Visaera paced back and forth in front of the windows of Aegon's rooms, stopping every so often to peer up into the bright, blue sky. The beautiful summer weather mocked her and the anxiety that was coursing through her. It was nearly midday and there was still no sight of dragons in the sky.
It was as if the Gods themselves wanted her to suffer, for a bird drifted overhead, making her heart pound for a brief moment, only to be followed by the sickening feel of disappointment.
Rooks Rest was a mere few hours from the capital on dragon back and Visaera had expected them at any moment, yet still, there was no sign of them. Before, she thought waiting on the precipice of war was maddening, but waiting inside the keep and holding her breath in anticipation felt far worse.
When she could bear the suffocating feeling of the room no longer, Visaera ventured through the keep and out into the gardens. The bees were buzzing and the birds were singing in the trees, but Visaera felt like screaming her lungs out in frustration, her concern mounting with every passing moment. More than anything, she hated how helpless she was feeling, wishing she could have gone with her uncles to meet her mother.
Suddenly, a roar echoed through the sky and Visaera held her hand up to shade her eyes from the sun. Vhagar swooped down over the city first, casting a large shadow over King's Landing as she descended toward the Dragonpit. Sunfyre followed shortly behind, the sight of both dragons filled her with relief and she nearly sobbed. Visaera could hear the rumbling echo as the dragons landed just outside of the pit and then Visaera was running through the grounds, tears of alleviation streaming down her face.
They're here. Everything is going to be alright... By the time she reached the yard, Visaera's legs were burning from sprinting across the gardens. The knight at the gate refused to let Visaera through and she nearly launched herself at him when he implied that she was considered a prisoner in her own home. She waited, anxiously chewing at her nails until she finally spotted a flash of silver hair coming up the road.
Something was wrong, terribly wrong... Aemond and Aegon were on the same mare and the elder prince was sagged against his brother, looking a mere moment from falling unconscious. Oh, gods... Aegon...
The moment they entered the yard, Visaera was holding her breath, catching the reigns of the horse and craning her head up to look at them. Both men were covered in soot and dirt, but Aegon was the one groaning in pain and Visaera reached for him, attempting to help him dismount. His entire sleeve had been burned away and his skin had been completely melted off, leaving raw, weeping wounds open to the elements. Visaera's stomach turned at the sight and she bit down on her fist to keep from crying out. How had he managed to fly back to King's Landing in such a condition?
"Move, princess, please," Ser Criston commanded, appearing out of nowhere and gently pushing her out of the way. He was pulling Aegon down from the saddle and then the prince was screaming in pain. The sound echoed in her head, just as it had the night before. The sound knocked the air from Visaera's lungs and her legs gave out, ruining the bottom of her dress as she fell into the damp dirt.
"Aegon, Aegon, I'm right here!" she called, even as he was hauled across the yard by a flurry of guards. Visaera was left behind in the dirt, wringing her hands together as the false King was hauled into the keep. Aemond approached her slowly, as if she was a wounded animal that he was afraid would lash out in self-defense.
"Visaera..." he breathed softly, her name sounding more like a question as it fell from his lips.
"What happened?" she screamed, shoving herself off the ground and rounding on the prince. "You were supposed to be coming to an agreement! What the fuck happened?" She shoved against his chest, only moments from losing her sanity, unable to comprehend how their plan could have gone so horribly wrong. What happened to Aegon? What happened to her mother? The mere idea of it all made her ill.
"Your mother was not at Rook's Rest," Aemond informed her calmly, too calmly. His demeanor was beginning to scare her. It was as if he tucked all of his emotion in a single compartment and locked it away from the world.
"What?" she breathed out, eyes wide, "What do you mean? I thought—"
"It was a trap, Vis. The raven that was intercepted, I believe it was meant to be intercepted..." She shook her head in disbelief. It didn't make any sense. The scroll had been written in her mother's own hand. Oh, gods...
For the second time in a matter of minutes, Visaera's legs gave out and she collapsed into the dirt, finally letting out a sob. Aegon was hurt, and her mother had intended for it to happen, her mother had intended to kill them...
"Visaera..." Her teary eyes finally raised to meet his, finding apprehension in it. "Your grandmother, Rhaenys... She's dead." The princess stared at him blankly, unable to understand what he was saying.
"No, it's not... It can't..."
"She and Meleys were waiting for us... As were Baela and Moondancer." Had she not been seated on the ground already, Visaera would have fallen over as the breath was knocked from her lungs and her head began to spin.
Baela... Her little sister...
Visaera fell forward, her hands sinking into the mud, and vomited up the contents of her stomach, a sob tearing its way out of her chest.
Her sister...
"Visaera, listen to me, darling. Baela is not dead." Aemond's assurance stabbed through the haze of her grief and she turned her tear-streaked face to look at him. "She's alive. Injured, as our King is, but alive." Injured, as Aegon was...
With a snarl, Visaera launched herself at him, repeatedly striking him across the chest and face, releasing her anger and grief the only way she knew how.
