Eye of The Dragon, Aemond Targaryen

𝟑𝟔

i want to apologize for this chapter and for what i have done .. truly

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧.

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King's Landing had prepared for this day. The warm air had shifted in an ice cold atmosphere surrounding them like a bubble. They could feel what was coming. Who was coming. The smallfolk fled in their homes, hiding from the war that was coming their way. There were many who would march in Aegon's army to protect their king. But there were also many who would die for Aelora if it meant she could take her rightful seat, it would be the least they could do for Rhaenyra.

But Aelora wasn't here to murder thousands of innocent people. The last time she came close to doing so, The Cannibal showed her the way out. Since then she only needed one person's head. She made a promise to Lucerys, and she'd honor that promise even if it killed her.

"Your father has marched to the gates," Aemond spoke to her. Aelora and Aemond had come on dragonback, The Cannibal close behind her. Daemon had taken himself to march the men of the North along with Cregan Stark and Jacaerys, who firstly refused to leave his sister's side. But Jacaerys needed to prove to Aelora that he could handle giving out orders when was needed, for when she would become Queen, he would become Lord of Dragonstone.

Corlys had taken himself on the waters, while Rhaenys patrolled the skies above on Meleys. No one was escaping. King Landing's doom was inevitable.

Aegon found himself looking outside the window from his chambers. He recognized his brother's dragon all too well, and would lie of he didn't feel hurt by his betrayal. Aegon knew the size of Vhagar could destroy everything, but he was confident enough that he and his army could stand tall. Many would think him to be stupid, which he was. But it wasn't the army or the dragons he was necessarily afraid of, no. It was the woman who rode them, the one hiding behind her own dragon scales. The woman whose brother he murdered. That is who he was afraid of, because he knew she was coming for him. And she would get him.

One breath, two breaths and three breaths. Aelora knew there was no point of returning now, and the thought of a war or the murder of innocents disgusted her. But Rhaenyra's words and her need for vengeance didn't leave her mind. The Iron Throne is her birthright. They murdered her mother in front of her. Her brother and his dragon had been washed away in the muddy waters. Those were two deaths caused by them, two deaths too much.

Aelora squinted her eyes together as two dragons flew toward her. "No need for all this, Princess. You can still keep your life and turn back now." Daeron smiled at Aemond as he said so. But Aelora's eyes fixated on the useless crown on the person's head next to Daeron. "I am not here for a destruction, Prince. I am only here to take back what is mine. What is my mother's." Her voice cracked, Aemond guiding Vhagar closer to her, offering her support. "Traitor," Daeron mouthed to Aemond. The one eyed Prince did everything in his power to remain calm, but his patience was thinning by the second. "I count three dragons," Aegon finally spoke. "No Caraxes? Meleys? Or perhaps Arrax?" Aegon's smirk clouded Aelora's mind. Hearing her brother's dragon name come out of his mouth shifted the clouds. Aegon laughed out loud, "oh no, that's right. He is nothing but ash and bones." Aelora gritted her teeth as Vermithor released smoke from his low hanging mouth. "Do you want to know how he died, sweet Aelora?" Aemond moved Vhagar closer to Aegon, threatening him. Sunfyre shifted in the air, perhaps a bit intimidated by Vhagar, but it didn't stop Aegon.

"I could have Vhagar burn you alive at this second if you're not careful, brother." But Aelora shook her head, "no." Aelora's eyes crossed with Aemond's. Aegon was hers to kill, he knew that. "Do you want to hear how he didn't even have time to scream? The little bastard had already been split in half," he smirked toward her. Aelora's heart beat ten times harder. He's trying to distract me, she thought. He is using Lucerys as a decoy so she would snap and show everyone around her the true colors that she supposedly had been hiding. "It is not fair for you to do all this Aelora, you already had your revenge on me and my family." The pure blooded Targaryen shifted her head to the side, "revenge?" Aegon muttered under his breath, irritated by her stupidness. "You robbing me of my eldest son." Aelora, as twisted she herself thought it to be, smiled. "You pretend you care about what happened to him, but you have bastards running throughout the whole entire city. But that was not my revenge, that was revenge done for me. I will not end your life so easily, Aegon. I first want to hear you plead for your life, a kindness you robbed my brother of."

