~Aelin's POV~
"Sister" I hear Aemond's voice as I walk up the steps, he is soon by my side with an arm around my waist even though he knows perfectly well that I can walk on my own "Where are you off to?"
"I'm planning on visiting father" every day I've visited father at least for an hour since he's gotten worse. I tell him about my lessons and my day "wish to come with?"
"I'm to spar with Ser Criston" Aemond says "later how about we walk the beach...I see you've been spending quite some time"
"I just have a good feeling" I tell him "till our walk"
"Till then Issa jorrāelagon" my love Aemond stops me, I feel his warm breath as he presses his lips to mine for a brief kiss.
Walking to father's room, the scent of decay and incense is great. For the last few years, father has all but decayed into a a walking corpse. I hear his eye had been eaten, that the disease of his required for his eye to be removed so he now wears a gold mask to cover half of his face and he can't even handle anything with milk and poppy.
"Hello father" I walk forward, snapping my fingers hearing for where the chair is. When I do, I sit down and hear father's wheezes "it's Aelin"
"My moonlight" he says "your name, we name you under the moon light and" he wheezes out "my dear"
"I had another dream" I tell my grandfather "about Aegon"
"Aegon" he says, I feel his bony hand grab my wrist "my dear listen. This is very much for you to understand...but a dragon you are" what is he saying? "Aegon the Conqueror looked across the Blackwater from Dragonstone" he wheezes out "he conquered...conquered from a dream—he foresaw the end of mankind as Daenys foresaw the Doom of Valyria. It's to begin with a terrible winter, gusting out of the distant north" father coughs violently "nothing but...nothing but darkness. My dear, we must be one—we cannot defeat this darkness alone"
"Father" I hear a voice I have not heard in a while call, Rhaenyra.
"Hello" my voice is bland "Rhaenyra"
"Aelin" she speaks
"Father" shaking him "Rhaenyra is here" he groans waking up, I know Rhaenyra is close but keeps her distance from me.
"Rha" he breathed out "Rhaen"
"I'm here father" Rhaenyra goes to him as I walk away, I stop when I sense someone else.
"Hello Uncle" holding my hand out, I feel his shoulder and my fingers tap before moving my hand to his face "been a long time"
"Yes" he agrees "come to visit your father?"
"Every day" confirming "for an hour" we are silent before I say "I shall hear your later, good day uncle, Rhaenyra" leaving the room, I go to the beach since I'm feeling something as I go down there.
My hand is on the railing as I quickly go down the steps, heading outside the clashing of metal is loud but then I hear two voices I despise "Hello nephews"
"Aelin" they both speak "you" one of them says as I have my hands before me "look different"
"I'm more mature now" I say "I may not be the same age as either of you but I do know that I am my immature children who hide behind my mother my skirts" it has been eight years, Aemond and I are going to wed soon. The Valyrian Way. I am one and four now, I cannot wait to marry Aemond.
"Come to train" We hear Aemond speak "nephews" a hand comes around my waist and by the scent of iron, musk and fire I know it's Aemond. We hear the gates open and horns being blown "Ser Vaemond is here"
"Let's" I whisper to him "go to Vhaegar and go to Dragonstone, there is somewhere that I wish to find"
"What?" He asks
"Trust me?" I ask
"Always"
~Aemond's POV~
If soulmates are real, I believe my sister Aelin is mine. She has always got my back as I've had hers since we were children, the challenges she has overcome are all the reasons I love her. Many who are blind that I've met have nothing but anger and sadness in them, Aelin doesn't. She just shines brightly. She's my fire heart. When I lost my eye, I was angry and refused to go anywhere or see anyone. Aelin, she gave me my space until she didn't—when she didn't she brought me out of my room and helped me realize that I shouldn't be ashamed of having one eye. That if she can walk around being blind with no dragon, being called a witch since she has fire powers—me losing my eye wouldn't be the same if people whisper.
So I got up one day and started to fight with one eye, adjusting to it. After a few months I've got the hang of it and started to train as I use to but harder. Just as Aelin trained her power, she didn't want to lose control so I've been helping her. She's learned to walk around to even run on her own, I don't know about her but I've heard how the servants wish she would be queen instead of Rhaenyra. To be honest Aelin is a much more worthy ruler than Aegon or Rhaenyra.
"Aelin?" I ask as Aelin walks along the mountains of Dragonstone, we arrived a few hours ago far away from the Cannibal or anyone since we don't want anyone knowing we are here "Where are we going?"
"Just" she holds up her hand "trust me—can you take my hand" she holds her hand out and I do "there is a cave up ahead, one with the symbol of a sun and moon joined together—please lead us there"
"You confuse me" I tell her as I see a cave with that kind of symbol "we're before the cave"
"Follow me" she orders, because when it comes to her my judgement is impaired unless it has to do with her safety.
Looking around, it's complete darkness. I mean the only way of knowing where I am going is by holding onto Aelin. What is she up to?
Aelin stops and I see light when she opens a door? What? We walk inside and I gasp, my eyes widening when I see what I'm seeing.
