Interestingly, all of the figures depicted in the present lot are two or four legged and many are with wings, apart from the closest square to the center of the design which contains the rather surprising image of a common snail. Neither winged or with legs, this small creature is neither fierce nor bold. It is the personification of patience in life and encourages one to remain calm and tolerant. [x]
Hi! I was reading your latest installment of In Through the Darkness and it got me thinking... Could you write a scenario where one time Aemon was visiting home from the Citadel and he showed his mother his new invention: the Westerosi equivalent of Braille? So she can finally resume reading her books independently, once she learns it?
A/N: your fucking minddddd let me kiss at it real quick because this idea is glorious!!!
Through the Darkness, a book
Maekar Targaryen X Blind!Wife!Reader
Tags: fluff! Pure sweet family fluff, Aemon being the sweetest son that ever existed, Maekar knowing his wife so well
WC: 2.2k
Summary: When Aemon returns to Summerhall for a visit he brings with him a very special gift for his mother. A book, one that she can read with her fingers.
“Do you see the wheelhouse?” You swallowed tensely, fingers twisted so intensely into Rhaes hair that she let out a groan.
“Father!” She whinned and he recused her from your hip with a sigh before putting her on the ground.
“I will tell you when I see it.” He had already told you that twice since the bells blared indicating that guest had arrived at the gates beyond the Summerhall gardens. Aemon was coming home, he’d been at the citadel for a few years now and he was finally coming home for a visit.
“Is that-“ you heard something very distant but it sounded like a squeak. Sounded like a wooden wheel tired from its long journey and not like Rhae’s hands trying to help her climb her fathers leather vest, or Aerion’s fingers tightening around the hilt of the sword he’d been given for his nameday and now refused to not wear for even a day.
“yes!” Maekar said it so enthusiastically that Daeron let out a low chuckle, Dry. Started but not surprised. His father has always been more sensitive than he let on. He has been angry when Aemon leaving was suggested and clearly that anger had been born out a sadness about seeing one of his sons torn from the nest to soon.
“you see him?” Maekar hand was against your back and when he felt his fingers lose contact with the softness of your gown he quickly followed after you. Turning and urging Rhae towards her older sister.
He did not need to command his children to remain there. His look had been clear enough for all his children to understand.
“Aemon!” You called rushing down the cobble path. You could hear the carriage grow closer and when Maekar’s hand was back against you your feet slowed a bit. You weren’t attempting to run, he need not chase you. You just…you couldn’t wait a second longer you wanted to hold him.
Maekar needed only to raise his hand when the wheelhouse neared. The horses haulting and the wheels following suit. He smiled at how you held yourself back from stepping closer. He knew you had little patience to wait and so the moment that it was safe he guided you forward to the handle of the door itself and watched as you yanked it open and Aemons bright short head of hair poked out.
“mother!” He beamed and the boys arms slung over your shoulders. He felt heavy, later Maekar would tell you he looked more like a proper young man than a boy. He was eggs size when he left your home…now he was taller than Aerion was.
“I’ve missed you so.” You hold the back of his head and kiss whatever you are reaching on the side of his face. “I won’t let you go back.” You rubbed his cheek. “We’ve books here son. Plenty for you to read. So many I’ve yet to hear.” You held both his cheeks now. Eyes looking right through him and Maekar saw the momentary fall of his son’s smile.
“Your mother jests. She’d not go against the kings wishes.” Maekar assured. Aemon knew she had not been being serious about her plot to keep him secure within their study. That wasn’t why his face fell. He forgot what it was like to see you. To catch the moment when your eyelids squinted and you tried desperately to make your eyes focus. You always did it when somebody was close to you, always made the effort.
“no…no he’s right.” Your hand drops one of his cheeks and your foot eased off the small step and you feel Maekars hands cup the tops of your shoulder. A assuring squeeze that makes you take in a proper breath for the first time since the carriage door had come open. “I am not immune to selfishness. The maesters get to hear you read all day I’m sure. I miss the stories” you admit with a mournful smile. If you could see the reflecting of it in Aemon’s light lavender eyes you would have foxed it to be brighter, to be more convincing, more joyous!
One of Maekar’s hands moved from your shoulder and he patted aemons and gave him a proud nod. “Come, your siblings are like to run off if you do not make your arrival soon.” He urged them back up the path towards the front courtyard of Summerhall.
“perhaps later, after the feast I could read in the study. I’ve…lots of passages that need to be studied. You could listen if you want.” He told you, hand at your arm during the walk.
“yes, that would be lovely.” He saw a smile he remembered now, and was glad to have that comfort before being tossed back to the chaos that was his brothers and sisters. despite the loudness he did miss them. How couldn’t he?
It was a thrilling first few days of his visit, you were perhaps a bit suffocating of a presence but you just wanted to savor as much of his time here as you could. Maekar had said you may be being a bit much… with all the questions and whatnot but you were simply curious about his studies, how the citidal was run and what new thing the Maesters were working on.
You had a genuine fascination and from the language you used and the conclusions you drew Aemon was sure you had at one point read many of the same scrolls he had. Which was true, but it felt like something that had happened two lifetimes ago for you. The tinctures and tonics that you brewed as a girl felt like ancient history to you now. He was glad to discussing all these matters with you, glad that you did not groan and find some way to escape conversation when it became to scientifically hypothetical like the rest of the family did.
The candles were burnt low when he cleared his throat finally. “do you know why I’ve come home?”
“because you are to start working towards your first link soon and studies will grow more demanding. Because our good king knows a boy should visit her mother on occasion.”
“yes.” He wrung his hands together. “But I also wanted to come home to show you something.” Your brow wrinkled some when you felt his weight lift from the sofa you two were sat on and you heard him put something heavy down on the small table infront of you.
“your presence is the greatest gift Aemon, truly I need nothing more.” You stoked under his eyes with his thumb. A few days and you had already relearned the dimensions of his face perfectly.
“please…I think you might like it a lot. It’s wrapped.” He chewed his lip and watxhed as you huffed out a soft chuckle and pulled the thing into your lap.
“if you insist…” you pulled the wrapping from it carefully and laid your spread hand against the face of it. Fingers feeling leather. Then the edge and finally the corner of paper. “It is so lovely-a book. Could you read some to me now!” You rushed it out quickly. You’d gotten quite a few gifts over the years that were painfully useless and seriously unenjoyable to you. You’d gotten much better at receiving them as time has gone on. You knew how it was not a slight but just people who wanted to be generous but were misguided in their attempt.
“actually,” aemon shifted and pulled the cover open. “I wish to hear you read to me.”
“I do not think this is a folk tale I’ve memorized my love, I-“ you swallowed tensely. “Those ones may be of little interest to you.” You’ve managed to memorize…and partially make up a few stories for the little ones of the years. Listening to nans for hours read to your own babe until you managed to memorize the plot that came with each page turn.
“I can teach you.” He reached for your hand and guided it to the open book. Your finger twitched after he let it down and your lips lost some of the tension they held. You feel something under the pad of your thumb. A raised dot…a few actually and then more all in a row.