Before the usurper could talk, a fireball flew next to Aelora. She turned herself, locking eyes with a very erratic looking Helaena. Aelora turned Vermithor, "Helaena," she softly whispered. But the Princess recognized the look in the Queen's eyes, it was the same she had the days after losing Lucerys. "My boy, you took him from me," she spoke under her breath. Aelora shook her head, "no I did not, Helaena. I would never harm an innocent child." But Helaena didn't care for her excuses. "He is dead, you are here. It is only fair for you to meet the same fate he did." Aemond's head moved from Helaena's words to Daeron. This was not her speaking, this wasn't the Helaena he knows and loves. These were Daeron's venomous words. "Helaena, sweet sister, she is telling the truth. It was not her who ordered them." Daeron's chuckle turned their heads, "of course we know it wasn't her, but she is his daughter. It is only fair."

"By killing her you are only continuing this cycle of death, Daeron. Are you truly that hungry for bloodshed?" Daeron scoffed at his brother's words. And Aegon had grown bored of this all, he was here to win a war, not to talk each other's ear off. If he wanted to do that he would have ordered a cheap whore.

Sunfyre screeched as he released flames towards the Princess and Vermithor. The group split up, Sunfyre chasing behind Vermithor as they moved up to the clouds. Vhagar found herself caught between Dreamfyre and Tessarion.

But all dragons moved around each other in panic as bolts larger than them flew into the sky, reaching for them, trying to kill them. Larys smiled as he ordered them into the sky, "more!" he shouted. "I want to watch them drop dead like flies." Aelora tried to keep her eyes below her, making sure her brother would be alright. She recognized him and his features everywhere, even when he found himself entangled with thousands of northmen who bore an uncanny resemblance to the young Prince. He was fighting bravely, but that didn't surprise her. Her focus on Jacaerys did cause disturbance, for Aegon saw an opportunity he would never refuse. Sunfyre flew into Vermithor, biting through his thick skin, blood pouring out of the beast's neck. Aelora immediately changed course, Vermithor breathing heavily as he tried his best to keep her straight on his back. The beast turned around, facing Sunfyre, flying straight towards the golden dragon. Aegon hadn't expected her to be this bold, but then again it was a possibility he had forgotten how angry she truly was. And a dragon could feel every emotion their rider felt. Vermithor opened his mouth, sticking his teeth under the smaller dragon's head, ripping out flesh. Sunfyre had the advantage with Arrax, but Vermithor was larger and far more experienced.

Aegon inhaled a deep breath as he heard the pain in his dragon's shriek. But Vermithor wasn't done yet, Aelora guided him from the side into Sunfyre's side. Aegon had found himself lucky to be in a saddle, for the impact of Vermithor's punch would have been fatal for the usurper.

"You want to be Queen Aelora? You want that title so bad that you would go to war for it?" Aegon shouted. "Queen was my mother's rightful title, and she got robbed of it. I am her heir, I am next in line and I have a duty to complete. It was never a choice of mine, all I am doing is for her and in her name!" Aegon didn't believe her, "Rhaenyra would never have started a war."

"You robbed her of her birthright and you killed her son. Are you sure? Because I am fairly certain she would have your head for it and parade it around when she had become Queen."

The Bronze Fury spewed his fire at the dragon on the opposite side, Sunfyre ducking away.

But the next part happened fast, perhaps too fast.

A bolt on its way to a dragon, and before anyone could do anything to stop it or dodge it, it pierced right through the beast's scales, through his stomach, exiting at the other side of him.

It was Vermithor. Aelora clung onto for dear life as her protector spiraled to the ground. But throughout the impact the Princess had been flung into the sky, now facing down as she was falling out of the sky.

Her and her dragon, on their way to their death.
But at least they would be together, she thought.

At least she would see her mother again.

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:o