Burn for You { Aemond Targaryen }

THREE

CHAPTER THREE
ONE-EYED DRAGON

ON THE NIGHT that Aemond Targaryen claimed the green giant known as Vhagar, Daenerys Targaryen had been in a deep slumber, nestled in the bed of her guest chambers. The young Targaryen girl was lost in the land of dreams, visions of blood and fire dancing across her eyelids, when the sudden voices of her younger sisters woke her.

Half-awake, the slightly older girl grumbled at Baela and Rhaena, nose scrunched as she slowly blinked up at them. The room was still cast under a blanket of darkness, rays of moonlight that slipped in through the windows just barely lighting the chamber. Voice thick with sleep, she questioned them, "what is it, hāedari?"

"Someone stole Vhagar!" Rhaena quietly exclaimed, cutting off Baela before she could speak. The slightly younger twin's eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and anger—yet twinged with sadness at the thought that her mother's dragon had been claimed by another.

"We must hurry," Baela cut in, grabbing hold of her sister's hand and starting to pull the older girl from her bed. She and Rhaena had already gathered their elder dark-haired cousins from their bedchamber, and had left them waiting in the hall outside while they went to wake Daenerys. The four children were eager to catch whoever had claimed the dragon—though none were quite sure what they would do once they found the culprit.

"Baela," Daenerys whined, trying to escape the girl's clutches as the girl continued pulling at her despite the slight fight she put up. The silver haired girl was quite unhappy to be woken at such an hour—especially for a reason she felt was not imperative to deal with. Nothing could really be done if someone had already claimed Vhagar, which meant that the issue could surely be addressed after the sun had risen. Rhaena, however, was quick to grab onto her other hand, helping her twin pull their elder sister from the warm bed.

"Quickly," Baela hurried the girl once more, neither twin loosening their grips as they gave Daenerys no choice but to follow them out of the room and into the hall. Daenerys' frown deepened slightly at the sight of Jacaerys and Lucerys.

"Why do I have to come if they already are?" She complained, wanting nothing more than to crawl back into bed.

None of the children bothered giving the girl a reply, yet Daenerys did not miss the way Jace and Luke poorly hid their grins as they shared a glance. They found her annoyance to be humorous, but did nothing to stop her two sisters from dragging her along with them through the halls of Driftmark as they sought out the thief of Vhagar. It was not until the children had reached the cave that connected the castle to the beaches below that Baela and Rhaena released their holds on Daenerys, leaving the girl to stand beside Jacaerys and Lucerys while they confronted the one who had claimed their mother's dragon.

"It's him," Baela proclaimed, glaring at Aemond Targaryen—who had just entered the cave, coming from the beaches. Rhaena stood firmly beside her, face furrowed in anger as she was faced with the boy who had stolen Vhagar from her.

"It's me," the Targaryen prince agreed, too overcome with pride to let the anger in his cousin's voice falter him. He had spent his whole life wishing for a dragon—learning everything he could in order to perhaps strengthen his odds at claiming one.

"Vhagar is my mother's dragon," the girl continued, her voice strong.

"Your mother is dead," Aemond spoke, his harsh words igniting a feeling inside of Daenerys that she had trouble controlling, "and Vhagar has a new rider now."