“Aemon,” you chewed your bottom lip. “I do not understand…” the concept of this, words felt on a page was novel, and so it took close to a hour for your son to fully explain the concept that he had thought up. The language he desperately wished to created for your fingers so you could enjoy stories without being read them, so you might read his letters in your mind instead of listening to them from Maekar mouth.
He had gone to the maesters, asked their help and together they had created a whole alphabet made from textured dots.
He had directed your hand to the top of the page and began to teach you. He wouldn’t tell you what tale was in your lap, he planned for you to discover it on your own. Letter by letter you began to uncover the reveal. It took three hours. Feeling the book, then the key he had made for you and he gladly cut in with small tips or details that he personally had thought up or insisted on. It was the only lesson that lasted three hours where you were smiling the entire time.
“M. M again like earlier, is that right?” You asked, lip between your teeth because you were focusing.
“yes…it ends with a m.” Aemon confirmed proudly and he watxhed four finger graze of the the title a few more time. Reminding yourself of the other letters you’d practiced.
“Jade Compendium….it says Jade Compendium.” You were breathing heavy like you’d just raced up a hill and your eyes were widened and mouth stretched to show all of your teeth as you beamed.
“yes! Yes, mother that’s right!” Aemon had not raised his voice so loudly in years. But this was thrilling this felt like a cause that was very worthy of some ruckus!
“oh my son,” you pull him closer to you in a tight hug and kiss the side of his head. “This is the most generous gift I have ever received.” You wet his hair a bit with your tears. There joyous ones. He knew that. “Thank you.” You voice shook a bit. This was an entire tale for you to read. More letters to learn and if more stories could be produced in this format you could not only read properly to Daella, Egg and Rhae but you could do so for yourself. A pastime that you once loved could come back to you.
“I want to stay until you know all the letters properly, so I can write more books like this for you.” He squeezed his arms around you and you nodded softly. You’d put up no fight there. More time with him at home, more time sat here on this sofa with him learning a text that would open so much of the world back up to you. “I’ll write to you like this from now on. So you can have more practice.”
“I would like that greatly Aemon, truly.” You sniffled a bit and pulled back to get yourself together. “The Jade Compendium is a good choice…it’s my favorite tale.” You admit to him, just assuming it was a happy coincidence.
Later, after another two hours of tracing dots you fall asleep there on the sofa. Fingers spread in the book and head lulled to the side resting against your shoulder. Too much excitement and learning, plus it was late in the day, aemon knew how the mins got tired when information was dumped into it. He slept quite deeply after pouring through scrolls so he did not find it surprising that you drifted off.
He had gone to the door to tell the guard stood outside of it that you needed to be brought to bed. To Aemons surprise the knight did not just come in himself and gather you, he left and less than ten minutes laters Maekar appeared.
“I wondered if you gave it to her when neither of you appeared for supper.” Aemon earned another proud squeeze to his shoulders from his father’s hand. “Do you think it will work as you intend?” He knew of the book, of the language aemon invented to keep you immersed in this world and all of its tales and histories.
“She is smart, you know this. She already has memorized half the letters.” He proudly says. He knew he must have gotten in intelligence from you. His father was not dull but he was hardly hungry for intellectual stimulation, clearly you were!
“she is.” He nodded and looked at you, slumped slightly into one of the small pillows and he stepped around the table to reach you. Hands shifting under your bottom and back and gathering you up high across his chest.
“she was pleased to know it was the Jade Compendium.” He shared. “Said it is her favorite tale.”
Maekar nodded a bit and he kissed your nose. “Very well.” Aemon has orginally selected something else but Maekar had insisted on this one. He knew you well, you and Aemon were not the only two in this family that knew how to collect information and draw conclusions.
Prequel, Prequel 2, One, Drabble(2), Drabble(3), four, five, six, Family Headcannons, Seven (that’s this one), eight
Something neuroscience-y that helps with prose: attention is selective. A character will not notice everything in a room. They will notice what matters to their goal, fear, desire, training, wound, or obsession. A jealous character notices hands. a hungry character notices food. A soldier notices exits. A lonely character notices pairs. Description becomes character when attention has a bias.
It feels too big to say it out loud. The place i went every day before and after school. The holidays I spent there and the books I read. My shelves are overflowing with the gifts she gave me.
Learned to spell by playing scrabble, learned to count by playing poker. Learned to love and keep my home and heart open for anyone who needs it.
A million years wouldn't have ever been enough. The home i ran away to, the arms I cried in, the place I sat and talked and strategised about how to best help my mum.
She had nothing but love for everyone, safety and warmth and lollies and sneaky full sugar cokes. Everything creative i have was shaped and moulded by her hands, encouraged by her words, built on her pride.
She loved me as a little weirdo and a big weirdo and an unconventional path. Loved all of us.
summary. as a struggling college student at king’s landing university your best friend kiera suggests getting a part time job, and what better opportunity than to babysit her boyfriend’s youngest cousin — aegon known as egg targaryen?
word count. 8.2k
warnings. aegon being an absolute menace and maekar crashing out as usual, english is NOT my first language so sorry if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes!!
note. i genuinely had the most fun writing this fic (went a little overboard with the text oops), not really much to say besides that, just hope you enjoy reading!!
next part. series masterlist.
When Kiera first brought up the idea of getting a part-time job, you thought she was joking.
You were seated across from her in The Dragon’s Brew, the campus café tucked between the humanities building and the old red-brick law faculty.
Sunlight seeped in through the windows, outside King’s Landing was bustling as it always did—restless, metallic, a little grimy around the edges.
Through one of the windows you could see students scurrying off to class, while others were enjoying the sunlight that had come with spring.
Inside though it was quietly pleasant. Ferns hung from exposed pipes. Fairy lights coiled around black metal beams. Sade was crooning softly through the speakers.
At the table beside you someone was typing aggressively like the fate of the Seven Kingdoms depended on their thesis.
“I mean, when you think about it,” Kiera said, stirring her iced coffee with unnecessary elegance, “you could really use the extra cash.”
It was easy for her to say. When your father managed international investments for one of the largest dye conglomerates in Tyrosh, you didn’t wake up at 3 a.m. calculating whether you could afford groceries and next semester’s textbooks.
You were an international student on a visa that came with built in safety nets and a wardrobe of imported linen.
You loved Kiera — truly. But sometimes she floated a few inches above the ground. Or above your ground at least.
Being a scholarship student at King’s Landing University meant you did not have the luxury of floating.
“Kie,” you said carefully not wanting to offend her. You wrapped your hands around your coffee cup like it might anchor you in some way, “there is absolutely no way I can fit a part-time job into my schedule.” You deadpanned waiting for her reply.
Your planner was color-coded within an inch of its life. Filled with lectures and study blocks. Therapy appointments. Gym sessions you clung to like lifeboats. Pottery on Thursdays because molding clay was the only thing keeping you from pulling out all your hair.
You were surviving, not thriving. And surviving took precision and careful planning.
She rolled her eyes in a way that was affectionate but infuriating. “My mom always says we make time for the things we really want.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Your mom also has a private driver and three assistants.”
“That is not the point.” She leaned forward conspiratorially, pushing her streak of vibrant pastel hair behind her ear.
