Blood of the Dragon ~ Aemond Targaryen X OC

~Chapter 2~

Aelara watched the boy walk over to her. He was only a few centimetres taller than Aelara, even with her recent growth spurt. 

Aemond looked down avoiding eye contact with the young girl as he said, "I am very sorry for your loss... If you need anything. Or someone to talk to... I would be glad to speak with you."

Aelara smiled at him even with her puffy red eyes she genuinely smiled at him. "Thank you. You are too kind." Before Aemond could say anything in response Aelara said "I am afraid that my stay here will be short-lived. You see I will be departing with the Lanisters heading to Casterly Rock on the morrow." 

Aemond obviously disappointed sighed, "I had hoped to be more well acquainted with my eldest cousin." The young girl only gave a curt smile in response and looked back out towards the sea. She could hear in the distance the roar of a dragon, most likely Caraxes as it was well known to her that her Fathers dragon was not overly sociable. 

Aemond who similarly was looking at Aelara said "I've always longed for a dragon of my own."

Not moving her gaze off of the horizon Aelara softly spoke "As have I dear cousin... As have I" 

"Your Mother rode Vhagar, have you ever ridden with her?" he asked. "No, I have not. I suppose you could say I am overly cautious of others dragons. Caraxes is not the most friendly of dragons and when my father offered for me to ride with him, he tried to turn me into his next meal. ever since that encounter, I have stayed away from dragons that will not listen to my commands."

Aemond hesitated before answering, "Would you claim Vhagar?" he questioned. "No, I dint think I have the courage to face a creature that large." 

~

The two cousins had spoken until sundown, and Aelara had felt at ease and almost happy despite her miserable day. 

When her grandmother invited Aelara and her sisters down into the dining hall for dinner the trio politely declined and heading up to their rooms for some much-needed rest. 

It felt as if only five minutes had passed when Aelara was woken by her sisters, Jace and Luke, shaking her out of bed stressing that Vhagar had been stolen. 

Aelara wiped the sleep from her tired eyes and walked over to the ceiling-high window in her room. She was greeted with the sight of the monstrous Vhagar landing just outside Castel Driftmark. 

The five children raced down into the lower halls. Aelara nervously fiddled with the sleeve of the blue and purple dress she quickly dressed in before leaving her chambers. 

"Jace what are we doing down here, it could be dangerous." Aelara whispered. He was about to answer her when Rhaena shouted "It's him!" pointing at Aemond who stood proudly in the yellow light of the torches. 

"Vhagar was my mothers dragons! she was mine to claim!" she continued. "Then you should have claimed her" he replied. 

Aelara was whispering to her sisters to stop trying to tell them that they would not win this fight, but her pleas went unheard as she shrunk into the shadows. She Could see exactly where this was going and at that moment wanted to crawl back into bed and forget about the journey across the continent ahead of her.  She could not fight and would not be able to help her sister if her temper got her into a particularly nasty situation. 

"Maybe your cousins could find you a pig to ride" Aemond suggested making a gesture towards Jace and Luke. 

With that comment, Rhaena charged towards Aemond with Baela at her side. 

Aelara was holding Luke and Jace back yelling at the two girls and her cousin to stop and calling for the guards. Luke managed to wriggle free of Aelaras grasp, immediately after Jace followed charging towards Aemond. 

Her sisters were now kicking at Aemond who had fallen to the ground. Aelara raced forward grabbing her sisters by the collars of their dresses pulling them away. 

Aemond had gotten to his feet and struck Luke with a stone causing a loud crack to echo through the passageway. 

Luke stumbled back and Aelara attempted to help him with his obviously broken nose when she heard the sound of a blade being pulled from its sheath. 

Aemond had pushed Jace to the ground sending the Valyrian steel blade sliding across the ground to Luke's feet. 

Before she could even react Luke had seized the blade and was marching towards Aemond. 

In an instant, Luke had drawn the blade upwards slicing Aemonds face.

The sound of the young boy's scream was burned into Aelaras brain. Racing over to Aemond, Aelara knelt down before him taking his face in her hands to see that the knife had cut clean through his eye. 

Thankful she passed up on dinner Aelara used the long sleeves of her dress to try and minimise blood loss from her cousin's now lost eye.