Die to live

"Everyone has a sin. Prince Aegon has lust, Prince Aemond has wrath, and Queen Adella has greed. King Aemon is ruled by the most dangerous of all sins, the sin of  pride." Highsepton Barth

Aemon pov

Two reptilian hollow eyes stared back at me, shinning with a bright green hue and a promise of violence. The beast unhinged its mighty maws as the cave was illuminated in a bright green light.

"Keligon nyke udrāzma ao keligon" (stop, I command you stop) I screamed to no avail as he unleashed a torrent of blackish green flames, drowning me in his wrath. I felt the warmth of the flames lick over my flesh as my clothes turned to ash.

Adella pov

BANG

My chamber doors were blasted off their hinges as two Kingsgaurds earnestly rushed into my chambers, their armour clinging and clanging as they turned my chamber upside down attempting to locate me.

"She's not in her," one spoke, his voice filled with apathy.

"Try to sound a little more concerned, brother. The Queen will have our heads if we can't find her and, by extension, the prince," the other one replied, sounding overwhelmed and desperate. He'd clearly not slept for a while if his sluggish movements were anything to go by.

"All this because the prince wants to be a spoiled child; he decides now to act like a child, and why does she think Lady Adella would know where he is?" The fresher of the twins said in a judgmental tone as he started looking through my dresser.

"The Queen thinks she knows, and we do, as she says honestly. The kid gives me the creeps; he's never acted like a kid once; it's almost unnerving being around him." The sluggish one responded with mild revulsion.

"Maybe he really is blessed by the seven; it wouldn't make sense for him to act like a normal kid if he were either way. I don't think we will find her here; she's probably already left. We should go and check the rest of the castle for her," the fresher twin responded as he quickly ran out of the room, followed by his slower companion.

After I was sure they left, I crawled my way out from under my bed, and I dusted myself off. I couldn't help but sigh in relief as I'd escaped by the skin of my teeth.

Honestly, Aemon does the stupidest things, and I have to go along with them. Its exhausting. He had to do this, and I had to follow his lead in this otherwise my plans would all fall apart. That idiot couldn't just be a little patient and let me just hire a faceless man. Granted, who knows when Leanna would have died, but she would die like all souls who are unfortunate enough to be marked by them.

Aemon was a piece of work, though he did have flaws that I had been exploiting and using. He seems invincible before you peel away the layers; he's smart, sure, but he's also reckless, quick to act, obsessive, and very proud.

I had worked so hard to get what I wanted. I will marry him, I will become the Queen, and I will rule by his side, but having to adjust myself to temper his worst impulses is exhausting and often meaningless, seeing as sometimes he ignores me and does stupid things anyway. Men truly are infuriating.

Now if he doesn't come back and dies, I also join him in death, seeing as I will be put on the chopping block. Thanks to my involvement, maybe I could demand a trial by combat, but I can't think of anyone who could stand a chance against the crown's champions. Maybe that man from Lys I've heard about could take on Cole, who would obviously be the crown's champion, being the deadliest and most skilled of the king's guard.

I thought as I continued my sprint to escape the castle. I needed to escape the castle and hopefully wait out till Aemon arrived or prepare for a life of selling oranges in bravos.

As I was reaching the exit of the castle, I spotted a white cloak from the corner as either Ser Erryk or Ser Arryk, stepped out of the corner in front of the exit.

"My lady, you shall have to come with me," he said with authority, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

I tried to turn around to run back, but he was faster, having closed the distance between us remarkably quickly. As I felt his hand tightly grasp my arm, I felt like he would crush the bone if I struggled too much.

"My lady, that wasn't a request; you are to come with me." He spoke in a monotone tone as his grip on me tightened.

I felt a pit in my stomach. I lost, and now my life was definitely over if Aemon didn't return, preferably with a very big dragon. My house would wash their hands of me, and I'd be killed. Damn it, why do the seven hate me? I continued my futile struggle against his grip.

Just then, I felt his grip loosen as he hunched over and fell to the floor, his warm blood splattering all over my face along with his grey matter. I turned around to see Robar standing there with a mace in hand, which was now covered in blood and brains.

"Would you mind cluing me in on what this was all about?" he said in a booming voice as he rested his mace on his shoulder as Ser Cragyll's blood pooled at his feet.

"Well, that was a bit extreme, don't you think?" I spoke with a disappointed voice. He'd just killed a kingsgaurd and made this situation so much worse than it already was. If it wasn't treason before, it definitely is now.

"I just reacted as I thought Prince Aemon would want me to if someone was hurting you," he said in an apathetic voice, not giving any thought or care as to what he'd just done, a politician he was not.

"Well, you're on the chopping block with me, so I might as well tell you the whole story." I spoke, my voice laced with frustration, as I broke down the whole situation for him.