“It’s our last year. You’re literally a month ahead of half the class. You could find something flexible. Somewhere you can study while working.” She was absolutely relentless.
“Plus,” she added, “it would look good on your résumé.”
Kiera was the social media manager for the campus. She ran the official KLU student page which was filled with campus tours, interviews and various other content. The page had more than fifty thousand followers.
They paid her well. She thrived on engagement metrics and comment sections. She did not have to maintain a perfect GPA to keep her funding.
“For you,” you said gently, “passing is fine. For me passing is like a ticket back home. My parents would never let me hear the end of it if I got one grade less.”
Her expression softened for half a second before she masked it with a dramatic sigh. “You are so intense.”
“And you are so detached from reality.” You countered.
She grinned. “That’s why we balance each other.”
You checked the time on your phone and felt your stomach dip. Fifteen minutes until Professor Ashford’s two-hour lecture on post-Conquest political structures.
Two hours of fluorescent lighting and his droning voice dissecting the failures of the Targaryen Restoration like he personally witnessed it.
“Can we change the subject?” you pleaded. “I want to forget that I’ll soon be trapped in Ashford’s lecture of torture.”
Kiera winced. “Poor you. Ashford really is unbearable.”
Last semester he’d spent twenty minutes berating a student for citing a Dornish historian. As if bias didn’t exist in every archive from Oldtown to Braavos.
You’d considered skipping his lectures and teaching yourself. But attendance was mandatory. And you needed every attendance point.
King’s Landing University did not care about your anxiety or sleep schedule. It cared about numbers and attendances.
“So,” she said brightening, “Valarr and I are going to a concert Friday. You should come along.” She suggested, visibly looking forward to the idea.
He and Kiera had met at a Freshers’ Week party three years ago and started dating almost immediately. Everyone had assumed it would implode by midterms. Instead, they’d grown into the campus most beloved couple.
You shared a few seminars with him. He was sharp in debates but gentle in private conversation, the sort of person who’d never condemn you even if he wasn’t particularly fond of you.
“And third-wheel the entire evening?” you deadpanned. “Hard pass.”
She waved a hand dismissively and rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that.”
“It is exactly like that.”
She hesitated. And then, as if casually remembering something entirely insignificant added “Aerion’s coming too.”
Aerion Targaryen. Valarr’s cousin. He was a business major and campus menace.
He drove a black sports car that you’d bet all your money on was from his daddy’s pocket.
He wore designer brands like he was perpetually exiting a fashion editorial. He had that sharp, almost predatory beauty the Targaryens were infamous for—snow white hair that caught light in just the right way, violet eyes that held amusement and boredom in equal measure. He held himself as if he were superior to everyone and everything. Always gloating on about how King’s Landing would have never been built without his ancestors.
He also once tried to fight Duncan the Tall (as he was nicknamed for his extreme height), outside a club in Flea Bottom and got knocked flat on his back before security dragged the other guy away.
All bark. No bite.
Still, people gravitated toward him. There was nothing quite like pretty privilege and a deep pocket to gain an appropriate social status.
“Well,” you said evenly, “good luck with that.”
Kiera groaned, collapsing back into her chair. “I was hoping you’d come suffer with us.”
“You’re unbelievable, you really hate me so much that you’d drag me into a friday night with Aerion Targaryen?” Your lip twitched as the words left your lips.
“You could at least keep him distracted.”
You stared at her, completely unconvinced.
“Oh by the Seven,” she laughed. “Relax. I’m kidding.”
“You are not.”
She grinned, unrepentant.
“I have pottery Friday,” you said. “And I plan to spend it molding something symmetrical instead of arguing with a Targaryen about late-stage capitalism.”
She snorted. “He doesn’t argue. He monologues.”
Your nose wrinkled but you couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Even worse.”
Rumors clung to the Targaryens like expensive perfume. They were old money of valyrian roots, it was a known fact. Political donors. A family foundation that funded half the city’s art museums and quietly influenced half its policy.
King’s Landing wasn’t medieval anymore. There were no armies and dynasties. But power still moved in bloodlines.
And you were very aware of where you stood on that map.
A scholarship student from nowhere special. Carefully balancing ambition and exhaustion.
Your phone buzzed with a calendar reminder: Ashford – 10:00 a.m.
You inhaled slowly, mentally composing yourself .
“Okay,” you sighed, standing and slipping your notebook into your bag. “I need to go pretend I care about succession disputes.”
“You do care,” Kiera’s eyes moved to you, rising too. “You just pretend you don’t.”
You paused, considering that.
Maybe she was right. Maybe you cared too much.
About grades. About stability. About not falling behind.
The city hummed beyond the café walls. Somewhere in the financial district, deals were being signed that would ripple through generations.
Somewhere in Flea Bottom, someone was counting coins for rent. Somewhere on campus, Aerion Targaryen was likely skipping class because attendance was not mandatory for people like him.
And here you were. Measuring your life in fifteen-minute increments.
“Kie,” you said suddenly, adjusting the strap on your bag, “if I did get a job… it would have to be something super quiet. Flexible. Low-stress.”
Her eyes lit up immediately. “Oh my gods, so you are considering it.”
“I said if.”
She looped her arm through yours as you both stepped out into the cool King’s Landing air. “We’ll find something perfect.”
You highly doubted that.
But as you crossed the busy street toward the humanities building, wind tugging at your coat, the thought lingered in the back of your mind like an unfinished sentence.
Would it really be that bad to drop on of your hobbies and get a job? You’d still keep yourself occupied and at least you’d be earning some extra cash.
Maybe there was a way.
Maybe you just hadn’t seen it yet.
By Sunday evening you were slouched over your laptop, hair still faintly damp from the shower, your new citrus shampoo clinging to you like something clean and hopeful.
You wore your oldest most worn university shirt, the one with the faded gold KLU crest stretched across the front and a pair of soft plaid pyjama pants that had survived three exam seasons and at least two minor breakdowns.
Your dorm room was dim except for the glow of your desk lamp and the city bleeding in through the curtains.
King’s Landing never slept. Traffic hummed along the main road beyond campus. Somewhere farther off, closer to the river, bass from a club pulsed faintly like a second heartbeat.
You had the part-time job website open. Scrolling.
There was dog sitting. Retail assistant at the mall in the Crownlands Plaz — must be available weekends. Bartender in a Flea Bottom cocktail bar—experience preferred. Private tutor for first-year economics. Receptionist. Event staff. Library aide.
Every listing felt like a test you were destined to fail.
Thirty-minute commute to the mall?That was an hour lost every day. An hour you did not have.
Three high-energy huskies? Your nervous system could barely handle your own brain at 2 a.m.
Bartending until midnight? Absolutely not. You needed sleep like other people needed oxygen.
Tutoring? What if someone asked a question you couldn’t answer and you exposed yourself as an academic fraud?
Your mind was efficient at self-sabotage. It wrapped every opportunity in caution tape.
You imagined yourself in a retail uniform, exhausted, grades slipping. You imagined coming home too tired to study, too wired to sleep. You imagined losing your scholarship. Losing the fragile scaffolding you had built your life on.
