Forgive me
You forgive me again
I don't know what I said
But I didn't mean to hurt you
"I do not want to marry him! He is already married to Helaena!" Aerae pleads, but queen Alicent's jaw is ticking. A sign Aerae ignored.
The slap rings through Aerae's bedroom. She feels the blood trickling down her lip, her mother's multiple rings having chafed her cheek and lip. "You will marry your brother, and that is final."
All the while, Alicent does not understand the tears are not for the marriage to Aegon, because she loves her brother despite his many faults. But as a sibling, nothing more than that.
No, it are tears for what could have been, for the love Aerae feels for Aemond, which is still reflected in his one eye, sadness now replacing the love that once shone in his pupils. Both longing for a shared future that will now never be.
I heard the words come out
I felt that I would die
It hurts so much to hurt you
Then you look at me
"Helaena. What are you doing?" Aerae asks, sitting down with a huff, her pregnant belly making it difficult to sit.
"I am.." "Reading about new insects?" Aerae guesses, Helaena nodding as she turns back to her book, a small smile on her lips. Even though Helaena and Aerae are both married to Aegon, he despises them both equally as much.
The sisters are united in their miserable circumstances, making it a bit more bearable. Jaehaera walks over to Aerae, toy in hand, showing it to her. Aerae smiles at the little girl, grabbing her and placing her on her lap with another huff just as Aegon comes into the library.
She talks softly to Jaehaera, who is showing the toydragon in her hands. "But he is here for his lessons." Helaena sputters. "And now he is coming with me to the small council."
Aegon takes his son and stops when Helaena mentions she is afraid of the rats, but mocks her and is than soon gone out of room.
"Helaena?" Aerae asks as Jaehaera is given to her servant who keeps on playing with her. "What rats?"
But her question goes unanswered.
There is an urgent knock on her door. "Queen Aerae? Please open the door!" She hears ser Cole say, and dishelved as she is, she almost trips as she opens the door. "What is it? Did something happen ? Aemond?"
Her brother keeps silent, his gaze cold, though it softens when he sees her worried look.
"It is Jaehaerys. There was an incident." Her world starts to blurr as her knees buckle, Aemond quick to grab her arm and support her weight. And if his hand is protectively curled around her belly, Criston Cole is smart enough not to say anything, lest he experiences Aemond's wrath.
Then you look at me
You're not shouting anymore
You're silently broken
Time passes by slowly in Aegon's room. He is held asleep by milk on the poppy, too much in pain to be awake. When Alicent is not present, Aerae takes over sitting next to her brother, helping change his bandages and singing softly to keep him calm.
She also often goes to Sunfyre, the dragon trying to heal from his wounds. But she wonders how long he will live through it.
I'd give anything now
To kill those words for you
Each time I say something I regret
I cry I don't want to lose you
But somehow I know that you will never leave me, yeah
"I do not want to burn people!" Helaena says, as Aemond drags her by the arm. "Your service to the crown is needed." Aemond argues, but Alicent is qukck to intervene. "She is still your queen!"
"Aemond, stop!" Aerae shouts, her belly contracting at once. The churning in her stomach reaches a crescendo as a groan leaves her lips as she shudders, a red stream trickling down her legs.
"Aerae?" Alicent says, but her daughter has tears in her eyes. "Get the Grandmaester, now!"
The Grandmaester shakes his head at Alicent, the queen's gaze falling on the rumpled figure of her youngest daughter hidden underneath hee covers, Helaena sitting in silence next to her sister.
"Helaena, let's leave your sister to rest." The door closes behind them, Alicent having caressed softly through Aerae's hair. She feels empty and lost.
Her door opens quietly, and before she knows it, strong arms hug her from behind.
"I lost it, my baby. Our baby." Aerae cries silently in Aemond's arms, her brother silent but she knows he must be heartbroken too.
After all, it was his child, not Aegon's. A night where a drunk Aegon was brought to her room, and from one thing came another. A night of passion, of their love, sealed into a child they no longer have. Not that her husband remembers, thinking it was his child. She left him to think, if only to protect the unborn child in her belly. But it is all for nought now.
Both stay together like that for a long time, both heartbroken about their child that would have been the epitome of their silent love.
Cause you were made for me
Somehow I'll make you see
How happy you make me, Oh
Aegon is gone to Seven Gods knows where and probably dead, Aemond is dead, and now Helaena is gone too. There is nothing left for Aerae in King's Landing.
"Mother, come on. Let's go." Aerae begs her mother, trying to fit the bare minimum in a bag. Some clothes, some jewels and money to start over somewhere new.
"No." Alicent says. "Aegon is gone, Aemond is gone, Helaena and Maelor are gone! There is nothing left for us here !" Aerae pleads but her mother shakes her head. "No. But you should go, promise me you will be safe.
Aerae sighs and gives a sad smile as Alicent gives her one of her rings. "I hope you will be happy. Goodbye, daughter." Aerae gives her mother a last, long hug, turning on her heels and runs.
