banshee's lament - aemond targaryen.

chapter 6.

She never did have the chance to see Vhagar up close, as much as she had wanted to. Aemond had promised to take her for a ride when it was daytime, so she could see the expanse of the ocean from the sky. But he never did. He wasn't able to. Something in her heart clenched as she thought of the fact that Aemond only got one ride upon Vhagar with his full sight, one ride upon his destiny while he was still whole. Before it was taken from him— from... both of them.

She unfolded the third paper. It was a drawing of a woman, someone Shera didn't recognize. But they... felt familiar. The woman had billowing curls and a snarky smile on her face, eyes lit up with fire and fervor. The positioning of the piece made it feel like she was looking back to someone— her arm outstretched in an offering, as if to beckon the person looking towards them.

Shera wasn't sure what to make of it— the other two drawings had been something she knew and could understand. But she didn't understand this one. She wondered who the woman was, even after she'd drifted to sleep.

—

"Shera, are you warm?" Helaena asked softly as she observed Shera fanning herself with her hand, while Moongeist was panting furiously.

"She 'ought to be," Aegon grumbled, arms folded over his chest as he looked out the slats of the wheelhouse window. "She's still dressed like she's in the North. Winter isn't coming down here, Shera. You can take off the fur."

"... a bit warm, yes," Shera muttered, narrowing her gaze at Aegon. It wasn't simply just the climate temperature, but the fact that there were so many people in this wheelhouse at present, all warm bodies exuding heat.

Helaena had Maelor on her lap with Aegon to her right, and the twins to her left, who were constantly swapping seats. Aemond was sitting across from Helaena and next to Shera. He tried to give her as much room as possible, but their thighs were still touching. Moongeist was sitting on the floor, riding out the bumps.

"Who's bloody idea was it to stuff all of us into one wheelhouse?" Aegon continued, a bit crabby due to his lack of wine.

"We're almost there, Aegon. You can stop your whining at any time." Aemond finally uttered. He had been quiet the whole ride up to the Kingswood, focusing solely on looking out the window.

"I will stop whining when there is a breeze, a bottle in my hand and that dog is about ten feet away from me," the oldest prince huffed. "He smells."

"Aegon, you smell bad on the best of days. Moongeist just needs a bath— do you even know what those are?" Shera interjected, coming to her wolf's defense in a heartbeat.

Helaena, Maelor and the twins giggled heartily. Aemond cracked a grin at the joke.

"Uncle Aemond should dunk you in the river again, kepa," Jaehaerys tittered, still laughing away. "You might catch a fish in your mouth again!"

Aegon rolled his eyes and sighed— his lips perking up into a soft smile. "Maybe Uncle Aemond and the dog can fish in the river instead. Isn't that what wolves do? Catch fish?"

"... that's bears," Shera said with an unamused tone.

The wheelhouse came to a creaking stop and Aegon was the first outside. Moongeist was next, followed by Maelor, then the twins.

Helaena helped Shera down the steps, Aemond behind her.

In a turn of events, Shera unclasped the fur stole from her shoulders, as well as the outer layer of her dress, tossing it back into the wheelhouse. She instantly felt lighter, the breeze cooling her shoulders. She had on a gray silk dress with cutout shoulders and a high throat clasp. It was flowy, almost weightless material. She adjusted her hat, which was a gift from Helaena. It was a sun hat with a veil sewed around it, coming down just below Shera's jawline.