𝓐𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓣𝓪𝓻𝓰𝓪𝓻𝔂𝓮𝓷
"Well done, Strong! It seems the both of us are eating tonight!" Patting the young lord on the shoulder he smiles back over his shoulder at me, holding up the priced bass to see it better in the sunlight.

We were less than a week's ride from Winterfell and every mile was a mile closer to vindication, to my family.

By now Elaena would know I was coming for her but not in the way I'd hoped.

"I've never loved the sight of fish so much in my life!" Luke laughs, struggling to keep it from slipping out of his grasp.

Time was passing faster now that we'd learned how to keep ourselves busy. I'd call Lucerys a good student but I would say I'm a better teacher.

In just a few days' time, he'd improved not only his swordsmanship but also managed to catch us game for meals once or twice.

Elaena would be proud to see him not only alive but blossoming into a young man and under my supervision at that.

It was often that Lucerys caught me deep in thought about her.

I'd wondered what she was doing right at this moment if despite these lies she still felt this pull between us like I did.

They said absence made the heart grow fonder and seven hells were they right. I never considered myself quite a physical man but when Elaena came into my life I'd become insatiable.

I'd give anything to wake with her in my arms, staring at me as if I was something to look at when in all reality she was... gods she was everything.

Wrapping up our catch for the day we make our way back to camp and cook it over an open flame, ripping it apart like starved animals.

"I don't mind the fish but I'll be the happiest man in the realm when we finally make it to Winterfell,"

With a suggestive smirk, I shake my head at the little lord, "I'm afraid I'll hold that title, Lord Strong."

When I bring up Luke's sister, he makes a disgusted face and it only renders my fit of laughter louder, "Seven hells, Uncle!"

Making him uncomfortable regarding Elaena was becoming my new favorite activity. I not only enjoyed getting to talk about her, but making Lucerys squirm was the cherry on top.

I take the last bite of fish and throw back a swig of water, "Your brother and sister will be stunned to see you alive. You're practically raised from the dead,"

"I'm most worried about the ones we left at Dragonstone... my mother refused violence but if she thinks I've been killed the peace won't last long,"

Oh no...

A son for a son, Elaena's dream.

Of course, how hadn't that occurred to me?

If Elaena had gone to Winterfell she would've left Jaehaeryn where she thought it was safest but was truthfully the second worst place he could be. If Daemon believed Jaehaeryn to be my bastard child despite what we'd told them he could've already put him to the sword.

Luke must notice me lose myself for a moment, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Are you having dirty thoughts about my sister again?!"

Furrowing my eyebrows together I narrow my eye at him, "Not this instance I'm afraid, I'm more concerned about my nephew who's under the care of your vengeful father."

"He's just a child, they'd never-"

"I don't think you have a clue what your mother and father are capable of,"

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

I chuckle to myself, glancing at him over my shoulder as I prepped the horses, "Do you truly not know about Ser Laenor?"

What I say brings him to his feet clenching his fists but he doesn't reply, waiting for me to elaborate and I realize he did see the very best of my sister. Her children were loyal and not out of fear, but out of love.

A few months ago or so I would've taken every chance to ruin Lucerys' perfect image of his parents but right now I felt guilt.

This causes me to hesitate but he takes a step closer, "Well? Let's hear it, Uncle,"

I open my mouth to respond, but a group of voices from the Kingsroad to the east of us echo through the woods, and both of us pause.

From across the small fire, our eyes lock and he waits for my direction, already panicking. We'd been able to keep away from travelers for days but this was more than that, this was a whole group and there was no telling if they outnumbered us.

With each second that passes the voices grow closer and closer.

Grabbing what I can from the horses, I nod to the fire, "Put it out,"

Doing as he's told he wraps his pack around his shoulders, picks up his sword from the ground, "We can fight them!"

We didn't stand a chance this time, despite my admiration for his newfound bravery. We'd gotten by on pure luck the last time.

"Do you hear all those voices, Strong? Here's your next lesson, know when to run,"

Luke wants to argue, but he doesn't, heeding my words and packing up his belongings.

"There's smoke this way!" Someone calls out, their voices getting closer.

