The Rogue Princess

Chapter 25

No allies. No friends. No true family. No one. That was all Aerea had in King's Landing.

But no one came near her or spoke with her. They all just stared when she wandered the halls with two guards always at her side. The only places she got some distance from them were in the Sept or the library. So naturally, that was where she spent most of her time.

She couldn't do anything reckless if she wanted to make it out of this war alive and back with her mother. She even missed her father. Not a word spoken between the two in nearly two months, but she desperately needed a comforting word from her father. He was always her calm even through the chaos of the world. Him and her brother, Lucerys.

Every night she wept for her baby brother. All she could imagine was Vhagar ripping him into little pieces with Aemond laughing on his saddle. Lucerys was scared to leave, but she gave him the confidence he needed to go on his mission. That guilt sunk deeper and deeper into her heart as time passed. She truly believed herself responsible for her brother's death, and prayed to the gods for it to be her and not him.

Luke was everything good in this world to Aerea. He was kind, considerate, and sweet to anyone around him. He visited her every night after Henry's death, comforting her through the devastating loss. Every night he always promised her that one day she'd find that same happiness. That she would feel that same love once more. That pain and suffering wouldn't be eternal. And she never truly believed that, especially now more than ever.

She sat by the fire in her chambers, reading a book on Aegon the Conqueror, trying to find any inspiration to help her mother. She flipped the pages, now seeing the words of the attempt to conquer Dorne and smiling as she remembered Prince Qoren. Part of her missed their conversation and the way he smiled at her. The way his eyes sparkled in the light always brought a sense of comfort and ease to her. She wondered if he had received word of her imprisonment and what he might do. It was painfully obvious the interest he had in her, but she remembered what the men she'd seen growing up had done for the love of a woman.

Lost their lives in the flames. Gone to war for another's rightful heritage. Stood for another's family even while rotting away inside and out.

Then it clicked with her. The things they do for love. Aegon. He was a completely different person in front of court. He stood with pride splattered all over his face, nearly completely sober. She remembered her time in King's Landing and all of his desperate attempts to win her affections back. That was what she needed to escape. For Aegon to feel wanted by her and the first moment she can, flee from King's Landing. But how?

She slammed her book closed with a hint of a smile growing on her face before she rushed to her door to inform the guards she wished to see the king.

"Apologies, princess. But the king has forbidden us." The guard answered.

Aerea pursed her lips before sighing. "Fine. Then I wish to go to the library."

"Yes, princess." The other guard said as she led them towards the library where they waited by the doors. It appeared to empty thankfully, so she grabbed a quill and some parchment. She wanted to write to Aegon to try and persuade him to come visit her, but she felt herself getting nauseous with each word she wrote. She knew it was a lie, but it felt like a betrayal to herself as well as her mother.

"I wouldn't bother trying to seduce my brother, niece." A voice came from behind her causing her to snap to her feet. She turned, but didn't see him, though she certainly felt his eye on her.

"I am not trying to seduce anyone, uncle." She narrowed her eyes between each aisle from where she heard his voice come from.

"Wishing to see him and now writing to him with kind words? I'm no fool." Aemond's voice now came from the opposite side of the library, hidden amongst the aisles. She followed over to the source, walking up the aisles with her fists clenched tightly at her side.

"No, just simply a kinslayer." She hissed as she ran down another aisle, yet still couldn't find him.

"I said your brother's death was an accident. You have my word." Now once again the voice came from across the large, dimly lit room. She followed once more, thinking she was finally going to catch him, but once again came up empty. She slumped back against the shelf and sighed in frustration.

"Then tell me what happened." She said, but was met with silence. Absolute silence. "You owe me that much."

"I wanted him to pay his debt and he refused and Lord Borros told us to leave before I could take his eye myself." His voice sounded closer, but she didn't even bother to turn. All she could picture was how helpless Luke must've felt in that hall in front of Aemond. "And when I saw Luke practically run to leave...I wanted to mess with him more...scare him and Arrax...and I thought I'd lost them, but Arrax came out shooting his flames at Vhagar's face and I heard Luke begging Arrax to obey him and Vhagar started to chase after them even after i commanded her to stop...but she wouldn't listen and when she found them she...but right through Arrax."

Her chest tightened as she let out a stifled sob. The image of Vhagar biting straight through Arrax and completely over Luke shattered her. She held her hand over her mouth as she silently wept.

"I looked for him for hours, but there wasn't much-." He continued but she sniffled and cut him off quickly.

"That's enough, Aemond." Her voice cracked as she stormed back to the table to grab the parchment and leave. Just as she went to open the doors, he stepped out from the farthest aisle, calling her name. She froze immediately with her hand gripping tightly onto the door handle.

"I am truly sorry, Aerea." That was all he could say as he watched her back turned from him. He wanted her to turn around and forgive him. To ease his pain at last, but she refused to turn towards him.

"I understand what it is like to not have a strong bond with your dragon...but I have never once foolishly used Vermithor as a toy to taunt another with." She said plainly before leaving him all alone in the library.

Aerea sat on the balcony of her chambers, with both her legs on either side of the ledge. She stared out into the skies, pondering what Aemond had told her. On one hand, it was an accident. But on the other hand, it was an accident that could have easily been avoided if not for Aemond's foolish pride.

He'd even searched for Luke afterwards. He wasn't a cold blooded murderer as she thought, just simply an idiot. It made sense why he'd lie about it. If word got out that the greens didn't have control of their dragons, they'd appear weak and their allies would flee to the other side.

But what didn't make sense is why he still served Aegon. Those two hated each other as far as she could tell. Then she remembered what Alicent had said. It was the king's dying wish. Perhaps the former queen wasn't lying. Perhaps Aemond was just begrudgingly following orders.

Little did Aerea know, it wasn't his father's orders he followed. Or Aegon's.