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

35. But We Didn't

"We could have died!" 

"But we didnt." Avalon reminded Aspen. 

"But we could have!" 

"But we didnt. Because I didnt want to see him get crowned. So you are welcome. You complained that we werent going but you see? You see? My stubbornness saved us." Avalon told her daughter.  

"What was the last thing I said to him? I think it was about cake. I'm the worst sister ever. I didn't even say goodbye. I should've said goodbye. I should've made more of an effort because we were leaving and he was tired and I didn't want to disturb him because he's been dying for years and now he's gone the last thing I said to him asking him to bring me and now he's dead." Davina whimpered.

On dragonstone no cheers were heard, instead screams echoed through the halls while rhaenyra struggled through her third day of labor. The child had not been due for another moon but the tidings from kings landing that was rhaenyra's reasoning for early labor.

Rhaenyra called upon her wrath to her half brothers, the queen and her sister. She detailed the torment she was inflict upon them all before she would let them die. the cursed the child inside her too shouting monster, monster, get out, get out. MONSTER! GET OUT!

when the babe at least came forth, it was indeed a monster. Twisted and deformed. with a hole in her chest where her heart should have been and stubby scaled tale.

"She was my only daughter, and they killed her. They stole my crown and murdered my daughter, and they shall answer for it." Rhaenyra shouted. She had lost her baby and she blamed them all for it. She blamed Aegon for it. She blamed them all from miles away it was their fault.

And so the Dance began, as Rhaenyra called a council of her own. "The black council," the True Telling names that gathering on Dragonstone, setting it against the "green council" of King's Landing.

"Tell my half-brother that I will have my throne, or I will have his head." Rhaenyra seethed.

"Now is the time." Otto corrected.

"He is my son! You do not get to make this decision." Alicent corrected. 

"What's going on?" Maeve questioned. 

"It's alright mother. It's war. I understand I must do my duties." Aemond assured but he couldnt look at Maeve. 

"Aemond?" maeve questioned, he looked to Otto instead. 

"Aemond..." Otto instructed. "Your purpose is to win the hand of one of Lord Baratheon's daughters," Otto told him sternly, ignoring Avalon pleas. "Any of the four will do. Woo her and wed her, and Lord Borros will deliver the stormlands for your brother. Fail—"

"I will not fail," Aemond blustered. "Aegon will have Storm's End, and I will have this girl." Aemond looked to his mother and Maeve sighed. She knew this day would come but she hated it. Aemond would be married off and she would be miserable. 

"I have four daughters," Borros told Aemond. "Choose any one you like. Cass is oldest, she'll be first to flower, but Floris is prettier. And if it's a clever wife you want, there's Maris." Rhaenyra had taken House Baratheon for granted for too long, his lordship told Aemond. "Aye, Princess Rhaenys is kin to me and mine, some great-aunt I never knew was married to her father, but the both of them are dead, and Rhaenyra...she's not Rhaenys, is she?" He had nothing against women, Lord Borros went on to say.

"I love my girls, a daughter is a precious thing... but a son, ahhh...should the gods ever grant me a son of my own blood, Storm's End would pass to him, not to his sisters..." He looked Aemond over. "Why should the Iron Throne be any different?" And with a royal marriage in the offing... Rhaenyra's cause was lost, she would see that when she learned that she had lost Storm's End. Aemond would tell her so himself...bow down to your brother, aye, it's for the best.

Borros girls would fight with each other sometimes, the way girls do, but he saw to it they always made peace afterward... there would be no peace unless Rhaenyra stood down. Borror wanted to be on the right side of history.

''Prince Lucarys Velaryon. Son of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen''. They introduced and Lukes gaze went to Aemond Targaryen.

''I brought you a message from my mother. The Queen.' He corrected.

"Look at this sad creature, my lord," Aemond called out. "Little Luke Strong, the bastard." To Luke he said, "You are wet, bastard. Is it raining or did you piss yourself in fear?"

''Yet earlier this day I received an envoy from the King. Which is it? King or Queen?'' Borros countered smugly. ''The House of the Dragon does not seem to know who rules it. What's your mother's message? Where's the bloody maester?'' they waited as the maester stepped forward grabbing the scroll. He read it over with distaste. ''Remind me of my father's oath. King Agon at least came with an offer. My swords and banners for a marriage pact. If I do as your mother bids, which one of my daughters will you wed?'' He looked to Aemond, he was to be married as part of their agreement if he sided with Targaryen /Hightower. ''Boy?''

''My lord, I'm not free to marry. I'm already betrothed.'' He answered honestly.

''So you come with empty hands.'' He chuckled ''Go home, pup, and tell your mother that the Lord of Storm's End is not some dog that she can whistle up at me to set against her foes." Luke stared back at him before nodding.

"My queen." Aegon remarked. 

"Go fuck yourself." Maeve corrected shifting Maekar in her arms. Her little baby boy, he smiled up at her. He looked most like Aemond she thought, but all the children did. Josh had been long and lanky but Maekar had chubby little legs but a long face like Aemond and his nose, she was sure of it. 

"Come on, we need to-"

"We?" Maeve laughed out. "There is no we." She corrected. "You messed that up nearly 6 years ago when you decided that instead of trying to make things work between us that you wanted to fuck your way through the city." 

"And you found comfort in my brother," Aegon agreed, Maeve silenced. "I dont care." Aegon assured. "It keeps you from bitching at me but we are king and queen now-"

"It is my mothers crown." Maeve corrected. "You stole it."

"Apparently father gave it to me." Aegon countered. "I know its hard to believe but hell, its mine now." 

"You are going to fuck this up." Maeve corrected. "You know how I know? Because you fuck everything up."

''I shall take your answer to the Queen, my Lord.' Luke headed out but Aemond spoke up moving towards him.

''Wait. My Lord Strong. Did you really think that you could just fly about the realm, trying to steal my brother's throne at no cost...' Aemond offered the smile on his face was nothing less than vicious.

''I will not fight you. I came as a messenger, not a warrior.''

''Fight would be little challenge." Aemond agreed. ''No; I want you to put out your eye. It's payment for mine. One will serve. I would not blind you.' He removed his eyepatch and a gem was revealed where is eye used to be. ''I plan to make a gift of it to my mother. She never did forgive and forget from that night. To think she adored you before then, shame really... dont worry, this gift will make her feel better.''

''No.''

''Then you are craven as well as a traitor.' Aemond remarked smugly as Luke backed up

''Not here." Lord Borros demanded.

''Give me your eye, or I will take it, boy." Aemond threatened spinning his blade in his hand.

''Not in my hall." Borros demanded ''The boy came as an envoy. I'll not have blood shed beneath my roof.'' Aemond smirked back at him as he put his blade away but his glaze was vicious still. ''Take Prince Lucerys back to his dragon. NOW!"''

"Was it one of your eyes he took, or one of your balls?" Maris asked the prince, in tones sweet as honey. "I am so glad you chose my sister. I want a husband with all his parts." Aemond's mouth twisted in rage, and he turned once more to Lord Borros, asking for his leave. The Lord of Storm's End shrugged and answered.

"It is not for me to tell you what to do when you are not beneath my roof."