House Of The Dragon-For The Queen, Not The Prince

(Third Person POV)

Daemon took a step as rain poured from the sky, Vermithor's rumbling heard in the background, "There is no choice, Aerion." He said, "Nothing was ever our choice." 

Aerion scowled, "What do you mean?" 

"All of this, this was just a stupid farce." Daemon said, "Rhaenyra was never meant to sit the Throne. Everyone knew that. But neither was Aegon or any of his brothers." 

"Then who?" Aerion said

"It is much more complicated than that." Daemon said, "The witches from the east...they have a hold on this realm, much tighter than any of us can imagine. Since before the Conqueror's time." 

"So those men that I've killed back in Dragonstone, the one with the black clothes." Aerion said, "They were sent by those? These witches, they're the ones in black?" 

Daemon nodded, "Seems you know more than I gave you credit for." 

Aerion shook his head, "I don't get it." He said as he looked at him, "You....you didn't say anything all this time? You choose now to say this?" 

"It makes no difference when I choose to tell you." Daemon said, "All of us, we're going to die one day. Even you." 

Aerion took a step forth, "You don't know anything." he said, "Aegon's Dream.....Viserys wanted Rha-" 

"Viserys was weak!!" Daemon shouted with a scowl, "You knew that!! But you let your love for him blind you from the truth! I didn't! I knew my brother didn't have the guts to do what it took to keep our Family strong. Look where that weakness took us! It led to all of this! Because of that weakness, he let the witches to move about everything like they wish!! You let them get to this point as well!!!!" 

Aerion glared at him, "Viserys was not weak." He said, "He did what you couldn't bear to do. He showed me the love that you didn't." 

"You're still with that?" Daemon said, "I do this for you!! I am going to march down to the Capital and take the throne away from Rhaenyra and if I don't sit on it, you will!! Like you were meant to!! You were a Prince once! Next in line after me! I regret not being there for you, but I am here now!" 

"You don't do this for me, Daemon." Aerion said with an angry look in his eyes, "You do it for you." 

"That's what you think. I wish to push you to be the man you're supposed to be." Daemon said as he gestured around him, "Look around you, look at what you've done. You set ablaze the realm, you made it bleed for what you believe is right." 

"I do it for her." Aerion said

"Your intentions are misguided. You killed so many....you proved yourself to be my blood, to be MY son!" Daemon said with a scowl, "Yet you cling to her, you cling to the idea of her!!" 

"Rhaenyra is my-" Aerion started

"I don't mean Rhaenyra!!" Daemon said as thunder rumbled and lightning crackled in the dark sky, "I mean Rhea!! You named your stupid blade after her, you named your daughter after her. Has it always been about her?!" 

"YOU'RE DAMN FUCKING RIGHT!!!" Aerion shouted with rage, "It has ALWAYS been about her!! I cling to her memory because if I don't, I'll turn out exactly like you!!" 

"You will end up like me, perhaps worse, Aerion!" Daemon said, "You're blinded by the faint memory you have of your mother to even realize that!! She's gone, Aerion!! Gone!! You only have me, your Father!! I only want you to become the best version of yourself, superior to everyone else!! If I was never meant to sit the Throne, then it was you!!" 

"Shut up!!" Aerion shouted, "I've heard enough of you!!" 

"You've betrayed her memory already, son," Daemon said as he readied a stance, "Your Bronze Cunt of relatives will hang their heads in shame when they see their Lord be branded a Kinslayer. You will forever be accursed." 

Aerion tightened the grip on Lady Rhea, "You..." He said

No matter how badly he wanted to disagree with him, Aerion knew that Daemon was right. Aerion kinslayed; Aemond laid dead at his feet while he faced off against Daemon. No matter how badly he wanted to deny it, there was no ignoring his fate. 

He would forever be accursed indeed. 

And that curse will play a major role in his future. 

Aerion looked at Daemon, "So you won't stand aside....." He said

Daemon sighed and looked around, seeing the damage done by Vhagar's crash, "A battle of dragons is extremely risky unless you're Aerion Targaryen...." He said, "Any wrong move and your dragon could be bled out....Caraxes has to recover....I don't know if he'll survive his wounds. And if Vermithor can survive his.....his heart is already too strained to fly to King's Landing....to Her...." 

"I'll figure something out." Aerion said, "All I do is..." 

"For Her." Daemon said, "For them. I wish I had that same sentiment, my beloved son. What I do....what I'm about to do...I do it for you.....and only for you." 

Daemon took a step forth and without warning, he lunged at Aerion with tremendous speed. He thrust Dark Sister at Aerion's face only for Aerion to deflect it with ease, countering with a shoulder-tackle which Daemon was able to roll off. 

Daemon counter-swung his blade as a follow-up to the spin, aiming right for Aerion's head but Aerion managed to block it with his gauntlet. 

The Rogue Prince pulled away avoiding Aerion's blade as he had swung it right away. Daemon then swung his sword at Aerion, being blocked with ease as Aerion pushed him away. 

"You won't use your two blades against me???" Daemon said as his footsteps splashed water and mud everywhere

"I only need one!" Aerion said as he thrust his sword at him, nearly piercing his shoulder through the gaps in the armor

Daemon parried the blade and followed with a riposte, aiming for his face, slightly cutting his cheek as Aerion had moved his head out of the way. Aerion pushed Daemon away with his hand as blood trickled down his cheek, the right side of his face. He then followed up with a sword thrust which was avoided by Daemon sidestepped as he spun around, swinging Dark Sister at him. 

