For all the years that would remain of her life, she would find herself often thinking back on this night. How as she sat in the great hall of Driftmark before the king and court her mind was simultaneously an unfocused oblivion of pain and a scattered myriad of frantic thoughts and emotions. Sick down her front, blood on her face, hands, and bedclothes, her best friend maimed forevermore: the night of Laena Velaryon's funeral was the worst night of her young niece's life.

The dread that had occupied her body when Baela had roused her and Jace from their sleep grew heavier as they made their way to the tunnel leading out to the beach. With the knowledge that they were going out into the night when the castle was filled with so many strangers, she had grabbed Ser Harwin's dagger and buckled it to her side. No Kingsguard had been present outside their door or, in truth, along their route as they made their way into the bowels of their grandsire's castle.

They had seen Vhagar midflight from their window. Though the rider had been indistinguishable in the low moonlight, Jaedys knew who they would find. None but the blood of Old Valyria had ever been successful at claiming dragons, and members of House Velaryon took to the seas rather than the skies. Of all the members of House Targaryen gathered on the isle that night, there were only two people -save herself- that had yet to claim a dragon and one was stood in front of her at that very moment.

"Jace, I don't think this is a good idea," she had said with a shaky breath taking her twin's hand. "We should call one of the guards."

"We can't let them go alone," he reasoned.

"Baela, please," she had begged her cousin, "Can't we go tell someone?"

"Don't be craven," Rhaena had replied for her twin, "Someone stole my dragon and we're going to catch the thief."

"How can they steal her if she's yours though?" she challenged. Rhaena did not reply, pushing forward and throwing the door open. Baela followed her sister without delay.

"Jace, please," she tried once more. He hesitated for a moment before pulling her through the door with him, Luke following closely behind.

"Jace, what are we doing?" Luke asked fearfully as they passed into the dark tunnel.

Despite the dim torchlight, it was not difficult for any of them to make out the figure approaching from the mouth of the tunnel.

"It's him," Rhaena spat.

"It's me," Aemond replied coolly. Jaedys let go of her brother's hand and stepped forward. She bristled slightly at how distinct the change was in Aemond from only hours earlier when she had left him. He seemed to stand taller, more proudly, as he slung his cloak over one shoulder. His eyes found hers, burning with such focus she felt as if fire would consume her. She found it attractive.

"Vhagar is my mother's dragon," Baela snapped at him.

"Your mother's dead and Vhagar has a new rider now," he replied in a cold voice.

"Aemond," Jaedys hissed, "You should not say such harsh things."

"I speak the truth, Jade. Vhagar claimed me as much as I claimed her. We are bonded now, she and I," he defended. At his words, Jade felt her heart tighten. She felt small and jealous of the dragon.

"We were supposed to claim them togeth–"

"She was mine to claim!" Rhaena yelled cutting her off.

"Then you should have claimed her," he shot back, "Maybe your cousins can find you a pig to ride. It would suit you."

"Why are you being like this?!" cried Jade. She gaped at him, appall evident on her face.

He looked at her in alarm at first, quickly changing his face back to one of haughty superiority.

"Like what, Jade?"

"Like Aegon," she said sadly.

"I'm finally a true dragon rider, a real Targaryen like we always dreamed of. Why are you being like this?" he asked looking her over, "Perhaps you and your new cousin don't understand because no dragon has deemed you worthy of claiming."

Her whole being chilled at his words, and she felt her eyes water rapidly. Before she could chastise him his cruelty, Rhaena gave a great yell and charged at Aemond. With ease, he deflected and threw her to the ground. At seeing her twin thrown to the ground, Baela ran forward and punched him hard in the face. Winded for a moment he threw one of his own, knocking Baela on her back.

"Stop it!" cried Jade helplessly rooted to the spot. For all her training with Ser Harwin, she was immobile, unsure of what to do when it was her family fighting itself. "Aemond, please."

"Come at me again and I'll feed you to my dragon!" he yelled down at the sisters. At this, Jace yelled and surged forward at Aemond, hitting him squarely in the jaw. She watched at her brother attempted to hit him again and again, but Aemond was too quick, dodging him before giving a great kick which threw Jace to the ground gasping for air.

"Jace!" she rushed to her twin's side as he took great steadying breaths. Aemond's fist clenched at this, watching as she rushed to the aid of his aggressors. Lucerys shrieked as he made a pass, but Aemond caught him easily and punched him right in the nose. He landed on the ground with a cry, catching the attention of both his siblings. The twins' eyes widened as blood gushed from their little brother's face, loud cries coming from his little body.

