Rhaenyra Targaryen (107 A.C. Third Moon)
High Tide - The Hall of Nine
She was still in awe as she walked inside the light-filled hall of High Tide. The hall was built to glorify the great nine voyages of Corlys Velaryon, the richest man in the realm, and some said the world, although she doubted that.
At the dais was a table, where at its head sat Rhaenys, and beside her the future Lord of the Isle of Driftmark, her great-cousin Laenor. Laenor was handsome, although not as handsome as Aemon was. He had grown even more so since his return, and now there was an edge to him that had not been there before.
To her surprise, when she arrived, Visenya and Laena were at odds with him. To her surprise, and part horror, he had come to know about their activities and affections.
She had been surprised that Aemon had not taken advantage of the situation. Many a man in the realm would have, yet he had not. Rhaenyra knew then, more than before, that Daemon and Aemon were very different men. Both of the same blood, yet held very different values to heart.
Daemon had always intrigued her, yet over the years, he had become, to put it lightly, an asshole. His treatment of her grandfather's second wife and their children did not sit well with her. Nor did the humiliation he had put Alicent through. Although she would have accepted it if her uncle and her own lady-waiting had married, as she knew Daemon's current marriage had never worked out, unlike her great-aunt Gael, whose marriage had produced three children.
Still, she hoped that perhaps in the future Daemon could mend his ways with the rest of his family.
As she reached the dais, Rhaenys smiled at her. "Princess, welcome. Please take a seat beside me." Rhaenys gestured to the empty seat beside her.
She nodded and sat down, as the rest of the guests who were already at High Tide began to arrive. Lastly came Laena and Aemon. They made quite a pair. She wondered if Laena had been able to persuade her uncle.
After they had taken their seats, Rhaenys rose. "I want to thank you all for coming here today, and Princess Rhaenyra for gracing us with her presence."
Rhaenys looked from her to Aemon. "On the morrow, we shall celebrate my future good-son's five-and-tenth nameday, and in a few moons' time, the marriage of my daughter to him. So once more, I thank you all who have traveled here."
The hall gave a cheer, and soon the dishes arrived, and it was one.
After the first round of dishes arrived and finished, the dancing began. It was Aemon and Laena who started the dance. It was mesmerizing. They danced as one, like dragons dancing in the sky. She had seen that once with Vhagar and Balerion, or Vermithor and Silverwing, flying around each other in the heavens.
After the dance was done, she walked onto the floor. "Princess, may I have the honor of this dance?" a small voice asked. She smiled as she saw who it was. It was the eldest son of Vaemond Velaryon, Daemion Velaryon. The boy was nine, yet already quite handsome.
"Of course, my lord," she said with a smile as the second song started. As she danced with the boy, she found he was quite a skilled dancer. When the song ended, she thanked him, and was then asked again, this time by a knight of the household, Ser Mantos Silverlight, likely named for his silver hair, perhaps a descendant of House Velaryon.
Mantos was not a good dancer. Sadly, he was able to boast about his achievements that, in her opinion, weren't that grand, and she was grateful when the dance ended. To her surprise, Aemon stood there waiting for her.
"It would be remiss of me not to ask the guest of honor for a dance. Someone who came here specially for me. Shame Alicent and Gwayne could not come. Then we would have had the whole group together."
She smiled. "I would be honored, uncle," she said as he took her by the hand. "And you are right, it is a shame they could not come."
Aemon smiled, and then they began to dance. As they danced, she smiled at him and looked into his grey eyes, flecked with purple. Aemon's hands felt strong, yet also rough. She knew he worked as a blacksmith, and it was one of the things she had never understood. It was an unusual thing for a prince, or even a lord, to do. Yet she could not deny that Aemon had become strongly built because of it.
As Aemon spun her around, she smiled, and when he let her down in a maneuver, her heart quickened as he looked at her intensely. As he pulled her back up, he said, "You dance well. Better than before. Although Ghost might be more eloquent."
Rhaenyra gaped at him and hit his chest playfully, finding hard muscle beneath. "Well, at least I am not dancing around like a bull."
"Well, a bull is quite strong," he said as he guided her down in a move. She gasped as he grinned, and held her in his strong arms. "They have to be. To fight other bulls, and to impress females."
He pulled her back up into his embrace. Rhaenyra blushed. Oh, she hated that Laena and Visenya had told him about her feelings for him.
"Aemon, I…"
He whispered into her ear, "Not here."
