[78 AC]
"Oh wow, so caring to your children," Saera said mockingly
He sighed as the memory of his daughter said. He knew he wasn't the best father, but he at least thought he managed to juggle being the King of Seven bickering kingdoms and the father of nine children. But it seems he was wronged.
Maybe he and Alysane should have stopped after Vaegon. It would have saved him the headache of dealing with his three most troublesome children.
Saera was a girl who wanted the entire world's attention on her. He remembered her first word being "No." when a wet-nurse tried giving her milk and every other time wet nurses tried to feed her. Only accepting milk from Alysane. It was endearing in its own way but as she grew older it was less endearing. She pranked her sisters numerous times, and had some poor squire take the blame, which in turn ruined their futures. And he enabled her to the point only Alysane was able to punish her fairly.
Viserra was worse, if Saera wanted the attention of the world then Viserra wanted the world itself. While many would assume her wishes to be queen are just fantasies created by a seven year old girl he saw what they truly were. Ambition, the same ambitions he sees in the eyes of every lord he deals with. While ambition wasn't a bad trait per say it was a dangerous one when unchecked, especially one with access to a dragon.
Which led him to Gaemon the easiest yet somehow hardest son he had to deal with. Having traits from Aemon, Baleon, and Vaegon turned Gaemon into a nightmare to deal with. He remembers the first time he flew Starfyre, which in the middle of the night with a makeshift saddle. While he didn't fly too high considering Starfyre's size at the time, it was enough to give everyone a heart attack. When it came down to his punishment he accepted and carried it out with ease, fooling everyone into thinking they had nothing to worry about. Until he decided to somehow douse him in the throne room during court.
How Gaemon was able to do that will forever remain a mystery to everyone but him.
"Jae," His love begins before he cuts her off
"Gaemon's lessons of Old Valyria will be bar from him for two months."
"Isn't that a little harsh?" His love asked and he sighed.
"He left dinner,"
"Only after going after Saera who was clearly in distress." His love cut him off this time.
"So does that mean he's exempt from punishment?" He asked his love
"No, but surely taking away the only studies he has any interest in is a bit much." His love said and he sighed
"Prevent him from training with a sword for a month or a year, when he hasn't begun? Give him extra lessons he breezes through? Have him locked up in a room which will cause Starfyre to go wild and get someone hurt? The only thing we can punish him for is taking away the only thing he enjoys other than pranking." He said to his love.
Gaemon has always been fascinated with Old Valyria, more specifically the architecture and magic. Sneaking books out of the library, talking to Balerion in a childish hope for Balerion to tell him of the old days and even asking to send a letter to CorlysVelaryon about what he saw during his travels.
While he was glad to see one of his sons take an interest in infrastructure it was also disappointing. Aemon and statecraft. Baleon and martial pursuits. Vaegon and his studies. Each one of his other sons' pursuits provided useful skills in their futures. But what will Gaemon do with his fascination with how cities and castles are built? The Kingsroad is finished and it is too soon to give House Targaryen a foothold in any of the other Kingdoms.
Gaemon's passion for how kingdoms are built was something only a few people could appreciate; it was still a useless endeavor in their current era. It was something he could relate to. During his youth before the Faith or Maegor raised up he was bookish. He preferred reading the history of the Seven Kingdoms, learning the legends of each. It proved ultimately useless since the only thing that kept the 7 Kingdoms united was Fire and Blood.
"Jae," His Love called out
"What is it?" He said and his love hesitated
"Do you think…that Saera, Viserra, and Gaemon hate us?" His love said and he blinked at the statement.
"What brought this on?" He asked
"A number of things and it wasn't until tonight the thought finally brought itself to my mind." His love said
There was hardly any meaningful interaction between us and them. Other than reprehending them for their pranks and on those rare occasions when we are free from any duties we rarely spend time with them." His love said and he internally sighed.
"My love I'm sure…" His Love interrupted him
"Gaemon never calls you father outside formal settings." His mind stopped at the statement.
"At first I thought it was just a nickname when I first heard it. But as he said it more and more outside the dinners and court I started noticing it." His love said looking down and he was silent.
The pain was so intense that it was unexpected. He lost his father, mother, brothers, sisters, and his first two children. He was accustomed to the emotional pain a family can bring. But having a son who would only call him father when placed in a situation when he has to was heartbreaking.