"Go to Luke," Jace said through gasps. Jade moved across the floor to where Lucerys had landed.

"Let me see, Luke," she begged trying to get his little hand off his face. He shook his head, tears streaming out of the corners of his eyes as he held his nose. "Please, Luke, let me see." When he finally removed his hand long enough for her to look, she couldn't help the gasp that escaped her. His nose was crooked and already swelling significantly.

A loud thud called her attention. She looked over to see Jace, Baela, and Rhaena- the three of them- on top of Aemond beating their fists down on whatever part of him they could get ahold of.

"Leave him alone!" she shrieked in a panic. "Stop it! You'll hurt him!"

"He deserves it!" Rhaena yelled back. This could not stand. This was not honorable or right. Mind pumping with adrenaline and a clear objective, she rose. Leaving her little brother bleeding on the floor, she ran to Aemond. Before she could reach them, however, Jace was sent flying right into her by a great kick from Aemond. They landed together in a heap on the ground, Jade scarcely aware of a great metallic clattering as Ser Harwin's dagger came loose of its scabbard. She was vaguely aware of Baela and Rhaena landing next to her as she tried to orient herself.

"Don't touch my sister!" The wild shriek that followed told her that Luke had rallied and charged at Aemond once more. Still dizzy, her mind came into focus at the scene before her. Aemond, her beloved Aemond, held her little brother by the throat in a tight grip, squeezing as blood poured down Lucerys's face. Jade blanched at the mad look in Aemond's eyes. She had never seen him like this. He looked the very picture of what she had imagined Aegon the Conqueror or even Maegor the Cruel to look, murderous and bloodthirsty. Luke beat his little hands against Aemond's arm to no avail.

Aemond steadied himself, maintaining his stranglehold of her brother as he stood. He was bloodied and looking around wildly as he felt with his hands before rising with a large stone in his grasp.

"You will die screaming in flames just as your father did! Bastards," he sneered looking from Luke to Jace. The whimper that escaped Jade brought his attention back to her. This was the first time he stopped to really look at her since the fire and blood had taken root in them all. Her pretty black dress was covered in dust and her little face looked devastated as she looked to him with a look of loss, a lack of recognition. He could see where tears had made their tracks through the dirt on her freckled cheeks. The pain on her face was all their fault: Jacaerys, Baela, and Rhaena. They had caused this mess, leaving his lady so aggrieved.

"My father's still alive!" Luke cried from within his grasp.

"He doesn't know, does he, Lord Strong?" he said to Jace, lowering the rock in his hand, eyeing his nephew smugly.

"Aemond, please stop," she moaned from his periphery, "Let Luke go." He tensed for a moment. Her voice triggered something in him. Unwilling to deny her anything, he relented throwing Lucerys from his grasp into his older brother.

Jace immediately charged at Aemond once more. Unprepared for the sudden outburst, Aemond reacted defensively by pushing Jace into the wall of the cave. Jade screamed and ran forward. What happened next would haunt Aemond Targaryen for the rest of his days.

Anticipating another attack, instinct overtook the young prince. Swinging back to his right, he brought the rock across the brow of the body that had charged forward in his direction. With a sickening crack, it made contact. Before him on the cave floor was neither of Prince Dameon's daughters. Jaedys lay before him, horribly still, while bright red blood seemed to endlessly spill from her right temple. He looked down at his hand where he still held the stone and saw both coated with her blood. In his young life he had never wished for death as he did in this moment. His eyes began to water as he panicked and moved toward her.

"Jade…"

She could just make out a voice calling for her, her favorite voice. Why was sleep so heavy today? She wasn't comfortable, yet she felt as though she were buried under a mountain of covers back in her chambers at the Red Keep. She fought to open her eyes. She was dizzy and her face was wet. Her ears rang as she finally managed to come out of the fog that had overtaken her.

Aemond was above her, moving slowly towards her with a great red stone. Before he could reach her, she saw as Jacaerys threw sand in his face just before Lucerys thrust up Ser Harwin's blade. She could feel the vibrations in her chest from Aemond's loud screams as the knife made contact, saw his blood flow from between his fingers as he landed next to her.

