Rhaenyra decides to take revenge on behalf of her uncle. Baelon and Aemma talk about Viserys and a request he made. I hope you guys like it. 🥰
3 days later.
"Is there a reason why my son is walking around with bruises on his face and abdomen?" Damon just shrugged, not saying anything, but not looking apologetic either. "I was told you two fought on the training grounds."
"I would not call it a fight. We were sparring and I decided Daemon needed to be taught a lesson."
"Is there a reason why he needed a lesson?" He could see it on Damon's face, something had happened. "Oh Gods, what did he do now?"
"He kissed my wife." Damon narrowed his eyes. "And I do not mean in the cheek."
Baelon let out a tired sigh, in the past few weeks it felt like his sons were attempting to make his life harder for no reason. Viserys was sulking around the castle, annoyed that he could not approach Aemma and Rhaenyra. He had been spending even more time with Otto and Baelon was not happy with how his son was being affected by the other man. Then Viserys had made a request which had perplexed Baelon, he did not know how he was supposed to tell Aemma about it. As much as he would like to kick Otto out of Kings Landing he could not without a valid reason. For some reason, he could understand his father also liked the man and believed he would be good for the kingdom. While Daemon had decided it was ok to go around and kiss another man's wife. Well, technically, it was Daemon's wife, but not yet. Gods, this was all so confusing that his head hurt from thinking about it too long. His youngest son should have known better, especially knowing who Nyra's husband was.
"I am sorry." Damon just shrugged again, apparently now that he had beaten Daemon he was not as angry any longer. "Sometimes I think my sons are attempting to find out how far they can push me before I snap."
"Yes, Nyra told me about what Viserys did." Damon crossed his arms over his chest. "I wish I could tell you that is the worst thing Viserys will do, but is not."
"Yes, Aemma told me about what Nyra said to her about how she died." He had trouble believing that Viserys would kill Aemma for a son until he had made that request a few days ago. "I cannot believe Viserys would hurt Aemma. She is so beautiful and sweet and she always smells like lilacs." Baelon stopped speaking when he noticed the way Daemon was staring at him and the amused look on his face. "What?"
"Nothing." The older version of his son let out a laugh. "I just never realized how closely you watched Aemma."
"Well, it is my job to protect her." He could not see why that would be confusing. "She is my good daughter and my niece, she is also the mother of my only grandchild."
"That is true." Baelon did not understand the look on Damon's face, but it made him a bit uncomfortable. "Have you ever thought about marrying again?"
"What?" He was not sure where the question had come from. "Why are you asking that?"
"I am curious, I never asked my father about it." Damon tilted his head to the side. "I know you loved my mother fiercely, but at this point, it has been five and ten years since she passed. Do you not want another woman?"
"Since I know the reputation my youngest son has I am sure it is the same reputation you had before you wed Rhaenyra, I am sure you are aware I do not need to be wed when I want to bed a woman."
"No, but that is different." Baelon was not very comfortable with the conversation, but Damon did not seem to want to stop. "Are you not lonely? You could have more children, you are still young."
"I am happy with the way things are now." He had more important things to worry about than getting a new wife.
"Well, this is... OW!" Damon jumped to the side and Baelon's eyes widened when he saw Rhaenyra with a stick on her hands, hitting Damon's leg. The older version of his son was attempting to get away from the small girl but was not having much success. "OW! Stop that."
"No, bad Damon." She hit him again and kept following after him as Damon attempted to get away. "You cannot hurt kepus."
"Rhaenyra, stop hitting Damon." He was able to take the stick away from her and picked her up. The little girl was so furious her face was bright red as Baelon attempted to calm her down. "My love, we have all told you that you cannot go around hitting your family."
"But he hurt kepus and he must be punished." Rhaenyra glared at Damon. "Syrax, bite him."
The small golden dragon, whom Baelon had not even noticed, screeched and stretched her wings as she moved towards Damon. The small dragon was not able to cause a lot of damage yet unless Rhaenyra ordered her to breathe fire. But the bite would be painful, Viserys had limped for days after Syrax bit him.
