[ She is a cranky thing, Vhagar. Aemond remembers those first years with her were touch and go. She trusted him enough to have the gall to be her rider but little else. He wondered if she mourned her last rider or the one before that or even the one who rode her first. It took a lot of time to find her soft underside, to find what could bring her joy.
Even now, as his hands dutifully itch away at the worn skin and soft scales, she is cautious of the lesser known visitor that eases up to Aemondβs side. The prince monitors the behavior of both. She is still a very dangerous thing, volatile and deadly. Though their bond seems to get deeper as the years grow, she still has much a mind of her own. One big yellow eye follows Alicent, seeming to recognize her roughly spoken valyrian. ]
[ Aemond continues to soothe his hand along Vhagars undercheek as he speaks to her. A low rumble bellows out, either in recognition or not, before the dragon lifts her head up out of reach. Aemond steps in towards his mother and blindly reaches for her other hand at her side as he keeps his sights on Vhagar, attuned to her body language though finding nothing threatening of it. Knowing it may be a bit different from Motherβs perspective.]
Are you ready to climb her?
[ He asks, head slightly tilted towards her as he guides them a step or two back out of Vhagarβs way. Behind them, the keeper sent to fetch the chains has caught up to them to deposit them into Aemondβs free hand. ]
( That palpable, hammering fear lodged in her throat, accompanied by instinct, causes Alicent to step back as the great she-dragon's head raises, but she does not get far as Aemond's hand wraps around her own. Turning her head to keep her sights ( mostly ) on her son's dragon, she looks at him β eyes wide with fear that only seems to surmount when he asks if she's ready to climb Vhagar.
By the Seven, what has she gotten herself into?
Giving her full attention to the dragon once more, Alicent squeezes Aemond's hand, seeking out that comfort and reassurance she has always found in him. (It is unfair for a parent to put that weight onto a child, but their relationship has always been different than what she has with her other children. ) )
The time for backing down has long passed, I fear.
( It is never too late, she knows this, as Aemond would never force her to climb or ride his dragon, but she knows that if she doesn't push herself and do this, she will continue avoiding this, and as she craves to be close with Aemond, she knows she must do this.
Stepping away from Vhagar, Alicent follows his lead, watching the exchange of the chains while also trying to understand the dragon's body language, knowing she will never understand a creature as formidable as she is. )
[ She may be fearful for her life at this very moment, but a smile can't help but crawl further along his lips. Twitching at the corner of his mouth as he fixes the chains over his shoulder, his eye draws to the hand between them as his thumb presses down against her hand. His mother is nothing if not convicted of her actions, a woman who takes her word as gospel. She came here for him and she presses on despite trembling. ]
Fear not. [ It's as simple as that. She only has to trust him.
Vhagar is rested with a gentle rumble under their feet, giving them a still surface to move against. Aemond wraps his hand into the ropes to pull himself into them before helping her do the same.
Possibly her most challenging task of this, but a short one. He's with her every step upward in case she somehow tries to fall. Gradually, he forces her ahead to the saddle where he slips into a seat first before helping her the rest of the way. ]
( If she were not terrified, she might scold him for the smugness she sees pulling at the corners of his lips, but there's little time for that as she's encouraged to grab onto the ropes and begin climbing toward the saddle. Committing to this is a horrible idea; she knows this, but she's doing this for him.
As soon as she pulls herself up, feet supported by the weight and no longer the solid ground, she curses herself. Her arms and legs burn from being used in ways they never have. As a lady of the court who became Queen and now Dowager Queen, Alicent has never needed to build muscle, and climbing towards the saddle of the dragon differed greatly from mounting the saddle of a horse.
She pushes forward, thankful for his help and encouragement as it provides a distraction, allowing her to ignore the protest of her muscles as she finally ascends to the saddle and settles in. )
[ Vhagar is almost solid as the ground beneath their legs. Rumbling quietly with every breath sucked up into her lungs. The prince twists around to sit backward so that he may see her in, choosing to ignore for both their sakes the slight tremor he gleans from the weight of her hand against his. He holds onto it a moment longer before pulling away to strap her into the saddle. ]
The worst of it has passed. [ He placates her like he would his dragon, tightening the strap along her calf. His fingers linger there too, brushing the fabric of her ill-gotten riding trousers as he leans toward the other side.
A thought passes in the gap of his words, thinking almost to mention how he nearly flew off the dragon's back on his first flight. Not a story to share with his mother, at least he is to ensure there's no chance of it happening to her. ] If you feel faint, you only need to hang on.
Has it? ( She questions, disbelief on her tongue, but it holds no sharpness as she looks about them. ) I feel as though it has yet to come.
