(Aerion's POV)
"Ah." I said as I stepped to the side, "Very telegraphed, my prince."
As Jace stumbled next to me, his wooden sword swinging wildly, I swiftly smacked his behind with my own wooden sword.
"Agh!" He exclaimed as he turned around, "Dammit!"
He had a fierce look on his eye as he readied a stance, circling around me yet again.
"Compose yourself, Jacaerys." I said as I gestured him forth, "Come."
He then lunged and went for a thrust as I so easily deflected it and lightly tapped his shoulder with the tip of the wooden sword.
"Agh!" He yelled in frustration
"Easy." I said as I took several steps away, "Again."
He swung at me, going for my legs as I quickly blocked his attack and waiting for him to pull away. He did so and tried to follow up but instead, I countered by parrying him almost immediately and smacking his knee hard.
"Ahh! That hurts!" He exclaimed
"It would hurt a lot more if it was a real blade." I said with a chuckle, "You're leaving too many openings in your attacks. Attack quickly and calculating, leave no openings for your opponents. And remember, they will not play by the same rules as you, so always expect foul play."
He panted in frustration, I could tell that this whole ordeal was bothering him.
"I think that's enough for today." I heard a voice say
I looked to see Rhaenyra standing there as Ser Steffon stood besides her. She was holding baby Joffrey in her arms as she gave us a smile.
"Mother." Jace said, "I could still go further."
"Mayhaps, but you'll end up with more bruises than you can handle. Not anyone can lay a blow to Aerion the Mighty." She said with a chuckle, "Go and take a bath, supper is nearly ready."
I nodded, "Go on, Jace." I told him as I patted his shoulder
He sighed and walked away, "Fine..." He muttered
I watched as he walked past Rhaenyra who smiled at him.
I walked up to the table in the distance, placing the wooden sword on the table as Rhaenyra looked at me.
"Husband." she said
"My dear Wife." I said, "I was training the Young Prince at his behest."
"That's good." She said, "Would I interest you in a talk in the library?"
I nodded, "Sure."
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"We haven't shared a bed in weeks." Rhaenyra said as I sat down, "Is there a problem?"
I sighed, "No." I said, "I have been busy and well, so have you."
She looked at me, "Aerion." She said, "We have been through this."
I nodded, "Yes, we have." I said, "But....I would like to wait until Joffrey is a bit older...if that's alright with you."
She smiled and reached for my hand, "Very well." she said, "I.....I received a letter from Driftmark."
"What is it?" I asked her
"Lord Corlys has informed the Crown of an issue in the Stepstones." She said, "The Triarchy is beginning to become a pain."
"Ah." I said, "Is that so? Well, something ought to be done about that."
"Hm..." She said, "Indeed. Lord Corlys thinks the same, he has requested for your aid. He means to sail to war."
I frowned, "What?"
"He wants you to take Vermithor to battle." she said seriously, "I refused him."
"Hm." I said, "Well, that's....I don't know."
"You are not going to battle." She said sternly, "Not before we have produced a child, Aerion."
"Well...." I said, "Think of the consequences if I don't aid him. He's clearly asking for my help, I have to do something. I can't let a plead for help go unnoticed....."
"What if you die, Aerion? What happens then?" She said seriously, "Have you considered that?"
"What if he dies, Rhaenyra? My sisters will be left without a grandsire." I replied, "House Velaryon is our strongest supporter, you know that. We can't just leave them to fight a battle by themselves, they would not do the same to us; they would help us."
"But Aerion..." Rhaenyra said before sighing and looking away, "I don't know sometimes with you..."
I frowned, "What is it?"
"You don't want me." she said, "You haven't been in my bed in weeks, you've spent more time with your sister, playing and studying with her. You've been with Jace and Luke, teaching them how to swing the sword properly, which I appreciate but....."
"It's not like that." I said leaning forward, "Why would you think that?"
"You told me that you would accept me, Aerion." She said, "But it feels like you have not done that. And now you make it seem like you're willing to fly off to war....away from me, from what you promised me."
"I...." I said
"You told me you were going to support me, defend me..." she said
"I have been here, Rhaenyra, I have always been here." I said, "You....You know that....Wait, no....that can't be it... something is bothering you, what is it?"
"Aerion..." She looked down as she tried to hold back tears, "Aerion, when my Father.....when I lost my brother....Baelon....and he named me Heir, there was a massive burden that was placed on me. One that I did not think I would be able to handle.....but ever since Aegon was born, I was always waiting for him to change his mind, to name him Heir, but he never once did.....I thought that things would be easier for me when Laenor and I wed...but it got so much worse.....Everything that had happened...even then, I thought Father would change his mind but still, he never once did...."
She looked at me, her eyes slightly red as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Rhaenyra..." I said
"I told you, did I not?" She said, "I could not do this alone. And you would leave me alone to go off and do battle? Why?"
