The Wild Dragon

Chapter 11 - Lost

Alaera Targaryen left the room of the man she had grown to truly love over many years, first as brother and, more recently, as something more. She walked the halls of Maegor's Keep still restless, still not believing her strength in leaving his room.

Aemond's effect on her mind and her body was still unthinkable to a person who had lived her life striving for complete control over herself when she had no dominion over what happened around her. The thoughts swarming her mind ranged from running away from King's Landing that very night and never coming back to going back to his room and begging him to finish putting his mark on her. Her body ached to have him but she recognised it for what it was. She knew that the intense feelings were not just of her body, but of that thinking part of herself who argued against it and against herself. The same intensity had been there with Coryanne ten years past and she knew now, after all the time since their separation, that it had been true love and not just lust.

It took her quite some time to quiet the raging in her mind and plan the next day. She had made him a promise and she had the mind to keep it, even if she did not trust the future would allow their union to last. But Alaera had given years to the realm in the best way she had known, had even sacrificed her first love in hopes of finding the elusive cure to her father's ailment, even if to no avail. No she longed to live for herself once more, as she had only done for a few moons, on her first visit to Dorne. More than ten years later, impending doom on the horizon, she wanted to stop time and just enjoy the possibility of happiness. Even if she had to steal it, even if she had to hide it from the world.

She woke up early, before the sun had even appeared, and followed the mostly unknown maze of catacombs beneath to Keep all the way to the Dragonpit where the dragonkeepers spent their entire time, having lodgings near to it. After putting her plan in motion, a sense of doom filled her but she made a conscious effort to ignore it. Too long had she only thought about the well-being of others. For once she would be selfish and follow her heart's desire. Even should she burn for it. The possibility did cross her mind, but she shoved it in a dark recess of her suspicious mind.

After getting back to the Keep, she shortly freshened up and then proceeded to go to the Queens quarters. She knocked and the answer came right away. "Come!" She heard a cool voice. She stepped inside and her father's second wife, Alicent Hightower, turned to her, the woman's mouth drawn in displeasure.

"My Queen," Alaera said, bowing and letting the Queen have the first blow.

Ever since marrying her father more than two decades ago, their relationship had been good, if only on a superficial level. A sixteen year old Alicent did not know what to do with a little girl of seven who refused to speak for almost three years, who only read books and hid in the Dragonpit. The Queen had never truly tried to get close to the weird little girl Alaera had been and, after all that took place between herself and Rhaenyra, the Queen had become even colder to her former friend's little sister. Alaera had been happy that his father's wife at least allowed her to be close to her children. Only later did she begin to suspect that Alicent had been relieved to have Alaera spend so much time with her young ones so that she did not have to and was therefore able to give more time to all her other obligations, all the while knowing their loving elder sister was there for them. Which Alaera had most happily done, as she saw a new chance in her younger siblings, a family whose attention she did not have to beg for. But Alicent's tolerance which might have boarded on sympathy had its limits. Marrying her favorite son was most probably not something Alicent Hightower was willing to allow.

"You plan to marry Aemond, I hear," she said, watching Alaera's every reaction. Alaera was impressed by the direct approach and she admitted to herself having sympathy for the woman in front of her.