Dance with her ghosts

“Aemond “The Night Fury” Targaryen used his dragon Cannibal for war only once, in the well-known Night of Terror, where Oldtown, the second most populous city in the Seven Kingdoms was reduced to ashes after the Prince arrived, in the middle of the night , alone, armed with nothing but a dragon, a sword, and the burning Fire and Blood of house Targaryen.

Everything that existed in Oldtown, the Citadel, Hightower and the Starry Sept, were nothing but smoldering ashes at daybreak, the Prince's message was clear, the Targaryens were at War.”

- Princess Alyssa Targaryen IV in “The Hundred Days War” of 769 AD

The novelty of being on a ship for the first time in his life wears off very quickly after Aemond realizes that there is only water, water on the right, on the left, in front and behind and below and sometimes on top, when it rains.

It's pure boredom too, there's little he can do that doesn't involve poking Aegon with his wooden sword and getting Ser Rickard to teach him the sword and he also can't spend much time with Helaena because she likes tea parties. and it's a girl, and girls generally have lice.

So Aemond is content to stay close to Mom and listen to her stories.

Mom knows a little about everything, she tells about the sea, that it is so vast and that there are more things there, at the bottom of the ocean than walking on the earth and she tells about the planets and that they revolve around the sun and the sun It's hot, much hotter than any dragon.

She tells, to the three, gathered in their beds, about Smaug, who drove the dwarves from home, about Ancalagon the Black who was much bigger than a mountain and bigger than Baleion and Mushu, who was so small that Aemond could carry him. it in your pocket.

And Vhagar.

Mom seemed to enjoy telling a lot of stories about Vhagar lately, especially to Aemond.

Aemond knows a lot about many of the dragons of House Targaryen, he knows about Balerion and Meraxes, about Laena Velaryon's deformed dragon, about Dreamfyre, and her stolen eggs, he knows about Caraxes and Aemon and then about Caraxes and Daemon.

And other things, Aemond knows a lot about Targaryen dragons.

But he knows a lot more about Vhagar than he should, because Mom seems entirely focused on letting him know that Vhagar isn't an option for him, and Aemond might be disappointed if it weren't Mom, because she knows things.

There are two things that Mom drills into her head, Vhagar grew up in war, therefore, she alone defined what qualifies as a threat and no one can control Vhagar, not just Vhagar, but any dragon, dragons cannot be controlled, no matter how tempting it is. .

Aemond doesn't know why, but he knows he can trust her, Mom couldn't be like Helaena, who dreamed of things and knew things from her dreams, but Mom knew things that would happen, even if sometimes she was very silent about it. what would do.

The point was, Aemond trusted Mom.

If Mom said Vhagar wasn't a good option, then it probably wasn't.

— Children. — Mom calls and Aemond, Aegon and Helaena look up from their latest card game, the thousandth, perhaps, since they never arrived. — Do you want to see Dragonstone?

Aemond almost falls to the ground as he stands up to look over the ship's rail.

Dragonstone is, for lack of a better word, draconic.

There is smoke all over the sky, as if Dragonstone was a dragon breathing deeply and releasing balls of smoke, the castle is all gray, imposing, a fortress that the Targaryens created on their already grand island, it was gray, a little hot, threatening and imposing and Aemond had loved it.

— Is that where we're going? — He asked, very curious, perhaps, in his family's ancestral home there was a dragon that would let Aemond ride it.

— For a few days, yes, but then we'll go to Driftmark, west of Dragonstone. — Mom points to something Aemond can't see.

— Do they have dragons in Dragonstone? — he couldn't help but ask.

— Yes, Sheepstealer, Gray Ghost and Cannibal, wild dragons. — Mom responds, looking amused. — You can try to find Gray Ghost or Sheepstealer with the supervision of your uncle Daemon or Rhaenyra, are we clear, Aemond?

— Yes mom. — Aemond grumbles, grumpily, Aemond loves his mother, but sometimes she frustrates his plans long before they start, it's annoying how mom can read minds.

— Aegon, don't even think about it... — Mother's voice rises higher the higher Aegon climbs the ship's mast, and Aemond is suddenly alone, staring at the dark stone of Dragonstone, the fortress that began the greatest reign that the Seven Kingdoms have ever seen.

Aemond wonders what the world would be like if stone walls could talk, what secrets did Visenya have? What did the first Rhaenys do? Why did Aegon want to conquer the Seven Kingdoms? Did the Conquistador like cakes, sweets or savory pies?

