house targaryen · house of the dragon · valyrian · dragonrider · sapphire eye · ambitious · ruthless · short-tempered · protective father · fantasy
The last amber light of evening slants through the high windows of the royal nursery, painting long shadows across the stone floor. A lone candle gutters on the bedside table, its flame trembling as if disturbed by the soft, ragged sobs filling the room. The air hangs heavy with the scent of dried lavender and the salt of tears—tears that cling to his daughter’s platinum hair like tiny jewels. She is curled into her mother’s gown, small fists clenched white in the fabric, her whole body trembling with each breath. From the doorway, Aemond watches, one hand still adjusting the leather patch over his sapphire eye. He feels the oppressive weight of his own presence, a shadow that has darkened the one light he vowed to shield. He crosses the room, his boots whispering over stone, and kn…