Supper IV

(Third Person POV)

After a few minutes of music and feasting, King Viserys could not bear the feeling of exhaustion and decided to call it a night. He had his Kingsguard escort him to his chambers as the others were left there. 

As they all socialized among each other, smiling and laughing amongst themselves, there was an oddly serene atmosphere. One that was quite foreign when it came to the current iteration of House Targaryen. All the servants and the Kingsguard remaining there was able to notice this specific atmosphere and it was something they never fathomed was possible. 

It was peaceful. 

Princess Rhaenyra would often lean into her husband and whisper things in his his ear, causing Aerion to smile slightly as he would return a whisper of his own. The sight of these two, looking at each other with nothing but love in their eyes made Rhaenyra's sons and Aerion's sisters happy. It was something they were used to, but they would always welcome it. 

On the other side of the table, Alicent would look at her children, who were eating; Helaena was speaking to Aegon about their kids, which Aegon would drunkenly nod in agreement of whatever his wife would say to him. Otto would often chime in and give his opinion on something which Aegon would nod again, almost apathetically, but with no malintent.

The Queen noticed her son, Aemond, sitting there quietly, looking off into the distance. He hadn't touched his plate at all, nor his cup of wine. He would calmly wave away any servant that would walk up to him to replace it, his brooding aura was felt all throughout the room. 

Alicent then looked over at Rhaenyra who locked eyes with her and in a quick moment, they shared an awkward smile between them. 

All this happened over the course of a couple minutes after the King's departure. 

Aemond slowly turned to see Luke, sitting across the table, drinking a cup of wine as he looked at Rhaena, who was speaking to him. 

Aemond's serious eye scanned the young prince, a deep ire forming in his stomach as he began to run his finger on the rim of the cup next to him. He was reminded of the pain he felt when he lost his eye, on that fateful night at Driftmark. 

Aemond then looked over at Aerion, who was speaking to Luke, the two of them chuckling amongst themselves. His gaze was fixed on the side of his cousin's face, scanning him carefully. His mind wandered back to when he was young, before he claimed Vhagar, constantly running up to his older cousin, begging him to let him ride with him on Vermithor. 

The mere sight of Aerion chuckling with Lucerys Velaryon bothered Aemond, it angered him. The Prince was aware that Aerion had a choice to make back then and to him, he made the wrong one. In Aemond's eye, Aerion betrayed him. And that was not something he wanted to let go so easily. 

Aemond stood up, gaining the attention of everyone almost right away, holding the cup in his right hand as he looked over at Lucerys. 

"A Toast....." He said with a serious tone as he raised his cup, "To my beloved Nephews....and my.....dear Cousin....." 

Aerion slowly looked at him, expecting some problems, "Hm..." 

"Jace, Luke, and Joff....." Aemond said as he narrowed his eye at Rhaenyra, "All of them.....sturdy boys, Mm?" 

Rhaenyra's expression hardened, but said nothing. 

"Almost...." Aemond said as he looked over at Jace, "Well...the three of them will be like their Father, I'm sure of it. Great warriors.....stalwart.....skilled....and....." 

He narrowed his eye once again as his Mother shifted uneasily. 

Jace's expression had hardened already, the same with Luke's. The two of them were waiting on what Aemond was going to say, expecting that one word. 

Aemond looked at Rhaenyra, "Strong." 

Jace stood up as Aegon chugged down from his cup, smiling but not doing much, "What did you say?!" He exclaimed, "Say that again, I dare you." 

"Aemond." Alicent said as she stood up 

Aemond looked at Jace, "What? You don't want to be that? Strong?" He said with a sly smile, "Jace....The Strong Future King of Westeros. A nice ring to it...." 

Jace took a step forward when Aerion let out a sigh. 

"No." Aerion said firmly

Jace stopped and looked over at Aerion who gestured at him to sit back down. The young prince clenched his fists as he looked back at Aemond, who was giving him a sly smile. 

He then slowly sat back down, giving Aemond a glare. 

Aerion then stood up, patting his sleeves, his figure towering over everyone as he began to walk around the table, behind Luke and Rhaena. 

"Aemond." He said with a calm yet serious tone, "A word." 

Aemond looked at him, "Mm." 

Aegon raised his eyebrows, "Yea, good luck buddy." he said as he looked down

Aerion stood in the middle of the room, "Cousin." He said seriously, "You want to say something?" 

Aemond walked over to him, "Do I?" 

"Aemond." Alicent said as she began to walk over

Aerion raised his hand, "It's okay, Aunt." He said without taking his eyes off Aemond, who walked up to him, "I have this." 

Alicent stopped, looking over at Rhaenyra who had a concerned look on her face. The Princess made no effort to stop whatever Aerion was doing. 

Aemond stood in front of Aerion, looking up at the Lord of Runestone, "Well....Look at you." He said, "Future King-Consort." 

Aerion looked down at Aemond, "You want someone to resent, Aemond? Resent me. Leave Rhaenyra and her boys out of this." He said seriously, "You're angry, I understand that." 

"Do you?" Aemond said with a bit of anger in his voice, "You don't understand anything." 

"What do you want?" Aerion asked

"You know." Aemond said under his breath

Aerion sighed, "Do I?" 