Why only Targaryens ride dragons? Why didn't some people have dragons? Why didn't Aemond have a dragon?

Surely Aegon the First would know the answers to every question Aemond had, perhaps many more, perhaps he would know things that not even the most learned men of the Citadel could know.

— You will find what you are looking for. — Aemond jumps into the air when he hears Helaena's voice, it's not that he doesn't like his sister, but she is, and mom doesn't hear that Aemond thought that, weird.

Helaena was cool, if you forgot she was a girl, she knew a lot about a lot of things and would know anything about insects, but she was weird, Helaena never looked anyone in the eye, she didn't speak unless forced, she didn't she knew how to embroider and was unable to talk to the ladies of the court.

But Helaena also knew things that no one else knew, exactly like her mother, she knew that the orange cat in the kitchen would have exactly three kittens, one black, one white and one tabby, she knew that Aegon was going to fall off his horse, that the egg that Aemond's dragon would never hatch and that Rhaenyra's new baby was a boy, Helaena just knew better.

— You will find what you are looking for. — Helaena repeats, and her eyes are very clear, almost white, she looks at his forehead, at his ears and at his nose, but never at his eyes, Aemond suppresses the shiver of fear, Helaena is sweet, but she always becomes terrifying when enter your days of knowing things. — But not what you expect.

— What will I find? — Aemond asks, interestingly, he knows he's looking for a dragon and a dragon is a dragon, even if it's not what he expected, both Sheepstealer and Gray Ghost were good dragons, even if they were shy.

Helaena shrugs and doesn't respond, she walks through the ship like a ghost until she finds her mother, who tries to persuade Aegon to come down from the mast, Aegon laughs and the sound of his laughter can be heard by Aemond, down here.

It's the first time Aegon has laughed in months and Aemond knows his mother won't fight him for putting himself in danger just by the way she smiles freely.

Aemond doesn't like the ship, but he would stay here for an eternity if it meant his family would be happy again.

— Will we see mandia Nyra? — Aegon asks, his hair is a mess everywhere and he looks funny with his rosy cheeks and messy sleeves, if grandfather Otto were here, Aegon would have already lost his smile.

— It is clear. — the mother replies, still smiling and Aemond wants them to stay in Dragonstone forever, he doesn't care if Rhaenyra wants Aemond dead, for the first time in a long, long, long time, everyone is happy.

Mom smiles, Aegon laughs, and Helaena has her hands full of slimy bugs.

Aemond would be without a dragon if it meant he could hear Helaena's voice and Aegon's raucous laugh and could see the bright smile Mother has now.

The beach is getting closer and closer and Aemond is surprised that the sand is the color of normal sand and not a dark gray like everything else on the island, he can see five white spots in the sand.

The ship docks and Aemond's breath leaves his chest in a whisper of panic, Aegon, Visenya and Rhaenys have walked these sands, Aemond Targaryen is walking the same sand that Visenya Targaryen walked, who knows if he is not retracing the steps of the Conqueror upon arriving at Dragonstone.

Aemond can barely breathe with this knowledge.

Visenya Targaryen, one of the most lethal women in history walked the halls that Aemond will walk, the Conqueror sat in the chairs that Aemond will sit at for dinner tonight and decided that he wanted to conquer the Seven Kingdoms.

Aemond doesn't even know how to describe the name of the feeling that grows in his chest, he can only say that it's big, urgent and leaves his lungs feeling small.

Then Aemond sees them, Daemon and Rhaenyra, they are tall, but they look human, Aemond always imagined that Daemon was taller than the Conqueror, with big, swollen and strong arms, with a face like Maegor's and an even darker laugh and Rhaenyra would be her evil and corresponding image, a very tall, very ugly and very evil woman.

But then, Aegon has the same ears as Daemon, which are the same ones his father has and which, while Aegon grows, look like they belong to a rabbit and not a boy, Helaena's eyebrows are the same as Rhaenyra's and Aenys's smiles exactly like Aemond's father.

It's strange to think of them as humans, but that's exactly what they are and not the monsters with webbed fingers and short necks that couldn't form coherent thoughts that Grandpa Otto said they were.

All of them, the ones that Grandfather Otto said were half dragon, half man, evil from the beginning to the end of their soul, his monstrous older sister, his monstrous uncle and his three monstrous children, were nothing but normal people who wore a lot of black it's red.

