little bird | aegon targaryen

𝚝𝚠𝚘

Aegon hated his young niece.

Perhaps hate was a strong word to use, but it got the point across just the same. Daella Velaryon was a tedious little thing, only just turned eight a few moons past, and yet she was so aggravating to be around. Her voice was shrill, always louder than was appropriate and making him wince in agony. When she wasn't nearly screaming her lungs out, she was always giggling. It grew annoying fairly fast, and he didn't understand why she couldn't just be quiet.

The girl wasn't even cute to look at. She had a round face with chubby cheeks, and dark brown hair much unlike the usual look of a Targaryen. Not that Aegon cared about that, really. He liked her bastard brothers well enough. More than his own at least.

That was the other thing that gave Aegon even more reason to dislike his young niece. The way she followed them wherever they went, always clinging to his younger brother's arms like he was her savior. 

Aegon could scoff at the thought.

Aemond was a twat of a brother, one that didn't even have his own dragon. Much like his niece. They had that in common, he supposed.

Even now, as they walked down to the dragon pits to train, she followed along like a lost puppy waiting to be noticed. Aemond was the only one giving her the time of day, her brothers already far ahead as they excitedly talked about what they would train their dragons today.

Daella's incessant chatter echoed against the stone walls, grating against Aegon's ears as he hurried to catch up to his nephews. He could at least enjoy their company, unlike his niece and brother. 

As her voice faded in the background, he allowed himself to finally look forward to the day. His dragon, Sunfyre, was growing rather quickly and the Dragonkeepers had promised that soon Aegon would be allowed to ride him. 

His mood lightened as he entered the pit, his dragon waiting every so loyally for him. Sunfyre was a majestic creature, even as a youngling, with scales that shimmered like molten gold against the torches around the cavernous space. The dragon released a loud roar at the sight of Aegon, prompting a small gasp from behind him.

He was unsurprised to find his niece cowering behind his brother, quivering in her dress as she stared wide-eyed at the dragon before them as she clutched tightly to his arm. He rolled his eyes at the sight, wondering once again how those two managed to be from the same bloodline as him.

"What are you even doing here, Daella?" Aegon snapped at his younger niece, watching her eyes flicker from the dragon to his condescending glare. "You don't even have a dragon."

Aemond seemed more upset at his words than Daella did, his lips falling into a scowl as he went to step forward, only stopped by their niece pulled him back with her tight grip around his arm.

"Lykiri, kepus," the Valyrian flowed effortlessly from her mouth, addressing the boy beside her before her eyes flitted to Aegon. "Ziry iksos daor worth ziry."

Aegon scoffed, irritated that the two were speaking in a language only they were fluent in. It only served to prove that they spent most of their time in the library instead of going out and doing anything remotely interesting.

"Speak the Common Tongue, Daella," he sneered, trying to hide his annoyance to no avail as he watched the pair exchange amused looks. "Not all of us have the luxury of spending our days buried in books."

His words seemed to snap Daella out of whatever defiant phase she had entered as he watched her grip tighten around his brother, who stepped forward as her knight in shining armor.

"If you bothered to learn anything beyond commanding a dragon, perhaps you wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the value of knowledge," Aemond's defense only prompted an eye roll from his brother. 

"Why you little-"

"Come on, Daella," Aemond didn't let Aegon finish, turning to Daella with a glint in his eyes. "I think our time would be better served in the library."

This only prompted a giggle from their young niece, just as shrill and annoying as ever as they scurried back towards the castle without another glance back in Aegon's direction. His frustration simmered as he watched the two retreat, their laughter echoing back to where he stood with his fists clenched to his side. 

Sunfyre was what finally pulled his attention away, allowing him to momentarily forget his sad excuse of a family as he joined his nephews and their dragons with a grin. It didn't take long to forget about them, for their were much better things to consume his thoughts now.

It was always like this for as long as he could remember. Never really caring about his brother or niece until they showed their presence, then being annoyed by everything they did. It was an endless cycle, one that a person would usually grow weary of, but Aegon liked to torment them to his heart's content. 

Besides, how else was he supposed to entertain himself?