"By the looks of it I'm not the only one."
"We must stop meeting like this, princess." Daemion smiled gently but the darkness covered it.
By the gods, she looked ethereal under the moons light. His heart beating so fast that he feared that she might hear it.
"I wouldn't call our walk two nights ago meeting Daemion." Rhaena turned her head to watch the flying beasts. "I didn't recognize Modread, he... has changed."
Modread is no hatchling Rhaena thought to herself, despite its young age he was a large dragon. The scarlet and black dragon was a dashing beast, so it was its rider.
"He has." Daemion too turned his head to the flying, his face unreadable but she could see traces of... empathy? But if so, then why?
"Your father said that you were to get here by yesterdays nightfall, and yet you found and accompanied me to the gate of Dragonstone the night before your assumed arrival. How did you even know?!"
He had gotten to Dragonstone sooner than expected but yet he chose to remain hidden. Was it because he was embarrassed, or he did not wish to see her and her family sooner than he needed to? Or was it something else?
"Two possibilities. First, I was there to see you. Second, I was board. Guess which."
"Well I wouldn't be surprised if you were just board, since you have so much free time on your hands to not even enter your own home."
Daemion chuckled lightly.
Rhaena shook her head slowly "But be honest Daemion, how did you know it was me?"
"There's only one dragon in the seven kingdoms that can brighten up the black sky as if it's the moon." And her rider glows brighter than the moon itself Daemion thought to himself.
"Then would you say it was fortune that led you to my rescue, cousin?" Rhaena said as she slowly walked toward and stood next to Daemion.
"Didn't know you were a fortuneteller, princess."
"I have many talents my young prince, but one need not tools of deception to tell another's fortune." Rhaena said with her head high, looking in Daemion's eyes.
"A courtesy of many books you've read I assume?" "That's right!" Rhaena gently smiled "you do remember my love for the books father gave me, right?" And flowers, kittens and puppies your father had provided, Daemion thought to himself.
How could he ever forget?
Daemion offered the palm of his right hand
"Would you tell me my fortune?"
"Of course my young prince."
And she gently grabbed his hand and started studying his palm.
By gods, she had seen the hands of her brothers, they were rough, the proof of their training but Daemion hand, she had never seen nor felt a hand as rough as his, as if for the past twelve years he had study the blade with his very soul. At dinner, she had seen small scars on his wrist, scars made by a very sharp blade...
"And your judgment?" Daemion asked
"Your fate looks good."
"Care to elaborate?" Daemion asked with a smile
"It says you are persistent and headstrong, but no matter the hardships you experienced you stay true to your goal." She moved his thumb a little "And most importantly, there's nothing that will stand between you and what you desire. Your life is blessed." She gently let go of his hand "you have a fulfilling future Cousin."
"That's it?" Daemion asked curiously.
"What else do you wish to know about?"
"Love."
To which Rhaena coughed and flustered "surly women throw themselves at you, there is no need for you to worry."
"And why is that?"
"It is because you were blessed with dashing good looks and you are quite clever." Rhaena chuckled embarrassed "Daemion, are you trying to force a complement out of me?" To which Daemion chuckled.
"Perhaps."
Rhaena chuckled. Daemion's heart started beating faster.
Chill winds blew, Rhaena rubbed her hands together "I believe those two wish to be alone, shall we rerun to the castle?"
"Then allow me to guide you back to the castle."
"As you did the other night?"
"As I did the other night."
And the two walked side by side.
Rhaena's hand on Daemion's hand. A forgotten feeling, that was buried in the depth of their hearts, finding its way back to them.
The moon was brighter than ever. Dragons flew in the sky above their heads, dancing.
The moment was simple, truly.
It was everything He ever had wanted.
It was something she never knew she wanted.
______________
Maegor and Aenys sat next to each other, enjoying the warmth of the fireplace. Well Maegor enjoyed the wine, perhaps a little too much, and Aenys enjoyed the fireplace.
"Have you give much thought to the Red keep brother?" Aenys asked enthusiastically but exhausted.
Maegor did not even bother to mask his lack of interest "No, I've not."
"You must see the garden aunt Visenya have made in the red keep in the memory of my mother." Aenys smiled sadly. "The Weirwood tree that she has planted there was a nice touch. I can't think anyone who could finish the red keep better than Aunt Visenya!"
Even after all these years, the loss of his mother still weighted heavy on him. He saw so much of his mother in his Rhaena. But Rhaena was more Visenya than Rhaenys.
Rhaena was a gentle soul, but gods forbid if one dared to cross her, much less betray her.
"The Weirwood tree will grow to be a place of comfor-" "why are you here?"
Aenys was shocked "What do you mean brother?"
"You could have sent a raven or an envoy but yet you came yourself, not alone at that I might say."
Maegor is right to be suspicious Aenys thought to himself , how could he expect Maegor to not question his presence here?
"I wished to deliver the good news myse—" Maegor again cut him off.
"Do you take me for a fool?"
How dares he?! Maegor thought To come here after all these years and pretend as if the past eighteen years... no, ever since the day he moved back to red keep for the sake of his marriage to Ceryse, his marrige, his life and even his son! Casted aside because of this pathetic weakling! And now he sits here and pretends NONE of those has ever happened!
Aenys could swore that his eyes were glowing, he had only seen that look in Visenya's eyes.
"I..." Aenys stuttered.
"You what?!!!" Maegor nearly yelled.
Aenys dropped his head in shame "I missed you brother..." Aenys whispered, embarrassed.
Maegor knew not what to say.
"We are brothers Maegor, yet as long as my memory serves, you not once have called me brother, or even by my name." Aenys said lowly, wounded. "I know father has not been fair to you. Not you and your son. But I wish for us to be... close."
Maegor wished to tell him to fuck off but... he couldn't. Why? Was it because he didn't wish anyone to hear him yell at this hour of the wolf? Or was it... because that he wanted... a brother.
Maegor's face softened "How do we do that, Aenys?"
Aenys was speechless. So was Maegor. So they sat in silence. Until Aenys broke the silence.
"How long has it been since you saw your mother brother? Six month?"
"Yes, she had come to see my son but he had been away." "She did not know of his absence?" Aenys asked shocked.
"No, she was not aware of his absence."
"Surly she wanted to see how much he had grown." Aenys smiled softly "All the more reason for their reunion to be sweeter. You have raised a fine young man Maegor."
"There are days that I wonder how it would have been if I had a daughter." A small smirk formed on Maegor's face. Aenys was sure that Maegor was talking to himself.
"A daughter? Why a daughter brother?"
"They say a man must love his son more but a son can resent his father, even if the very heaven itself demand the son to not." Maegor placed his elbows on his knees and looked in the fire place " I know..." Maegor whispered to himself.
"Well, Daemion is as pretty as a girl." Aenys joked, in a poor attempt to lighten his brother, to which Maegor remained silent.
While looking at his brother, not knowing what to say, Aenys's attention caught a large black figure in the sky flying.
"Is that the wild dragon? The one that feasts on dragon eggs and younger dragons?!"
Maegor turned his head to watch outside of the window.
"That's Modread." Maegor answered "perhaps "The Cannibal", that's what residents of Dragonstone call that dragon, has already flown to Kingslanding to burn it to the ground."
"He has grown." Aenys said impressed. "He's nearly as large as Dreamfyre despite his young age."
"A dragon is only as strong as his rider, Aenys"