In her dim state of mind, she could not process what was happening, just that he needed her. She reached for him from her place on the ground, her fingers grazing the hand that was not clutching his eye. Her own vision was becoming foggy, but she felt his hand squeeze hers back as his blood spilled onto their interlocked fingers. She could make out his bright blue eye looking back at her as he collapsed on the ground. They were face to face, bleeding out together, his eye the only thing keeping her tethered against the sleep that pulled seductively at her mind.

I don't want to die, she thought. But let me fall asleep here with Aemond. That's not so bad.

Her eyes fluttered shut and she was oblivious to her cousins' and brothers' frantic cries and Aemond calling her name as her grandfather's Kingsguard swarmed the lot of them.

There was a dull pressure on her right temple that roused her. The inside of her skull felt rattled, as if someone had tossed her about for sport. Muted voices surrounded her, indistinguishable to her dulled senses until she woke suddenly at the sudden stinging in her head.

Aemond let out a breath of relief he didn't know he'd been holding. Jade had been unnaturally still and pale as she lay on a chaise in the grand hall while one of the maesters attended to her wound. The hiss she made as the alcohol was applied to her head wound had been the first sign of life she had made since they had arrived nearly twenty minutes before when the Lord Commander had laid her down. From his one good eye he could see where the maesters had cleaned away and stopped the bleeding to reveal a horribly crooked gash spiderwebbing across her right temple. He felt sick at the sight of her blood still on his hands.

The smelling salts the maesters put under her nose awakened her suddenly. When Jade opened her eyes, she felt a great rush of momentum as the room spun. She unburdened herself of the contents of her stomach over the side of the seat where she lay. People were shuffling around to attend to her.

"Thank the gods," she heard her grandfather's voice. Looking up she saw the back of Maester Kelvyn, and around him...she wished she had not woken up. She felt bile rise once more in her throat as the maester applied a stitch across Aemond's face. His handsome face was an angry shade of red across the left side where a grizzly array of stitches stretched from his upper cheek to his brow bone. She vomited again.

"There there, Jaedys. It's alright," she noted weakly that Helaena was seated behind her, holding her hair and rubbing her back, "This is but the first time you'll spill blood together."

"How could you allow such a thing to happen?" she heard her grandfather's voice. Looking up, she noted how full the hall seemed at such a late hour. The King, Queen, Small Council, and Kingsguard were all present as well as various members of the court and House Velaryon. Her brothers and cousins were huddled together across the room while the maesters worked on her and Aemond. Even Aegon, she noted, appeared quiet at the gravity of the situation. She looked for her parents and grandparents but saw none. After a long pause, she heard him say, "I will have answers."

"The princes and princess were supposed to be abed, My King," she heard the Lord Commander say gravely.

"Who had the watch?"

"The young prince was attacked by his own cousins, Your Grace," she heard Criston Cole reply. She looked over to where Jace and Luke stood, arms enveloped around each other, their eyes on her.

"You swore oaths to protect and defend my blood! And now my son and granddaughter lie here bleeding and damaged!" her grandfather raged.

"I'm very sorry your grace," the Lord Commander replied meekly. One of the younger apprentice maesters came into her line of vision just then holding a needle and thread.

"I'm sorry, Princess, but we cannot risk giving you milk of the poppy with the injury to your head. You must remain awake," he said settling before her.

"Isn't there anything you can give her?" her grandfather demanded.

"Not without risking the Princess fall into a slumber from which she may not wake, Your Grace," the younger maester replied apologetically. "I'll try to go quickly."

Helaena held her around the shoulders as he started. She pressed her lips together tightly, but after the fourth stitch she began to cry and whimper.

"You must hold still, Princess," he instructed in a concerned voice, "otherwise it will take longer and pain you more." She could hear Lucerys crying as the maester continued his work. Looking at her grandfather, she noted that he was making a concerted effort not to look toward her and Aemond.

"The Kingsguard has never had to defend princes from princes, Your Grace," she heard Cole say weakly.

"That is no answer!" the King shouted back. She thought she would pass out from the stabbing pain in her head as the maester threaded the needle through her skin. Helaena gave Jade a little shake to make sure she wasn't falling asleep. Aemond watched helpless as she dug her nails into the chaise and clenched her toes in pain. The tears that coursed down her face, the garish stitches webbing across her temple were his fault. He reached out his hand to her, but his mother quickly grasped it in her own and shoved it down.

"It will heal, will it not, maester?" she pleaded.

