𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 | J. VELARYON [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

1○ 130 AC: FAMILY REUNION

Her words brought a smile back to his features. "But, I believe I was having a conversation."

Aemond's smile faded again as Vaera turned back to her nephews. "We have a lot to catch up on. A lot can happen in 6 years." Aemond let go of her hand with a frown on his face.

"Fine. I expect to spend time with you later." Aemond walked off, his hair swinging behind him like a blanket.

It was clear that the boys were somewhat scared of the twins, but Veara was determined to change that. She wanted to change that.

"Have you been learning High Valyrian?" She asked, directing the question at Jace. "Sort of..." He said, staring ahead, not meeting Vaera's gaze.

Jace knew if he met Vaera's gaze that he would stare into her eyes again and that he wouldn't be able to pull his gaze away from her.

"Sort of?" Vaera asked. Jace nodded. "I can't exactly understand it yet..." He said, still looking away.

"I don't blame you. It is a difficult language." Vaera walked with Jace, leaving Lucerys to explore by himself.

"A future king should be able to speak it." Jacaerys mumbled, thinking that Vaera wouldn't hear him. Much to his dismay, she did.

Vaera had to learn to understand mumbling, as her sister constantly mumbled. The mumblings she understood, but what was said was a mystery.

Helaena muttered things about dragons and blood and kings and queens and fire, but nothing Vaera could ever interpret. She desperately wished that she could.

"A future king is still a long way from being crowned." Jace finally looked at her, but he still didn't meet Vaera's gaze.

"Will your brother be alright by himself?" Vaera asked, looking back at Luke. He was busy looking around the courtyard, admiring the different things he'd seen so long ago. "He'll be fine. He needs something that'll take his mind off the succession."

Vaera nodded understandingly. "It must be stressful when it seems like an entire court is against you." Jace nodded.

"Is Dragonstone a beautiful place?" Vaera asked, trying to change the subject from a stressful one to a curious one.

At least the change in subject was warranted. Vaera was genuinely curious about Dragonstone.

"Some parts are." Jace said, looking down in an attempt to avoid Vaera's gaze once again. He looked at the little details on the ground, from the pebbles to the sand that was carried away by the slightest gusts of wind as Vaera spoke.

Unbeknownst to him, Vaera was doing the same thing. She often inspected the ground when Aemond fought knights and when she was forced to attend.

She sometimes wished that she could be as small as a grain of sand that the wind could carry away when it pleased.

"I've heard stories about the dragonglass and the beach. I've flown over it with Aemond, but you can never truly experience beauty below you while you're on the back of a dragon."

Jace fiddled with his fingers. He knew that the night Aemond's eye was cut out, Vaera claimed her dragon. The dragon everyone thought to be dead. The Queen of Dragons.

"Meraxes has gotten larger?" Jace asked as Vaera looked up. "Not really. Any growth isn't really picked up with a dragon that large."

Vaera noticed the boy's discomfort when she mentioned the size of her dragon. She felt fear radiating off him.

He didn't want to be there. He thought the girl he had cared for in his youth had resented him for what happened, even though it wasn't his doing.

"However large she is, she's not an aggressive dragon. She's kind to those around her, even if they've wronged her in the past."