Rhaenyra was a tall, very beautiful woman with violet eyes and a perfectly stunning face, her hair was so blonde and golden that it was almost painful to look at her in the cover of the sun's rays.

Daemon taller than Rhaenyra and equally handsome, with hair as white and golden as his wife and a face just as angular, it was strange to look at them, almost like looking into the faces of the gods and Aemond can't wait to hide behind Mom, as well as Helaena and Aegon.

It's not that there weren't other Targaryens at home, but there are only four of them and if one day his father was as impressive as Daemon, that day is long gone and Aegon spent much more time eating cake and criticizing the swords at the Targaryens' training ground. than actually being a proper warrior.

Helaena was a girl, a very beautiful girl, yes, but once Aemond saw her eat a lemon cake dirty with dirt and Aemond was sure that Rhaenyra would never eat a lemon cake dirty with dirt in the garden, she was too elegant for that .

Aemond can't help the embarrassed groan that comes out of his throat when Rhaenyra smiles, she becomes even more beautiful and seems to glow and Aemond suddenly remembers that he didn't shine his boots like his mother told him to, he stops himself from dragging his feet on the floor because It's not princely at all.

He feels disheveled around Rhaenyra and she doesn't even seem to make an effort to look like a Queen.

— Alicent. — Rhaenyra exclaims, and Aemond has to stop himself from moaning again, even her voice sounds like a bell. — I missed you, oh, it's been so long since we've seen each other.

Aemond hides as much as he can behind Aegon and Helaena because he doesn't know Daemon and Rhaenyra like his brothers who seem thrilled to see them again, Aemond doesn't know anyone here other than the family with him and it makes him want to be swallowed through the floor.

— Hi. — Aemond listens close to his ear and almost jumps into the air, it's one of his cousins, Aemond can't tell which one just by looking, all three are extremely similar and were born one after the other, Jaehaerys is a few months younger , born a few months after Aemond, Baelon was born at the beginning of the year 115 AD and Aenys is the youngest, with only four name days. — I'm Baelon, your nephew, Dad said you held Dark Sister when you were little, which is funny, because she's heavy and you were a baby and I don't think you know how to handle a sword properly and…

— I know how to handle a sword. — Aemond says, stubbornly, because he knows, he learned his first lesson from mom, Aemond, always pierce them with the pointed tip, it doesn't matter if you don't have technique, pierce them with the part that hurts the most.

— That's cool, I recently started my classes and I think we can have them together while you're here. Do you like lemon cakes? Or water with lemon? I like it, mom says I'm an ant, even though I'm a complete boy who really likes sweets and...

Aemond Targaryen is so stunned that he doesn't even notice when he is dragged to Dragonstone by his youngest nephew, he doesn't notice when his mother laughs or when Rhaenyra bites her lip to keep from smiling and how smug Daemon looks.

Aemond doesn't even know how, but he made his first and most loyal friend.

The days that follow are the best days of Aemond's life.

The grandfather is still missing, the mother is lively again, walking with Rhaenyra around the castle and taking long rides that leave her hair fluffy and messy, Aegon forms a somewhat strange partnership with Jaehaerys, who follows him like a duckling and Helaena is walking again no shoes again, always with dirt on his knees and centipedes wrapped around his toes.

And Aemond clings to Daemon Targaryen as if he were a limpet, Daemon may be a little rude, a little malicious and definitely cruel, but the man is a genius in the art of the sword and even smarter in the war of words, he teaches him how to use the sword in a way that Ser Criston and Ser Rickard never learned and Daemon saw things about the world that no Kingsguard ever would.

He lets Aemond put his hands on Caraxes' warm scales and teaches him that even though dragons don't talk, they can still talk, you just need to listen and Caraxes is a little ugly, a snake with wings and legs, if Aemond is honest, but he it lets out long and short trills, gurgles and sounds Aemond doesn't recognize, all in response to Daemon's words.

Aemond cannot understand Caraxes, but Daemon promises that he will be able to understand his future dragon.

And then Daemon takes him to look for Sheepstealer and Gray Ghost.

He sees Gray Ghost once, from so far away that the dragon is nothing more than his name, a gray ghost shining in the clouds, so far away that getting close to him is no option.

Sheepstealer is different, Aemond sees him up close, as close as possible when Daemon leaves dead sheep scattered across a grassy plain near Dragonstone Castle, the dragon is a mud brown color, he was long, with wide hind legs and a mouth full of smoking teeth that were much more visible than the rest of its appearance.

