The flame from the fireplace was the only light cast around Hightide's Great hall. Enora stood beside her son holding his hand and cooing encouraging words as the Maester stitched the wound where his eye was meant to be closed.
"How could you allow such a thing to happen? I will have answers." Viserys questioned a long dormant flame burning within the King at his son's injury.
"The Princes were supposed to be abed, my King." Ser Harrold answered.
"Who had the watch?"
"I did, Your Grace." Another Kingsguard spoke up, fear clear in his eyes.
"You swore oath to protect and defend my blood!" Viserys roared, his blood boiling in his veins.
"I'm very sorry, Your Grace." Ser Harrold apologized.
"The Kingsguard has never had to defend princes from princes, Your Grace." The white cloak attempted to defend himself and the rest of the Kingguards.
"That is no answer!" Viserys yelled, getting in the knight's face.
"It will heal, will it not?" Elowen asked the Maester as everyone in the room turned awaiting his response. Her heart sunk as the Maester shook his head.
"The flesh will heal," The Maester answered, focused on stitching the wound closed. "But the eye is lost, Your Grace."
"Seven hells," Elowen muttered to herself, she glanced at where all the children had gathered behind her. She attempted to stamp down the fury building in her at Luke's injuries and Rhaena's watery eyes, reminding herself they were also children. At Aemond's whimper of pain, she turned back to her son, grabbing his hand tight and pressing a kiss to the blood stained skin. "I'm here, my dear. You'll be alright." Elowen whispered, without tearing her eyes from her son, she addressed the maester. "Is there nothing more you can give him for the pain?"
"I'm sorry, Your Grace, I've given him all I can."
The doors swung open as Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys flew into the Hall. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Baela? Rhaena?" Princess Rhaenys asked as the two girls ran to their grandmother's side. Elowen stood to her feet as Rhaenys steered her granddaughters back to the Queen. "What has happened?"
"Aemond claimed Vhagar, and Baela, Rhaena, Luke and Jace confronted him when he returned." Elowen softly explained.
Rhaenys glanced down at her granddaughters searching for any sign that Elowen had lied. A fury burned deep in Baela's eyes while Rhaena merely glanced at Aemond, guilt clearly written on her face.
Before Rhaenys could speak, Rhaenyra was rushing into the hall calling for her sons. The brown haired princes ran to their mother's side.
"Who did this?" Rhaenyra questioned upon seeing her son's blood stained faces.
"They attacked me!" Aemond yelled, turning in his seat.
"He attacked Baela!" Jace argued.
"He broke Luke's nose!" One of Laena's twins screamed.
All at once the children began yelling over each other, their words unintelligible.
"Enough. Enough. Silence!" Viserys yelled. "Aemond, I will have the truth of what happened."
"Aemond," Elowen spoke gently. "Tell us what happened."
"I claimed Vhagar, and when I entered the castle they attacked me."
"And?" Viserys urged the boy to continue.
"What more is there to hear, my love. Aemond has been maimed and the knife was found in Lucerys' hand."
"It was a regrettable accident." Rhaenyra spoke, defending her son.
"An accident?" Elowen repeated. "Your son has maimed mine own. He could have killed my son."
"It was my son's who were attacked and forced to defend themselves. Vile insults were levied against them."
"What insults?" Viserys questioned.
"The legitimacy of my son's birth was put loudly to question."
"What?"
"He called us bastards." Prince Jacaerys added quietly.
"My sons are in line to inherit the Iron throne, Your Grace. This is the highest of treason."
"And maiming a Prince is not treason, Rhaenyra?" Elowen pointed out, stepping in front of her son's chair in an effort to put some distance between him and his eldest sister. "One action was only words the other was physical. Tell me, Rhaenyra, which would you prefer to happen to your son?"
"Prince Aemond must be sharply questioned so we might learn where he heard such slanders." Rhaenyra continued, glaring at her stepmother.
"Over an insult? My son has lost an eye and you wish to have him tortured over an insult." Elowen asked, voice wavering as the Queen began to shed tears. Viserys moved to her side, wrapping his arm around her waist as Elowen leaned into his chest. Quiet sobs left the Queen as she attempted to pull herself back together by fraying strings.
The King's eyes were sharp as he stared at his firstborn, his weeping wife held close to him. Rhaenyra's eyes darted around the room as Rhaenys stepped forward, placing a hand on Elowen's back in silent support.
Elowen swallowed her sobs as she forced herself to stand up, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I do not know you anymore, Rhaenyra." Elowen shook her head turning her back to her stepdaughter to look at Viserys. "My dear husband, let us speak of this once tempers have calmed and the children are not present. They shouldn't have to witness such a thing."
