Activated / Addam of Hull / Hugh Hammer

20. Strength

Midnight
✨

The smell of death permeated every breath Aelora took.

Choking, eyes watering with the sting of the smell- the smell physically burned her eyes and her nostrils

Aelora was sure she couldn't breathe as she looked at the bodies piling up all around her.

"Aeron!" She shouted feet pounding as she sprinted to where her twin brother lay motionless. "Aeron.... aeron- mother!"

"Aelora they got the jump on us. Protect your Brothers-"

"Mother Aeron is dead it is too late!"

"Keep fighting. It's not too late." Rhaenyra ran off sword in hand. Aelora didn't remember the last time she held a sword but one was in her hand as well.

"Mama no!" Aelora shouted as her mother ran into a green soilders blade.

Aeloras head spun as bodies piled around them. Alicent said to invade the castle. Aemond was leaving and yet here they were at dragonstone. Attacking in the middle of the night.

Jace lay skewered like a porcupine. Aelora stumbled back. Hiding her hair as she moved, pulling her hood high she ran but there was nowhere to run. Dragonstone was an island. She needed a ship or her dragon.

Where were all the dragons?

They had many dragons and none of them were here she feared the worst. Her brothers dead. Her mother dead. The dragons missing. She stumbled over a fallen soldier realizing it was hugh. Blood trickled from his mouth as he pulled the blade free from his chest.

"Aelo..." he choked coughing up blood. Aeloras teeth chattered as she fell to her knees trying to get the blood to stop gushing.

"Hugh..."

"I..."

"Hugh hold on." Frantically she looked around for help but found none.

"Aelora!" Corlys called out. When she looked back at hugh he was dead in her arms. She let him fall as she pushed to her feet racing towards the shores. Seasmoke was there.

"Aelora we must go." Corlys told her.

"Seasmoke..." aelora moved to the dragon but he wasnt the same. He was different somehow. He wasnt moving. She imagined this was how her mother felt finding Luke wrapped up in his dragon

"Dont look aelora." Corlys begged as she pulled back the wing. "Dont look!" Aelora shook uncontrollably when she saw addam, bent and broken and bleeding out within seasmokes cradling wing.

"Its okay. You still got me." Ulf cut in. "And you are never ever getting rid of me."

"Look away. We must leave now." Corlys begged pulling her from Addams body

"Whats the point?" Aelora sobbed out. "They are all dead!"

"Aelora?" Addam ran in at her scream. She woke panting for breath grasping at her chest as she shot up.

Addam scanned the room but didn't see anyone. Just a terrified aelora shaking a silent tear falling down her cheek.

"Are you okay?" He inched closer she nodded in the darkness. "Aelora?" He squinted his eyes adjusting to the moonlight streaking through the window.

"Yeah... addam can you come here? I need to know im not dreaming." She whispered.

She pulled the blankets up around her waist

"What were you doing up?" She questioned touching his arm feeling his warm skin against hers. He was here. This was real.

"Couldnt sleep." Addam said as he took the spot beside her on the bed she was offering. "Trying to clear my head... the war... leaving soon... What about you?"

"I had the worst dream." She whispered leaning into him. "Everyone was dead. Aeron, jace, you and hugh. Ulf was the only one left alive!"

"That really is a nightmare." Addam agreed. He wrapped an arm around her.

"What if we all die addam?" She whispered closing her eyes. "What if this is all for nothing? What if-"

"Shh," he hushed her. "Don't worry about things you can't control. Focus on the things you can. Like kicking ass when the sun comes up."

"I suppose... could you stay a while?"

"The rest of the night if you like... Every night after this if you like as well." Addam asked eagerly.

"Thanks Addam." Aelora lay beside him. She didnt know how long she lay there just staring at him. Memorizing his face. Tracing the curve of his jaw.  Her lips ghosted across his.

"You died Addam." She finally said breaking their peaceful silence

"Im right here." Addam corrected resting his forehead against hers.

"You were so broken."

"Im right here. Im right here." He repeated kissing her eyelashes.

"Im going to lose you. Im going to lose all of you."

"You cant think that way. You have to keep fighting. You are my leader Aelora. The one i look to for strength." Addam remarked

"I dont feel so strong right now." Aelora countered.

"Then let me be your strength."