"So that's a gamble; if Aemon doesn't come back with a dragon, you're dead," he said, his worry evident like a loyal dog thinking of his master and mistress before himself. Aemon had wisely chosen a soldier.

"Well, we can play this off from now on. You're my sworn sword, and if anyone asks, you've been it for a long time. When Aemon does come back, it will give you the political protection needed to stop you from getting your head put on a spike for murdering a king's guard to protect me, though it's a thin cover if we don't have Aemon's backing with a dragon. None of this matters." It wasn't the best plan, but it was the only option I had at this point.

He proceeded to get down on a knee and begin to take the oath, which, although unneeded, was valued as we began to run, escape, and hide.

We were running to the beach, and I spotted a cave a bit further away on my walk with Aemon, we could hide there till sunrise, but just then I saw a lone figure standing on the beach waiting for us.

Ser Criston fucking Cole.

Aemon pov

As the flames finally dissipated, I felt the warmth wash away from my body. I had accepted my end, but here I stood alive and unburnt. My hair was gone, along with my clothes, but I was otherwise well.

The eyes of the cannibal stared back at me. I could sense his confusion as he tried to stare a hole through me. His mocking laugh no longer present.

"Prince Aemon, get behind me; it's not safe." I heard a pleading voice shout from behind me as Emilia stumbled into the cave, panting and coughing as she tried to catch her breath.

Fuck shed caught me, leaving my cover blown. I turned to look at her; she wasn't the least bit sacred of the dragons. She moved forward and grabbed my hand, pulling me behind her, using her body as a shield as she put herself between the Cannibal and me.

The dragon in question just stared at me blankly, completely ignoring Emily as if she were a worm not worth his notice his cold eyes kept staring into my soul. I didn't break eye contact as I stared right back at him. I could feel a tug in my mind like a physic pull. Strange to describe, but I felt its emotions: intrigue, confusion, pride, and finally, blood lust. I don't know why, but I could understand him without the need for words. Is this what a dragon bond felt like? Is this why Valeryian blood is special?

Suddenly it moved closer, the cave shaking as he moved the dust from the sand, kicking up as he made his way closer to me. Emila was still looking at it unblinking and still shielding me.

Cay Cay Cay Cay Cay

I felt his laughter. I could understand what he wanted me to do. I felt myself swallow hard. I came in here to subjugate a dragon, but dragons aren't slaves; they are companions, intelligent creatures with a will of their own. I came in here stupid.

Iksos bona skoros ao jaelagon ānogar syt nykeā bond naejot bodmagho issa humility (Is that what you want blood for a bond to teach me humility?) Every dragon had a personality, to my knowledge. Dreamfyre was gentle and passive, Virmithor was proud and Caraxes wild and vicious, but what was the dragon whose layer I'd walked in on her? The Cannibal was bloodthirsty, proud, and most of all, cruel. He wanted to bond with me, but he wanted to show me that he was not some pet but an equal partner.

Cay Cay Cay Cay Cay

His laugh echoed an affirmation of his will. I gritted my teeth, but I had to do what I had to do. I swallowed hard and pushed Emila with all my might to the cannibal, who opened his mouth and swallowed her in a single bite. There was no scream, no cry of betrayal, just the crunching of bone as his jaws ground her to dust.

Blood for a bond I whispered under my breath as he extended his wing for me to climb onto his back. We were leaving the cave as he was still enjoying his moment of victory over me. Although I could feel the physic link being formed with him, I could feel his emotions, and I'm sure he could feel mine.

As I grabbed onto his rough scales and leathery wings, carefully grasping and clambing onto his back right behind his neck, I held him firm as he began to set off.

Just then I saw a blue screen pop up in front of me one that a person would see I'm a video game as a notification.

Bond completed assigning perk to dragon Cannibal; it was short and sweet and vanished after a bit. It seemed like grains perk for a dragon would be spent on him, so our bonding was complete, and the wildest of all dragons chose me as its rider.

He began to make his way out of the cave as it shook with each step he took. Soon he'd stepped out to where Virmithor and Silverwing were. I looked and saw an agitated Virmithor growling at the Cannibal, who was looking at the bronze fury with complete disregard.

Cay Cay Cay Cay Cay.

His mocking laughter echoed through the dragon mound. The laugh that demoralised all who heard, it was an open challenge to all.

I saw the bronze fury back down a little as the Cannibal stepped forward to meet his aggression. Virmithor was spreading his wings in an effort to intimidate the cannibal as he hid a silver wing behind him who seemed to let out a screech of her own. I felt him lose interest in this as he simply walked out of the cave. He seemed to not care enough to brawl with Virmithor. He seemed disinterested.

He stepped out, and I saw the cloudy sky as it rained down furiously, thundered crackling in the night sky as lighting illuminated the world for a moment. Lesser dragons would have been grounded by the weather, but not him. He roared into the sky as if challenging the Seven himself. I could feel his pride radiating off him. He was the Cannibal, the dragon who feasted on dragons, and he was not afraid.

