wicked games | aemond targaryen

𝚝𝚎𝚗

"STARING AT THE damn thing won't change anything," Valaena huffed as she rolled over onto her stomach, unsurprised to find her youngest sister sitting before the fire. She propped her arms onto the bed, letting her chin rest on her hands as she added, "You know that, right?"

Rhaena did not acknowledge her words, gaze fixed intently on the hardened egg that would never hatch. After a few moments of silence, Valaena released a heavy sigh as she sat up on the bed.

"Rhaena," Valaena muttered as she slipped from the comforting pillows onto the cool stone floor.

She approached her sister gently, as if afraid she would spook her sister away. Rhaena did not so much as glance at her, even as she sat down beside her. There was a tense silence as Valaena turned her head to find Rhaena's gaze locked onto the egg, her lower lip quivering slightly.

"You're going to burn your eyes out if you keep staring at it like that," Valaena teased in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Rhaena finally turned her head, showcasing the tears that threatened to spill at any given moment.

"Oh, Rhaena," she whispered softly as she reached out and grabbed her sister's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"I just want it to hatch," Rhaena admitted with a shaky breath. "Why won't mine hatch?"

Valaena inhaled a deep breath at her words, her mind flashing back to when the exact thoughts plagued her mind before she realized she no longer wanted a dragon. When she wondered if her worth would be determined by whether the egg hatched or not.

"Just because your egg doesn't hatch doesn't make you any less worthy of a dragon," Valaena repeated Daemon's words from long ago back to her younger sister. "Your dragon could already be waiting for you to come and claim them."

"You sound like mother," Rhaena sighed, but it seemed to have calmed her nerves as she her shoulders sagged in relief.

"Well, she has a point," Valaena commented with a small chuckle.

"Is that why you refuse any dragon eggs from father?" Valaena froze at Rhaena's words, eyes wide as she pulled her hand away into her own lap. She bit her lower lip as she played with her hands, wondering how to answer her sister's question.

"Not exactly," Valaena tilted her head as she watched the confusion wash across her younger sister's face. "I didn't grow up with dragons like you and Baela. Truth is, I'm quite terrified of them really."

"Terrified?" Rhaena echoed her words in confusion as Valaena felt the familiar flush of embarrassment at the confession. That she was a Targaryen afraid of dragons.

"They're quite beastly creatures-"

"But they're beautiful," Rhaena interrupted passionately, backing down slightly when she realized the rudeness of it as she released a meekly, "Sorry."

"And that's why I know you will have a dragon someday," Valaena told her sister firmly. "I'm afraid I am not so fortunate to hold the dragons in such high regard as you do."

"So you don't ever want one?" Rhaena asked as she seemed to be trying to wrap her head around the thought.

"Be grateful you have less competition for a dragon," Valaena teased, heart-lifting when Rhaena returned the smile. "Come, I'm sure Baela is growing bored without us."

She stood up, brushing off her skirt before offering a hand to Rhaena. Her sister gratefully reached for it, allowing Valaena to help her onto her feet as the doors swung open. Valaena turned around to find Laena entering the room with a bright smile as her eyes landed on the two girls.