Visenya knew Aemond was plotting something the moment she returned to their chambers. Aegon was in the room and Aemond looked right at her. "Where did you go, dear Wife?"
"I don't have to tell you everything, Aemond," Visenya rose a brow.
"Well, this is going to be fun," Aegon grinned.
"What is?" Visenya asked, beginning to remove the braids and brush her hair. She hadn't seen Brella since the tourney accident and was already beginning to miss her.
"Nothing," Aemond glared at Aegon.
Visenya walked over to Aemond, her platinum waves now resting against her back. "What have you done?"
"Oh, just his plan to seduce you."
Visenya's eyes widened with anger and she balled her fist up. He had the audacity to try and seduce her after being forced to bed one another? No matter where her feelings were for him, she wasn't ready after being forced so soon. She thought he would understand all people.
The anger made her snap. She rose her fist and just as Aemond realized what was happening, her knuckles collided with his nose.
"FUCK!"
"Shit!" Aegon laughed as Aemond's nose started bleeding.
"Damnit," Visenya winced, shaking out her hand. The contact probably hurt her almost as much as it hurt him. But the power behind it was completely fueled by anger. She used her other hand to grab his hair and got in his face. "Don't you ever try to profit off my pain! I am no longer your plaything, Aemond. You don't get any say over me. I am Visenya Targaryen, I am the rightful heir to the Iron Throne and I am not a broodmare to be tamed. From now on you will fucking comprehend that!"
Aemond and Aegon stared at her with wide eyes, unable to speak. Aegon looked amused but Visenya couldn't tell what expression Aemond had. Almost like he wanted to drink her in. They seemed to reach an understanding as they challenged each other silently.
"You are the epitome of a Targaryen right now. I should have never pushed you to begin with," Aemond finally said.
"This is getting personal, I should leave," Aegon spoke.
"No, I actually wish to speak with you both but I need to know that the trust I have for you both is reciprocated. What I want to speak of is treason."
Aemond sat up, groaning as he clutched his side. "If it is what I think it is, you have my attention."
"You can trust me," Aegon spoke.
Visenya sat down and collected her thoughts, scratching her neck as she debated on how to start this. "My mother does not deserve the throne. I would rather die than call her queen. She committed treason herself the moment she started to sire bastards. Treason would knock her off the throne and would go to her next heir. And I should have been her heir. I don't deserve the throne but it should be me. Jace would never hold our mother responsible for her actions."
"And you want to find a way in? If you console with my mother, she will put me on that fucking throne." Aegon said.
"Not if I convince her to give it to me with the promise that I will remain loyal to her," Visenya spoke.
"There's a caveat here, you hate my mother," Aemond added.
"I do. This is why when I become queen, we will be the red faction, not the Greens. With my station, I will remove your mother and Otto from the court, along with any other rats that stand in our way to remove Rhaenyra and Daemon."
Aemond looked impressed but did not speak. He was deep in thought, his forehead creased as he stayed silent. Aegon shrugged with a smile. "You have my vote, but I would prefer to see anyone on that throne besides myself. I do not want it."
Visenya nodded and looked at Aemond. "I want you as my King regent. I can not do this alone. They will rip me apart."
Aemond looked at her and she thought she caught his eye trailing to her lips but shrugged it off. "I will do it. I will put you on that throne. But you can't continue angering my mother as you did today."
"You'll need an heir, so hopefully last night worked," Aegon said.
Aemond and Visenya looked at each other and then back at Aegon. "Don't count on it."
"Why?"
"I might have drank moon tea," Visenya mumbled.
"Well, then you know what has to be done. Mother won't do this if there isn't an heir."
"Let me try to stomach that thought. In the meantime, I will play nice with her."
Aegon nodded and stood up. "This has been delightful, but my energy has worn out and I would like to sleep off today's ale. Try not to kill one another, please."
He left the room before they could respond and Visenya was left with the silence between them. "Viseny -"
"Stop, Aemond."
"No, Visenya, you are going to shut that annoying mouth for a few moments so that I can say something. Can you possibly behave for once?"
Visenya glared at him and crossed her arms. "Fine."
"Good. Visenya, you have annoyed me since I was a child. I thought you were a crybaby that needed to be broken down and rebuilt stronger. But in these weeks after watching you and watching Daemon treat you like a dog, I realized I was wrong about you. You weren't broken completely, you were always strong. I was a fool to think I needed to fix you. I realized had I not bullied you, we could have been close."