"Fight after fight...." Aerion said, "There is no end to the violence..." 

He blocked the blade, the two of them clashing hard. Aerion pushed Daemon away and swung his sword at him only for his Father to duck it with ease. 

"The cycle is endless..." Daemon said as he rushed past Aerion, sliding past him and grabbing his cloak, "It will never be broken!!" 

Daemon pulled his cloak over Aerion's head, blinding him. This was a similar tactic he used during Visenya's Tourney a few years prior. Aerion, however, tried to counter by thrusting his sword at where Daemon was; he was able to somewhat guess where he stood despite being blinded. 

Daemon parried the thrust and without wasting time, he swung Dark Sister down at Aerion's head which was covered by the cloak. To his surprise, his blade sliced through flesh and Aerion stumbled away as he let out a slight grunt of pain. 

"So you've finally suffered a wound," Daemon said as Aerion pulled the cloak off his face and ripped it off his back, throwing it to the side

Aerion was revealed to have a cut across his left eye, bleeding profusely. 

"Well, would you look at that..." Daemon said as he gestured at Aemond, "A bit too late, don't you think? And you're unfazed by this..." 

Aerion wiped blood off his face, feeling that his eye was gone and replaced by an overwhelmingly stinging pain. 

"Enough..." Aerion said as he lunged at Daemon with blinding speed

Aerion swung his sword, being blocked by Daemon who was stumbled back due to the power behind the swing. 

"Shit...." Daemon said as Aerion followed up by multiple swings that he was barely able to parry, still being pushed back, "You're getting serious, now, ain't ya??" 

Aerion shoulder-tackled Daemon, who was able to prevent himself from being thrown to the ground. He then followed up with a spinning slash that was aimed at his arm, but the Rogue Prince was able to block the attack, his entire body being rattled by the impact of the clashing steel. 

Aerion then shifted the grip of his blade onto his left hand and swung his right at Daemon's face, hitting him right on the nose, and staggering him completely. He then thrust Lady Rhea with his left, piercing Daemon right through the gap of his armor and into his midsection. 

"A-Aghh!" He shouted in pain as Aerion pulled the blade out and swept his leg, throwing him onto the ground

Daemon tried to thrust Dark Sister at Aerion but was parried and then kicked out of his hand as Aerion slashed his blade as a follow-up, cutting him in the wrist. 

Blood poured out of his hand as Aerion planted Lady Rhea to the right of his face. He then crouched down and clutched Daemon's throat, gripping it tightly as his Father clutched on his hand. 

"Do you see...?" Daemon managed as blood trickled from his nose, "The man you're willing to be to do what needs to be done?? That is my son! That is who you were always meant...to be..." 

"My boys are dead...I have not seen my children...my wife.....for the sake of this war..." Aerion said as he knelt down, pushing his knee against Daemon's chest, "And my own Father betrays me.....?? What kind of Son have you wished to have, Daemon?! The kind that will Kinslay?!" 

Daemon clutched on Aerion's hand, who loosened the grip on his throat, "I never once believed in that shite..." He said, "Yes, it is a foul thing to do...but when it needs to be done, there is no reason to listen to law.....We are The House of The Dragon!! Nobody else, Aerion, US!!" 

"All you wanted..." Aerion said, "Was someone who shared your ambition....your drive...That is not me." 

"I know...." Daemon said with a weak smile

"All that shit about trying to mend our rift..." Aerion said with a glare as blood poured from his left side, "Was all that a lie? All you were doing was planning this entire thing? Were you the one who killed Viserys?" 

"No." Daemon said, "He was weak, but he was my brother. I loved him." 

"I loved him too...." Aerion said, "And he was the only one that prevented me from ever hurting you worse than I did." 

"Now he's gone..." Daemon said as Aerion released his throat, "He's gone, Aerion.....and here I am..." 

Aerion swung his right fist at Daemon, the punch fracturing his cheekbone and nearly knocking him unconscious. 

Daemon coughed up blood as he was completely stunned by the punch as Aerion stood up, grabbed his sword, and walked away. 

He made his way towards Vermithor, who laid on the ground, being showered by the rain.

"A-Ahh...." Daemon said as he slowly turned to his belly, "I....I didn't kill Viserys, Aerion...." 

"I'm done, Daemon." Aerion said, "I'll fly to King's Landing, kill the Grey Snake, Sterling, and the Black Witches of yours. I will spare Alicent and Helaena and if Aegon wishes to resist, I will have no choice but to reunite him with his brothers. I will then let Rhaenyra decide my fate.....I have sinned.....there is no place for me by her side...." 

Daemon grabbed Dark Sister weakly as blood poured out of a gash caused by Aerion's gauntlets when he punched him. 

"Aerion..." Daemon said weakly as he spat some blood onto the mud, "I didn't kill Viserys.....b-but..." 

"Quiet." Aerion said as he slowly walked away

"I killed her, Aerion. It was me." Daemon said, "Y-Your Mother.....I was the one who killed her..." 

Aerion stopped and looked back at him, 

"What?"