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CHAPTER START--
Day 2 Morning, Mid 120 AC-
Every step Urrigon took back to the courtyard increased the feeling of unease in his chest.
Through a stone pathway, stairs that reached the courtyard above he moved.
His thoughts echoing with the footsteps that brought him closer, his throat dry.
'I left you Laenor?', thought Urrigon, 'It is you who chose to live a lie with Rhaenyra, it was you two that brought ruin to everything!'
He heard the crowd of couriers ahead as he neared the yard and stoped himself.
'Aegon and the rest can not see me in such a condition', thought the prince as he smoothed his clothes with his hands, 'Especially House Velaryon and their guests. W)e already have one stain in our family, let me not be the next!'
When his hand touched the fabric on his chest he paused, it was were Laenor had saw fit to lie his head while he wailed.
Urrigon looked at his now damped hand in disgust, 'Let this be another debt paid to you Laenor'.
"It seems the little hero is upset that his garbs are ruined", came a voice ahead of him.
Daemon Targaryen leaned against the wall, dressed in a black doublet. His uncle's amathyst eyes were narrowed, staring at him with a smile on his face.
"If a maiden's tears were the cause then mayhaps you would be smiling", said the Daemon, his arms folded.
"... Can I help you uncle?", said Urrigan and he saw Daemon's eye twitch when he called him such.
"No, I have simply come to give you a word of warning, consider it a gift from family", said Daemon as he stopped leaning from the wall and approached him.
'The advice of the man that laughs at his departed wife's funeral?', thought Urrigon as he tensed at his uncle's approach, they were both alone at the stairway and neither held any weapons.
No matter how tensed or prepared Urrigon was it was all for naught. When his uncle's hand shot forward,his eye could not catch it and before Urrigon could even utter a word it rested on his head.
"So tense amongst kin', said Daemon as his hand was in Urrigon's auburn hair, "You have good eyes but they are still too young"
His expression had changed.
" Be careful what you promise before the gods and men", whidpered the elder prince, his voice soft " A man's worth is equal to the weight of his words, more so for a Targaryen such as we".
"Unhand m-"said Urrigon as his hands went to remove his uncle's.
The Rogue prince ruffled Urrigon's hair and the young prince froze.
"It is best you learn to not tense when under threat, or else a hand won't be coming for your head next time", chuckeld Daemon, a smile was on his face as he brought back his hand.
Urrigon could not help but stare before gritting his teeth.
"Is that a threat uncle?" he said scowling.
Daemon simply laughed louder at the sight, "A threat? ,wehn your finally showing a face of a dragon? ", he said as he walked past his nephew patting him on the shoulder.
But he lefr Urrigon words before he departed, "Do be careful nephew, a targaryen without a dragon has no means speaking oaths. Especially one that involves my daughters"
Urrigon was about to give chase but found himself unable.
He simply watched the sight of his uncle disappear before continuing his steps to the courtyard.
Urrigon's mind scrambled to find meaning in Daemons action but the sound of the nobles nearby brought him back to his senses.
He would not let his uncle's words trouble him.
When he walked out the courtyards light shined on his face, blinding him for a moment before he heard his brothers voice.
"Uriggon!", said Daeron as he smashed himself against Urrigon's right side, Daeron small arms wrapped onto around him and looked up with a glare, "You left me!"
The courtyard was vast and filled with many occupants and courtiers, the pale peach floors. Those of hugher birth were attended to by servants as they discussed amongst each other.
Wether it was abiut the deceased Laena or political schemes was a coin toss.
The duel eyed prince raised a brow,"Daeron I was only gone for a moment"
"And what that was!", said Aegon as he wrapped his right arm around Urrigon's shoulder, he clenched his left, "How dare you leave to chase skirts without me? The velaryon laddies looked as if they needed comfort! "
"You've been drinking", said Urrigon scrunching his nose, he could smell the wine on his brothers breath. Just how many cups was he deep?
"We all mourn our own way", joked Aegon weakly, eyes looking away from his brothers glare.
"Aem tried to eat me and you weren't' there!"said Daeron as he pouted, drawing attention back to himself.
"I did not liar!", said Aemond, his little brother's looked for space near him but saw Aegon and Daeron had claim all of them and clicked his tongue, "I was educating Daeron of why you met with the Velaryon's"
"And what did you tell him?", asked Urrigon as he rubbed the top of Daeron's silver gold hair.
"I told him the truth! That you would rather play with our enemies then be around him!", said Aemond pointing at Daeron.
"You did!", gasp Aegon, his left hand covering his mouth in shock
"Liar!", screamed Daeron,he buried his face in Urrigon's side while glaring at Aemond,"Urrigon loves me! Loves me the most!"
"You are cute…", muttered Urrigon while he rubbed his chin with his free hand.
"Don't lie to the brat?", said Aegon."We're practically twins, same height and all!"
Urrigon glanced down at his brother's smirk.
"Your words do hold merit….", said Urrigon furrowing his brow and felt Daeron's glare.
"Crows peck while the flame burns", murmurs Helena as she rested on the pale floor besides them, playing with her new creature.
A beetle had been added.
"... Of course Helena", said Urrigon.
He had never thought of the love he had for his siblings.
It was obvious for him.
It alwaya was.
For Urrigon his love for his family equaled the faith he had in the Seven Above.
It was the reason he did what he did.
The reason why his realationship with Rhaenyra and his nephews soured.
The reason why he comforted Rhaena, they were family and she was not yet corrupted by his sisters lies.