She is soon in the dragonpit, silently walking around when she comes upon four dragoneggs. She cannot leave them, even though she has no idea how to transport them.
Than she feels something breathe on her hair. Dreamfyre comes closer, making a sad sound. Helaena has been gone but a few days and she can only imagine how the dragon feels.
The she-dragon makes another sad sound, lying down. As if bringing her former rider's sister to safety, is a last thing she dozs for Helaena.
Aerae takes a breath, and than takes the four eggs. There is two of the metal contraptions left to transport the eggs and keep them warm, and though a bit small, Aerae manages to secure the four eggs on the back of Dreamfyre. She fastens her bag with provisions to the other side, and than mounts Dreamfyre.
They disappear into the night soon after. When the dragonpit is stormed the following day, Dreamfyre and the remaining queen Aerae are nowhere to be found.
I can't live this life
Without you by my side
I need you to survive
So stay with me
You look in my eyes
And I'm screaming inside that I'm sorry [sorry]
"Aemond." A voice calls, and the prince, though nearly dead, opens his eyes. "Aemond." Aerae appears above him. "Let's go."
"To where?" Aemond groans. Though he survived the fall, Vhagar did not, and though none of his limbs are broken (his fall was broken by the warer), he has lost a lot of blood.
"To somewhere far away, where we can be free. Everyone is gone. Aegon is gone, Maelor is dead and Helaena as well. There is nothing left for us here."
His sister gives him a pleading look. "I do not think I will make it." Aerae leans closer and gives him a kiss on the lips. "It is better to die on the back of a dragon than here, waiting for death, right?"
Aemond is silent for awhile but nods eventually. Aerae helps him on Dreamfyre, sitting behind her wounded brother. His head falls back onto her right shoulder, his sister's face next to his head. He can feel the smile on her face as she grabs the reins, Dreamfyre standing up. "Soves, Dreamfyre."
The dragon starts to run, one, two steps and flies up in the air, high up in the clouds.
In the following days, they stop at the end of the sea before crossing to the isle of Leng, leaving a message for queen alicent. Just so she knows they are alive and safe.
Soon they go over the sea, never to be seen again. And queen Alicent ? She knows where they have gone, but take the secret to their grave.
Excerpt from the histories:
"Queen Aerae disappeared into rhe night, never to be seen again. There are rumors she took the dragon Dreamfyre with her, but those are speculations based on witnesses who recount to have seen Dreamfyre goong towards the Jade Sea. If anyons knew where the queen went, they took it into their grave."
- The Queen and the Princess by archmaester Gyldayn
And you forgive me again
You're my one true friend
And I never meant to hurt you
"There is someone here to see you, Your Grace." Lord Tyrion says, as two women and a man come into the room. They have the tell-tale silver hair and Targaryen eyes, but their eyes are slanted and their clothes also are differently stiled, like the people from across the Jade Sea.
"We have come to help our cousin Daenerys Targaryen to win the Iron throne. The Leng-Targaryen House gives it's regards as does my sister, the God-Empress Aeraeli and Jade Empress Helaena."
"And you are ?" The woman smiles as three roars of dragons, not Daenerys' dragons, answer. "We are descendents of Aemond and Aerae Targaryen."
Daenerys raises an eyebrow, inviting them to sit. " As you know, Princess Aerae was never seen again." Daenerys nods, as Aeraeli's sister Daella, thanks her warmly for the food she is brought. " She took Dreamfyre and four dragoneggs, and Prince Aemond, towards Leng."
"Prince Aemond survived, though heavily wounded, and when news reached them that Aegon II died, they married in secret and had four children who hatched dragons. Through the following 180 years, our Targaryen branch has been married to all the noble Houses of Yiti. Princess Aerae and Prince Aemond established the House of Targaryen-Leng, but to make sure they were not persecuted, they kept all their trading in Yiti and across the Jade Sea."
Daenerys gives a relieved smile, now understanding she might just get her throne back. "Currently, my sister God-Empress Aeraeli rules Leng, while our niece from my father's side is the Jade Empress. We have come with a fleet of ships and three dragons to support you, and if needed, we will send more help."
Daenerys asks them to follow, towards the table with all her armies. "There is a propgecy, that you are the princess that was promised, who will bring peace in this world."
Daenerys gasps. "That is quite a lot of information, do tell more, ...?"
The woman sits, the intricate crown on her head moving as she looks down, golden nailguards covering her pinky finger, ring finger and middle finger.
"My name is Daenisi Leng-Targaryen, and I am the commander of the Leng-Targaryen fleet. These are my husband, Jacaerys, a son of the Jade Emperor and Jade Empress and my sister-wife, Daella."
"It seems we have a lot to talk about. Please do sit."
Daenerys smiles and sits closer, as Daella grabs one of the stone dragons, Daenisi's nailguard tapping against the stone table.
"We have a war to plan."