Chapter Text
If there was a word that could describe his niece, it would be beautiful.
Not pretty, not cute.
Beautiful.
You called someone pretty when they had a nice face, you called something cute when they were little and still had baby fat.
You used beautiful, when pretty wasn't enough when not only their face but everything about the person was just... Breathtaking.
Lucerys was Beautiful.
The first time Aemond really noticed this was when he was still too young to fully understand what this would meant for him in the future.
He was just running through the halls after his brother and nephew joke, the pig still fresh on his memory, he wanted to rage, not for the stupid, silly joke but for been as idiot to Believe for a second that he would finally have his own dragon.
And then when he turned a corner he crashed against someone, making the other person to almost fall, their body more petty and weak than his own.
He was about to leave when this person held his wrist and before he could pull away they spoke.
"Uncle?" His niece asked with concern in her voice, but he didn't look at her, he was a mess and he didn't want to look like that in front of anyone — specially his bastard of a niece—
"Mov—
"You are a mess, that won't do" She said cutting him and before he could react he was been pulled and he was so shocked that he let her, even when he could have easily pulled away from her touch.
But he really didn't have not place to be and besides he was curious to be honest.
Aemond spent a good amount of time with his nephew and his brother because of their training and their similarity on age, but his niece?
Lucerys spent almost all day on her own lessons and the time she had free she will spent with the king.
The king adored his beloved granddaughter — even more than his own children, his mother said sometimes —
So he didn't really know her that much.
When they finally reached their destination, little Lucerys made him take a seat while she cleaned his face and brush his hair.
It was... Nice.
Not even his own mother did that.
When she was brushing his hair she finally spoke.
"Was all this mess because of my brother and uncle Aegon silly joke?" She asked softly and he made a face at the memory of their laugh and the stupid pig.
"You knew?"
"Uncle Aegons enjoys to share his brilliant ideas and get praise" She informed him and Aemond did remember Aegon talking about their niece a couple of times before, maybe they were more close than what he originally thought...
"They mock me because I don't have a dragon" He answered making a fist, feeling rage and humiliation swell on his chest.
"Uncle" She called stopping for a second. "You don't need a dragon—
"You don't understan— he tried to say but this time she moved so she could look at him eye to eye and he finally got to see her completely.
She had long brown hair and even when this was a common color, on her it look anything but common, it look soft and shiny, with soft waves that fell from her shoulder framing her doll face.
Pretty pink pump lips, with long eyelashes and bright yet kind almond eyes.
She was beautiful.
"You are a Targaryen, you don't need a dragon, you are a dragon" She said holding his chin softly a determined spark on her eyes. "Be a dragon" She added and that was probably the moment his dear niece casted a spell on him.
A curse truly, once he could never get rid off — not that he ever wanted to begin with —
.
Rhaenyra loved all her children equally, but she had to admit that her beloved daughter was the one she had more troubles to understand.
Lucerys was an odd baby, never crying too much, or asking too much attention and as soon as she could start talking and walking Rhaenyra felt like if her daughter will never be stopped.
She started with her father, the king loved all his grandchildren, but it was obvious that he held a special place on his heart for his granddaughter.
Because of the decaying state of the king most children will be wary of him, but no her daughter, Lucerys loved her grandfather and will seek his company in any given opportunity.
Everytime she got a new dress or toy she will go first to show it with pride to the king asking for his opinion.
And the king would smile and would praise her.
It was cute, really.
But then, she started to realize that when this happened his father eyes wouldn't be the only ones on her daughter.
Soon the whole court was praising his daughter, talking about her loving heart that cared for her beloved king, her kindness for always sharing the sweets and treats given to her to the king and any person on their proximity and more than anything
For her beauty.
Rhaenyra hadn't really cared for her children looks, let them be free in what they choose to wear as long as it was appropriate, but little Lucerys had always chosen carefully everything she wore.
Even her make up, she will borrow from a young age and to be honest she will wear it even better than her.
In the beginning she hadn't thought any of it, it was normal for young lady's to care for their appearance from a young age, after all this would help them to get a better marriage prospect but her daughter was already a princess, just by that tittle alone she was to have the best suitors for her hand.
And yet, her daughter always went above and beyond to always be the prettiest in the room. It wasn't only the way she looked, or what she wore, there was something else.
Like if every single move was deliberately made to attract people attention, to allure others and like flies to the honey everyone around her soon or later always fell.
.
Daemon has always knew that his stepdaughter was playing a game.
What game or against who was yet to be determined — He sometimes believed that it was against everyone and other times he believed that everyone was just pieces on her hand —
But she was playing.
And when he saw the way that his nephew Aemond looked a his stepdaughter, he thought that maybe he had finally found the person she was playing against with.
After settle the matter about driftmark — He still felt quite happy about how things turned, he always enjoyed a little bit of chaos and protecting his family — and even before his dear nephew eyes — Well, eye to be more precise, after all his daughter Baela had taken his eyes after the whole affair with Vaghar, while trying to defended his now future husband, and true to be told he felt quite proud about that — had never left his stepdaughter figure.
