The dragon to be // House of dragons

44

Raina stood once again, gazing down the cliff at the water crashing against the rocks below. Her dragons were resting on the ground behind her.

Closing her eyes, Raina tilted her face up to the sky, basking in the warmth of the sun. Suddenly, a large shadow cast overhead, causing Raina's eyes to snap open. She quickly scanned her surroundings.

Her long hair flowed behind her as the dragon's wings flapped. Raina's eyes followed the dragon's descent, recognizing both the creature and the man riding it. She observed as they landed not too far away, her hands instinctively reaching for the two smaller swords holstered around her waist.

Her knights had crafted these weapons, forged from Velaryon steel, and named them Wyrmsong and Stormbane. "Wyrmsong" symbolized the connection to dragons and the Targaryen lineage, while "Stormbane" represented the ability to conquer and withstand the forces of nature, reflecting the Velaryon heritage. These were exceptional blades, more than capable of ending the life of the man atop his dragon.

"You... you have a lot of nerve showing your face to me," Raina hissed, her eyes avoiding Aemond's gaze as she tightened her grip on her sword. She didn't want to look at him.

"Raina," Aemond said, taking a step closer to her. Raina raised her swords, her eyes fixed on him. "I didn't come here to fight you," he said calmly. Raina curled her lip, scowling at him.

"I do NOT care what you came here for!" Raina hissed, taking a step towards him. "Did the arrow in your arm fail to tell you that I want you dead?" she asked, her eyes burning with anger. Aemond looked at her with an almost pleading expression.

"luke, I didn-" he started, but she cut him off sharply.

"You! Do not get to speak his name!" Raina yelled, moving forward, her arm swinging, attempting to strike him with her sword. Aemond swiftly sidestepped, evading her attack, and drew his own sword in response.

"Raina!" he hissed, but she persisted, her other sword coming up to strike him. Aemond swiftly moved his own sword to block her attacks, the clash of steel ringing out in the air.

Aemond pressed forward, launching his own strikes as Raina deftly evaded most of them, except for one that knocked her sword out of her hand. Undeterred, Raina continued her assault. She swung her arm, landing a solid hit on Aemond's jaw, causing him to stumble to the side. Seizing the opportunity, Raina swiftly swung her other sword, knocking his weapon out of his hand and causing it to clatter to the ground.

But Aemond quickly recovered, his hands pushing Raina's away as she attempted to grab him. As she moved to wrap her hand around his neck, Aemond brought his arms up, striking the insides of her elbows, forcing her to release her grip and stumble forward.

Aemond took advantage of the moment, reaching out to grab Raina's hair and pulling her off him. Raina hissed, her hands desperately trying to pry his grip away, but his hold remained unyielding.

Raina's back hit the ground, and in desperation, she swung her hands at his face while her legs shot up, attempting to push him away. She let out a cry as she thrust her knees up, but he managed to slip between them, his hand releasing her hair and firmly grasping her wrist, forcing them down.

"Stop, Raina," Aemond hissed, his face just inches away from hers. She averted her gaze, refusing to look at him. "You're going to listen to me," he said, his voice filled with urgency. Raina shook her head, continuing to struggle against him.

"You have no right to say anything to me!" Raina hissed, kicking her feet out and pushing her hips up in an attempt to dislodge him.

"I didn't want to kill him! I didn't mean to!" Aemond pleaded, trying to hold her down.

"You didn't want to? Didn't mean to!?" Raina hissed, her voice dripping with anger. "And yet he is dead, and you killed him, kinslayer!" she accused. Aemond's face contorted with anger in response.

Raina summoned all her strength and pushed her hips forward, successfully dislodging Aemond. She quickly got onto her hands and knees, attempting to crawl towards her sword. But before she could make much progress, Aemond seized her ankle, yanking her back and forcefully pushing her back down to the ground. He grabbed her face, making her look at him.

"You don't know! You don't know! I didn't mean to kill him, to put you in pain," he pleaded, his eyes scanning her, pausing at her flat belly. Suddenly, he noticed, for the first time, that she was not longer carried a child... his child. "Where is it?" he asked, his voice filled with a mix of confusion and desperation.

Raina looked at him, perplexed by his question. She didn't say anything, unsure of how to respond. Aemond's gaze bore into her, demanding an answer. "My child, where is it!?" he demanded, his voice filled with urgency.

"He is not your child!" Raina hissed at him, her words dripping with venom. "He is my husband's child, and just like the rest of my children, he will call him father," she declared, deliberately aiming to hurt Aemond. But before she could say anything more, Aemond's hand hit the ground next to hers, his forced weight of his head pressing against her cheek.

"Raina..." he began, but his words trailed off as a growl filled the air. Aemond's eyes shot up to see the dragon, its teeth bared and its green eyes locked onto his blue ones.

Sensing an opportunity, Raina pushed herself out from under him and shoved him away. She swiftly retrieved her swords and made her way to the dragon. With a determined expression, she pulled herself up onto its back, and the dragon took off into the sky, followed closely by her other two dragons.

Raina glanced over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of Aemond standing on the edge, watching her escape. Her head turned back, and she tightened her grip on the dragon, realizing the danger she had narrowly escaped.

"That was too close. I can't let that happen again," she murmured to herself, her voice filled with resolve, as she soared away on the back of the dragon.

~~~
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