"Rhaenyra, call off Syrax." Baelon made sure his voice was firm, but not too harsh. "You cannot order your dragon to bite everyone who angers you."
"Fine!" His granddaughter pouted, sticking out her lower lip as she looked at her dragon. "Syrax, do not bite him."
The small dragon backed off, shaking her head and tucking in her wings. Baelon resisted the urge to smile and encourage his granddaughter even more.
"My love, you cannot go around attempting to punish people without knowing what happened." Baelon kissed the side of her head. "You should ask first."
"It does not matter what happened, he hurt kepus and that is not allowed." Rhaenyra turned her head to glare at Damon. "Go to your chambers, you will not be allowed to have any cake and you will not leave until I say so."
"What?" Damon laughed. "Where did you hear that?"
"That is what my mama says to me when I am bad." Rhaenyra crossed her arms over her chest. "And you were bad."
"You might think I am bad, but I was just teaching you kepus a lesson. I will not hurt him again." Daemon raised a hand. "I give you my word."
"It does not matter, you already hurt him." She narrowed her eyes. "Grandsire, give me back my stick. I need to hit him so more."
"No, you do not." This time he had to laugh. "How about I take you back to your mother and I will return Syrax to the dragon pit. How did she get here?"
"I called her to me." Rhaenyra looked at him like he was soft in the head. "She can fly you know?"
"You are right, I am sorry. I should have known that." He kissed her forehead in apology. "Let us go see your mother."
"Fine, but you should allow me to hit Damon at least once more." He shook his head and she let out an annoyed sigh, then her face brightened. "Then can we have cake?"
"Yes, we can have cake."
He walked away quickly before the little warrior in his arms decided to attack Damon once more. He hoped his youngest son was prepared for the spitfire he would wed one day.
Baelon Targaryen (43 years old.)
Daemon Targaryen (33 years old.)
Rhaenyra Targaryen (3 years old.)
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It felt like her marriage was over, every day Viserys moved farther and farther away from her. Maybe it was her who was moving away from him, she could not tell any longer. It just felt like something had broken and it could not be put back together. She had been furious when Daemon had entered her chambers with a crying Rhaenyra in his arms. She had become livid when she saw the bruises on her daughter's arm. Her poor babe had cried so hard and she did not want to be placed down. Aemma hated that Viserys had hurt their child that way and all because of his fears. She was sure Otto was feeding those fears and she hated that man even more for that. Viserys had attempted to speak to her once since the incident, attempting to give her excuses as to why he had done what he did. He had also told her that his father was making him stay away from her. Aemma's answer had been to slap him as hard as she could across the face. Viserys was not the man she thought he was.
"Has our small warrior gone to sleep yet?" Baelon's voice was amused as he sat beside her. "Or is she still planning Damon's death?"
"Well, she went to sleep after I told her several stories and kept planning Damon's demise." Aemma laughed. "There was some mention about his cake and she she said something about a stick, but I was not sure what she meant."
"She hit Damon with a stick several times." Baelon's face was amused. "She also sent him to his chamber without supper. I find it amusing how her solution to most problems is to have Syrax bite them and to send them to their chambers without supper."
"Well, Syrax is the only weapon she has and I have only ever punished her by sending her to her chambers and not allowing her to leave for a few hours." Aemma shrugged. "So now she believes that it is the way to punish people."
"She is the most adorable child I have ever seen." Baelon's face became gentle. "She truly adores Daemon."
"Yes, he is one of her favorite people, she believes he is the greatest thing in the world." Aemma was happy that her daughter had someone she loved so much, someone who loved her just as much. "Seeing Nyra and Damon gives me hope that things will be well, all I want is for my daughter to be happy."
"And what about you?" Aemma gave her uncle a questioning look. "Are you happy?"
"I am not unhappy with my life."
"Yes, but that does not mean you are happy either." Baelon's look was curious. "Are you happy with Viserys?"
"I feel like I do not know him, like maybe I never did." She had been thinking about her relationship with her husband since she found out what he would do to her in the future. It was not just what he would do, it was the way he had been acting lately. She did not like what he had become. "He is not the man I wed, but I am not the same woman he wed either."
