Legacy of the White Dragon: A Dance of Dragons

Chapter 38 : The Red Keep

Aemon Targaryen (109 A.C. Ninth Moon)

Road to Kingslanding

He had ridden in the carriage with Rhaenyra, his mother, and Visenya. He had rather a road on a horse, but Shadow was still in Little Tyrosh and would arrive in another two moons with the rest of the cargo, spoils, and his men. But having Rhaenyra snuggled against his chest made the ride more than doable.

He enjoyed the closeness, which he missed. He might have had Corlys, Laenor, and Criston. Yet it wasn't the same as having Laena or Rhaenyra at his side. The scent and her warmth made him happy, and dragons are attracted to other dragons.

Then peace was broken as the stench of Kingslanding reared his ugly head. "Yes, that is Kingslanding, son," Lyanna said with a chuckle. A grumble escaped him, "Well, I say it shouldn't be, and I tell you, Little Tyrosh doesn't smell like that."

"That may be, but it's home." His mother argued. "Not for me, it never was. I always felt more at home on Dragonstone, Winterfell, or Seadragon Point." He said. 'Oh, it was not, nor would it ever be. Kingslanding was a city where part of his family was. Yet it held memories of a past he still tried to forget, yet in nights, he was pulled back to his death, the shock in the eyes of Daenerys when he stabbed her in the heart. The damn screams of the burning people, even now he had done something similar, yet the desolation of Bloodstone wasn't seen as a bad thing, just a warning for those who wished to oppose his rule in the Stepstones.

What Daenerys had done was the understatement of what did not have needed to happen. The damn city had fallen, and yet she attacked, and the troops, even his own, had gone into a rampage. It had partly made his decision to kill her, yet his talk with Tyrion had broken him out of his shock. What made him do what he did and die three moons later, killed by the fucking Night King.' He thought

"Aemon?" It was Rhaenyra's soft voice that had broken him of his thoughts. "Sorry, I was lost in a memory." His mother gave him a questionable look. "It's fine. Just something about Kingslanding hasn't made it feel like home." He said, stopping the questions.

"Hmm, well, since my mother isn't here anymore, I can relate to that," Rhaenyra added, her voice tinged with melancholy. "Without your mother, it certainly has lost some of its warmth. Even if her daughter has plenty of her own." He said as he kissed her, pecking her sweet lips.

The carriage finally entered King's Landing, the city walls looming high above them. The clatter of the horses' hooves on the cobblestone streets echoed through the narrow alleys.

The Queen's chambers.

Aegon giggled as he played with him, holding out a wooden dragon and hiding the toy, springing it forward as a small game. The boy seemed to enjoy the game, his eyes getting big every time he brought the dragon forward. As he disappeared, he seemed to search, his purple and grey, seeking the dragon with intent. His eyes they were, and he knew for sure when he had seen the boy, Aegon was his. He would try and protect the boy as best he could.

"You are good with him, better than his father, Aemon. Although he is rarely close to the boy, I can't remember the last time he played with Aegon." Alicent voice cut the playfulness. He smiled at Alicent, gave Aegon the toy, and picked him. Aegon looked at him, giving him a bright smile and holding the dragon close.

"What father wouldn't want to hold his child close." He said as he sat down on a chair where Alicent was sitting. Alicent seemed to swallow hard, and a sadness was on her face. "Are you content, my Queen? Soon, if the gods are good, you will have two healthy children, which is a great source of pride for any mother."