( As he moves in to tighten the straps at her thighs, Alicent leans towards him, driven by instinct and desire. The simple, fleeting touch is enough to hitch her breath in her throat, resting her forehead against his shoulder as he works on her other thigh. Her hand rests upon his chest, the trembling beginning to calm as her fingers trace over the stitching and quilting of his riding leathers.
There's a soft laugh and a shake of her head. Disbelief that she's actually doing this, but there's no backing out now should the compulsion hit her; she's strapped in and not keen on the idea of climbing down the mighty she-dragon so soon as climbing atop her. )
Alright. ( She gives an affirming nod as she sits up. The color of her face has become slightly pallid as she sucks in a deep breath to calm her nerves and the anticipation growing in her stomach. )
[ When he'd uttered his wish in the warmth of her bed, Aemond had never anticipated he'd actually get her into the saddle. It could be a symbol of devotion, one the young prince is yet to grasp fully, which should mean that she has come all this way for him.
A strange thought tucked and shoved back into darkness as he fixes the last buckle and sits upright with her. His eye searches her face in the passing moment, looking for traces of too much uncertainty. The woman he knows who oft pushes herself too forward and sometimes speaks her dissent too late. Aemond's hand draws up to perch a finger under her chin, the pad of his thumb brushing along its curve. A silent assurance that she needn't be scared.
There and gone in a heartbeat as he shifts again to reorient himself around the saddle so that he might sit forward. Vhagar, attuned to her rider's habits, seems to stir the moment his hands grip the handle. Her long neck lifts back up off the ground with diminished attention towards the keepers down below. ]
We'll stick close to the city walls. A short and easy flight. [ Plenty of ground to take and simple for the wheelhouse to come to fetch them should they need to land before reaching the pit again. His hands gather the reins, prompting the hill they've sat on to rumble in a slow rise. The prince turns his head slightly enough to spot her over his shoulder. ] Ready?
( A smile as fleeting as his touch spreads over her lips, as the worry and uncertainty briefly melt away to reveal the steel resolve and determination beneath. Were she not strapped in, she might have chased after his touch, but with an unknown amount of eyes upon them, Alicent settles against the saddle β mentally and physically preparing herself for what will happen next.
His proposal sounds simple and easy enough, especially for a seasoned rider, but she isn't sure what to expect as someone who has never ridden a dragon. She believes him for a moment and is emboldened by his confidence, but that all finishes when Vhagar begins moving. Alicen't eyes open wide with a wide range of emotions flooding her.
She almost yells for him to stop, that she wishes to get down, but she swallows down the words before they can become alive on her tongue. As terrifying as this might be, this is something she wishes to do, even if it is to please Aemond. )
Yes, ( she replies as she leans forward, gripping the back of his seat as she ignores the impulse to hold onto him as she doesn't wish to be a distraction. As the ground beneath them shakes with Vhagar's might, Alicent looks about them, her eyes still wide and heart pounding in her ears while her knuckles begin to turn white with her grip. She doesn't shy away or hide herself; she wishes to embrace this, even if it scares her.
If Aemond could approach Vhagar at the age of ten and claim her as his own, Alicent could be a little brave and face this fear while also putting the past that she secretly clings to behind her where it belongs. )
[ A few parting commands fling over Vhagar's shoulder, but the great wyrm already knows what's expected of her. They and the saddle they sit on rumble and sway with the might of her wings beating down on the rocky earth. The keepers give her room as she ambles up onto her feet. A rumble in her chest sounds like an excitable drone of death as the she-dragon heaves herself forward, slow at first but gaining steady ground as she pushes ahead to take flight.
Aemond's body knows how to move under a rumbling mountain, shifting his balance along his knees to rock with her then let the rigorous motion knock him back and forth. He's not so negligent or egotistical to let his mother suffer through any of this. One hand is steady at the handle with the lead wrapped around his fist, the other is blindly reaching behind him to find one of her clinging arms. Invite her to bring it around himself to stabilize herself. He took her up here, it's his burden to keep her safe.
When she's secure, he lets her go to hold on as the great flap of wings parachute with air. A deep thwum of air brushes back against the trees as the firmness of the ground gives away from them as they finally kick off into the air. Steady again as they climb higher and higher, the prince's hand slips back down to hold her there to him, peering just slightly over his shoulder and the whip of his milky blonde hair, to see how she fares. ]
( Worried that she might come across as desperate or clingy, Alicent refrained from wrapping her arms around Aemond for comfort and support, but as his hand blindly searches for her and brings it around him, all those notions vanishes as she wraps her arms tightly around him and presses her chest flush against his back. Her body trembles with a mixture of fear and the vibrations thrumming through the great beast.