By the time you reached the bottom of the page, your dinner had gone cold.
You exhaled sharply and shut the laptop. Your brain was utterly exhausted and your eyes were watering from all the blue light.
“Not happening,” you muttered to the empty room. You decided you were just not destined for a part time job.
The idea dissolved as quickly as it had come.
—
The weekend passed gently. You read. You outlined an essay. You reorganized your notes for Ashford’s class because control over formatting felt like control over something.
You lit a candle Sunday night and convinced yourself you were recharging instead of procrastinating your future.
By Monday morning, the job hunt felt distant like something you’d thought about in a fever dream.
You met Kiera before your 11 a.m. lecture at a new bakery that had opened near campus.
It was tucked into a renovated townhouse with ivy crawling up the stone façade and gold-lettered windows that read Honey & Hearth.
Inside everything smelled like butter and sugar.
They had a little patio garden in the back wrought iron tables, pale blue cushions, climbing roses that were probably fake but convincing enough. Students filled the space, laptops open, sunglasses perched on their heads.
The atmosphere was comfortable and light.
You both ordered coffee and pastries, Kiera something elaborate and aesthetic “instagram worthy” as she’d say, you a simple croissant still warm in its paper sleeve.
“So,” you asked between bites, flakes scattering onto the small ceramic plate, “how did Friday go?”
You meant the concert. The one you had so wisely declined.
Kiera’s expression darkened immediately.
“Ugh. Don’t even ask.”
She grabbed a hair tie from her wrist and twisted her bright hair into a messy bun with the kind of careless elegance only she possessed.
“That bad?” You chuckled.
“It was absolutely horrendous,” she continued. “Aerion made a scene. As usual.”
You felt laughter bubbling in your chest before you could stop it.
“I told Valarr I am never going anywhere with Aerion ever again.”
You covered your smile with your coffee cup. “Hey, don’t look at me like that,” she snapped playfully. “You were supposed to suffer with us.”
“And third-wheel a Targaryen meltdown? I think not.”
She muttered something under her breath and you nudged her knee with yours in apology.
“Well,” you said, leaning forward slightly, “what did he do this time?”
Kiera straightened in her chair, clearly ready to relive every second.
“So you know Tanselle, right? The super tall arts major? Theater and painting?”
Your eyes widened. “Of course I know Tanselle. She’s so sweet. I saw her in that contemporary piece last semester—she was absolutely incredible.”
Tanselle was one of the rare genuinely kind people on campus. Soft-spoken. Creative. The type who genuinely remembered your name and asked about your exams. And not just because she was ‘networking’ or thought your boyfriend was hot.
“Yeah,” Kiera continued, “so we’re at the party, everything’s fine. Aerion’s flirting with some chic by the bar, and then he spots Tanselle across the room.”
She made a dramatic pause.
“And?” You waited for her to continue.
“And he practically lunges at her.”
“What?”
“I’m not exaggerating. He storms over and starts going off about her latest play. The one with the dragon dying in the final act.”
You frowned. “It was symbolic, the whole point of the play—.”
“Tell that to him. He starts ranting about how it’s disrespectful to the Targaryen name, how she’s pushing some anti-monarchy political agenda—”
You blinked. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.”
Your disbelief curdled into irritation.
“No fucking way,” you muttered. “He cannot be serious.”
“Oh, he was deadly serious.” She took a sip of her coffee.
You imagined poor Tanselle cornered by Aerion Targaryen’s wounded ego and felt your stomach twist.
“What happened?”
“Well,” Kiera sighed, “you know Duncan? Everyone knows he fancies Tanselle, but still hasn’t scrambled together the courage to ask her out. He nearly punched Aerion. Valarr had to physically drag him back before it turned into a full-blown brawl.”
You let out a low whistle. “Seven hells.”
“It was chaos,” she admitted, though a reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “Entertaining chaos.”
“Yeah, I’ll pass on witnessing that firsthand.”
She laughed, shaking her head.
“Anyway,” she said, shifting gears, “how was pottery?”
You grimaced. “Canceled. Apparently there was a power outage at the studio.”
She groaned. “That sucks.”
“Yeah. So I just stayed in. Watched Netflix. And I… kind of browsed part-time jobs like you said, but I didn’t—”
You didn’t get to finish. Kiera froze mid-bite, eyes widening dramatically.
“Oh my gods. I completely forgot to tell you.”
You narrowed your eyes. “That’s never a good start.”
She leaned across the table, brimming with excitement. “I have literally the perfect opportunity for you.”
Your stomach dropped. “Do I want to hear this?”
“Trust me. It’s perfect.”
She lowered her voice slightly, though not enough to mask the thrill in it. “You know how Aerion has siblings?”
You stiffened.
“Yes.”
“Well. His youngest brother is, like, ten. And Valarr mentioned that his uncle is looking for someone to babysit him. Just part-time. Because he’s always busy.”
Your mind immediately conjured the image of the Targaryen family. Modern royalty of King’s Landing.
Maekar Targaryen—board member of half the city’s financial institutions. His father Daeron was practically a policy architect.
His oldest brother Baelor chaired cultural foundations and appeared on magazine covers like a statesman from another century.
Their surname carried weight.
You’d heard Maekar’s wife had died a few years ago.
The thought flickered through your mind—Aerion as a child. However insufferable he was now, grief at that age left marks.
Kiera kept talking.
“Aegon’s actually sweet. I’ve met him. He mostly plays in the backyard or video games. You’d just have to make sure he does his homework, maybe drive him to practice, make dinner. That’s it.”
She said it like it was nothing.
“You could study while you’re there,” she added eagerly. “And they’d definitely pay well.”
That part lingered. The Targaryens did not do anything cheaply.
“The only family wealthier is the Lannisters,” Kiera added casually, as if that clarified everything.
You pressed your lips together.
“Okay, but if Maekar Targaryen wants someone to look after his son, why not hire a professional nanny?”
Kiera hesitated. “He has.”
That was not reassuring.
“What do you mean he has? And, what happened?”
“And Aegon isn’t exactly fond of them. The last one quit on the verge of a nervous breakdown.”
You stared at her.
“What? What do you mean she had a nervous breakdown?”
“No, no, it’s not like that!” she rushed. “He’s not a monster. He just gets bored. Adults bore him.”
“That’s worse.”
She waved you off. “Maekar actually asked me first, but I’m too busy.”
You snorted. “Too busy getting your nails done and curating Instagram posts.”
“Exactly,” she said without shame. “So what do you think?”
You looked down at your coffee. It had gone cold.
Working for the Targaryens. The thought circled in your mind.
Spending afternoons in one of those sprawling estates you’d only seen in society magazines. Studying in marble kitchens and glass-walled living rooms. Getting paid enough to ease the constant pressure coiled in your chest.
It sounded… practical. Dangerous, but practical.
“I don’t know,” you admitted quietly. “I’m not even good with kids.”
Kiera rolled her eyes. “You’re patient. You’re organized. You overthink everything. You’ll be amazing.”
“And if I’m not?”
“Then you quit. You wouldn’t be the first.”
That shouldn’t have been comforting.You weighed it carefully.
