MOTHER'S DAUGHTER ⎯ aegon targaryen

iii. driftmark

⎯MOTHER'S DAUGHTER

❝this had been the beginning of the end❞

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Vysemera's time on Dragonstone would be happy for the next year before they had received word her dear Lady aunt had passed away. Young Joffrey would stay with his nursemaids on Dragonstone as the others flew the short distance to Driftmark, each of them wearing dark blue for House Velaryon as well as black for mourning. Vysemera had not known her aunt truly, but she had heard many tales and often wrote letters to her sweet cousins, Baela and Rhaena. She had heard Rhaena had been without dragon and often tried to send a new egg for her to hatch, but the eggs she had often found had been old and near stoning.

Vysemera stood with her mother, and brothers while her father had created some distance between them as she looked at the white stone coffin of Lady Laena, she had heard whispers of the death of the sweet Lady, who had left behind her husband—and Vysemera's great Uncle—and her two daughters, that the large and formidable dragon Vhagar had taken her life, due to complications during childbirth. She had now feared that if her mother were to have another child, the same might happen to her, and maybe if she had been of age, she too would die in childbed.

While listening to ser Vaemond's speech for the Lady Laena, she had not noticed her shaking breaths and tears appearing in her eyes before someone took her hand. She assumed it had been Lucerys, who stood closest to her, but the hand had been bigger than his, and too small to have been her own father. When she looked to the side, she saw Prince Aegon, staring at the coffin as he had walked away from his mother's side and stood with Vysemera, something that the Hand, the King, and even Prince Daemon all took notice of as Vysemera was quick to hide herself against Aegon. She buried her face in the crook of his neck as ser Vaemond insulted her family indirectly.

"the true and old blood of House Velaryon shall never be tainted" he said as his eyes darted to Princess Rhaenyra as well as Vysemera who hid herself away. It came to everyone and all's surprise when Prince Aegon sniggered loudly as Daemon turned to him, laughing along as they were looked at by Princess Rhaenys. The moment the stone coffin hit the waves of the sea, people started to return to the balcony as they offered the Princess and Lord their condolences, before Vysemera could hold Aegon's hand once again, the Queen disrupted them. "Aegon" she called out, sending a sight his way that send chills down her spine. Vysemera did not wish to let go of Aegon, he was a comfort to her. But Aegon gave her a soft smile and a soft peck on her forehead before he walked with his mother and Grandsire to the balcony before Vysemera and her family joined as well.

Aegon stood with Otto Hightower, a man he scarcely knew but had been his Grandsire and once more the Hand of the King, in which case all knew would sit the Iron Throne more than his father the King, who had been sickly and worsened every day. He looked to the people, his hands neatly placed behind his back as he saw Aemond and Helaena talk, before Aemond walked over. "I had hoped you would bring Daeron" Aemond told his Grandsire who smiled to young Aemond. "Prince Daeron has his duties in Oldtown, my Prince" Otto said as he looked to Aemond before looking to Aegon. "Just as Aegon will soon start his own duties in King's Landing" Otto said as Aegon looked to him. "a man nearly grown" he said as he looked to Aegon. "I am but five and ten, Grandsire, I will not reach another name day for a year" Aegon said who had just celebrated his name day, which Vysemera had attended as she had reached her two and tenth name day, and a conversation with his Queen mother which she never wished to mention to him.