Before they reach us I grab a fistful of his cloak in urgency, "Take a horse and go North! Stay alongside the river, I'll meet you-"

"Aemond-"

"GO!" I don't have time to be pleasant with my nephew, pushing him toward the horses, and without my assistance, he helps himself up.

For a moment he hesitates just as his sister would, and though I don't have time to admire his loyalty I slap the back end of the horse, sending them off.

With only a second to spare, I bring my hood over my head and roll headfirst into the overgrown brush, skidding down the steep hill of dry dirt and holding my breath as their footsteps approached.

"Here! Here, my Prince, it's still warm!" a man calls out to the others but I'm more focused on just whom he was calling a prince.

If it was Jacaerys we were saved and I'd sent Lucerys off for nothing, but that was the ideal scenario.

Finally, the familiar voice joins the conversation and my stomach twists into knots when I hear him, my brother.

Aegon hadn't sent just anyone after me, he'd sent Daeron, and I could only imagine how angry Aegon had been that he'd let me get away.

"He's close... and he's left his horse." He chuckles but if I could make it seem I was alone, Lucerys would be safe to escape.

"Should we send a raven to the King?" One of them asks but my little brother replies, "No, we wait until we find him. Aegon wants answers or nothing at all,"

I can tell by the sound of their voices their exhausted. Gods knew how long they'd been chasing us but we were lucky to have our horses to keep us ahead, up until now.

As long as Lucerys could get far enough away I could offer him a distraction. If they think they've caught me, perhaps they won't realize there's another Targaryen worth chasing.

Chilling me to the bone, Tessarion cries out from above, landing in the clearing to greet her rider and I was certain there was no way I'd be able to fight them off now. Mounting his dragon his taunts echo through the tree line down the hills.

"All you seem good at is running brother! Haven't you heard your bastard wife belongs to the Warden of the North now?!" He shouts and though the temperature dropped by the moment my blood boiled, my forehead dripping with sweat.

I couldn't believe him, but was it possible that he knew something I didn't? She didn't truly think I'd abandon her... did she?

"You're the most wanted man in Westeros, Aemond! Not only does your own wife want you dead but your brothers and mother too! Do you regret what side you've chosen, brother!?"

Tessarion could only do so much searching from the sky in woods like these and Daeron knows I couldn't have made it far, so now he would do everything within his power to lure me out.

"My prince! We've found this boy hiding down the Kingsroad, he looked to be waiting for someone,"

I can hardly see up the hill but I know they could only be speaking of Lucerys. All of this was my fault, we should've never stopped to fish if we'd just kept moving...

"Well, what a sweet surprise, the little bastard survived. I'd hoped you were rotting at the bottom of the sea-"

"It seems I rose from the dead, Uncle." Lucerys spits back and I almost chuckle.

"But for how long, little Strong? My brother should've let you fall to the waves," Daeron growls in anger, now not only failing at finding me but failing at killing Lucerys.

There would be no running now, I had no choice but to walk right into their snake pit.

Reaching for trees for support I work my way back up the hill until their voices are just feet away.

Holding my breath I withdraw my dagger, deciding if the both of us were to get caught I wouldn't let it happen without taking at least one or two of his men with me.

"We may not have his whore wife but it seems we have the next best thing,"

At his last mention of Elaena, I emerge from behind the tree and let loose my rage.

Driving my dagger into one's neck, his friend beside him is shocked by me, not having a second to defend himself before I strike an X across his chest with my sword.

"Truly becoming predictable, brother!" Daeron calls out and I'm surrounded in a matter of seconds but I fight them off.

I duck out of the way of an attack after clashing swords with one and then another but feel a slicing pain on my arm. I try to ignore it but I'm severely outnumbered, it was no use.

When I catch sight of Daeron he struggles with Lucerys, holding a knife to his neck and I instantly freeze, "DAERON, DON'T!"

My desperation only brings the smile on his face wider, digging the knife into Luke's neck and suddenly I'm powerless just as I was the night Elaena was almost killed.

