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

Mud and Trouble

"You are a Targaryen; that's all that matters," Rhaenyra assured her son. The words sounded strangely familiar; Aegon had told her the same thing. Again, it wasn't really an answer, but an avoidance. Then the children were left with the nursemaids and Rhaenyra made her way to a small council meeting. Visaera sat with Jace in front of the fire, the both of them cross-legged on the floor, holding one another's hands.

"Do you think Ser Harwin knows?" Jace whispered so that no one could hear.

"Of, course he does. Do you see the way he looks at you?" Visaera answered. "At least you know who your father is and that he loves you..."

"But—"

"I've heard the whispers and the rumors, Jace. Mother tried to shield us from it all, but I've heard it. Mother and father were married and I was born only eight months later. Surely, you know that carrying a child takes longer than that..."

"So, then..."

"I was conceived before mother married Ser Laenor..." Jace only stared at her with wide eyes.

"Who do you think—"

"I heard someone say it was Daemon Targaryen,"

"You mean grandfather's brother?" She merely shrugged in reply.

"I don't know for sure; I've never met him." The pair fell into silence until Jace finally asked her to play a game. Their troubles were pushed aside but not forgotten as the children entertained themselves for the remainder of the afternoon. When Visaera could bear her brother's company no longer, she was escorted back to her rooms and began readying for supper.

The tension around the table was thick and uncomfortable as they sat down for supper in her mother's chambers. Even her father, who was usually in high spirits, ate in somber silence.

"Children, your father and I need to talk to you about something rather important..." Anxiety, as thick and heavy as steel, settled in her stomach at her mother's words. Whenever Rhaenyra began a conversation that way it meant some kind of trouble. "Your father and I have decided it would be best for all of us to reside on Dragonstone, for the time being.

"What?" Visaera's shout startled them all. "You can't do this to me, Mother! My whole life is here in King's Landing! How am I supposed to be Queen one day if I can't be here to learn anything?"

"Visaera, enough. This is not open for discussion. We will be going to Dragonstone. We leave in the morning." Stamping her feet, the princess rose from the chair.

"That's not fair! What about Helaena and Aegon and—"

"Aegon?" Rhaenyra snapped, her voice growing stern, "That boy is half the reason we're leaving, Visaera. Your little infatuation with the prince is entirely inappropriate!" Visaera crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her mother. "This is the best thing for all of us, my love."

"So, I'm just supposed to go to Dragonstone and be surrounded by dragons, and then what? Jace and Luke have each other and I will have no one? Just because you lost your best friend as a child doesn't mean you get to take me from mine!" She fled from the room as angry tears brimmed in her eyes. Refusing to be disturbed, she bolted the door shut and threw herself into her bed, sobbing.

"Visaera, please open the door," came her mother's voice through the door after a gentle knock.

"Go away!" she cried out, burying her face in her pillows.

"Visaera, my love—"

"Leave me alone!" she shouted. After a long moment of silence, her mother sighed and left her door.

Outside her window, the sun disappeared over the horizon and Visaera continued to cry. Her cheeks burned from her tears when she finally sniffled and sat up. In the morning they would leave for Dragonstone and she wouldn't see Aegon for who knew how long. Resolve filling her, she pushed open the wall and made her way through the passages.

She didn't bother to knock; merely pulled on the sconce and stepped into the room, sealing it shut behind her. Aegon was laying in bed and Visaera didn't wait for him to get up. It took only a moment for her to cross the room and bolt the door closed. Then she hurried into the bedchamber and threw herself into his arms.

"Aegon—" The moment she choked out his name, the tears returned, a spring stream with no dam to stop the flow.

"Vis, what is it?" he asked, cupping her cheek and forcing her to look at him. "What's wrong, my sweet?"

"My mother told us we're going to Dragonstone... We leave tomorrow morning." Aegon stared at her in the dim light of the candles; her angelic face streaked with tears made his heart seize in his chest.

"Don't go, then," he told her.

"I don't have a choice. Mother—" she sniffled, "I have to go. Mother says you and I are to stay away from each other..." He knew his sister wasn't happy about his closeness with his niece; his mother shared a similar discontent over their companionship. "I don't want to leave you..." she whispered, her voice trembling.

"And I don't want you to go, but if you don't have a choice..." A sigh fell from his lips as he pressed his forehead to hers. "Promise you'll write to me, little love." She nodded solemnly. "Fuck... I'm going to miss you so much, Vis." Once more, she began to cry, clinging to Aegon, her best friend; her first love.

"Don't do anything stupid and get yourself into trouble while I'm gone, uncle," she warned, "And be nice to Aemond and Helaena." With no risk of interruption and no criticizing eyes to see them, Visaera pressed her lips to his, pushing her fingers through his silver hair. When she pulled away, both of their cheeks were wet with her tears and Aegon looked close to crying himself. The pair remained awake in his bed, wrapped in one another's arms, until the early hours of the morning.

"I love you, Aegon Targaryen," was the last thing she told him before she closed the passage door behind her...