"Are you in love with him?"
"I do love him." Aemma looked at her good father and felt her heart jump in her chest. She was not sure what was about him, but lately, she could not see him the same way anymore. He had become her protector and the person she could trust with what was happening in her life. While she and Viserys moved farther apart, she and her good father got closer. "I do not think things are so simple."
Baelon was looking at her strangely, like there was something he wanted to say. She knew he had ordered Viserys to stay away from her and Rhaenyra, but there was something else. Viserys and Baelon had met several times in the past few days. No one knew what it was about, but her husband had not looked happy after leaving.
"There is something I have to tell you." He moved until he was facing her fully and took her hand in his. "I have decided to disinherit Viserys, but I have not told him yet. My father will never allow me to do it now. I will have to wait for my father's death and become king, but Viserys will not be king after me."
"Why?" Is not that she was upset about the news, but she was a bit confused about why he had finally made the decision. "I know you would not make this kind of decision lightly."
"I did not." Baelon shook his head. "One thing I have been noticing lately about my son is how weak he is and how easy others manipulate him. I cannot allow him to place the kingdom in danger."
"Is that all?" The way he looked told her there was something else.
"No, I do not know how to tell you this. I have been looking for a way to tell you this for a few days." Aemma frowned, not liking where this was going. "Viserys has spoken to me a few times. He is requesting access to you, saying that he needs heirs. He also said that if you will not do your duty then he wants your marriage dissolved so he can wed someone who will."
"What?" To say she was shocked was an understatement. "He cannot do that, he cannot just dissolve our marriage."
"He can," Baelon's look had become apologetic. "He has already spoken to my father, who agreed to the dissolution of your marriage if you still refuse to bed Viserys."
"So I have been ordered to risk my life or my husband will leave me?" She stood up and her eyes filled with tears.
"I am sorry, I know you are in love with my son."
"This is not about love." She loved Viserys, but she was not in love with him. She turned to face her good father as a tear ran down her face. "You know perfectly well that Viserys could take Rhaenyra away from me and I would not be able to do anything. Once he divorces me I will be sent back to the Eyrie and he could keep Rhaenyra here. I do not want to lose my daughter, he cannot just take her away."
"Hey, no, do not do that to yourself." Baelon stood up and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin. "I will not allow anyone to send you away or take Rhaenyra from you."
"But if the king approves there is nothing you can do."
"Aemma, listen to me." He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head, she did not miss the way his eyes went to her lips before he looked back into her eyes. "I will never allow anyone to take you away. Trust me, you will not be going anywhere and no one will take Rhaenyra from you. I promise."
She looked at him for a moment before nodded, she knew he was being honest with her. He would not allow Viserys to take her daughter away.
"I imagine that if he wants to divorce me there is someone else he wants to wed."
"Yes, he wants to wed Alicent Hightower." The disgust in Baelon's voice was obvious.
"Alicent, but she is a child." Aemma could not help her surprise and disgust that her husband would choose a child. "She is only three and ten."
"Do I need to remind you that you wed Viserys when you were nine?"
"Yes, but he was not that much older than me."
"According to Viserys, Otto has approved the match."
"I can imagine." She knew how ambitious that horrible man was. "He wants his daughter to be queen."
"He will not be too happy when he realizes that you have disinherited Viserys."
"I do not care." Baelon ran a finger over the side of her face and she shivered. "I only care that you and Rhaenyra are not hurt by this."
"Thank you." She smiled up at him. "I do not know what I would do if you were not here."
"I will always protect you and Rhaenyra." His thumb ran over her bottom lip. "I will find a way to keep you here with me."
She did not correct his choice of words, she wanted to stay with him too. She did not want to return to the Eyrie and leave her family behind. She did not want to leave Baelon behind. Aemma wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. She liked the way her uncle smelled, like the woods and something spicy. She did not worry, she knew Baelon would be true to his word and not allow Viserys to take her daughter away.
Aemma Arryn (18 years old.)
Baelon Targaryen (43 years old.)