17. Castles

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"I got a raven from Laena." Aisha remarked. Aemond stared back at her. "She is due any day now... I think after this birth she will come home."

"That would be nice." Aemond told her.

"Yeah." Aisha agreed. "I haven't seen her in years... I wonder..."

"You can tell me." Aemond told her honestly.

"I am... I want her home but I worry." Aisha began.

"Worry about what?" Aemond questioned making a sand castle in between his legs.

"I worry that... things will be different. Things will be... I haven't seen her. In ten years a lot had changed. A lot. She has a husband and a family but I wrote to her. Every moon I would write sometimes every week." Aisha told him softly. "I worry that she will get back and things will be different."

"It doesn't matter the length of time that passes Aisha. She is your family and she will still love you." Aemond told her. "As I do."

"You love me?" Aisha questioned with a little chuckle.

"I do." Aemond informed her. Aisha leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"I love you to Aemond." Aisha told him. Not how he loved her but there was love. "That's a sad sand castle Aemond." Aisha remarked and he chuckled slashing an arm through it tumbling it down. "Might I try?" Aemond nodded as Aisha used the water, melding it with the sand, moving it, shifting the sand. He watched as a beautiful castle was created a dragon swirling around it. He watched it form before them and all Aisha had to do was wave her hands and it formed before them. Aemond watched her with amazement.

"You are so amazing Aisha." Aemond told her. "Not just your powers but you." Aisha reached out a hand and touched his knee gently.

"I think you are pretty damn amazing too Aemond."


''Push, my Lady

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''Push, my Lady.'' Laena screamed and screeched as she tried to deliver Daemon another child but it would not come.

''Push! Push!'' She continued screaming and wailing to no avail. 'Push!'

''You must push!'

''Push!''

''It needs to come now!'' the surgeon told her as she wailed out in pain.

''Push! Push!'' they all begged her

''You must push now, my Lady!'' but she was tired and knew it was no use.

''I've reached the limit of my art. The child 'will not come.'' The surgeon told Daemon ''I am very sorry, my Prince. We could lay open the womb... try to remove the infant by way of the blade. But I cannot say for a surety whether it lives.''

''Would the mother survive it?'' Daemon questioned calmly.

''No.''

Laena pulled herself up with a grunt dragging herself outside.

''Vhagar, dracarys. Agh!'' she whimpered out. Vhagar stared down at her.'' Dracarys! Dracarys!'' she begged but he just stared at her. she wanted to die a dragon riders death, by fire. ''Dracarys. Dracarys!'' she wailed as she dragged herself to him.

''Dracarys.'' Vhagar wailed out blasting her away. Daemon watched his fire burn away before him.

''Laena!''

+

''Be good to your mother, lads. I'll visit when I can. But that may be some time.'' Harwin remarked looking down at the boys. ''Jace. I will return... I promise.''

''I will be a stranger when we meet again.'' Jace said softly as Harwin hugged him goodbye.

''Princess.'' Harwin whispered as he headed out

''We will exchange letters by raven. Won't that be fun?'' Rhaenyra questioned as they watched Harwin leave.

''Is Harwin Strong my father? Am I a bastard?' Jace questioned looking up at her.

''You are a Targaryen. That's all that matters.'' Rhaenyra corrected

+

''A word?''

''I take it he's gone.''

''We're finished here. We're leaving.'' Rhaenyra demanded

''What of your offer? Jace and Helaena?'' Laenor countered.

''I have been undermined... and made a spectacle. They whisper about me in the corridors. Well, I leave them to it.'' Rhaenyra hissed

''To Dragonstone then?'' Laenor offered "I will let Aisha know, she shant be happy about it. But she will understand."

''We should've left years ago.'' Rhaenyra admitted

''What of your position?'' Laenor countered

''You've always said if you were absent from court, she would pour her honey in your father's ear. The wise sailor flees the storm as it gathers.'' Rhaenyra offered she glanced back at Qarl. ''Laenor... bring him. We'll need every sword we can muster.''

+

A fire broke out at Harenhal, when Harwin and Lyonel arrived, it consumed it. Trapping the Strongs inside.

''Fire! I will burn! Harwin! Ah! Harwin!'' Lyonel screamed out banging on the door trying to break it down they screamed out in agony. The flames consumed them.

''What are children, but a weakness? A folly? A futility? Through them, you imagine you cheat the great darkness of its victory." Larys remarked. ''You will persist forever, in some form or another. As if they will keep you from the dust.''

''But for them... you surrender what you should not. You may know what is the right thing to be done, but... love stays the hand.'' Bodies burned all over the world, some of dragon, some of mass chaos.

''Love... is a downfall. Best to make your way through life unencumbered... if you ask me.'

''They're dead.'' Alicent remarked.

''You've heard the stories of Harrenhal, Your Grace. It was built in hubris by Harren the Black as a monument to his own greatness. Blood mixed into the mortar. It is said to be a cursed place. That it passes judgment on all who pass beneath its gates.'' Larys remarked softly.

''You... You passed judgment.'' Alicent corrected

''The Queen makes a wish. What servant of the realm would not strive to fulfill it? I assume you will write to your father now?'' Larys questioned softly.

''Larys... I did not wish for this.''

''I feel certain you will reward me... when the time is right.''

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