Chapter 19

Chapter 19

VISERYS TARGARYEN

"HAHAHA," Viserys's heart dropped as he heard Aenys break down into a laugh. A broken haunting laugh.

"HAAAHAHAHAHA!"

The people around him were taken aback as well, and he gulped as he looked at the body of the dead Vhagar in front of him, its size nearly as massive as Belarion, and he could scarcely believe that Aenys had slain it.

Viserys would admit that when Vhagar had attacked them, they had all run away to seek shelter forgetting about Aenys, the Kingsguard had rushed to move the Royal family to shelter, and the people had followed suit, everyone in fear of the largest dragon alive.

The whole area was quiet, and only the sound of water splatter and Aenys's laughter filled the muddying shore. Viserys looked up as Aenys's laughter tapered off.

"Hahaha," Aenys stifled his laugh as the rain continued to fall, and Viserys recoiled as Aenys looked straight at him.

"I should have expected this from you, you selfish bastards. You abandoned me. You all abandoned me!" his brother began as he struggled to stifle his laugh. And Viserys stilled at those words, as the people around him began to look around nervously.

"Gods, I should have expected that," said Aenys in a broken tone, his face contorted in rage and anguish. Viserys gulped as he tried to speak up.

"BROT…." But Aenys cut him off.

"DON'T CALL ME YOUR BROTHER! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL ME THAT! NOT AFTER ALL THIS!" thundered Aenys, his face flushed as he shouted at him. The Grey Ghost seemed to read its rider's emotions and snarled as it glared at them all, making him step back as the Kingsguard approached him.

"It was impossible to help you, and you were the one who was being stubborn when you didn't just abandon your dragon. So, don't blame us for your foolishness Aenys," argued Daemon as he stepped forward, holding an uncaring and annoyed look.

Aenys's eyes narrowed at Daemon.

"Foolishness! Trying to outrun Vhagar in the state that I was in?" said Aenys, replying to Daemon before he began shaking his head in a dismissive manner as he continued.

"But what am I to expect of you, Daemon," said Aenys with a scoff as he pointed at a cave to the side.

"There in that cave lies Syrax, and in the one after that roosts Ceraxes," and Viserys's head snapped towards Daemon at that. There was no rejection of the claim from Daemon, and instead of any remorse, Daemon seemed to be scathing. He saw the rest of the crowd focus on Daemon at Aenys's words as well.

And Viserys's eyes widened in realization.

Daemon had lied! but why?

"After all, you did wish me death before the duel," and there were gasps at that. Viserys saw Daemon snarl at the accusation, yet he didn't deny them. People murmured at this statement and before Daemon could say anything, he shriveled up when Aenys's eyes narrowed onto him.

"And you, Viserys!" finally, Aenys snarled at him, and Viserys gulped as he saw Aenys glared at him with those hate-filled eyes.

"YOU! Do you have any idea what I went through just to make it in time to save your life? Gods! I nearly killed myself for you and your family, Viserys," said Aenys in a condescending tone, but he wasn't done yet.

"You displace my position as heir and name Rhaenyra as your heir, and I let that go, for I had no ambition for the crown. For I considered you my brother, yet this is how you repay me by abandoning me." And his voice grew louder and louder with every word.

"By forsaking me! BE LEAVING ME TO DIE!" finished Aenys in a shout that nearly deafened him. And Viserys's head hung low as he tried to apologize.

"It was a mistake made in the heat of the moment, Aenys. Let me make it up to yo…," yet Aenys seemed to be in no mood to listen.

"I don't care for your apologies, Viserys. I am done. DONE!" shouted Aenys.

Those words echoed around, and the implication behind them took a couple of moments to settle in. And dread filled his gut as he realized what Aenys meant.

Aenys then began to walk towards the fallen body of Vhagar and started climbing it. Aenys climbed up the massive dragon's head, and Viserys finally noticed the sword stuck in the dragon's head. Aenys began to pull it out and finally succeeded in pulling it out.

"You know of my oaths," he continued, his back still turned to them as he spoke coldly.

"Viserys, for any love you ever bore me, don't test them. Don't call for me. Just don't," said Aenys as he jumped back to the sand. Viserys lips thinned at that as he stepped forward, but the Grey Ghost suddenly snarled and stepped forward, making him back away.

And this was the final straw. Viserys knew he had to do something. So, he tried to assuage Aenys as he spoke up.

"It was a mistake, Aenys! We can talk this out," He said, trying to persuade him to stay, yet Daemon interrupted him.

"Let him go if he wants to. Let him go and play master to those bastards in Essos!" snickered Daemon, and Viserys head snapped towards his other brother, and his temper rose as he saw the condescending look on his face.

"Shut up, Daemon!" he admonished, glaring at him. And he turned to face Aenys once again, who had jumped down from Vhagar and was now walking towards his own dragon.

