Surviving

Chapter 3: The Boy Who Held A Grudge

For once Naerys wasn't being scolded. For once her brothers cared for her, shielding her from the now one eyed Prince Aemond.

Jace was proud of what his she did to defend them, but Luke was scared for his big sister. Naerys was never violent like that. They'd never seen such venom in her brown eyes. Luke didn't want anything to happen to her, so he did the only thing he could: hold onto her tightly.

"Jace? Luke! Naerys!" Rhaenyra gasped as she stormed through the doors, immediately rushing to their side. Naerys turned to her mother, but her eyes caught her uncle Daemon sneaking through the door her mother just came from.

Daemon gave a reassuring nod to the girl as he waltzed over to the wall off to the side of the commotion. Naerys felt slightly safer for some reason with his presence. More at ease with facing the consequences.

Her whole body shook as tears continued to stream down her face, but she couldn't get a single word out. She knew what was coming. She'd maimed her uncle, the king's son. If the king would protect one son, he'd surely protect the other. She would be no exception to punishment for her crime. It didn't make it any less terrifying for her to face.

Naerys' eyes began to wander off to the side where Aegon and Helaena stood with their eyes to the ground. Aegon looked terrified of his enraged parents and wouldn't even look over at Naerys, while Helaena remained a thousand miles away.

No one would see the hidden smirk the princess shot towards the king's eldest son. No one but the one eyed prince sitting across the room.

To her surprise, the king was willing to just force them to apologize to each other. He seemed like he was in the last place he wanted to be as he looked from his wounded, angry son to his petrified granddaughter. There was no solution no matter what he declared, but he would not let any more harm befall his family. Even Naerys.

Aemond was furious with his father's response, but he was ready to scream when he caught the disgusted look on Naerys' face when the king ordered them to "make their apologies and show goodwill to one another". All she would have to face was an apology and that was too much for her to do? Was she proud of what she did to him? He'd lost his eye because of her and she refused to even apologize for it?

The queen wasn't satisfied though. She demanded Naerys' eye in return, but it didn't even seem to faze the girl. Naerys expected nothing less anyways.

The king had tried to order her down, but when he turned to leave, Alicent snatched the dagger at his hip and marched after Naerys with a deranged look in her eyes.

Rhaenyra pushed her children back as she caught the queen in an arm hold, trying to avoid the dagger the queen held tightly in her hands. Cole tried to go after them, but Daemon was quick to interject and block him from interfering.

Naerys remained hidden behind Lord Corlys, her other grandfather, but she could see the commotion clearly. Baela and Rhaena huddled over to her with Rhaenys guarding them as well.

The queen gave in, abruptly breaking apart from Rhaenyra, but managing to slice right through the princess' forearm.

Aemond stood up, shuffling over to his mother as he looked at the bloody sight before him. His mother was the only one who defended him. He couldn't lose her for what she just did to his father's favorite child.

"Do not mourn me, mother. Twas a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye, but I have gained a dragon."

The next evening, Naerys wandered the sands alone, trying to process what had happened. Viserys took his children and the queen back to King's Landing, so she felt a little safer wandering around alone.