Aemond knows he was lucky Caraxes was nearby.

Sheepstealer and Gray Ghost didn't want him, just like his egg didn't hatch and Dreamfyre and Aemond would be the first dragonless Targaryen in history and would be known as Aemond the Loose or Aemond, without a dragon or whatever horrible thing people said about him.

— The dragon chooses the rider. — Daemon says, after Aemond sniffles for the fourth or fifth time in as many minutes. — Remember this, Aemond, knights don't choose dragons, dragons choose knights, and somewhere, it could be here, or in the Seven Kingdoms, or in the rest of the world, there is a perfect dragon for you.

Aemond doesn't really believe his uncle, but he nods and tries to avoid sniffling again, he knows he can't because Daemon looks sad when he returns to the Castle and Mother hugs him so tight that his ribs hurt, Aegon gives him a piece of lemon cake, Helaena holds his hand and Rhaenyra kisses his hair, Aemond doesn't have a dragon yet, he still can't fly, but he has his family, and it's not the same, but for now, it's enough.

Mother assures him that he must never lose confidence, no matter what others say, Aemond is as much a Targaryen as any other man, and Aemond thinks his father is the only Targaryen who doesn't have a dragon and his father is definitely not impressive.

Aemond forgets about this a little, after all, they are going to Driftmark.

The drive to Driftmark is beautiful, Driftmark is beautiful, its merchant ships look like little white dots on the horizon and its city is stunning, Aemond can see black lights floating over the city and falling into the sea and Mom says it's for Lady Laena.

He doesn't quite know what to think of Corlys and Rhaenys, they are both cold towards their mother, as if she had done something hurtful and mean to them, Ser Laenor, on the other hand, kisses his mother's cheeks as if they were old friends and ruffles Aemond's hair as if Aemond had already seen him in his life.

Rhaena and Baela are two haggard, curly-haired black girls with skin like Corlys and eyes like Princess Rhaenys, they look strangely like their father, Ser Harwin Strong, who holds them both close and has eyes reddened from crying, the three do not respond to Aemond's request for condolence, but if he had just lost his mother, he would not respond either.

Other than that, Driftmark is beautiful, but Lady Laena's funeral is not, it is a simple event, with only them as witnesses, Lady Laena's coffin is closed, to contain the ashes that Vhagar left, Aemond remembers and does not contain the shudderingly, the coffin sinks into the sea just as a polished stone would and Aemond cannot help but think that Vhagar's knight would rather be released into the heavens and not confined to a coffin at the bottom of the sea.

The Castle is silent all day, people are in mourning and all festivities or games are suppressed, it is one of the most boring days Aemond has ever had in his life.

The night, on the other hand, is a euphoria that Aemond has not yet been able to process.

It starts with Baelon waking him up in the middle of the night, Aegon is still snoring, and Baelon has a small sweaty hand over his mouth as he makes the universal silence gesture.

— We're going on an adventure. — Baelon mutters, keeping an eye on Aegon.

— We who? What an adventure? — Aemond whispers, feeling a pang of excitement run through his body.

— You, me, Jaehaerys, Baela, and Rhaena will claim Vhagar for one of the girls.

Aemond's stomach sinks into his chest, all excitement turns to hesitation and he feels his heart race, this is not a good idea.

— That's not a good idea. — he whispers back, his whisper is urgent and Baelon puts his hand over his mouth while Aegon moves in bed, his brother turns over, but doesn't wake up.

— It'll be fun. — Baelon responds, even lower, Aegon lets out another snore and Aemond shudders.

— It's Vhagar, it won't be fun, she's… strange. — Aemond says, for lack of a better word and Baelon rolls his eyes, and now besides not wanting to go, Aemond feels annoyance growing in his chest.

— Come on, I'll go without you if you don't go. — and Aemond can't let that happen, none of them know what kind of dragon they're about to face, Vhagar is much older than them, than her parents and grandparents, she doesn't follow anyone's rules but her own and would burn everyone them if they bothered her.

— Okay, but let's go through the kitchens first. Come on, Baelon, get two pairs of socks. — Aemond whispers, taking his leather backpack from his trunk.

— Why socks? — his friend asks, looking awkward even as he takes the two pairs of socks from Aemond's clothes trunk.

— Mom says we might always need socks and we'll get pie later, we might need food too.