A few weeks, you told yourself. You could try it. Save some money. If it turned into a disaster, you’d fabricate a scheduling conflict and leave.
You inhaled slowly.
“Okay,” you said, almost to yourself. “Fine. Sign me up.”
Kiera practically vibrated with excitement. “Yes!”
She immediately reached for her phone.
“I’ll send you Maekar’s contact.”
You swallowed.
Somewhere in the city, in a house much larger than yours, lived a ten-year-old Targaryen who had driven professional nannies to the brink.
And you had just volunteered to be next.
—
You had spent an absurd amount of time perfecting that email.
First draft then delete then rewrite then reword. You had lost count how many times you had redone the entire thing.
You kept it formal but not stiff. Competent but not desperate.
You attached your CV, your transcript, even a short paragraph about your experience tutoring first-years. You debated whether mentioning pottery made you sound well-rounded or just straight up unserious.
By Friday evening, you were so tired of staring at it that you hit send purely out of spite. Fuck it.
The message whooshed away into the abyss of the Targaryen inbox. The rest was in the hands of the Gods.
You were ninety-five percent certain it would vanish into administrative oblivion.
Kiera had given you Maekar Targaryen’s business email—and, helpfully, his assistant’s, “in case he’s drowning in meetings,” as she’d put it. You had addressed both.
Then you spent the entire weekend pretending you didn’t care. Or at least tried to.
You went for a run along the river, the wind sharp against your cheeks. You tried to study but read the same paragraph six times without comprehension. You even considered taking a spontaneous trip out to the Kingswood just to escape your own thoughts.
None of it had helped.
But Monday arrived regardless.
You were sitting in your usual 11 a.m. lecture, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, Professor Ashford dissecting something painfully abstract, when your phone gave a small, traitorous ping. The icon of your mail app popped up.
You told yourself not to look. You clicked on it anyway.
Your heart began to pound before you even opened it.
Inbox. One new message.
From: Maekar Targaryen.
Your fingers trembled as you clicked.
The email was brief. Efficient.
We appreciate your interest. After reviewing your application, we would like to proceed. You are hired. Please begin tomorrow from 13:00–19:00. Further details attached.
You stared at the word. Hired.
Professor Ashford’s voice faded into white noise.
You were actually hired.
You were going to be responsible for Aegon Targaryen.
You were going to enter the Targaryen household.
The thought that you were going to inevitably cross paths with Aerion Targaryen crossed your mind for the first time.
Your stomach twisted violently. You hadn’t truly processed that part before.
Tomorrow. 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. That meant shifting one seminar online. Rearranging your week. Rearranging your entire life.
What have you done?
—
You woke at 5 a.m. the next day. Not because you needed to — but because your nerves refused to let you sleep.
You stood in front of your closet like it was a battlefield.
What does one wear to babysit a Targaryen child?
You discarded outfits onto your bed one by one. Too casual. Too academic. Too try-hard. Too plain. You did not want to look like you were playing dress-up in someone else’s world.
In the end, you chose light wash jeans and a soft V-neck sweater. Clean. Neutral. Competent.
You brushed your hair twice, put on some natural makeup and applied your favorite lipgloss.
You looked friendly, not too try hard, not too trying to fit into the Targaryen picture thing.
After your morning lecture, you boarded the bus heading toward the Red Keep district, it was the most polished slice of King’s Landing.
Skyscrapers gave way to manicured hedges and wide, tree-lined streets. Cars here gleamed. Pavement here shone.
The air itself felt more expensive.
The Targaryen residence was impossible to miss.
Red brick, but not in the harsh way rather deep, smooth, almost velvety.
A sweeping driveway. Iron gates etched with a three-headed dragon sigil so subtle it was almost understated.
Your eyes widened as you approached.
A guard stopped you at the gate. You showed your ID, your email confirmation. He nodded and escorted you through like you were entering a consulate.
If the exterior was imposing, the interior was something else entirely.
Mahogany wood so polished it reflected light like water. Intricate carvings along the banisters. Portraits lining the walls—ancestors, no doubt. You noted a portrait of Aegon the First “Conqueror” his nickname was.
The entire house breathed legacy. Old money forged in fire and blood, translated into marble countertops and designer lighting.
It was silent. Oppressively so. Not a soul anywhere.
You stood in the foyer, unsure whether to move, when footsteps echoed against the polished floor.
“Ah. You must be Aegon’s new governess.” An unfamiliar voice startled you.
The man approaching you was older, grey-haired, dressed impeccably in a white button-up and pressed slacks. His accent was faintly foreign—Lysene, perhaps but you couldn’t be sure.
“I am Maellon,” he said, extending his hand. “Aegon’s tutor. I’ve served this family for over twenty years.”
Governess. That was certainly a way to put it.
You straightened instinctively. “Yes. That would be me.”
He studied you for a fraction too long as if assessing if you really were the right person and not some fraud.
“We have concluded lessons for the day. Aegon is in his room.”
There was something in his expression—hesitation. As if he wanted to warn you.
“Well,” he continued, already stepping backward toward the door, “I am sure Lord Targaryen has left you instructions.”
He had not. No one had done such a thing.
You opened your mouth to clarify, but Maellon was already moving.
“I wish you luck, young lady.”
His lips curved faintly. Not unkindly. Almost… sympathetically.
And then he was gone.
The front door clicked shut behind him and the silence was almost loud at this point.
You slipped off your shoes and ventured deeper into the house, heart thudding.
The corridor stretched endlessly. Doors lined both sides, most closed. The place felt less like a home and more like a museum where you were not meant to touch anything.
You turned left—Maellon had come from that direction.
What if Aegon had escaped? What if he had run off just to spite you?
What if you have failed within the first ten minutes?
Your thoughts spiraled until you heard something behind one of the closed doors.
A faint noise. Electronic and rhythmic.
You followed it to a door at the end of the hallway.
You rapped your knuckle twice on the wood.
The noise stopped instantly. There was no reply.
You tried the handle. Unlocked.
You pushed the door open slowly.
The room was large but lived-in—bookshelves, a sleek desk, a gaming console hooked to a massive screen. There were some posters on the walls, albeit all framed.
It was ridiculously clean for the room of a ten year old child.
In the center of it all stood a boy with pale blond hair almost identical to his brother’s.
He stared at you like you had broken into his home. And in some abstract way perhaps you had.
His gaze was sharp and calculating.
“Hello,” you offered gently. “You must be Aegon.”
He didn’t answer immediately. He was clearly assessing you.
You felt it physically—the way his eyes scanned your clothes, your posture, your expression.
“Hello,” he said at last. His voice was calm. Controlled.
“Are you my new nanny?”
The word felt like a test.
“Yes,” you replied, keeping your voice even. Children could smell insincerity the way dogs sensed fear.
He didn’t move from the center of the room.
“What’s your name?”
You introduced yourself.
He repeated your name slowly, tasting it, like he was testing whether it suited you. Then he raised a single pale eyebrow.
How could a ten-year-old make you feel like you were being evaluated for a corporate position?
“And what do you study?”
There it was again—that unsettling composure. The judgemental tone.
He stood like a miniature executive conducting an interview.
