The wrong brother

A Prince's wrath.

The Prince paced circles around his strategy table, trying in vein to soothe his panicked breathing. He slammed his clenched fists on the table and scattered the maps and coins across the room.

How could he do this to Helaena? How could he hurt her so? It was all his fault. Even now, he couldn't be by her side, he wasn't strong enough for her.

Maybe the gods had cursed them for betraying their brother, the King. Maybe if Aegon fathered the child this wouldn't have happened. Aegon... He should've been there for her.

Aegon...

The prince's wrath had turned it's focus to his brother. He snatched his Valyrian steel dagger from it's stand and sheathed it in his belt. His brother had some answering to do.

---

Four hours had passed since your daughter's birth. You held the babe tight and ran your hand over it's wet head of hair. The maesters appeared to console you but you couldn't hear them through your uncontrollable wailing.

Maester Orwyle leaned closer to you and pleaded.

"Your grace please, we must take her away now. This is not healthy, you need to heal." He plucked the babe from your arms and wrapped it in a blanket. Your tears slowed and you wiped at your puffy, red cheeks. A wind picked up and swept at the curtains by the balcony doors.

A voice called to you from outside but the Maesters didn't react to it, another vision you assumed.

"My dear, you have failed me. Come."

You stood from the bed and headed toward the balcony, the Maesters were still busy tending to the babe. Your father stood on the balcony railing, leaning on his cane. Both his eyes had rotted from their sockets and his jaw hung low, broken on one side.

"I tried father. I'm sorry." You pleaded in a whisper to not alert the Maesters.

"You must not fail again. You can not." He gestured over the balcony at the drop below.

"You're not my father. He would never wish such a fate on me."

The figure distorted into Aegon's form and grabbed firmly at your wrist, pulling you up onto the railing.

"I know what you did!" It screamed at you. You screamed back at it, pleading for it to let go. You yanked your arm free and lost your balance. Your weight tipped over the drop and you almost toppled over when Maester Orwyle grabbed at your nightgown.

"Your grace! You must never consider such a thing!" He helped you down from the railing and took you inside. Adrenaline surged through you and your arms shook uncontrollably.

"This tragedy often befalls those of Targaryen blood, my queen. You mustn't give up hope."

"I-." You began to try to explain that you didn't mean to but you knew there was no logical explanation he would understand. The Grand maester laid you back down on the bed with some fresh sheets.

"You must recover now, your grace." He tucked you into the covers and spoke to the guard in a whisper that you weren't meant to hear.

"Her grace has lost her child and it seems all hope. See to it that the balcony remains locked and she is not too leave this room. The next few hours, possibly days are critical." He shook the guards armoured hand and left the room with the other Maesters and your babe.

---

Aemond stormed toward Aegon's private chambers with purpose and flung the doors open. Just as suspected, the King was not there. A note lay open on his desk. The rushed hand writing read-

"To his grace, the King.

Your sister wife Helaena is in labour. In keeping with your Targaryen heritage, your presence is required in the Grand maesters birthing chambers.

Signed, Maester Orwyle."

The Prince scrunched at the letter and threw it on the ground. For Aegon's sake, he better have at least tried to be there for Helaena. He made for the Maesters rooms once more.

---

You shuffled under the blankets, trying to find some comfort.

"Guard? Could you fetch me milk of the poppy please? My rest is not coming so easily."

He gave a nod and searched through the cabinets in the next room. A knock at the door startled you.

"Open up! Tis I, the King! I wish to see my child!" Aegon slurred his words.

Another voice sounded from further away-

"Brother! Where were you? She needed you! She lost everything and where were you?!" The voice grew nearer and louder. The doors flew open and both your brothers toppled into the room on the floor. Aemond wrestled to get the upper hand and slammed a fist into Aegon's face.

You jumped at the sight.

"Aemond stop, please!" You screamed at him but his fists kept connecting with Aegon's face. Left, right, left, right. Aegon clumsily flailed about under his brothers weight, grunting struggled breaths through his broken nose.

The Prince stopped attacking his brother and let his tears fall. He grabbed the king's face and gently rest his forehead on him. There was a deeper guilt eating at him, you thought. This wasn't about Aegon's absence but he didn't know where to direct his anguish.

The guard swept around the corner, plucked the Prince from the King and drew his sword at him. The prince's good eye fell to the ground in thought. Aegon rolled drunkenly to his feet, wiping his bloodied lips.

"What is this? Where is my baby?!" The King asked the room, without a clue.

The Prince glared at him, wiped his tears away with the back of his hand and left the room once more.