𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 || Aemond Targaryen

Chapter Eight

With the feast's lively chatter and music creating a vibrant backdrop, I caught Aemond's eye, sensing that the moment was ripe for a more secluded adventure. "I was wondering if we could take a stroll outside?" I suggested, my tone light yet laced with an underlying earnestness. The castle's confines felt suddenly constricting, and the need to breathe the cool night air grew strong.

Aemond looked at me, a knowing smile tugging at his lips as he recognized the mischief in my eyes—a look he had grown to adore. "Of course, my love," he replied warmly, standing up from his chair. His hand found mine, and together we quietly slipped away from the celebration, our fingers intertwined as if they were meant to never part.

We moved with purpose yet kept our demeanor casual to avoid drawing attention. The guards nodded respectfully as we passed, accustomed to seeing us together and unaware of our true intentions. Once outside the stone walls of Dragonstone, the chill of the evening air brushed against our skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of the feast behind us.

As we walked towards the shadow of Dragonmont, where the land whispered secrets of ancient fire, my heart beat with a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation. 

Aemond's concern was palpable, his eyes scanning the horizon warily as we approached the shadow of Dragonmont. "Lyanna, what are we doing?" he asked, his voice a mixture of curiosity and caution.

"This is where I am meant to claim my dragon," I replied, my voice steady despite the fluttering in my chest. "When we were at Winterfell, Melisandre told me I would claim my dragon, and this might be my only chance to do so."

"Lyanna, I can't let anything happen to you. The wild dragons are too dangerous to be around," Aemond insisted, his hand tightening on mine.

I looked up at him, my resolve firm. "I know, but you're going to have to trust me," I said, squeezing his arm in reassurance. He nodded reluctantly, his expression a complex tapestry of fear and pride.

As we reached the clearing near Dragonmont, the air around us seemed to tremble with the power of the unseen. Then, with a thunderous roar that shook the ground beneath our feet, Meraxes emerged. The dragon's immense form blotted out the sun as she descended, her wings unfurling with a gust that nearly knocked us to the ground.

Aemond instinctively stepped in front of me, his body tensed for any threat. But I gently pulled him back, stepping forward with a courage I hadn't known I possessed until that moment.

"Meraxes," I called out, my voice carrying across the clearing. The dragon's golden eyes fixed on me, an intelligence and curiosity gleaming within.

"See, she's not attacking. She's curious about me... about us," I whispered to Aemond, taking another step forward. The heat from Meraxes's breath was like a furnace, but it did not scare me. Instead, it filled me with a fierce joy.

Aemond watched, his body taut with anxiety, yet he trusted my lead. "Be careful, Lyanna," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

As I approached Meraxes, I felt a connection, a pull of destiny that Melisandre had spoken of. This was the moment my life had been steering me toward, the moment where fire and blood met, and a new chapter of my legacy began.

In the Dragonstone throne room, an air of festivity quickly transformed into one of tension as Princess Rhaenys and Queen Alicent realized their children, Lyanna and Aemond, were nowhere to be seen. The room buzzed with the low murmur of confused nobles and concerned whispers, heightening the atmosphere of unease.

Alicent, her expression a mix of irritation and worry, marched up to Princess Rhaenyra, her voice sharp and commanding as she addressed her. "Where are they? What have you done with Lyanna and Aemond?" The accusation hung heavily in the air, drawing all eyes toward them.