Who's Afraid of Little Old Me? / Aemond Targaryen / House of the Dragon

3. Trustworthy

"Did you hear my aunt Davina might be alive."

"Thats not what father said." Rhaenyra corrected.

"What do you think Ty?" Avalon questioned.

"I think you look beautiful today." Tyler answered. Avalon blushed.

"And she looks like a hideous monster every other day." Rhaenyra added.

"Nyra!" Avalon shouted giving her a shove. "Sisters. I could really live without her." Avalon added. "Ignore her. Thank you."

"Not planning on doing anything reckless are you princess?" Ty questioned.

"Like what?" Avalon countered.

"Flying off to confront your uncle." Ty offered.

"Im a good girl ty." Avalon corrected. He brought his face level with hers whispering in her ear.

"Good girls are just bad girls that havent been caught."

"You told viserys we are to be wed?" Davina demanded.

"Well you didnt say no."

"I didnt say yes." Davina corrected.

"Come on after last night..." daemon countered reaching out for her. "You cant say-"

"Daemon this is the kind of shit that had me running away in the first place. I didnt want to be controlled." Davina demanded.

"I wouldnt control you." Daemon assured.

"You are already trying to." Davina shouted back. "Fury!" She summoned and he flew up to the window.

"Davina-" daemon begged as she moved to the balcony. "What are you doing?"

"A flight always clears my head." She answered stepping off the ledge. Daemon ran gripping the railing, panic flooded him until he saw her lifted up into the air her pack of dragons flying after her.

"Father do you think that it could be aunt davina?"

"I wont hold my breath." Viserys countered. "Avalon dearest whats wrong? Your cheeks are red. Are you feverish?"

Tyler Tully was the handsomest guard in the realms and she loved him.

"No. Just... ran here." She offered awkwardly.

"Where did your sister run off to?" Viserys pondered

"Probably with alicent. I was going to find them." Avalon admitted. Viserys reached out for her.

"Avalon, we have not spoken much since i named Rhaenyra heir." Viserys admitted. Avalons face turned down but she couldnt hide her emotions.

"Why not me daddy?" Avalon questioned.

"Rhaenyra is elder."

"By like a minute." Avalon added quickly before silencing herself. "Was age the only reason?"

Viserys sighed. He loved his girls. He knew avalon was a sweet thing and he didnt want the pressure of the crown to taint her heart but maybe the bitter resentment of her sister getting the crown would do that anyways.  But rhaenyra had always been more harsh than her twin. Took the bull by the horns and yanked while avalon was more a tame the bull type of girl. Viserys wanted to protect her. Didnt want the world to crush her.

"Its not because i love her more. If anything- dont tell your sister but- I love you most." Viserys declared. "The crown the realms it makes me want to cry some days. The pressure of it all. Your mother didnt want that for you."

"But she wanted it for rhaenyra?"

"No." Viserys admitted "but she knew one of our children would."  Viserys gave her hand a squeeze " my darling girl," he said. " please tell me you don't hold this against me for naming your sister over you." of course she was confused and frustrated as to why she wasn't named future queen and heir understand where her father was coming from. Her sister was just a fraction of a moment older. It was herbirthright.

" no daddy." she assured him. " I just hope she can do as good job as you."

" I don't know how well I'm doing. I have so far I'll let your uncle run a mock of the palace and he stole the dragon egg. I can't control our family the realms will think I cannot control anything."

"Oh father they don't blame you for uncle Daemon he's well uncontrollable." Avalon assured.

" he is uncontrollable I just wish he would listen to me from once," viserys murmured

" well I'm always going to listen to you." Avalon informed him sweetly.

" my precious girl," he cupped her cheek smiling down at her. " tell me, my darling how are your studies going?"

" mouse what are you doing?" Avalon questioned, moving through the pits. He seem to be digging in the dirt. " mouse.." she commanded. he turned to look at her sitting up straighter. He brought up a large taloned paw to wipe the dirt from his pure white face. " mouse, what are you doing?" Avalon looked confused as to why her sister and her dragon seem to both be missing.

When Avalon was little, she thought that her dragon was as tiny as a mouse. She also thought it was hilarious name something that was going to be so big after something so little. Of course, her twin ridiculed her and said that was ridiculous for dragon. Avon had countered with you can't even say your dragons name. Syrax was a beautiful dragon, but they were both young when their eggs hatched and rhaenyra had wanted to impress their father and uncle and anyone that saw her and her dragon so she wanted to name her dragon something sophisticated. She had a hard time saying syrax when they were, but she thought it was cooler than mouse.

Avalon loved mouse. She took Tyler riding with her. He was the most wonderful guard. But she was growing quite fond of the new guard ser criston cole. He was handsome, but all the young knights seemed to be handsome. And he knocked their uncle on his ass during a tournament so they knew he was skilled. He was probably wasting his talents, on babysitting her twin.

" welcome home, princess..."

Davina grumbled, sliding off the back of fury. Rupert looked to the three dragons circling the sky.

" it's been a long time." he added. " have you been practicing?" Davina locked eyes with him. " your scars say that you have. How bad did the other guy look?"

" dead." she answered simply. Rupert smiled, extending a hand for her. " you didn't tell anyone..." she added softly.

" I didn't think you wanted me to."

" I didn't." she assured him. " but I've never known a hightower to be all that trustworthy. But my brother didn't have a clue..."

" we had a mutually beneficial arrangement. Why would I ruin that?" Rupert questioned. Davina shrugged in answer.  " so are you staying? For good this time?"