She nodded, and soon the dance ended once more. Aemon took his leave, now taking Visenya to dance, while Laenor arrived at her side.
"May I have this dance?" he asked. She nodded.
"You know, you all have put him in quite the spot," Laenor said softly.
"You know?" she asked, and he nodded.
"I even proposed part of a solution."
She frowned. Laenor had proposed a solution? She had not heard of this. "What was the solution?" she asked hopefully.
Laenor smiled. "At this moment, it does not matter. What matters is that Aemon currently feels mostly that you all betrayed his trust." He added this as he looked at Aemon dancing with Visenya.
She swallowed. They had, and it was something that, when it all started, they had not truly thought about. What Aemon would think of it. Or perhaps they had, but expected that Aemon would be happy with the situation.
"I know. We did not expect what happened to happen," she said softly. "To be honest, we never really thought it would be a problem. You men generally like that kind of attention from women," she whispered into his ear.
Laenor smiled and shook his head. "Not all men feel the same, nor do they accept easily the consequences of those acts easily, and what can happen. If there is one thing I have noticed about Aemon, it is that he does not act out easily. On the occasions he does lose his temper, there is his battle rage, when he becomes a storm."
She had not thought of it that way. It was true. Aemon was always restrained. She had simply compared him with Daemon too early. Both brothers, yet one restrained, and the other loose and chaotic.
"I see your point. I think Daemon would jump at the opportunity. Yet Aemon did not."
Laenor nodded as the dance came to an end. "That is Aemon for you. Talk to him." He gestured toward Aemon, who walked out onto the balcony of the great hall.
She smiled at Laenor and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
As she opened the door, the salty sea air hit her. The smell was fresh, unlike many places in King's Landing. Although some places in the Red Keep by the seaside were occasionally fresh when the wind blew in the right direction.
"Aemon," she said, and he looked back at her, his hair waving in the wind. "Come," he waved.
"Aemon, I am sorry for all this. I did not expect any of this," she mumbled.
"Well, you are not the only one. When I returned here, I was happy to see you all. To reconnect after almost three years. Yet instead, I have been bashed in the head with all these revelations," Aemon said with a sigh.
Rhaenyra swallowed hard, and an unwanted feeling crept up inside her belly. "I wish now we had spoken to you before you left, or written. Yet how do you explain all this by letter, or even small change, if it is intercepted?"
"I understand that, and any other man would likely have taken you up on the offer. Yet unless I feel something for you, Visenya, and Seranella, it has no purpose, the act except for empty pleasure. Pleasure is fleeting, nor should we ignore the consequences that act would bring upon us all," Aemon noted.
Her heart broke a little. Even though she knew he did not feel the same way about her, hearing it from him still hurt.
"I love you all, although not the same way I love Laena. That is something that has grown over the years into something that is not akin to kinship. I love her as a man loves a woman," Aemon added.
Oh, that sounded wonderful. To have someone love you that way. Perhaps she had that with Laena and Visenya, but was it love, or was it pleasure she wanted from them? She did not know, and Aemon's words made her think on it.
"I wish you felt differently about us," she said.
Aemon smiled and took her face in his hands. Now she felt the roughness of his hands even more. "I do find you a beautiful woman, yet beyond that I do not feel something. Like I said, I could bed you, yet for me it would be nothing other than pleasure, and for you that would not be fair. You deserve, just like me, to have someone who loves you."
"I want that. Although I will still hold out hope that you change your mind. We dragons are quite stubborn," she added with a smile.
Aemon chuckled. At that, he kissed her forehead and walked back inside.
She watched him go, then turned back to the blackness of the night, thinking on his words. She would talk to Laena and Visenya. Ask them what they felt, if it was love or pleasure. It was odd. She knew she loved Aemon in the way a man and woman could love each other. Yet did she love Visenya and Laena the same way?
Laena's Chambers
They all walked back together. Once inside, she did not really know how to begin. "So, how are you all feeling? I got to talk with Aemon. I know now that for Visenya and me, he does not feel the same way. He never has, nor has he considered it yet."
Visenya sighed as she sat down upon the bed. "I know. He does not. Nor do I think forcing the matter will help."
Laena looked at them sadly. "I do not know either. Although I proposed options to him, he did not want to take them. Laenor even proposed an option."
Rhaenyra looked up. She wished to know what it was, as did Visenya, who also looked intrigued at Laena.
"He suggested that he marry Visenya."
"What!" they both exclaimed.
