Chapter 3; World's apart
Aemond felt invigorated during training. He parried, swung, struck true. He had always been sure to focus, kept his mind on his movements and steps, consider his enemies' weapons and how they moved and worked...
But today he found himself putting a little something more into his training. An energy, like a buzz seemed to be filling him, driving his purpose. Empowering him to do more. He felt it in his very bones… and he knew it had something to do with his ñuha dōna...
He had kissed her last night in his Dragon dream, and he had never felt a kiss like that before. Now he couldn't get the thought of her or her lips out of his mind.
When he was ten, he had hoped to be betrothed to Heleana… He had been endeared to her by her sweet nature. He still cared for her, but his crush was over. He had resigned himself to a union to a house that would assist his brother's (Grandsires) bid for the crown. Not a love match.
It would be a duty. With affection, hopefully more. A marriage, one in which he would be the best husband possible… And a much better father than his.
Then ñuha dōna appeared in his dreams.
He heard the stories of the twin flames, as all in their house had. A burning passion between two of Valarian descent. Unions so blessed by the 14 it carried its own kind of heat. A burning pull on two people's bodies and souls.
Fire calling to fire.
Blood calling to Blood…
His father had rambled on about his great love and his connection to his late queen Aemma. Daemon and Rhaenyra were rumored to be such a pair as well. Jaharerys and Alysanne, Alyssa and Baelon… As well as many more. The call was also believed to be the reason the Targaryens were still so healthy after generations of intermarrying. The blood knew best where it should mix next.
And now he knew he had one as well… A twin flame of his own.
His perfect Valerian matches. His dragon mate… who smelled of roses and tea with cream.
Finally, something just for him. Something he'd have that his brothers and nephews didn't.
He disarmed his opponent, A senior gold cloak Ser Lorrel, and ended the fight with his blade pointed at the other's ribs. He and the Knight he had been sparring with gave one another respectful nods, as the other knights and onlookers 'Oooh'ed and 'Aaahh'ed or clapped politely. Ser. Criston Cole smiled brightly looking very pleased with his student as he stepped forward to collect the training yard swords.
"Great work today, my prince… Seems like you've been giving it your all lately."
"Thank you for the compliment, Ser. Cole." He could only smile. The future, for once, looking brighter than he had ever thought.
Aradia planned for her and Tedi to be on their way from Ireland to Norway within the weekend, so she only had 2 days left on the emerald isle.
While shopping at some underly amazing magical bookstores (Being sure to grab some to mail to Hermione) Aradia suddenly realized she had no baby or children's books for Teddy…
It was a moment later that she remembered she DID have lots of gold, money and time…
The pickings for baby and children's books in the magic district were slim to say the least. She had what few she saw already in her chest. (She remembered them from when she was removing the doubles.) She managed to pick up 'where to? We fly on our broom!' and "Bubble Bubble, Baby trouble!". That was about it…
So, she decided to go into the Muggle world and hunt down baby books there... And it was extremely disorienting.
Everything, including bus schedules, tickets, store addresses and information, all seemed to be online now. Not just online, but on mobile phones.
Aradia didn't realize how out of touch she had gotten until she learned what GPS was and how it worked.
Sadly, she already knew she couldn't use or benefit from ANY of that… Because the moment she would hold one in her hand, she was sure it would explode… Magic and technology did not mix.
On the other hand, it was next impossible to do anything without one in the muggle world.
Aradia had never felt so out of place, frustrated, and lost as she did at bus stop 3, with no clear indication or clue on where to go next, with little Teddy starting to cry in his pram.
After a few of the most frustrating hours of her life, Aradia was helped by another young mom. She had seen Aradia's obviously overwhelmed face and decided to have mercy on her. Apparently, the woman knew a bookstore that had a wonderful kid and baby book section and was able to take her there on foot from where they were.
It was like she had hit the jackpot.
Baby books went flying onto her cart, followed next by Fairy tales, Tall tales, Bedtime stories…
Grimm's fairy tales, Aesop's fables, books of Nursey Rhymes and a few she grabbed two of. The Child-friendly versions and the original, darker, scarier versions.
