The Dragon King's Lioness (Cersei Lannister X Male Oc)

Part 4

The following day, House Baratheon arrived at King's Landing, marking the first time in seven years that Aerion saw his cousins Robert and Stannis. Aerion remembered the seventh moon of 268 AC when Lord Steffon Baratheon had first brought his sons to court. It was a memorable day; they had witnessed Lord Tywin seated on the Iron Throne, presiding over the court after Aerys had cut himself on the throne, prompting Tywin to take charge.

During that stay, Aerion and Robert, both six at the time, had immediately struck up a friendship. Under the watchful eye of Ser Barristan Selmy, they would spar in the courtyard, competing with wooden swords in mock duels.

When they grew weary of sparring, they switched to a lively mix of games: Come-into-my-castle, Hide-the-treasure, Hopfrog, Lord of the Crossing, Monsters-and-Maidens, and Rats and Cats. Four-year-old Stannis mostly kept to himself, uninterested in their games. Instead, he quietly observed Tywin's duties or found calm spaces within the castle, his reserved demeanor contrasting sharply with Robert's energy.

However, when the Baratheon family arrived at the Capital and the Red Keep, Aerion discovered that Steffon and his wife, Lady Cassana Estermont, had a third son named Renly, who was three years old.

When they placed the child in his arms, Aerion hesitated, reluctant to return him to his parents, brothers, or wet nurses. Renly's presence stirred something in him—a mixture of affection and sorrow. The boy reminded Aerion of his younger brother Daeron, the only sibling with whom he had bonded before his death. Though Daeron had died as an infant, Aerion had always felt a strange, protective connection to him.

Every time Aerion looked at Renly, his heart ached. The child's dark Baratheon hair and blue eyes starkly contrasted with Daeron's Targaryen silver hair and lilac eyes, but it was more than that. Renly's life—his laughter and energy—served as a cruel reminder of what Aerion had lost. Daeron had only lived for six months. Renly, by contrast, was a vibrant three-year-old, and the sight of him stirred grief in Aerion that he had never fully confronted.

Still, Aerion kept Renly close whenever he could. He often joked that the boy was excellent practice for the children he and Cersei would have in three years before their betrothal turned to marriage.

Four days after the Baratheons arrived, the Lannisters arrived in the capital through the Gate of the Gods. Aerion, unaware of their arrival, had left the Keep to visit the Dragonpit, where Azantys was staying while finalizing plans for its reconstruction.

However, before Aerion went to the Dragonpit, he invited Robert, Stannis, and the Martell siblings to come along. With a gleam in his eye, he said, "I have something to show you guys. Come, it's something you won't believe until you see it for yourselves."

The Baratheon brothers and the Martell siblings agreed without hesitation; their curiosity stirred as Aerys ordered a handful of guards, including Ser Barristan, to accompany them while Aerion brought Rennifer along. The guards kept a watchful eye as they made their way through the bustling streets of King's Landing toward the Dragonpit.

As they walked, Aerion paid a shepherd in the city a fair sum to bring a few fat sheep to the Dragonpit. It had only been two weeks since he discovered Azantys, and he intended to showcase both his bond with the dragon and her impressive power. The shepherd led the struggling sheep through the streets and into the space near the Dragonpit, where Azantys rested.

Upon arriving at the Dragonpit, Aerion led his cousins toward the large, shadowed structure. As they approached, Azantys stirred, her enormous golden eyes blinking open. She slowly rose from her resting position, her massive wings unfurling wide. Aerion smiled, his face softening with affection, and stepped forward to gently pat her head, his heart swelling with pride.