Dragon Princess || Aegon II Targaryen

𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 21

The path was not long, giving Rhaenys little time to find a plausible excuse for the state of her dress and her windswept hair. But such things mattered little now; she was far more troubled by what had happened to Aemond.

How could someone have attacked a prince? Within a castle guarded both by knights of the Tides and the royal guard, no less. How could anyone have breached such defenses? Had it been an assassination attempt? A robbery, perhaps? What had truly happened? Would Aemond even survive?

The questions surged through her mind, each one sending shivers through her more than the last. It was true, Aemond was at times difficult, a hard brother to endure. But that did not mean he deserved such a fate—an attack upon his person, his life nearly taken. And despite everything, Rhaenys still loved him as a brother. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as she made her way toward the hall.

Upon entering, Rhaenys saw her father, furious, speaking with Lord Commander Westerling, while her mother knelt beside Maester Kelvyn, who was tending to Aemond. As she drew closer, Rhaenys gasped in shock, tightening her grip on her brother's hand, who stood as astonished as she was. Aemond sat leaning back, giving the Maester full access as he stitched a terrible wound—an ugly gash where his left eye had once been.

It was a ghastly sight. To see Aemond with blood streaming from his eye—or rather, from where his eye had once been—while the needle passed through his flesh. The needle pierced his skin, pulling the thread through to the other side. It pierced again, and the thread followed. Again, and again. Aemond gritted his teeth with every painful stitch, fighting to stay still, showing all his strength and resolve as the Maester continued his grim work. Meanwhile, Alicent watched her son, her heart breaking with every passing moment. It was a cruel irony: a queen, yet feeling so powerless.

"What happened?" Rhaenys whispered to Helaena as she stopped beside her sister, feeling Aegon behind her. Helaena only shrugged, not taking her eyes off the scene before them, entirely absorbed by it.

The sight weighed heavily upon Rhaenys, who had never been fond of combat or the sight of blood. Knowing this, her elder brother placed his hand on the small of her back, trying to offer her some measure of comfort, though he himself was more intrigued than disturbed by the scene. His touch helped, but even so, she could not shake the nausea rising in her as she watched what was unfolding before her. Despite her discomfort, she knew she could not leave, so she steeled herself to stay.

"It will heal, will it not, Maester?" The queen's voice broke the silence, more desperate than Rhaenys had ever heard her before.

"The flesh will heal... But the eye is lost, Your Grace," he said, and Rhaenys closed her eyes, knowing how much those words would wound her mother and her brother.

Rhaenys was still wondering what had truly happened. Who had done such a thing? Who had wounded her brother in a way that would scar him for the rest of his days? Who had mutilated Aemond so cruelly? Perhaps losing a finger would have been easier to bear than this.

But her thoughts were interrupted as she saw her mother approaching her and Aegon. Alicent's face was filled with fury, a fire in her eyes that Rhaenys had never known was there. Gone was the calm, composed demeanor Alicent had spent years teaching her. Without a word, the queen grabbed Aegon's arm and yanked him in front of Rhaenys, gripping him so tightly that it would surely leave a mark even through his clothing.

"Where were you?" she demanded, not giving Aegon a chance to reply before striking him across the face. The slap echoed throughout the hall, drawing every eye to the queen and the prince.

At the sound, Rhaenys reacted at once, pulling Aegon to her side and placing a hand on his cheek, feeling the warmth where he'd been struck. "What was that for?" she demanded, trying to keep the fury that was welling up inside her in check. How dare she treat him this way, hurt him in front of so many? For what? What kind of mother was she?