(Aerion's POV)
"Will I see you again, brother?" Baela asked me as she held my hand
I frowned, "Of course." I said, "Driftmark isn't too far from Dragonstone, I will fly there with Rhaena any chance I can get, okay? This is merely for your Grandparents to spend time with their kin."
I crouched down, patted her shoulders, and gave her an assuring smile as she looked at me, a sad look on her face.
"I.." she started, "I'll miss you."
"I know." I said, "I'll miss you too. But you see, Lord Corlys and the Princess Rhaenys will feel lonely in their halls....with you there, they will not. Worry not, Sister, we'll write frequently."
She nodded, "O-Okay..." She said
"You are young, my dear." I said with a chuckle, "So much to growing up to do, I will be there in crucial moments, Baela. When Moondancer grows, you and I will take to the skies and fly together. And Rhaena with her dragon when she gets her own."
"Really?" Baela asked
I nodded, "Yes." I said as I pulled her in for a hug, "This is not goodbye, sister."
She hugged me back, "Yes, Brother."
As she pulled away, I saw Lord Corlys standing there with several of his men, some keepers corralling Moondancer as it screeched loudly next to us.
I straightened up, "Lord Corlys, I leave my sister in your care." I said as I gave him a nod
"Lord Aerion." He said as he approached and reached for her hand, "Of course. We will keep you updated on her progress in her studies and dragonriding skills. My wife will gladly teach her all she knows."
I patted Baela's head, "Until we meet again, Sister. Be good to your grandparents." I smiled
She nodded and smiled back, "I'll write you, Brother."
I nodded as Corlys patted my shoulder, "I'll see you later, lad." He said with a smile
"My Lord." I said, "Have a safe trip."
*********************************************
"Is Joffrey asleep, Aerion?" Luke asked me as he pressed himself behind me
"No." I said as sat in a chair next to his cradle, "Not yet."
My arm was down next to the babe, he was holding my finger tightly as he cooed. I looked at him, his big eyes looking up at me with curiosity.
"Will you teach me to ride Vermax on the morrow, Aerion?" Jace asked me as the two boys stood next to me
I nodded, "Sure." I told him, "Go and get some sleep, boys."
"Alright." Luke said as they both walked away
Joffrey cooed loudly, his grip not loosening as I heard the doors open.
"Mother!" Luke said brightly
I looked over to see Rhaenyra in her nightwear, a burgundy robe over her nightgown.
"Boys, have you said goodnight to Joffrey?" She asked them
"Yes, Mother." Jace said
"Good." She said as she patted their heads, "Go to bed now."
She leaned down and kissed them on the forehead as they both walked out of the room. She then straightened up and looked at me.
She patted her robe down and walked over to me, "I didn't expect you to be here with him." She said as she stood next to me
I shrugged, "I heard his crying." I said, "I thought I would see if I could comfort him. I guess I could."
She placed her hand on my shoulder, gently caressing it, "I see." She said softly
I looked down at the babe, he was looking at me. I didn't know what to make of him, he was so small, so fragile....but so full of life....his eyes filled with a childish ignorance, so innocent.....He did not know of anything and deserved no hate in this world. He was not mine, but yet....I felt this responsibility for him.
Was it because he was an innocent boy? Or was it because he was Rhaenyra's son? I did not know.
"Rhaena is asleep." Rhaenyra said, "The boys are going to bed, shall we put Joffrey to sleep? Elinda can look after him should he wake."
I leaned my chin on the side of the cradle, looking at him as he gave me a smile, "Hm.." I said, "What do you wish to do after?"
"I...." She started before clearing her throat, "My Father expects another grandchild...."
"I see..." I said as Joffrey stopped gripping my finger and I moved my hand to his face and caressed his cheek, "I understand."
"We do not have to." Rhaenyra said, "I know that you've been...finishing...outside for a reason. You are not ready."
"Hm..." I said as I looked at Joffrey, lost in his eyes, "I know I said we must do our duty...I apologize for that."
