Chapter Text
Wasn’t there at least one boy like that in every one of the romantic ballads and tales the septas will tell you in your sleep? You know, the boy, usually a lordling, who manages to find a way to drive all people around him crazy; a boy who could be both beautiful and handsome in an odd sort of way, despite the fact that there is someone out there more amazing to look at. That was his cousin, it seems, wherever he goes. On the day Aerion Targaryen was born by his mother, Dyanna Dayne, Valarr Targaryen was already five. After his third name day, a day spent with a grand feast at Summerhall, Aerion finally met his cousin. And they became close.
Valarr married at the age of nineteen, and it did not take long for him and his wife to try for children. But in just under a year, his wife was unable to give birth to any healthy heirs. Once the perfect union of ‘perfect prince and foreign princess’ vanished, their initial passionate love, according to those who see it in the Red Keep, became something akin to a bland and passing acquaintance. Since then, aside from the King, Daeron the Good himself, Prince Baelor Breakspear, Valarr’s own father, and Valarr’s younger brother Matarys, and two of the staff closely working with the Young Prince—one of the Kingsguard who always sticks to guard him and his designated maidservant since his youth, both claimed by the prince as his dear friends—were the only ones who ever seen the prince's true smile again. Together only five people ever experienced who Valarr really is.
It was an unusual change, a couple of worst experiences that brought together nicely like a perfectly crafted doom to shift the prince the realm once knew of. But for some reason, Aerion found himself attracted to the solemnity. And since he and Valarr still had a closeness, he could only hope to bring a certain peacefulness in his heart, almost as if he were a part of his core. Because Valarr's melancholia also sits deep in Aerion’s soul.
After practically begging his father to be sent to King’s Landing, Aerion found something rare—a depth of affection he did not know was possible.
Blood ties are unrelated when it is about the matters of a Targaryen’s heart.
It was obvious, however, that it would take some time before the one he loves would even consider thinking about love again. But Aerion will always be hopeful, even when Valarr fears another spoiled romance. Nonetheless, he would always show up at his study, and eventually Valarr slowly softens up to the visits and they would be sharing the afternoon until the sun slumbers. It seemed it would only be a few weeks or maybe a moon, before the older prince would come around too. But then day after day, the softness Valarr once had was yet to roll around. Yet even in that, there is a strange balance.
It was the same way when the two of them were just children. Valarr was intense in a way one would normally not be, gentle and good. When Aerion met him, he was sure he would hate every memory latched onto his cousin as he assumed he is too vapid. He was wrong. Whenever Valarr would leave Summerhall, Aerion would be left with an indescribable melancholy that lingers in every hall of the castle. Heavy air in his room would be inescapable, regardless if you come inside the chambers or not. It is impossible to get away from.
Aerion supposes that is the reason he believes that as long as there is someone who will always be there in charge of his heart, as long as they can maintain the order in his soul, someone who is clearly matured and established as a person even in youth, someone, in other words, Valarr Targaryen, then eventually all the bad experiences he would ever learn to experience, despite the time and space, will not push him to something worse than he already is. Such a simple idea, but one that took a while for him to come to terms with.
However, even with this…
Even if the days and distance are kept close together with Valarr but they had made him unhappy in some sort of way, even if they are connected by blood, their bonds will slowly fade away like a dragon losing its rider.
Just like Aerion.