𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑾

𝟎𝟎𝟐

"ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴍʏ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴀʏ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴄᴏʀɴᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ. ɪ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴍʏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏʙꜱᴇʀᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ."

Aelya walked quickly through the hallway, holding Aemond's hand, her tone showing concern and worry. "What did I tell you, Aemond?" she said, her tone becoming slightly sharper as she looked at Ameond, who was walking next to her and looking down with yet anxious eyes. She sounded both sweet and stern, but also showing patience and kindness with the young prince.

"That I have to be patient," Aemond repeated quietly, slightly annoyed and tired, as if still feeling a bit frustrated with the whole situation.

Aelya coughed, indicating for him to say more than the simple answer that he had already given, which she knew was not the whole truth.

Aemond understood the hint and added, "And one day, I will have a dragon." Aelya smiled and caressed his silver hair.

"Good things take time, Aemond," Aelya said gently, in a tone that was both encouraging and soothing. "The gods will give you your dragon when the time is right. Good things do come, but they come when you're patient," she said, her tone calming and understanding.

She knew how much Aemond had been bullied for not having his own dragon, especially when other children had them. It must be hard on him, knowing that a part of his identity was missing without one, and that other kids would make fun of him for it.

Aelya entered Helaena's chamber with Aemond, her attitude calm and relaxed. "Your grace," she said to Alicent. The woman quickly got up from the floor where she had been sitting with her daughter, and looked at Aemond with a worried and concerned expression. "Aemond!"

Alicent stood in front of Aemond, inspecting his face and the few bruises he had, as if looking out for him and ensuring he was okay. "What have you done?" she said, sounding slightly frustrated and disappointed in the young prince, but her tone still remained soft and loving, as if she was just a mother looking out for her son and asking him about his behavior.

Helaena sighed and murmured out loud, "He did it again." She sounded not surprised. Aelya heard these words and walked over to the princess, wanting to make sure she was okay and comfort her. She sat next to Helaena and put a reassuring hand on the princess back.

Alicent continued her reprimanding tone towards Aemond, looking at him directly as she asked, "How many times have I told you not to do this?" Her tone was not too harsh, but it was clear that she meant what she was saying. She added, "I have to punish you by locking you in your bedroom?".

Aemond replied defensively to his mother, "They made me do it, like if they cheered me up to go." Alicent seemed dismissive of this excuse, however, and responded by saying, "I don't understand your obsession with those beasts." Aemond looked frustrated and tried to reason with his mother, saying, "They gave me a pig, mother!"

"A what?" She said in disbelief. "They told me that they had found a dragon for me." He said. Aelya looked at the conversation from afar. Helaena was murmuring words about her insects, and Aelya wasn't really paying attention at them.

Alicent sighed after hearing Aemond's account of the situation, and then hugged him tight. "You will have a dragon someday, I know it." She said, her tone a bit softer and more reassuring, adding to Aemond's confidence that he would have his own dragon one day.