𝙺𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽 ° aemond targaryen

Act Three, Scene Six

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"𝚂𝚊𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚛, 𝚂𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙾𝚗𝚎-𝙴𝚢𝚎"
𝟷𝟸𝟾 𝙰𝙲 - 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝚍 𝙺𝚎𝚎𝚙
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THE PAGES OF THE OLD, worn book were soft against his calloused fingers. His eye skimmed meekly over the words, paying more attention to the conversation he was having with the Lord Commander.

"We've wasted precious days in this war of quills and ravens. Words are wind." Aemond stated plainly, turning his head to face the other man in the room, who was perched in one of the plush cushions. The table before him was covered in papers and tokens laid across a map of the country. "You should be leading the van, and I should be flying cover on Vhaegar."

The prince moved towards where his companion was sat, grabbing his goblet on the way. The two were alone in Aemond's chambers, speaking about plans that could be considered treasonous when not in the presence of their king and his council.

Cole looked up as the boy approached the seat beside him, his hand gesturing to the map as he spoke. "No castle would dare raise Rhaenyra's banner against us. We would bring the whole of the Crownlands to heel in weeks."

"Well, mayhaps we could petition the king, privately, to send us out." The knight hummed. leaning forwards to move the coins. "Rosby and Stoneworth, small castles right in the shadow of King's Landing; they would not want us for enemies."

"We could add their levies to our own." The prince added on, now moving the coins around himself. "Our host growing as we advance." In his mind, the plan was good enough, but he knew otherwise—it would never be enacted with his brother on the throne.

"Uh, it is a canny scheme."

"But moot." Aemond noted, leaning back in his seat as he propped one leg on top of the other, throwing his arm over the back of the chair. "My brother is hostage to my grandsire and mother, and they tell him that a war of dragons can yet be avoided."

Ser Criston was silent for a moment, studying the man next to him. While he may looked calm and composed, he knew there was anger buried deep inside of him—he had lost everything held dear to him because of this war—and Cole was nervous as to when it would all come boiling over.

"'Tis inevitable." The knight said instead, deciding to pour more wine into their glasses. "They must see that."

"Otto fears to upset the order of things. And Alicent is simply...angry."

"Angry?"

Aemond nodded. "She blames me for starting this war after she plotted with my father's council to usurp his throne." He paused. "Not to mention, she blames all of this for Vaella's death."

"She's not dead," Criston said all too quickly, shaking his head slightly. "There's no proof that she is."

"Yet, if she were alive, we would have known by now." Aemond said plainly.

As much as it hurt him, the boy had to let go of the little hope he had left. There was no chance she was alive at this point; it had been nearly three weeks since she had gone into the sea. Even if she had survived initially, she was either killed by the waves or the enemy.