"Easy. He has a reason for it. Laenor is not attracted to women. So he suggested that he could marry Visenya, and Aemon could be the father of the children. You could still be together, but to the world it would be Laenor and Visenya."
She had not expected that. Then again, Laenor had never looked at any girl the way other men did. Laena saying this did make sense.
"Oh, that makes sense. Yet Aemon still would not go for it?" she asked.
"No. As he likely explained to you both, he does not seek empty pleasure. So I suppose if we want him to change his mind, he has to feel something for us, although I think we will have to leave him be for now. Let him heal the wounds of betrayal," Laena noted.
Visenya and she both sighed, but nodded.
Then she took a deep breath. "There is something I was questioning. When I spoke with Aemon, he spoke of not wanting empty pleasure. Is that what we have been doing? I am not entirely sure what this is. Do I love you both, or is it just pleasure?"
Visenya and Laena both frowned. "I do not know. Thinking on it, we never really spoke of it," Laena replied.
Rhaenyra smiled. "I know. That is why Aemon's words hit me."
Visenya huffed a laugh. "I think we all do love each other, not just because of what we do, or because we all share feelings for Aemon. I care for both of you. You are family, friends, yet it is more. I do not think I would have shared a bed with any other woman."
Rhaenyra smiled and nodded. "I think you are right. I feel the same. Perhaps we could add Alicent to the mix. We have been friends for so long. Also, she has taught us all a lot about womanhood."
Laena and Visenya nodded.
It had been Alicent, as well as all their mothers, who had calmed them when each of them had their first moonblood. It had been unexpected. She knew it would happen at some point, but she had thought it would be different, and far less messy. She smiled at the memory.
"Yes, but I doubt she would. She has always been quite strict with her faith. She only kissed us because we were all drunk," Laena stated, as they all giggled. That night had changed quite a lot.
"So, we are all in agreement," she began, turning to Visenya who sat beside her. She kissed her, and Visenya kissed her back. "It is not just pleasure. It is something more. Perhaps love?"
"It is. What exactly it is, we will have to find out," Laena said as she took them both into an embrace, kissing them both.
Aemon Targaryen (107 A.C. Third Moon)
Aemon's Chambers – Isle Driftmark – High Tide
Aemon woke and looked around. He was now five-and-ten, or seven-and-thirty. It did not matter how he was held by the standards of the world he lived in now. Comparing this life to one he had was like comparing a dog to a cat. Both could be pets, but they are entirely different. Here he had four women actively trying to win his affection, and he did not know what to do about them. Could he, in time, come to love them? Breaking his honor to do so? Perhaps. But for now, his heart only hurt as he thought of them. They had started something without him, betrayed his trust. So for now, he would try to find friendship first, but nothing else, and if something changed, then he would accept that. If he was too late when that change came, he would accept that too. He hardly expected them to wait for him.
He remembered Maester Aemon's words. "What is honor compared to a woman's love? And what is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms? Or a brother's smile."
Would he accept his honor being questioned by taking Visenya's honor and siring children with her while not married to her? Would he learn to love Seranella, even if they could never marry? Sire bastards openly, the act an open secret for the realm? Or would he act against his brother and marry his daughter as well? Or if Aemma passed away, sire bastards on his brother's wife?
He had lived a life as a bastard and knew what that was. But now, he lived as a royal prince and the rider of the largest dragon. His will was law if he wanted to proclaim it so. Yet then again, would that not make him the very thing Joffrey was, or Ramsay, for that matter?
He supposed he would cross that bridge when he got there.
He sat up from his bed and walked through the door, ordering a bath. The bath was scalding hot, a habit he had picked up from Daenerys. It made him feel clean, but also warm.
After a while, he dried and clothed himself, wearing a black jerkin with red trousers, and a cape with his sigil embroidered upon it.
As he walked outside the door, Ser Harrold and Ser Jeffery were waiting for him. "Good morning, my prince. Happy nameday," Ser Harrold noted, with Ser Jeffery saying the same.
"Thank you, Sers."
After a short walk, and the occasional passerby congratulating him, he arrived at the main hall. He opened the doors and was greeted with loud cheering.
"Hooray for Prince Aemon's five-and-ten nameday," the crowd echoed.
He smiled as he walked toward the dais. "What a welcome," he noted, giving Princess Rhaenys a smile.
"More than deserved," she replied.
Soon enough, they all took their seats. He sat between Laena and Rhaenys, as the latter rose.