Of course, this could be because Lucerys was beautiful and many young man — any man to be honest — usually would stare at her when sharing the same space.
But in his nephew eye, there wasn't only lust or desire.
No, no, there was fire there.
That burned hot and it probably took all his nephew thoughts away, only been able to focus on the object of his wanton — a feeling he was all too familiar with —
So when during dinner after Jacaerys asked Haelena for a dance, it wasn't so strange that Aemond asked for Lucerys hand to dance too.
.
"You are tempting me" Said Aemond while they danced, their voices no more than whispers hidden behind the sounds of the music and his dear sister giggles.
"You believe me capable of such a thing uncle?" she asked with a sweet voice, like honey melting on his mouth and yet the smile that she had was anything but sweet it was more close to a smirk than a smile.
"I believe you capable of tempting every single men in westeros with nothing than a look" He answered while he looked at her eyes, the people said that she had the kindest eyes but he knew better.
Be a dragon, she said all those years ago, with a determination and fire that knew no match.
Aemond had become a dragon to try and match that fire, risking his life to get the strongest dragon, training daily to be the best knight, even studying to be knowledge in every field.
To be a perfect match.
So they could lit a whole city when they finally burned together.
"Flattery will get you everywhere uncle" Lucerys answered discretely pressing her body closer to his and he had to restraint a growl.
He didn't just wanted.
He craved and she knew it—
She was happily leading him to the edge of his sanity, and he was willingly following after her.
"There's only one place I want to be" Next to you, he didn't say but it was clearly on his voice, his eye, everything.
"You must know uncle that everything comes with a price and the higher the prize, the higher the cost" She answered this time with a soft smile.
"A dragon doesn't fear anything"
"Is that what you are, dear uncle?" She said, the music finally stopping and before going back to the table she whispered on his ear. "Then be a dragon"
For Dragons take what they want and this time, he was going to get everything he ever wished for.
.
Lucerys knew that she wasn't a hero.
She had a soft, fragile body, and even when she wasn't dumb, she also wasn't the smartest person.
So she used her beauty like a sword and shield.
Instead of rumors about her been a bastard child, born from her mother affair, there were rumors about her beauty all over the seven kingdoms.
Because men where simple and they easily forgot things when they were face with a beauty they could not denied.
Besides, who would dare to say something against the beloved granddaughter of the king? The one he adored oh so dearly.
So yes, she wasn't the smartest or the strongest, but she was the most beautiful which was an accomplishment on its own.
And when her beloved grandfather died that's what she used.
She sent a letter — Well, a dozen letter actually but they all said the same — saying that she will wed the man that would bring her Otto Hightower head.
You didn't have to be a genius to knew that the real person behind everything was his uncles and aunt grandfather.
That man had used his own daughter to get closer to the iron throne and put their family on the top.
And truly, without him, it was bound to start panic and chaos enough to create an opportunity for her mother to take her crown back.
So all she had to do was wait.
"Are you sure about this?" Her mother asked and Lucerys could see the concern on her beautiful violet eyes.
It was a shame that she didn't got to inherent those but oh well, she would do with what she had.
"Don't worry mother, everything would be in our favor soon enough" She answered and before her mother could say something else someone barged into the room announcing a dragons arrival.
Oh, he took less time than what she originally expected.
Good, she hated waiting.
.
Rhaenyra was on edge.
Well, she had been on edge ever since she learned of Alicent betrayal and his brother coronation.
But now she was feeling specially anxious because of the unexpected visit of her youngest brother Aemond.
Specially since he said he had a gift for them.
But still, she let him in into their war council, with her husband at one side, and her oldest children at the other.
Whatever game Alicent was playing, she was not going to get what she wanted.
"Sister" Said Aemond when he entered the room holding a leather bag on his hand.
"Did your mother sent you to deliver her surrender?" She asked right to business, still on edge on the arrogant smirk on her half brother face.
"I'm afraid that right now I'm not in the best terms with my mother, so I don't really know her stance on those matter" He answered making her frown.
"Then why are you here?" Questioned Deamon at her side.
"To collect what it's mine" Aemond answer opening his leather bag and taking something from it that made her blood ran cold.
Like if it was just a toy, Aemond throw Otto Hightower head in the table making it roll to her.
"This is— She tried to say speechless until her husband started laughing. "Daemo—
"Why did it took you so long?" Her daughter asked while she glared at her husband.
"Lucery—
"There was a lot of competition" He answered, her daughter making her way to him, stroking his cheek above his scar softly.
"You better not be wounded, I won't tolerate any damage made to my future husband" Lucerys said with a fire and dangerous edge to her voice that she had never heard before.
"I'm unscathed my love" He answered kissing her hand with loving eyes.
"Good, I don't like other people touching what it's rightfully mine" She said with a possessive edge that made her half brother, smile on delight.
"Whatever you desire" He said with a soft voice like a lover to his missing beloved—
And when this all happened?
How— when— what—
At his side her husband laughed even harder and maybe, after all her daughter was more like her than what she had ever thought.