“I go to KLU,” you said, naming your major.
His eyes sharpened. “You must know Aerion then.”
Your stomach tightened. You had no idea what the internal politics of this family looked like.
“Yes, he’s—”
“An asshole,” Aegon finished flatly, spinning back toward his console.
A laugh escaped you before you could stop it.
“Well,” you muttered under your breath, “at least we agree on that.”
He didn’t hear you—or pretended not to. Either way you were glad he chose not to respond.
The PlayStation hummed back to life.
You cleared your throat. “So. Maester Maellon mentioned you had homework.”
He didn’t even look at you.
“I finished it.”
You glanced at the pristine notebook and textbook sitting untouched on the massive desk across the room.
“I don’t think so.”
He swiveled in his chair slowly, eyes narrowing. “You don’t believe me.”
“I can see your notebook from here, Aegon.”
He scoffed. “I don’t need that.”
You inhaled. So this is how it’s going to be.
You walked calmly to the console and reached for the plug.
“What—hey!” He jumped up. “You can’t do that!”
“Oh yes, I can.” You unplugged it smoothly. “No games until homework is done.”
“You’re such a shrew!” he snapped, face flushing. “I hate you. You’re horrible.”
The words were sharp, but hollow. You could tell he didn’t fully understand the weight of them.
“Oh, I bet,” you replied coolly. “And you’re a spoiled little punk.”
His eyes widened slightly at your boldness.
“You know,” you continued casually, “I have a niece. She does all her homework without arguing. Smartest little girl in all the Seven Kingdoms.”
You absolutely did not have a niece.
He stared at you clearly eating it all up.
“I bet,” he muttered darkly. “My father is going to fire you anyway.”
“Maybe,” you shrugged. “But before that happens, I’ll make sure to tell my niece how lazy Aegon Targaryen is.”
Silence fell between you. He was calculating.
You could almost see the gears turning behind his pale eyes.
“If I do my homework…” he said slowly after a minute, “…will you let me play my PC?”
There it was. Regulation and negotiation.
“Yes. Of course.” You promised him.
He moved to his desk—an enormous slab of polished wood that was, frankly, bigger than your entire dorm table—and grabbed a pencil.
“If you need help—”
“I don’t.”
You folded your arms. “Alright. But I’ll still check it.”
He shot you a look and began scribbling.
You sat quietly, scrolling idly on your phone but watching him from the corner of your eye. He worked quickly. Focused. No dramatics now. At least he was efficient.
After a while he pushed back his chair.
“Done.”
He stood, posture stiff. “Can I please play now?”
Mannered — you noted.
“Let me check.”
“Do you think I’m stupid, miss?”
“I don’t think you’re stupid,” you replied gently. “I think you’re a student.”
“You’re a student too.” Oh he was quick witted.
“Yes. But I’ve been studying for ten years. You’ve been writing for, what, two?”
“Four,” he corrected immediately. “Since I was six.” There was pride in his tone.
You nodded solemnly. “Impressive.”
You flipped through the pages. Most of it was correct. A few spelling errors. You handed the notebook back.
“Erase those. Rewrite them properly.”
He groaned dramatically but complied. After a few more minutes, you nodded.
“Good job. Now you can play.”
You plugged the console back in. He sat cross-legged on the floor, controller in hand.
“Egg,” he said suddenly.
You blinked. “What?”
“Everyone calls me Egg.”
You softened slightly. “Alright, Egg.”
He seemed satisfied with that.
“Would you like a snack?” you asked.
He stared at you like you’d asked if the Dothraki lived in Westeros.
“Um. Sure.”
“Anything particular?”
“Peanut butter.” Simple.
“Alright,” you said. “Peanut butter and apples.”
—
You stepped back into the hallway and exhaled. Round one: successfully survived.
Now you just had to find the kitchen in this architectural labyrinth.
You walked left. Then right. Opened a door—linen closet. Another, this one was some kind of sitting room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a manicured garden.
Everything gleamed. Everything felt too expensive to even breathe on.
The kitchen had to be somewhere obvious.
You finally found it after passing what looked like three separate dining rooms.
And it was… absurd, like everything else in this house. Well more manor than house.
Marble countertops the size of small islands. Two refrigerators. A pantry larger than your dorm bathroom. Copper pots hanging from a rack like decorative trophies.
You stood in the center of it, momentarily overwhelmed.
Apple and peanut butter. How hard could that be? You weren’t going to let some snob kitchen better you.
You opened the first fridge.
Sparkling water. Imported cheeses. Pre-cut fruit arranged like artwork. No whole apples in sight.
Second fridge. Still no sign of apples.
A thought popped into your head. Produce drawer.
You tugged it open.
Rows of perfectly polished apples, red and green, organized by variety.
Of course they were, riche people were like that.
You grabbed two, then turned to the cabinets.
Which one held peanut butter?
You opened one. Plates.
Another. Glassware.
Another. Some kind of artisanal grain collection.
You muttered under your breath.
“Why does anyone need this many compartments?”
You opened a sleek drawer. Cutlery. Another—spices arranged alphabetically.
You crouched to check the lower cabinets. Nothing but baking trays and mixers that probably cost more than your tuition.
Finally—finally—you opened a tall pantry door tucked beside the double ovens.
Rows of labeled containers.
And there was your peanut butter.
Three different kinds. Organic. Almond. Regular.
You grabbed the regular jar like it was a prize you’d won in battle.
You found a knife after another brief scavenger hunt, sliced the apples carefully on a marble board that probably had its own insurance policy, and arranged everything on a small plate.
You paused. This was ridiculous.
You were scrambling through a palace kitchen to make a snack for a ten-year-old who had just called you a shrew.
And yet — you felt oddly triumphant.
Balancing the plate carefully, you made your way back through the maze of hallways, half-worried you’d get lost and starve before reaching his room.
You knocked lightly before entering. Egg looked up from the floor.
You held up the plate like an offering.
“Apple slices,” you said. “With peanut butter.”
For a moment, he just stared at it. Then at you. Assessing the gesture.
Round two, apparently, was about to begin.
Aegon—Egg—balanced the controller against his knees while grabbing the apple bites off the plate.
You sat cross-legged on the rug a few feet away, answering emails on your phone and trying not to look completely out of your depth.
The television glowed against the pale walls of his room.
Onscreen, animated karts sped around a brightly colored track.
He paused the game abruptly and looked over at you.
“Do you want to play?”
He held out the second controller like a challenge.
You hesitated for half a second.
“Sure.”
You had never owned a PlayStation. Growing up, consoles were luxuries reserved for well off families—the kind with extra money after bills were paid. Regardless you accepted the controller as if you’d been doing this your whole life.
He unpaused the game. Mario Kart.
Bright music, and tiny characters. Pure absolute chaos.
You pressed buttons at random, pretending you knew what they did.
“So,” he began casually, steering his character with unnerving precision. He clearly played a lot. “do you have a boyfriend?”
You barked out a laugh, nearly driving your kart off the edge of the track.
“Straight to the point, aren’t you?”
He shrugged. “It’s a yes or no question.”
“No. I don’t.”
