𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄|𝐀𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐘𝐄𝐍

SIX

"Mama," Jaehaera cried.

Rhaenyra lowered down to them. "Show me," She demanded, searching them for their major injuries.

Luke suffered a broken and bloody nose. Jace was bleeding from his temple. While Jaehaera had nothing more than a scrape to her elbow.

Rhaenyra looked at each of them, and anger flashed on her beautiful features. "Who did this?!" She snapped, looking back at her father.

"They attacked me!" Aemond called back, turning in his chair.

"He pushed Hera!" Jace fired back.

"He broke Luke's nose!" Baela added.

"He was gonna kill Jace!"

"I didn't do anything!"

"He stole my mother's dragon!"

All the children began yelling once more, aggressively pointed fingers. The adults all turned their eyes back and forth, trying to follow but not understanding. They were bickering and the tension was growing evermore.

"Enough!" The King began.

"It is my son telling the tale?!" Queen Alicent snapped.

"I said, enough!"

"My children are not liars!" Rhaenyra yelled back, defending her children.

"ENOUGH!" The King roared loudly, but not before one last voice was heard.

"He called us bastards."

The silence that fell over the room was heavy. A pin could be heard if it dropped.

Ever slowly, King Viserys reared his head back towards the small, brunette child who clung to her mother's waist and her brother's hand.

Queen Alicent paled.

Rhaenyra gaped down.

It was Jaehaera who was staring at Aemond right in the eye. Her hurt and pain-filled expression burning through him. Big-doe eyes that had just been gleaming at him an hour ago, were now betrayed.

Aemond held her stare, shaking. His expression unreadable.

"You called us bastards," Jaehaera repeated again more softly.

The two children could feel the cracks in their chests.

One—Betrayed.

The other—Maimed.

King Viserys turned his head to the boy. His jaw clenched down, fury in his eyes when he saw the boy's guilt written so carelessly onto his features.

"Aemond, is this the truth?"

Aemond tore his eyes from Jaehaera. He leaned back into his chair with stubbornness.

"You believe the words of your son's assailant?" Queen Alicent interjected, stepping toward the King, "Our son has been maimed. That girl is responsible."