The jostling and increasing speed are nearly overwhelming, and they haven't left the ground yet. Alicent buries her face against his shoulder, unbothered by the silken strands of silver that brush against her face. The fingers of one hand grip at his leathers while the other splays flat against his lower chest and stomach, fingers slipping through the space between the buckles of his flight leathers.
Feeling the air rush past her and hearing the flapping worn but strong wings, Alicent squeezes her eyes shut as they break away from the ground and begin climbing into the sky. She feels like she might be sick, the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. While she wishes to hide against Aemond, she must show strength and bravery. She must overcome this lingering fear that has stuck with her since adolescence.
She lifts her head and opens her eyes with a slow, reluctant motion. Immediately, they widen, and fear begins to mar her features, but it slips away and is replaced with awe as Alicent leans to look around them. When he looks back at her, there is the beginning of a smile tugging at her lips, and when she turns her attention to him, it pulls into a full one.
She tightens her hold on him, nuzzling her face against his shoulder, and rests her chin upon it. )
Never in my most wild and detailed dreams could I have imagined this.
[ There's relief and a little bit of pride to hear the cheer in her voice. If she had clung to him, claws drawn and desperate as she begged to be let down, he would have abided her without question. There's something precious in her strength to push through. Aemond has never been one to underplay his mother's fortitude, a strength that those around her often let go unseen.
A smile warms the prince's lips, smug with his achievement. Vhagar's wings steady out, fanning out to glide high up in the air. ] Is there no better place?
[ It's a different perspective up here. The tallest towers of the Red Keep stand out among the rolling hills of the city, the people tucked within the crevasses of the streets looking no more than beetles nudging through cracks in the stone. Aemond adjusts his grip along the saddle, keeping the great wyrm gliding along the path of the city walls as he'd promised. The castle's centerpiece haunts their periphery as they make their lazy circle.
With her anxiousness no longer a concern, the prince's hand leaves her to rest at the head of the saddle. Vhagar gently banks as she ventures back towards the pit from which they'd emerged behind. As he'd promised, the flight would be simple. It's barely a taste of what the journey could be like flying down to the Reach. Five minutes of elation and wind is not sufficient projection for a journey that still takes days, but one he hopes is enough to spark a thirst in her for more.]
( A gentle laugh escapes from her at his words, muffled by the whipping air, and her lips pressed against his shoulder. )
I can think of a few, ( she truthfully admits, and while she laughed, her voice remains light with a hint of excitement β no mocking or dishonestly to be found. ) Yet I can see myself growing fond of the sky and the rumbling power beneath me.
( Never would she think to fly alone ( not that Vhagar would allow her ), nor would she allow for either of his siblings to take her aback their dragons because this boldness and courage are for him and him alone. No one, not even her childhood friend before him, has convinced her to take to the sky. She knows that with him, she is safe, and she can let down some of the walls she has built around herself over the years. )
We should fly further next. Mayhaps the Kingswood?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
π Iβm on my phone so I sure hope thatβs the right html for hovertext
Even now, as his hands dutifully itch away at the worn skin and soft scales, she is cautious of the lesser known visitor that eases up to Aemondβs side. The prince monitors the behavior of both. She is still a very dangerous thing, volatile and deadly. Though their bond seems to get deeper as the years grow, she still has much a mind of her own. One big yellow eye follows Alicent, seeming to recognize her roughly spoken valyrian. ]
KonΔ«r, vhagar. Issa hen Γ±uha Δnogar. Kostas kipagon lΔda nyke. KesΔ mazΕregon zirΘ³la
[ Aemond continues to soothe his hand along Vhagars undercheek as he speaks to her. A low rumble bellows out, either in recognition or not, before the dragon lifts her head up out of reach. Aemond steps in towards his mother and blindly reaches for her other hand at her side as he keeps his sights on Vhagar, attuned to her body language though finding nothing threatening of it. Knowing it may be a bit different from Motherβs perspective.]
Are you ready to climb her?
[ He asks, head slightly tilted towards her as he guides them a step or two back out of Vhagarβs way. Behind them, the keeper sent to fetch the chains has caught up to them to deposit them into Aemondβs free hand. ]
guess who's back, back again?
( That palpable, hammering fear lodged in her throat, accompanied by instinct, causes Alicent to step back as the great she-dragon's head raises, but she does not get far as Aemond's hand wraps around her own. Turning her head to keep her sights ( mostly ) on her son's dragon, she looks at him β eyes wide with fear that only seems to surmount when he asks if she's ready to climb Vhagar.
