Sycamore Tree {Complete}

Chapter Thirty-Two

What happened, Aemond? Are you injured?" She pushed back Aemond's hair, searching his face for any sign of pain.

"They did it again." Aemond muttered, avoiding his mother's gaze for fear of seeing the discontentment he felt reflected in her eyes.

"That is still no reason to enter the depths of the Dragonpit." Elowen knelt down, cupping Aemond's face in her hands. "You know the dangers."

"They made me do it." Aemond argued, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

"They cannot make you do anything. And after how many times you have been warned I should have you confined to your chambers. I do not understand your obsession-"

"They gave me a pig!" Aemond yelled, interrupting whatever lecture Elowen had begun.

The Queen faltered for a moment. "A what?"

"They said they found a dragon for me." Aemond's voice cracked from the weight of the humiliation. "But it was a pig."

"I am sorry, my Gem. But you must not worry, you will have a dragon one day. I am sure of it." Elowen assured her son, pulling the young boy into a tight hug.

"They all laughed." Aemond muttered, sounding utterly defeated.

Elowen pulled Aemond further into her embrace, pressing kisses to his silver hair. She wanted so badly to ease all of Aemond's insecurities, fearing how his sensitive disposition would survive in the Red Keep.

★・・・・・・★

After comforting her second born son, Elowen left Aemond in his siblings' company. She trusted Helaena and Daeron to calm him down and distract Aemond from his embarrassment and anger. Nobles and servants stopped in their paths as the Queen passed in the halls, dropping into deep bows and curtsies and offering warm greetings. Elowen's smile was more strained than those she had given that morning.

Viserys had been easy to find; when not sitting the throne or attending a Small Council meeting, the King could often be found in his chambers working on his stone model of Old Valyria. It had been nearly silent in the room as both Viserys and the Stonemaester worked. Only a quiet chipping noise could be heard until the doors had been thrown open and Elowen had rushed into the room.

"Eddard, give the King and I a moment." Elowen dismissed the stonemaster, not bothering to watch as he left the room. Instead she moved to her husband's chair and knelt on the floor beside him, resting her head on his thigh.

"Whatever is the matter, my darling?" Viserys asked, laying his tools down so her could brush the brown locks away from Elowen's face.

"Aemond wandered into a dragon's den again, and almost got burned alive." Elowen sighed, relaxing into Viserys's touch.

"And why did he do such a thing?"

"Rhaenyra's sons spun some tale of how they had found Aemond a dragon and presented him with a pig. They made wings for it, and a tail." Elowen lifted her head, propping her chin up on his knee.

Viserys's fingers trailed from her brown strands to trace over her cheek. "The Lad shouldn't have been so credulous."

"He is a child, Viserys." Elowen argued. "All children believe such foolish things."

"He thought they'd happened upon some wild unnamed dragon and lured it to the Dragonpit?" Viserys's hand moved form her face to wrap around her upper arm, tugging her forward.

"As I said he is a child." Elowen sighed, allowing Viserys to pull her to her feet and onto his lap. She sunk into his warmth, curling into him. "We must speak to Jace and Luke, this sort of thing cannot continue."