Dreams, Dragons, and Deceit || Aemond & Aegon Targaryen

Terms and Sides

Visaera hissed as she lowered herself into the copper tub for the second time since her return. Maester Gerardys had sent up salts and oils to add to her bath for her skin and it stung like fire as she sank down into the water. Baela and Rhaena were sitting on her sofa in front of the fire, repeatedly glancing at her as though she had three heads.

"Will you two stop that?" she snapped, glaring across the room at them and the pair of them looked at one another, embarrassed.

"Sorry, Vis. It's just... The Canni—" Visaera's glare had Rhaena correcting herself immediately, "Carrion. He's nearly as formidable as Vhagar..."

"Yes, thank you for reminding me of the war dragon my uncle rides while our parents speak of the impending war," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"We hope it will not come to that," her mother interjected from the doorway. "Girls, I would like a moment with Visaera." Rhaena and Baela left the room and Rhaenyra came to sit by her tub.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Visaera asked with concern. Every time she had seen her mother in the last few hours, Rhaenyra had been on her feet. While the princess understood that there were pressing matters to see to, Rhaenyra should have been abed to discuss them, not walking about the keep.

"I will, I promise," her mother assured her, pushing her wet curls back from her face. "We need to talk to you about what happened in King's Landing. Rhaenys already informed us of the coronation before you arrived, but now we need to hear all of it, everything that happened after we left."

From the corner of her eye, Visaera caught sight of Daemon leaning against the doorway and she sighed. He was going to be livid...

"I need to ask something of you first, Mother, and I need you to not be mad about it..." Rhaenyra raised a curious eyebrow at her and waited, "I need Maester Gerardys to brew a moon tea..."

Worried about their reaction to her request, Visaera stared at her reflection in the water and listen to her father make a choking sound. When she finally dared to look at them, Rhaenyra's mouth was pursed as if she had sucked on a lemon; Daemon appeared to have swallowed one whole.

"Visaera,"

"Yes, I know, I know! I was careless and stupid, but would you rather I tell you now or would you rather I sire a bastard and forever wonder who the babe's father is?" Her parents gaped at her; a look of horror reflected on both of their faces.

"Oh, my sweet, foolish child," Rhaenyra sighed, rubbing her eyes in frustration, "Of course, I will have the tea brewed. Now, tell me all about what happened, my love."

Visaera told them everything, how she and the Queen had argued only minutes after they had departed; how she and Aemond had argued directly after; how Aegon had asked her to stay, despite the dissolution of the betrothal.

"I realize now that, perhaps, I should have left that very moment, but you know I don't think very clearly when it comes to my uncle." Daemon snorted and shared a look with his wife, shaking his head.

"She gets that from you, you know," he commented, making Rhaenyra chuckle. Visaera continued with her story, explaining how Aemond had apologized and sworn to make it up to her. She told them about supper with Helaena, how she had hit Aemond, leaving out the fact that she had fucked him immediately after. The princess went on to explain what Alarya found out about Larys Strong's spies in the keep.

"I left supper that night needing to be alone with my thoughts, but then I fell over in the corridor, images of the King flashing behind my eyes. I knew he was dying, so I went to him. I wanted to be there with him so he wouldn't be alone. I knew you wouldn't want him to be alone..." At the memory of the King reaching for her, calling for his daughter, a tear slipped down Visaera's cheek. "He thought I was you... I don't know it that makes it better somehow, but at least he thought you were there with him at the end."