Work Text:
"
I've never seen
someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery
"Aemond, I don't think this is a good idea." Aemond heard the girl walking at his side spoke. There's a tinge of worry in her voice and he could feel the hand resting on the crook of his arm tightening its grip on him. It was summer break and the two friends were currently at the Targaryen's ancestral home, Dragonstone Castle, located just off the coasts of England on an island that's heavily warded to keep muggles away, named Dragonstone. The castle was big and there were dragons carved all over it depicting the history of House Targaryen and the mighty power of their dragons. Huge stones jutted out from the ground, forming stony hills and caves that littered the islands. These caves were where the dragon usually made their nest and the pair were on their way towards the cave where Aemond's dragon, Vhagar, usually stayed.
They were getting closer to the cave, only a few hundred metres left. He chanced a glance at the girl beside him. She looked tense. She was worrying at her lower lip and it felt like her grip on his arm gets tighter the closer they got to the cave. He couldn’t help the small smile that bloomed across his lip and nudged her side with his elbow. “Come on now, Sanne. Aren’t Gryffindors supposed to be brave?” he teased.
She turned her head to give him a glare, stopping in her tracks, making him halt his steps and face her. Her hair was flying about her face from the wind and her lips were pursed, ready to give him a piece of her mind. “Listen, I may be a Gryffindor but I’m not stupid. This is a dragon we’re talking about. The biggest dragon in the world at that. One that can burn me to crisps with just one breath. Anyone with a working brain would be scared!” she said, still glaring at him.
He chuckled at her little rant. “You’ve seen her before, although from a distance, and she was fine with it. I’m sure she’ll be fine with you too this time.” he said, trying to convince her. When he saw that she’s still not convinced, he sighed and leaned down to look into her eyes, gently placing his hand on top of the hand on his arm. “You’ll be okay and I will be with you the whole time. You know I won’t let any harm come upon you, right?” and he really wouldn’t. Not as long as he had a say in it, for he’d come to care for the girl. The one with eyes so expressive and a presence so bright its light managed to seep into the deepest and darkest part of his heart. She, who had been with him since the beginning and stuck by his side through the lowest point of his life; the early days after he lost his eye in a scuffle with his cousins and nephews just right after he claimed his dragon. The one who'd break her back to make him break a smile and pulled him out of his bouts of moodiness.
Aemond watched as she studied his face. Piercing grey eyes, sharp as the cold of winter of her homeland in the North, searched his lilac ones. She let out a huff once she found whatever she was searching for in his eyes and mumbled, “Fine,” under her breath with a pout. He smiled at that and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before taking it into his hold and they continued to walk towards their destination with his hand wrapped around hers.
Aemond felt Sanne move closer to him once they reached the mouth of the cave, partially hiding herself behind him. He looked back at her and gave her a smile and a reassuring squeeze on her hand before leading her further into the cave. It was quite dark, the only lighting came from the mouth of the cave and the torches lining the cave’s walls. They walked a few metres into the cave before stopping once they could see Vhagar’s silhouette. Her hand gripping his tightly at this point.
He turned towards her tense form and squeezed her hand before prying it off of his. “Wait here, okay?” he said in a low voice.
He saw her eyes flitted between him and Vhagar before she nodded, afraid she’d rouse the sleeping dragon if she made a sound. She wrought her recently freed hands together in front of her in a clear sign of nerves.
He turned and stepped closer towards his dragon, the majestic beauty that’s currently sleeping with her head atop her claws. He could feel her slowly waking up through their bond and called out sweetly to her when he reached the side of her head, placing a hand gently upon her scales. “ Sȳz tubis, gevie.” Good morning, beautiful .
Vhagar huffed and kept her eyes closed. He chuckled at that and leaned his forehead against her head. His other hand came up to rub her gently near her eye, a smile on his face. “Ȳdra sagon raqagon bona daor.” Don’t be like that . He let out another chuckle when Vhagar let out another huff and lightly pushed him with a small move of her head before he continued in High Valyrian, "Sīmonagon bē. Konīr iksos nykeā issaros nyke jaelagon ao naejot rhaenagon." Rise up. There’s someone I want you to meet . He said as he looked at Sanne who had been quiet the whole time and gave her a smile. She returned his smile when their eyes met, letting out a nervous sound as she continued to watch him and Vhagar.
That sound was what finally snapped Vhagar awake.
His dragon's eyes opened and singled in on the stranger standing still in front of her and she let out a low rumble from her throat as a warning. She thought the girl was a threat to her and her rider, her instinct to protect him kicking in as she slowly lifted up her head from her claws and watched as the girl's eyes widened and she took a step back.
Sensing this, Aemond quickly put his hand on Vhagar's scales once more to calm her as he had always found it easier to communicate with her when they're touching. "Dohaerās, Vhagar." he said in a stern tone. Obey, Vhagar . "Lykirī." He continued, telling her to calm down.
Vhagar stopped growling but she was still tense. He could hear the swish of her tail against the cave's ground, so he said once more, hand pressing into her scales. "Lykirī," Calm down , "Ziry iksos nykeā raqiros. Ziry jāhor ōdrikagon īlva daor." She's a friend. She will not harm us .
Vhagar continued to watch Sanne, assessing her. She then lowered her head back down after she decided that Sanne wouldn't be a threat. Huffing as she did. This made Aemond chuckle as he patted her scales, whispering fondly, "Good girl." He then turned towards Sanne and extended an arm to her, motioning her to come closer with an encouraging smile.
Sanne took a few moments before she slowly walked towards him. Her hands clenched tight into fists that her knuckles turned white from how tense and nervous she was. When she was halfway towards where he's standing, Vhagar let out a huff of hot air and it made Sanne jump, startled. He could feel his dragon's amusement through their bond and quietly scolded her in High Valyrian before smiling reassuringly towards Sanne. He put an encouraging hand on her back when she finally reached him and went to introduce her.
"Vhagar, rhaenagon Sanne," Vhagar, meet Sanne . "and Sanne, meet my lady dragon, Vhagar."
Vhagar blinked her eyes slowly as she looked at the girl that her rider had brought with him, watched as she fumbled for things to say before settling with a quiet, "Hi." and an awkward curtsy which made the boy laugh quietly. His fondness for the girl bleeding through their bond. Curious . She had never felt fondness this strong from her rider before. Sure, he’s fond of his family, especially his sister Helaena, but never to this extent. It felt nice , she thought, and so she closed her eyes again to bask in the warm feeling.
“Give me your hand.” Aemond softly said to Sanne when she stood after her curtsy, face showing how awkward and unsure she felt. Hesitantly she gave him her hand and he slowly guided it towards Vhagar, placing it on her green scales. A warmth from the part where their skin touched travelled up his arm and spread towards the rest of him, seeping into his bones. It was a nice feeling and Vhagar could feel it through their bond, making her release a low rumbling sound at the back of her throat. The sound reminded Sanne of a cat purring and she couldn’t help the giggle that came out of her mouth, her nerves going away with it.
Sanne’s giggle pulled Aemond’s attention away from their hands. The sound was so lovely, it reminded him of the tinkling of bells in the wind of a warm summer day. He watched as a smile bloomed on her lips and transformed her face. Watched how her eyes lit up like there was a light source lighting her up from within. It consumed him. He felt his peripheral vision blur until she was the only thing he could see. And when she turned towards him with that same smile plastered on her face, he couldn’t stop his lips from forming a smile like he just won a contest. It was then that he decided he’s going to do whatever it takes to keep that smile on her face and to stop anything from ever distinguishing that light inside of her.