𝙺𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽 ° aemond targaryen

Act Three, Scene Two

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"𝙱𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚃𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚏𝚞𝚕"
𝟷𝟸𝟾 𝙰𝙲 - 𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚎
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THE SQUEAL FROM THE OLD, rusted hinges of the cell door was ear splitting in the quiet room. The girl's head snapped over, her neck aching at the action. Vaella made no effort to get up, however, at the sight of her good-sister walking into the room. A guard stayed stationed at the door, though the reason was unclear; the younger Targaryen could hardly stand on her feet, much less attack the woman before her.

"Rhaenyra," The girl all but sneered, turning her attention back to where she was watching the ocean through the small, barred window. "Oh, apologies, Your Grace."

The elder sighed softly, running her hands down her dress. "Vaella." She paused, assessing the girl. "How are you fairing?"

A scoff fell from her lips, her grimy hair swaying slightly as she shook her head. "How am I fairing?" The girl's tone held back no malice as she all but glared at the waves crashing against the rocks. "How should I be fairing? Should I say I have never been more comfortable thanks to your...gracious hospitality?"

"You must understand the precautions we have to take to ensure you-"

      "Ensure I what, exactly? Escape?" She had turned to look at her good-sister now, her eyes narrowed. "You control every ship coming and going from this island. My dragon is miles away, and I am sure I would not even be allowed anywhere near the ravens. What exactly can I do?"

      Rhaenyra sighed once more, moving slowly towards the younger girl and lowering herself on the poor excuse of a bed. "I have no desire for any of this animosity, but you must understand something." Her words cause the girl to look over at her. "It was not us who started all of this—it was Alicent, when she supplanted me and put her son on the throne."

The girl stared blankly at the woman before her, processing her words, but she did not have a moment to say anything before the self-proclaimed queen was speaking once more, her hand reaching over and grabbing the younger's.

"I must know what happened over Storm's End."

Vaella swallowed, her mouth dry as she tried to find the right words to explain it to the woman. "Being truthful...I do not know." She saw as the other's mouth opened to protest and quickly spoke again. "I only followed Aemond to stop him; I knew things would get out of hand quickly if I did not do anything." She paused to swallow once more. "I do not know what happened between Lucerys and my husband."

The woman sighed softly, her eyes downcast as she nodded slowly. "Luke is dead." She stated plainly, causing Vaella's eyes to widen—this had been news to her. "Aemond killed my son."

The words kept repeating over and over in the girl's mind. She knew that her husband was not always in control of his anger, but she truly believed it was never his intent to kill his nephew. Scare him, yes. But never to take his life from him.

The girl's lilac eyes watched the woman before her, the question she had been begging for an answer to resting on the tip of her tongue. Though, she was not sure if she wanted the answer. "I answered your question...it seems only right that you answer mine."

Rhaenyra's eyes lifted up to look at her good-sister. "Of course."

With a shaky breath, she allowed the words to roll off her tongue. "Where is my child?"

There was a tense silence that followed Vaella's words, causing the younger girl's heart to start hammering in her chest. Her lilac eyes racked her cousin's face, trying to get a read on her emotions, though she could not quite figure out what the woman was going to say next.

"Your child..." She started, squeezing the girl's hand a little tighter. "Was born far earlier than they should have been."

The girl's heart dropped, having a feeling about what was going to come next. She had expected it when she woke up, alone in the cold cell and her stomach more deflated that she had remembered—the sense of emptiness she had felt.

"But the maester has been keeping a very close eye on the child and says that the most dangerous time has almost passed." Vaella's eyes widened slightly, tears brimming. "If the child lives to the end of the moon...he shall be just fine."

The tears finally fell, streaking the girl's cheeks and splashing against the fabric of her dress. She had prepared herself to learn of the passing of her child, and to learn that they had not in fact died brought on a feeling that Vaella could not quite place.

"Wait...you said he." The young princess said between ragged breaths. "I have a son?" Rhaenyra nodded in response. "Can...can I see him?"

      The woman's hand slowly left her cousin's, causing the younger girl to furrow her brows. "Unfortunately, that is not possible right now." When she saw Vaella open her mouth to protest, she continued. "Doing so would require you to leave your cell. And...you are still our prisoner, after all."

      The queen slowly rose to her feet, making her way towards the door to the girl's cell. Her knuckles rapped loudly against the wooden door, prompting the guard outside to open it for her. Before she left, however, Rhaenyra turned to look at the girl.

     "I will see to it personally that your child is well cared for," Her words caused the girl to look up at her. "My war is not with your child, no matter what side you and your husband fight for."

      Seeing as the younger did not respond to her words, the woman turned and left, the door slamming loudly behind her. The new found silence left the girl to her thoughts, which were racing around and leaving her with an almost dizzy feeling.

      But one thought stuck out to her the most—it was words she had not been able to make sense of before.

   An eye for an eye, a son for a son. One lost to the sky, one lost to the sea.

      She knew now, only after the death had occurred, that the first son had been Lucerys Velaryon, killed during his chase over Storm's End. Seeing, however, that her child had lived throughout Vaella's time beneath the waves, it only raised the question of who the second son was.

𖤍

𝙱𝚎𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚎

𝚑𝚎𝚑𝚎𝚑𝚎 𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚗𝚜