Aemond I

Author's note: Here's another chapter, I may have gone through the hardest part but please don't expect another one tomorrow. In order to address something without spoiling the chapter, please read the rest of the note at the end, thank you.

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His eye was closed, his hands spread out, and his body relaxed.

He felt his hair whistle against the wind, and his scar tingled as it met the breeze.

Warmth oozed from underneath him, he could feel the rhythmic beating of his partner's heart through his seat atop her back, his own matching it.

He heard a loud roar from his left, causing him to reopen his eye, only to find his brother atop his purple beast, waving at him from his saddle.

"Hey, Aem! How are you enjoying your flights?" Shouted Baelon.

Xyrax got level with Vhagar, causing the latter to roar in an attempt to intimidate.

The Purple dragon just softly snorted in response, unaffected by it.

He couldn't help the smile on his face.

"I'm enjoying myself, Bael!" He responded.

"No wonder you were here for such a long time! But I believe it is time for supper, so how about a race?!"

His smile widened enough that it touched his scar, causing him to slightly wince.

He didn't deem his brother with a response, as he lowered his body into the front of his saddle, preparing to go faster.

"Adere, Vaghar!"

With a mighty roar and a powerful flap of wings, Vaghar surged forwards towards the distant black castle.

"Hey! You are cheating, Aem!"

Laughing at his brother's sounds of indignation, Aemond only signaled his dragon to go faster.

After a while, he turned his head backward in order to make fun of Baelon, but he was shocked to find no one.

He got an answer though as a shadow covered his head, and looking up, he found his brother's Xyrax flying above him, his larger wings allowing him to fly faster than Vaghar.

But Vaghar is the oldest, most experienced Dragon alive, with her alongside him, his win is a surety at this point.

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The ground shuddered as Vaghar landed on top of the castle's empty field.

Aemond sported a scowl at the sight of his brother, still in dragon riding leathers playing with his dragon.

Baelon turned to him as his feet met the ground, a smug smirk on his face.

"You had a headstart, and you still lost." He quipped.

"Shut up! Vaghar was just tired from flying so much!"

His brother responded by patting his head.

"Yeah, sure. Now let's go, the whole family is waiting for us to sup with them."

Baelon led him into the castle, his sworn shield a respectful distance behind them.

"The whole family? Can't I just eat in my quarters?"

Baelon laughed at his words, but the reassuring smile that followed meant that it wasn't mockery.

"Are they that bad? I admit my unfamiliarity with the situation since I was so busy the last couple of years, but it can't be that bad, can it ?"

"You know nothing Bael! Ever since you left it has been either awkward silence, sarcastic insults, or indignant screams. And Aegon and the other children are also mean to me, and they like to make fun of me!"

They found themselves in front of a door guarded by the twin Kingsguard, Arryk and Erryk.

"Well, then maybe it's a good thing that I'm here now."

The twins opened the door for them and looking inside, Aemond couldn't help but feel a tinge of satisfaction.

He was right. The whole place was silent, and the table was filled with Viserys at its head, the Blacks at his right, and the Greens at his left.

Aemond sped past his brother to sit next to Haelaena, which was next to the other head of the table.

Baelon however didn't hurry, he just stopped next to the entrance, and looked around at everyone, staring them in the eyes.

"Oh please, do not stop your conversation at my behest, you may speak." He joked.

Baelon walks towards the other head of the table and sits right in front of his father.

While sitting down, he strokes Lucerys' head who sat on the other side of the table, giving him a slight smile.

"Unless, of course, you were this silent before Aemond and I came in. In which case, I'll have to speak to myself throughout supper, and that, I am not looking forward to."

Aegon lets out a dry chuckle in response, but he then hides his face from the glares by gulping down his wine from his goblet.

Father meanwhile just looks quizically back at Baelon, an eyebrow up, while cutting into his steak.

"I'm sure we would all enjoy that, your Grace." Interjects Corlys'.

"Is that so? But I doubt someone of your experience Lord Corlys, would find my words interesting. On the contrary! I can't wait to hear of you regaling us about your adventures in Essos and beyond, and while your books on the matter were quite interesting, I would rather hear it from the man himself."

Corlys' lightly tossed his silverware down and leaned back on his chair towards Baelon with a smile on his face.

Putting his hands on his lap, Corlys answers.

"You must be jesting, your Grace. You are but a man of five and ten, and yet you have achieved more than any man could hope to achieve in his lifetime, whether it be your discoveries, Dragonstone... Dorne. I am very excited to hear your words, and I have so many questions were I to write them I would have to release another book."

"Yes, my son is quite an accomplished man for one of his age, were he present on the Stepstones alongside you, Lord Corlys, I am of the belief that the whole campaign would have gone much faster."

Daemon, on the left of his niece, lightly slams his cup on the table.

"Yes, we could have used more dragons." He seethes, Daemon was always salty about his brother's lack of support about the matter, or rather its timing.

"Yes, the Prince's actions of uniting Dorne under its rightful rule is still being spoken of with reverence, such an achievement at such a young age paints the Crown Prince as a warrior and conqueror, the bards are singing songs about his valor and ability." Interjects Otto.

Viserys seemed satiated with his meal, as he put both his arms on the table and leaned forward.

"Well, I am proud of my son, and I'm sure he would also enjoy all the heaps of praise and compliments that we're plying him with right now, but I think, now that we are all here, together, that it is time for an announcement."

The vacant eyes of the uninterested parties suddenly sharpened, and the tension in the room suddenly rose like the sun in the sky.

"In my life, I have been in two marriages." The King puts his hand atop the Queen's, smiling at her reassuringly, which she shakily returns. "And while the second was entirely motivated by love. The first, not so much. Even though I grew to love my sweet Aemma, there was a time when I did not know her, not her sweet smile, nor her loving warmth..."

Viserys' eyes cloud for a moment, staring at something that only he could see.

"And I realized throughout my life that I was luckier than most heirs of Lordly houses in that I actually fell in love with the person chosen for me by someone else, that our marriage was so happy was one of the things that I feel thankful for every day, even years after her passing."

Everyone at this point looks at the King quizzically, Viserys wasn't known to talk about his first wife ever since her death.

"Duty, when put against love, is more akin to torture, I know that more than most, and I grappled with the fact that I may have to make choices for my family, choices pitting duty against love, where the interest and stability of the realm fight for supremacy with the happiness and comfort of my family. But then I had the idea, why not both?"

"And so it is with that sentiment in mind that I make this announcement, or several, in fact. Firstly, my grandson, Jacaerys Velaryon, is to be betrothed to Lady Baela Targaryen, my own niece. I hope their days be filled with happiness, and I don't doubt that their future espousal will not only bring stability to the realm but also be a joyous union forged by love and affection, and judging by the happy looks they're sending each other, I'd wager I made a good decision, cheers!"

After some chuckles and the embarrassment of the two, everyone followed the King in raising their cups.

"Now, while pondering my decision to do so I've come to a startling realization, my grandson Jace is a brave young man, handsome, with an easy smile and a sunny disposition, quick with a sword and steady with a shield, and skilled at riding both the horse and his dragon. But for all his good qualities, Jace lacks the experience necessary as a sailor to be a complete, and perfect heir to the driftwood throne. And to remedy that, Jacaerys Velaryon is to be squired under the tutelage of the most famous sailor and lord in the world, Corlys Velaryon!" Viserys points his goblet to the Seahorse.

Rhaenyra's face sports a polite smile as she claps for her son, and Aemond couldn't help to notice how fake it was. It seems that while she wasn't surprised by the news, she didn't agree with them either. Her son is a completely different matter though, as Jacaerys was practically trembling from excitement, a giant grin on his face.

Aemond crushed a pang of jealousy, he can't get jealous of anyone now.

"Thank you, your Grace, for the opportunity to connect with my grandson, I will endeavor to make sure that little Jace will grow into a man that could make us all proud. Laenor would have been overjoyed to hear this news." Says Corlys, slightly wincing from his wife's pinch as he mentioned their son.

"Of course, I expect nothing less." The King leans back in his seat and crosses his fingers on top of his knees. "But onto other matters. I'm sure you all felt the air of... Almost despair at this moment in time. This year was marked by misfortune, and tragedies such as the Harrenhall fire that killed both a good respectable friend and his chivalrous son, the death of my beloved sister-in-law from the familiar pains of childbirth, and the despicable, despicable murder of her brother, and the father of my grandchildren."

The room goes somber as the subject turns dark, with Corlys comforting Rhaenys as her eyes water, Rhaenyra's wince at the mention of Laenor, and Daemon's darkened gaze.

Viserys lets out a soft sigh.

"These tragedies were all marked by death, and the Stranger's hold on life is immutable, I can't bring back the people lost this year of red spring, but I can attempt to change something else. Because while we lost Ser Laenor, Lady Laena, Lord Lyonel, and Ser Harwin, the Gods have allowed us the mercy of dodging another tragedy, albeit with great sacrifice."

Aemond looks up from his plate, his mouth full, as he notices everyone staring at him.

Ah, that was what he was talking about.

"Seeing two members of my family fight each other to such a degree hurt, maybe even more than losing a loved one... I always made it clear that my family, OUR family, staying united, together, is my most prominent desire. When I looked at the wounded face of my son and the chagrined expression on my grandson, I never felt more disappointed in myself. Because it was my fault that I let this... feud fester and grow under my nose. It was I who let a childish grudge between what were previously two best friends entrench itself into other members of the family."

Viserys turns his sight into Alicent and Rhaenyra, which neither of them dares to return.

"I will no longer turn a blind eye to the plight of this family, I may have allowed the weeds to grow and fester, but it is time to pull each one of them from the roots. And if the ground gets littered with holes, then so be it. This is why Aemond is going to squire under Baelon and Lucerys is to be his cupbearer, they will spend their days with him, never leaving either his sight or the supervision of one of his confidantes, contact with both their mothers and other... insidious influences is going to be limited in order to limit the effect of this blasted grudge you-"

"Father!" "Husband!"

"DO NOT INTERRUPT ME!" Roared Viserys.

"I am, and have been, a lenient king throughout my time as a ruler, I know that more than most. I mislike confrontation and war. And I tend to give people more than they deserve because I am a peaceful man who enjoys his peace of mind, and the happiness of my subjects. But do not think for a single second, that I will tolerate you poisoning your own children's minds, to pit them against each other as some sick version of surrogates all because of your MEANINGLESS, CHILDISH, FUCKING PITTANCE OF A GRUDGE!"

The King takes some deep breathes and soothes his throat by gulping the rest of his wine.

After a while, he continues, glaring at his wife and child.

"Neither one of you can finagle his way out of this, you do not get to complain and push me or anyone else into changing my mind. Do you want to tear each other's faces off? Fine by me, I realize that mending the relationship between the two of you is impossible, but from now on, this stays between you two and only you two."

Finally over with the two of them, Viserys turns his eyes to Otto, who looks as unflappable as ever, looking at the king with his sad, sympathetic gaze.

"Otto."

"... Yes, your grace."

"Send a raven to Oldtown, tell them that Daeron is not going to be fostered there any longer, and to bring him back to Kingslanding."

"But, your grace. Prince Daeron was sent there as a gesture of goodwill, if you bring him back then that will be seen as disrespect to their name."

"Well, if they wanted to have a Targaryen foster with them, then they should have deemed to bring him to the fucking funeral of his brother-in-law, don't you think?"

Otto looks to be losing words to speak.

"To soften the blow, tell your brother that Daeron will be squired under you and that I may consider a betrothal between Daeron and a Hightower, that should be enough."

As all the adults sit awkwardly on their chairs, Viserys gets out of his chair and goes for the door.

"I will leave you to stew on this, meanwhile Baelon will take me and the children to show them something. Aegon, Aemond, Luce, Jace, Baela, Rhaena, and Helaena are to follow."

The children get up after a slight moment of hesitation, as Baelon leads them out of the door, passing his father still standing before the entrance.

"Oh, and I almost forgot." Viserys turns around.

"Aegon will take a post under Lord Jasper Wylde as an advisor, maybe with some responsibilities, he will finally get to live up to his name."

The King leaves the room followed by the twin Kingsguard, leaving an entirely shocked family sitting at the table.

Aemond couldn't help but admire his father at that moment, it was the first time Viserys showed this side of himself to anyone.

They speed their march at the distant sound of a table getting flipped and cutlery colliding with the floor.

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Most of the children couldn't understand how to process their feelings, Aemond most of all, as his feelings of elation at finally becoming a squire warred with his jealousy and annoyance at the fact that he will have to spend much of his time with Lucerys.

And that, without talking about the fact that he may no longer be able to spend as much time with his mother, and by association, his sister, with whom he enjoyed conversing very much.

As if sensing his distress, a reassuring hand land on his shoulder.

Aemond looks up at the newly scarred face of his brother, looking down at him with a warm smile on his face.

"Do not worry, you will be fine." He says.

"I know that! I just thought that I might miss Kingslanding, is all."

"Well, good thing that I'm staying in Kingslanding for the foreseeable future. Now come on, we're here."

Aemond stills, shocked by the news.

Ever since his name-day trip, Baelon rarely spent his time in the Red Keep. For Aemond, the best memories of his -admittedly short- life were when his biggest brother was here when he would play with him and his other children, helping him up when he fell and protecting him from bullies.

Aemond would daydream about that time every day when Baelon was absent when the insults would mount when his mother would shift her attention to his brother instead of him, and when life just got too big for him.

Baelon stood in front of the tunnel waiting, he waves back at Aemond as the others entered before him.

"Hurry up, Aem!"

Aemond hides his smile quickly, and runs after the others, he follows the well-lighted path into the tunnel.

"What exactly are we here for?!" He exclaims.

And as he turns, he gets his answer.

Into the walls of the cave lay depictions of men that were tall and gaunt, with flesh pale as milk. They have cold blue eyes as bright as blue stars, and carried swords that were made of ice.

"The Others." Whispered his father with awe.

They looked at the carvings on the walls with astonishment or confusion.

'Why would Brother's men carve these here.' Thought Aemond.

"These carvings date thousand of years." Said Baelon, answering his question.

Viserys looks back at his son with a mystified look.

"So it is true then?" He asks.

Baelon doesn't answer, but he rather grabs a book on top of a shelf, one of many put in this place.

"Those books originate from the libraries of the castles alongside the wall, or from the deepest depths of the citadel, they're written in the Old Tongue so no one knew their contents, but I managed to secure a Mountain tribesman that was able to translate them. And I've found out that yes, Aegon may have been right about the threat beyond the wall, at least."

"Threat? What threat?" Asks Aegon.

Baelon and Viserys share a knowing look, silently communicating before Viserys lets out a sigh.

"Your brother wanted me to share this with the rest of the family, but since I believed that only someone with childlike wonder may actually heed this knowledge, I thought that only you will get to be privy to information that is originally only shared between a King and his heir."

"Really?!" Exclaims Jacaerys.

"Really. Now, I want you to listen, and to listen carefully. It might be difficult for you to understand, but you must hear it. Our histories... they tell us that Aegon looked across the Blackwater from Dragonstone, and saw a rich land ripe for capture. But ambition alone is not what drove him to conquest. It was a dream. And just as Daenys foresaw the end of Valyria, Aegon foresaw the end of the world of men. 'Tis to begin with a terrible winter gusting out of the distant north."

Viserys draws his prized Valyrian dagger out of its scabbard and approaches one of the torches lighting up the obsidian room.

"Aegon saw absolute darkness riding on those winds. And whatever dwells within will destroy the world of the living."

He puts the blade into the flames of the torch and watches as words become prominent against its smoky ripples. He hands the dagger to whoever is closest to him, Rhaena Targaryen, who reads the words to the rest.

"From my blood, come the Prince that was Promised."

She then gives it to her sister, who -after observing the dagger- passes it on to the other children, and so on. Until it ended in Aemond's grasp.

"When this great winter comes, all of Westeros must stand against it. And if the world of men is to survive a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A ruler strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark. Aegon called his dream th-"

"The Song of Ice and Fire." Viserys gets interrupted by Helaena, but then she seemed to cower into herself as everyone's attention focuses on her.

"I-I saw, in a dream." She whimpers.

Aemond is about to defend his sister when Baelon interrupts him.

"That is fascinating" He kneels at his sister's height. "So you are Daenys the Dreamer come again, huh? We should talk about this, when you feel comfortable, okay?" She meekly nods.

Baelon stands from his position to look around at everyone else.

"This secret was passed down from Aegon's generation for more than a hundred years, it was carried along and protected by every generation of Targaryen Kings until today when I convinced our father to promise to carry it on to you."

"But why?" Asks Aegon, ever the skeptic.

"Because now we have more evidence that leads to the fact that yes, there is something dark and cold in the north, beyond the wall. And when previously this secret was only a prophecy that could just be an ambitious man's delirious dream, now the signs point to the fact that there is more to Aegon's dream than words, and that more people need to be privy to this secret, just in case."

"In case of what? That the- the Others are real?! That the Wall will fall and a Prince will heroically save us against- against some monsters?! What is next? Grumpkins and snarks?" Says Aegon.

Baelon goes up to Aegon, and puts both his hands on his shoulders.

"Look, brother. Here is what we know, the others existed, that is something the Masters agree about, but we also know that up north, there is a 700 feet tall wall made of ice that was built thousands of years ago, and it certainly wasn't to keep out some unwashed wildlings from invading." He says.

"These carvings are supposedly thousands of years old, the books that I showed? They describe the others in vivid detail, their strengths their weaknesses, and their history, not like a legend or a fictional story to be told, but-"

"Like an enemy to be confronted." Finishes Aegon.

"Yes, then there are other, tiny signs scattered through the world, that point towards their existence, and the fact that they may come again. The Nights Watch and their oaths, the destruction of Hardhome, the Starks, you know, the oldest family who claims descent from Bran the Builder, their words are Winter is Coming. I want to disbelieve this as much as you do, but there are just too many signs to say otherwise."

Aegon's face wilts from realization, the words registering in his mind while the others look at the two in concern.

"Wha- what are we to do?"

"You do not have to worry about it, the First Men chased the Others away, and the First Men didn't have dragons. The only reason you were told is for you to be able to relay the prophecy, just in case no one else is able to do so."

Aegon takes a few deep breaths, calming himself.

"Alright, I believe that is enough for the day, we should go back and rest, we'll talk about this tomorrow." Says Viserys.

'The prophecy speaks about a Prince that was promised, not a king' Aemond thinks.

That day, Aemond found a purpose.

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Authors note(PT2): I know that this Viserys isn't the one from the show, nor the books. And that the speech was totally uncharacteristic for the Viserys "Doormat" Targaryen, but this Viserys wasn't filled with self-doubt, this is the viserys that dreamt about a son being born amidst blood and steel, and had current Baelon instead of losing both his wife and son. In canon, he latched onto the women in his life in order to hold on. Here, while Rhaenyra and Alicent are important to him, Baelon is the apple of his eye, and so his patience in regard to the bullshit of the others is much thinner than Canon.

That is it, thank you for reading.