"The flesh will heal. But the eye is lost, Your Grace." He heard his mother suck in a breath at his reply. He looked to his father who also looked mournful at this news. The other maester scolded Jade, for she had whipped her head to look at him in that moment. Her own pain forgotten momentarily; she welled up with fresh tears at the maester's words and gave a small sob.

Jade watched the Queen rounding on Aegon, desperate for someone to blame. She did not like Aegon in particular. He had always been a shit to her and to Aemond especially, but he did not deserve to be blamed for this. She heard a loud crashing sound and looked up to see her grandparents storming into the chamber still dressed in their bedclothes and dressing gowns. She swallowed down guilt at having been party to such an ordeal on the night they buried their only daughter.

"What is the meaning of this?!" her grandsire demanded.

"Baela, Rhaena, what happened?" cried her grandmother as she ran to her cousins. Corlys Velaryon took both his grandsons' faces in his hands briefly before going to where his eldest granddaughter was being stitched up, knocking the maester slightly off balance.

"Jaedys, are you alright?" he demanded holding her face in his hand. She nodded dully, rubbing the tears from her face.

"My Lord, please, I must continue before the wound reopens," the maester said desperately.

Lord Corlys stood looking wildly about the room. "What has happened here, Your Grace? Why have we only just been summoned?"

Before the King could answer, the door to the antechamber opened and Jade was relieved to see her mother run in.

"Jace? Luke? Jade?" she called frantically as she ran in. She hugged her sons before paling at the sight of her daughter. Leaving her sons to Lord Corlys she ran to her daughter's feet and brought a hand up to the side of her face that was unharmed.

"Oh my sweet girl," she said sadly as she looked at the stitches. She glanced to her left, eyes widening at the state of her half-brother before gripping her daughter's hand.

Jade looked to her mother's disheveled hair and wrinkled dress, then glanced at Prince Daemon who had sidled into the chamber slowly after her mother.

"Where were you?" she asked quietly. They locked eyes, her mother's jaw clenched nervously, before she moved slowly to Luke.

"Show me, show me," she asked of him as he still clutched his face. "Who did this?"

"They attacked me!" Aemond yelled.

"He attacked Baela!" Jace cried.

"He broke Luke's nose!" Rhaena defended.

"He almost killed Jade!" Luke wailed.

"I didn't mean to!" Aemond yelled back.

"He stole my mother's dragon!" Baela shouted. Helaena put her hands over her ears at the volume and Jaedys clenched her eyes.

"Enough," the King tried.

"He was gonna kill Jace!" Luke screamed.

"I didn't do anything!" Aemond protested.

"It should be my son telling the tale!" the Queen commanded.

"He called us–"

"Silence!" Jade heard her grandfather roar. Jade straightened in shock. It seemed the whole court was stunned. Viserys the Peaceful was not known to lose his temper. Even the maester paused his work on her stitches before resuming. She looked to where her brothers whispered with their mother. The Princess Rhaenyra straightened up, looking to her then to the King.

"Jaedys, Aemond," King Viserys said coming over to them, "I will have the truth of what happened. Now." She and Aemond looked to one another before looking back to the king.

"What else is there to hear? Your son has been maimed and her children are responsible," the Queen chided.

"It was an accident," Jaedys said weakly, "It all happened so fast. Nobody meant for any of this to happen."

"It was a regrettable accident," her mother added.

"Accident?" the Queen scoffed, "The Princess Jaedys brought a blade to the ambush. Her brothers meant to kills my son."

"It was my sons who were attacked and forced to defend themselves and their sister, who very well might've died at the hands of your son!" her mother shot back. Jade looked at Aemond desperately.

"No, he didn't mean to. Aemond wouldn't–"

"Hush, Jaedys. Let the maester work," Helaena soothed.

"Vile insults were levied against my children," her mother continued.

"What insults?" demanded the King. Jade saw him glance at his Hand, Otto Hightower observing warily from behind the Driftwood Throne.

"The legitimacy of my children's birth was put loudly to question." The room fell silent and Jade watched as the many faces of the court seemed to hold their collective breath.

"What?" her grandsire asked.

"He called us bastards," said Jace, "just before he cracked Jade's head with the rock." Nobody spoke for a moment. She glanced at Aemond, hoping to find some sign of remorse; disappointed when she saw a smirk on his marred face. Aemond had not regretted what he'd said to Jace and Luke; their comeuppance had been well-deserved for all their years of bullying him with Aegon, doing anything his older brother goaded them into. His sole regret was the harm he had caused Jade.

