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

19. Illicit Affairs

''What happy news this morning.'' Viserys declared. Avalon rolled her eyes. Her father loved his grandchildren bastards and otherwise more than his children with alicent. Rhaenyra- the heir got praised for her illicit affairs while avalon was a good girl. A good woman. She followed the rules and yet she would never be rewarded.

'Indeed, Your Grace.'' Laenor remarked.

''Where is he? Where is my grandson? There. There he is. Oh.'' Viserys took him from Rhaenyra and held him up.  ''A fine Prince. Sturdy. You will make a fearsome knight.'' Viserys told her and Rhaenyra couldn't help but smile. ''Yes, you will.'' He added softly to the babe. Avalon and alicent shared a look moving forward. While rhaenyras friendship with alicent and even her own sister , avalon had further severed in the years that passed. Avalon and alicents friendship had strengthened with their shared hatred of their husbands and love of their legitimate children.

''Does the babe have a name yet?'' Alicent questioned.

''We haven't spoken...'' Rhaenyra began as Laenor spoke up

'Joffrey. He'll be called Joffrey.'' Laenor told them proudly.

"Joffrey. How precious." Avalon agreed. She held no hatred for laenor. He was a kind man with a big smile and always offered a warm hug and something kind to say, even a joke at times to make her smile. She didnt understand why rhaenyra didnt try harder with him. He was charming. Her own husband was loud and obnoxious and treated her more like a harlot than a wife.

'That's an unusual name for a Velaryon.'' Alicent remarked.

''I do believe he has his father's nose.'' Viserys offered with a  chuckle. Alicent looked at the little black hairs on Joffrey's head. ''Don't you?'' Viserys offered. Avalon picked up joffrey kissing his little face. She didnt put blame on the boys. They were innocent.

''If you don't mind, Your Grace, your daughter has exerted herself heroically and should rest.'' Laenor offered.

"Here you are." Avalon passed off joffrey to laenor. He smiled finally being able to Hold his son. "He likes his daddy." Avalon added. Laenor smiled brightly.

'''Well done, my girl.'' Viserys kissed rhaenyras cheek ''I do hope the labor was easy.''

''I think I called the midwife a cunt.'' Rhaenyra remarked.

''Oh. Do keep trying, Ser Laenor'' Alicent whispered. ''Sooner or later, you may get one who looks like you.'' She offered. Avalon pulled her back.

"Be nice. Laenor isnt the problem." Avalon whispered. Laenor took that to heart as rhaenyra took joffrey. Laenor isnt the problem.

''You don't... think to consult me before you name my child?'' Rhaenyra hissed as they left.

''He's our child, is he not?'' Laenor offered

''Only one of us is bleeding.'' Rhaenyra reminded him, a trail of blood bleed from her legs as she walked the afterbirth still releasing.

''I deserve some say in the affairs of my own family.'' Laenor reminded her.

''You haven't seemed so interested in our affairs of late.''

"Thats rude but I understand i suppose." Avalon offered.

"I just want to see the babe." Alicent countered.

"She just gave birth."

"I didnt ask her to come and now we know." Alicent whispered as they headed off.

"We already knew it was going to be harwins." Avalon countered gently.

''You must hold mastery over your dragon, my young Princes. As Prince Aegon has with Sunfyre.'' The dragon keeper told him "like Grey ghost and prince dreagon along with prince Skylar and sheepstealer." Draegon smiled back at jace proudly before fist bumping Skylar.

Skylar had been born promptly after Avalons wedding. Nine moons and a day. Draegon, jace and skylar quickly became friends all being born within the same year. But draegon had a bond much like his mother and davina trained them young. While robbie had rebonded to vermithor, Draegon wanted to claim one of his own.

Children were not a useless distraction they were wonderful, rupert deemed. Draegon set out to claim a dragon and while jaces egg hatched Skylar wanted in on the action. Avalon took skylar to dragonstone on Mouse and they set out to claim a dragon. Davina was eager to help. Skylar gave sheepstealer sheep until he trusted skylar. Skylar kept feeding the lazy dragon until they bonded together.

''Once they're fully bound to you, they will refuse to take instruction from any other.'' Vermax screeched out moving against command to get to the sheep. Vaera stroked Cookies head. Viserys loved little vaera most. Davina was gladened by this. Viserys kept saying that vaera was a mini avalon and davina agreed. Vaera was the sweetest thing and lived on cookies. Maybe that was why she was so sweet.

'Can I say it?" Jace asked hopefully. The dragon keeper agreed. The sheep baaed nervously as it was tied up. Jace stepped forward a giddy smile on his face.

"Im so bored," maeve mumbled kicking at a stone. Criston chuckled running a hand over her head. "Can we go for a ride?"

"Are you not supposed to be at your lessons?" Criston questioned maeve shrugged. "Come on sweet girl."

"But daa-" she choked on her tongue clearing her throat awkwardly as she tugged in his hand keeping him put. "Ser criston."

He loved when she called him dad. He loved when she called father. He loved it. He treated her like a daughter. He doted on her. Spent the most time with her. Helping her with her studies and taking her riding.

''Dracarys, Vermax!'' Jace shouted and his dragon breathed flames onto the sheep happily before moving to its corpse and ripping it apart.

"Petyr what are you doing?" Robbie questioned scooping up his littlest brother.

"My dragons the size of a cat." Petyr told him.

"I know." Robbie agreed. "Mother will be looking for you. You ran off without telling her surely."

"We were going to play." Petyr remarked.

"You and me? Petyr you didnt tell me."

"Hide and seek." Petyr corrected "with aspen."

"Oh with aspen," robbie agreed.

"How are you and aemond doing?" Criston questioned

"Aemond? Why bring up aemond?" Maeve countered.

"I saw you two talking in the moonlight quite a few times." Criston offered. Maeve blushed.

"Hes my friend." Maeve whispered.

''The gods provide.'' Aegon told him smugly. Jace came walking up with a pig with wings tied to its back. Aemonds smile fell as it approached. The pig was grunting and snorting as Jace struggled to hold it.

''Behold...'' Aegon declared as they all shouted.

''The Pink Dread!'' The boys started laughing  at Aemond's dismay.

''Be sure to mount her carefully. First flight's always rough.'' Aegon mused as the pig continued snorting.

"Hes charming and handsome and so smart," maeve went on as aemond came barreling out of the pits sobbing. Maeve stumbled back. Aemond apologized profusely before running off.

"Aemond!" Maeve shouted. "aemond whats wrong?" She begged but he kept going. "Criston..."

"Lets leave him be. We can go for that ride." Criston suggested.

"But i should check on him." Maeve countered.

"I think he wants to be left alone," criston countered. "Come. We will see him later."