Red hair and Red scales

Haemon 127, The Red Keep

The king's health has been failing slowly but painfully. Half of his face gone now, scabs and other impurities riddled his body. I stood there with Aemond at my side watching the King being cared for by the Maesters.

"My King, news from the Kingswood." He gave a wispy sigh.

"What is it?"

"Bandits your grace." He looked at me and then back to starin gat the flames.

"Bandits?"

"Yes Bandits." Aemond only rolled his eyes, he had long gotten annoyed over his father's failing mind.

"Why are you telling me this Haemon?" I sighed.

"Something needs to be done about them, your Grace. I need permission to raise up arms against them." He continued to look at the fire.

"Bandits?" Aemond walked in front of him.

"yes, father bandits in your Kingswood. We need to do something about this." Father nodded and smacked his mouth.

"Yes. Of course. You have leave to send men." Aemond bowed and left.

"At once, your grace." I bowed and closed the door behind me. Aemond was leaning against the wall waiting for me.

"You need to learn to be more patient Aemond." He rolled his eyes.

"I don't understand how you handle him" I led him to my Solar.

"I do what I must. You need to learn this. Timing is everything. In court or in the battlefield." He nodded then. It was a quick walk from father's chamber to the Tower of the Hand. We stood at the desk overlooking a map of the Kingswood.

"We have reports that they are no more than fifty bandits. We have nothing to confirm this however so I will need you to assemble a hundred of the castle guard and the city watch. Fifty of each. Also bring a few of your mother's guard as well. It's time the Knights of Hightower prove themselves." He nodded and made to leave. "Send for your mother as well."

It was a few minutes before I was joined by the queen. The Cargyll twins flanking her I rose and gave a bow, and she sat down.

"You called for me, Lord Hand?"

"Yes. There have been reports of bandits in the Kingswood. No more than fifty we have been told. I mean to send a hundred men along with a few of your personal House knights to eliminate them. I will lead this venture and I will bring Aemond along with me as is his duty as my squire." She didn't look please that I was bringing Aemond, but only nodded.

"It is good that you are handling this, Lord Hand. But I am afraid I am a bit lost as to why you've summoned me."

"It is no secret that the King's health is failing. So much that he rarely sits the Iron Throne or attends the small council meetings. As I am leaving for this excursion and the Princess Rhaenyra isn't here, you will sit the throne." She only gave a nod. "I called you here to hopefully answer any questions you may have in regard to running the kingdom?" She looked surprised at this.

"I believe I will be fine for a week or two Lord Hand. My father had often spoke of his work as Hand of the King." I nodded and rose, her following me.

"Yes, your father is a wise man. That much I can admit. But in the years passing his departure form Hand, the Kingdom has changed. I will offer you this though. Attend the small council meetings and listen to its advisers. They are smart and chosen well for their position. Now please. I have a campaign to prepare for and I do not want to bore you with the details." She gave a courtesy and left. I sat back down and began planning. It would be long two weeks.

Haemon 127, Kingswood

The battle of the Kingswood was rather pathetic. The bandits were in an open field all in armor that looked like they weren't part of the full set or nothing at all. It was easy to break them. I lead a Calvary charge that shattered their numbers and made them scramble to flee. We lost 3 men, mainly to arrows. We captured ten who surrendered. They were kneeling in front of us begging for mercy.

"Now my fair people. You stole from the Kingswood and terrorized the villages surrounding it. Now it will be your hand or the wall for you." A brave man rose. He was no doubt the leader. A big lumbering man with arms as thick as tree tricks and a beard as red as fire. He had a pretty sword at his waist and his armor looked clean. A rouge knight perhaps?

"I'd rather die than go to the wall or lose my hand" He spat on the ground and Aemond chuckled.

"I'm sure the wall is lucky to not have you amongst its members. Men of far more skill should have the honor. Of service." His face turned red at that.

"Who are you? Questioning my skill with the blade?" Aemond got off his horse.

"Prince Aemond, squire to Prince Haemon the Hand of the King." He didn't look so confident now, yet he still stood his head held high.

"I'll not be talked down to by some pretty prince just off his mother's teat. Give me a blade and let me fight." Aemond looked at me and I shrugged. There will almost be a brave man. I got off my horse and grabbed his sword from one of the guards feeling its weight twilling it with my wrist. Before walking to him and cutting his binds, he had a shocked look on his face, and I dropped the sword at his feet. Aemond looked excited, I only drew Darksister and offered the sword to Aemond. He looked confused; I only gave him a nod of reassurance. The last time he held the blade was when he was a boy, during the trial of Ser Criston. He softly grabbed the hilt, and I got back on my horse. Ser Red, or whatever his name was already in his guard, eyeing me up.

