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She rushed down the halls to the exit that led to Blackwater Bay, unable to be around Aemond one moment longer. She hurt him. She truly hurt him for the first time since she took his eye and she knew it. How was he beginning to like her already? Why was he the first one to show interest? It made no sense to her.

She walked up to her dragon and ran her fingers over his scales. He didn't move much in her presence, just basking in the sun that beat down on the shore. He was clearly tired from flying most of the afternoon, not budging for Visenya.

"You choose now to be difficult?" She groaned.

"They always do," Visenya turned to see Rhaenys descending the steps, clutching her hands in front of her. "He is marvelous."

"Thank you, Grandmother. He did enjoy that flight to Driftmark. I should fly him further more often."

"You should. You could fly to your new friend above the Iron Islands," She said with a small smirk.

Visenya rolled her eyes but laughed. "I would rather feed him to my dragon than ever hold another conversation with him."

"Well, if war ever breaks out between the greens and blacks, you can guarantee he will swear to the blacks. You and your husband embarrassed him. I would not have done any differently, however, just something to start keeping in mind."

"There will be no Team Green or Black. Not if I can help it," Visenya mumbled.

"And how do you plan on seeing to that?"

"This hypothetical war, it's over Targaryen succession. The Hightowers have no right to call their team the Greens. The Targaryen colors are black and red, it should be Team Black or Team Red. If I have to see another green banner hung in this castle, I will hang myself next to it. My mother and Daemon do not deserve that throne."

Rhaenys watched her with a tight expression. "And you do?"

"No, but I would do anything to make sure they never got it. The arrangement could make Alicent happy. It would be me on the throne with her son by my side."

"Did he put this idea in your head?" Rhaenys asked.

"He thinks I should be queen. But I think deep down, it was always there. But he doesn't know I have created my own secret agenda. If I can make peace with Alicent until then, make her trust me, then I would rid myself of her and Otto the second I am crowned. I don't want this for the crown, I want this for the things I could do to restore our house to its former glory finally. The Hightowers have ruined us."

Rhaenys had a shadow of a smile and nodded. "You are right, their ambition has blinded them. You could deceive them. You were sent here to spy, and I think you spied enough to learn a thing or two. You shall secretly have my support. But I can not make it known until the time is right. You still have much to learn and much to accomplish. You made Alicent quite angry earlier and that will not be easy to return from."

"And I will have to act civil with Aemond," Visenya sighed, using her thumb to rub her brow.

"You seemed civil enough at the tourney."

"Until this afternoon. In a clouded moment, I think we connected, and ... we kissed. But I rushed out and told him it was a mistake."

Rhaenys slowly nodded and sat down on the bench where Aemond usually conducts their Valyrian lessons. "And it scared you?"

"I am not scared," Visenya scoffed. "It's just ... I have hated him my whole life. He has done nothing but bully me and ridicule me for as long as my mind can remember. He has rarely shown any compassion. But last night, he fought not to bed me. He fought my mother and his own, refusing to rape me. That clouded my feelings. I still hate him."

"You are scared, Visenya," Rhaenys said. "You are scared to actually allow someone to truly see you, and you are scared that Aemond would be the one to do it. I understand why, he has been your adversary. But your true foe has always been Daemon. Remember that. If you are to align yourself with the Greens, you have to play the part."

"I am disgusted to imagine myself with the Greens. Both sides disgust me," She rolled her eyes.

"Then imagine yourself on the Iron Throne in a red dress. If you are going to claim yourself the red portion of House Targaryen, remember that. It will be poetic, the Red Queen and the Black Queen. No green in sight because you will be the one to finally rid the capital of them. There is so much at stake," Rhaenys reached for her hands and nodded. "It will be hard. And what I am about to tell you shall be worse; you need to bare a son to further strengthen your claim. Name yourself queen and then you will have the next heir ready, a legitimate boy born of two Targaryens. That way even if they don't like the idea of you being queen, they will see a pure-blooded boy waiting to be king. Not a Strong bastard."

Visenya snickered at the idea. "So my whole claim will be based on my son? Then they won't even be bending the knee to me."

"I said it would strengthen your claim, not be the cause of it. It shows that, unlike your mother, you are faithful to your husband and duties. It makes you look better. If you refuse to have children, they will not want a seemingly barren queen." Rhaenys explained.

"And you suggest I do that soon so that the world can watch him grow and judge his features as he ages to make sure he is legitimate," Visenya mumbled.

"That might be best."

"My claim shall be questioned. I am a bastard, how could I ever be crowned when I am clearly Daemon's child? I would have to be legitimized and even then, I would never have a strong claim."

Rhaenys tilted her head in thought and nodded. "That one is a bit more interesting to work around. Give me some time to maybe think about that one. The fact that Daemon and Rhaenyra did marry later could help you. But ask your husband. He is smarter than people credit him for. As are you, Visenya. Your father raised you with a strong mind and will."

"I want him back more than anything. Nothing makes sense anymore without him. He was the only friend I had."

"Remember that every day. Remember it if you ever start to doubt your decision and wonder if the choice you make is right or not. You know in your heart that your mother is the reason for this. Use that pain."

Visenya listened to her grandmother and nodded, leaning to kiss her cheek. "You have been most helpful. But you must prepare for the fact that Baela and Rhaena will side with Daemon."

"If my granddaughters insist upon the man that murdered their uncle, I shall do all I can with the influence I have over them. You are our best shot, Visenya, to remove them from their station."