"I am done with this Viserys. Done! Gods take you all and your kingdom!" cursed Aenys as he climbed up his dragon's saddle when suddenly someone else stepped forward from the crowd.

"WAIT!" came a shout, and Viserys's eyes widened as he saw Alicent step forward from the crows as she rushed towards Aenys, who stopped. Hope built up in his heart at that. Perhaps she could convince him to stay. After all, Aenys had fought for a chance to marry her.

Perhaps, all wasn't lost.

Alicent walked up to Aenys, who stood there staring straight at her.

"What do you want, Alicent?" said his brother, his tone much gentler than it had been with him and Daemon earlier. He saw Alicent hesitate for a bit as she gulped, and after a glance behind, she finally spoke up.

"Take me with you," she said, and Viserys's eyes widened at her words. However, none seemed as surprised as Otto, who shouted from the side.

0000

AENYS TARGARYEN

As the adrenaline wore off, pain assaulted him, searing, mind-numbing pain that made it impossible for him even to stand. Yet that wasn't the only pain he was in; there was also the pain of betrayal. He still couldn't believe that he had made it. Fighting Vhagar had taken everything he had, for he knew one mistake. That was all it would take for him to lose his life.

Grey Ghose was not strong enough to face Vhagar, and flying away wasn't an option. Vhagar was slow, but its size was massive. The only advantage he had was maneuverability, and so he had used it. He looked at his only true companion, and Grey Ghost was injured. There was a gnash near its neck, and many of its scaled were burnt to char. Yet it was able to fly, and Aenys didn't want to stay even a second longer. Just as he was about to climb up the saddle, a shout interrupted him.

"Wait!" and he stopped as he recognized the voice. He turned back to find Alicent walking towards him. Her face was a mess, with her eyes reddened and swollen from crying. And that told him everything that had occurred. He looked straight into her eyes and saw his pain reflected in them like she was crying for him. His anger subsided a little as he decided to talk to her.

"What do you want, Alicent?" and he noticed her gulp as her lips thinned. She glanced back, and she finally replied.

"Take me with you!" and his eyes widened at her words as she stepped forward. Everyone began murmuring at this development as she stepped forward when suddenly an angry voice interrupted them.

"ALICENT!" and Aenys looked up to find her father Otto screaming at her. The man tried to rush and walk out of the crowd.

"End this nonsense at once! Have you gone mad abandoning your family like this," said Otto, and he saw Alicent's lips thin, yet she did not stop as she came to stand before him. Otto seethed, and just as he was about to come forward, someone stopped him, as Gwayne, Alicent's brother, held him back.

The two siblings looked at each other, and he noticed as Gwayne's eyes landed on him before he suddenly spoke up.

"Are you sure about this, Alicent? Do you really want to go with him," he asked her, and Alicent nodded. Aenys stepped forward and looked her straight in the eye.

"You don't have to do this for me," he whispered as he held her hand. She looked up, her eyes filled with tears, as she gave him a weak smile.

"I want to, so please let me come with you," she said, raising her hand. Aenys stared at it before he took it and gave her a nod. As they turned to walk away, they were interrupted once more.

"You cannot leave like his. Your duel with Jason Lannister wasn't completed," interrupted Otto with gritted teeth. Aenys looked back and glared at Otto and was about to reply when suddenly they were interrupted by a broken voice.

"The duel was done!" and the crowd parted away, and Aenys's head snapped towards the source of the voice, and he found a bloodied Jason Lannister walking towards him as he leaned on his brother for support. His face was covered in blood, and his eye was congested with blood, and the man looked him straight in the eye and nodded.

"Before we were interrupted, I had lost, and even if it hadn't ended. There is no way I could win against a man who had the courage to fight that thing" said Jason in an exasperated tone as he pointed at Vhagar.

After that, he looked towards Alicent.

"I wish you good fortune Lady Alicent," and with that, after a final nod. He lightly whispered as his brother carried him away.

"Thank you for saving my life."

Aenys turned and walked to the saddle, as he waited for Alicent. She glanced at her brother and then to the side, at Rhaenyra, who barely looked her in the eye. But finally, she looked up, met Alicent's eyes, and nodded at her friend with a broken smile. She seemed abashed by the affair and embarrassed to even look at him.

After that, she stepped forward, and Aenys extended his hand as he helped her up the saddle before he mounted Grey Ghost himself. Before taking flight, he questioned her one last time.

"There is a chance we might never return to these lands ever again, so are you sure you want to come with me?" he questioned, and she felt her stiffen before wrapping her arms around his torso.

"I am," her tone resolute even though he didn't miss the wetness in her eyes as she stared at Rhaenyra, perhaps for the last time in her life.

He nodded as he held Grey Ghost's reins as he shouted.

"Sōves"

And his dragon straightened its neck at his command. He saw it glance at the fallen body of Rhaegar, and with a thundering roar, it began to flap its wings, taking flight once more.

It was time to go home.

