bk. 1 || 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒 ▬ rhaenyra t. ||

FIVE

When she looked away, she noticed that she was underwater but she could breath. Aeron noticed her shock and tried to calm her from panicking. He brought her down more into the depths. Aeron soon brought her to a bloom of jellyfish. Their vibrant colors illuminating Rhaenyra's eyes. 

He toured her every where. Through the reefs, underwater springs and sleeping whales. Rhaenyra found them a bit intimidating but Aeron made sure that she knew they were harmless.

As they swam and twirled around, they met with the beast of the sea.

Vaeron.

Rhaenyra's eyes widened. Vaeron's scales glowed in the dark water. He bellowed softly as sound waves reached Aeron and Aeron sent it back. Both of them communicating to head to Atlantis.

Aeron and Rhaenyra mounted Vaeron and dived into a cave. Thinking that this couldn't surprise her anymore, she saw a city below her.

The lights gleamed before her eyes. Flashes of blue, white and green filled the water around her. They never entered a cave but a secret tunnel where the city was at full view.

Rhaenyra was able to see the advance buildings and transportations. Her mouth hanged opened as Aeron smiled at her.

Vaeron dived down towards the city. Gliding through water, they passed by underwater ships, and Great sharks and sea horses with Atlantean riders. 

Rhaenyra had never seen such a view before.

She able to hear the chants of the people.

"Dragon of the Seas!"

Not long after the joy ride, Aeron and Rhaenyra went up to the surface. Rhaenyra then slightly gasped for air.

"What was that place? How I could breath underwater?," Rhaenyra had many questions for the Atlantean boy and he was all in to answer them.

•••

Aeron and Rhaenyra stayed all night at the beach talking about Aeron's royal family and his powers. Then it was time to pop the bubble.

"Nyra, we can't be together," He said bluntly. Rhaenyra laughed nervously. "What do you mean?"

Aeron looked away. This was a lot harder than he thought it would be. Telling the girl you grew up and had come to love, that you can't be with her.

"I'm to be future King of Atlantis and you, future Queen of Westros, we can't be together in marriage," Aeron said. "If I marry you, then it's putting Atlantis at risk to reveal itself to the surface world."

"What does marrying me have to do with risking Atlantis?" Rhaenyra asked.

Aeron sighed. "People will start to question where I am, I can't stay up here forever, I have a duty."

All Rhaenyra could do was look down at the sand.

"Maybe we can settle somethings out," The girl said with hope in her voice. She was never a type to care for marriage but when it came to Aeron as a suitor, she would marry him any day.

"There is nothing to settle, Nyra, it took me a long time to let the truth settle on me," Aeron said bitterly. "I will be leaving and I think it's best for us to part ways starting now."

"No, Aeron, it can't end like this," Rhaenyra's voice cracked.

"I can't lose you too," She said, tears forming in her eyes.

All of this hurt Aeron to the core. So he swallowed his tears and began to push Rhaenyra away with his words.

"I don't even know why I showed you Atlantis, only the one I married was allowed to see," Aeron said as he got up. He wanted to get away from Rhaenyra before he bursted in front of her.

Before he hurt himself and her too.

"Where are you going! You can't just leave me in the dust like this!," Rhaenyra said, going after him. She grabbed his arm and turned him to face her.

"You can't leave now, I need you, please," She whispered in valyrian along with sobs.

Seeing Rhaenyra so vulnerable made Aeron heart clench. His chest tightening as he heard her beg for him to stay. He closed his eyes, not baring to see her. He hated seeing her cry.

"I can't." He said as he pulled away from Rhaenyra's grasp.

Rhaenyra's mouth hanged opened, tears slowly falling down her face. She could believe that she was about to be left alone. She stopped crying but tears still kept falling.

Aeron slowly walked away from her.

She pressed her lips together and her eyebrows crossed. Frustration slowly consuming her.

"Fine! Go away! Leave! It's not like I need you, you are just like everyone else!," Rhaenyra's anger and sadness screamed.

Aeron continued walking away from her. This time, she didn't follow.

"Please don't go." Rhaenyra whispered to herself, hoarsely.

As soon as Rhaenyra was out of sight, tears streamed down Aeron's face. He hit his fist against his forehead. Trying to make himself stop crying but it didn't help. He inhaled slowly as he exhaled.

His breathing becoming shaky.

This was for the better. Even though, both of them had to suffer through it. Both of them had to face reality.

Rhaenyra needed someone who would always be there for her at all times. Aeron thought that he wasn't the one to give her that.

But of course...

Fate works in mysterious ways.