Dreams, Dragons, and Deceit || Aemond & Aegon Targaryen

Namedays

"I started bleeding this morning, and it's not that I didn't know it would happen, I just wasn't ready for it to happen yet. And mother spent all morning droning on and on about us having royal wombs and how it's our duty to bring babies into the world." Aegon's eyes widened as he listened to her; not quite expecting that to be her revelation. And once she started talking, she couldn't stop. "Now, all I can think about is how she and my father are going to start accepting betrothals and any chance I had at any sort of freedom is over before it ever began. She told me if I don't have children, the crown will pass to Jacaerys and I don't know how I feel about that. Would it be such a bad thing? He is my brother, after all, and I should want only the best for him, shouldn't I? He'd likely make a better ruler than I would anyhow." She finally paused to take a deep breath and Aegon blinked repeatedly at her, trying to absorb what she had babbled out.

"You could always marry me," he offered with a smile, earning a laugh from Visaera, "I would never make you do anything you didn't want to do, but someday, when you're finally ready, we could have children..." He watched her carefully gauging her reaction.

"Four of them?" she asked, leaning against his shoulder. "In our little house, across the Narrow Sea... I want to plant a tree. Every summer, the branches will be filled with a thousand, thousand sweet little plums to sell at the market." Her eyes had gone glassy and a smile settled across her face as she imagined it. She looked to happy in that moment, Aegon didn't have the heart to tell her he was being serious about wanting to marry her. Instead, he swallowed the idea and reached into his pocket, producing a small box.

"Happy birthday, my little love," he said, holding the box out to her. Her eyes lit up before she reached for the box; merely excited at the thought that Aegon had got her a gift. The necklace that was revealed as she cracked the box open stole the very breath from her lungs.

"Aegon..." her voice shook as she ran her fingers over the piece of jewelry. Dainty drapes of silver chains were interlocked by tiny, glittering, black gems. The same gems hung in five little droplets along the bottom of the necklace.

"It's dragonglass," he informed her softly.

"But..." Visaera swallowed thickly, "I don't even have a dragon..." Aegon chuckled and lifted her chin until she finally looked up at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"You already are a dragon, Visaera." The tears finally spilled over, dripping down her cheeks as she launched herself into his arms, gripping the necklace tight in her fist.

"Will you put it on for me?" she asked, finally wiping her cheeks and holding it out to him. Aegon hooked the clasp closed around her neck and then turned her around, chucking her under the chin.

"Absolutely stunning," he told her, kissing her forehead. Both of them stood, still hidden in their private spot behind the hedge.

"Visaera!" Laenor called her name in the distance and she sighed.

"I have to go... Thank you, Aegon, I love it." She stood on her toes and gave him a tiny peck of a kiss before hurrying out from behind the hedge, leaving the prince standing there with tingling lips...

To many people's disappointment, Visaera still did not feel like celebrating. She didn't dance during the banquet, not once, despite being asked multiple times. Rhaenyra had explained to the King and Queen her daughter's predicament, and polite excuses were made for her throughout the night.

Instead of enjoying the celebration, the princess sat at the high table with her single cup of wine, fidgeting repeatedly with the necklace that adorned her collar. Each time Aegon glanced at her, he found her fingers pressed to the piece of jewelry, filling him with a warm sense of pride.