"Get the hell off of me! Kill them all, Aemond-"

"Drop your weapons! Or I kill him,"

Eager to save Lucerys I take a few steps towards them but Daeron digs the knife deeper, the blood spilling down his neck as Tessarion roars something of a victory.

"Call my bluff, brother! What difference does it make if everyone in Westeros already believes I killed him?!" His lavender eyes are crazed in a way I haven't seen before and I begin to wonder if this war was taking a greater toll on him than even he realized.

My furious gaze decimates my little brother, the anger unnerving as my nostrils flare, and against all instinct, I drop my weapons.

Lucerys' face falls in defeat as he watches Daeron's men subdue me, taking both of my arms so roughly I think my shoulders may pop from their sockets.

Fighting their grip they push me into the dirt only allowing me up on one knee to catch sight of Lucerys being thrown in front of me with his hands tied behind his back and once his men have me secured Daeron takes his hits.

With a punch to the gut, I keel over, planting my palms in the dirt to keep me upright.

"I'd never pegged my brothers so goddamned pathetic-" I smirk.

Another punch this time to the side of my face.

"You can't even face me without my hands tied behind my back,"

A knee to the ribs.

Spitting a bit of blood into the grass Lucerys gets up to block me from another hit but he's only pushed aside by one of my brother's men.

"And you still wear this ridiculous eye patch, still ashamed of your own face? How that must feel!"

After taking off my eyepatch and throwing it away, Daeron takes a fistful of my cloak yanking me up to my feet to hit me again but this time I headbutt him sending the top of my head into his nose and I hear something crack.

My brother cradled his face but blood seeped through his hands down his fancy golden garb.

"SON OF A BITCH! YOU BROKE MY NOSE!" He cries out in pain gripping the hilt of his knife so tight his knuckles were white, his eyes crazed.

"Bring me the bastard, Aegon will want him alive for now but that doesn't mean I can't have my fun with him."

Two of his knights pick up Lucerys, dragging him front and center while the other three men hold me back, struggling to keep me at bay.

"No, NO- they'll want him back what do you think they'll do if you see what you've done to him?!"

Taking a handful of his hair Daeron tugs Lucerys off the ground, "Can't be much worse than what he did to you... or could it?" His lips tip up in a maniacal grin similar to mine and I wish I'd never taught him that.

While still making eye contact, my little brother makes sure I'm watching as he takes Lucerys' face and digs out a similar scar to mine just barely missing his eye.

"Daeron stop! He's a boy!"

Forced to watch and listen, Lucerys' screams are chilling, similar to mine as a child as they echo through the clearing but out of respect I don't look away.

If he had to experience it as I did, the least I could do was suffer in my own way with him but that doesn't stop the flinching that came with the blood that now poured down my nephew's face and it was my fault.

I was supposed to be protecting him.

Once my brother is satisfied with his handy work he turns Lucerys around to face me but his eyes are shut from the pain, "You desire to be family so bad do you? Now the both of you look even more alike than we do,"

Daeron pushes my shocked nephew onto me and I hold him up the best I can with my restraints but he's practically lifeless.

"Strong, hey. Luke," I try to get his attention but the fight is gone from his body, and with that, the fight is gone from mine.

How? How was I going to get us out of this?

"Tie them together by Tessarion so they're reminded of how easily they can be discarded, and you?" Ripping off my hood he continues, "First thing in the morning, we're leaving for Kings Landing, for the King."

For hours we're tied together back to back and Lucerys doesn't say a word whether it be that he'd fallen asleep, or all his hope had gone.

From afar I watch my brother around the fire with his men that we'd built ourselves for dinner and my stomach growls almost as loud as Tessarion before she'd been fed our horses.

"Luke? Say something," I whisper, hanging my head but nudging him a bit to move him.

"It hurts even to think, Uncle," his voice is broken in his hushed tone and the guilt I feel is deep and deserved.

"Put all your weight against me, maybe you can sleep off some of the pain."

Doing as he's told he leans against my back and sighs in a bit of relief.

"What do you think they'll do to us?" He whispers as if I'd tell him the truth of it. I tilt my head back to get a glimpse of the stars above, hoping Elaena was somewhere doing the same, thinking of me.