He took a breath before continuing. "We were always so similar. We were both alone, the outcasts of our family, and we had no dragons. We needed someone and we could have been friends at the least. So Visenya, I am sorry. I am so sorry for being a terrible uncle and a worse person. You were right, you are not to blame for being born a bastard. You are not to blame for your mother's sins. And you are not your mother."
Visenya relaxed where she was sitting, trying not to be tense around him. "Aemond, maybe we shouldn't be sorry for being the way our mothers made us. You were only acting the way you were taught."
"But maybe if I was as smart as people presumed, I would have acted on my own. When my father asked me who I heard the rumor of your brothers being a bastard from, my mother shook her head and I know she intended for me to take the blame. At that point, I knew I was alone. So I gladly called her out. So now you have to be doomed to this marriage."
Visenya shook her head. "We can find peace with one another. We may never love the other but we have respect and I believe we can be friends."
Aemond's smile was pained like he was stung by her words, but she knew he had just been injured. "When it comes to war, do you really think you will be able to sway your brothers?"
"I think that I can try to convince them. But that's not something I want to focus on. I worry that my claim will be laughed at because I am a bastard. That is the only big thing that could weaken my claim besides being a woman," Visenya said.
"You hold the classic Targaryen traits. Pale skin, violet eyes, white hair, and you carry the name of the first Queen and sister-wife to Aegon the Conqueror. If you can do it right, you will even have the support of the Hightowers and if you have them, you will have the small council. This can be done but we have to be smart. I will put you on that throne."
"And in turn, you will be able to hold up the declaration for them to be removed?" She asked.
"Yes. I am shocked you don't want them killed."
Visenya let out a laugh. "The thought crossed my mind many times. The only ones I want dead are Cole and Larys. Besides that, they shall live as long as they take their removal without lashback."
"I think you and I both know they will fight it," Aemond pointed out.
"Then they shall face the charges of treason like any other civilian. I was named after one of the conquerors, I will not disgrace her memory. Visenya Targaryen was just and firm, not to be underestimated. I may not be a warrior but I will ride Grey Ghost into battle if I must."
"Good, soldiers respect when their own ruler makes an effort. How well can you support the commoners? They are just as important."
"I can work on that."
"Good. But we don't have to plot anymore tonight, I am a bit worn out from the fucking tourney."
Visenya reached for his hand. "Thank you, Aemond. You knocking Daemon off his horse was the happiness I needed."
"I knew there was a twisted side beneath you, Visenya."
-
"Ivestragon nyke nūmāzma Gulltown."
Tell me about Gulltown.
"Se Vāle won isse se vīlībāzma against se conquerors yn Visenya rode Vhagar se zaltan se entire azantyr. Visenya landed se skori dāria Sharra Ārōn returned naejot se Ēyrī, zirȳla tresy iksin sitting va Visenya's lap se asking lo ziry could kipagon se zaldrīzes lēda Visenya, se ziry gōntan. Dāria sharra pār obūljalie se ybon."
The Vale won in the battle against the Conquerors but Visenya rode Vhagar and burned the entire army. Visenya landed and when Queen Sharra Arryn returned to the Eyrie, her son was sitting on Visenya's lap and asking if he could ride the dragon with Visenya, and he did. Queen Sharra then bent the knee.
Aemond nodded. "You are getting much better. You are beginning to sound fluent. You have perfected rolling your R's."
"I might have a decent teacher," She grinned, watching Grey Ghost dip his head into the water.
"It has been a week since the wedding, have you spoken to my mother?" Aemond asked.
"No, I want to give realistic time to be mad before I come to the conclusion that I love her son dearly and want to make peace," She smirked, sipping her wine.
"Such a scheemer you are, Visenya."
"I do try. At least the celebrations are over and my family is gone. I do miss Luke. If I could pick favorites, he would be it. But I can not pick favorites."
"Everyone can pick favorites if you have one. I wish I could decide between Helaena and Aegon. Helaena needs no explanation, and since we have reached manhood, Aegon has become a better brother. At least since my thirteenth nameday."
"What happened?" Visenya asked.
"Aegon brought me to the street of silk, wanted me to know how to be a man. Wanted me to ... get it wet. It wasn't a pleasant day. Aegon began to notice that I was not enjoying it and tried to take me home but the woman that had her lips ... well, let's just say she wouldn't stop."