By the Seven, what has she gotten herself into?
Giving her full attention to the dragon once more, Alicent squeezes Aemond's hand, seeking out that comfort and reassurance she has always found in him. (It is unfair for a parent to put that weight onto a child, but their relationship has always been different than what she has with her other children. ) )
The time for backing down has long passed, I fear.
( It is never too late, she knows this, as Aemond would never force her to climb or ride his dragon, but she knows that if she doesn't push herself and do this, she will continue avoiding this, and as she craves to be close with Aemond, she knows she must do this.
Stepping away from Vhagar, Alicent follows his lead, watching the exchange of the chains while also trying to understand the dragon's body language, knowing she will never understand a creature as formidable as she is. )
π
Fear not. [ It's as simple as that. She only has to trust him.
Vhagar is rested with a gentle rumble under their feet, giving them a still surface to move against. Aemond wraps his hand into the ropes to pull himself into them before helping her do the same.
Possibly her most challenging task of this, but a short one. He's with her every step upward in case she somehow tries to fall. Gradually, he forces her ahead to the saddle where he slips into a seat first before helping her the rest of the way. ]
no subject
( If she were not terrified, she might scold him for the smugness she sees pulling at the corners of his lips, but there's little time for that as she's encouraged to grab onto the ropes and begin climbing toward the saddle. Committing to this is a horrible idea; she knows this, but she's doing this for him.
As soon as she pulls herself up, feet supported by the weight and no longer the solid ground, she curses herself. Her arms and legs burn from being used in ways they never have. As a lady of the court who became Queen and now Dowager Queen, Alicent has never needed to build muscle, and climbing towards the saddle of the dragon differed greatly from mounting the saddle of a horse.
She pushes forward, thankful for his help and encouragement as it provides a distraction, allowing her to ignore the protest of her muscles as she finally ascends to the saddle and settles in. )
no subject
The worst of it has passed. [ He placates her like he would his dragon, tightening the strap along her calf. His fingers linger there too, brushing the fabric of her ill-gotten riding trousers as he leans toward the other side.
A thought passes in the gap of his words, thinking almost to mention how he nearly flew off the dragon's back on his first flight. Not a story to share with his mother, at least he is to ensure there's no chance of it happening to her. ] If you feel faint, you only need to hang on.
no subject
Has it? ( She questions, disbelief on her tongue, but it holds no sharpness as she looks about them. ) I feel as though it has yet to come.
( As he moves in to tighten the straps at her thighs, Alicent leans towards him, driven by instinct and desire. The simple, fleeting touch is enough to hitch her breath in her throat, resting her forehead against his shoulder as he works on her other thigh. Her hand rests upon his chest, the trembling beginning to calm as her fingers trace over the stitching and quilting of his riding leathers.
There's a soft laugh and a shake of her head. Disbelief that she's actually doing this, but there's no backing out now should the compulsion hit her; she's strapped in and not keen on the idea of climbing down the mighty she-dragon so soon as climbing atop her. )
Alright. ( She gives an affirming nod as she sits up. The color of her face has become slightly pallid as she sucks in a deep breath to calm her nerves and the anticipation growing in her stomach. )
no subject
A strange thought tucked and shoved back into darkness as he fixes the last buckle and sits upright with her. His eye searches her face in the passing moment, looking for traces of too much uncertainty. The woman he knows who oft pushes herself too forward and sometimes speaks her dissent too late. Aemond's hand draws up to perch a finger under her chin, the pad of his thumb brushing along its curve. A silent assurance that she needn't be scared.
There and gone in a heartbeat as he shifts again to reorient himself around the saddle so that he might sit forward. Vhagar, attuned to her rider's habits, seems to stir the moment his hands grip the handle. Her long neck lifts back up off the ground with diminished attention towards the keepers down below. ]
We'll stick close to the city walls. A short and easy flight. [ Plenty of ground to take and simple for the wheelhouse to come to fetch them should they need to land before reaching the pit again. His hands gather the reins, prompting the hill they've sat on to rumble in a slow rise. The prince turns his head slightly enough to spot her over his shoulder. ] Ready?
no subject
( A smile as fleeting as his touch spreads over her lips, as the worry and uncertainty briefly melt away to reveal the steel resolve and determination beneath. Were she not strapped in, she might have chased after his touch, but with an unknown amount of eyes upon them, Alicent settles against the saddle β mentally and physically preparing herself for what will happen next.
His proposal sounds simple and easy enough, especially for a seasoned rider, but she isn't sure what to expect as someone who has never ridden a dragon. She believes him for a moment and is emboldened by his confidence, but that all finishes when Vhagar begins moving. Alicen't eyes open wide with a wide range of emotions flooding her.