"My daughter and sons are in line to inherit the Iron Throne, Your Grace. This is the highest of treasons," her mother paused, "Prince Aemond must be sharply questioned so we might learn where he heard such slanders." Aemond turned in his chair and glared as best as he could at his half-sister.

"Over an insult?" the Queen questioned softly, "My son has lost an eye." Jade watched as her grandfather came nearer to where she and Aemond sat with the maesters. Even aged and frail, she could sense the dragon as he peered down at Aemond.

"My daughter's blood has also been shed, her face also damaged," Rhaenyra countered.

"You tell me, boy," he said coldly, "Where did you hear this lie?"

"The insult was training yard bluster. The lot of boys. It was nothing," the Queen said quickly.

"Aemond, I asked you a question," he said in a dangerous voice.

"Where is Ser Laenor, I wonder? The children's father? Perhaps he might have something to say in the matter," the Queen remarked snidely.

"My father has done nothing wrong," Jade said in a sharp voice. The Queen glared at her but said nothing. Her grandfather looked to her mother questioningly.

"Where is Ser Laenor, daughter?"

"I do not know, Your Grace. I…could not find sleep," Jaedys heard the caginess in her mother's tone as she spoke, "I had gone out to walk."

"Entertaining his young squires, I would venture," said the Queen smugly. Ser Criston sniggered.

Jaedys eyed her coldly. "My father is bereaved having just laid to rest his only sister this day. I would think anyone who considers themselves godly to show some compassion."

"Hold still, Princess," the maester asked as he steadied her face to continue his work. Her face had gone numb from the repeated jabs. Only the light blood trickling down to her jaw caused any sensation.

"Of course," her grandfather said softly, "Aemond, look at me. Your king demands an answer. Who spoke these lies to you?" Everyone waited for an answer. Jade looked at Aemond, but saw he was looking to his mother imploringly with his remaining eye. She wondered if he would be honest.

"It was Aegon," he said in a small voice. Jade saw the look of relief that went between Aemond and his mother.

"Me?" Aegon froze as his father rounded on him.

"You, boy, where did you hear such calumnies?" Viserys demanded. Given no response, he lost his temper. "Aegon! Tell me the truth of it!"

"We know, Father," said Aegon fearfully, "Everyone knows. Just look at them."

Jade wanted nothing more than to sink into the chaise she rested on. She felt the eyes of the court on her and looked to her brothers. Jace's beseeching gaze was one of shared desperation, let's run an hide, he seemed to be communicating. Her mother held them close before moving to her daughter's side.

"Slanders, Father," she said breathlessly, "Lies to displace my daughter and her brothers from the line of succession."

"This interminable infighting must cease!" he cried desperately. "All of you! We are family! Now make your apologies and show good will to one another. Your father, your grandsire, your kind demands it!" He slammed his cane to the ground as he raised his voice, startling the court.

Aemond's lone eye met hers and she wondered if he would speak the apology she saw in his gaze. Before he had a chance speak, the Queen's voice rang out shrilly.

"That is insufficient. Aemond has been damaged permanently, My King. 'Good will' cannot make him whole," she cried.

"I know, Alicent, but I cannot restore his eye," Viserys replied.

"No, because it's been taken."

"What would you have me do?" he demanded.

"There is a debt to be paid," she said softly.

"There is no debt while Jaedys also lies their bleeding," her husband replied.

"Her daughter will recover, she will braid her hair in pretty ways to hide her scars, but Aemond will never be able to hide this," the Queen said heatedly, "I shall have one of her son's eyes in return." A hum overtook the court and Jade looked over at her brothers. Rhaenyra rose slowly from where she had sat at her daughter's feet. The maester that had been working diligently on her face stilled and too looked at the scene.

"My dear wife–"

"He is your son, Viserys! Your blood," she cried desperately. Jade felt Helaena grow tense behind her.

"Do not," her grandsire said, "allow your temper to guide your judgement." He began to leave the hall.

"If the King will not seek justice, the Queen will," Alicent said grimly, "Ser Criston, bring me the eye of Lucerys Velaryon."

"Mother!" Jade heard Luke cry as he ducked behind Jace. Her mother moved to stand in front of her sons as did Lord Corlys. Jade made a motion to rise, but the maester and Helaena held her in place.

"He can choose which eye to keep, a privilege he did not grant my son," the Queen commanded.

"You will do no such thing," her mother growled.

"Stay your hand–" the King began.

