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House of The Dragon-For The Queen, Not The Prince: What Could Have Been: Chapter 5
🕑 Added 2025-03-29 04:48:15 +0000 UTC(Third Person POV)
Aerion sat on a bench, looking at the flowers in the Secret Gardens. He was thinking about the offer his Father had made him; to go with him and spend time in the Stepstones. He wanted to go but his Mother and Uncle were worried about the possibility of the conflict resuming of the sudden.
Aerion did not mind that, he simply wanted to do something that was not patrolling around The Vale. After a certain time, the Mountain Tribes would not even dare show themselves as the Bronze Fury was too much for them to handle.
He was the Rider of Vermithor and he wanted to prove that.
While the worries that Lady Rhea and King Viserys are valid, Aerion wanted them to be assured that he would be okay.
Aerion sighed and looked down, "Hm...." He said, "It would not be a terrible thing to go out once in a while...."
"Is that so?" a voice said
He looked up, seeing that Rhaenyra was standing a couple of feet away from him, a slight smile on her face.
"Oh, Princess." He said simply
"You have grown so much, Aerion." Rhaenyra said as she walked up to him, sitting in the spot next to him, "I am told you are getting better with the sword."
Aerion nodded, "That is correct."
"I like how brave you feel, wanting to go to a dangerous place like the Stepstones." She said
Aerion looked ahead, "Hm..." He said, "I suppose you would call it brave. I find it no different than The Vale. Danger lurks anywhere in this world. I would like a change of scenery."
"And your father can see that, I imagine." She said
"I believe so." Aerion said
"Having a dragon can give someone so much confidence. Do not hold it against my Father and your Mother if they have doubts." Rhaenyra told him
"I do not." He said, "And I do not hold it against you if you wish for me to go."
Rhaenyra frowned, "Huh?"
"The possibility of war resuming and breaking out is there." Aerion said, "I am no fool, Rhaenyra. One would look at it as you wanting me to go to my death."
"W-Why would you say that?" Rhaenyra said, "Aerion, I would never think that."
"I understand, Rhaenyra." Aerion said without looking at her, "You have lived longer than me. Ten years more, that is. You are not a girl, you are a woman. And whether or not you are a maiden, it matters not. Not to me, at least. Whatever you did before our betrothal is not my business, but my Father is right to be firm and strict about this."
"Aerion...." Rhaenyra said, "I....I am a maiden..."
"My point is, you have experienced more than I have." Aerion said, "And you probably had made some men fall for your charms, I do not blame them. I find you very attractive, I will not lie. If it means anything to you, you are the most beautiful woman in the Realm. But you are betrothed, already meant for someone that is not them. And this is not a song or a folktale, their love for you will not prevail."
"It is amazing how you can flirt with me and still be very blunt." Rhaenyra chuckled, "I always found you to be a very serious boy."
"Harwin Strong, Criston Cole, and any other fool that looks at you with lust...." Aerion said, "The moment I step foot in the Stepstones, they will pray to the gods to have me killed. Because my death is the only way they can even look in your direction now. Unless they are foolish enough to attempt something while I live, that is."
"You have no idea what I am going through." Rhaenyra said, "The amount of intrusion I have in my personal life, Aerion. You have it easy, you could do as you wish, being a man...."
"I thought I was but a boy." Aerion said
"You are tall for a boy." Rhaenyra chuckled, "But....Aerion, I mean it.....I do not wish anything bad happen to you. You are my blood, possibly the only blood that is not influenced to turn against me. Your Mother, I respect her too much to insult you....by doing what your Father accuses me of...."
"We all seek freedom, Rhaenyra." Aerion said seriously, "I suppose even you do as well. I did not want to be placed in this position. Do you know what I want? To ride my dragon in the skies, to fight battles worth fighting for. I do not just have dragon's blood in me, I have Knight's blood....I am a fighter, a warrior...but in the future, I suppose I will be something much more....I am to be your Consort, seeing as you are the Heir."
"I understand...." Rhaenyra said, "If you do go to the Stepstones, I wish you good-fortune. Hopefully, we will see each other in a couple of weeks."
"Right." Aerion said as he stood up, "I will leave you to it, then."
"You can be quite cold sometimes." The Princess frowned
"Forgive me." Aerion said as he pulled a flower out of his pocket and gave it to her, "I do not know how to act in the presence of such a beauty like yourself."
Rhaenyra looked at the white flower with surprise, "O-Oh...." She said as she blushed slightly, "Thank you...."
She took it in her hands and Aerion looked at her with a firm stare.
"One day, I will be a Knight." He told her, "And we will marry. When that happens, you need not worry about anything. I will protect you, it is my duty. Anyone who dares be foolish enough to oppose you, to raise their blade against you, to insult you...."
"I will crush them."
*************
"I do not agree with this one bit, Aerion." Rhea said seriously, "You do not know how bad this could get. You are but a boy!"
"Mother, I love you." Aerion said as he stood in front of her, his back to her, "But I will not repeat myself. I am not a boy anymore. I will prove that to you."
Rhea sighed, "This boy...." She shook her head before looking at her cousins, "Will any of you speak some sense into him?"
They were in the training yard, and several of the Royce Knights were sparring as they awaited their Lady and Aerion.
"What?" Ser Willam said, "He wishes to sniff out battle? I do not see the issue. I hear the Stepstones has eased down."
"It is quite unpredictable, these days." Ser Gerold said as he had his arms crossed, "Lady Rhea is right to be skeptical about this. Even with a dragon, it is quite dangerous. Especially to someone so young."
"It will be only a vacation." Aerion said simply, "I do not see the issue."
"A vacation, he says." Willam said, "It should be fine, Lady Rhea. He fights against the Mountain Tribes from time to time. He knows how to handle himself."
"This is different than taking on bandit tribes." Rhea said with a frown, "This is War! If conflict breaks out, he could be stuck there for months, for years!"
"Not necessarily, he has a dragon." Willam said, "He can always fly out."
"You fool." Rhea said with a sigh, "Do you not understand the kind of man we are raising? The kind of warrior that each of you is helping influence???? Do you seriously think this one will run away from a fight?!"
She gestured at Aerion who was merely glancing at them, his back still turned to them.
Willam smirked slightly, "Easy with that look, Lord Aerion." He said, "You are scaring me."
"I do not run." Aerion said seriously, "Should a conflict arise in the Stepstones again, I will stand my ground."
"Do not take me for a coward."
