Long Live / HOTD

7 // Scoldings

Valyria found her mother first who was speaking with Ser Criston.

"Mother! Cole! Look!" She ran over to them and hugged her mother's side before showing the two of them her ring. "Isn't it lovely?" Valyria sighed dreamily. She has plenty of jewelry but this one she counted as more special and beautiful than the others.

"How lovely." Cole smiled. He wasn't a fan of jewelry but he could see the bright smile on the young girl's face so he knew he had to match her energy.

"That's beautiful my darling. Where ever did you get it?" Alicent gazed down at the ring on her daughter's hand. It was absolutely stunning. She had no idea where her daughter could have gotten someone to make a ring like that especially since she hardly ever left the keep.

"Rhaenyra had it made for me. She's just wonderful isn't she?" Valyria stared lovingly at the ring. She was most impressed with it and couldn't wait to show her brothers.

"She did, did she? Hm.. Well I hope you thanked her. It looks expensive." Alicent was annoyed at Rhaenyra for buying her daughter something. It's not that she didn't enjoy seeing the smile on her daughter's face. She was just angry with Rhaenyra for what occurred between the two when they were younger.

"Of course I did mother. You've taught me well." Alicent smiled down at her daughter. She couldn't be more prouder of her. Valyria was a sweet and caring child who valued everyone's lives equally. Alicent considered herself to be blessed with a child who was so pure and perfect.

"Well. Have you seen your brothers?" Alicent asked Valyria. If anyone had seen them it would have been Valyria. It's like she had a sixth sense when it came to her family.

"Not yet mother. I do wish to show them! Do you know where they are?" Valyria looked between the two adults.

"They should be coming back from the dragon pit soon my princess." Cole answered. He should have been with the two princes and their nephews but Alicent had called him away.

"Okay. I shall wait for them. Mother, may I go to the library?" Valyria loved reading. She especially loved the histories and the tall tales.

"Yes my love. But don't stay too long, we are to have supper soon." Valyria nodded and hugged her mother before hugging Cole as well. She happily skipped off to her second favorite place in the red keep.

The door slammed open after a few chapters in one of the dragon books they had. Valyria's head raised from the words on the page to the sound of the noise. "Valyria." The voice called. She recognized who it was immediately. Her twin brother was angry, she felt it. She quickly closed the book ad made her way over to Aemond.

"Aemond? Are you all right?" She asked with concern. He was covered in what looked like dirt and smelled of dragon. "Aemond? You didn't?" She knew how he felt about not having his egg hatched. He had been told a numerous amount of times to stay away from the dragon's home because he tried to claim one. He always came out dragonless though.

"I had to try." Aemond wasn't one to show his emotions. He didn't like it. Aemond always felt like a black sheep because he didn't have a dragon and yet his bastard cousins had their own.

"Why Aemond?" She pulled him into a hug to comfort him. It didn't matter that he was dirty, they had been together their entire lives and could always count on each other to be there when they needed.

"They gave me a pig." He whispered, his voice breaking. He returned her hug and laid his head in the crook of his sister's neck. He hated his brother and his cousins. They always made fun of him and he couldn't stand it. He wished that he was as likable as his sister but he wasn't.