— It is clear. — Baelon agrees, looking strange, and yet, he doesn't disagree with Aemond, adventures are always hungry.

They head to the kitchens next, neither of them noticing Aegon's sudden silence or when he opens his eyes and follows them, the blueberry pie is still warm in its metal form and Aemond manages to put it in his backpack and Baelon is hurried away. to guide him out of the castle.

Rhaena and Baela look impatient, tapping their feet on the sandy floor, and Jaehaerys looks ready to fall asleep.

— You were late. — Rhaena says, accusingly and Aemond has to avoid turning up his nose, this girl is bossy and Aemond already didn't like her very much when she decided to claim Vhagar.

— If you did this under adult supervision, we wouldn't be late. — Aemond responds, perhaps a little harshly, but this can't end well, Aemond knows he can't, it seems like a stupid idea to run away in the middle of the night to play with a dragon.

It doesn't matter if they're Targaryens, dragons are still dangerous.

— Are you a coward, Aemond? — Rhaena asks, mockingly and Aemond's fists close in anger, even so, Aemond doesn't have time to respond, Baelon steps on his foot and prevents him from answering anything.

— Come on, come on, before someone sees us.

Finding Vhagar is not difficult, she is big, huge, in fact and Aemond can feel her heat long before he finds her, she smells like a mixture of old man, fire and dragon, the difficult part is dodging the piles of dung and the smoking rocks and... that's not a good idea.

— How are you going to mount it? — Jaehaerys asks, genuinely curious, Jaehaerys doesn't know how to tame a dragon, his egg chose him in the cradle and he's never had to be chosen by a dragon before, he has no idea what to do in this situation, nor does Aemond, to be honest, All of his interactions with dragons were done under the supervision of his rider.

— I'm going to go up, sit down and ask her to fly. — Rhaena responds. — If that doesn't work, then Baela tries.

Aemond has to avoid shouting and throwing his hands in the air just like Mom does when she thinks one of Aegon's ideas is stupid.

— That's stupid. — he couldn't stop himself from saying, looking directly at Rhaena. — Leaving in the middle of the night was stupid, this plan is stupid, this whole idea is stupid, did I already say this is stupid? Shall we go back, and wait for mandia Nyra or kepa Daemon to come with us, or Princess Rhaenys? Ser Laenor? Anyone, at least they should know what to do.

— You are a coward, Aemond. — Baela hisses and she looks extremely mean. — You've never claimed a dragon, how would you know that's not how it's done?

— BECAUSE I TRIED. — Aemond screams and feels her face turn red, from shame or anger at having her failure thrown in her face, Aemond doesn't know yet. — Sheepstealer almost set me and kepa Daemon on fire, what do you think Vhagar would do to us?

— Sheepstealer is not a tamed dragon, Vhagar is. — this time it's Rhaena who says it and Aemond can't be the only one to disagree with that statement.

The Targaryens may be closer to being gods than men, but they must never forget that riding a dragon is a gift, not a certainty.

— No, Vhagar is not tamed, mother said it is dangerous to try to ride Vhagar, she is an old dragon, a dragon that cannot be controlled and only follows itself. — Aemond says in his closing argument, because Mom knows this, Mom knows about things that no one else knows and Mom is almost always right.

— Her mother. — Says Rhaena, and she looks mean. — She is not a Targaryen and has never ascended to the heavens on the back of a dragon.

— My mom. — Aemond says cruelly and he knows he is cruel, he knows he will hurt Baela and Rhaena, but he doesn't care, mother may have never ascended to the heavens, but she had survived while Rhaena's mother had died and mother was the Queen, Rhaena should respect her. — She may never have ascended to heaven, but she is still alive, where is her mother?

Because they all know that Lady Laena didn't survive the birth and had Vhagar burn her body while she was still alive, Mom also almost died when Aemond was born, but unlike Laena, Mom had looked at death's door and said no.

Mom had chosen to stay with Aemond.

Rhaena's mother had intentionally chosen to leave.

Rhaena and Baela's faces fall in a display of unrestrained tears and Aemond doesn't give in to the desire to smile in victory, mother always said if you win, even if it's a small victory, never show it, apathy is much stronger that the happiness.

— You're evil. — Rhaena says and then she's letting go of her sister and taking heavy steps towards Aemond. - Apologize.