"Nothing. The lot of them should fall asleep soon and we may be granted some peace and quiet," Chuckling a bit I try to keep his spirits up but if he laughs I don't hear him.

If we were taken back to Kings Landing there was no telling what they'd do to us.

It was possible they'd use Lucerys as a bargaining tool but I was a traitor to the crown, to the King, I would be killed despite my importance to Elaena and if I was dead, I couldn't protect him, I couldn't protect my wife and I sure as hell couldn't protect my son and nephew.

There was no other option but to get to her or die trying.

Taking a glance over my shoulder I find Tessarion fast asleep. The men weren't the only ones who traveled for days.

I clear my throat as I watch the lids of her eyes but they don't even flutter at my loud cough and I smile to myself. My young ignorant brother had overworked his dragon, she would sleep all through the night if we were lucky.

"If you're making bad jokes can I assume that means you have the plan to get us the hell out of here?" Lucerys' no joke attitude makes me frown at first but I change my perspective, treating it as a challenge, along with getting 'the hell out of here'.

"Listen closely, Lord Strong and you may get your third lesson of the day,"

"And what was the second one, Uncle?" He scoffs and though I can't see his face, I know he's rolling his eyes.

"That I always have a plan, nephew." The corner of my lips tips up in a grin despite the ache in my ribs.

What I'd give to have Elaena wash away my pain as she was so well versed in doing.

Lucerys sits up, his voice still low but surging with hope, "You have a plan?"

I shrug, my gaze fixed on the group of men a few feet away and my brother throws back his head in laughter unbeknownst to the fact that we planned our escape just out of his reach.

"Daeron might've had seven men before but he has two less now, and though it's small it betters our chances."

"And what of the fire-breathing dragon that watches guard?" He speculates but she was what I was least worried about.

"The woods are thick for miles. We get out of here and send a raven to Elaena, it's a risk we'll have to take."

"You think she'll trust you and come?"

"I know she will."

Lucerys doesn't react to my sureness right away but he slowly nods his head in acceptance, "I follow you, Uncle."

I want to scoff and make another joke to ease the tension but my heart swells with his loyalty which I didn't expect after receiving a scar like that.

We only wait for a couple of hours longer before most of the men take to their tents leaving my brother and the first watchmen to the dwindling fire.

"We don't have any weapons. How are we going to fight back?" He whispers itching at the restraints still tied tight around our wrists.

"A weapon could be anything when applied with enough... rage. We focus first on getting rid of this rope."

Daeron notices us talking from the corner of his eye and stands, stalking over to us.

"Saying your goodbyes are you?"

He kneels in front of Lucerys, but my nephew doesn't give him the satisfaction, not even raising his head to look him in the eyes.

"I'd treat me with a little respect considering you may be my cup bearer come morning, Little Lord Strong." Daeron smirks, proud of himself for his clever nickname but Lucerys doesn't react, quite used to the term of endearment I'd been calling him for over a week now.

With no reaction Daeron becomes bored, turning his attention to me. My brother kneels and I'm looking at a younger version of myself, cocky, heartless, living a life fueled by hate and revenge.

"How does it feel, brother? To know you've failed everyone?"

It takes everything within me to keep my mouth shut, to pretend I was submitting but Lucerys and I would get revenge with an army tenfold, I'd promise my nephew this. It was my brother who would carry cups for my children and heirs to come if he was lucky.

Eventually, he gives up before retiring to his tent leaving a lone soldier to watch over us and that would be his first mistake of the evening.

We wait patiently until I'm sure Daeron has had enough time to fall asleep and I clear my throat, earning the attention of the young knight.

"Keep quiet," he barks at me.

"I'm afraid I'm moments away from soiling my breeches, boy."

The knight chuckles with a shake of the head, "That doesn't sound like my problem, one-eye. Serves you right for what you did to my friends," he sulks turning back to the fire.

"It'll be your problem when you smell my pissed-in trousers in your sleep," I grumble convincing him to approach us.

The young boy takes one look at Lucerys' who was pretending to be asleep, and decides he's no threat, just a tired little Lord... but that would be their second mistake.