"I know," Visenya nodded. "I think that in accepting that, change can begin. If I want to change the current order, I will have to rise above. I just have doubts about whether I have what it takes."

"You do. You are a dragon and I have seen it now, clear as day. You arrived in that dress to anger your mother, you encouraged Aemond to hurt Daemon, and you have every sign of a dragon. You have awakened the dragon, now you must learn how to control it so you don't go mad," Rhaenys explained.

"They don't know mad yet. The moment I become queen, the throne room shall be lined with the heads of Alicent, Otto, Criston, and Larys Strong. There will be no hesitation."

"Try not to become Visenya the Cruel. Then you will lose support."

Visenya looked over at Grey Ghost, beginning to wonder at what stage she turned cruel. All she wanted was blood. She wanted to burn Dragonstone to the ground and everyone in it. Except for her brothers. She would have to accept she would lose the love and support of her brothers in this war.

But she would pay any price to see Daemon's head on a spike.

-

Why?

That was all Aemond could think. Why did she leave? Why did she kiss back? Why did she regret it? Why would she even kiss him if she weren't sure? Why, why, why? It was nagging at him like a pest. He thought he had Visenya figured out. But like every other time he thought so, she turned around and did the opposite.

Which is why she was engulfing him deeper into his obsession. Her lips were not soft, and neither was she. Her years of biting her cheek and lips made them chapped and rough, just like her. Everything about the kiss was what he imagined her to be. And he was enthralled.

Aegon didn't even bother knocking before entering the room and looked around, clearly wondering why Visenya was absent. "Did you scare her off already?"

"Sure," Aemond rolled his eye, adjusting his eyepatch.

"Hm, you are not as fun as her. Where is she?"

"Probably with Grey Ghost, where she always is."

Aegon nodded. "Did you know that one some nights she actually goes out and sleeps against him? Their bond is one for the history books."

"Many things about her are for the history books," Aemond responded.

"It seems so. Such as her husband who is acting like a sourpuss. What has my dear little brother in such a foul mood this time? Are you once again realizing your black, dead heart might actually be beating for once? And for our dear niece, no less?"

"You vex me more than Visenya does," Aemond groaned. "If you must know, I was stupid and I kissed her."

This time, Aegon was speechless.

"And what's worse is that she kissed me back. But then she threw herself back and called it a mistake, running away and probably to her dragon. How the fuck do I handle that?"

Aegon drummed his fingers on the dresser before sitting down on the settee. "She kissed you back? Like, willingly?"

"YES, Aegon. I said that already. Be useful or you may find an exit."

Aegon slowly nodded. "So, you are afraid?"

"When did I say that?"

"Well, you are clearly scared to confront her, which stems from your fear of your feelings, Aemond. You don't like feeling those things for her and it scares you."

Aemond scoffed. "Oh, please. I am far from scared. I was drunk when I said I love her."

"A drunk mind speaks a sober heart," Aegon said.

"You have no room to speak. You fuck any woman willing to spread her legs for you, not even including your own wife."

"Helaena and I have found a blissful routine, thank you. We may not be great lovers but we are decent friends. And I know you, Aemond. You are my little brother and I know you better than most. You defend your own. When Visenya took your eye and Father asked who you heard the bastard rumor from, you could have said me. Mother and I both spoke the words. But you looked at Mother and then you looked at me and that's when I realized all we will ever have is each other and I tried to be a more decent brother. More understanding to you and Helaena. I also respected you for claiming Vhagar."

"And yet you drink more than the narrow sea can hold."

"My drinking has nothing to do with how I am as a brother. It is the only comfort I find in this fucking mess of a family. My mother slaps me around and my own father barely recognizes me because I do not possess the face of his favorite child. Despite our mother, we are still Targaryens. There is so much pressure with that. I am not cut out for the throne she so wishes me to possess."

"On that much, we can agree," Aemond added.

"So then maybe we can agree on your fear regarding your new bride."

Aemond wanted to punch him. "I am not agreeing with that. I am not afraid of her. If anything, she is afraid. Yes ... that is why she ran. She is afraid of me. She realized she might have her own feelings."

At this point, Aemond was talking to himself and Aegon was rolling his eyes at his brother's stupidity.

"If she is afraid and thinks that, then maybe I just need to push her."

"Haven't you done enough pushing, Aemond? You have been pushing her for months."

"And I was wrong that that. The dragon within Visenya is larger than Balerion. Her dragon is there. I meant to push her in more of a sense of flustering her. She blushes like a summer tomato."

"No wonder she is afraid of you, Aemond. You tore her down until there was nothing left," Aegon frowned. "Our niece is not a plaything."

"I was wrong, Aegon. There was nothing to tear down in the first place. Daemon tore her down. It just took me a long time to realize that. I was wrong and all I want to do is apologize but how can I? That girl, with what she has endured, is stronger than all of us. She is going to be the one to burn this world down until Daemon and Rhaenyra burn with it. I used to think she was a pathetic excuse for the name Visenya but now I see she is the best choice for the name."

"You sound like a man in love," Aegon teased.

"I am a man that has grown to respect the hell out of her. I was wrong. And I wish I knew how to say sorry. But if I can get her flustered enough to admit the truth, then I shall be the victor."

"You are an idiot, Aemond. Do you even hear yourself?" Aegon laughed. "Just admit your fear. You love her."

But Aemond was too far gone in his thoughts.

I will have her begging for me soon enough.