She and the now joyous Tedi took their new purchases, paid with the muggle money she had been sure to bring with her, then went back to the magical inn with smiles on their faces. She started the tradition of reading bedtime stories to Tedi before bed that very night. The book she started with was "goodnight, Moon!"
Aemond made his way to his sister's apartments.
He had been pondering over his dreams since the first night he had experienced one and had been considered who he could talk to about it. Aegon was out of the question. Grandsire, and mother too, given their firm belief in the faith and the seven, as well as their lack of understanding of Targaryen inclinations, blessings, other 'Queer Customs' like Dragon dreams and twin flames…
Mother considered them evil, and Grandsire would be dead set against any word of a twin flame as it would ruin his plan to marry Aemond off to tie another large house to them through marriage.
They would probably be the last people in kings landing he would talk to about this, to be honest.
His sister on the other hand… Aemond was nearly sure that his sister was a dreamer herself. He never really got a confirmation, but the things she'd say and how she acted…
"Aemond!" Heleana called out with a smile as she saw him enter and halted her stitching. The nurses tended to the twins under her dreamy but watchful eye, as she kept herself safe and comfortable. She wasn't showing yet, but the meisters had confirmed she was with child; two moons along.
His sister put her needlework down as he smiled and came to sit next to her.
"Hello, sweet sister. Hope you don't mind the intrusion..." He said, taking a seat next to her on her lounge chair.
"...Not an intrusion, not at all, I'm happy to have you… But what brings you? You always visit after lunch."
With that question, Aemond launched into his story. Careful to leave out the more… heated details.
Ancient Norse buildings with Viking emblems and runes EVERYWERE.
Norway was beautiful, But the craftmanship and carvings? Breath taking. Aradia had never seen anything like them in her life. She wished she had taken ancient runes with Hermione now, even if just to know more about the things around her.
It was summer, so it was nowhere near as cold as it would be in the winter. Fields were growing, the people were moving about freely and happily, and Aradia was toddling around with Tedi in his baby wrap being the wide-eyed tourist that she felt like.
She couldn't bring herself to slow down, not even for a moment. EVERYTHING around here was BEAUTIFUL! First Ireland then this? She was in heaven. She would have asked herself why she hadn't done this before, but she already knew. She was dealing with a dark lord, and her schooling. She wasn't old enough or free to travel around. Now she was.
And she was LOVING it.
She made her way around the magical district looking at all the store fronts she could. She didn't need a wand, potions ingredients, or broom supplies (She was well stocked) but she was sure to look at the bookstores, the second-hand magical goods shop, and a few other interesting places.
It was when she was walking into a high-end enchanted items store then something caught her eye… Or, more accurately, her nose.
The smokey, earthy scent she had smelled before.
Her eyes snapped around the store, searching and looking. For one wild moment, she wondered If the man that shared her dreams would walk out from behind the isle at any moment. That was only for a second, as her mind realized it lacked the leather sent with it. But it also lacked the wooden scent…
She walked around the store, to where the scent grew stronger and stronger, then then…
An impressive robe, long sleeved, that reached the ground. Standing only with the help of a mannequin... but not made of Leather, cloth, or anything like that…
Airy took a few more steps forward and took in a deep inhale to confirm.
"One or the other; the son or the brother…"
Heleana starts to mumble. Aemond froze as he looked sharply at his sister with his one good eye. Did she just?...
"Bloodline thought dead, found alive.
Blood calls to Blood, flesh calls to flesh;
and Passions are not so easily denied…
One way or the other, The son or the brother.
She will be a Dragon's bride..."
"What… Heleana…"
Yep… This was definitely the scent. She knew this because SMELLED it, up close and personally at least three times in her life and could hardly believe she had forgotten it to begin with. The polished sheen from the green scales glinted back to her with a familiar reflection of light, Aradia knew EXACTLY what it was made from…
A Norwegian Ridgeback.
But now this left her even more confused than she was before…
Because now she had to figure out WHY her 'dream-man' smelt like a bloody DRAGON…