New chapter is live.
Settle in, take your time, and let’s see what waits in the dark 🖤 ✦ [Status] Aelor Targaryen Gift: Dreamer (Gold) Bloodline: Old Valyrian Dragonlord (8% and rising) Skills: Literature (Beginner), History (Beginner) Relics: Blood and Fire Are One (Fire Resistance +50%) Assessment: “Ancient blood shows signs of waking.
With a miracle, he may yet escape his fate.” Aelor looked at the panel in silence.
His bloodline, relic, and assessment had all changed.
“Ancient blood…” He murmured the words under his breath.
“Did Blood and Fire Are One awaken the blood of the true dragon?” “Forget it.
If I cannot understand it now, there is no use giving myself a headache.
Better to keep searching for lost relics.” His body felt much lighter.
Aelor tried jumping down from the platform, and this time he landed safely.
“The Explorer System can heal this weakness.” His brows lifted with excitement, and he silently marveled at his good fortune.
Excitement had not made him reckless.
Still, the young prince needed sleep.
He left the hall.
Outside, night was falling, and servants were lighting the oil lamps along the walls, pushing back the Red Keep’s gathering dark.
No one noticed him on the way.
Before long, Aelor returned to his chambers.
Creak.
He pushed the door open.
The room was dim, lit only by moonlight spilling through the glass windows in a pale haze.
“Who is there?” Aelor demanded from the doorway.
His eyes fixed on the shadowed figure by the window.
“Who are you?” Someone waiting in his bedchamber after dark was rarely a good sign.
“It’s me, Aelor.” The figure turned.
In the moonlight, he saw a young girl in a fitted leather riding dress.
She had the same silver-gold hair.
She looked at him and lifted one shoulder.
“What, miss one nameday and you no longer know your own sister?” “Rhaenyra.
Why are you in my room?” Once he recognized her face, Aelor relaxed, and joy brightened his eyes.
The girl was his elder sister, born of the same mother.
The lawful heir to the Iron Throne.
Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the Realm’s Delight.
Rhaenyra leaned against the window and studied his pale little face, conflicted emotions flickering across her expression.
For an instant, pity softened her expression.
She looked away and hesitated before saying, “Today was your nameday.
As your sister, I should have come to see you.” Aelor smiled, genuinely happy.
“I am glad you came.” “But I do not like namedays.
You know that.” Rhaenyra let out a breath.
“I know.
I paid my respects to Mother today, then came looking for you in the afternoon.
I have been waiting until now.” “You have not eaten?” The question came so abruptly that she needed a moment to answer.
“I had bread this morning.
After that…” “Then you have not eaten.” Aelor cut her off and went to search the drawer beside his bed.
“What are you looking for?” Rhaenyra asked, puzzled.
“Do not worry.
I have supplies.” He took out a wrapped packet of biscuits and handed it to her.
Then he hung a pot of cold tea over the hearth and lit the coals.
“The Red Keep is close to the sea,” Aelor said, sitting by the fireplace.
“Summer or winter, it is always damp and cold.” He patted the place across from him, inviting Rhaenyra to sit.
“How have you been?” she asked.
She did not refuse his kindness.
She opened the biscuits, ate one with easy confidence, and warmed herself by the fire with him.
“Still having nightmares?” “Give me one.
I have not eaten either.” Aelor stole the second biscuit from her hand and answered, “The nightmares follow me like shadows.
I am used to them.” “Where did you wander off to for so long?
You even missed supper.” Curiosity and worry mixed in Rhaenyra’s eyes.
“The Grand Maester said you have been refusing your medicine.
Father and I are both worried about you.” “I only walked around.
I know my own body.
Medicine will not solve the problem, but I believe I will improve soon.” After defending himself, Aelor turned the subject.
“Now tell me.
What did you come to share?” Rhaenyra frowned.
“We were talking about you.” “Every time you come to see me, you come ready to pour out your grievances.” Aelor nibbled his biscuit.
“Dear sister, I am used to being your favorite confidant.” “Brat.” Rhaenyra scoffed.
“It is the same filthy game of power.
Those lords think a woman has no place on the Iron Throne.
They want to drag me down and make Father name Aegon instead.” “Father loves you, sister.” Aelor did not believe King Viserys would hurt his daughter merely because his lords wished it.
“No, he does not!” Rhaenyra’s voice rose sharply.
Aelor flinched and looked up at her.
“I am sorry,” she said at once, lowering her voice as she stroked his hair.
“I did not mean to shout.
The whispers are driving me mad.” “Father wants to marry me to some powerful lord, someone useful enough to strengthen his throne.
It makes me feel like…
like…” “Like chattel being sold?” Aelor gave shape to the thought she could not finish.
“Aelor…” The truth of it struck too close.
Rhaenyra’s eyes reddened, and she took his thin hand as if it were the only solid thing in the room.
Since their mother died, since Father married her closest friend, since Uncle Daemon was driven from King’s Landing, she had had no one left to speak to.
Aside from flying on dragonback, she felt like a lonely ghost drifting through the vast Red Keep.
No one listened.
No one truly helped her.
Rhaenyra gripped her brother’s bony little hand.
“Thank the Stranger he did not take you.
If he had, I do not know who would still care about me.” Aelor shook his head.
“Do not think like that.” “Father has not stripped you of your place as heir.
That means he still loves you.” “The rumors outside are not only beating against you.
They are beating against the father who stands between you and the storm.” Rhaenyra lowered her head.
“But I do not want to marry those vultures.
They do not mean well.
They only want to feed on my flesh.” “If you do not wish it, perhaps I can speak with Father,” Aelor said, suddenly thoughtful.
His face softened as he tried to comfort her.
“If he sees how close we are, he may forget the matter for a while.” “But…” Rhaenyra hesitated, unable to say the rest.
Aelor smiled bitterly.
“I know.
Every time Father sees the son who might die at any moment, he thinks of Mother and sinks into guilt.” “He does not draw close because he fears it will hurt too much when he loses me.” “But I am Aelor Targaryen.
I belong to the sky and the sea.
I cannot spend my life caged in the Red Keep.” His small face was firm, and he looked at his sister with open hope.
Rhaenyra heard the hope beneath his words at once.
Was she not trapped at Father’s side as well, bound by the demands of her claim?
She did not think long before agreeing.
“Very well.
Tomorrow I will take you to Father.
He should remember he is your father, not only the king.” Aelor’s young face broke into a smile.
He leaned into his sister’s arms and rubbed his cheek against her shoulder.
“Sister, this is the nameday gift I wanted.” The cake and celebration meant nothing to him.
All Aelor wanted was love from his own family.
That was not greed.
Rhaenyra held him, resting her chin against a shoulder so thin she could feel the bone beneath his clothes.
Her eyes were distant and helpless.
After a long silence, she whispered with regret, “I wish you were healthy.” “Then you could become everything everyone hoped for.
You could protect me, too.” “Until the Stranger takes me, I will stay with you, sister.” Aelor’s muffled reply came from within her embrace.
In his small world, there were only two family members who truly mattered: his father, Viserys, and his sister, Rhaenyra.
He did not want either of them to be hurt.
✦ ✦ ✦ Want to keep going?
I hope this chapter gave you another reason to stay with the story.
There’s still plenty ahead, and things are only starting to unfold.