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As he feels the rush of the wind, Luke prays that his mother won’t mourn his death too much, nor will it start a war that his step-father has been hungry about. He has many regrets and thinks that maybe, just maybe, if he had done what his uncle had asked, he'd already been on his way back home with only one eye but still alive.
And as he crashed into the harsh and cold embrace of the sea, he prayed to the gods that whatever happened, his family would be safe.
But the embrace of the water didn’t end him; instead, he heard the familiar voice of his uncle, “I want to put out your eye as a payment for mine.”
“What?”, Lucerys panicked as he looked around him, hearing the sound of the dagger bouncing on the floor. He then looked at the dagger and back to his uncle, wondering if the gods had answered his prayer for a second chance. If they did, then Luke would not waste this gift.
He will go home. And what is losing an eye compared to being eaten alive by an ancient dragon?
Aemond was still talking about giving Luke’s eye to his mother when Luke strode the floor and picked up the dagger gracefully. He looked at his uncle, whose smirk was quickly dying on his face, and Luke was proud that he still had that effect on his uncle. How quickly he can change Aemond with just a few movements or words.
“After this, my debt is paid.”, Lucerys looked at Aemond and then at the rest of the people inside the room, “With everyone here as my witness.”. Then plunged the dagger into his right eye, ensuring that he matched his uncle’s injury.
He thought he would scream, but instead, he groaned and sucked his breath; he let the sting on his face ground him and bring him back to the present. He didn't want his payment to be made in halves, so with his remaining strength, he pulled the dagger with his eyeball clinging to its blade.
Slowly exhaling, he looks up at his uncle, wanting to see what emotions Aemond is having right now. Aemond was looking at him with emotions that Luke had never seen before. But when his knees buckled, his uncle immediately ran towards him and caught him before Luke even met the floor.
The presence of his uncle suddenly engulfs him as he hears shouts and feet running around the room. He’s being lifted and carried by Aemond, who’s running and shouting at the same time. Luke felt the deep vibrations from Aemond’s shouts, it sounded like an order, a command, and Luke could feel himself whine.
“Uncle?” his hand automatically grabbed his uncle’s collar. He knows he’s crying but not because of his recent injury, “What’s happening?”
“It’s going to be okay. I’ve got you.” Aemond answers gently, but Luke can still hear the edginess in his voice, “Let me take care of you.”
“Aemond? Uncle? I did what you asked; I want to go home.” Luke pleaded
“We are going home, and you don’t need to worry about everything. I’ll take care of you.” Aemond answers. Luke then smells the calming scent his uncle is producing as his head is pushed into his uncle’s neck near the pulse.
Calming Scent?
He felt himself being lowered into the bed as many maesters filled the room. Aemond was on the other side of the bed as they scattered and tended to his wound. His uncle is holding his hand in a gentle way that Luke never thought his uncle could be described with. They were both looking at each other; Aemond was smiling at him, patting his hand, while he was looking at his uncle, wondering if this was part of the seven hells and if this version of his uncle was his tormentor.
He was made to drink the milk of the poppy as Borros entered the room. He goes to Aemond’s side, whispering something that Luke can’t hear, and before unconsciousness welcomes him into oblivion, he hears Aemond laughing.
“It’s a sign of the gods, old and new. He presented because of me. I will be king.”
-
Aemond’s looking at the raven carrying a message he had written to his sister in Dragon Stone. He then slowly walks to where his nephew is sleeping, half of his face bandaged, but his face is still the most beautiful he’s ever seen.
So brave and strong as he maimed himself, but that’s not what Aemond is smiling about. It’s about what happens after, the smell, the scent, the blood so precious that there are now candles and flowers erected on the floor where it was spilled.
It was the realization that his nephew, his Lucerys, is an omega. An omega, one that has Targaryen blood flowing in his veins. It’s a sign given to him by the gods. He’s meant to be king, and his nephew his queen.
Aemond laughs as he sits on the bed, grabbing Luke’s hands and smelling his wrist, his nephew’s scent calms him, and now he understands why he’s been obsessed with his nephew. It's not about revenge. It’s about claiming what is his.
Once Luke wakes up, he’ll fly them back to the King’s Landing, where everyone can smell that omega is with him. And omega, whom everyone thought to be extinct. And they’ll give him the crown, as it’s a tradition of old Westeros and old valyria that if an omega presents itself to someone, then it is meant for them to rule.
And rule, he will.
But for now, he needed to put his focus on his mate. Years of misunderstanding won’t end in a night just because he’s an alpha and Luke’s an omega. He’ll have to show Luke that he will change and care. He’ll let his sister reign for him for a few years, and once Lucerys is swelling his children, he’ll take the crown.
-
Luke wakes up with his mother at his bedside, her head bowed in silent prayer while holding his hands. He’s in his room at Dragon Stone, “Mother?”
Rhaenyra immediately looks at him and gasps, “Oh my sweet boy. My sweet prince.” she then caresses his face. “I’m so sorry. I failed you as a mother.”
Luke tries to sit down while protesting, “No! What are you talking about?”
But Rhaenyra smiled at him as she gently pushed him back to the bed, “The maesters have told me that the stress about the whole situation was one of the reasons why you presented late.”
Luke gave her a confused look, “Presented? Mother, what are you talking about?”
“I should've listened to Harwin when he told me to include secondary genders into your studies.” Rhaenyra closes her eyes and tries not to cry; she kisses Luke’s hands as she pushes a brave front, “Luke, you have presented as an omega. The first one after Queen Rhaenys’s death.”
Even more confused than before, Luke looked at her like she was growing a second head, “Mother, I do not understand a word you’ve just uttered. Secondary genders? Omega?”
Before his mother could answer, the door was harshly opened, and Aemond walked in confidently, “Sister, shouldn't you be back at King’s Landing, reigning your borrowed kingdom?”
Rhaenyra looks at Aemond disdainfully, she’s growling, “I’m just visiting my son, your grace.”
Aemond laughs, mocking, and then growls on his own, “You don’t need to mask your emotions here, sister; we’re family, after all. But your time is up, and I must be with my mate.”
“He’s my son!” Rhaenyra openly growls this time.
“There you go, no more mask.” Aemond laughs again, throwing his head as he laughs. He slowly lowers his head, looking at Rhaenyra, then at Lucerys, “but he’s my mate. By law, he’s mine now.”
Aemond stalks his way to the bed, and when he’s a foot away from Luke, he adds, “You should go back to King’s Landing, Queen Rhaenyra. My people need you; warm my crown and my throne. But remember that I’ll claim what is mine once Luke is pregnant.”
Luke, who’s trying to process everything, from the gender and the growlings to whose sitting on the throne, snaps when he hears about 'his' pregnancy. “What in the seven fucking hells are you talking about?!”