Chapter 74: 74
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198 AC
Dorne - High Hermitage
Aerion Targaryen
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"Boy." I channel my inner Kratos as I prepare to make this a core memory for my Son who is seeing widespread death for the first time.
Hell... the most death he has ever seen is that one time some bandits in the Riverlands started kicking up a fuss. They thought it was a wise idea to have their whole group of fifty-something people all in one location. I showed them the error of their ways when I cut off their escape with dragon fire and then let the fresh batch of men from Dragonrest prove their training.
It was a massacre that has only recently been matched in Westeros by the savages on Skagos who have been getting shifty with my castle slowly becoming impregnable before their eyes. But Aemon has never been up to Skagos to see how my trained troops from Dragonrest butcher the hairy men of Skagos when they get antsy. This rocky field of ash and fire is Aemon's first true sight of 'power' and how much he himself already wields.
"Kepa." He reverts to Valyrian as he approaches with his blackened face from all the soot in the area.
Other than us three Dragon riders and our Dragons there is nothing alive near us so I fear not someone hearing anything I say, not that I plan to say anything I don't mind someone hearing.
"You see it with your own eyes." I nod toward an especially blackened spot on the rocks where men tried to hide in a large crack on a cliff face. "You have seen what dragons are and always will be regardless of how cute and cuddly they may act at home." He gulps as he looks at a perfectly preserved in ash Human body of a man screaming.
I approach the man made of ash and push it over scattering him to nothingness as Aemon works his jaw. It's hard to really tell what is on his mind, but I do not think he is 'depressed' or 'off put' by what he is seeing. I would not have brought him even if he begged if I did not think my eldest boy could not handle it. I only brought him... maybe I wanted the others to stay innocent a little longer, but I brought him since he is to step up sooner than the rest.
Aemon will be getting the Dragon's share of everything I have should I fall over and die this very moment. I do not expect to die anytime soon, but with the growing need to get involved in Essos coming sooner than expected I need to know Westeros will be fine. I need to know when I fly off with Danny that I do not have to worry about Harrenhal or the children I am leaving behind.
It's why Aemon needs to step up regardless of only being eleven years old.
In all honesty, I would put his mental age easily at sixteen or so, just lacking the hormones of a sixteen-year-old which might help him in the coming months. This trip to Essos might just be a perfect set of circumstances to act like a whetstone for Aemon to grow as a man, or it might damage his development and make him fear responsibility. He will have my other wives there to help him, and his uncle Balerion will be watching out for him.
But at the end of the day, this will be on Aemon once I leave it in his hands, which is not something I ever expected to do... but I feel proud to do it.
"I wanted you to have longer, to not have to see this until at least your majority, I planned to have you join me in Essos with maybe a Dothraki Khalasar that has been growing bold. But if I don't head over to Qarth soon to deal with the 'annoyances' that are kicking up over there it might grow into an actual 'problem'." Aemon nods, his Mother behind him is the one I really worry about, she is the one with tear stains on her soot-stained face.
"I understand Father, I never thought of Brightfury as a toy." He responds in a serious tone that almost makes me laugh at how he is putting on his 'brave face' but I don't want to damage the moment.
"It's not that I worry you think about your partner as a toy but instead I need you to see what a dragon can do... what you might have to do while I am gone." For once his eyes widen a little, the biggest reaction from him since he got off his dragon, and noticed both Danny and myself watching him closely.
"What?" He asks in confusion as I approach him and kneel down making my head a bit lower than his as he is almost to my shoulders with his recent growth spurts.
"I doubt anyone will try anything just because I fly off for a bit, hell even if I left for a few years they know I can and will return if they kick up a fuss. But I need you to be ready at a moment's notice to do what you see today, to bring Fire and Blood." Aemon is a sweet boy who loves making friends and easily has a 'charisma' that I would say fits a Prince far more than myself even.
He was born to lead people around by the nose, a mix of his Valyrian heritage giving him a top-class appearance and his friendly-approachable attitude. He loves heading around Dragons Town right outside Harrenhal and either helping people or playing with kids his own age. People throw themselves at his feet offering anything they can to grab his attention yet he is still kind and does not let it go to his head. He is what I would call a 'Good Person' but being a good person can quickly work against you.