He stepped forward and spread his coal-black gargantuan wings, and with a single flap, we were up in the sky as gusts of wings knocked boulders off the face of the cliff.

Flying on a dragon was an experience unlike any other. It felt liberating as the world washed away all strife and struggle, meaningless true power in one's self, and in one's grasp, it was true freedom to ride a dragon. No wonder every Targaryen is obsessed with it. There is no feeling like it; it's just ecstatic.

We flew around Dragonstone for a little bit, and then I saw lots of people on the beach, so I gestured for it to land there, and it did. It landed with an earth-shattering boom as it kicked up a dust cloud, and I carefully climbed off its back. As I approached them, I saw Adella standing there, being shouted at by my mother, her face a bit red form obvious slaps. I saw Robar on his knees, bleeding profusely from his shoulder, and I saw Rheanyra standing by Viseryes, her whore face having that same triumphant expression, like she had caught me with my pants down. Come to think of it, she had seening as I had no pants.

"What's going on? Someone get Robar a maester and myself some clothes." I cried out, announcing myself. Some of the audience still seemed awestruck or terrified as they looked at the Cannibal.

I could see Adella's eyes shine with a victorious glint, even if she kept her stoic mask on. Her perfect face, reddened with from slaps, made my blood boil. I walked over to her and hugged her in front of everyone. I didn't care if they knew I didn't care what they said. I'm Aemon Targaryen, rider of the Cannibal.

"Aemon, you bonded with a dragon," Viseryes tired voice seemed to get the crowd to break from their shocked trance.

"I did; he chose me to be his rider now. Why is my friend bleeding out? Get him to a measter right now." I saw some people stiffen at my command.

"He has struck down a Ser Arryk Cargyll, and he shall face the consequences," I heard Rheanyra boast in her arrogant tone.

"Why did he do that?" I asked out. I already knew the only reason Robar would do something so stupid would be because he thought I would approve of it, most likely he was protecting Adella.

"He was doing his duty as my sworn shield, protecting me from Ser Arryk." Adella spoke up, her voice sounding vulnerable, so she'd decided to put the maiden mask on in this situation.

"He was protecting her, so he shall face no consequences." I spoke, my voice booming across the beach.

"He killed a kingsgaurd; it was treason, my prince, no matter his reason." Ser Harold spoke up, obviously angered by the death of his sworn brother.

"I gave him authority to do so. I allowed him any means to protect Lady Adella. He was following my command." I dismissed any concern he had.

"And please, tell us why you did such a thing, brother, and what gives you the authority to do so." Rheanyra bit at me, venom seeping from her voice. She'd seen my command as a challenge to her authority, as heir.

"I did it because she's the woman I shall marry, and I can command him because I am the firstborn son of King Viseryes." I shouted back with equal vigour. I basically outright spat on her calim in front of everyone. I could see her losing composure.

Syrax screeched from behind her. I hadn't noticed the glorified house cat at first, and this pissed me off further. If I were born to another king, my authority would have been absolute as heir, but I got this fool. I got this situation. I got stripped off my birthright. I would make her and him suffer for it.

Sensing my frustration I saw Cannibal leap at Syrax as the younger dragon tried to run, but Cannibal bit down on her tail, dragging her in as he pinned her down and sunk his teeth into her throat. Syrax died with a hollow screech as Cannibal began feasting upon her corpse.

Everyone seemed too scared or shocked to move. Rheanyra included; I don't even think it registered for her. This crunching and gnawing from the Cannibal's feast broke her trance.

She tried to run to help Syrax, but Ser Criston grabbed her as she wailed and tried in vain to help her pet.

"Stop him, Aemon, please. I beg off you," she screamed at me, in her desperation.

"I can't a dragon is not a slave; he does as he wants." I snarled back, a lesson I learned with blood, and so will she, it seems.

Viseryes ordered the kingsagurd to take Rheanyra to her chambers along with Adella as we'd reconvene in the morning. I also left after petting Cannibal a bit as he feasted.

"So you decide on a name for him," I heard Adella say as she walked next to me.

"Yes, its APOPHIS."

- The end-

Alright it took a little later than I promised but hey 3,000 words should make up for It right so volume 1 is done I have sorted out volume 2 which will cover everything before the war all the prep and Volume 3 will be the war and the after math

The reason I haven't uploaded are many my co worker got fired so I had to cover his shifts as well my aunt also had surgery and I also lost a friend its been hectic and I couldn't find it in myself to upload for that reason I do apologise

Also the show was so ass each time I looked at it my vibe died so I decided to go book route so show wont matter much after season 1 cause Rayan can't write a consistent character for shit

Also the reason Aemon seems to be growing bolder is cause he has a nuke now

But hey I'm back now and lets be nice to me don't hurt me

Until next time be well