"I will not force anything upon you if you are not ready." She said before pulling away, "If you wish to wait, I-"
"Can we just talk tonight?" I asked her as I looked at her
I saw her face, she had a look of surprise. I saw her hair, loose and draping over her shoulder. The sight that was before me was breathtaking. I've always known she was beautiful, but I never noticed that she was this beautiful, this breathtaking.
"Talk?" She said, "O-Of course, Aerion....."
I nodded, "I'll put him to sleep then." I said, "I'll join you after, Princess."
She smiled slightly, "Okay then." She said before turning around and walking away
**********************************************
"I did not think it would be this difficult," I said as I sat down in the chair in front of the fireplace
I looked over at Rhaenyra who sat next to me, she had a confused look.
"What would be?" She asked
"Fulfilling my duty." I said, "One thing is going around and cutting down criminals....but.....marriage....the Knights of Runestone did not prepare me for this."
"They taught you how to be good, that's well enough." She said as she reached over and held my hand, "We can always wait, Aerion."
"If we wait too long, Rhaenyra, they win." I said as I looked at the fire, "What do you think that Alicent and the others will whisper if we don't produce more children? How far do you think their venom will reach down into my cousins, your siblings? This is my fault, I should have not hesitated."
"I understand if you have doubts, I don't blame you." She told me, "But I don't expect you to be so willing from the start. I was surprised that you would share my bed so soon and....well, I do enjoy you, Aerion."
"It's not that, Rhaenyra..." I said as I felt her firm grip on my hand, "It's....."
"What is it?" She asked me
"I'm afraid." I said softly
"Afraid?" She asked
"Of being a Father." I said seriously, "I will do my best with your boys, I really will. But I don't want to be like him...."
"Aerion, you are not like him." She said reassuringly
"How can you be so sure?" I asked her as I looked at her
"Because I know Daemon Targaryen and you are not him." She said seriously, "Daemon is and has always been a self-interested man, ruthless and cold, complex and ambitious. You.....You are not that. You are good, you are just like your Mother....You are kind, you are gentle but fierce when needed....You are Honorable....A good man..."
She stood up from her seat and walked over to me, sitting on my lap, and wrapped her arms around my neck. I didn't expect her to do this, it took me by surprise.
She patted my cheek, "Do not let your Father ruin your mind." She said softly, "You are better, know that."
"Hm..." I said as I looked into her beautiful eyes, "Is that so?"
"Yes." She whispered as she kissed my forehead, "Whatever doubts you may have, we'll deal with them together, okay? We are Husband and Wife. You may not feel the same, but I feel a certain love for you."
"It's not the appropriate love for our relationship, though, I am sure." I said
"It's still love." she told me, "We'll do our duty when you are ready. We'll bear my Father another Grandchild and everyone will no longer question our Marriage....."
"Hm..." I said
"Tell me what else bothers you." She told me,
"Let it out."
*****************************************************
"Is that what it is?" Rhaenyra said softly as I laid my head on her lap, "Oh, Aerion..."
It was about an hour later, Rhaenyra took me to her bed and laid me on her lap, asking me to open up about what troubled me.
"It is..." I said as I looked ahead
"I, too, have lost my Mother." She told me softly
"You lived enough time to know her, however." I told her, "I did not....."
"Lady Rhea was a good woman, a great Mother." She told me as she caressed my hair, "I knew I could trust her with you."
"I miss her...." I said, "Every day.....every night...I miss her...."
"I know." She said, "I know you do."
"She was taken from me...." I said as a tear rolled down my face, "The gods took her from me.....and he was not there.....he never was."
"Your family, they were there." She told me, "For better or for worse, they raised you and loved you. If it were not for them, you would not be the man that you are."
"I know..." I said, "I know that...but why was he not there?"
"I don't know." She said as she rubbed my chest, "I never know what he thinks.....He's...."
"I am afraid to turn into him, a bitter little man...." I said truthfully
"You will not." She said, "You have me, Aerion....whatever doubts your heart has, I will be here to aid you, don't think otherwise...."
"Thank you..." I said as I closed my eyes, "Thank you, Rhaenyra..."
"Shh...." She said gently, "Just let it overtake you...."
"You need sleep."