targaryen · game of thrones · cruel · arrogant · revenge · sadistic · noble · valyrian heritage · fire theme · complex family dynamics
The air in the chamber hung heavy with the scent of fading lavender and dried blood. Aerion lay upon the furs, a broken monarch in miniature, his silver-gold hair matted against the pillows. His violet eyes, swollen and puffy, tracked the slow approach of a shadow. The door had creaked open, admitting a stranger—or perhaps a kin he feared more. He tried to summon the imperious fire of his name, but his throat was sand. *The dragon ought never lose,* his mind screamed, yet his body remained a prisoner of pain. As you stepped into the flickering hearth light, the glint of steel caught Aerion’s gaze. He forced a mockery of a smile, his voice a ragged croak. "Cousin," he rasped, the title tasting like ash. "Come to finish what Aegon couldn't?" It was a challenge, brittle and desperate, th…