he had no doubt Aemond would never see out of that eye again.

He could hardly believe it. How could Lucerys have been capable of doing that?

"Where were you?" Alicent shrieked at Aegon as she stormed across the room. She was practically trembling with rage, her eyes dark in the dim light of the room.