0000

ALICENT HIGHTOWER

Alicent felt the air rush through her as she continued to hold onto Aenys in front. Despite Rhaenyra's constant offers, she had never ridden on dragon back previously, though as she looked at the scenic view below her, she realized why Rhaenyra preferred to ride on Syrax as much as she did.

The thought of Rhaenyra made her heart beat faster, yet she pulled herself out of her trance as she looked at Aenys in front. His face was paler, and his body seemed cold. And her eyes widened as she suddenly felt her hands getting wet. She looked at them and found them covered in blood.

"You are injured!" she shrieked, and he grimaced in pain as he nodded slowly.

"We need to go back! You need help!" she spoke instinctively, yet his reply was vehement.

"NO!" he said as he grunted in pain, "I am not going back," he said, and she nodded, her lips thin with worry as she looked around and finally found what she was looking for.

"There, that looks like a small island. We can land there, and you can rest there," she said as she pointed at the small island in the distance. There were several islands along the whole sea, most uninhabited.

"We cannot stop Alicent. You have no clothes, no food. I will just have to endure it till we reach Bravos," and she shook her head.

"NO! You will kill yourself like this," she said, her voice shaky as she saw him trying to stop himself from grunting.

"Please, listen to me,"

"There, we land, and I can help bandage the wound. I will manage just please listen to me," she pleaded again, and he sighed as he turned the reins in his hands.

"Dohaeres!" the Grey Ghost roared as it began to lower itself, and within a few moments, they were on the island. Though it was less island and more of a giant rock, its size was barely larger. She got off and helped Aenys off, and now that she got a look at him, his whole doublet was wet.He had been bleeding excessively.

He grunted in pain as he landed on the ground. She helped him sit as she turned to face his dragon, she tried to get his bag, but the dragon snarled at her, making her step back.

"Grey! Dohaeres!" the dragon stopped snarling as it looked at her, its bright blue eyes narrowing onto him before it sniffed her. And then it straightened up again. She reached for the bag, cautiously, and this time it didn't snarl.

She placed it by his side and began to take off his armor carefully, her heart wrenching in regret and pain as her hands got coated in scarlet. The shirt below was burnt and was stuck to his skin which was reddened and scarred.

"GODS!" she gasped as she saw the burn on the side of his torso. And she had been holding him by his torso during the whole journey. She gulped as she looked up at him.

"What should I do?" she asked him as she unfurled the bag with his equipment. Aenys was looking at her with a complicated expression.

"Don't blame yourself. It looks worse than it is," he said as he pointed at a pointy instrument and a flask.

"First of all, you will need to clean that metal forceps with that liquid in the flask and then remove the charred cloth and dead skin," he told her, and she nodded as she picked up the metal instrument and the flask with the clear liquid. She dipped the forceps in the liquid and dried them before she began to carefully pluck the charred clothing from his skin.

"AGHH!" he grunted in pain, and she pulled back instantly, worried that she had done something wrong.

"I am sorry," she said, her voice shaky as she noticed just how much pain he was in, but Aenys hooked his head.

"It's okay. It is going to be painful for whoever does it. You will just have to ignore my grunts and continue," he said with gritted teeth, and she nodded as she looked at the equipment.

"You could take some milk of poppy," and he shook his head.

"No, it will make me sleep. I cannot leave you alone with Grey like that. As docile as he may be, he is still a dragon. it's a risk I am not willing to take," he said, staring her straight in the eye.

"Not for you." he finished as he looked straight into her eyes.

"Just ignore my pain. Remove as much as you can and put that ointment on it," he added, and she nodded as she took a deep breath and steadied herself as she tried again.

"AGH!" he grunted again, but she did not pull back this time as she continued pulling on the charred skin.

"AHHHH!" he screamed louder despite his efforts to muffle his voice. His fists balled, and his lips thinned as he fought through the pain. Alicent continued to pluck off the dead skin, her heart clenching with each of his pained grunts and scream.

Hours later, they were both covered in sweat as she applied the final layer of ointment.

"Thank you," he said as he breathed heavily, and she nodded as she shook her head.

"You don't have to say that to me," she added, and he nodded as he raised his hand and wiped away the tear that gathered in her eyes.

"I assure you everything will be fine once we reach Bravos. I will make sure that you are as comfortable there as you were in Kings Landing," and she nodded as she leaned closer to his face, her eyes staring straight into his.

"I know," she said, her breath shaky as she leaned closer to him. Her face rested on his chest, and the thumping of his heart made it so that all the rush from earlier left her body as her limbs began to feel heavy.

She felt his hand rifle through his hair as they both rested, and her eyes grew heavier, and then she heard him whisper.

"Thank you, Alicent." her vision darkened as she felt her exhaustion catch up. She cautiously tightened her grip around him as she looked into his eyes.

"As I said. You never have to say that to me. Ever." And then she felt her eyes close, and the last thing she felt was his arms wrapping themselves around her.

0000

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