— No. — Aemond responds immediately, Rhaena may be the future Lady of Driftmark, but Aemond is a Prince in the Kingdom and his mother is the Queen and Rhaena thinks she can do whatever she wants because her mother was brave, but she can't, because Lady Laena is dead and her bravery died with her.

Rhaena makes a strange grimace on her face, as if she wants to open her head and see what's going on inside, Rhaena may have scowled, but it's Baela who slams her fist into Aemond's nose.

He staggers back and puts his hands to his nose, the coppery smell of blood seems to overwhelm his brain and his hands are red with blood, Baelon screams and Jaehaerys' mouth is open in pure shock, Mom always said you should never hit anyone. a woman, but she also said that you should never be beaten without fighting back.

That's what Aemond does, he gets up as quickly as he can and pulls Baela's curly hair, the scream she lets out is much louder than it should be, after all, it's Aemond who's bleeding, not her.

— You idiot, she's my sister. — Rhaena screams and she is also coming at Aemond and he cannot defend himself against both of them so he focuses his attention on Rhaena, she is weaker, more uncoordinated, easier to take down.

He never sees Baela picking up the stone from the ground.

Or her getting closer.

He never sees that Rhaena is the distraction and Baela the danger.

— You are an idiot? You silly little girl. — Aegon's voice makes alarms ring in his head, Aegon is usually calm, but the blood of the dragon runs through his veins and sometimes, he gets so angry that he destroys things just because he can.

Aemond finally looks up and Aegon holds Baela's arm with white fingers, the stone in the girl's hand falls with a thud onto the hot sands below them, Rhaena turns away from Aemond with a startled murmur.

— What did you think you were going to do, hm? — Aegon asks, still in a low voice and Aemond gets up and hides behind Aegon as quickly as he can, his nose throbs and he stops himself from grabbing his brother's shirt. — Hit my brother's head until he dies, hm? Cut his eye out?

Aegon was never intentionally mean to Aemond, he was mean at times but always sincerely apologized, he also never held Aemond by the wrists like he does with Baela, but she pulls her closer until her face is flush with his.

— What did you think was going to happen next, hm? That Grandpa Corlys would defend you? If you took my brother's eye I would take your sister's eye and your father's life.

Logically, Aemond knows that this could not be true, Aegon has no power within the court, he did not even want to be his father's cupbearer and he intermittently refused, even under his grandfather's threats, to assume the post that was previously Rhaenyra's. .

— Y-you c-can't do t-that. — Baela stutters, seeming to have regained whatever courage she had left.

— I can't. — Aegon agrees, between teeth. —But my mother can, she cut out Ser Criston Cole's tongue and no one said anything, do you think your father's common pig would be any different?

Baela's face contorts into a crying expression and Aegon pulls her closer.

— If I see you near my brother, I'll hit you in the head with a rock myself. — Aegon whispers and Baela is decidedly terrified, she lets out a moan and then moves away from Aegon and holds his injured wrist in her hands.

Jaehaerys and Baelon also look terrified and Rhaena…

Rhaena is far away, climbing Vhagar's back as if she were a mountain, before Rhaena has even finished her climb, Vhagar is taking to the heavens, Rhaena Velaryon is nothing more than a dark spot on his back, yet her scream of terror can be heard from below.

Once again, Aemond is left without a dragon, no dragon would take to the skies without a chosen rider, Vhagar wants to see if Rhaena is worthy and she already is, she managed to rise and fly and is just finding her feet, never let it be said that Vhagar is not evil.

He hates that all this happened and just wants to run away, Aegon is distracted, gaping at Rhaena and they all look impressed and none of them know that Aemond is right, one day, Vhagar won't obey Rhaena, and when that day comes , they will see that Aemond is right.

But for now, Aemond is a six name day boy who has just been humiliated and saved by his older brother and his rival has just climbed onto the back of the biggest dragon alive, he absolutely hates them.

He runs away, then, because of course he runs away, he runs as fast as he can, as far as he can, his bag of pie jingling on his back and Aegon's screams fall on deaf ears.

Aemond runs for so long that he doesn't even know where he is, but he knows he can get out of this pile of rocks easily if he wants, he is, after all, seeing Driftmark Castle from here, he just can't see the others.

He sniffles, once, twice, three times and finally wipes his nose on his shirt sleeve, leaving a trail of snot and blood behind.

He hates Rhaena and he hates Baela and he hates Vhagar and he hates that everyone has a dragon except him, he hates that Rhaena rode Vhagar and he hates that he needed Aegon to defend him.

