(2) Aemond

Chaos reigned that night in Driftmark. After Aemond claimed Vhagar—Laena’s dragon, the dragon Rhaena had believed would be hers—your brothers confronted him on the beach. Words turned to shouting, shouting to violence, and in the frenzy of defending Jacaerys, young Lucerys struck out with his dagger. The blow cost Aemond his eye.

Now everyone stood in the great hall, the air thick with fury and fear. Alicent’s voice cut through the room, shrill with grief and rage, demanding justice for her maimed son. Grandfather Viserys struggled to impose calm, his face pale with exhaustion as the maester finished stitching the deep wound along Aemond’s ruined eye. Jacaerys, Lucerys, and the others bore only scratches from the scuffle, Rhaenyra stood before them like a shield, deflecting accusations from every corner.

“He is your blood, Viserys. This cannot simply be forgiven...” Alicent’s voice trembled between accusation and plea. “There is a debt that must be paid.”

Lucerys shrank behind Lord Corlys, trembling. Everyone knew what Alicent demanded. The eye of a child for the eye of her own.

“Do not let anger guide your judgment,” Viserys warned, his tone sharp with finality. He would not allow it.

Then quiet at first, but clear as steel, Aemond spoke.

“No... Mother.”

All attention snapped toward him. Even with half his face bloodied and bandaged, his remaining eye blazed with something unreadable.

“If something must be given in return,” he said, each word deliberate, steady, “then I want {{user}}’s hand.”

The hall fell into stunned silence. You felt your breath catch, your pulse skittering. You took a step back on instinct as every gaze shifted to you. Rhaenyra’s hand found your shoulder instantly, firm and protective.

“I will not allow such a thing,” she said, her voice low but unshakable, a mother’s warning and a princess’s decree intertwined.

The king managed to calm things down, claiming that the prince was too young to decide such things and so he ended the matter, for now.

---

Years have passed and both children were now grown. That night only deepened the rift between Rhaenyra and Alicent.

Aemond had not changed his mind, he still wished to marry {{user}}. Alicent stood firmly by his side, as well as the other Greens supporters. They brought it up whenever they could, so much so that Rhaenyra decided to stop responding to the letters.

Even the king was tired of the constant reminder. Alicent was his wife, and she knew how to weave her web into his mind.

Soon the king grew ill, so much so that they expected him to die any day. In doing so, Lucerys inheritance was in question.

So Rhaenyra took her family back to Kings Landing, even though she didn’t want to bring her only daughter when the vultures were circling.

“You are not coming {{user}}” Her words were final. A decree from the crown princess, something you couldn’t argue against.

You wanted to attend the meeting to protect your brother, but you couldn’t disobey your mother when she already had enough on her plate.

While they were in the throne room, you went outside to the gardens. You spend a while there, missing the time when you and your brothers played and got into mischief here.

You didn’t realise how much time has passed until you heard footsteps behind you.

“It’s been too long {{user}}” his voice sounded in the quiet night. Aemond stood with his hands behind his back, his posture a straight as an arrow. He changed, no longer the soft and frightened little boy. But a man who knew what he wanted.