"No, you're sworn to me!" the Queen yelled. Jade watched the alarm on her grandfather's face. Surely from his reaction he had never seen his wife lose her sense of decorum as she was at this moment. Everyone looked at Ser Criston, the Lord Commander too wondering if he would have to stay his hand.

"As your protector, my Queen," he replied nervously.

"Alicent, this matter…is finished. Two children dear to me lie bleeding, I will not have a third. Do you understand?" the King said with a slight snarl. The moment was thick with tension as the King and Queen eyed one another. "And let it be known, anyone whose tongue dares to question the birth of Princess Rhaenyra's children should have it removed."

"Thank you, Father," her mother said softly. People began to leave the hall. The maester who had been stitching her clipped the thread and moved from his place beside her, careful to avoid her vomit which had not been cleaned from the floor in all the excitement. There was a heavy quiet until the sudden, swift motion of the Queen lunging for the King's knife and all seven hells broke loose.

"Alicent!"

"Stand your ground!"

"To the King!"

Jade watched in abject terror as the Queen stormed purposefully to where her mother and brothers stood.

"No!" she cried lunging forward out of her seat unsteadily. Aemond came forward to hold her down while Helaena again clutched her hands over her ears at the noise. Luke screamed as their mother lunged forward, the two women gripped each other with force and circled one another as the court backed away and the Kingsguard ran to intercede. A circle formed around the Princess and the Queen. Jade and Aemond rose and came forward, watching with horror as their mothers spun with unrelenting hatred, hissing at one another as they wrestled for the knife.

"Alicent, let her go!"

"Where is duty? Where is sacrifice?!" she heard the Queen yell as she leaned her weight on Aemond.

"Release the blade, Alicent," the Hand called. He had not rushed into the fray as Daemon and many of the men had done. More looks of hatred, more whispers too low for them to hear, before a sudden motion. The Queen brought the blade down and shoved her mother backwards. Though unsteady, Jaedys went as quickly as she could to her mother's side. Her grandsire had caught her and held her gingerly as all looked with horror at the blood that began to flow freely from her arm. Everyone looked to the King and Queen, both of whom looked to the wound in disbelief at what the latter had done. The blade fell from the Queen's hands as she took steadying breaths.

When no one spoke, Aemond came forward and held his mother.

"Do not mourn me, Mother. It was a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon," he paused looking at Jade, "I spilled Jaedys's blood as a result of my own blunder. It was my mistake."

The King bristled looking at the division in his house, from his wife and second family to his daughter, brother, and their children. He shook his head.

"This will be our ruin," he said mournfully, "I will not have it."

"My King–"

"Alicent, you will listen!" he raged. She shook and nodded.

"This division, this strife has festered within our House long enough and has maimed the two people in it who perhaps offer the best chance at harmony," Viserys paused and looked from Aemond to Jaedys, "I will not allow House Targaryen to poison itself from within. We shall have peace."

"Father–" Rhaenyra began.

"You wanted them to be left alone, Rhaenyra. You wanted for their friendship to be without hinderance," he looked to the Queen, "For their correspondence to be without obstacle. Indeed, it shall."

The Queen flinched at his words. Jaedys watched uncertainly from her mother's side as her grandfather waved his Hand forward.

"I want it in writing, Otto, that the Princess Jaedys and Prince Aemond shall not be betrothed to anyone else before their majority. The Princess will come to King's Landing when she is of age and they will enter into a year of courtship, at which point it shall be their decision if a betrothal is forthcoming. Unhindered and without opposition," he barked the final command looking between his wife and his daughter.

"This would not be my wish–" the Queen began.

"My King, now is not the moment–" the Princess started.

"I have spoken!" he bellowed, "I will see our House endure and they," he motioned to Aemond and Jaedys, "are the best hope at ending the discord. This proceeding is at an end."

Jade and her brothers stood beside their mother, as she stared after the King's retreating back. Prince Daemon and Lord Corlys stood with them, the latter supporting her mother's weight from the shock of the ordeal. The Queen and Ser Criston surveyed them steely as Aemond held his mother reassuringly. Regardless of the peace offering her grandfather had tried to offer, the lines drawn were clear as day.

She and Aemond looked to each other quietly. There were no words. Jade looked down exhausted and unsure whose blood stained her hands. Gods, there had been so much blood, she lamented. He had the dragon he so wanted. Their path forward to a betrothal was unobstructed. They had gotten almost everything they had wished for just that afternoon and in the worst possible way.