Chapter 67 - 67

----

113 AC

Kingslanding

Aemma Arryn

----

""My Queen... are you sure about this?"" The Dragon Keeper who lead me this far asks with a nervous look on his face and I nod straightening my back hoping to come off more confident than I feel.

""I am."" I reply in Valyrian just as I will speak to the She Dragon we have been approaching the lair of.

""D-Does... the King know about this?"" He asks hesitantly and I bite my lip but in the dark of the scratched-out tunnel, it is next to impossible to see.

""It will be fine, lead me to her."" I respond and he quickly nods and starts walking once more with the torch held in front of himself.

Dreamfyre... I believe she will allow me to claim her, to ride on her through the sky, and travel to where I want to go. She did that with her last and only other rider and I have high hopes she will accept me after I steeled myself to do this. I want to leave Kingslanding but I know it will be some big commotion if I do so, practically an army will be sent as an escort. But with a She Dragon as big as Dreamfyre...

The heat from deep in the tunnel comes out in waves and I hear a loud scraping noise like a hundred blades being drawn from the sheaths. I gulp as the Dragon Keeper stops and ignites the second torch he was carrying, he holds it out and I grasp it.

""From here it has to be you, Your Grace." He bows as I hold the torch out and at the very edge of the light, I can see a stirring shape in the dark.

""Thank you."" I mutter before taking a step forward lighting up more of the tunnel that opens into a large room with a stone platform housing the hulking form of the light blue and white dragon.

A dragon in Arryn's colors could not be more fitting if I do say so myself.

My heart beats so hard I can feel it in my throat as I step forward and more of the dragon is revealed. When it lowers its light blue head revealing its eyes that match the blue of its scales I hold my breath. The large eye slowly blinks as the dragon takes in my presence with no obvious distaste before its head approaches me sending out more scarping noises through the tunnel.

I hold still as stone as the head approaches and stops before me with large eyes blinking slowly. I muster up my courage and lift my free hand to stroke the scales of Dreamfyre's snout and she nudges against my hand. The tight feeling in my chest snaps and I am flooded with warmth as she trills loudly. Her entire body seems to shimmer as she rumbles and trills with her eyes half-lidded like a cat purring under a hand scratching its back.

""Hello beautiful."" I speak up and her eyes open as if she is coming out of a trance. ""Will you let me ride you when I get the chance?"" I ask and the dragon seems to freeze in place before trilling louder than I have heard so far.

My smile grows wide as I return to stroking her snout.

----

113 AC

Kingslanding

Viserys Targaryen

----

"What is this I heard you attempted to claim a dragon?" I ask as I enter Aemmas room without even stopping to knock seeing the door open.

She is bouncing Visenya on her knee while looking out a window with a faraway look in her eyes. She turns likely not even hearing the question but instead just hearing some noise and I frown seeing her once more flinch at the sight of me. She quickly recovers, unlike the other times as she holds Visenya closer to her chest.

"I am sorry, I did not hear you come in..." She mutters and I nod before taking a deep breath while trying to word what I want to say in the best way possible.

"I heard you attempted to claim a dragon today." She freezes before stiffly nodding and I raise both brows. "Why?" I ask being filled with confusion, I could have honestly forgotten she even has the Blood of the Dragon if not for her beauty.

She has never shown interest before, as a child she would not have been allowed as a part of House Arryn unless the King gave her leave. But once she married me she could have claimed one at any time and all this time later she only now has an interest. A gnawing feeling attacks my guts as I get a feeling I know why she wants one at this point.

The obvious difference in her since the birth, only a fool would not have seen it after all this time and the signs. But seeing her look almost afraid to say anything I step back and close my eyes feeling a phantom of a knife stab my heart.

"Can we talk about... it?" I speak up after the room descends into painful silence other than the cooing of Visenya trying to call her mother's attention.

She looks away after grimacing and I sigh.

"I am not sure I am ready... or want to talk about 'it'." She speaks in a shaky voice and I nod feeling the knife twist around inside of my chest.

"I see." I look at my Wife and Daughter remembering when she used to hold Rhaenyra like that and things used to be better back then.

