Sun and Fire ~ Aemond Targaryen

14. The One-Eyed Prince

The six children set out to find out who supposedly had "stolen" Vhagar. 

Rhaena, Baela, Luke, and Jace had dressed again, but Meria and Daemma didn't have time for that and only wore their white nightgowns to sleep, covering themselves with long brown fur coats and black boots. Both sisters had their hair loose and hurriedly walked alongside the others.

Baela grumbled furiously, taking long strides as if she wanted to hit someone and little Rhaena had a worried and incredulous expression on her face. Jace maintained a curious and annoyed demeanor, while Meria and Luke just wanted to know what was really happening. 

None of the children said anything as they walked. Daemma didn't need to think too much to figure out who it had been. Only the Targaryens tame dragons, and... Which Targaryen present didn't have a dragon, aside from Rhaena? 

The answer was more than obvious, and Jace knew it too. The girl's heart beat hard, not knowing what to do or how to stop this situation that would surely spiral out of control. 

She saw the fury in her cousins' eyes and knew better than anyone that Aemond probably wouldn't keep quiet easily if confronted. But the least she could do was be present to try to calm the situation as much as possible, if that was even possible. 

Just like the previous night when Meria walked through the halls of High Tide, there were no servants wandering around the endless corridors and halls. It was already very late, and surely everyone must have been either organizing the remains left over from the funeral or sleeping.

Baela led the way ahead of the others, being more familiar with the castle, down stairs and more stairs until they reached an unfamiliar exit.

Opening a huge ornate wooden door, they arrived at a kind of stone tunnel leading to the beach, with torches fixed to the wall to illuminate the place. But there was no need to walk much further because suddenly Prince Aemond appeared before them, removing his hood from his dark green cloak as he walked towards them. Apparently, he was about to enter through that same door. 

The six children stopped in their tracks and Daemma let out a distressed sigh when she saw him face to face. They all looked at him inquisitively, and Baela broke the silence immediately. 

"¡It's him!" she asserted sharply and the silver-haired prince, he was not the least bit concerned and replying in the same tone. 

"It's me." 

"Vhagar is my mother's dragon" Baela continued, with annoyance. 

"Your mother's dead... and Vhagar has a new rider now." 

At these callous words, they all hardened their gazes even more. For a moment, they noticed there was a strange air about Aemond. The typical prince who used to occasionally bow his head to mockery and ignore problems instead of facing them was speaking firmly but also with a despicable arrogance, which was only worsening the situation. 

Rhaena couldn't bear it, she stepped forward and roared. 

"She was mine to claim." 

"Then you should've claimed her!... Maybe your cousins can find you a pig to ride. It would suit you" 

Aemond quipped, tilting his head mockingly, but his eyes were not on the girl; they were on his nephews. 

Meria and Daemma widened their eyes and the younger one didn't hesitate to shout at him with a furrowed brow as she approached. 

"you are stupid ..." Her words halted when she felt the grip of her older sister on her shoulder, who also had a stern look.

"That's enough!" He shouted firmly.