He hummed, swerving past you effortlessly.
“Most nannies do.”
“Do they?”
“They talk about them a lot. Like I care.”he rolled his eyes.
You grinned despite yourself as your character spun out after hitting a banana.
“One of them wanted to know exactly what time I used the toilet every day,” he continued. “She tried to make a schedule.”
“Seven hells,” you muttered, mashing buttons uselessly.
“I won’t ask you to schedule your bathroom habits,” you assured him.
“Good.”
He threw a blue shell that obliterated your already tragic position.
“You’re terrible at this,” he observed.
“Thank you.” Your lips quirked up in a mock smile.
“Do you want me to teach you?”
You narrowed your eyes. “Are you going to be condescending about it?”
He considered. “Maybe a little.”
You nudged him with your elbow. “Go ahead.”
For the next twenty minutes, he instructed you with surprising patience.
His little fingers pointing to each and every button and explaining exactly what it was used for.
“No, not that button. That’s drift. See? Like that.”
You followed his guidance, slowly improving. When you finally managed to knock him off first place with a perfectly timed item, he stared at you.
“You did that on purpose!” He groaned.
“I did.” You grinned triumphantly.
“Okay,” he said reluctantly. “You’re not hopeless.”
High praise from Egg Targaryen.
As you played, the house remained eerily silent.
No footsteps. No voices. No distant clatter from a kitchen.
“Is it always this quiet?” you asked.
“Yes,” he replied simply, eyes still on the screen.
“Sometimes Daella and Rhae are here,” he added. “Then it’s loud. They blast Taylor Swift and usually bring friends. Father hates strangers in the house.”
There was something in his tone when he said father. Not fear. Not exactly resentment. Just… distance.
“And Aerion?” you asked carefully.
He snorted. “He’s around sometimes, unfortunately.”
“And Daeron?”
Egg’s fingers tightened briefly on the controller.
“He doesn’t live here much.”
You nodded. You’d heard the rumors—Daeron Targaryen had dropped out of university a few years ago. There were whispers about him having a serious drinking problem and going to rehab.
“And Aemon’s abroad,” Egg continued matter-of-factly. “In Oldtown.”
He listed his siblings like items on a shelf. A full house that somehow felt empty.
“I’m bored,” he declared suddenly, dropping the controller.
“You’ve been playing for an hour.”
“I’m still bored.”
You laughed. “Alright, what do you suggest?”
“Outside.” He shot up and ran out the door.
—
The garden behind the house was enormous. Like everything else in this house.
Not just a yard—an estate. Perfectly trimmed hedges. A wide stretch of grass. Stone pathways weaving between flower beds. A pond stood at one edge. There was a small practice goal set up at the other.
You blinked against the sudden brightness.
Egg grabbed a football from near the patio doors.
“Can you play?”
“Define ‘play.’”
He rolled his eyes. “Kick the ball.”
“Yes, I can kick the ball.”
He placed it at his feet and passed it toward you with surprising force. You barely managed to trap it.
“Okay,” he said, stepping back. “Let’s see how athletic you are.”
“You’re testing me again, aren’t you?”
He grinned. “No.”
You kicked the ball back, a little too hard. It veered off to the side.
He chased after it, laughing.
“You’re terrible!”
“You’re ten! It doesn’t count!”
“And I’m better than you!”
“Oh, it’s on now.”
For the next several minutes, you ran across the lawn, passing the ball back and forth. You tripped once on uneven grass and nearly took him down with you. He darted around you like a fox, quick and agile.
“You’re slow!” he shouted.
“I have adult knees!” you shot back.
At one point he attempted to nutmeg you, clearly very pleased with himself when it worked.
“Ha! Did you see that?”
“I did. Unfortunately.”
He burst into genuine laughter—the kind that crinkled his eyes and made him look exactly his age.
Not sharp. Not calculating. Just a boy.
After football devolved into chaos, he dragged you toward a small wooden structure near the hedge.
“Obstacle course,” he announced.
“You built this?”
“Mostly.” He was obviously very proud of it.
It consisted of cones, a low bench, and a rope strung between two poles.
“You have to follow my instructions,” he said. “No questions.” Suspicious.
“Fine.”
“Run to the bench, jump over it, crawl under the rope, then spin five times and sprint back.”
“You’re trying to make me dizzy.”
“No.” He giggled again.
You stared at him.
He crossed his arms. “Afraid?”
Absolutely not.
You took off running.
You vaulted the bench (gracelessly), ducked under the rope, then spun in circles until the world tilted sideways. By the time you tried to sprint back, you nearly collided with a hedge.
Egg was laughing so hard he could barely stand.
“You’re evil,” you gasped, clutching your side.
“My turn,” he declared proudly.
You gave him equally ridiculous instructions—hop on one foot, recite the kingdoms of Westeros backward, then cartwheel (he attempted it, failed spectacularly, and blamed the grass).
Soon you were both breathless.
He flopped onto the lawn, staring up at the sky.
You hesitated before lying down a few feet away, grass cool against your sweater.
For a moment, there was no testing. No power struggle. Just shared laughter fading into comfortable silence.
He picked at a blade of grass.
He glanced at you sideways, as if trying to decide if he should say something or not.
“Most of them leave,” he said quietly.
The breeze stirred the hedges. You knew what— who he was referring to, his nannies.
You remembered this boy had lost his mother when he was very young. He probably didn’t remember her at all.
Your heart squeezed at the thought.
You didn’t promise anything. Promises felt too fragile in a house like this.
“Well,” you said lightly instead, “I haven’t left yet.”
He rolled onto his side, studying you again—but this time, there was less suspicion in it.
“Okay,” he said.
Not a challenge. Not a threat.Just… okay.
And for the first time since you’d walked through those red-brick gates, the vast Targaryen estate didn’t feel quite so intimidating.
It felt almost alive.
—
After tumbling around in the grass and laughing so hard your ribs hurt, the sun began its slow descent behind the tall hedges, staining the sky in streaks of amber and rose. You brushed stray blades of grass from your jeans as you both went back inside, breathless and giddy.
“Alright,” you said, clapping your hands together once as if you had everything under control, “I should probably make some dinner. Any preferences?”
The vast kitchen was now glowing beneath the chandelier, all polished marble and intimidating silence.
“Ummm…” Aegon tilted his head standing in front of the fridge. He was serious as if negotiating a state treaty. “I’d like some mac and cheese—” He paused dramatically. “No wait! Chicken nuggets!”
You hesitated. You weren’t entirely sure how pleased Maekar Targaryen would be if he came home to find his son being fed processed poultry in porcelain surroundings that screamed Michelin-starred dinner party. But surely nuggets were better than starvation.
“Alright,” you nodded. “I can do that.”
“Thanks! I’ll go shower and change until then,” he declared, already halfway out of the room.
“Okay…” you called after him, faintly relieved he was at least behaving like a normal ten-year-old.
You opened the freezer—of course it was filled with organic, gluten-free, ethically-raised chicken nuggets. Even their junk food had pedigree. You found pre-cut potatoes and sighed.
“Of course,” you muttered.
The air fryer seemed like the safer option. Wrong choice.