"Fine. But I'm not letting you out of my sight,"

Smirking to myself I fight the urge to glance at Lucerys.

"Have a desire to see my cock do you? I hadn't realized my wife has been singing such high praises-"

"Seven hells I can see why your own family can't stand you,"

He yanks me up practically dragging me through the dirt but I still manage a look at Lucerys' face scrunched up in disgust and if I could laugh I would.

Picking a tree strategically facing the camp I go to untie the tops of my trousers but notice he's still turned to face me.

"Perhaps a bit of privacy?" I arch an eyebrow at him and after a second he decides against his conscious, turning his back toward me.

The moment the knight turns Lucerys takes his opportunity, crawling on his knees until he can manage to get to his feet and running to the fire.

Lord Strong does just as I told him. He holds his restraints atop the fire but he holds his hands too close to the fire, the rope catching fire faster than he intends.

After taking the longest piss of my life I slowly tie my pants tighter around my waist.

"I'm sorry about your friends, Ser?"

"Ser Grant-" Bringing the rope around his neck I leave him no air to breathe so his death will be silent but I lean in next to his ear to mutter the last words he'll hear, "Give your friends my regards, Ser Grant, remind them of how you all backed the wrong claim."

Gripping the rope incredibly tight his body goes limp in my arms and I let it down slowly to not make a noise but Luke is waving his burning ropes in the air to wave it out.

I go to yell out to him but I bite my tongue going to him instead but my wrists were still tied.

Finally, the rope burns away and he drops it into the dirt, trying to stomp it out but the fire only catches in the brush, igniting everything in its path as we watched in unintentional horror.

From the clearing Tessarion stirs, the first to smell the smoke and I know the rest of them won't be far behind.

"We grab our weapons and go, understood?"

Luke pauses, his gaze drawn to the waking dragon behind us, and the blue beast's chest rumbles, a roar rising from her throat and ringing through the night air.

"STRONG, NOW!"

Daeron is the first from his tent but he's dazed, struggling to find us in the night, but Luke is already using my dagger to free me, handing it off as we grab what we can of our belongings and run for our lives.

"DRACARYS, TESSARION!"

In my little brother's rage, he makes yet another mistake, lighting his own camp ablaze and I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to get away.

"To the woods! Go, don't look back!"

Luke looks at me and for the first time I can clearly see the wound down the side of his face caked with dry crusted blood, and I try not to stare, pushing him in front of me and he listens but this time makes sure I'm still with him.

We barely make it a few feet before we're descended upon by what remained of Daeron's camp.

Being that they hadn't had a chance to put on their armor, my sword slices through them like wet clay leaving them bleeding to death in the dark woods but my little brother wouldn't let me slip away so easily.

Though we'd made it through the first few rows of trees Tessarion's fire reaches beyond as she makes another attack.

She tries to take flight and follow us but the tree branches are too thick holding her back despite Daeron's onslaught of commands to catch us and I almost feel bad for the poor beast.

"I'll burn down the whole forest to find you, brother! I swear to you there will be nowhere to hide from me!"

At the sound of Daeron's voice, Luke turns to see the sky ablaze, the limbs of trees cracking and falling to the dry cold dirt below but we don't slow our pace, running until are legs go limp and we're swallowed by the darkness of the northern woods.

When we arrive at a fork in the road, the world spins and I coil over, struggling to catch my breath as well as Luke and it's not until then that I realize I never grabbed my eyepatch. I'd be instantly recognized now.

"Let me get a look at your wrists," I breathe turning over Luke's chapped burned skin and he flinches at my touch.

"Hmph, it's not too bad. We'll get to the nearest town and have a healer take a look at it,"

"And send a raven to Elaena?" He perks up, his voice hopeful for the first time all night bringing a small smile to my face.

Elaena.

"Yes, Lord Strong. We send a raven to Elaena."

This would all be worth it the moment I laid sight on her and gods be good I'd be seeing her sooner than later but I wouldn't get my hopes up too high to be crushed if we were captured once more, even my frozen heart could only take so much.

***

I had to cut this chapter in half because of how damn long it was but be rest assured the reunion is RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, and the next chapter will be out in a day or two ♥️