"You are not far from earning your Knighthood and likely would have given Daemon a run for his money if it was your main focus. You are also very good at flying your dragon and likely could fly along with the best of the dragon riders House Targaryen has ever had." I stop and grab one of his hands that was clenched at his side. "But those things are not important when it comes to the little games people play, something that should not be a problem for you while I am gone. Your Mothers will be more than capable of helping guide you through the court life and any 'movements' other people might make. But you still need to be ready to do what you saw today, not burn an army since no one left alive is stupid enough to raise one against House Targaryen, but instead using the power you have to make sure no one ever will." Hopefully, my point is getting across, my throat is dry and I am ready to get something to drink instead of eating more of the floating ashes.
"Your Father is not asking you to burn people, but he wants you to be ready in case you have to protect our family while we are gone." Danny crouches next to Aemon as well and takes his other hand with both of hers, a smile on her face that likely contradicts how she is feeling inside.
I know exactly how much she wants all of our babies to just stay babies, I feel it just as much as she does. But we both agreed that this was the perfect time to show Aemon the consequences of using Dragons in battle and let it be a lesson. There is much my Son can get from this, it could even become something he fears, but there is far more good that can come from it if he keeps a strong mind.
"I understand." He nods and smiles a little as he looks between the both of us. "I will protect our family while you are gone, and any other chance I get in the future as well." He smiles much wider, his white teeth almost blindingly bright compared to his nearly pitch-black face stained with the residual of the enemies that stood against us today.
Fuck this is kind of messed up... but I also feel an immense pride bubbling up inside of me.
"Come here you little shit." I pull him against my chest and hug him tightly as I try and hide how my eyes are stinging.
No matter how much Danny is grinning at me and pointing out my cheeks I won't ever admit it, I certainly am not crying. Instead, I just pull her into the hug as well as we sandwich our Son in between us and he wiggles around trying to get some air.
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198 AC
Harrenhal
Aemon Targaryen
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"You stink." Visenya grunts from the side as Rhaella hugs me tightly. "You look like you are the one who got burned as well." Visenya is very angry she was not allowed to go with us, but I have a nagging feeling in my gut she watched using her dragon who I happened to catch flying back to Harrenhal upon my return.
Meraxes blends in with the sky almost perfectly with her nearly identical blue to the sky and her white coloring helping her even blend in well with clouds. She is the perfect Dragon for spying and the fact that Visenya can warg into her makes them a dangerous pairing.
I really am jealous of her warging, she can see far and wide with her Dragon with how strong their bond is. She has seen the wall and even parts of Essos, I do not doubt she would send her mount to Qarth with our parents if not for Father directly telling her not to. She knows we will need as many of the larger dragons here as possible, and she can use her Dragon in combat without even riding it which makes me wonder why she was not allowed to go today.
I know why Rhaella did not come... she would have cried afterward even if she would have still done it. I know my twin is capable as any Targaryen woman before her, she is just as capable and willing as Visenya is to bring down Fire and Blood. But I also know she has a lot of empathy toward people, though that empathy would not stop her from burning them alive.
Hell she is the worst to get angry, her emotions can get the worst of her and she will lash out the hardest. But she likes to bring up in lessons that the people most often getting killed in war and burned by dragons are the people who are just following their Lord's orders. The Lord orders that if they disobeyed they would be beaten to death, they have no choice most often than not. Father likes to point out that most men enjoy war once the blood starts flowing, things get overwhelming and even the best of men turn cruel. She understands those lessons, but she would much rather people being allowed to stay at their farms and not be sent into the flames that will without mercy end their life.
"You need a bath." Rhaella sniffs as she brings out a wet cloth and starts cleaning my still-stained face.
"I do." I agree while seeing out of the corner of my eye Visenya pretending to throw up as she watches us.
"Yea yea, just drag him off to the bathhouse and toss him in so he can come out sparkling like a new pig." Visenya huffs as she runs a hand through her wavy silver locks. "But do it fast so I can hear the story of what happened." I chuckle wanting to ask her if she already saw it from her dragon's eyes but Rhaella loops her arm with mine and starts pulling me away.
My twin gives me no chance to refuse and my body is achy and tired from the long flights of the day. I try my best to keep up with her as I let my mind drift to the words I heard from my Father today. I am going to be made Prince of Harrenhal until my Father is back, I will be responsible for my family's safety and the common folk under our protection.
It is a lot to deal with and much sooner than I ever expected, but I won't fail him.
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