"The blood of Lucerys will be repaid tenfold. A brother for a brother."
In which Daenys Velaryon, the oldest child of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon, must come to terms with the fact that the man she loves has committed an unforgivable crime...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"But an echo of a person is not a person at all."
⋇⋆✦⋆⋇
When Aemond Targaryen landed in King's Landing, he cursed under his breath, his brow furrowed, his frustration boiling over. He was more humiliated than hurt, yet the sting of his wife's teeth imprinted into his torn skin refused to fade. It gnawed at him, a constant reminder of his failures as a husband and as a prince.
His foul mood only deepened as he was informed of his immediate summons to the king's presence, inciting him to swear again, this time directing his venomous words at his brother, the very one who dared to order him around like a common servant. Who did he think he was, commanding Aemond to report to him as if he were some kind of lapdog? As if he didn't already shoulder enough burden carrying his brother's responsibilities while he lost himself to his cups and his whores every day.
Curling his fingers into a fist to quell the sting, Aemond continued on his journey through the winding corridors of the Red Keep, until he reached the grand doors of the throne room, their imposing presence looming before him like a challenge he could not refuse. With a heavy heart and a weary sigh, he pushed them open and stepped inside, bowing low before his king, his movements stiff with pride and defiance. His grandsire was already there too, and he could feel the weight of Otto's gaze upon him, a silent reprimand for his tardiness and his insolence.
"Brother, you have been summoned here for a reason. Do not keep me waiting any longer in the future."
Aemond gritted his teeth against the urge to lash out, to rail against the injustices that had been heaped upon him. But he knew that now was not the time for such displays of emotion, so he straightened his spine and met his brother's gaze head-on, a silent promise that he would not be cowed so easily.
"As you command, Your Grace," he replied through clenched teeth, his words dripping with venom. "I am here to serve."
"What news from the Baratheons? Have you secured Prince Jaehaerys's betrothal?" Otto spoke up.
"I'm afraid there has been a situation grandsire. We can no longer rely on the support of the Baratheons. Lord Boros's daughter has taken her place as the head of the house, and she has chosen to ally herself with Rhaenyra," Aemond responded.
Otto's lip curled with distaste, "A child leads the Baratheons now and you could not even secure an alliance with her? She would be even easier to bargain with than her father. How could you accept this betrayal?"
"That whore of Dragonstone is stealing my allies?" Aegon interrupted, his words more sober than anyone had heard in a while. "Who does she think she is? Go back to Storm's End, brother, and win the Baratheon girl over. Tell her you'll marry her or something."
