The Legacy of Two

Driftmark

 "Aegon?" Aemma whispered as she hurried down the steps. When he had not come to her chambers that evening, she and Aemond had decided to go look for him.

"He's probably passed out somewhere," Aemond replied, "It's cold, Aemma. Let's go back, someone will find him in the morning."

Aemma opened her mouth to reply, but instead of words, she gave a cry of shock as she nearly tripped over her eldest brother. "Aegon!"

He opened his eyes groggily, staring up at her and Aemond. "Aemma?"

"What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night," Aemond complained.

"You know I hate it when you drink," Aemma added bitterly, kicking away the goblet Aegon held in his hand. Aegon tried to sit up, and then flopped back on the stairs. "Help me with him," Aemma instructed Aemond as she kneeled down to pull one of Aegon's arms around her.

Aemond reached for the other arm and then froze. "Grandfather-"

But Otto Hightower had already kicked Aegon in the gut.

"No!" Aemma cried out, trying to pull Aegon up. He groaned in pain, struggling to his feet.

"Leave him be," Otto ordered, grabbing Aegon, "Go back to your rooms, Aemma."

"No!"

"Take her, Aemond."

Aemond cast a glance between Otto and Aemma, and then took his sister's arm. "Come on, Em."

"But we have to help Aegon," Aemma complained, trying to plant her feet on the stairs. Aemond dragged her up and back to her chambers, all the while muttering something to himself.

~~~

"Aelora! Aelora!" Baela shook her awake, pulling her out of the bed.

"What is it?" Aelora whispered groggily, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Rhaena opened the door. "Aemond took Vhagar, we saw him from the window," she explained, hurrying through the hallway, "I'll wake Jace and Luke."

Aelora and Baela hurried after her, running up the stairs. They found Rhaena explaining everything to Jace already. Luke stood by the doorway, fearfully looking up at Aelora.

"Come on," Baela urged, hurrying them through the hallways. As they passed a door, she stopped. "Shall we get Helaena and Aemma to help us?"

"No," Aelora shook her head, "They'll side with Aemond. Hurry!"

With as little sound as possible, the five of them rushed through the main hall and out through a small gate, finding Aemond standing there waiting for them.

"Aelora, what are we doing here?" Luke asked, clinging onto her hand.

"It's him," Baela stated as they came to a stop.

Aemond nodded. "It's me."

"Vhagar is my mother's dragon," Rhaena said defiantly.

"Your mother's dead," Aemond snapped, "And Vhagar has a new rider now."

Rhaena's voice rose in anger. "She was mine to claim."

"Then you should've claimed her!" Aemond glanced at Jace, "Maybe your cousins can find you a pig to ride. It would suit you."

Aelora had briefly heard about the incident where Aegon, Luke and Jace had given Aemond a pig to ride in the Dragonpit. A part of her felt sorry for him, but another part was angry.

It was true that Vhagar had not officially been Rhaena's to claim, but everyone had acknowledged her closeness to her mother's dragon, and Aemond had no right in taking her before Rhaena even had a chance.

Anger flared in her. "You shouldn't have claimed Vhagar," she told him coldly, "Rhaena had the right to try before you."

But Rhaena had already lost her patience and she ran towards Aemond with a shout. Aemond grabbed her arms and flung her to the floor. Baela rushed forward and punched him in the face, forcing him onto the ground. The next moment, he leapt up and beat her to the floor.

"Come at me again and I'll feed you to my dragon!" Aemond warned.

Aelora picked up a rock and flung it at him with a cry, before she ran towards him. He dodged the rock and stepped out of the way, making her trip and fall to her knees.

Aelora struggled up, only for Aemond to push her back down, her face in the sand.

"You leave them alone!" Jace screamed, rushing towards Aemond. He punched him, only for Aemond to push him towards the ground. Aelora tried to crawl to him, but Aemond stepped on her wrist with a sickening crunch.

Aelora didn't scream at first, the pain tore through her with blinding speed. Then she let out a gasp and her vision blurred with hot tears. Sharp waves of pain washed over her, forcing her to breathe deeply. The only thing she could hear was the pounding of her heart and the rush of the blood in her ears.

She clutched her broken wrist to her chest, every movement bringing a new jolt of pain. She couldn't seem to stop moving though, and every gasp brought a new wave of anguish over her.

Aelora heard Luke cry out, and then someone fell to the sand, and three people rushed past her. She pushed herself up to a sitting position, her back against the wall, breathing heavily.

Screams and shouts filled the air, until all was silence.

Aelora blinked away the pain, struggling to catch her breath. "Luke!" She cried. Aemond held him at the neck with one hand, raising him higher and higher. "Luke!"

She tried to reach them, but the simple movement brought another wave of pain and she fell to the ground with a groan.

"You will die screaming in flames just as your father did!" Aemond yelled, "Bastards."

"Stop it," Aelora ordered, her voice barely above a whisper, "Luke! Luke!"

"My father's still alive," Luke sobbed, his voice hoarse.

"He doesn't know, does he, Lord Strong?" Aemond said nastily.

"Jace!" Rhaena screamed.

Aelora couldn't tell what was happening. There was a shout, and the grunt of a fight, before Jace yelped in pain and fell back onto the sand.

Something dropped beside Aelora, and she used her good hand to grasp a blade. When had this gotten here?

Luke crawled towards her and pulled the blade away. Jace pushed sand into Aemond's eyes, and Luke took the opportunity.

"No!" Aelora's scream seemed distant even to her ears. The world slowed. One moment, it was just them all alone in the tunnel, Aemond poised for attack and Luke with a blade. The next moment, they were surrounded by Kingsguard and Aemond was on the floor clutching at his face.

One of the Kingsguard pulled Aelora up, ignoring her groan of pain, while the other knelt beside Aemond.

"My Prince, my Prince, let me see," he said gently, turning Aemond around. When he removed his hand, Aelora saw that his entire left eye was gone. "Gods be good."

But he was wrong, the gods were not good.