"Oh, you won't be fighting me good Ser. You will be fighting the pretty Prince as you called him." Aemond had finally gotten into his guard. Now pretty a sword Ser Red had. It wasn't quite strong. It broke after two strikes from Darksister, leaving Ser Red here almost parted from shoulder to groin. Though disgusting, it caused all the other members to quickly choose the wall. I got off my horse for Aemond to give me Darksister back.

"Kneel Aemond" He kneeled.

"In the name of the Warrior I charge you to be brave" I tapped his shoulder.

"In the name of the Father I charge you to be just" I tapped his other shoulder.

"In the name of the Mother I charge you to defend the young and innocent." I tapped his other shoulder.

"In the name of the maid I charge you to protect all women." I tapped his other shoulder. He looked giddy, I smiled.

"Now rise as Ser Aemond Targaryen. Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." He rose with a red face and bright smile on his face. The crowd surrounding us gave a great cheer. A small token of happiness after such a battle.

Haemon 127, Dragonstone.

After we returned from the Kingswood the Queen was beaming with pride when Aemond announced he had been knighted. Even Aegon looked happy for his brother. Helaena wouldn't stop talking about not seeing the through the sword. I didn't understand it. But the campaign had gone so well we were only there for a week not two. So, I persuaded Aemond to try his hand at taming one of the Dragonstone dragons. He immediately accepted; it took some time to persuade the Queen, but she accepted after seeing Aemond's excitement. We landed just in front of the caves. I had no desire to see Rhaenyra and Aemond shared my Sentiment. After the events at Hightide, I never fully forgave her. Though it was not her fault, I was her children's. Speaking of the bastards, they had tried to apologize for what happened. They knew after to never see me alone again. No, I didn't harm them. I just gave them some advice about them and my family.

"Now Aemond, there are multiple dragons in these caves. The biggest ones are Vermithor and Silverwing. I would advise to stay away from them. Though not wild, they are shared dragons, often not seen apart. The one that should be easiest to tame is Caraxes. He has not been without a Rider for so long. Far fewer years than the two previously mentioned. Sheep Stealer and the Grey Ghost are shy dragons. They will see you before you see them and will likely eat you or go away." Aemond looked nervous.

"You must be brave to get a dragon. You cannot face it with fear. Gaelithox hummed in my head.

"Yes, little mouse. I remember you being quite scared upon meeting my eye." Shut up you big lump of coal. Gaelithox gave a snort at that.

"I'll try to Haemon." I shook my head.

"There is no try, Aemond. You must do. Dragons can feel you. It is hard to explain but they will know you better than you know yourself. So quickly you must remove all fear from your mind at once." He nodded before putting on a brave face and walking towards the caves.

"I hope he will be ok, old friend" I told Gaelithox who only hummed.

"You have taught him, no? he was your squire, was he not?"

"Yes, he was."

"Then why are you afraid? You taught him well. Believe he will succeed."

"I do believe in him. It's just, the last time I was here. You killed me." He gave a vocal chuckle, which sounded like chirp from a chicken then a dragon.

"Yes. I remember. Yet you came back. With me to ride out on as well." I only looked at him.

"Yet you are not like any other dragon. Our connection is unheard of. Not every dragonrider is killed by their own dragon."

"Maybe little mouse. But your kin is brave. He will live."

"I hope you are right my friend." I fell asleep laying on the side of Gaelithox but was quickly awaken by a mighty roar. It was Caraxes, swinging his long body in the air, blowing clouds of flame in the air. I immediately got on Gaelithox and followed him. We flew around Dragonstone for a few laps than I signaled to land.

"That was amazing brother!" I only chuckled getting off of Gaelithox.

"I am glad you enjoyed it. You are now officially a dragon rider." He gave a bright smile and jumped in the air.

"Caraxes has chosen well" He stopped and looked at me confused. "You do not choose what dragon you find or tame." He still looked confused.

"But you told me which ones to avoid" I nodded.

"I did. It was to make you not nervous. To give you confidence" He looked angry.

"So, I could have died then?" I sighed

"Yes." He looked ready to hit me. "Think Aemond, the time when Dragons are claimed the ones who claim them are young and given the Dragonpit to do it. Young with no fear of death and a place which is known to house Dragons along with the Dragonkeepers. A controlled environment." He still looked iffy.

"You have seen death. You know of it. Caraxes has also seen his fair share of battles. I think it is a fair partnership." Caraxes only gave a sharp whistle at his mention. Aemond only nodded at the mention of Caraxes, his angry mood vanishing.

"Yes, he is a mighty thing."

"Lets go. I don't wish to spend another rblasted minute on this haunted rock, and we must pick up Aemon along the way.

"Why must we pick up Aemon?"

"He is to be you squire."