"What did you do? What did you fucking do?" she screamed as the tears streamed down her face, hitting him over and over again. The prince didn't bother to defend himself against her blows, his cheeks turning pink as she continued to lash out at him. Aemond merely waited for her to tire, finally catching her around the waist before she sank to the ground.
"I'm sorry," he murmured in her ear, smoothing a hand over her hair as she sobbed, "I'm so sorry, my sweet." His words were meant to console, but they only angered her further and she shoved away from him with a scream, sickened by his touch. Without a single backward glance, Visaera hurried back to the keep, blind to the look of hurt and remorse in his eye...
Four days later, Visaera had yet to emerge from her room. The shutters had been drawn closed and she remained abed, unable to face the horrible reality that her grandmother had been killed by her uncles, by the men she cared so deeply for. Upon her return to the keep, after Aemond broke the news, Visaera abandoned Aegon's chambers for her own, barring the door and refusing to speak to anyone.
Anger and grief took turns tugging on her insides until she could no longer differentiate one from the other. Her mother had set the trap for the princes, a thought which wounded her, but ultimately, Aegon and Aemond had been the ones to take her grandmother's life and injure her sister.
She sat in front of the fire burning in the hearth and suddenly she what she had to do...
The only way to prevent further bloodshed was to go home. Visaera had to return to Dragonstone and speak with her mother before anyone else got hurt. She also knew her uncles would never willingly let her leave.
"Visaera?" Aemond was knocking at her door for the third time that day, pleading with her to let him in.
She slid the bolt back and opened the door, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You don't need to come back every five minutes," she told him with a scowl.
"And you need to eat," he growled, pushing past her with a tray of food and a jug of water. "Have you had a single bite since our return?" Visaera didn't bother with an answer. She hadn't eaten, she hadn't dressed, and she had scarcely pulled herself out of bed.
She was hungry, but every time she imagined Baela and Rhaenys over Rook's Rest, her stomach knotted and she dry-heaved. "I swear to the gods, I will force-feed you, if you make me, Visaera." Aemond snarled, grabbing her by the wrist and yanking her toward the table.
When she made no effort to move, the prince pulled her into his lap, wrapping an arm securely around her waist. "I will not watch you starve yourself, open your fucking mouth," he commanded. Seated in his lap with her arms effectively pinned, Visaera had no choice but to comply, fighting the urge to retch as he shoved little bites of food into her mouth.
"Please, Aemond, no more," she begged only minutes later, feeling nauseous. She must have looked as terrible as she felt, because he took pity on her, nodding and loosening his grip around her waist.
"Are you ready to listen?" he asked softly, "I need to tell you what happened." Visaera nodded and allowed him to carry her to the bed. Sprawled across the mattress, Aemond ran his fingers through her curls, separating the tangles, as he walked her through what had happened at Rook's Rest.
According to the prince, Rhaenys had attacked first and Baela had followed suit almost immediately. Moondancer was a small dragon, but she was fast and ferocious, and the princes quickly went from evading the dragon to engaging with it. Meleys was a force to be reckoned with, Aemond and Vhagar had no choice but to incapacitate the red beast after she spouted flames at Aegon and Sunfyre.
Visaera listened to Aemond recall the events as she stared blankly at the hearth, only halfway comprehending his words.
Her thoughts were on what she was going to do next, knowing neither prince would likely forgive her for abandoning them a second time... She was slowly retreating into the recesses of her mind, building a wall around her heart. When he rolled her over and ran his thumb over her cheek, silently asking for permission, Visaera allowed Aemond to kiss her, responding in turn, knowing it might be the last time she ever felt his touch...
It was nearly the hour of the wolf and Aemond was fast asleep when Visaera slipped from the bed and silently dressed. The keep was quiet as left her chambers and made her way to Aegon's. Inside, her uncle was breathing deeply, but he shifted restlessly beneath his sheets, as though he were having a bad dream.
"Oh, Aegon..." she breathed, as her eyes fell on the entirety of his burned arm, pained by the sight and knowing he was hurting. "My poor prince..." She sat down on the edge of the bed and pushed the hairs off his damp forehead.
The moment her hand touched his skin, Aegon stirred and blinked his eyes open.
"Visaera..." he breathed, a smile slowly spreading across his face.
"I'm sorry that I did not come sooner, my sweet," she told him, repeatedly stroking her fingers across his cheek.
"I've missed you, baby," he replied, leaning into her touch. Already, tears were springing in her eyes, the knowledge of what she would do next weighing heavy on her shoulders.
"I've missed you too," she whispered thickly. "I'm so sorry you were hurt trying to help me..." she admitted.
"I will be alright," he insisted softly, "I just need time." Visaera nodded, blinking back her tears.
"Yes, you do that, my love. Take all the time you need to heal." When he winced in pain, Visaera reached for the milk of the poppy and held it to his lips. After a drink, Aegon quickly fell asleep, once his breathing deepened, she made for the passageway.
"I'll stay for you..." The promise she was breaking, yet again, repeated in her mind. Perhaps breaking promises ran in the family, but the guilt of it made her chest ache as if her very heart had been ripped out. Closing the door behind her, she finally let out a sob and allowed the tears to fall from her eyes...