She almost yells for him to stop, that she wishes to get down, but she swallows down the words before they can become alive on her tongue. As terrifying as this might be, this is something she wishes to do, even if it is to please Aemond. )
Yes, ( she replies as she leans forward, gripping the back of his seat as she ignores the impulse to hold onto him as she doesn't wish to be a distraction. As the ground beneath them shakes with Vhagar's might, Alicent looks about them, her eyes still wide and heart pounding in her ears while her knuckles begin to turn white with her grip. She doesn't shy away or hide herself; she wishes to embrace this, even if it scares her.
If Aemond could approach Vhagar at the age of ten and claim her as his own, Alicent could be a little brave and face this fear while also putting the past that she secretly clings to behind her where it belongs. )
no subject
Aemond's body knows how to move under a rumbling mountain, shifting his balance along his knees to rock with her then let the rigorous motion knock him back and forth. He's not so negligent or egotistical to let his mother suffer through any of this. One hand is steady at the handle with the lead wrapped around his fist, the other is blindly reaching behind him to find one of her clinging arms. Invite her to bring it around himself to stabilize herself. He took her up here, it's his burden to keep her safe.
When she's secure, he lets her go to hold on as the great flap of wings parachute with air. A deep thwum of air brushes back against the trees as the firmness of the ground gives away from them as they finally kick off into the air. Steady again as they climb higher and higher, the prince's hand slips back down to hold her there to him, peering just slightly over his shoulder and the whip of his milky blonde hair, to see how she fares. ]
no subject
( Worried that she might come across as desperate or clingy, Alicent refrained from wrapping her arms around Aemond for comfort and support, but as his hand blindly searches for her and brings it around him, all those notions vanishes as she wraps her arms tightly around him and presses her chest flush against his back. Her body trembles with a mixture of fear and the vibrations thrumming through the great beast.
The jostling and increasing speed are nearly overwhelming, and they haven't left the ground yet. Alicent buries her face against his shoulder, unbothered by the silken strands of silver that brush against her face. The fingers of one hand grip at his leathers while the other splays flat against his lower chest and stomach, fingers slipping through the space between the buckles of his flight leathers.
Feeling the air rush past her and hearing the flapping worn but strong wings, Alicent squeezes her eyes shut as they break away from the ground and begin climbing into the sky. She feels like she might be sick, the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. While she wishes to hide against Aemond, she must show strength and bravery. She must overcome this lingering fear that has stuck with her since adolescence.
She lifts her head and opens her eyes with a slow, reluctant motion. Immediately, they widen, and fear begins to mar her features, but it slips away and is replaced with awe as Alicent leans to look around them. When he looks back at her, there is the beginning of a smile tugging at her lips, and when she turns her attention to him, it pulls into a full one.
She tightens her hold on him, nuzzling her face against his shoulder, and rests her chin upon it. )
Never in my most wild and detailed dreams could I have imagined this.
no subject
A smile warms the prince's lips, smug with his achievement. Vhagar's wings steady out, fanning out to glide high up in the air. ] Is there no better place?
[ It's a different perspective up here. The tallest towers of the Red Keep stand out among the rolling hills of the city, the people tucked within the crevasses of the streets looking no more than beetles nudging through cracks in the stone. Aemond adjusts his grip along the saddle, keeping the great wyrm gliding along the path of the city walls as he'd promised. The castle's centerpiece haunts their periphery as they make their lazy circle.
With her anxiousness no longer a concern, the prince's hand leaves her to rest at the head of the saddle. Vhagar gently banks as she ventures back towards the pit from which they'd emerged behind. As he'd promised, the flight would be simple. It's barely a taste of what the journey could be like flying down to the Reach. Five minutes of elation and wind is not sufficient projection for a journey that still takes days, but one he hopes is enough to spark a thirst in her for more.]
no subject
( A gentle laugh escapes from her at his words, muffled by the whipping air, and her lips pressed against his shoulder. )
I can think of a few, ( she truthfully admits, and while she laughed, her voice remains light with a hint of excitement β no mocking or dishonestly to be found. ) Yet I can see myself growing fond of the sky and the rumbling power beneath me.
( Never would she think to fly alone ( not that Vhagar would allow her ), nor would she allow for either of his siblings to take her aback their dragons because this boldness and courage are for him and him alone. No one, not even her childhood friend before him, has convinced her to take to the sky. She knows that with him, she is safe, and she can let down some of the walls she has built around herself over the years. )
We should fly further next. Mayhaps the Kingswood?