Abandon All Hope - Chapter 3 (Alone And Forsaken)

Abandon All Hope - Chapter 3 (Alone and Forsaken)

Previous chapter

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Original Female Character

Rating: M

Chapter Warnings: Canon typical. Description of canon injuries (Aemond). See tags on AO3 for more.

The Queen’s chambers were as they always had been, though Aemond had expected nothing different. His mother’s chambers hadn’t changed for as long as he could remember. There was her grand bed to one side, where he’d often run to for comfort as a boy. The two couches with a table in between, where Helaena often sat when she brought the twins to visit his mother. The green draperies around her windows, the seven-pointed star ornaments and statues of the Seven scattered about the room, the neat stacks of papers and missives at her desk, all of it was familiar and as it ever was. 

Even the large, round table that servants had brought into his mother’s rooms was not entirely out of place. It was a common addition on the occasions that his mother requested they join her for a meal when she wished for more privacy than even the smaller dining halls of the Red Keep could offer. Yet despite the unchanging landscape of his mother’s rooms, shadows danced at the edges of his blind spot, growing larger and bolder at the threat of what the day would bring. 

Aemond absentmindedly adjusted the leather strap of his eyepatch as he took a seat across from Helaena and his younger brother, Daeron. To Helaena’s left sat his mother, and across from her, an empty seat where Aegon ought to have been. It appeared his mother hadn’t the patience to drag her eldest son from his bed that morn. If he even made it back to his chambers last night. If he hadn’t joined them by then, Aegon wouldn’t be joining at all.

It was no matter. His youngest brother Daeron made for far better company than Aegon. He’d arrived just the day before from Oldtown, and the last Aemond had seen of Daeron he’d been awkward and gangly, having just turned ten-and-two. Now, his younger brother was nearly of a height with Aemond, muscled from his time squiring for Lord Ormund and tanned from time spent in the sun. His hair, silver like the rest of his siblings, brushed his shoulders, and he had a small scar above his brow. 

Curious, Aemond had asked Daeron about the scar after their evening meal the previous night. “One of the older squires hit me with his blunted sword not even a moon after I arrived,” Daeron had explained. It sat above his left brow, and it escaped neither of them that the scar was on the same side of his face as Aemond’s. He’d seen his younger brother regarding the leather patch as he spoke, and Aemond had made himself scarce before Daeron could open his mouth to say anything.

As Aemond took his seat, Daeron paused briefly to greet him before continuing with his conversation. “Lord Ormund says I might be knighted before the year is out. There’s hardly anyone who can best me. Even Lord Ormund struggles at times.” He didn’t bother to swallow his mouthful of food before speaking, and their mother eyed him with thinly veiled disgust. 

“I do hope my cousin will remember to teach you manners,” their mother chided. Daeron muttered an apology and sheepishly wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and Aemond’s lips twitched in amusement.

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New reader but currently thinking about how much alys would admire brienne. Really hope your jaime does right by her and by himself — D & D will pay for their crimes

Alys would adore Brienne! I feel bad that she's kinda fallen by the wayside in my fic, maybe I'll fix that in future chapters!

Ahhhh!!!! Just started your robb stark fic and made the decision to stalk your tumblr beforehand! I HAVE TO ASK ABOUT THE MEMES MADE BY YOUR DEVOTED READERS — when we say "Aegon" are we referring to my BABY BOY, YOUNG GRIFF?? IS HE A CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK???

WE ARE INDEED!!! He becomes quite a central figure!

Thanks for stalking my tumblr lol. Sorry I haven't been active as much lately! I do lurk, however.

creating is so fun and rewarding and i hate doing it

The Last of Us (2023): “Infected”

Abandon All Hope - Chapter 2 (Shadows)

Previous chapter

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Original Female Character

Rating: M

Chapter Warnings: Suicidal ideation and self harm, just to be safe. Nothing super graphic. Description of canon injuries (Aemond).

A/N: Quick question. Would y'all prefer I just post the whole chapters here as well as on AO3? Or do you really not care either way?

Daenys long ago decided that there was nothing as beautiful as Dragonstone, when observed from dragonback. The castle, with its stone towers warped to the likeness of dragons, appeared as though it was a part of the island itself. So intertwined were they, Daenys was uncertain the island and castle of a shared name could not exist without the other. 

For all that she tried, Daenys couldn’t fathom why Aegon the Conqueror hadn’t made Dragonstone his seat. There was no sight like it; the Red Keep and King’s Landing could never hope to compare. Especially when the weather was fair, and the sun shone off the dark stone of the castle and the water was blue and lovely. Daenys feared no painter could ever capture its likeness. The greed of time would steal away it. 

The wind was fiercer way up high on dragonback, and it snagged tendrils of Daenys’ hair from her braid with ferocity. The sun, free from Dragonstone’s usual cloudy veil, shone down on them and forced Daenys to squint against it. The air smelt of brine and smoke, a scent so unique to Dragonstone, and it remained strong even high in the air as she soared above the island on Silverwing. It smelt of home.

Silverwing trilled as Daenys ordered her lower to skim over the water, sending water spraying up around them and her stomach into her throat. Daenys never grew used to the plummeting lightness of dragon flight, and she hoped she never did. A delighted squeal of laughter rang from behind Daenys, and she peeked behind her shoulder at her closest friend. Rhae leaned to the side to try to reach the water and Daenys directed Silverwing higher, forcing Rhae to cling to her if she wished to keep her balance. 

At Rhae’s indignant squawk, Daenys giggled. There was no real danger of her falling; Rhae was strapped to the saddle same as Daenys. It’d taken nearly a year for Daenys to convince Rhae to ride Silverwing with her before she relented, and Daenys was glad she hadn’t given up. Flying, she found, was far more fun when she had her friend to share it with. 

“Hold on,” Daenys called over her shoulder. 

“No! Daenys, don’t,” Rhae yelled. She clawed her arms around Daenys’ waist and hurled curses into the wind.

Daenys stretched low on Silverwing’s saddle, and with a sharp tug of the reins, Silverwing tucked her wings close and dove straight towards the water. Wind roared past her ears and stung her eyes, Rhae shrieked and cursed in her ear, and Daenys laughed; breathless though she was. At the last moment Silverwing arced upwards, spiraling and weaving back up into the sky. Daenys floated off her saddle, and were it not for the straps holding them down, both she and Rhae would certainly have found themselves in the ocean.

“You arse!” Rhae smacked Daenys’ arm, but she laughed anyway. Daenys smiled and pulled back on Silverwing’s reins, leveling out and steering her to circle the island. 

From this height, the villages below the castle appeared no more than crumbs to be brushed away and forgotten. Galleys and cogs dallied at the ports, and Daenys espied the purple sails of a Braavosi trading ship passing by, likely en route to Driftmark. With another flick of the reins, Daenys steered Silverwing further around the island towards the Dragonmont. 

Dwarfing aught else on Dragonstone, the Dragonmont was a great, looming beast that spat pale gray smoke from its mouth and vents. As they flew towards the volcano, Silverwing flapped her wings and climbed even higher without Daenys’ command. More villages dotted below the Dragonmont, and shepherds and Dragonkeepers picked their way along the rocky paths that scarred the lower half of the Dragonmont. 

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