At his Queen's words, Viserys nodded and turned to address the rest of the room. "My lady wife is correct, we shall continue this conversation on the morrow."
"Father-" Rhaenyra attempted to stop him, though Viserys and Elowen ignored her.
Instead focusing on their injured son as the Maester moved to help Aemond stand. "He needs rest, Your Grace."
"Yes, of course. Thank you." Elowen took her son under her arm and began to escort him out of the room. Her other children followed close behind their parents. Aegon and Alyssa glared at Rhaenyra as they passed.
★・・・・・・★
Aemond laid out on his bed, the sheets and blankets pulled over his chest. Elowen sat on the bed facing him, one of her hands smoothed down his silver locks, soothing him. Large lavender eyes stared up at her, as he held her other hand tightly in his hands.
"I love you with my whole heart, Aemond, and I hope you know that." Elowen's voice was soft as she spoke to her son.
"I know, mother."
Elowen smiled at her sweet boy, leaning forward to press a kiss to his forehead. "I am happy that you have claimed a dragon, I know how much it means to you. But I do not approve of how you went about it."
Aemond's face scrunched up in confusion, not understanding what he had done wrong. "Why?"
"While I understand that dragons choose who is allowed to mount and claim them, and that Vhagar choose you as much as you chose her. I do think the right thing would have been to give Rhaena a chance to claim her mother's dragon."
Aemond was silent for a moment as he processed his mother's words. "What if Vhagar bonded with Rhaena?"
"If that happened you would have had to live with Vhagar's choice, just as Rhaena has to live with it now. Besides I have heard from the Dragonkeepers that Moonfyre is expected to lay her first clutch of eggs soon and if that happens you would have your choice of Dragon Egg."
"If Moonfyre does have eggs," Aemond began fidgeting with his fingers as he spoke. "Could you give one to Rhaena as an apology from me?"
"Why don't you apologize tomorrow and tell her of the eggs?" Aemond nodded, accepting his mother's suggestion. Elowen smiled as she leaned over to the bedside table, lifting the goblet of dreamwine sweetened with honey. "Are you ready to sleep now?"
"Will you stay until I fall asleep?"
"Of course." Elowen gently lifted the cup to Aemond's lips, watching him take sips of the sweet medicine until he had swallowed it all. She returned the goblet to the small bedside table, and leaned forward pressing a second kiss to Aemond's forehead. "Sleep well, my sweet boy."
"Good night, mother." Aemond yawned, the medicine already causing his eyes to flutter shut.
★・・・・・・★
Once she had been sure Aemond would not wake up for some time, Elowen had quietly crept from his chambers and returned to her own. Upon entering the room again, Elowen once found Viserys staring into the flames. She moved behind the man, pressing her forehead into his back and wrapping her arms around his torso.
"What ever shall we do, Viserys?" Elowen sighed.
Viserys laid his hand over Elowen's arm, stroking her skin through the fabric of her sleeve. "Do you stand by what you said all those years ago? That Rhaenyra would make a great ruler."
"I do not know her as I once did, Viserys. No matter how hard I have tried too."
"And what of Aegon?" Surprised by this question Elowen pulled away so she could move to face her husband.
"As King?" At Viserys nod, Elowen continued. "He would be great if he could leave his cups, but I fear he does not wish for the throne."
"Much like his mother." Viserys smiled at his wife, moving his hand to cup her cheek. "What of the twins?"
"Alyssa is too wild much like her namesake, I have no doubt she would be a fair Queen but I do not believe she would enjoy the duties." Elowen chuckled, lifting one of her hands to brace Viserys's wrist. "As for Helaena, she is... delicate, I fear she would shatter under the crown's weight."
"What of Aemond?"
Elowen hummed as she thought. "He is dutiful," She pressed a kiss to the heel of Viserys's hand." and intelligent," She pulled his hand from her face, brushing her lips across the vein running along the inside of his wrist. "He takes after his father in his love for history," She stepped closer wrapping her arms around Viserys's neck to pull his face down to hers. "But he is only a boy." She whispered against his lips.
"Then we wait and see which child would be a better fit." Viserys responded, snaking his arm around her waist as he followed after Elowen's lips.
"And what of Aemond's eye," Elowen breathed, pulling back slightly so she could look into Viserys's eyes, "It cannot go unpunished."
"I will leave that up to you, my love." Viserys promised, finally capturing Elowen's lips with his own.
AN: Viserys did something?
-ELE