"We start today's celebration with this well-deserved feast. Afterward, we shall be granting the prince our gifts, and during the day there will be small events, archery and a small melee in the courtyard. The day will end with a feast. Please, all enjoy. Let us all rise and celebrate Prince Aemon," Rhaenys stated.
The hall stood as one. "To Prince Aemon!"
The food came quickly, and thoughtfully. His favorite dish sat before him, raspberry cake filled with sweet pudding. He laughed softly and ate two full slices before moving on to eggs, bacon, and bread, until he was well and truly satisfied.
At last, Rhaenys leaned toward him. "Aemon, shall we begin the presentation of your gifts?"
He nodded.
With a smile, she ordered the main table cleared, save for drinks. Guests stepped aside, forming a line that stretched halfway down the hall.
The first to step forward was Laena.
"My betrothed," she said warmly. "Knowing your love of books, and especially histories, I had a volume copied for you. Houses of Valyria in Westeros. It is part of Driftmark's own library, and I thought you would appreciate the work."
She placed the book before him. The cover bore a dragon in gold leaf, the title etched in elegant lettering.
Aemon's fingers brushed the spine reverently. "Thank you, Laena," he said, meeting her eyes. "
The second were Ser Harrold and Ser Jeffery.
"My prince, we both know you are an exceptional armorer and bladesmith. Luckily, we were able to procure something of great value, especially for a hunter such as you," Harrold stated, as Jeffery stepped forward.
"A goldenheart bow. We were lucky enough to be able to procure one after seeing many of the merchants of Spicetown," Jeffery noted.
Aemon looked inquisitively at the bow. He had his own specially made crossbow, crafted of ironwood and Valyrian steel, good both in the hunt and in battle. But a bow like this, if he could train himself to shoot from dragonback, could make him even more deadly.
"I thank you, good Sers, both for the gift I gladly accept and for the protection you have given me over the years," he said as he took the bow from Ser Jeffery's hands.
The third was his sister, who looked at him with a bright smile. "My good brother, for over two and a half years, I have missed you. To let you know we can never truly part, I give you this ring."
Visenya placed the ring upon the table. It was a golden ring, the top engraved with half a dragon's head and half a wolf's head. Then she showed something she wore upon her own finger.
"Do not tell Arya, or Mother. I have one for them too," she whispered.
"I shall not, and thank you, sister," he said as he kissed her hand.
Next was Rhaenys. "On behalf of my husband, myself, and House Velaryon, I gift you this tapestry, displaying the combined history of Velaryon and Targaryen since the Conquest."
He marveled at the piece, truly a masterwork of sewing. The colors were breathtaking. Certainly something he would hang in his hall when that time came.
"Thank you, cousin. I appreciate the gift. It shall hang in my own halls, on that I have no doubt." He proclaimed.
After that, Rhaenyra stepped forward. "Dear uncle, I have come with gifts from myself, Lady Alicent, my lady mother, and the King."
First, she gave him a golden cup engraved with a three-headed dragon, each of its eyes displayed by a different-colored gem, granted by Viserys. It was a fine-looking cup, though compared to what he had crafted himself, it was a nice addition. Aemma's gift was more heartfelt. She had given him a black-painted dragon statue, with golden eyes flecked with red, like Balerion. Alicent had gifted him a handcrafted handkerchief, embroidered with dragons and wolves.
Lastly, Rhaenyra gave her own gift. "Like Visenya, I have missed you, and so I hope you enjoy this necklace." She handed him a golden necklace with a medallion as its centerpiece. One side bore a black dragon, the other a golden-yellow dragon. Balerion and Syrax, he thought as he gave his niece a smile.
"To remind us both of our bonds as Targaryens, but also of that of the Blood of Old Valyria," she noted.
Aemon smiled at her. "Thank you, niece, and give my thanks to my brother, good-sister, and Lady Alicent. Their gifts are just as welcome."
After that, the gift-giving went on until the midday sun had passed. He thanked everyone and then suggested that they all take their dragons for a ride.
Soon enough, he was at the dragon caves, and he already felt the connection of Balerion at the back of his mind. The ground shook as the dragons stepped out of the caves.
"My friend, happy nameday. May your fire burn for many a year," Balerion rumbled, pushing his massive head against Aemon's chest.
"Thank you, old friend," he replied. "Ready for a ride? I can use one after all that sitting," he added with a grin.
After he mounted the giant dragon, he looked and saw the rest settling into their saddles.
"Let us ride," he shouted, and soon six dragons danced in the sky.
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