At least, Aemond thinks, pettily, I have one of the blueberry pies from the kitchen.

His backpack has provisions, and he'll thank Mom for that, for teaching him that adventures require food and at least two pairs of extra socks are needed for anything that requires him to leave the Castle.

Aemond was so panicked about being left behind that he picked up the entire tray of pie and didn't think to get plates or cutlery or napkins, but well, he could always bite into the whole pie and eat it himself and...

It's suddenly hot.

The hair and the clothes and the floor and his pie, strangely enough, seems to start to melt and Aemond is looking up and this is...

…

…

Aemond can't describe it.

It's the biggest dragon he's ever seen.

It is very dark, so dark that Aemond wouldn't be able to see it if the sun wasn't rising, but it has very green eyes, long horns curved at the tips, white teeth and teeth so large that they are larger than its entire body, it is also silent.

So silent that Aemond couldn't hear him coming.

— That's mine. — Aemond says, indignantly, as the dragon's large, slimy tongue extends toward his pie. — It's mine.

The dragon's nostrils move and a wisp of smoke comes out of them, he seems to look at Aemond and say seriously? and Aemond is duly insulted, he hugs the pie closer to his chest and puffs out his chest in indignation.

The dragon blinks a large green eye at him, then opens its mouth and lets out the most terrifying sound Aemond has ever heard, nothing compared to Caraxes' hisses or Meleys' roars, something louder, stronger, more powerful.

The sound ends and all that's left of it is a distant echo that makes Aemond's ears twitch.

Aemond, of course, does the logical thing.

He shouts back.

It's nowhere near as terrifying as the dragon's, but it's definitely loud and annoying and Aemond is angry too, he's been insulted, he's gotten into a fight and he's too hungry to care if this dragon wants his pie.

The black dragon looks at Aemond with judgmental eyes, unimpressed, almost as if he says stupid.

Aemond turns his back on him, just because he can and then he bites into the pie and it's delicious and his hunger increases tenfold and… and… and Aemond can't eat it because he can practically feel the black dragon's hunger for pie.

— A little piece. — he says, to the dragon, and feels a little stupid, because dragons definitely don't talk and the dragon isn't his to answer him. — Just a little bit.

The dragon eats his entire pie, metal pan and all, and Aemond is outraged.

— Stupid.

The dragon doesn't respond, but he looks like a very pleased lizard as he stretches out and, oh, wow, he's bigger than Vhagar, maybe a little, but those horns are impressive and his claws could definitely pick up two whole horses with no effort at all.

— See if I come back tomorrow. — The dragon opens its mouth with a sleepy click and looks at Aemond as if he said come back, pies or nothing.

Aemond Targaryen is grumpy when he leaves, he promises himself he won't come back, but he comes back, the next day, after Corlys, Mother, Rhaenys, Rhaenyra and Daemon finish scolding them.

And the other day, after he catches eels with Baelon, and the dragon definitely doesn't like eels, but he likes the lemon pie.

And the next, after seeing Rhaena take to the skies in Vhagar and be left on the ground, alone.

He keeps coming back, because he and Dragon are friends and that's all Aemond could ask for.

Ten and two days later, Aemond Targaryen takes to the skies on the back of the most dangerous wild dragon ever recorded in the Seven Kingdoms.

Presumably Mom grounds him until Aemond is older than his dad, which is a long time, kepa Daemon laughs so hard he bows and Mom smacks him in the ear, because of course it was his uncle's idea.

Of course she is happy after that, mom is always happy and proud of him even if she is a little angry and worried.

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The news of Aemond's conquest is only overshadowed by the breathless messenger arriving in Driftmark.

— My King, My King. — the panting man says, between broken whispers in search of air. — Lord Hand was found today. — the man makes a dramatic pause. — Murdered.

“Rhaena “The Kinslayer” Velaryon was the youngest daughter of Harwin Strong and Laena Velaryon, she was a calm, cheerful girl and was constantly seen taking to the skies on the shores of Vhagar, one night in the year 129 AC, Lady Rhaena and Lady Baela took to the skies on their dragons, Vhagar and Moondancer, what followed was a brutal dance that ended with Lady Baela torn apart as well as Moondancer.

It is said, to this day, that the screams of Baela Velaryon can be heard echoing off the walls of Driftmark.”

- Archmaester Gerold in the book “The most mysterious deaths: a study from the 2nd to the 12th century” published in 1823 AD