Chapter Text
Luke was feeling guilty. He had been feeling bad for a while, but listening to Rhaena, he felt worse
“…And I don’t want to be jealous of Baela. I love her, but she gets special time with Father and Moonadancer and I-“
Jace was nodding along to Rhaena, supporting her in her grief as Balea slept on the other side of the room. However, Luke’s thoughts had turned to the other dragon less prince in the family.
They had been awful. The pig had been awful.
Luke had wanted to apologize, but at first he could not find the words, and then the fight had happened, and they had left.
Now, after moons apart, they were together again.
Luke could set things right. He knew where his mother’s half-siblings were staying. Maybe Aemond would be awake. Luke could apologize.
Yes. Luke would apologize for the pig. And maybe in the morning, he could get Jace to apologize, too. Murmuring a quick excuse about finding his mother, he darted out of the room before Jace could say anything. He knew Jave wouldn’t follow while Baela was asleep, and Rhaena was distraught.
It was not hard to find Aemond. The guards seemed to have disappeared, and Aemond himself was coming out of his room.
“Uncle,” Luke called out to him
Aemond startled and then looked around, scowling when he spotted him.
“Nephew,” he grumbled
“Where are you going?” Luke asked
Aemond shrugged. “Aegon disappeared again. I wanted to look for him before Mother found out. She would be upset.”
Luke nodded. That made sense. Aemond was always scolding Aegon despite being younger. It was funny.
“I can help you look.” He offered
Aemond looked like he wanted to refuse, but Luke spoke on.
“Please!” said Luke, “I wanted to apologize!”
Aemond looked confused, “For what?”
Lue grinned at him, “Well, you have to let me come with you to find out.”
Aemond rolled his eyes and nodded, and Luke fell into step behind him. They started towards the kitchens, where the leftover wine would be.
“He’s developing a taste for it,” said Aemond, “It makes him even more foul than usual.”
Luke nodded, “Speaking of foul, I wanted to apologize about the pig.”
Aemond snorted, “Right,”
“I mean it!” insisted Luke, turning and making Aemon stop, “It was wrong of us to tease you like that. And I felt bad, but I just did not know how to say anything, and we were talking to Rhaena-
“What does this have to do with her?”
“She does not have a dragon either and-“
Aemond’s expression grew dark. “So, you don’t care about me. She just made you feel bad,”
“Wait! No-”
Aemond shook his head and turned away, “Just go away, Luke.”
Determined, Luke caught his uncle’s hand, forcing him to turn back around. His breath caught when he saw Aemond’s face again. The other boy did not look angry anymore, but just very sad.
Luke hated that he had made him feel sad again.
“That was done badly,” he said, “Let me do it again.”
Aemond did not say anything but stayed still. Luke took it as a sign to continue. Taking both of Aemond’s hands in his own, just the way mother did, he started his apology.
“I am very sorry for bringing you a pig like that, and of any other moment I made you feel bad about not having a dragon. It was cruel. My mother would be very disappointed in me if she knew. I hope you can forgive me and we can be friends so when you get a dragon of your own, we can ride together in the skies,”
When he was done, Luke gently squeezed his uncle’s hands and waited to see if the apology would be accepted.
X
Aemond stared at his nephew.
“You think I will have a dragon one day?”
Luke looked startled, probably not expecting the conversation to turn that way, but nodded anyway.
“I see no reason you wouldn’t. There are a few unclaimed dragons on and many unhatched eggs on Dragonstone. One of them must be yours,”
“You think so?” Squeezing the other’s hands until it must have been painful, but Luke only nodded with a smile.
“Of course. Some people just get their dragons later. Uncle Daeon was thirteen, Aunt Laena was fifteen, and Grandma was also thirteen,” said Luke.
“Oh,”
“Does this mean you accept my apology?”
Aemond rolled his eyes but nodded, “Sure,”
He was not going to be able to see Vhagar today, but at least the conversation had been nice.
Halfway to the kitchens, they both heard a mournful roar.
“Poor thing,” murmured Luke, “She must be feeling sad,”
Aemond hummed.
Luke continued, “They want to take her to Dragonstone, her birthplace. I think Rhaena will try to claim her there,”
“Why not here?”
Luke gave him an odd look, “It would be disrespectful to try to claim her so close to Aunt Laena’s death, even if she accepted the bond. Travelling will give them some more time. Uncle Daemon waited a year to claim Caraxes, and even then, it took another year for Caraxes to allow him to complete the bond by flying.”
Aemond had never heard of this before. No one had even told him stories about other Targaryen bonds.
“Did Uncle Daemon ever try to claim a different dragon?”
Luke nodded, “He never had an egg, but Grandma allowed him to try to claim Meleys before she tried.”
Aemond felt confused, “Wouldn’t he have been a small child then?”
“Grandma knew Meleys would be hers, but it was considered proper to allow the dragonless child of her former rider to try first. Uncle Daemon was sad, but he understood in the end,”
Aemond was suddenly very glad Luke had interrupted his little trip. The last thing he wanted was do something improper. And maybe Luke was right, maybe he had to be older to get a dragon of his own. Maybe if he was good, his father would take him to Dragonstone.
They found Aegon coming out of the kitchen with wine. Aemond convinced him to come back to bed, and after they were done shoving Aegon in his room, Luke insisted on walking him back to his.
“I’m glad you accepted my apology,” said Luke, “And I will think of something to make up for the pig incident.”
Aemond just smiled and shook his head.
Outside, Vhagar’s roar echoed again.
“She’ll be following you to Dragonstone then,” said Aemond
Luke nodded.
Aemond sighed, “I wish I could go to Dragonstone. I’ve never been,”
Luke’s eyes lit up.
“I just had an idea!” he said excitedly, and in the oddest turn of events, leaned up and gave Aemond a quick peck on the cheek.
“Good night, Uncle,” he said and dashed off.
Aemond flushed and touched his cheek.
What had that been about?