Fifteen minutes later you were still jabbing at the touchscreen settings like it had personally offended you. Meanwhile, you failed to notice one crucial detail: there had been absolutely no sound of running water upstairs.
Eventually, by some divine intervention, the nuggets were done. You placed them carefully onto an ornate porcelain plate that had absolutely no business holding chicken nuggets.
You had just reached for cutlery when the front door opened.
You heard heavy footsteps.
Measured but purposeful.
You froze with the plate of dino shaped nuggets in your hands.
A man entered the kitchen—tall, broad-shouldered, silver-white hair trimmed neatly, beard impeccably groomed.
His suit jacket hung over one arm; his shirt sleeves were rolled just slightly. His expression was carved from stone, a permanent scowl between his brows. He looked terribly handsome in spite of it.
“Who the fuck are you,” he all but snarled at you, “and what the fuck are you doing in my house?”
You nearly dropped the plate.
“I—”
“If you’re another of Aerion’s girlfriends or worse Daeron’s, I suggest you pack up and leave right now.”
“I apologize, sir,” you stammered, heat flooding your face. How do you even break this to him?“You… hired me.”
He stared at you like you’d just claimed you were his long lost daughter.
“And when the fuck did I do that?”
You quickly explained about the email. About Kiera and the babysitting she had mentioned.
His eyebrow arched skeptically. You concluded it was his assistant who had hired you and sent that email.
“Well,” he said stiffly shifting his weight to stand at his full height, “Aegon has been in need of a new babysitter. After the last one had a nervous breakdown.”
“So I’ve heard—”
And then Aegon appeared. Your heart stopped and you nearly choked on your own spit.
His head was completely shaved. Not trimmed, not buzzed. Shaved.
Gone were the soft silver locks. In their place—smooth, pale scalp. He looked exactly like his nickname. He looked like an egg.
Maekar slowly turned toward him.
“Seven bloody hells!” His voice thundered as his eyes fell upon the boy. “What the fuck is this now?”
You felt tears prick at your eyes. This was it. You were done. You were witnessing your unemployment in realtime.
Before Maekar could explode further, the front door opened again. Laughter echoed in.
“Ooooh, I hear there’s a fine new boy from Dorne—” a girls voice trailed off as she entered the kitchen.
They were both dressed in impeccable plaid skirts and white tights.
Daella and Rhae took one look at Aegon and burst into hysterics.
“You look like a skinhead!” Daella wheezed through laughter.
“Enough!” Maekar snapped at all of them.
They quieted, barely.
“Is this why I hired you?” he roared at you. “To let my son make a freak of himself?”
“I—” you didn’t even know what to say. You thought Aegon liked you. Clearly you were wrong.
“Father.”
Another unfamiliar voice, yet this one was calm, if slightly amused.
Behind the girls stood what you could only assume was Daeron Targaryen.
His hair wasn’t silver pale like the rest of his family’s. It was dirty blonde pulled back into a ponytail.
His expression was amused, hands casually in his pockets.
“I told Aegon to shave his head.”
Maekar looked like he was about to have a stroke. Before his rage could be unleashed any further he sighed.
“I cannot deal with this right now,” he muttered darkly. “I’ll speak to you two later.”
He turned to you.
“And you. Get out of my house.”
Then he disappeared upstairs.
Were you fired? Probably. You looked at the giggling girls. Definitely.
You did not even want to look at Aegon.
The girls grabbed him immediately.
“Come on!” Daella chirped. “We have to post this on Instagram!”
“And TikTok! And Snapchat!” Rhae added gleefully.
They vanished in a flurry of giggles.
You stood there, clutching your dignity by a thread.
Daeron stepped closer, hands still casually in his pockets.
“Rough day,” he said mildly. “Welcome to the Targaryen household.”
“Welcome?” you muttered. “More like goodbye.”
“Oh, don’t be so grim.” He chuckled. “My father is always like that.”
“Well I’m fairly certain your father just fired me.”
“If he wanted you fired,” Daeron said thoughtfully, “you wouldn’t still be standing here.”
“That’s… oddly reassuring.”
You placed the plate down at last.
“Thanks for covering for me.”
“Oh.” He blinked. “It wasn’t a lie.”
Your stomach dropped. “What?”
“I told him to shave it. He said he hated being a Targaryen. I said maybe losing the hair would make him feel less like one.”
You stared at him. That was not a sentence you wanted to unpack. You were not in the mood to play family therapist. Because clearly this household seriously needed one.
You just hummed at his words. “Well..” Daeron said slightly awkward. “I’ll clean this up if you want to..” he glanced at the door. “Don’t get me wrong it’s not that I want you out of the house,” he quickly corrected himself. “It’s just — well— you saw my father.” He stated.
“Yeah… I think it’s better if I go.” You agreed.
—
By the time you stepped outside, the sky was fully indigo. The garden where you’d been laughing an hour earlier felt distant now, surreal.
Aegon ran out just before you reached the gate.
“Hey!” You turned albeit everything in you was screaming not to. You were still cross with him, even if he didn’t shave his head to spite you.
He stood there—bald, sheepish, and suddenly very small again.
“Are you… coming back?” he asked.
You hesitated, something in you softeningZ
“I don’t know,” you admitted honestly.
He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Sorry about the head thing.”
“You could’ve warned me,” you sighed.
A tiny grin tugged at his lips. “It was kind of funny.”
You tried not to smile.
“It was a little funny.”
He brightened.
“Thanks for not treating me like I’m five.”
“That’s because you’re not.”
He seemed to hold onto that.
“Well,” he said awkwardly, “if you don’t come back, I’ll probably get someone who schedules my bathroom breaks again.”
You snorted.
“I’ll… see what happens.”
He nodded once.
“Bye.”
“Bye, Aegon.”
You walked down the long driveway feeling like you’d just survived a medieval trial by fire.
—
When you finally got home, you collapsed onto your bed fully clothed. Then you grabbed your phone.
You:
I am going to strangle you.
Three dots appeared immediately.
Kiera:
?????
You:
You sent me into a HOUSE of silver-haired psychos.
Kiera:
HAHAHAHAHA did you meet the dad???
You:
He told me to get out of his house while I was holding chicken nuggets on fine china.
Kiera:
STOP 😭😭
You:
Aegon SHAVED HIS HEAD. He’s an egg. Literally.
There was a full thirty seconds of typing.
Kiera:
I’M SORRY WHAT
You:
Bald. Completely bald. In front of his terrifying father. I almost died.
Kiera:
…
But are you fired???
You stared at the ceiling.
You weren’t sure.
You thought about Aegon asking if you were coming back. About how he laughed in the grass. About how the house felt quiet in a way that wasn’t normal.
You:
I don’t think so. But if I go back and get publicly humiliated again I’m haunting you.
Kiera:
Worth it. This is elite content.
She was so unserious. You groaned and tossed your phone aside.
You were going to strangle her.
But as you lay there replaying the day—the laughter, the chaos, the shaved head, the absurdity of it all—you found yourself smiling despite everything.
It had been a disaster.
A ridiculous, overwhelming, unhinged disaster.
And somehow… you had a feeling you’d be going back.
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