"I want an eye." Aemond said with venom in his voice, glaring at him, "As payment for mine." 

Aerion took a step back and shook his head, "Aemond..." He said as he looked at him, "I understand your Ire....I've felt it all my life as well. And you're right to be angry with me. I should have handled that better than I did. I should have spoken in your favor as well. I apologize for that." 

"I don't give a shit about your apology." Aemond said, "You know what I want. Now, what would you do?" 

Luke gulped with nervousness, "A-Aerion...." He said as he looked at this

"I'm not giving you Luke's eye." Aerion said seriously, "You understand that, right?" 

Aemond unsheathed his dagger, alarming the guards as they took a step forth. 

"Aemond." Otto stood up

Aemond tossed the dagger on the floor in front of Aerion, "Yours, then." He said to Aerion, "If you feel so guilty, then your eye will do." 

"Fucking mad cunt..." Aegon muttered under his breath

Helaena saw this and looked over at her mother, "M-Mother, stop this...." 

"Aemond!" Alicent said as she walked over, "What is this madness?" 

"Fine." Aerion said as he crouched over and grabbed the dagger, "If that will make you happy, I'll do it." 

"Aerion." Rhaenyra stood up, "No, stop that." 

Aerion raised the dagger towards his left eye, "An eye for an eye." He said, "I'm a believer of that, Aemond. Give me your word that you'll let this go, cousin." 

Rhaenyra ran over as the others stood up, a bit taken aback, "Aerion, don't be a fool!" She cried 

Aemond smiled, "Fuck Oaths, just do it." He said

Alicent reached them and pulled on Aemond's arm, "Are you mad, Aemond?!" She exclaimed, "What are you demanding here? Did you not just hear your Father tell us to end this foolishness?!"

Rhaenyra grabbed Aerion's arm and tried to pull it down, "Stop this now, Aerion." She said seriously, "Aerion!" 

Aerion didn't take his eyes off Aemond, "I'm serious, Aemond." 

"As am I." Aemond replied

"Very well." Aerion said as he gently pried himself free from Rhaenyra's grasp and moved the blade closer to his eye, "As long as this ends things." 

"Aerion, I command you to stop." Alicent said seriously, "Now!" 

Aerion stopped and looked at her, "Your Grace, if this means that things will end between us, it's worth the sacrifice." 

"Enough, Aerion!" Rhaenyra yelled, "What has gotten to you?! Drop the blade, now!" 

Aerion looked at her, "Rhaenyra-" 

"Now!" Rhaenyra said seriously

Aerion slowly lowered the blade, "Fine." He said

Aemond chuckled, "Hmph." He said, "What I thought." 

**********

In the King's Chambers, Viserys laid as he had a hot towel on his head. The Maester had just left the room, closing the doors behind him, to leave the King to rest. Nobody was in the room, only Ser Harold stood guard outside his door. The King was tired, more so than usual in his condition. It was natural that he felt fatigued out of the blue and went to bed abruptly. 

Viserys was panting heavily, "Ah...." He said softly, "A-Aerion...I see you...in my dreams....." 

He lifted his arm up to his face, his pale and bony fingers running across his cheek. Both his eyes were closed as his entire face was covered in sweat. The whole of his body was shivering, trembling to his bones. 

"Ah....." He gasped, "Aerion....R-Rhaenyra...." 

His mind was no longer there with him. He was in a state of delirium, something he usually gets out of nowhere as well. This mostly happened when he was alone but it never threatened his health that badly. 

"T-The Cold.....it's so cold...." He muttered as he panted, "Aerion....." 

"Interesting." A voice said, thick with a foreign accent, "You see him, do you?" 

Suddenly, from the shadows of the room, the figure of a woman draped in a black veil stepped forward. 

"W-Who....?" Viserys opened his eyes, "Who goes there?" 

The woman raised her finger to her mouth, "Shhh, King Viserys." The Woman said softly, "Dreamer of Old Valyria....." 

"W-What?" Viserys panted, "What.....?" 

The Woman in Black walked closer to his bed, "You see it too? The Cold?" She said as she ran her hand along the edge of the bed, "The Blood of The Dragon will be warmth that fills the realm." 

"Who are you?" Viserys asked, "H-How did you get here?" 

"I mean no harm." She said softly, "I merely wish to see it, the one with the Chosen Blood...you're in quite the pathetic state, are you not? The Last Rider of Balerion...what a shame....." 

"C-Chosen Blood?" Viserys asked, "I must not be right in the head.....I need some rest..." 

"That is what we call the ones that bond with The Black Dread...." The Woman said, "The Last Remnant of Old Valyria. Aegon, Maegor, Aerea, and Viserys. All of you are the Chosen Blood. But Balerion's relevancy only lies in his blood, which is gone. But the Bond...it's...well, it's pointless to explain it to a dying old man like you. My point is..." 

She leaned down and placed her hand on her head. Viserys saw the faint glow of green eyes through the veil. 

"G-Green Eyes...." He said softly

"Like your predecessors before you.....the chosen..." The Woman said softly

"Y-You're....." Viserys said softly, "I...you're not real.....a Myth..." 

"We shall take your Ember." The Woman said with a smile, taking the towel off his head and leaning down to kiss it through the veil, "It is part of our plan....to save this world."

"The Ember of Light shall be ours."