The reason Harwin had to die.
The reason many would soon have to follow.
Before he could get lost in his thoughts he heard Aemond speak.
"Who cares for love, we do our duty!"
"Don't be jealous Aem", muttered Helena.
"I'm not jealous!"said Aemond puting his hands on his hips but his eyes at looked to Urrigon.
"I am no sword swallower Aemond", said Urrigon as he closed his eyes shaked his head.
"He did seem eager to do his "duty" for our sister", said Aegon smiling, "Perhaps he likes all kin and not just ones with teats"
"No I don't!", shouted Aemond as he stomped his foot.
At times like these Urrigon recognized how young all his siblings were, of how young he was.
"Aemond always was a twat but now a..."said Daeron, his form trembling against Urrigon before gasping,"A sword swallower as well !?"
The duel eyed prince knew that the boy was not shaking from fear.
Aegon let out a cackle as Aemond face grew red.
"You little shit!", said Aemond as he readied himself to leap at Daeron.
"Are you okay?!", came a voice from the crowd of courtiers, who made way for the approaching figure.
She wore a green dress and had hair just like Urrigon's.
Urrigon felt Aegon and Daeron remove themselves from him as his mother's had grabbed his face.
"Pray that the sword swallower did not pass some heathen curse…", muttered the Queen as she inspected Urrigon's form.
"Mother they are ears", whispread Urrigon, wherever royalty walked rats and opportunist followed.
They could not let their enemies hear of their truths, for they would twist and bend it into a dagger.
'The less said about Laenor the better' thought Urrigon.
" They busy gossiping amongst themsleves about Corly's son, how the realm will mock him for a embarrassment of a spawn and see the snake he is", said Alicent with a slight smile before it disappeared, "You should change your garbs and fix your hair".
The clothing made sense to Urrigon but hair, he reached for it and noticed that it was a mess, the sea salt air mixed with his uncle's hand ruined it.
"I will mother", sighed Urrigon as he nodded.
"It's not like anything would change", said Aegon with a scowl on his face , " Did you see the way that old hag Rhaenys grabbed his face? She looked ready to eat him!"
"Aeg?"asked Urrigon,face blank.
He tried to turn his head to his brother but his mother prevented him and forced him to look at her.
Aemond joined in, his voice showing his disgust, "Clearly the sea snake does not do his duty for his wife to be so... ugh. To lay a hand on a prince in front of many eyes"
Before Urrigin could respond he flet his mothers nails tighten against his skin.
The queen brows were furrowed as she stared at his features before she sighed , "That is true…even the snakes grandaughters seem to be infatuated."
"Mayhaps you should wear a mask to protect your virtue", muttered Alicent, her green eyes squinting at him as she pressed his cheeks together.
"We may have need of that face daughter", said Otto as he appeared next to them, one hand behind his back and the other in his beard, "He seems to have already have the heart of the sea snake's granddaughters but also the heir…I beileved that path was gone long ago."
" What path grandsire?", said Aemond, he put his hands around his back to imitate the Hand of the King.
"You brother and that….waste, share a history", spat Alicent,"Before he grew to know better".
"Mother, Grandsire", said Urrigon as he removed his mother's hand from his face, "I was only giving my condolences to Rheana and her sister for they are family through law. Laenor was simply a debt being paid off"
"A debt?"spoke up Daeron,he looked to Helena,"What does that mean? "
"A pound of flesh for words misspoken…", muttered Helena,the spider in her hands had somehow died against the centipede.
It crawled around her forearm.
"Your sister has the right idea", said Alicent as she tried to hide her disgust,she succeeded from removing it from her voice but her face on the other hand…
" The only debt that matters are those to family, remember the Velaryons are tied to the blacks ", said Otto, a hand sweeping across all of them," All other debts are null, tools to further our cause".
"Your grandsire is right Urrigon, do you not remember what harm Laenlr and Rhaenyra has caused this family?", his mother added.
"I'm sure he does Mother, we all do" said Aegon rolling his eyes," you are quick to remind us"
The queen shot Aegon a glare before sniffing the air, "Is that... Alcohol Aegon?!" she snarled.
Aegon jumped behind Daeron and pointed at Aemond, " He wants to bed Helena mother, he lusts for my sweet innocent sisters body!"
"What!?" screamed Aemond as he head snapped to the queen and pleaded, "Mother, it was duty! Duty I say!"
Their mother gave both boys a disgusted and disappointed look before Daeron chimed in.
"It's true mother, Aem even wants Urrigon's sword".
Aemond face was the image of betrayal.
Yet Daeron face was blank, his eyes mocking him.
Alicent pinched between her brows, "... Targaryens"
Otto put a hand on his daughters shoulder, "Frer not daughter it gets better"
As they discussion was happening Urrigion could not help but feel a gaze on him.
His eyes scanned the crowd in the courtyard, darting everywhere. He felt three but could only locate one.
The Father above judges one's sins and actions they committed in life and the way he does this by looking into the souls eyes.
From his own no lie could hide, no truth be covered. The Andals had even come up with a short set of words, 'the eyes are a window to the soul'.
Urrigon did not have the Fathers all mighty vision nor the wisdom of the others but by the Seven above he recognised that look for he saw it every time he looked in the mirror.
Baela Targaryen eyes revealed much but most of all they spoke of hatred and anger.
The young girl's eye spoke of revenge for someone wounded.
All of it was for him.
END CHAPTER---
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