I looked down as I she held my hands, gripping them tightly as I let out a sigh.
"Oh...." I said, "Rhaenyra....I'm sorry...."
"I know, Aerion, I know it must be difficult for you..." she said, "How do you think I feel? To bed a man younger than me.....like you....someone I knew when he was a boy...I am only doing what I feel is my duty. When we finally have a child, maybe everything will be so easier, you told me that."
She was right. I could not just run away from my duty, from the promise I made her. I had to do what had to be done.
I looked at her, she was shedding tears as she leaned forward to me, "Rhaenyra, forgive me....I did not mean for this..." I said softly
She patted my cheek, "I know, Aerion." She told me, "It's time, though, you know that....Please...."
I nodded, "Yes..." I said, "I suppose you're right."
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I walked inside the room, "Princess?" I said as I saw Rhaenyra sitting down on the chair, "You called for me?"
She looked at me with a smile, "Aerion." She said as she stood up, "Come here, I have news to share with you."
It was a few days after Rhaenyra and I slept together for the first time in a while, and I was busy tending to Vermithor when she called for me.
"Yes?" I said as I reached her
She grabbed my hands as she gave me a bright smile, "I have something for you." She told me, "Follow me."
She then pulled me alongside as she walked towards the door.
"Uhm..." I said as I followed her, "Okay?"
After a few minutes of walking, she took me to a room in the armory wing of the castle. She held my hand as she walked towards the middle of the room, a massive sheet covering what I assumed was an armor rack.
"I hope you like this, I had it commissioned for you shortly after we married." She said as she walked over to it, "It took a while because I wanted the best quality for you."
I raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean, Princess?" I asked
She then pulled the sheet off, revealing a display of armor, "Here." She said, "It finally arrived this morrow."
I stood there, a bit baffled at what I was looking at. It was a set of black steel-plate armor, outlined in bronze coloring. It was massive, my exact size, to the dot. The majority of it was black, but I saw that there were Bronze outlining and a bit of a bronze glow to it. The helm was a full-covered one with a dragon on top of it, the dragon having the same color scheme to it.
"Rhaen...." I trailed off as I walked over to it
I placed my hand on the breastplate, feeling the steel beneath my fingers. I then immediately recognized its patterning, despite it being disguised by the color.
"Valyrian steel." She said, "It was quite expensive, an arm and a leg to get it to the right smith to reforge it to your sizing."
"H-How..." I said as I looked at her, "Valyrian steel is rare, too rare. How did you get enough of it to make it into armor?"
"How did your Father find that sword?" She said as she walked over to me, "Tyroshi pirates. They tried to attack Velaryon ships but the Sea Snake repelled them, looting two or three of their ships, he came across this valuable treasure. His thanks as allowing Baela to ward with them..."
I looked at her as she reached for the black cloak that was draped behind the armor, "How in the seven hells are Tyroshi Pirates getting their hands on Valyrian Steel...." I said with a tone of bewilderment
"Perhaps a grove somewhere in Old Valyria?" she said with a chuckle, "It doesn't matter, this is yours, my dear."
She looked at me with a smile, her eyes glimmering.
"I...." I said, "Rhaenyra....thank you...."
She grabbed my hands and raised one of them, kissing it as she smiled, "Of course." She said, "Anything for my dear Husband."
"I...." I said, "Wait....You don't want me to go to war, why give me a shiny new armor that'll tempt me to go and test it?"
"Because I know you won't do it without my permission." She said with a chuckle, "I forbid you from doing it."
I nodded, "Lord Corlys can handle it, The Triarchy is allied with Dorne but their forces aren't too much that he can't handle....." I said, "Very well, Princess, I shall not."
She smiled, "Good.." She patted my cheek, "Can you do it?"
I frowned, "Do what?"
"You have not done it since our wedding?" She said seriously as her thumb ran across my lips, "Other than our nights.....but that is mere passion.....I want to feel it....a genuine one...."
"Oh." I said as my arms instinctively went to her waist, "A-Alright...."
"I will not force you.." She said softly
"No..." I said as I leaned down towards her, "I want to do it...."
I embraced her as our lips met, her arms wrapping around my neck as we kissed. I felt a strong sensation, that of not just passion. It was hard to explain it, I could not put it to words.
Rhaenyra kissed me as she held me by my head, the warmth of our bodies meeting as I embraced her tightly in my arms.
I heard a soft moan through our lips before she pulled away.
"A-Ah...." she said as she looked at me with surprise, "I....Uhm....wow..."
I straightened up, wiping my lips with my finger, "Y-Yea...." I said
"That was nice..." She said softly, "Thank you...."
I nodded, "Of course..." I said
She patted my cheek, "I hope you like your gift..." She said with a smile
"I do." I said, "Allow me to repay you...."
"Tonight."