Visenya watched him carefully, noticing his knee was beginning to bounce. "Aemond ... thank you for trusting me with that."
Aemond seemed surprised that she wasn't apologizing or expressing pity but maybe that's where there was mutual respect. Neither wanted pity and they wanted to be adults in this relationship. Visenya was upset for him to hear about it but it was years ago and he still chose not to be a whoremonger like his brother. Thankfully Aegon seemed to respect that.
"It seemed fair, considering you trusted me and Aegon with a most treasonous plan. A plan that he so wholeheartedly approves of. You will be a good queen, Visenya. We just have to work around the bastard issue. Maybe it would help your case that they are married now. But you would still have to claim yourself a bastard and possibly asked to be legitimized."
"If only my father were still here. He could have publically fought with his claim of me. It's not like his skin was as dark as Lord Corlys'. It could have been believable. I still remember the smell of his burning flesh as they pulled him out of the fire. I remember Rhaenys' screams." Visenya mumbled.
"I heard between your screams and Rhaenys' wails, the whole castle went silent with heartbreak. You mumble in your sleep sometimes. Do you dream?" Aemond asked.
"Not really. I mostly dream through Grey Ghost. After I cut your eye, I would just hear the screams in my dreams. Maybe I hear more without realizing it. If I think too hard about Laenor's death, it will bring me down. So I use it to keep fighting instead. He would want me to be strong." Visenya picked up a rock and skid it across the top of the water. Grey Ghost looked over and let out a huff.
"I never did mention that I do believe your dragon to be a beautiful one, but nothing beats Sunfyre," Aemond said.
Visenya nodded. "I love my dragon more than anything, but Sunfyre is a marvelous beauty. I am inclined to agree."
Grey Ghost let out a roar that shook the nearby ground and Visenya laughed at his attitude. She stood up and walked over to him, running her hand over his snout. "I would still pick you over anyone. You are mine, my friend, and I am yours."
Visenya looked at Aemond. "Come here."
Aemond stood from the bench and walked over to the dragon. "Is he going to eat me? Can he feel any repressed hatred within you?"
Visenya rolled her eyes and reached for his hand, placing it on Grey Ghost's snout. Aemond tilted his head and stared at the dragon in wonder. Vhagar was old but she was definitely past her glory days and she wasn't the beautiful dragon she once was. Grey Ghost was still young and possibly in his prime.
"Do you think he could hold his own in a war?" Aemond asked.
"I think that any dragon could but he isn't experienced like the others. Caraxes has been to war. And the Dragon Mount has experienced dragons to be claimed. Targaryen bastards could claim them if they tried. Vermithor, Silverwing, and Seasmoke are strong dragons. And Helaena would never go to battle so that counts out Dreamfyre."
"Cannibal and Sheep Stealer could also be claimed for the first time," Aemond added.
"I doubt Cannibal would allow anyone. He has never allowed a ride and he is the most aggressive dragon anyone has ever seen. But he would definitely be a force to be reckoned with." Visenya watched Aemond slowly begin to pet her dragon and Grey Ghost finally relaxed, laying in the sand.
"I think Helaena might be pregnant again," Aemond said.
"Has she told you?" Visenya smiled. She loved the twins, having another niece or nephew would be a wonderful thing.
"No, but Dreamfyre was found nesting. My mother will be happy for Aegon to have his heir and spare."
"Your mother will begin wondering why I'm not pregnant soon," Visenya said, becoming aware of how close Aemond was standing next to her.
"No. Don't even suggest me to bed you again."
"Why, Aemond?"
"Because," He said, his mouth close to her ear. "The next time I fuck you, you will be begging me for it."
Visenya's breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him. He has a sultry grin on his face, one that made her want to slap him.
"Maybe I do, in fact, hate you," She said, rolling her eyes.
"Hate or love? The line runs thin, Princess."
She closed her eyes and he didn't move a muscle, staying next to her as they stood in front of her dragon. "Stop trying to get me to sleep in your bed, Aemond. I told you not to play with me."
"I'm not, Vis." He whispered. "I am giving into my own desires."
Visenya pushed herself away from him. "You may as well stop because I still despise you, no matter how much I respect you."
"Sure you do," He smirked.
Giving into his desires? He can't stand me. Visenya was confused. Aemond was acting like he wanted her but she knew he despised her just as much as she did him.
But even she was lying to herself. She was falling for Aemond and she knew it was going to be the most painful fall.