I had more hope for the future back then and so did she, young and full of hope and not bitterness of mistakes made. I can't help but want to wave my hand and have something done to fix whatever is wrong but it is not something I can fix as a 'King'. I should have done something sooner... but I can start right at this moment to at least try to do something.

Walking to the table I grab a chair and pull it closer to her but keeping my distance as I think about what to say. How to tell her what I felt and also get her to tell me how she feels and felt, something we should have talked about months ago. I can't help but sigh as I rub my brow, spotting the open door I nod at my Kingsguard and he closes the door.

Let me see if I can work something out.

----

113 AC

Storms End

Daeron Nymeros Martell

----

Laying in bed with Aegon between us we lay on our sides watching him fumble about with his wildly dancing limbs. Our wild boy keeps us on our toes at all times so long as he is awake, and even when he is sleeping some nights. But even with all the lost hours of sleep, I would still say my next to dumb fuck of a brother is a bigger pain in my sleep schedule.

I look up at Rhaenyra and see her smiling and tickling Aegons exposed tummy sending him into a fit of laughing. She catches me looking and huffs before scooping Aegon and rolling over to face the other direction with him cloaked from my sight by her back. I can't complain about the view of her shapely rear but I certainly can complain about her fit being no fault of my own.

I will strangle you Lewyn!

He flew off with his 'friend' shortly after talking at great length with My Wife and Me about the wildest of things. We are Dornish born and raised in Sunspear but by the Gods I don't believe in he could at least give me some warning. To 'request' what he has requested is something straight out of a poorly written romance novel... and Rhaenyra took it poorly.

At least she is acting like she took it poorly, she has not actually responded and instead sent the two fools running for the hills. I can tell she is busy in her own thoughts, it's easy to read my wife after nearly a whole year of hanging around her and watching her for small tells. But she is not wroth with me, I can tell because as I slide through the bed and press my front to her back she lets it happen. My arms embrace her with one snaking over the top and the other underneath her before hugging her tight.

She knows it is not me trying to do some wild sex adventure, if I wanted to I would just head to Lys that I conquered. My Brother and his Lover just came seeking a 'donor' that could keep a lid on things and conveniently has the looks and Dragon blood to fit the bill. It is all in the name of convenience and discretion but that does not mean Rhaenyra will just sign off on it.

Hell, I have not even signed off on anything!

""I love you my Heart."" I whisper into her ear sending a shiver through her body as she sniggles her back against me flush.

""I love you as well..." She mutters before turning to press her lips against mine quickly.

She turns back to Aegon pulling him closer as I set my nose on the back of her head smelling her floral-scented hair. The silence in the room kills me and I want to clarify everything without it seeming like I am trying to justify or make excuses about something. Maybe silence is what is needed... just let the request fade away to the back of our minds to be forgotten.

I close my eyes and let the thoughts drift... only to be reminded about my poor little Myriah and letting out a groan. Rhaenyra shifts against me in annoyance as I groan and she even sends a pinch back to my toned side not finding any fat to pinch. I send my own pinch or two up and down her sides making her giggle and squirm but I stop knowing Aegon is too close for a tickle fight to break out.

"Just get it over with." I speak up and she sighs before scooping Aegon up again and turning to face me with him sandwiched between us.

"I have nothing to say... I don't like it." I nod and press a kiss on my wiggle worm of a son's head making him squeal in rejection or elation... its hard to tell.

With that, the arrow is ripped out and the awkwardness can fade, now I can try to slink Aegon into his cradle and wrestle his Mother into this bed. Trying to take him into my arms yields me a frown from my Wife that confuses me before I realize what she is doing.

She is using him as a shield!

"I don't like it... but I am thinking about it." I shake my head in firm denial even as I think about my poor sister subjected to a shit situation likely to suffer to no fault of her own.

It stings but I am not going to throw myself into the dog house.

"Just stop, they are not in a rush regardless and I am sure something will work itself out." I speak up leaving no room for refuting as I then slip my Son out of her slacked grip.

He squeals again as I move quickly off the bed avoiding my Wife attempting to take him back but I am on the ground before she can snatch at my hair. Moving like a gust of wind across the room I slide next to the cradle and lower my Son down before tucking his little cute self in. Grabbing the cradle I drag it closer to the bed to watch him carefully even if I plan to roughhouse his Mother, I can't have him banging his head and going stupid or something.